4. Restaurants

Sola

3868 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL, 60613
  • (773) 327-3868
  • Store is closed

Sola Menu

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  • Ed F.

    Been coming here for years. Since its inception. Tuna poke and all tuna dishes are great. Service, drinks, all their dishes are awesome. And they have the best coffee in town, it's Hawaiian. A great place for small groups or large ones but plan ahead.

    (5)

  • Jaclyn H.

    Very tasty, cute, clean, and a warm atmosphere! A very nice patio for good weather. We shared the tuna poke appetizer and someone at the table who "doesn't really like tuna" really liked the dish. They also loved the beef appetizer. I had a veggie burger and it was GREAT! The truffle fries were very rich but also pretty good. Go there and enjoy!!

    (4)

  • Kara W.

    We saw a Groupon for Sola and decided to check it out. We were not disappointed! Everything was absolutely delicious. We had the crab cakes special for an appetizer and they were great- lots of crab meat. For my entree I had the Halibut with beet risotto and coconut butter, which was insanely good. Dessert was the five spice salted caramel crème brulee which was good but not really my thing. I would say that it's a little pricey, but having the Groupon helped. There were also a lot of (loud) children there which annoyed me, but maybe could be expected for the neighborhood. Would definitely go back none the less!

    (5)

  • Doris D.

    eeeeekkk...Sola what happened??? 45 minutes and $24 for dry chicken? $10 for 4 potstickers? You disappointed me Sola, I used to heart you. :(

    (2)

  • Michelle S.

    Good food & service! Owner is very nice too. Will be back! No parking.. High prices..

    (4)

  • Lauren H.

    I came here because I purchased a groupon and really didn't really know what to expect of this place. The ambiance was very nice and cozy for a fine dining dinner. I had scallops with black rice and my friend had the wagyu burger and both entrees were delicious!! The service was great. I'd definitely come back in the near future/

    (4)

  • Slu S.

    We came for Dale and we'll come back for the excellent food. The wife and I stopped here for dinner early on a Friday to gawk at Top Chef star Dale and were seated immediately. We promptly ordered the Colorado lamb chops and truffled fries. The food was tremendous. The lamb chops may qualify as the best that I have had and possibly one of the top dishes that I have tasted in Chicago. They were stuffed with Cambozola cheese, rubbed with Dijon mustard and encrusted with panko bread crumbs. Absolutely phenomenal.

    (5)

  • Temi C.

    Great ambiance for a date, celebration, or girls night out. It's kinda pricey for dinner and the portions are small. However, they offer an affordable fabulous brunch menu. Contrary to dinner, the brunch portions are quite big. Although we thought the braised short ribs in the benedict could use more flavor and the gran marnier french toast tasted like candy, we were quite pleased with our brunch overall. I'd like to go back and try some of the other items.

    (3)

  • Paul C.

    Sola is a nice, cozy spot for a Sunday brunch. If you're like me, you don't like standing around for 45 minutes or more just for some eggs and booze. Sola is on Opentable (as every restaurant should be), so you can make a reservation and know that you won't waste an entire morning waiting for a table. The neighborhood is family friendly. The food is quite creative and the drink menu is also great. I had caramel apple french toast which was perfect for my morning sweet tooth, and my boo had a wasabi bloody Mary which was perfect for her morning booze tooth. Well worth checking out. I'll be back.

    (4)

  • Mary G.

    I like Sola, but I don't love it. The Pho-jito was a great alcohol-free version of the mojito. This was one of the best parts of our dinner. Also, the service was really great. The hubby and I split the Kalua pork. The banana bread was the best part of this dish. The meat was soggy and tasted like it came from the freezer. Then I had the short ribs. The mac n cheese was the best part of this dish. Again, the meat tasted like it came from the freezer. I really like brussel sprouts, but these ones were kinda dry and probably over-cooked. For dessert we split the 5 spice creme brulee with ginger chocolate chip cookies. This was fantastic!

    (3)

  • Michelle D.

    I thought this place was EXTREMELY loud and the food was just okay. I have definitely had better. The type of food they serve and the prices warrant a better environment. Also, our service was very slow.

    (2)

  • Susan W.

    One of my favorite restaurants on Lincoln Ave. The food is just delicious. Try the brusel sprouts and the duck confit potstickers. I highly recommend the salmon. I rarely finish my plate and here at Sola I make sure to eat every bite. Great date night.

    (5)

  • Anne M.

    Excellent scallop entree. Very friendly staff on a crazy-busy Saturday night in Lincoln Square. We brought our own wine. This place has been consistently solid and very enjoyable for years now...hope it continues.

    (4)

  • Shannon F.

    Went back to Sola and tried the pineapple French toast. If you like pineapple then this is an incredible dish. I actually prefer the banana macadamia nut pancakes, but that's probably due to the fact that it's an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast! I can't believe this place is never packed at brunch. One of the few places in Chicago where you don't have to wait to be immediately seated on the weekends. Highly, highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Evie H.

    I took my sister here for her birthday and a couple of other friends joined as well. I thought the appetizers were pretty good, my favorite being the Kahlua pork and a close second the artichoke fritters. The main entrees were less impressing. The Wagyu burger had too much blue cheese for me and it was also pretty difficult to eat due to its size. The bottom of the pretzel bun got way too soggy to hold and eat after 5 minutes. We also got the duck x3 entree which was good but also too rare for my liking. I did enjoy the pear cider though.

    (3)

  • Danielle C.

    Sola has become one of my absolute favorite brunch places. There are many reasons for this, but let me list a few. - I have never, ever had a bad meal - Service is always professional - I enjoy the ambiance - The drinks are tasty - The food is well prepared I do make sure to schedule a reservation, and, if children are with us- they are well mannered. The open design does not allow for hooligans :) . I have enjoyed the Huevos Benedictos, the Chilaquiles , and the Short Rib Benedict. I always, always start with the freshly cooked Malasadas (a Portuguese style donuts with raspberry and chocolate sauce for dipping).

    (4)

  • nicole d.

    This has become our "special dinner" place. And by special I mean New Years, Valentines Day, anytime anyone is visiting from out-of-town, or when we need a nice meal. My only criticism is that their options for vegetarians (those who don't eat fish) are limited.

    (4)

  • Justin R.

    My girlfriend and I finally made our way back to eat at sola again and we are so happy we did. Thursdays at sola are burgers, bacon, and beer. It is well worth checking out. The menu at sola is always great, but their wagyu beef burger is incredible. Hands down, it is the best burger I have ever had. In addition to the burger we had clams, mussels, and shrimp with smoked beer and bacon. It was quite delicious. To finish the evening, we tried the candied bacon ice cream. It was good, though some may find it too strange for their tastes.

    (5)

  • Bethany W.

    Not wanting to cook dinner I stopped in this great little Northcenter gem. On a Tuesday night at 7:00 the restaurant wasn't full and I was seated right away. I've had the burger before which was great so I thought I'd try something new. The short ribs were next for me to try. The short ribs themselves were delicious. Fork tender! They were over mac & cheese which were average in my opinion. Not bad but not great either.

    (4)

  • Danielle A.

    It's been a while since I've been to this place but felt like it needed a good review regardless. I came here for a birthday and was more than satisfied by both the service and food. We both bought a champagne special they had which had floating pomegranate seeds in the glass. Yummy! We had the pulled pork banana bread for an appetizer- absolutely amazing. I ordered the duck as per the reviews and as it turns out, I don't like duck. I ended up sharing plates with the person I came here with, he had the short ribs, and they were absolutely amazing. It's a little pricey so I wont be back unless there's a special occasion I want to celebrate but this place is definitely worth the trip.

    (5)

  • Gary M.

    Had a great experience last night at Sola! We went for my wife's birthday and they were kind enough to prepare a birthday sundae for her with "Happy Birthday" written in chocolate. The food was great--we ordered the Tuna and the Hanger Steak as well as truffle fries and cantaloupe soup as a starter. All were amazing. Only slight disappointment was they had somehow run out of the brussels sprout dish so we weren't able to order that (one of Sola's signature dishes). Excellent neighborhood place. Thanks, Sola, for a memorable experience.

    (4)

  • Anh N.

    Came here on a Groupon (they're on there a lot actually) and was quite happy with my experience! The restaurant has semi-dim lighting, good for a date night or an nice dinner. They give you crispy flat breads to start that were so addicting. I got the short ribs and it was perfectly tender, flavorful, and generously portioned. The flavor has a subtle Hawaiian flair that gives food that sweet and salty taste. Service was great. Overall, I'd recommend it. However, it's definitely a nicer meal than what you'd go for an average dinner, and while the price is fairly reasonable, it can be expensive for someone on a budget (like me!)

    (4)

  • Sheilah G.

    I LOVE Sola and highly recommend it. I know that the menu is seasonal but here are some of my favs: short rib benedict or steak and eggs for brunch; the tuna poke appetizer and the hoisin-mustard-panko crusted tuna for dinner; the pineapple with coconut sorbet and macadamia nut shortbread cookies. Yummy!!! Also, my husband threw me a small 30th birthday brunch here. They were very accommodating in working with him on a set menu. Everyone enjoyed the food!

    (5)

  • david w.

    I went back last weekend for brunch, and got the pinapple french toast. I almost cried. it was such a work of culinary art. Really. And I almost just cried again remembering it. All the flavors and the textured blended together just perfectly. I've had french toast all over the planet from dive diners to the four seasons, this was hands down the best ever. Seriously.

    (5)

  • Genevieve L.

    The one thing I dread the most about Sunday brunch is a place that doesn't take reservations or has a long wait. Luckily, this place had neither. I came here with a bunch of girlfriends and they were very accommodating to our party. As always, we love to chat. Our server did a good job giving us our own space but also making sure we were taken care of. The whitefish omelet was delicious. They also have some sweet pancakes which are good for sharing. I wouldn't recommend getting the whole thing for your meal or you'll be on a sugar overload.

    (5)

  • Annie K.

    I used to dream about the short rib benedict. The restaurant has recently changed ownership, and sadly, the place just isn't the same. After waiting a while to even be asked for an order (I had to ask a bus girl to get my waitress for me), I finally was able to order. In the restaurant of old, the potatoes were no slouch to the benedict, and the potatoes this time around were basically inedible. Cold, stringy and slimy. The benedict was dry and had a hair in it. I abandoned my attempts at this and decided to put in an order of the malasadas. In the past, you were able to dip the doughnut into your topping of choice. This time, they came smothered in both the raspberry and chocolate. I complained, but was starving, so didn't want to wait to have them redone. I'd give this one star except the waitress told the manager I complained, and she came out to apologize and took the malasadas off my order. Sadly, I think Sola just can't be redeemed without Carol in the kitchen and running it.

    (2)

  • Jillian M.

    Sola should not be called Sola anymore. The entire menu changed when the new owners took over. Oh I'm sorry, almost everything changed. The crappy bread and lame desserts didn't change, but they took away our favorite drinks, Brussel sprout leaves, and the best steak tartare in the city. The only thing that didn't change was our favorite waiter Pete. Unfortunately we won't ever be going back to Sola, because it isn't Sola anymore. How dare you keep the same name and change everything about it. It was perfect as it was and now it's ruined. Let us know if the original Sola ever comes back.

    (2)

  • Joann H.

    Came here with the husband for anniversary dinner. I have been wanting to try it for some time. We went there uber early so we had the whole place ALMOST to ourselves. 1. The restaurant is slightly leveled. The main floor and a few steps to an upper level. Very slight but enough to separate the place and allow some privacy. The place is decorated nicely with some amber colors in the main area. The upper level has some blue walls which complimented the wood tables. 2. Dishes: I ordered the scallops served with creamy polenta and a light sauce that had some heat to it. The scallops had tiny pieces of pork on top which were crispy like bacon. Just a good added touch. The polenta and scallops were so tasty. Then I ordered the Black sesame crusted tuna served with Wasabi couscous and a pickled ginger slaw. It was delicious. I really enjoyed the wasabi couscous against the flavor of the tuna and acid balance with the slaw. Yummy. Husband ordered the Vietnamese BBQ chicken which was served with a spaetzle, a sauteed kohlrabi (turnipy type of cabbage) and pickled ramps. He enjoyed the kitchen and spaetzle but wasn't digging the kohlrabi. I loved the pickled ramps omg such a great addition to that dish to break the smokey/spicy sauce on the chicken. Hubs doesn't like ramps so I had those. Dessert: AMAZING!! it was on their specials list. I had a passion fruit napoleon: passion fruit custard or curd filling in that napolean crust topped with black sesame ice cream and braised pineapple on top and a sauce I cannot recall at this time. This was a divine dessert. I was oh so happy to have had it!!! Our server was nice, knowledgeable and easy going. Our host who sat us down knew from my husband that it was our anniversary so we were greeted with two glasses of champagne! Then my dessert had an extra plate that said Congratulations in chocolate with two chocolate truffles. Overall a lovely place, nicely decorated, with such friendly staff who made our visit here so wonderful. Try their food, its done well. Pictures to follow

    (4)

  • Peter S.

    We decided to give Sola another try, having heard there was a new chef. Tonight, we were happy. Mellody decided to make a dinner of the Tuna Poke and egg rolls, me, I went with the chicken. Both were very good. The spatzle that accompanied my chicken was delicious! Give Sola another try with the new chef and management, hopefully you too will be pleased.

    (4)

  • Vilma S.

    I was excited and looking forward to having a romantic Valentine's Day dinner here with my boyfriend. We had a reservation and we were seated quickly. We were seated next to a rambunctious, screaming 2 year old which made dinner anything but enjoyable or romantic. The ambience wasn't anything special and the table setup was dull. I was expecting something more from a fine dining restaurant. I ordered the chicken which was very dry and the sauces didn't make sense together. Tzatziki and soy sauce taste awful together. However, the only good that came from our experience here was the creme brûlée. It was delicious and the sweet potato was a unique twist. Thank god for the creme brûlée saving the night!

    (2)

  • Belle L.

    Excellent value for quality ingredients, uniqueness, with fine dining taste and texture in a Hawaiian laid-back setting. BRUNCH STEAK N EGG ($16) -- competitively priced in a wagyu sirloin steak. The panko-bacon-crusted tempura egg is worth the chase -- perfect medium, pretty and impressive. The wine demi-glace is unique in the Brunch world -- most of the time, only in dinner time. BRUNCH DRINKS -- for $9, you have the option of being common (Pina Colada and Red Dawn Mimosa), buzz (Maui-Mosa), and buzzier (Sneaky Peat). I enjoyed my unique, slight tart Maui-Mosa! COFFEE ($4 bottomless) -- the Sola blend from Sparrow is perfect (light to med roast that is palatable to Asian/Hawaiian culture. So good...black, or black with sugar is a ok. SERVICE -- fine dining by M Paul that is informative and highly descriptive. He passed the test on the booze selection. *wink. Quick cleanup VENUE -- clean, signs of maintenance needed as my cushion moves. I look forward to more brunch tasting and the prix fixe menu.

    (5)

  • Jami S.

    I would rate Sola probably between 3 and 4. The host was super friendly and accommodating. Service was efficient but not too terribly friendly. We had mimosas and brunch and can't really say much about the mimosas, they were good but then again you can't really mess up champagne and OJ. We had the egg sandwich and the fish tacos. Both were good, nothing out of this world or anything. But solid brunch spot.

    (3)

  • Jess H.

    This is the perfect place for a date night or a weekend brunch. The entire front wall is made of window panes, which makes the place inviting and bright. The service was great, as well as the recommendations. I really liked the Tuna Poke special and the Kahlua pork (pictured ). The server recommended a nice bottle of wine as well, so I do not have any complaints with how the night went. The reason I give it only 4 stars is because it is kind of expensive for what you actually get. If you want a few appetizers and a bottle of wine, you will spend at least $100, which makes the place great for an occasional treat, but not an every week spot (for me). Sure, you can order something less expensive off the menu, but you will not get to taste the most popular Hawaiian dishes they recommend, and alcohol will surely increase the bill. Either way, it is worth checking out, but i probably won't go back unless they advertise drink specials or something in the future. If they had half price bottles of wine on a select day, they might draw a bigger crowd. The only reason I did not stay for a second bottle of wine was because at $46 a bottle, I decided it would be a better deal to just go to a nearby neighborhood bar.

    (4)

  • Aimee B.

    Went to this place for brunch a couple of weeks ago and it was okay, but I'm not sure I'd go back. The short rib benedict sounded like it would be amazing, but it was lacking something...I guess I expected it to be juicier and more flavorful than it was.

    (3)

  • Dennis F.

    Came here by way of a Groupon on this visit, but my wife and I have been here previously. Five stars all around - atmosphere, service, food. I especially recommend the tuna or the halibut.

    (5)

  • Katharine T.

    I'm really disappointed I cannot rank Sola higher. After seeing Sola's short rib eggs benedict listed in the top 5 eggs benedict in Chicago (in TimeOut Chicago), friends and bf and I had to pay a visit ASAP. Their menu reads like a foodie's dream. Creative takes on chiliquiles, eggs benedict, wagyu burgers and steaks. The brunch and dinner menus look fantastic. From what we sampled at brunch I wouldn't say the food is bad, I wouldn't even be opposed to going back, but nothing was outstanding, I've had better brunch. My friend and I both had the short rib eggs benedict, boyfriend had the wagyu steak and eggs and other friend had the bacon omelet. Short rib eggs benedict: Immediate points off, like, HUGE points off, because both my eggs and my friends were over cooked. These were not poached eggs, no delicious yolk pouring over the pulled short ribs. Nope, just poorly cooked hard-boiled eggs. Seriously frustrating. The short rib meat itself was tasty. The cheddar biscuits good but not remarkable. Didn't really seem freshly made, not buttery and flakey or fluffy. Cheddar flavor present but not overly noticeable. Pesto hollandaise good, standard. So the meal was OK, it didn't taste bad but it wasn't amazing, the eggs were a disaster (and the main freaking reason anyone orders eggs benedict!). There is no way I would rank these eggs benedict in any food list. They were decent, not perfect. Don't f*ck up the eggs for christ's sake! Wagyu steak and eggs: Bf's panko coated poached egg was actually cooked properly, unlike the eggs in the eggs benedict. Wagyu steak was tough, per bf. I tasted a bite, I got the toughness but the flavor was good. Sauce on the steak was a sort of soy-sauced based steak sauce, it was very tasty. I think the sauce, in my boyfriends opinion, saved the steak. Gave it good flavor. I think he was pretty unimpressed by how tough the steak was and also disappointed like I was. Bacon omelet: Friend seemed to enjoy it, said had good amount of bacon in it and a lot of white cheddar which he seemed to really like. Didn't comment very much on it when asked but said he liked it. Lastly, our waiter was basically absent. No bedside (tableside?) manner. Gruff, semi-rude, uninterested, walked away before we were finished talking. I kind of hate him. I haven't had such an obviously uninterested waiter in a really long time. Service was really lacking. I would hope this isn't the case at dinner considering their dinner menu is pretty pricey. The place itself has very little ambience, I cannot really picture paying higher end prices to eat here for a special dinner. Also, this place is supposed to be Hawaiian some how? I didn't get any indication of that on the brunch menu. Maybe it is present on the dinner menu. All in all - if I lived in North Center I would probably go here from time to time because the menu reads really well, I'd be willing to try more things. But at this point, I'm hesitant to come back for dinner and fork over more money. I'm pretty disappointed, yelp really had me thinking I was about to dine at a real gem.

    (2)

  • Angelina L.

    I love going somewhere new and NOT regretting it. The food was so SUPERB!!! I had the short rib Benedict which leaves your mouth watering!! I'm a food lover and FLAVOR is EVERYTHING!! And this place has Flavor!!!! The service was awesome I love when you're treated as they would want to be treated! Great good great service Definitely will be coming back!!

    (5)

  • Brittney E.

    This was a fantastic place for a ladies' night out or a date night. My friend and I shared the artichoke fritters appetizer and weren't impressed at all... but I have to say that everything else I had was delicious. I was pleasantly surprised by one type of flatbread with herbs they serve in the free bread basket... it was definitely one of the best breads I have ever consumed. I had the scallops appetizer along with a seasonal salad for my meal and they were both phenomenal. The scallops were cooked and seasoned just right and the creamy polenta was the perfect complement. The beet and mustard greens salad was the just the right size and had a nice flavor with the vinaigrette they serve on it.

    (4)

  • Gwen D.

    I met a friend at Sola for brunch after our Saturday morning workout classes. (Shout-out to Spring Yoga and Fitness, only two blocks away!) My friend and I both ordered omelets, solid but nothing special. Most if not all of the ingredients--like the leeks, white cheddar, pear and bacon in my omelet--are sourced locally. My omelet, served with hashbrowns and toast with a lip-smacking (homemade?) jam, set me back only $10 or $11, more than reasonable for the area. Our servers were perfectly attentive; my friend said she never saw the bottom of her coffee cup. While I wouldn't make a special trip to Sola, at least not for brunch, I might be back after another workout class to try one of their more memorable menu items. (Why did I resist the Short Rib Benedict served on a homemade cheddar biscuit?!) I don't know if I could ever award more than three stars for only an omelet!

    (3)

  • Daniela V.

    The food was excellent and the customer service exceeded any expectation. One of our orders, the doughnuts, came too doughey and was undercooked. Not only did they make us another batch, they comped it from the bill plus gave us our drinks for free. Food was fresh, light, exactly what we needed on this hot summer day.

    (5)

  • Michael M.

    Artichoke fritters are great! Unique menu with many interesting and tasty options. Sunday brunch menu has lots of different takes on typical breakfast dishes.....and they will do half orders on the pancake and french toast plates. Brandy was our waitperson, and she is down-to-earth, attentive, and most helpful. Plan to make this a "regular" spot!

    (5)

  • Loz M.

    Service was fantastic, the host and waiters were really polite, friendly and made sure we were fine. Definitely 5 stars. The food was 3 stars. I had the pasta which was almost flavorless as the sauce was bland or there wasn't enough of it. My partner got the burger which was good. Two drinks, a shared starter and two mains was $70 (without tip) which is good for a nice restaurant, but we couldn't help think we would have made the same or better food at home for $10.

    (3)

  • David M.

    Came here for dinner. Food is alright. Bus staff was good, but waitress was no where to be found. She initially told my wife her dish would not be spicy. When it came, she wasn't able to eat a large portion of it...good for me since I can't get enough food. We only saw two waitresses, which for a Saturday night seems strange. If the service was better, I'd probably return.

    (3)

  • Sarah Beth B.

    I came here with a big group, which always makes me nervous, but the restaurant handled us beautifully and we had an excellent time. We were able to sit outside on the patio after only a short wait, but we hung out at the bar for a while so I know the dining room is lovely and not too crowded. Our waitress was such a pro. We were, unfortunately, 20 kinds of difficult (gluten free, someone was pregnant, a celebration, someone else no seafood, a non drinker, etc.), but they clearly handle special requests like these every day, because they totally took care of us. The food was, simply put, excellent. I had the duck, which was served with a magical coconut lime risotto. MAGICAL. I also had a lovely mocktail that was basically just really fancy juice, but it was delicious. I love that I didn't have to sacrifice getting a drink just because I wasn't in the mood for drinking (and I know my pregnant tablemate agreed!) AND it's always fun to get an amuse bouche, because who doesn't love a teeny delicious bite of food?? We got a ton of apps as well, but they were REALLY TEENY. I'm not sure how to do apps here, because they were too big for a single person, but definitely too small to share between 8 people. We had a groupon, but even without it, I was really pleased to see how reasonable the whole dinner was, even with lots of drinks. I'll definitely be back-- probably for a date night, when I can really get better acquainted with a full order of potstickers and not have to share them.

    (4)

  • Stephanie S.

    My coworker recommended this place to me, so I was surprised to see they had a Groupon offer (since it seems a Groupon is a sign of a dying business that doesn't deserve your money). Hubs and I started with the artichoke fritters that came with two dipping sauces. We weren't impressed with the dish. It was edible but nothing special and we could've done without it. I had the burger, which I give high marks. It's topped with cambozola which is kind of a cross between brie and bleu cheese. Very yummy flavor if you're into that. The parmesan truffle fries that accompanied it were tasty but a little tough (maybe over-fried?). Hubs had the special, which was lamb chops stuffed with that cambozola. He was not happy with his meal. In particular he said the cheese totally overpowered the lamb and that the "Shake-and-Bake-type breading was soggy." For dessert we had the peach tart with honey-miso ice cream. Hubs was all about this. I thought it was OK. The ice cream had kind of a salty taste that I found off-putting. There was nothing "bad" about our meal, but I don't think we'll be back. And we wouldn't have gone if it weren't for the Groupon. A little pricey for what it is.

    (3)

  • Elle M.

    Came here for brunch with my parents. I had the Wagyu burger and my parents both had the steak and egg. They both completely cleaned their plates and raved about how amazing the soft boiled egg was. Then my dad tried to steal off my plate and I was forced to poke him in the hand with my fork. The burger was amazing- cooked exactly the way I wanted. The only reason I can't give five stars is because I asked for a cheese substitution and they forgot- honestly, once I bit into it and realized how good the cheese was on it I just kept my mouth shut (full). After the meal we ordered a plate of the doughnuts, which were super fresh and SO amazing. My mom said they tasted just like the paczki her mom used to make at home when she was a girl. Overall, really impressed with Sola and will definitely be back for dinner. So will my parents.

    (4)

  • Ellen K.

    I went to Sola with a Groupon so price was less of an issue. The place is nice - contemporary and simple yet they had the Blackhawks game on the TVs. I was in the mood to try a couple of things so I went with small plates. I had seared scallops and the Kahlua Pork. I had also ordered the mushroom salad because of a rave review on Yelp but the description did not match the salad: "shaved mushrooms with arugula" was actually arugula with some shavings of mushroom on it. I had to send it back. First time for everything. The two medium scallops were accompanied by a creamy pureed parsnip sauce, to die for! My Kahlua pork was a nice pulled pork dish with a sweet stuffing type accompaniment that was too sweet and sauce way too rich and dense for me. The "bread" brought to the table at the start was thin crisps that tasted like rye + mild licorice. Turned out to be anise and other healthy ingredients. Very light and very good. I drank a non-alcoholic pho mojito which was described as ginger syrup and something in soda with mint. Tons of mint and limes tho, I mean Tons. I didn't taste the ginger at all. However, it was a tasty mint & lime refreshing drink. I had fun listening to the 4 gay guys' chat about their trip to Shanghai. The place had only male servers, for what it's worth. I'll go again if only for the desserts I was too full to try. Thumbs up.

    (4)

  • Daura A.

    It's a nice restaurant and it seems they carry fresh food, specially fish and veggies. I loved their poke and the fresh fish. It is an expensive dining going there, that's for sure. However last night (our second night there) we ordered the cobia, a type of Seabass from Australia. In the menu the price was $26, however I checked the bill afterwards and they charged us $31.00. I appreciate when that information is given if the fish plate price has increased but just like that $5.00 more for a dish that was marked differently in the menu, I don't find it right... Other than that they have a nice customer service and good cocktails though you get them better and more creative in other restaurants in Chicago but it's not bad at all. This would be a 4 star review if it wasn't for the unilateral change of price. I think customers need to feel confident about pricing in the menu and what will be in the check. I don't think anybody likes surprises in this direction. Maybe someone from the management here can explain...

    (3)

  • Christopher M.

    I can't remember a bad meal here, and this past Friday night was no different. The tuna poke was fantastic, as were our Pimm's Cup and wine. The salmon and tuna for dinner were excellent as well. Outdoor seating is romantic and cozy. This place really is the perfect date spot. 208/365

    (5)

  • Elizabeth A.

    I wish I was eating at Sola right now. Although it's a bit overpriced for some dishes, the food is delicious so they get a bit of a pass. We had the parm fries with aioli sauce, which were very good but also very decadent so I recommend not eating too many of them if you're planning on having an actual meal. I got soba noodles that were delicious, even the day after (and I had most the day after because of those Parmesan fries) and my boyfriend had the tuna, which he thought was to die for. The one thing I really hated about Sola was the lighting. I know. This is weird. It was just really bad though; it makes the place look old instead of the cozy dim look I imagine they were trying to get.

    (4)

  • Justin G.

    Absolutely fantastic. That about sums up our experience. If you enjoy seafood, and some nice cocktails, look no further. Nice low lighting for a date or a small party, plenty of space as well so I anticipate using the online reservations in the future to be sure. The service was also exceptional. Very friendly staff all around. We started off with the Tuna Poke which was great and a plenty of appetizer for two. Great flavor, and eye catching presentation. The tuna was very fresh, and we practically licked our plate clean. For the main course, we went with the salmon, and the tuna as well. The salman had a great sweet flavor, and the lighted fried greens on the top were a great touch. The tuna had lightly fried avocado on top which was a great compliment. So much flavor going on again with this dish, some wasabi but also had some sweet accents as well. All on a bed of rice. And to top it off, the portion size was great. Not too little, and plenty to leave you feeling satisfied. For dessert, they had a great slew of options, but we opted out with just the Kona martini, which if you enjoy coffee, this was a perfect night cap. This was a great dining experience, and reminds me why I enjoy city dining. If you are looking for a nice sit down date, not too pricey with fantastic food, don't hesitate. Lastly, I have only visited once, but this place just left a great impression so I gave it 5 stars. If I go back, I will be sure to update this review with any new items.

    (5)

  • Laura S.

    A TOTAL GEM!! We started off with some kind of spoon cleansing concoction. It was compliments of the chef. This tiny little spoon packed a powerful punch: goat cheese, pineapple and ? It was delicious and was a great prelude of our soon to be other dishes. We then moved on to the Citrus salad. Again, great flavors with goat cheese and a mild cilantro-flavored dressing. Fabulous, I'd order it again. So many of the plates sounded so good that we decided to do 4 small plates between the two of us to share. I'm a huge aficionado of Mac & Cheese. This one did not let me down. Perfectly sauced and the "crumbs" on top were actually shavings of more cheese - delish! The portion was just right for two people. I would order again Next was the ahi tuna - it was good. The uniqueness of it came from the sauce surrounding the plate. One was a semi-sweet soy sauce the other was the semi-spicey Wasabi. I liked it but probably won't order it again. It had a mild "fishy"flavor to it. We also ordered the scallops. The sauce added just the right amount of flavor to these perfectly cooked disks. I'm not a fan of the surrounding brussel sprouts; my companion was though and ate every last one. Crab cakes were our final selection. It too was a good dish but not typical, the crab meat was in a chunk form instead of the usual shredded form. It had a pineapple/beet puree garnish - not my favortie. Still a good flavor but just out of the ordinary. I would not order again. We finished the night with the cherry compote cheese cake. Although all of the desserts looked fab, the waiter recommend this one...and rightfully so! It was soft and had a great flavor that was able to stand by itself without the Cherry sauce. Whether you like a mild vanilla taste or a semi-sweet and sour taste, this dessert is a sure thing! I'd get this again.........and again, and again! By the way, the crunchy slivered almonds and ? were a nice touch! I'm coming back to sample more dishes...if all of the above were this good, the rest have to be as well. .

    (5)

  • David P.

    I was very excited to try this place, but it came up short. My girl and I went for brunch last Sunday. I had the waygu burger with hash browns cooked with togarashi seasoning. The burger was good quality meat, from Paulina's Meat Market down the street. The burger was just undercooked, I like my burger to be medium rare to medium; this was rare. Anyways, I ate it and it was good. I just couldn't eat the bottom bun, as it was wet with blood; too much. The hash browns, were just okay at best. My girl had the cured salmon salad, it was okay, but very small. I guess their wasn't anything special, that makes me want to go back. I understand they are on groupon a lot, which explains a lot to me. This is a sure sign of a restaurant that is reaching to make it.

    (3)

  • Ramya N.

    We went to Sola for my birthday dinner last week and it turned out to be very disappointing. I can't make sense of the great reviews and the 4-star rating this place has after our meal here. Drink orders were ok (nothing phenomenal). For appetizers we ordered the sashimi which in my opinion was the only decent dish we had. The entrees proved to be our biggest let down - my salmon dish was cold and my husband's short ribs had a burnt after-taste. It wasn't that the food was inedible but for a restaurant falling under the "$$$" category, you'd expect a fair meal!! Probably should have lowered our expectations when we noticed the sign about their "loyalty" program, people redeeming their Groupons, a 70% empty restaurant (albeit a weekday) and a yawning hostess. Thanks for nothing, Sola!

    (2)

  • Shan D.

    This place is just amazing. I've been here for both dinner and then brunch the next day even though I live in River north. It's worth it! The menu changes seasonally. I usually get something seafood based. The servers always make the best drink recommendations to pair with my food. They also have a private room if you want to host a dinner or some other small event. I've recommended it for for friends' baby showers, etc., and they were all happy with the food, service, and atmosphere.

    (5)

  • Jeff G.

    Short ribs with Mac n cheese were excellent. Cobia was tasty Excellent service (our apps and such were timed well so we didn't feel rushed)

    (4)

  • Dan K.

    I have been to Sola now 3 times and each time it has gotten better and this last time was stellar. Chef Carol's menu is fabulous and the seasonal specials (I had the ramps which were amazing) are not to be missed. I also had the Kalua Pork served with banana bread and as someone who goes to Hawaii a LOT, I have to say this was as good as what I've found in the Aloha State. My dining partner had sashimi and also the chicken and was very happy with it. For my main course, I had the salmon: perfection. Highly recommend sitting outside in the summer here! Can't wait to go back:)

    (5)

  • Andrey R.

    Very elegant place. Went there with my spouse and we loved everything. We ordered green salad, chicken and pork. Everything was delicious. The only one thing is that drinks can get pricey, but it is an elegant place to dine. Service and food were great. We will come back for sure!

    (5)

  • Han Y.

    One of the best brunch spots in town. Comfort but not boring options. Love the White Fish Scramble and Short Rib Benedict!

    (5)

  • Michael W.

    I had an expired groupon, $50 for $28. After verifying they would except the groupon, I placed my order over the phone. Sola provides a curbside take out service, which is awesome! I ordered the artichoke fritter appetizer, and the chicken entree, which came with a side of falafel. I found this place to be 'Tasty, but Undercooked', which applies to both food and Staff. Service I was excited to try this place and the staff seemed nice over the phone but in person was a slightly different story... Upon arrival, I went inside through a door labeled as a pick up entry. The were a few bodies in the dining room not more than 12 people total. I didn't see any wait staff on the floor. The person behind the bar looked up but did not acknowledge me, continuing to work. I stood there waiting what seemed like 15 mins (was probably more like 7, still too long for customer acknowledgment) until after the employee completed task. Still without greeting I was asked what I needed and instructed to wait by the host station. I don't know, because I usually don't have any issues when I spend my money, but it just seemed kinda rude and I hate to play the race card but I AM Black American. It may be in my head, and they are in fact really nice people but they weren't showing it to me. I feel as though I got better service over the phone than in person. Nothing for nothing, and regardless of if race played a part or not, Sola staff needs to step up their Customer Service! The Food PRICE - It is a little pricey, by the portions are nice for the price. TASTE - The Chicken, while very tasty, was also very undercooked.The falafel is DELICIOUS! I don't know if they make their own cucumber sauce, but it's GOOD! ;-) The artichoke fritters were also good. I don't care for artichokes but I was curious, so if you do you'll love theses! ATMOSPHERE- Nice, mid sized roughly 150 people, dimly lit dining room, tempered by flat screens and a more elegant lofted private dining area. Could be engineered as upscale or casual dining. RECOMMENDATION - Be mindful, but it's worth a try.

    (3)

  • Vaidehi T.

    Not too impressed with their offerings. Maybe I walked in with high expectations because of all the fab reviews, but Sola kinda fell flat for me. The food didn't feel like fun. We had reservations for a week night dinner, and when we walked in, there were not too many people. The ambiance and decor is flat - not too casual and informal, but not elegant either. It was somewhere in between, and it seemed to have missed the mark. Lets get on to the food. I ordered a salad (I forget the name) but it had candied hazelnuts in them. The salad was pretty good, but here is my issue with it. It was full of the hazelnuts, there were so many of them, at the end of dinner my plate had a bunch of them left as I couldn't eat them all. Hubby ordered the soba noodle dish from the entrees. As it arrived, it looked great. But it was a cold dish - I wish we were forewarned. Maybe it was our fault to assume it would be a hot dish. It had veggies and peanut sauce and more peanuts on top for garnish. Again - there were so many peanuts in the dish. There is definitely a problem with the sense of proportion, it certainly didn't feel right. Maybe it was just an off night for them.

    (3)

  • Meredith B.

    Stop what you're doing, cancel your brunch reservations, and come here this Sunday instead. Don't even look at the menu, get the smoked whitefish scramble with leeks, pears, and sambal cream cheese. I know it sounds totally weird but trust me - IT IS AMAZING. It was one of those dishes where I was so happy to be eating it, I wouldn't shut up about it the whole meal. I wanted to gloat, basking in the superiority of what I ordered. I was loathe to even give my parents a few meager bites. SO EFFING GOOD. SO GOOD. Eggs perfect, fish smoky, a little sweetness from pears, a little crispy bite, and a little spicy creamy goodness. I need to learn to make this. I've never had a bad meal here, and rarely had anything less than a truly great one. This place is such a gem and I've been lucky to live near it for so long. I miss it already!

    (5)

  • Bethany W.

    The service was great and the black cherry soda cocktail tasted awesome. However, the duck I order, though tasty, was a VERY small portion (three tiny slices of duck) with three tiny slices of sausage and three tiny gnocchis. It was served on this terrible slaw, too, which I thought ruined the flavor of the dish. I felt like we paid a lot of money for such a small portion and where I only enjoyed three of the ingredients that made up the plate. Definitely not worth the prices...

    (2)

  • Dee M.

    I came in at opening on a Monday to order food to go. I work very very close sola and for some reason I've never tried it. I ordered the wagyu burger medium with no onions. I made sure to specify because I'm a dance teacher and no one likes onion breath :). I said it would sit in the staff room for an hour before I could have my break and I was told no issue. There was no issue until I opened my container and onions everywhere and when I bit into my burger it was at best medium rare but on the rare side. Disappointed I pulled off the onions and ate some of it because I needed to eat on my break. It came with Parmesan fries which were the only good part about the meal. Not worth the $20. Even with the convenience (A 1 minute walk) I wouldn't go back except for maybe a side of those fries, seriously they were so good and maybe a drink if I needed one after a long day.

    (2)

  • Cesar H.

    Contemporary decor, quality presentation and fresh seafood options make this Hawaiian restaurant a good dining pick. I would, however, advise them to use less salt. Their liberal use of sea salt kills your palate's ability to discern any other flavors and makes for some nasty, after-dinner bloating.

    (3)

  • Trevor B.

    Atmosphere, food & drinks were all excellent. What more can you ask for?

    (5)

  • Sarah B.

    A couple of lovely lady Yelpers and I enjoyed brunch here today and I am bumping Sola up a star base on that good time. Everything on the brunch menu looked so yummy but I went with the breakfast wrap, a tortilla with black beans, eggs, cheese, spinach, etc. It was delicious. We also ordered the little doughnuts to share. They were a tasty treat that I really didnt need but good nontheless. And of course, we each had a few mimosas to top off an already perfect brunch. The place was bustling but not too busy, the staff was pleasant and the atmosphere inviting. A nice little treasure.

    (4)

  • Joseph D.

    Sola is located in an interesting part of Lakeview, off of Lincoln Ave in a part of town you might not associate with foodie type restaurants. That being said, complaints of it being expensive are in my opinion, somewhat overrated but I can see how some people might think that depending on what you order. If this place were on Randolph Street in West Loop, it would be average priced so keep that in mind depending on if you're a beer and pizza kinda person or a Girl and the Goat person. Now onto the review! The space consists of actually two sections. A main dining room we sat in and another cordoned off area which I guess they use for when it's busier. The main space is a big open square somewhat dimly lit with a fireplace upfront. Tables are quite close together as I found myself banging my elbow into the chair at the table behind me. So if you're looking for intimate, this isn't is as most tables are out in the open save for the ones near the window. I would imagine it could also get loud in there as you are in a big open space. Kinda reminded me of someones slightly better decorated basement. A big open square... A heads up on seating - last night was around 25 degrees and the two couples we observed being seated at the window tables both asked to be moved. I'm figuring it's pretty drafty up there! The drink menu is quite varied with a nice selection of cocktails ($8-$12), wines by the glass $9-$12, and bottled beers. I had a Wicked Wahine which was a mixture of sweet and peppery flavors and quite tasty while the wife stuck to wine. Cocktail was on the strong side so perhaps one will do! Also had a glass of the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (also $10) which was light and crisp and a nice compliment to the chicken we ordered. The food menu is where it gets interesting. There are really three menus it seems: the specials of the day, the fixed price menu (last night's theme was carrots - looked good) which includes a starter, entree and desert for $30 (with wine parings add $15) and the regular menu. Small plates can vary from $10 - $15 per if memory serves me correctly and depending on what you get can either be a good value ($11 for a pile of Kalua pork on banana bread - YUM!) to pricey like $14 for 2 scallops. Ouch. Mind you, both dishes were very good but two scallops probably not gonna fill you up. We then split an entree of chicken served with greens and coconut curry cous cous. Say that 3 times fast. The chicken was glazed with a Rosemary Orange glaze so it has an Asian feel to it. Moist and tasty and at $18, a bargain compared to those scallops! We also ordered the crispy Brussels sprouts and they were the best of the bunch (and cheapest at $8). We finished off our meal with the pineapple upside down cake served with homemade ice cream and macadamia nut brittle. This thing was awesome ($10) and some Hawaiian coffee. If we had to do it again, we'd probably come for a few small plates and one drink to keep costs in line. This is a "sometimes treat" kinda place as the food is good but you can easily drop $150 here in a heartbeat which feels a bit odd for Lakeview. Then again since I live in the area, it saves me a trip to West Loop and a $20 cab ride!

    (4)

  • Mandy W.

    This place is so cozy and the ambiance is super romantic.. be sure to take your other half here =) the food itself are good..i like the tuna poke.. the steak tartare was not what i'd expected it is not smooth enough. The wagyu burger was ok.. i like the molten lava cake because it is not too sweet lile other places and their brittle sesame ice cream pairs so well with the cake. They also give you some candied ginger to finish up the dessert...overall, this place is a must visit!

    (4)

  • Lee L.

    Sola has a 4.4 for me. Really close to a 5. Damn close. I have to preface my review of Sola with an anecdote about Roy's - a chain of restaurants that originated on the Hawaiian islands with the same basic concept as Sola with Hawaiian/European fusion. I used to go to Roy's Chicago all the time. When I was traveling around Hawaii last year, I also happened to go to three different Roy's on different islands in one trip (it wasn't planned! It just happened) and I was blown away time and time again. Recently, I went to Roy's Chicago and had a disappointing dining experience. I was sad that I wouldn't be able to have that awesome style of food around Chicago anymore. In steps Sola. YES. It's back. I'll stop talking about Roy's, because Sola stands strongly on its own. Hawaiian fusion is one of my favorite styles of food because it combines strong Asian flavors with European deliciousness. It reminds me of a crazy fancy version of the idea behind the fusion that inspired Bahn Mi sandwichs (not necessarily Vietnamese, but cross-continental fusion that marries extremely well) . For appetizers, we ordered tuna poke and duck potstickers. The poke was nice and everything I wanted and expect it to be. The duck was rich and delicious. For appetizers, I ordered the halibut that was on special. It was cooked very well, and the sides accompanied the fish nicely. My partner ordered the lamb, which I think was one of the only awkward parts of the meal. The racks were cut into double-rib cutlets, but they were stuffed with cheese, which unfortunately lead to them being a bit overcooked. Overall, however, I was extremely impressed. For dessert, we ordered the house made ice cream. We (independently of the server) picked the 3 most popular flavors: five spice salted caramel, fresh mint chocolate chip, and the sesame brittle. The caramel and mint chip were outstanding, but the sesame brittle was to die for. And you can buy it to go. I'm certain I'll be in there soon to buy a pint to go. You should try Sola. It's excellent!

    (4)

  • Catherine H.

    Had a great brunch here, attentive service, delicious food, great ambiance. I am subtracting a star because the mimosas were on the pricey side.

    (4)

  • Meg X.

    Tried this place on a whim. Great service, great food. The ambiance of the place was a little blah but the food and staff were really great.

    (4)

  • Mickey H.

    Went out for an anniversary dinner, wanted to try something new so we landed here instead of the typical romantic, Italian dinner. When we came in, we felt a little over dressed so it threw us off for a little bit. Once we sat down, the place grew on us a ton. Our waitress was awesome and incredibly helpful with giving us insight into her favorites on the menu. The tuna poke was a special but apparently its a signature dish, highly recommend it, great appetizer! The salmon was great, duck was good and dessert was awesome. I hear their brunch is awesome so we'll be back to try that out, but I would recommend as a dinner spot for sure!

    (4)

  • Winnie X.

    I will definitely recommend Sola. Food is amazing!!! The crabcake is one of my favorite. And the tuna is so good when you taste with the steam white rice and wasabi. The fried avocado is good. The only thing is the size of everything is small.

    (5)

  • Christopher V.

    I went here for a Valentine's Day dinner, and it was pretty disappointing. I was looking forward to this place and it had good reviews, but it was mediocre at best. The food was nothing special, especially for the price. Also, we didn't entirely see/taste the Hawaiian influence. The ambiance was lacking and the decor was in need of a little pop. From the website it seemed more like a fine dining experience but we didn't get that feeling. It felt more casual. We were seated quickly but other than that, the service was lackluster. Also, it was ridiculously loud, so if you're looking for a quiet evening out, this isn't your spot. Pretty disappointing experience overall. We both agreed we don't feel inclined to ever go back again.

    (2)

  • Elizabeth C.

    Review : Tuna taco GONE & Steak & Eggs This is a review for fish taco which replaced the tuna taco. If you are craving for that seared ahi tuna with the asian slaw, well unfortunately its no longer in the menu. Today i got a fried fish taco and gave it a try. Sadly, the overall dish tastes fishy, theres too much sauce which dripped allover my plate also making the taco shell soggy. So all the time i was eating the taco with knife and fork. I do hope they bring the grade A tuna back. Steak & Eggs: I ordered a medium rare sirloin steak. Meat is overcooked and underseasoned. Just not expecting from this restaurant. I actually thought the chef changed but not. These are all the reasons im not going back to this restaurant.

    (2)

  • Cynthia R.

    We've been here twice, and now that we live super close, I'm sure we'll be back. Great service each time and fantastic food! We ordered a lot of things and split them each time. Overall, everything was consistently delicious. There may have been a couple of things that were just ok, but over all, very good. A couple of things you need to try are whatever special soup they have. We had a sweet potato, squashy thing that was to die for and another time, a lobster bisque. The burger is quite exceptional as well....and those truffle fries. Another thing, if you still have room after dinner, try the house made ice creams. Yum!

    (4)

  • katie h.

    Great brunch and atmosphere! Would definitely return again!

    (5)

  • Jennifer W.

    I went in with my boyfriend for brunch since we had a $25 gift from SpringRewards. We decided to go for brunch because the dinner menu was too pricey for us. The short rib benedict was amazing and the sour cream pancakes were nice and fluffy and lemony.

    (4)

  • Katie O.

    Both times I have been to Sola the overall experience has been great. The service is alwasy professional, the food is delicious and presented very well. However, both times I've left wanting more...literally. The price-to-portion ratio is all wrong here. At $20-$30 an entree, I would expect a large plate of food that I can barely finish. Instead, it seems the dinner portions are more comparable to a smaller lunch portion.

    (3)

  • Josh ..

    Great menu and courteous service. Small wait, even with reservation. Fun wine list and attractive room. Worth checking out for a casual fine dining alternative...

    (4)

  • Maria L.

    Came to Sola on a Wednesday night with Groupon in hand and recommendations from friends and it definitely met my expectations! The reason why I liked Sola so much was that the flavors were so well put-together and I loved the Hawaiian/Asian twist to the dishes. First thing I noticed was, the space is cozy and warmly lit, perfect for a date night or girls hang out. We started out with the bread basket (pretzel, sliced baguette, and a 5 spice flatbread). All very delicious with the butter with pink himalayan salt. Then a teeny tiny amuse bouche was brought out, it had beets and goat cheese I think. Tuna Poke- if you've ever been to Hawaii and had the poke there, this is definitely a high class version and will definitely transport you back! The rice was seasoned perfectly, the tuna was tasty, and the avocado definitely brought it to another level. Also the hoisin and wasabi sauces were a great addition as well. I could eat this urrday/stare at its beauty. Wagyu burger- Juicy juicy mea,t caramlized onions, and brie, on a pretzel bun......get it or you're dumb. Barramundi- Perfectly cooked fish with crispy skin, very interesting beet risotto, bok choy, and coconut curry sauce, perfect balance of flavors Trio of ice cream- We tried sesame brittle, 5 spice salted caramel, and raspberry lychee sorbet, all were pretty good, but portions very small. Slight cons: Our server seemed kinda fake and wasn't readily available since he was running around so much. Also, although I understand the quality ingredients Sola uses, if it were a little less pricey I think I would be enticed to come more often. PUH-LEEEEEASE do Groupon again Sola!

    (5)

  • Joshua J.

    Started out with great weather to relax on the patio. The atmosphere inside was nice too, but we couldn't pass up eating outside. Wine list has several great values, but doesn't offer bolder, higher end reds. Food was great, we ordered 2 rounds of truffle fries (one as an appetizer, one with dinner) for two people which was a great decision! Duck was seared perfectly and the hanger steak was good. Pete, our server was also exceptional. I can be a challenging guest, with lots of questions and he was a pro.

    (5)

  • D D.

    Went to this restaurant for the first time today for brunch.... I'll probably go again tomorrow too! The food was amazing!!!!!!! Update from my last review: I have been here several times and this place is still amazing! I cannot say enough good things!

    (5)

  • Mrjustice ..

    After reading all the hoopla, had to try Sola's for myself. Food was above-average -- we ordered the recommended Short Ribs, which are boneless and looks like a Filet, but tasted more like Brisket -- but that's not a bad thing. Was marinated nicely, and very tender and lean. Also tried the Duck breast, which had a nice herb crust. Appetizers were so-so, consisting of Sola's brand of Spring Roll and Artichoke Fritters. Wine List was broad, but very high priced as was the food. Other big complaint like everyone else says -- the place is TOO NOISY. Can't relax, and certainly not romantic.

    (3)

  • Nataliya A.

    OMG Groupon is amazing for having a deal to Sola! I do not leave a restaurant thinking that it was one of the best meal's I've ever had too often, but I did after Sola! We came about half an hour early for our dinner reservation, the host was very nice and told us that there will not be table til then for us, but we can grab a drink at the bar top. Dont mind if we do... We ordered the scallops to share with my boyfriend and a drink.. Before our food was brought out a waitress brought us a bite of beet salad with goat cheese and it was so refreshing and a perfect way to start out night. The scallops were absolutely the best that I have ever had! The softest, biggest, most flavorful scallops! My mouth is watering just thinking about them! When our reservation time came, the host came to us and told us we can proceed to the table when we are ready. The table was right by the window, and usually I do not care where I am seated, but very cold air was coming from the window so we ended up sitting at the end of the table to be farther from the cold. It's okay though, was not a deal breaker, we are in Chicago, cold happens. So for the food. Besides the scallops, we got 2 small plates (wagyu steak tartar -capers, candied ginger, chile oil, tempura egg, green beans, arugula, miso) and (potstickers- duck confit, napa slaw, radish, five- spice syrup),1 main entree (tuna - hoisin-mustard panko, bamboo rice, avocado, soy-wasabi buerre blancand) and a dessert (adzuki bean cake - maple confit, kabocha squash, bacon-praline brittle, vanilla miso ice cream, sweet soy, maple reduction, candied seaweed). Tartar - the runny egg on top was perfect, everything was so smooth and fresh Potstickers - yes you can get potstickers anywhere, and my boyfriend gets them everywhere because he likes them a lot. He said that this is the best potstickers that he has ever had! They were perfectly balances between the outside slight crunch and the flavorful meat inside. Tuna - omg the tuna was the best cooked tuna I've ever had! If you like tuna... what the heck if you don't even like tuna you will absolutely love this dish! The outside is fried, and the inside is raw, it is peeeerfect. The rice with the tuna had a hint of sweetness, and the avocado provided smoothness, oooh and the wasabi and soy were not overpowering at alll, and I usually hate wasabi... mmmm Adzuki bean cake - it was tasty, but nothing to write home about. After reading so many great reviews I had high expectations, but according to my boyfriend after such an amazing dinner, the dessert was the worst point, it was just not that great. Even though the dessert disappointed us, the food was so incredible that this place still deserves 5 stars! Gosh I am so happy that groupon introduced me to this restaurant! It now for sure goes on my top restaurants list :)

    (5)

  • Anna G.

    Good food, good service, good amount of outdoor seating available. Enjoyed the steak tartare appetizer the most (we also ordered the halibut special and the wagyu burger). No complaints about anything, but nothing was really too memorable. Wouldn't go out of my way to come back, but would definitely recommend to someone looking for a nicer meal in the area.

    (3)

  • Leang E.

    It's not like there are a ton of Hawaiian restaurants in the city, so I am glad to have taken the opportunity to try this place out. It's in an unassuming location off of Lincoln, and the interior makes you feel like you are elsewhere. Our waitress had such a sunny disposition that I can't imagine her every getting angry or upset. We started out with the eggrolls, pulled pork, and artichoke fritter appetizers. All were very unique in their own way, but we especially liked the pork. I had the stuffed lamb special dish, which was phenomenal. My sister's barramundi dish was also very good as was her fiance's short rib dish. We also split the butter cake which was rich and tasty as well. The prices were pretty comparable. I certainly wouldn't mind coming back to try other dishes. I love the Hawaiian influence and inspired creations.

    (4)

  • Susie C.

    My friends came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. This is a cute place and it wasn't crowded on a Friday night. There were about 11 of us, so we were all seated together. I thought the food is decent, but it is pricey for the portion. I ordered the duck breast dish. It was tasty but it was small so I ate slower to get full. My husband ordered their pork chop and he thought it was okay. Some of my friends enjoyed their food; just thought it was pricey for the amount you get. We also brought a cake. There's a $3 cake fee per person. Service was okay. I thought this one bus boy who took our plates and utensils was rude. He just gets into your way without you knowing and takes the plates in front of you. When you look at his face he looks very grouchy as if he didn't want to work. Maybe he had a bad day but he shouldnt have to treat customers that way. He even dropped my fork onto the floor as it hit my coat sleeve. He didnt even bother looking at what he did and grunched away. Seriously?! I said something but he just walked away. Like I said, maybe he had a bad day but it is not appropriate to act that way around customers. Our waitress was fine, though.

    (3)

  • Susan G.

    Wow! Had dinner here for the first time to celebrate a birthday. The food was fabulous! First course for everyone at our table -- squash soup with ginger, seared scallops, duck potstickers, and wagyu steak tartare. Main courses for our group were - Wagyu beef hangar steak, lamb chops, salmon, and tuna. Everyone was in heaven after the meal, but we all had room for dessert. We enjoyed the soft center chocolate cake, hot fudge sundae, pumpkin creme brulee, and apple bread pudding. We had wine by the glass. Cost per person is about $85 including tax and tip. RESTAURANT HAS AN ADDRESS ON LINCOLN AVENUE, BUT IS ON BYRON AND CANNOT EVEN BE SEEN FROM LINCOLN.

    (5)

  • Rebecca N.

    This place was great! Went with my family and everyone really enjoyed. Started with the artichoke fritters (unreal--not too much breading), steak tartare, and tuna poke. Steak tartare was a really small portion, but good. Tuna poke was better. I got the barramundi entree. I had never had this type of fish before and it was awesome. amazing risotto came with! Truffle fries are a must have! Great to share with the table Dessert was a bit disappointed. Creme brule was just okay and it sounded so good! Cookies were meh. Ice cream sundae was the best.

    (4)

  • Marie D.

    My husband I went to Sola based on the hundreds of excellent reviews it has received, but we were disappointed with the food. We were seated by the window, which was nice, but directly under the air conditioning vent, which blew on me for the duration of our stay. One thing that I did very much like is that the hostess offered me a shawl to stay warm. Sadly, the shawl smelled like it needed to be washed. We ordered soup, three small plates, and one large plate and were disappointed with all of them except the soup. The egg rolls were bland, the pot stickers were bland and overcooked, and the pulled pork was flavorless and served on soggy banana bread. The ginger-glazed salmon was tasty and cooked well, but was served on a big glob of edamame purée that was, to me, horrible. The pho with oxtail broth was very good, and I enjoyed it very much. The best thing about our experience at Sola was our server, a delightful woman with an English accent who seemed absolutely thrilled to be serving us. I felt like we were doing her a favor, instead of the other way around. She was happy, attentive, accommodating...truly a delight. She brought my husband a little birthday treat at the end of our meal, and explained the Hawaiian writing on the plate. The two little house-made truffles were beautifully presented, but I wanted to spit it out after taking a bite. I can't quite explain the flavor - sort of caramel, sort of salty, sort of buttery, but runny with an unappealing aftertaste. I'm sorry, Sola, I'm not trying to be mean, and I do appreciate the excellent service, but we really didn't enjoy our meal, and with so many other options, we won't be back to try again. :-(

    (2)

  • Kat L.

    I live a few blocks from here so I've been a few times for dinner and brunch but never impressed. I like the ambiance and they have outdoor dining in the summer but the food was just ok.

    (3)

  • Erin E.

    3.5 good thing dining here was part of our staycation... otherwise i'd feel worse about how much we spent. although delicious, dinners at sola do not really fit in our budget. what might bring me back are the pints of homemade ice cream, which you can bring home for $7. the white chocolate coffee is to die for. our courses came out as follows: oysters & tuna poke-- i can't speak for the oysters but the tuna poke was fantastic. great for sharing though, 'cause i did get sick of it by the end. kalua pork-- yummy, but i probably wouldn't get it again. bread was actually a little dry. artichoke fritters & parmesan truffle fries-- tasty and indulgent, though a bit too heavy after our other courses. we should have just picked one of them. the drinks were inventive and fun, but definitely a splurge. i had the nice pear, which tasted like apple cider with cinnamon. my girl had the wicked wahine which had ginger, anise, pepper, and some other stuff. we topped off the experience with 2 flights of the homemade ice cream (3 flavors each). white chocolate coffee = amazing sesame = a close second banana, mint choc. salted caramel, butterscotch pecan = good service and ambiance were very nice. i would recommend this to foodies on the north side.

    (3)

  • Karen C.

    We went to Sola for dinner on Halloween night, I had a Groupon that was close to it's expiration date and decided it was time to check this place out. It wasn't very busy at all, assuming because everyone was out & about getting their Halloween on. Everything was SO good. Our waitress was very friendly & attentive, the cocktail I ordered was really delicious, and all of the dishes we ordered were so great. I had the salmon, it came out with a great crispiness, but was still juicy on the inside. It was served with smashed edamame & tempura green beans, with this really delicious sauce around the plate that just brought everything together. In fact, we kept commenting how delicious all of the sauces were, normally I don't even notice but they were all a very important part of each dish. I also had the crispy brussels sprouts, and those were great. Since we had a Groupon we ordered way more than we normally would have, but the prices seem pretty fair for what is ordered. I admit it's a little more pricey than I'd normally spend on a normal meal out, but for a nice occasion I would definitely come back here without a Groupon. I definitely recommend checking them out.

    (4)

  • Moni K.

    I came here with my husband to celebrate our summer. Sola was on my bucket list of restaurants to try and I wanted to have a nice romantic dinner with my husband but Sola did not deliver. I ordered three drinks, two of them from the summer menu "Pink Ladies" I think they were called and they were really good but sweet. I also ordered a glass of wine and I just can't believe that they would serve cooking wine in a fancy glass at Sola. If you tasted that wine you would know that this is not restaurant quality at least not how Sola wants to represent itself. Frankly I am offended that you served me cooking wine or wine that should never be ordered in the first place. The pros: the mushroom crispy salad and truffle fries were delicious. The burger meh it was just a burger. My husband got the mussels and he said half of them were fresh and the other half were not. What happened there? The service was ok...no recommendation was given, the waiter did not even attempt to make any wine paring recommendations. For well over $100 dinner I would not eat here again. Better luck to other guests.

    (2)

  • Susan B.

    We had heard they were closing and called to find out. We were thrilled they were still open and were told they will be through the end of the year. We had the mushroom appetizer special, and it was delicious. I wanted more for sure and would probably order that just for dinner next time if they have it still. I ordered the duck. It was amazing and I loved the sauce. My husband went with the burger and he was very pleased.

    (5)

  • Cameron H.

    One night while trying to decide what to do for dinner, I ran across a few reviews for this place. With it not being far, it was perfect to get to in a short amount of time. After arriving, we were asked to sit inside or out. We decided in as it was slightly humid that day however people were still enjoying the weather by eating outside. Not me.. We were seated by the window on the second tier. Place was decorated nicely. Staff was very nice. Food was good as well. We started with the potstickers - filed with duck confit (good). For out main, we ordered the tuna and duck breast. Delicious. I would recommed this place.

    (4)

  • Lauren F.

    I'm sad to say that Sola ended of being a bit of a disappointment. We came for dinner on a Friday night and they were packed-make sure you have a reservation on the weekends. Our server was great and was able to answer my questions on a couple different wines but that is about where any greatness ends. Here's what we ordered: *Kalua Pork: We ordered this because of the great reviews on Yelp, but we were not big fans of this dish. The sauce on the pork is really the only thing you taste-the meat could be cooked poorly and you really wouldn't know because it is drenched in sauce. Also, any taste of banana bread is completely lost so the addition of it to the plate just seems odd. Now don't get me wrong, the sauce is good, but it would be much better in smaller quantities where you could taste the other components of the dish. *Beet Salad: Salt, salt, and more salt. I am a salt-loving girl and when most people would say something is oversalted I would say it is just right...so you know if I say something is too salty, it is WAY to salty. The beets were cut in a checker pattern that was interesting, but you couldn't see them under the pile of salty greens on top. Salad fail. *Halibut: Another dish we ordered because of the reviews but again we were underwhelmed. We shared the dish and they split it onto two plates for us, which was very nice, but the dish itself was just not good. The halibut was overcooked, the seasoning wasn't on, and the accompaniments just didn't work-way too high of a rice to fish ratio and that's about it. *Mac 'n Cheese: The only dish of the evening that we actually enjoyed-a lot! The Mac 'n Cheese was super creamy and the sharp cheddar (I think) gave it an amazing taste. I wish I would've just gotten an order of that...kind of sad when your best dish is your mac 'n cheese side. I might come back to Sola to give their brunch a try but you definitely won't find me here again for dinner.

    (3)

  • Raja N.

    Excellent experience. Will definitely go back for more.

    (5)

  • Kate U.

    My boyfriend and I live nearby and had been meaning to pop in here. We finally made it in for our anniversary and had a great time! Tasty cocktails, delicious food, friendly and attentive staff, overall great experience. We had the steak tartare and the artichoke fritters to start off with. Both were very good! We also had the salmon and tuna entrees which were delicious and cooked to perfection. We would highly recommend sola to friends and will definitively be back to try some of their other dishes!

    (5)

  • Derrick P.

    The Sola expedience was great. The waitress with English accent was welcoming and warm. Didn't have to wait long for the coctaips, beer and food. The food - amazing. I have come back to get their tuna again. The bill was a little high but we expected that. You get what you pay for. The only one small withdraw were portion sizes. Culd be bigger. Entrée and half dessert and I still had plenty of room in my belly:). You don't go the to get stuffed but to experience great food, flavors, textures and service. Good job. Thank you.

    (5)

  • Pete V.

    It had been years since we last visited Sola, but after our meal I can't understand why we don't go more often! I love the Hawaiian inspired cuisine concept and the fish here is incredibly fresh. We had dinner here on Saturday night and were lucky to get a reservation around 8:00 pm as the entire restaurant was packed when we arrived. We started with some cocktails...mine being the Solzerac, there take on the classic New Orleans Sazerac cocktail. Unfortunately, the bartender had overdone the absinthe (it should only be a light wash) and it completely overpowered the drink, especially the rye whiskey. My wife was nice enough to swap drinks and give me her manhattan (she hates complaining about food), but our server was so adept that she noticed we had exchanged drinks and she immediately had the bartender remake it. Now that is great service! The food was outstanding. My salmon was superb; served rare with a soy, ginger, and truffle-teriyaki sauce atop a fluffy edamame puree + green bean tempura. It was cooked perfectly and flavors of sauce complemented the fish beautifully. The tuna steak is our absolute favorite here. Rare ahi tuna lightly encrusted with a hoisin-mustard panko; served atop bamboo rice and the best part...fried avocado! We elected to end our meal with 20-year port and a trio of bourbon-caramel, peanut butter, and mint chocolate ice cream. Overall, we had an amazing meal. Our server was fantastic and she even comped our brussel spouts. She offered some great recommendations and being from New Orleans she could identify with my disappointment with the Sazerac. My only complaint is that we don't live closer to North Center, but that won't stop us from coming here more often!

    (5)

  • Natalia K.

    Came here alone one night on a groupon to further my "dining alone" practice in case I ever get brave enough to travel alone and had a pleasant experience. I made a reservation and was seated at a table for two next to a fire and a table with some children. I thought this place seemed a bit fancy in terms of food selection for kids, but hey, to each their own. The bread that came out with my wine was tasty, and I had to stop myself from eating all of it so I could enjoy my upcoming selections. I ordered the salmon with a side of crispy brussel sprout leaves. The salmon was nicely prepared and it sat on a bed of edamame puree, which had the texture of mashed potatoes and tasted like edamame. Different and yum! The brussel sprout leaves were individual leaves fried to a crisp. They were bitter, as expected, and very oily, so that I only ate half- but not because I didn't like them, more because I didn't want all that oil. For dessert I ordered the creme brulee- the cookie on top was dry and forgettable but the brulee itself was delicious. It was a spicy mixture, and slightly heavy, but I enjoyed the unique combination and finished all of it. This place offers up groupons quite often and I've considered buying another, but don't want to commit myself to coming back here so soon.

    (4)

  • Diana C.

    Had my first dinner at Sola this past Saturday night. I had built it up in my head, knowing how flawless chef/owner Carol Wallack's work is, and it met my every expection. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. Food was brought in a timely manner though the dining room was full. The space is gorgeous. And if that's not enough to sell you, I have two words: bacon tempura. It was served alongside my pork tenderloin entree. Delicious and innovative, that's Sola.

    (5)

  • Dennis B.

    I started off with the potstickers which were decent. The appetizers come out very fast here. Next, I had the steak tartare. It came with this watercress and green bean salad. I wasn't to fond of that. It tasted like it had Sesame oil or something in it and it was very overpowering. The tartare itself was to salty. I think my blood pressure went up with the first bite. I remember when I was in culinary school, I spilled salt in some of my dishes when I was rushing. It kind of reminded me of that. They garnish it with a soft boiled tempura egg, which even though could be considered original, I'd of still preferred just the traditional yolk. For the entree, I had the short rib which was succulently tender but lived up to its name of being short. You can tell the chef is really about portion control here. I had three items off the menu including bread but I wasn't full when I left. Prices could be cheaper, but they have to pay the rent for that location. The service is good and quick. I think it was the fastest dining experience of my life. Thats a positive though because I had things to do.

    (3)

  • Gino W.

    Sola Restaurant has a big-box look to it, yet without the big-box feel. The atmosphere is trendy, the service ranks high -- from my first experience there, and the price is comparable to what you will find at a lot of breakfast spots where people wait what seems like forever to feast off of a limited menu. And now that I've gotten the fluff out of the way, here is the proper review. Red dawn. Malasadas. Upside down banana pancake. Oh my God! You can't go to brunch and not have a flavoured alcoholic beverage. That was the red dawn for me. I can get my fingers around a glass of champagne and blood orange, even if I can't get my mind around downing drinks before noon. Now, you have heard me say this first. The best doughnuts in the world are bofrots - Ghanaian doughnuts. The second best are malasadas and it is in your best interest to go to Sola and order some. Forget about beignets and Krispy Kreme. One thing I will warn you about is the upside down banana pancake. Do not eat anything else before attempting to devour that plate of happiness. It is filling. I ate half at the restaurant and took the remainder home. It was actually just as good heated later on in a conventional oven. I haven't tried anything from the Hawaiian menu, as that will require a visit for lunch or dinner. I may not make it back for lunch or dinner, but I will definitely return for brunch. I can't deny how blooming good the malasadas and upside down pancake were.

    (5)

  • Michele S.

    My family had an overpriced experience here. Yes, we all ordered drinks and appetizers, as well as small plates and large entrees per person. We were given a free appetizer for spending quite a bit. I recommend sitting closer to the back of the restaurant. Even though there is an active fireplace near the front of the restaurant, it was chilly. The crab cakes were good, butter cake was definitely authentic. I prefer other Hawaiian restaurants rather than this expensive establishment. I recommend Roy's -- their entrees have more taste.

    (3)

  • Nikki M.

    What an amazing place. My boyfriend and I went here for Valentine's Day dinner, and we were very happy! The service was great (our server was an adorable, smiley woman) and the food was exquisite. Everything we ate was delicious. We will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Steve A.

    This is a great place for Asian fusion, and also a wonderful Sunday brunch spot. The food is quite different between those two menus, and fittingly the atmosphere inside and outside is very different, too. The trendy energy inside would be perfect for lunch or dinner, while the sidewalk on this quiet, tree-lined side street is perfect for brunch. We shared several dishes: ham and cheese french toast, smoked fish scrambled eggs, and an Asian chicken salad. The salad was light and refreshing, with exotic greens and just a touch of very flavorful dressing. The smoked fish scrambled eggs was good, the highlight being a dollop of very flavorful cream cheese, and some nicely cooked hash browns, but I probably wouldn't order that dish again. The best was the ham and cheese french toast, which reminded my of a Montecristo sandwich. It was slathered with fresh strawberry preserves that contained a hint of five spice. There wasn't a bite of that dish left on our plates! Service was friendly, with food delivered by an efficient team, and prices are quite reasonable. We'll definitely return for brunch, lunch and dinner.

    (5)

  • Laura S.

    This is easily a Top 3 dining experience for me. The fella brought me here for a special night, and it met all of my expectations. We were greeted with an amuse of salmon tartare with avocado, black sesame seed, and I believe a truffle aioli. The cocktails (Sneaky Pete for him, Wicked Wahine for me) were on point, and the kalua pork was near-perfect. We also tried the artichoke fritters, which were tasty but completely eclipsed by the pork. He ordered the tuna entree and I the wagyu hanger steak, and I couldn't decide on a winner. Completely different dishes, and beautiful in their own way. We ended the night by splitting the hot fudge sundae, which was simple yet still incredibly tasty. I hope to make this a special date night spot from now on.

    (5)

  • Adam S.

    I found Sola through Spring Rewards. The food was excellent and the staff was extremely friendly. We ordered a variety of dishes (Tuna, Scallop, Steak) and all were very well prepared, tasted great and presented nicely. The bartender made an excellent old fashioned and the drink my friend had was we received. I hope to return and hope they continue to get good business. We went on a Tuesday night and it was very slow and quiet. The price was reasonable and I never felt like I was paying too much for what we got.

    (5)

  • Hannah H.

    I came here for brunch with a friend and I had their eggs Benedict with braised beef. The beef was so tender and fell apart and had great flavor; it was amazing to eat it with the runny eggs. The place gets quite crowded on the weekends, settled in the Lincoln Square neighborhood. +eggs Benedict with braised beef :D +Lincoln Square brunch +limited parking

    (4)

  • Annie P.

    Oh my word, that was the best salmon I ever had. Everything we had at sola last night was pure perfection. The decor is modern yet warm, the staff is friendly and the taste combinations were out of this world. I'm so glad we were gifted a Groupon to this place! Finally, our server Karen has absolutely fantastic and adorable. She definitely went above and beyond for us. The price points are a little out of our range, but we'll definitely be back to Sola for special occasions.

    (5)

  • Andrea A.

    I have nothing but good things to say about this place! I came here with a group of six, and both the server and bartender were extremely accommodating. I asked to alter my drink a little, ordering a variation of their coconut water and vodka drink, which was served no questions asked. The lovely server was also very generous with her recommendations, to which I "settled" with the duck breast served medium rare. I've never ordered duck breast on its own before, and let me tell you: WINNER! The glaze was just the right amount of sweet, perfectly portioned and tender. Everyone else at my table also raved about their food, from the wagyu burger, to the fish special, and the short ribs. I was also able to sample some of the desserts. The sesame ice cream, which is served with their dark chocolate cake was scrumptious on its own. While not a fan of bananas (sinful, I know!), my girlfriends referred to it as orgasmic. I also loved the apple tart, which uses a phyllo pastry crust. I highly recommend this place, as you could easily come here for something casual, a date night, family, or work associates. The ambiance is so that it fits any of those occasions. Will certainly visit again the next time I'm in Chicago!

    (5)

  • Bea S.

    My fiance wanted to surprise me with the romantic dinner in trendy restaurant, so made reservation at Sola, high rated on Yelp. I gave one star only for decor; nice, warm, welcoming, trendy. Nothing else at Sola was worth coming. Food is terrible! I have never in my life returned plate to the kitchen, but it happened at Sola. Even drinks, I expected will be nice, sweet Hawaiian style, were disgusting! We left 25 min after ordering, not finishing our meals and drinks, paying huge bill for the worst food experience i have ever had.

    (1)

  • Little B.

    I have been to Sola on many occasions, for both brunch and dinner. I appreciate that they use local ingredients (and beings) - "sola embraces flavors, philosophies and cultures of Hawaii, while also using locally raised ingredients whenever possible and supporting sustainability here in the Midwest." The food is incredible - I highly recommend the kalua pork (banana bread and BBQ, app) - and the huevos benedictos (brunch.) And oh, the crispy brussel sprouts... It's not just the food that keeps me coming back - I also keep coming back for the service. There is a server with an accent (British?) that is eternally kind, patient, friendly, knowledgeable...she makes for a stellar dining experience. Is it weird that I would follow her to a new restaurant, like I would follow my stylist to a new salon? Come for the food and service, stay for the food and service.

    (4)

  • Charles N.

    Went to Sola for Brunch Saturday morning and ordered the Short Rib Benedict --- it was great.. The short ribs were flavorful on top of the cheddar biscuit. The poached eggs were cooked perfectly with a Hollandaise sauce that did not overpower the short ribs and egg yolk. The side of shredded potatoes was a nice combination of crunchy and soft with a complement of onions mixed in. Great service and really good food. Will be back soon for the weekend brunch. Can't wait for the outdoor patio area to open and new items planned for the Spring menu.

    (5)

  • Kathleen C.

    I've been to sola a few times and have apparently forgotten to review it! I have been both for brunch and for dinner and while I think I like brunch better, this is definitely a solid spot for any meal. My most recent visit was for brunch and, as we were sort of celebrating, we started out with mimosas and coffee. I had the breakfast wrap type thing, my friend had the chilaquiles and my mom had the eggs, potatoes and toast. Everything was delicious! Service was really friendly, even though we sat there and talked for a long time after we finished eating. Coffee and waters were quickly refilled and we were definitely not rushed. The above definitely describes brunch pretty accurately for my past few visits. What I recall from dinner was that many of the options are a bit pricey, though tasty. So, take your pick - reasonably priced and delicious brunch or slightly pricey, but delicious dinner.

    (4)

  • Al D.

    What a great place. I had a Groupon for this place languishing in my Inbox since my birthday. Apparently no one wanted $50-worth of free food. Luckily, a buddy of mine suggested trying this; glad I did. Everything was top-notch here. The service, the setting; just all-around impressive. A side of roasted and sauteed Brussels sprouts proved to be phenomenal. I'd return here again just to eat those and those alone.

    (5)

  • Rachel F.

    I had heard some great things about Sola, so when I saw a Groupon for it I jumped at the chance. I made reservations, but it didn't seem to busy on a Saturday night. We ordered the Crab Cakes and Artichoke Fritters. The crab cakes were pretty good and probably the best thing I ate that night. The Artichoke fritters were a bit of a let down, like others reviewers said. Graham D had the Salmon, which in conflict with other reviewers was excellent. But once again I was let down with my ordering choices. The duck was only flavorful when you got a piece of the sear, but the bok choy & risotto were really bland. I was pretty disappointed considering all the positive reviews. We ended up with a desert that was pretty good though, so that ended the night on the good note. It's a bit pricey for what I felt I was getting, even with the groupon. Right now I'll give Sola 3 stars, hoping their brunch lives up to the rest of the hype.

    (3)

  • Biggie M.

    I created a Yelp account JUST to write a review for Sola, which I now consider one of the BEST restaurants I've ever been to, period. I've enjoyed both brunch and (my birthday) dinner here, and both times we were seated within 3 minutes. The service has been so friendly and our waiter was extremely attentive. Not only did he give us a mini tour of the special, but often asked if we had any questions (which we did). Our beverages were refilled often without us having to look around or ask, and the food arrived promptly, nice and hot. If you're here reading these reviews and wondering if you should go to Sola----shut off the computer now and GO!

    (5)

  • Downtown B.

    Exceptional brucnh and dinner with very friendly service. Brunch was excellent. The banana upside down pancake is decadent, we shared it at the table and we devoured it. I had the short rib benedict. Tender and packed with taste. The hash browns were crispy/excellent. I also tried the bacon omelet, I don't normally go for omelettes but this one was tops! For dinner we had the truffle fries, very good but at the end of the day they are just fries. I tried the tuna which was AMAZING, this place got the Asian flavors to a T. Salmon was also out of this world/cooked perfectly. The shortribs were a little dry that night (compared to my brunch) but they were still good. Excellent neighborhood spot. Keep up the good work!

    (5)

  • Eileen S.

    beautiful brunch Kitchen a little slow but the sour cream lemon ricotta pancakes were great & the staff couldn't have been nicer. They went out of their way to make sure my Dad & his walker were taken care of.

    (5)

  • Shradha A.

    Seeking a place that was conveniently-located for patrons of the highways and cta lines alike, easy parking, reservations accepted, conversation enabled, prices reasonable and of course, food good! And we found Sola to be just that! Celebrating my friend's engagement, 8 of us were getting together to see her bling. Ended up being 5 of us, which the restaurant quickly adapted to. Toasted to pomegranate-mango mimosas - yummy. Tried their 5 spice waffles and my friend's chilaquiles - both yummy yummy! The place was classy, spacious, lively but quiet, good food, decent service - enough reasons to earn all 5 stars and want me to go back already to try other menu items! And the fireplace earns one too! But alas, the grapevine tells me that they're closing after New Year's, but may be re-opening in a different location with a different name.

    (5)

  • Kat M.

    Lately the hubby and I have been allowing Groupon to dictate where our ritual Date Night dinner will take place each week. This can be good, and this can be bad. Last night Groupon sent us to Sola, which was very, very good. The place was a little hard to find: The address is on Lincoln, but the restaurant itself is on Byron. However, we overcame that obstacle fairly easily. The interior is all clean lines and earth tones, definitely appealing to me. Staff was friendly. We were seated across from the fire place. Always a plus. The server started us off with a little amuse-bouche of goat cheese and green apple on a cracker. Simple but tasty. They also offer an array of intriguing cocktails. I tried something involving ginger vodka and passion fruit which was quite good. Hubby had the especially tasty non-alcoholic "Pho-jito." The Groupon was good for one appetizer, two soups/salads, and two entrees. The menu had a lot to offer. We started with some artichoke fritters with two dipping sauces: A soy lime sauce, which I liked, and a truffle aioli, which I was afraid the hubby was going to eat with a spoon. He followed that with a bowl of bowl of pho and I had a salad with apples, walnuts, and cheese. Both of us were well pleased with our choices. Then came the main course. I'm a vegetarian, and, although it is much easier for a vegetarian to dine out now than it was in years past, sometimes the vegetarian offerings are just not that inspired. I don't need a lot of choices on a menu, so long as the choices that are offered are good. At Sola, there is one vegetarian entrée, which they call Greens and Grains. Not very descriptive, but I suppose that this allows the chef to vary the offering with the season. Which I think is great. Currently, Greens and Grains consists of couscous with roasted brussel sprouts and green beans, topped by a slab of seared tofu in a teriyaki sauce. Oh, it was yummy! I'd have been just as happy without the tofu, but I do understand why it was there. The brussel sprouts were delightful. Hubby was equally pleased with his ginger-glazed salmon, perched atop an edamame puree. Desert menu looked intriguing, but alas, we were too full to partake of it. Next time, for sure.

    (4)

  • Kat P.

    Impeccable everything. I loved the veggie benedict. What an overwhelmingly beautiful way to woo the senses to life on a crisp autumn morning. I will make it a point to be back.

    (5)

  • Lois A.

    I am a huge fan of Sola. Recently they gave us an amuse of halibut ceviche before we ordered and it was fantastic. I would love it if this was on the menu! The kalua pork with banana bread is the kind of dish I was born to eat. I love everything about it. The crab cakes are really good. The short ribs and chicken are both winners. I'm sure everything is good because everything I've had has been great. Warning: The side of mac and cheese is a meal all by itself. The famous burger is as good as everyone says but I am so in love with the other options on the menu that it would be hard to order that again. Service couldn't be better. The staff here are extremely nice and helpful. I look forward to many more visits.

    (4)

  • Kate M.

    Just got back from Valentines brunch here, and it was outstanding! I couldn't wait to come home and write a quick review... I made a reservation for 12:30, which was wise because it was a little crowded. The staff is super nice and helpful - very attentive. Loved the mauimosa - champagne with pineapple and passion fruit. I had a hard time choosing what to eat because their menu is outstanding, but I had the wild mushroom omelet. It was so good - assorted mushrooms and asparagus omelet, stuffed with goat cheese. My Valentine had the famous spare rib Benedict, which really lived up to the hype. And I was pleased with how much food we got, considering I was worried when I saw the prices. Their potatoes were delicious and had a bit of a kick to them. The plates were full and so were we by the end of the meal. Overall, a great place for a special-occasion brunch - like I said, it's a little expensive to just go there every weekend, but definitely a great dining experience and worth it!

    (5)

  • Julie Z.

    Hawaiian fusion? How could I not like it? The food was outstanding. I had their special for the night which was a fish native to Hawaii (I forgot the name...shocker) but it was delicious and just the right amount. My co-diner had the short rib and was also a big fan. Personally, I think if you come here, you should order fish or some type of seafood. I don't think red meat is their specialty. We sat at the bar as we came on a Friday night without a reservation. The bartender was awesome, super friendly, attentive and made great cocktails. The only thing I want to say that is not favorable about this place is the woman who greeted us when we came in. We had called before to see if there was an opening. She informed us that there wasn't but that the wait might not be too long so she took our name down. Once we got there, she recognized the name and got a bit of an attitude when we asked how long she thought it would be. We knew we didn't have a reservation so we were not expecting to sit down right away. We were more than happy to grab some drinks at the bar after a long week. Her response and general demeanor is what threw me. Her response over and over again (like a broken record) was, "I can't promise you anything. I have no idea. If someone doesn't come in, then you can have their table". Ok, fine. So if someone didn't come in, what is the soonest you think a table would be available?....broken record resumes. Sidebar: we sat at the bar and had a lovely dinner but sure enough about 20 minutes, 3 tables opened up and by the time we left only half the restaurant was full. Service can be a deal breaker for me. Thankfully the bartender and great food made up for this woman's poor attitude.

    (4)

  • Garrett A.

    I came here on a Saturday night around 7 pm and the place was DESERTED. The restaurant was very nice, though, with all the wooden tables and fireplace and the cool-looking bar. We were seated near the windows, which had a great view of the dumpy place across the street. We picked the duck breast, gnocchi, scallops and truffle fries, and the dishes were all good but I would expect that for $30 entrees -- furthermore, they were in very small portions. The truffle fries only came halfway through the meal in a HUGE container but they weren't anything special. Considering it took us 30 minutes to get here, Sola didn't exactly wow me. Fine for a nice meal but wouldn't come back again.

    (3)

  • Brittany V.

    I really enjoyed sola. Went a few months back with my boyfriend and my roommate and I was pleasantly surprised. As the only vegetarian in a group of meat eaters I was worried my options would be limited. But lo and behold there were plenty of dishes I could indulge in! The salads are all ridiculously fresh and fantastic. Wine list was comprehensive without being overwhelming. We had a few appetizers and I had a small plate as my entree and my companions shared the copia. Good way to go! Entree portions are definitely big enough to share. But the desserts. Oh. The desserts. The creme brûlée is unfortunately forgettable, but the surprise was the bean cake! Did not jump out at me on the menu but oh boy was it tasty. The perfect mix of sweet and salt. And the sundae was ridiculously good, as one would expect. Atmosphere is lovely and our server Alison was great. All in all I think that if you are a fish and meat lover you'll go gaga for this place, but I don't think my veggie brethren should stay away! Great date night spot or just catching up with friends!

    (4)

  • RT S.

    Sola restaurant is a cute place for brunch. It's quite a good size restaurant with casual feel. We went for Sunday brunch at 12 o'clock with reservation. We ordered malasadas (donuts), huevos benedictos and short ribs benedict. Malasadas are soft and warm, just like back in Hawaii. Egg benedicts were soft and just perfect with the Hollandaise sauce and toppings. Service is fast and friendly. It's a good place for brunch. Note: they removed the banana macadamia nut pancake and the chocolate bacon pancake :(

    (4)

  • Scott O.

    Superb meal. Wagyu burger, short ribs, crispy mushroom salad all excellent. Great drink list; don't remember the name of my drink with bourbon but, wow, was that delicious. Lovely atmosphere too.

    (4)

  • Christina X.

    Just like the food in Hawaii...the food here is bland! The whole time I was eating, I was thinking "Where is the hot sauce...get me the hot sauce!" If you like the food in Hawaii, which I don't, then you will like this. For me, I'm glad I got the Groupon. They do however have GREAT cocktails, hence the 3-stars =o)

    (3)

  • Melissa K.

    I wish I could have more stars! My guy took me there for my birthday dinner and I was amazed ---and stuffed! First- I ordered the scallops. I almost had a Meg Ryan/ When Harry Met Sally moment. I contained myself. Barely. Next-- The salmon with edamame puree. Amazing. If I could have licked the plate, I would have. Truffle fries- highly recommended. I wish I had more stomach to put them in. I was full and ready to go; my guy was acting anxious and insisted on dessert. I tried to hold off on going to the bathroom because I really hate the "birthday song" and it had already been sung twice before to other patrons, but I couldn't hold out any longer. I come back to a delicious center filled lava cake. I didnt love the ice cream that accompanied it, but you can't love everything. And then out came a beautiful plate with two truffles and a candle. On top of the plate was "Happy Birthday" in Hawaiian. That's why my guy was anxious, it was supposed to come before dessert. And it was supposed to say my name. But it was still beautiful/delicious and bothered him more than it bothered me, but I appreciate the gesture.

    (5)

  • Angie M.

    Breakfast wraps = happiness. sola, my friend, you do a quite excellent job at making the standard issue breakfast wrap something absolutely spectacular. How do I even describe the perfectness that is the breakfast wrap at sola? Stuffed with black beans, scrambled eggs, cheddar, spinach and guacamole and topped with a cloud of sour cream and a generous portion of fresh pico de gallo, it is heaven on a plate. It's fresh. The ingredients are excellent. It's perfect in its simplicity. I don't know, maybe I've been on a diet for too long, but I was damn near drooling over my breakfast wrap. That good, folks. That good. The rest of the menu is nothing to shake a stick at, either. I loved that sola offers a small, but diverse menu of brunch goodies to satisfy pretty much any palate. I'm talking omelets of the day, eggs benedict and chilaquiles for the egg lovers out there as well as sweet stuff like 5 spice waffles, chocolate chip/banana/bacon pancakes and the clear winner, ham and cheese french toast served with mustard honey and plum preserves. Ham, cheese, french toast and...plums? Believe it, doubters! This dish is off the chain! sola also offers some pretty kickin' breakfast beverages including, but not limited to brunch-friendly martinis, bloodies and my favorite, the mimosa. Only at sola, they're serving it up with blood oranges which are so yummy and fabulous that I didn't mind shelling out $9 for my sweet, boozy treat. Also important to note? NO WAIT for brunch on a Saturday at noon. Call me officially sold by sola!

    (5)

  • Jessa P.

    The truffle fries are so delicious. We had scallops, crab cakes, and kalua pork samplers- all of which were amazing. They were fresh, and the crab cakes were REAL crab meat, not the mushed up kind we typically see. Had their version of a margarita (forgot what it was called) - it was great. Only thing keeping them from being a 5-star establishment is their service. It's lackluster. For a nice place, I expected to be wowed in a customer service capacity.

    (3)

  • Rebecca O.

    When I woke up this morning, my first thought was "I need a Waygu burger." Sola is fantastic. I went there last night (Monday) for the first time. The raw tuna appetizer is amazing. If you like sushi, get it. It was everything good about sushi in a little round mold. The Waygu burger is also delicious (slightly on the greasy side and I didn't care for the cambozola), but still I woke up thinking about it. And the parmesean truffle fries...! O...my! I like fries and like to drown them in ketchup, but I could not ruin the taste of these fries with ketchup. I think I will do regular carryout of the fries alone! As far at the ambience, the dinning area is lovely, but noisy. Admittedly, there were two families right next to us with four kids that were running around. Nonetheless, five stars for the food alone.

    (5)

  • Adrian G.

    Over priced, pretentious, small portions, stodgy service and haughty. There a hundreds of better restaurants in Chicago that will serve better food and way less money.

    (2)

  • Blair R.

    Sola is the perfect choice if you are looking for a good meal and trying to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city for the night. And although it is removed from the city's center, the food is still on par with many of the downtown restaurants. We headed to Sola on Saturday night to celebrate my mom's birthday and we thought it was the perfect choice. We only had positive remarks about the food, service and setting. THE FOOD I think the food in Hawaii is some of the best I've ever had so offer me Hawaiian flavors and I'm already a fan. For my entree I ordered the ginger glazed salmon with edamame puree. It was cooked well and the puree was a nice change up from the usual rice or potatoes. Yes, i definitely almost licked the puree off the plate but because we were in public I refrained. I ended the night with the sorbet trio (coconut, chocolate ginger and passionfruit pineabble) which was the perfect way to end the meal - refreshing and light but still tasty and satisfying. Mmm, if only I could get some coconut sorbet now. Our table also sampled the Kahlua pork and scallop appetizer, as well as a few salads and a side of truffle Parmesan fries. As you may have noticed from my other posts, I am supposed to avoid gluten and dairy so I had to skip out but everyone at the table seemed to enjoy the dishes and they were gone quickly. THE SERVICE AND SETTING Our waitress was extra attentive and nice. She didn't rush us and was always by the table to make sure everything was okay...but she wasn't annoying like waitresses can be. We sat outside on the front patio which was casual but still a great way to celebrate a birthday. Overall, I'd be happy to return to Sola and sample some more of their great Hawaiian inspired dishes!

    (4)

  • Meredith K.

    I love coming here. I think because the decor is calming and nice but also because the food and drinks are fantastic. I love the ingredient of the month and the prix fixe menu. Let's start with the bread basket and butter. Yum!! There's only one pretzel bun in there so get it quick! I usually get the tuna steak but last time it wasn't awesome. It was a little on the tough side. The lamb and burgers are great. Any of the salads are delish too. I almost always prefer the prix fixe b/c you get a lot for $30 and it makes you try the other things. We came here for brunch a long time ago. Before they installed the tv. It wasn't bad but it wasn't awesome either. I was excited by the wasabi bloody mary. I think they've redone the brunch menu though so I'll have to try again.

    (4)

  • Dax R.

    The service here was great. We ordered the mac and cheese, brussels sprout leaves, parmesan fries, cauliflower soup, artichoke hearts, seasonal vegetable & grains, and the lamb chops. Yes, we ordered a lot for a party of two but we wanted to try everything. My wife is vegetarian and the menu was very friendly to her. Then for dessert we had the apple crisp. The food was great. There are so many more things we would like to try!

    (4)

  • Comensal A.

    I've been going to Sola for a few years and I generally like it. The menu is unfailingly alluring. There have been ups & downs, though: downs are usually service related, but sometimes the cooking slumps. Still, I keep coming back because when it's good, it's very good. Tonight was a good night, probably because Chef Carol was in the kitchen. We are both suckers for the crisp mushroom salad - innovative, tasty, attractive. You must try it. Entrées were also terrific. A lovely boneless pork chop was glorified by a Vietnamese caramel sauce. My companion's sesame-crusted halibut was also nicely presented and yummy. For dessert, a trio of homemade ice creams hit a perfect note. The wine list is well chosen, though a bit pricier than it needs to be. Cappuccino was very good. Service was fine, connectful and appropriately attentive without being intrusive. This was one of those nights that keeps me coming back. May Sola live long and prosper.

    (4)

  • David R.

    With entrees in the $9-15 range and cocktails at $9, brunch is a somewhat more affordable option than dinner at sola. With the reduced prices come no compromise in quality or creativity. I pondered over three tantalizing options before settling on the kalua pork hash. I've had a barbecue pulled pork eggs benedict before, but I never would have thought of pork for a breakfast hash. It worked beautifully, from the foundation combination of kalua pork, perfect hash browns, and scrambled eggs (which could have stood on their own in tasty simplicity), to the dish-making accents of guacamole and pico de gallo. It was an effective and delicious composition. I even loved the plain white toast on the side. I wish that I had caught the name of our server, because her smiley interactions added a pleasant touch to the experience. We made a reservation, but it looked as if we didn't need one: there were plenty of tables available when we walked in. Unlike my last experience, for dinner, there were several tables occupied, which raised the atmosphere from uncomfortably hushed to warmly alive.

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    This place was unsurprisingly delicious! I've had my eye on it for awhile and was able to wander on over there Saturday night and score a sweet table outside for 2 with no wait. The restaurant was moderately filled and did not seem put off by our lack of reservation. Service was quick and efficient, despite our waiter apologizing for it being slow (I didn't notice) Our waiter was enthusiastic, informative, and attentive to our needs and was able to recommend some of our small plates. Highly recommend the tuna poke (artfully delicious...every place "designs" their tuna a little differently and I was impressed with how much tuna we got out this), the cheese and meat platter was mostly cheese and some pickled items (their homemade sausage was amazing), and their pot stickers were some of the best...not too greasy and very full! Overall, I'll be back!

    (4)

  • Meera T.

    The boy and I came here to celebrate my birthday and the end of the semester. After hearing how great it was from Karen T., we were both excited. We reached there a little bit after our reservation due to some traffic, but the staff greeted us very courteously. I love the fact that they took our coats for us. We were seated in front of a very large group of very loud middle-early high schoolers. Throughout their meal, they carried extremely loud discussions which put a damper on what was supposed to be an intimate meal. After we were shown to our table, our waiter approached us. This is where the night started to be less than ideal. He quickly asked us what we wanted to drink, when we had just gotten the menus a few seconds ago. No introductions, no "Hi and welcome to Sola, I'll be your server this evening!". Just straight up "can I get you any drinks". That's when I knew that this visit wouldn't be great, since service usually makes or breaks the deal for me. Anyway, after placing our drink orders, our waiter left. While we perused the menu, we noticed that other tables had received bread baskets. We were a bit puzzled, but didn't question it. We ultimately ended up receiving the basket about 15-20 minutes after we sat down at the table, which again, wasn't ideal. I guess I don't need to overeat on bread anyway, so its okay? The basket was great, and had an assortment of breads-sourdough, pretzel, and some spiced crispy flatbread. It reminded me of something we have in India, and tasted like it, so the boy and I loved it. The pretzel roll was also great. When we finally got the waiters attention, we were able to order food. We ended up ordering the entire meal because we didn't know when we would be able to get him again. For appetizers, we ordered the cheese plate and the artichoke fritters. The cheese plate was kind of small, but I guess that was expected. 4 kinds of cheese, some pickled veggies, 2 cuts of meat. The cheese was great, and I loved the tart and tangy flavor to the vegetables. The artichoke fritters were also good. They had a crispy exterior, and the tangy aspect that you expect from artichokes. The dip that they provided was excellent as well. A creamy, cool truffle sauce paired excellently with the warm lemony fritters. Delicious. Now for entrees. I don't know why it takes so long to get food here, but it does. I appreciate that they want to give us time to digest, talk and get ready for the next course. Usually I never start wondering about the next course after I'm done with the current one, since it always comes out so quickly. However, we began to anxiously await our food. I would say it was an average of 15-20 minutes in between each course, which was way too long. The boy ordered the chicken, and I ordered the veggie burger. The burger seemed to be made with lentils, quinoa and black beans, all of which I love. It was huge, but delicious. The crispy exterior and creamy interior of the burger paired well with the tangy candied onions inside. However, I know veggie burgers have trouble staying together, and this was no exception. Half of the burger fell out of the bun when I went to take my first bite. It was a messy ordeal, and I ended up using my fork and knife. I wasn't a huge fan of the vegetable chips that they gave (sweet potato I think). They were kind of bland to me. The boy enjoyed his meal, and said the chicken was extremely juicy. He wasn't, however, a fan of the spaetzle they substituted for the polenta (he's a big polenta fan). We also got parmesan truffle fries to share with the truffle aioli. The fries were heavenly and had a great presentation. They were perfectly warm and crispy, which paired well with the fragrant smooth truffle aioli. However, I think next time I would skip on the aioli, since it ended up being too much truffle for our tastes. Desserts: The boy asked the waiter to bring out something special for my birthday while I was in the ladies room. I saw a waiter bring a tray with a candle on it to the table behind us, so I knew it was coming. Then came the second tray....and it didn't come to our table for another 5 minutes. The waiter kept walking around, confused as to where it was going. It kind of ruined it. When it finally arrived, it had Happy Birthday written on it with chocolate sauce with two decadently rich dark chocolate truffles. We also got the molten chocolate cake and a sample of three ice creams (gingersnap, vanilla and bourbon butterscotch pecan). Wasn't a fan of the gingersnap, but the others were deliciously cool, creamy and flavorful. With the cake, the sesame brittle ice cream paired well with the molten interior of the cake. I tried to stay away from the wasabi and vanilla syrup that was also on the plate. I got what they were going for, but the flavors just weren't jiving with my palate. Overall, would I return? Maybe, but only for a good deal. The waiter was super flaky, and he made an otherwise enjoyable experience into just

    (3)

  • Deepika B.

    5 stars for the food, but 1 less for the awkward service. The food was exceptionally good. The potstickers were amazing. The duck breat and chicken entrees were good too. The server explained the dishes well, but service was awkward and somehow uncomfortable. Shall go back here though, hope I get a different server the next time.

    (4)

  • Elli T.

    I had very high hopes for Sola, and unfortunately it let me down. :( Not enough for me to never go back, but enough to leave me disappointed. My boyfriend and I went together because he travels to Hawaii for work and was looking forward to sharing with me some similar dishes he's had on his trips there. We sat out on the patio, which was really nice. Our server was a friendly guy but seemed like he was spread a bit too thin. We waited a very long time before he took our drink order...then our appetizer order...then our main course order. Unfortunately, they were out of the one thing my boyfriend really wanted me to try and had been raving about for months, the kalua pork. We decided on scallops instead. After another long wait, a different server brought out our main meals instead of our appetizer. Although that was annoying, we were impressed with the new server's insistence on bringing us out our appetizer and re-making our meals. She really went above and beyond to make up for another server's mistake (he didn't write it down). When the scallops did come out, they were fantastic and worth waiting for. Then we got our main meals: tuna and pan-seared chicken. I cannot describe how amazing the chicken was. I rarely order a half chicken because I'm not a fan of bone-in, nor do I think chicken is the most exciting thing. However, this was phenomenal. It was crunchy and seasoned on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside and sitting in a delicious curry-like sauce. SO GOOD. My boyfriend liked his tuna, too. For dessert we decided on the flight of ice cream/sorbet. The server brought out a list of about 10 ice creams and five sorbets, and we chose our three: honey ginger ice cream, papaya sorbet and chocolate pepper ice cream. Unfortunately, there was nothing special about any of them. Although the service wasn't great, the servers were nice. And even though the one forgot to write down the appetizer, he did remember to write down my boyfriend's food allergies. We'll take that any day over an appetizer. :)

    (3)

  • Tommy K.

    So I originally went here using a Groupon a few months ago. I ordered the Kalua Pork for an appetizer, the short ribs and the parmesan fries. My girlfriend also got something, but I only remember my meal. Before I get into the food, the waiter was awesome. He was very friendly and very prompt. I was very thirsty that day and probably went through 10 cokes, which were all refilled promptly. The food itself was amazing. At first I was skeptical because I do not eat seafood and the menu appeared to have a good majority of seafood. The Kalua Pork was delicious, who would have ever thought that a BBQ pulled pork would go well with banana? Well it does. The short ribs were also amazing, pulled right apart and went well with the mac and cheese (I did not get the brussel sprouts and got green bean tempora). The fries, also amazing, although I was not a huge fan of the truffle aioli. The dinner was so good that I actually purchased another Groupon while we were eating and we enjoyed our next meal that was just a week ago. Again the food was amazing and I highly recommend anyone to go here. While it is a little pricy, it is well worth it and I could eat here every week if I had the money. I plan to go here again during brunch to try their mini doughnuts as I heard they were also amazing. Enjoy! Tommy

    (5)

  • Morgan M.

    Since we moved to Chicago we've tried a ton of places....this one we went back so soon because we LOVED it!!! First of all, make sure you order the fried brussel sprout leaves.. they are salty and delicious! We've had the raw tuna as an appetizer twice now and it's fantastic.... Sola has a beautiful and cozy ambiance and always seems to be busy. Both times we've been there the service has been really great. I had the steak entree that was really cooked perfectly. My husband isn't dessert crazy like I am but he ordered the chocolate cake with ice cream and a wasabi glaze and he couldn't get over it...He had it again the 2nd visit and so did I...he wasn't wrong! Sola is within walking distance for us and I imagine it will be a regular place for us.

    (5)

  • Holly W.

    We loved it!! The salmon & edamame purée were awesome!! We also enjoyed the coconut & like cocktail!! A little pricey but worth it!

    (4)

  • Jules R.

    Will definitely return! Came here with a groupon. Outstanding service and date night with my husband! My scallops were perfectly seared and had a great sesame coating. Really enjoyed our dining experience and will come back to check out their brunch!

    (4)

  • Lucy N.

    Pretty underwhelmed by the food here, I gotta say. Sounds fancy on the menu but neither me or my friend were blown away by it. Methinks they have an overenthusiastic chef who dreams up a cacophony of flavours and textures together without necessarily thinking through whether they mix well together. Serving sizes are small. Service was ok - although they do that annoying thing of not seating you unless your whole party is there, even with a reservation. Our waitress was very sweet and enthusiastic. Bad wine selection, massively marked up. I don't really know why they felt the need to put a big-screen TV showing sports in here - really cheapens the ambience. Wasn't an unpleasent experience but I'm in no hurry to go back.

    (3)

  • Jim S.

    Spot on neighborhood gem! Pro's: Barramundi special with Israeli couscous was amazing. Kalua Pork is a staple appetizer, so tender with tangy and unique BBQ sauce. Con's: ate outside and there were tons of flies

    (4)

  • Judie S.

    Took my mom for a Sunday night dinner when she was in town this past weekend. We both love Hawaiian everything so the place seemed like a great fit. I also got the Chicago Restaurant Week Groupon which was a great deal. We had the parm truffle fries...yum, the crispy mushroom salad (which the waiter so kindly split for us without even asking) and some other yummy small plates (my mom did the kahlua pork...I'm veg - but she really liked it) Overall good experience and I plan on coming back...good food, good service, lots of parking around.

    (4)

  • Erin M.

    The boyfriend and I tried Sola for the first time on Saturday to celebrate my graduation. The service was very friendly and incredibly helpful (my water glass was never empty - a big deal for me since I sometimes have to hunt someone down to refill it at other restaurants). For the first course I had the cucumber salad, which was very fresh and tasty. Boyfriend loved his mushroom salad. Great variety of flavors. Main course - I had the short ribs, which I enjoyed. They were tender and the rice and adzuki beans served on the side were great. The short ribs tasted a little bland, but overall I enjoyed the dish. Boyfriend tried the steak and a side of truffle fries. Both were delicious. For dessert we shared the hot fudge sundae and a trio of gelato/sorbets. I definitely recommend the hot fudge sundae - the macadamia nuts were a fantastic addition. As far as the gelatos, I definitely recommend the butterscotch bourbon. The five spice salted caramel was really strong on the spice, not so much on the salt or caramel. And the chocolate ginger sorbet was good, but nothing I'd order again. While Sola is a little pricy for everyday dining, we'll keep it in mind for a special occasion.

    (4)

  • Brent W.

    combine everything good what everyone has to say about this place, square it, that's my take away. Great place and has been on my radar forever and finally had the chance to go and in short. Fantastic.

    (4)

  • Tiffany N.

    Good first impression: my boyfriend and I decided last minute to have dinner there and learned from reading the Groupon that we needed a reservation. I called and they were able to set us up for 30 minutes later. Since I had a Groupon, I was nervous that it would take away from good service. However, the service was great and the food was extremely delicious. My boyfriend and I shared everything: potstickers with the duck confit (a yummy sauce with the slaw), tuna poke (beautifully presented and full of flavor in every bite), a wagyu burger (they even cut it in half for us! it was yummy!), and crispy brussel sprout leaves (more delicious than potato chips). To my surprise, they even had an amuse-bouche of goat cheese and mango. Overall, a great dinner experience and I'm excited to return for brunch!

    (4)

  • Carrie S.

    I admit it, I'm not a bruncher. I don't understand Chicago's brunch culture when my man and I can make delicious breakfasts on the weekends for ourselves, watch Sunday newsmagazines, or our DVR'ed shows. However, I can be easily persuaded to have brunch with a friend before knitting class. So, my brunching knitting friend and I decided on Sola for my foray into brunch since I wanted to try it. I arrived a little late due the wonderful Red Line construction. My friend had already got us a table. For my beverage, I had some tasty pineapple juice while my friend had grapefruit juice. For my brunch, I decided on a favorite hard to make at home standby: eggs benedict. While my friend ordered huevos benedictos. For a busy Sunday morning, our food was served quickly. The eggs benedict were damn delicious. The eggs were perfectly poached and oozed perfectly down the plate smothering the english muffin in a yolky nirvana. Sola's Canadian bacon was surprise. It had to be the meatiest slices of Canadian Bacon I've ever experienced. The accompanying hashbrowns were a relevation. They're crisp and spicy. I knew my potato in any shape or form loving fiance would regret missing these bites of potato heaven. I enjoyed my first real Chicago brunching experience. I could see myself enjoying a Sunday morning meal with friends before class. This will hopefully a first in a series of Sunday brunches in North Center for a brunching novice.

    (4)

  • Julie A.

    I went here on a Sunday with two friends for brunch. I have some rules about brunch - drinks and breakfast (essentially that's what brunch is, right) should not be as much as dinner. WOW sticker shock. A Bloody Mary was $9 and the other brunch cocktails were right on par at the same price. Maybe I'm cheap, but I don't care. And coffee for over $3? Really? It's freaking coffee, not a specialty drink. Regardless, I was STARVING so I ordered the Spare Rib Benedict. I was craving protein so I figured why not. While the taste was good, it was served to me cold. At this point we had been waiting for what seemed like years for our food, so I decided to scarf it down without sending it back. It was decent, perhaps way too rich for a 11:00 a.m. meal, but immediately it was like a punch to the stomach. Way way way too heavy for me. Will I be back? Probably not for brunch - maybe their dinner menu looked great.

    (3)

  • Rick F.

    Atmosphere: Modern, Contemporary, I liked it! Service: Excellent Food: Excellent Price: $45pp w/tip Bathroom: Very clean Location is a bit confusing address is on Lincoln, entrance is on side street....? I ordered two appetizers as my meal, Black Cod and Halibut Cheeks both were excellent. Fries were amazing. Pineapple French Onion Soup, sounded strange but it worked. The tables are a little tight, our location was near the bar so lots of traffic going by the entire dinner. I'm a fan!

    (4)

  • Nadia S.

    Cute place ! Got the scallops as an appetizer... they were good but not great. I had the wagyu burger and it was perfection. The truffle fries were really good, but not the best I've ever had..... service was pretty good and ambiance was nice. I'd probably return again if I had another groupon, but not sure if I'd come back without one

    (4)

  • Kristen S.

    My husband took me here for dinner because I have been obsessing over our upcoming trip to Maui. It was a sweet surprise to have a taste of the islands with local, sustainably grown Midwestern fare. I always love Hawaiian cuisine because it is always accommodating for those of us with gluten allergies. Sola is no exception - in fact, the host provided me with a full gluten free menu and the server offered up what modifications would be made to the specials. The food is creative and delicious. We started with the heirloom tomatoes with goat cheese, thai basil, balsamic, and candied ginger. It was a creative delight! My husband had ordered the special - pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon - only to have the server come back and say they were out! At 7 pm, we both felt it was a little early. He ended up ordering the hanger steak medium rare and it was divine. Was not at all disappointed. I had the salmon with edamame puree, also medium rare, and the it was delicious and cooked perfectly. The attention to detail when it comes to each dish is apparent. The kitchen does an amazing job of giving each dish the attention it deserves. So impressed. Service was a little slow, but I enjoy a nice slow meal. Chef Carol came out to the tables for a bit, which was quite nice. It was a great trip to the islands. I can tell that Sola has the same place in their heart for Maui as I do. Will be back again for dinner and I cannot wait to try their brunch!

    (4)

  • Andrea H.

    I have a serious problem. I can't resist the foie gras. Ever. Especially when it's served with Vietnamese caramel. Seriously, I don't know what I ever did during the ban. To the enabler that brought it back, I thank you. We arrived at Sola on a chilly night, but I really wanted to sit on the patio. The host was great about offering a shawl and having the heaters turned on so we would be comfortable. It was a nice touch. As you probably gathered, I started with the foie gras ravioli with Vietnamese caramel. It was a great combination of flavors and I loved it. For the main course, I ordered the pork, which is comprised of grilled loin, braised cheek and kalua pork with figs and bacon bread pudding. I love kalua pork, but the highlight of the dish was the grilled loin. It was delicious and prepared perfectly. My bf chose the cobia, served with potato gnocchi and mussels. It was also very good. I liked the friendly service and the cozy atmosphere. A great compliment to the food.

    (4)

  • J.M S.

    If you like a Hawaiian inspired menu, and I do, this fancy but chill neighborhood restaurant is worth a try. And if fancy is not your flavor, go there for an outstanding burger.

    (4)

  • Kristen M.

    Great brunch food, the menu is very unique, not just your typical brunch. Very sophisticated menu. I would definitely go back!

    (4)

  • Natasia O.

    Sola's brunch is quite possibly my favorite- the steak and eggs with truffle hollandise is delicious. So often only one or two options look good on a brunch menu but if I could just tear myself away from the steak and eggs (one day I will) I could eat nearly everything on the menu. The bloody mary's are good- avoid the wasabi one for $2 more- not worth it. I have been to Sola for dinner and find it a little overpriced and stuffy- but good. Go for the brunch!!

    (4)

  • Cris G.

    Good food.. Great service!! Love love the fries!!! Carlo our waiter was awesome,,

    (4)

  • Nicole L.

    For our 6 month wedding anniversary, my husband and I wanted to try a new restaurant and given the positive reviews on Yelp, we felt confident we couldn't go wrong with Sola. We loved every bite of our meal and I can't believe I've lived here so long without having been there yet! We started with the Kalua pork appetizer (banana bread, bbq sauce, crispy shallots) - which sounded gross, but ended up being amazing. For the main course, I ordered the tuna which was served with tempura avocado (loved) and wasabi rice that was just what the doctor ordered for my sinuses! The hubby got the duck, served over lemongrass risotto - delicious (though I preferred the tuna). For dessert (because G-d forbid we ever skip dessert), we had a yummy soft center chocolate cake (my weakness). Overall, a fabulous dinner - will definitely go back to try other items on the menu/brunch.

    (5)

  • A W.

    Great restaurant. Service was awesome and some of the best I've had in Chicago. Super attentive staff. Only ver minor complaint is that when I had a reservation they asked me to wait at a seat at the bar. I looked over and there were no seats at the bar, which was in clear view of hostess stand. After standing in front of hostess stand a bit, I pointed out to hostess that there were no seats at the bar to sit. This fact appeared to free up a table sooner for me and my guest. I used Open Table to make my reservation. I had mentioned in my reservation that it was my guest's birthday. They never said a work and surprised her with a candle lit dish with 2 chocolate truffles. Very cool of them to do and also very impressed...

    (5)

  • Stacey H.

    I have never written a review before but felt compelled to share my great dining experience. From the moment I walked in and was greeted by a friendly hostess, to the great food/service, I left Sola extremely satisfied and excited to go back. My friend and I shared the beet salad, brussel sprouts side dish, and mahi mahi entree. Everything we tried was absolutely delicious. The brussel sprouts were out of this world, and best recipe I have ever had. The mahi mahi was delicious with potatoes and clams to accompany the dish. The sauce was amazing. I really enjoyed this place and look forward to going back again soon!

    (5)

  • Mike J.

    Super fresh fish, imaginative dishes, good service and some ambience. A little better value would get Sola five stars.

    (4)

  • Helena G.

    It's impossible to not fall in love with this very creative cuisine! We tasted several appetizers: - kalua pork ***** - scallops ***** - clams and mussels ***** Everything was delicious, perfectly marinated and very innovating. For main dish I had raw tuna, it was very yummy. I loved the mix with wasabi and rice. And my husband had the cooked tuna, it was really good too. I had no room for desert, so I have to go back to try the malsadas. The staff is very nice and helpful.

    (5)

  • Joanne W.

    I can't believe I forgot to write my review of sola! After being on my to-do list, I finally made it to this place! I admit the main reason I wanted to dine at sola was for the waygu beef burger. It looked delish and sounded to die for. Anyone who really knows me knows that I like da beef! There is so much more to sola than a waygu beef burger on a pretzel bun with caramelized onion & cambozola and truffle parmesan fries. Although if there weren't, I'm pretty sure I'd be happy with JUST the burger. My pals and I dove right into the menu and ordered up the artichoke fritters, the roasted beet & pineapple salad, kalua pork and gnocchi....oh and the waygu beef burger of course! After all, that was my reason for bookmarking sola in the first place! Everything we had was delicious and spot on. We didn't exactly get the Hawaiian influence but it was all very tasty just the same. The stand outs for me were the gnocchi and also the artichoke fritters b/c the truffle aioli was sinful. The burger was quite delicious as well, cooked to perfection and something I would be happy to eat again. The fries were amazeballs...even moreso dipped in the truffle aioli. The pork was also another favorite at our table, but how can you not love a dish that contains bacon bread pudding? Exactly. We rounded out our meal with dessert. We ordered two but I only remember one...the adzuki bean cake with kabocha squash and sweet miso ice cream. The kabocha squash is an interesting vegetable. In fact, I had just been introduced to it at another establishment prior to my visit to sola. The kobocha squash is often dubbed the "Japanese pumpkin" as it has a similar texture and sweetness but it can also have the same flavor and texture similar to that of a potato - which how I first had this vegetable (it was in a Thai dish to be more specific). Anyways, I was really curious to see what Chef Wallack would do with the kabocha. My friends were hesitant to order this up but were singing a different tune once they tried it. One of the more memorable desserts I've had while dining out. I am happy that sola has been scratched off my to-do list but have a feeling it will land itself back on my list sooner rather than later.

    (4)

  • Stacy H.

    My husband brought me here a couple weeks ago for my birthday. I've been looking forward to trying this place, and it did not disappoint. I was in the mood to try a bunch of things so we shared the endamame, potstickers, kalua pork, and truffle Parmesan fries. Everything was delicious! I wasn't sure about the pork with banana bread, but it was perfect. The endamame had a lot of flavor. My first drink was some creme soda and flavored vodka, but it really just tasted like vodka, not amazing. But my second was a clementine mojito - the best! Our server was extremely attentive and everyone was very nice. The only thing I didn't like is how close the tables are. There was only about 6 inches in between the table next to us and I was afraid of knocking their drinks over as I inched through to my seat.

    (5)

  • Moe f.

    We hit up the patio on a Sunday(no wait). Service was a little scattered. Fantastic Chilaquilles. Also had the short rib benedict that was good(although a little heavy for summer). And my little one had the choco-banana-bacon pancakes which were also good. Nice breakfast cocktails. A little pricey but everything was tasty.

    (3)

  • david k.

    New Year's Eve and we are back to my favorite place- Carol (owner/chef) greets you at the door like a long lost friend- the scallop appetizer was to die for (and unlike so many places the menu doesn't charge more just because it is New Years eve) My husabnd (the meat eater) loved the beef tenderloin special and ate all of his bitter greens (but then he is a southerner who belives that greens on nNew Years equals money for the new year)- I had the salmon glazed with ginger served with a truffle teriyaki sauce (could have licked it off the plate)- we had a late reservation (8:45) and while the noise level was high when we first sat down- by desert the place was still filled but less noisy so we enjoyed our ice cream ( I know it is pedestrian but my flavors were White Coffee/ Gingershap and Bourbon pecan). Our waitress was wonderful even though with her lovely Irish (?) accent my husband had no idea what she said- all in all a great place- excellent food, lovely mabinace and you are equally comfortbale showing up in jeans as well as heels and a flimsy little skirt

    (5)

  • Wai Ling Y.

    Service was great. Atmosphere was intimate. Food was delicious and beautifully presented. For the appetizer I had crab cakes, which is a must try if you like seafood! My main dish was a seared white fish with a beet infused risotto. It was amazing. Price was on the high end, but the overall experience was very nice.

    (4)

  • Stacy C.

    This review is for dinner service. They have a nice cocktail menu and decent sized wine list. We started with a cocktail and switched to wine when our meal arrived. Our server was very helpful in selecting wines that would accompany each of our meals. For appetizers we had the scallops and the artichoke fritters. I could have eaten the scallops all night, they were so tasty. I was not as big of a fan of the fritters but that may be b/c Im not a big artichoke fan, but my friend had no problem finishing them off. For dinner I had the tuna and my friend had the seared duck breast. I was very happy with my meal, the tuna was slightly seared, and went quite well with the bamboo rice. I sampled my friends duck breast and it was cooked perfectly, crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. For dessert we shared the apple cobbler which was not presented like a usual cobbler. It was stacked with the apples on the bottom, followed by the tasty crust and then ice cream on top. It was very tasty. Our server was excellent. She easily answered all of our questions about the menu options and offered suggestions. They were moderately busy when we were there but we never felt rushed. Would definitely go back.

    (4)

  • DuSable Dining Club C.

    Here is a summary of everyone's review: Atmosphere - average was a 3.5 with general comments being that they should lower the lights, add some candles and some music. Good vibe and "super cute" Service - everyone scored this a 4, Devin was great! Food - average 3.5, most people thought the food was really good but portions could have been a little bigger. Value - 3 rating by most people, cost was a little high given the portion size.

    (4)

  • Vanessa P.

    Sola has become my go-to brunch spot. It's got a Hawaiian fusion menu, never seems too busy, rather inexpensive (especially based on the menu items), and has a great dining room. (Also, when weather permits, it has a great outdoor seating area.) Whenever a friend wants to do brunch near me, Sola always comes first in my mind. I have been here both on Saturdays and Sundays anytime after 11:00am and it's never busy. Ever. It's the perfect spot. Usually, I tend to get the Green Market omelet (which has seasonal vegetables and goat cheese). It comes with toast and breakfast potatoes. It's so good! My other favorite is the ham and cheese French toast. Thick country ham and Swiss cheese surrounded by French toast with mustard honey and plum preserves. The mustard honey threw me off - at first. But it went so well with the plum preserves and the sandwich, I can't think of anything else that could go with it. And the plum preserves? I want a jar to take home. And smother everything in it. Service is always great. They usually have no problem letting you linger over coffee. Or give you a few more minutes with the menu -- there are always 2-3 items that make it hard for me to choose! I still haven't been here for dinner, but if everything is as great as during brunch, I should get over there soon!

    (5)

  • Andrea T.

    Had a great dinner last night at Sola. I'm in a supper club, so I'll rate it as we do: Food - I'd give the food an 8.5. We ordered the Tuna (under Raw) as an appetizer. It was fantastic. The presentation was beautiful. For an entree I had the pork. It was spectacular - great flavors with perfect sides. My boyfriend had the duck and it was good, but he wasn't in love with it. I tried it and it was good, but not memorable. He had been there before and had the tuna and LOVED it, but he wanted to try something different. Service - I give it a 9. Our waiter was prompt, pleasant and took the time to answer any and all of our questions. We weren't rushed and he didn't treat us any differently, even though we had a Restaurant.com gift certificate. Some waitstaff at other restaurants do the internal eyeroll when they see those, but ours was nonplussed. My favorite part - no plates were removed until we were BOTH finished. Ambiance - definitely a 9. They had the fireplace on, the lights were dim. It was cozy.

    (4)

  • Jacob S.

    Went here last night with my girlfriend and had a wonderful time. Our server was really sweet and attentive. I had the chicken and my girlfriend had their fish special (don't aske me to spell it.) The chicken was perfectly cooked and tr cous cous underneath had a beautiful spicy after taste. I took a taste of my date's fish, which is something I normally do not eat but this was fantastic. It's the first fish I have had in a long time that I actually liked. I can't wait to visit this place again for brunch.

    (5)

  • Paul A.

    I hear this place is the bomb diggity for breakfast, but i came here for dinner. The atmosphere is very pleasant and spring-y. The food was just ok, at best. Perhaps we just ordered the wrong items, but all our food seemed extremely salty. Portions were very small as well. The best part actually was the fresh baked pretzel balls they include in your bread basket. I'd love to give this place another chance for breakfast food, but I don't think I'd eat here again for dinner since there are so many fantastic places to go in the city instead.

    (3)

  • Pilar D.

    Delicious food! Attentive wait staff! Charming atmosphere! I love this place! The truffle fries are AMAZING.

    (5)

  • Aimee M.

    My obsession with coming to sola for brunch started when my friend innocently posted a picture of the Malasadas she had for brunch on the popular social network. Then came the comments, "OMG it looks so good" "wow, they look yummy". And of course my friend had to confirm that they were very tasty. We arrived here shortly after 10am on Sunday morning and were probably the 3rd party in the restaurant so we were seated right away. But more and more people started arriving shortly after we were seated. It looked like they were seating incomplete parties which I don't know if that's the norm for them, but it's definitely a plus to me. I hate it when places won't seat almost-complete parties, even when our companion is just parking the car and will be inside shortly. I wasn't the only one with Malasadas (Portuguese styled doughnuts) on the brain, I saw many other tables order them as well. It's served with a side of mango curd and raspberry coulis. The sauces were very very good, I liked the raspberry a little bit more. My bro ordered the Green City Market omelet--I can't remember what vegetables they had for it that day--but it did come with potatoes and toast, that I remember. I was kind of preoccupied with what I ordered--the Huevos Benedictos--poached eggs with a spicy hollendaise and chorizo and corn bread. Wow, wow, wow. Very very good. Perfect poached eggs and served with a side of really good hash brown potatoes. The chorizo was a little salty for me by itself, but eaten with the other items toned the saltiness. Service was really good. Very attentive and friendly waitstaff. Very nice space. I'd definitely like to come back, maybe for dinner, for sure for brunch. I thoroughly enjoyed sola.

    (4)

  • Andy L.

    I lived close to Sola, so have dropped by a couple times in the last few years. Overall, it serves solid unique food in a really nice atmosphere with a very high level of service. I would give it 4 stars, but it's very pricey for what it is and not quite as good as other options that exist (e.g. Deleece for fine dining in the area, Southport Grocery for brunch, Roy's for Hawaiian).

    (3)

  • Lisa S.

    We ate here tonight and everything was great. We tried the squash blossom tempura special with goat cheese and mango puree, which was delicious. My boyfriend loved the waygu burger and I had the veggie burger, which was awesome (although messy) and came with a purple potato salad that tasted like it had coconut in it. Service was friendly and attentive and we were already talking about bringing friends back while eating our meals.

    (5)

  • Jeff B.

    Only positives here! Tried Sola on a Groupon and we will be back. My wife and I are not big fish people, but hearing that the fish is brought in daily from Hawaii we had to try it. We split the salmon and it was one of the best fish dishes we had ever had! The duck confit pot stickers were also amazing. Make sure you leave room for dessert! The hand made ice cream was divine, and the other desserts we saw looked amazing!

    (5)

  • Laura M.

    In summary..I wouldn't return. Our meal was ok but they seem to be trying a little too hard to be innovative which actually becomes not putting the right flavours together. We had the kalua pork to start and a ceviche octopus special. The pork was nothing special and was on some mushy banana bread which didn't go at all so I moved it to the side. The octopus was better but still nothing special. For main course we had the duck breast and the hanger steak. Now, to be fair the steak was amazing...really great dish...saved the night! The duck meat was good but the flavours with it were awful, I left the sauce and the pak choi. We went for the trio of ice-creams for dessert...it is cool that they have a good list of homemade ice-creams but again they're trying too hard. The choc mint one was literally like chewing on a mint leaf! I liked the decor and the ambience. I get what other reviewers mean about the awkward waiter but he's just trying to be nice, bless him - I liked him. The food was totally 'meh' and certainly NOT worth the $100.

    (2)

  • Jane K.

    The food was very yummy, Scallops were so buttery and soft they melted in your mouth. My friends and I order on the side truffle fries which were soooo good. I liked the calm environment it fit the Hawaii theme

    (4)

  • Karen K.

    Food consistently great and service good. A neighborhood restaurant that never disappoints.They only lose a star because it is so incredibly noisy, you can barely talk or hear others at your table.

    (4)

  • Rachel G.

    Girls night out....whoohoo!!! Where to go? Sola! This place is a little on the small side, but it's modern, cozy, sleek and welcoming all at the same time. I love the fireplace in the front and me and my friends were lucky enough to get a table right by it on a cold night. Drinks are unique and the food is very good. We got the artichoke fritters as an appetizer and they were very good. I opted for the burger which had the most amazing cheese on it. I forgot the name, but the server said it was a triple cream brie...and creamy it was! Burger was cooked to perfection and the pretzel bun was a nice touch. The truffle fries were amazing and I could eat them plain. Place was packed for a Friday night, so I would suggest reservations. Looks like they do have valet parking, but meter parking available close. I really liked this place, though I have to say it's a little pricey so I wouldn't go here often. But for a night out with the girls or a nice date with your honey, go....and go now!

    (4)

  • Carl B.

    I went on a Sunday night and the place was fairly empty but it couldn't have been because of the food. Everything was great from wine list, apps, the tuna entree and even the dessert. I've been before and I'll return. My server couldn't have been more knowledgeable about the food and wine list and was pretty patient as we closed the place. Awesome - why am I telling people this as I like being seated on time!!

    (5)

  • Chrissie C.

    grilled octopus was good. kalua pork wasn't that good. tuna dinner SUCK! no flavor and it's cold inside.

    (2)

  • Ben K.

    It would've been tough for dinner service to hold up to the high standard of my brunch experience here. Still, we had a pretty tasty meal that felt just a little overpriced to me. We were very impressed with the bread basket we were started with, containing what was clearly fresh baked sourdough, a pretzel roll, and an ingenius lavash style cracker with a complex blend of spices that I couldn't identify but kept me eating and guessing. We started with the artichoke fritters which were wonderfully delicately breaded and fried, but were served with two overpowering dipping sauces, a truffle aioli (sadly it is possible to be over truffled) and a pungent lime soy sauce. My entree was pretty spectacular. A delightful piece of seared medium rare salmon, served on an out of this world edamame puree and surrounded in a fantastic truffle teriyaki sauce (much subtler than the aioli and a far better match for its accompaniment). My wife's entree was tasty as well, if not quite as perfect. Despite a rich, fork-tender piece of short rib served on top of a nice base of barley that provided a welcome al dente bite, there was some barely perceptible intangible that was wrong with this dish. I wish I could put my finger on it. We finished with a five-spice creme brulee, which was quite a novel take on this classic french dessert, giving a gentle suggestion of savory liveliness melded with the creamy sub-saccharine body of this dish. I am sure we will be back to try out some more of the dinner offerings here (and to drink another Anderson Valley Boont Amber Ale, which I have not seen anywhere else but Sola). But for me, brunch is still where this place shines the brightest.

    (4)

  • Doug v.

    It's the end of an era. Once upon a time this review would have been 5 stars. I regret that I never reviewed it during that time. Sola used to be our go-to place for special occasions or just a nice night out. Several months ago we heard that Carol Wallack was moving her original concept to a new River North location. The Byron/Lincoln location would be changing concept to a sports bar, complete with TV's and bar food menu -- essentially, keeping up with local Joneses like Martyr's, Mrs. Murhpy and Sons, and Brownstone. Last night was our first visit in some time and the transformation is clearly underway. Gone are the white tablecloths, well-dressed servers, and card stock menus, all replaced with bare tables, jeans and t-shirts, and plastic card menus. Worst of all is the big flat-panel at the bar. While the service was still impeccable, a great place has been spoiled. Instead of changing concept to keep things fresh, maybe Carol could've simply changed up the menu. This is the hometown of Next, afterall.

    (2)

  • Karen P.

    Ok, Lula Cafe. Move over. I think Sola has you beat. Number 1, you can make a reservation and it is honored! We had an 11:30 reservation for 4 for Brunch and our table was ready! Number 2, it is organized and moving smoothly, even when it is busy. Now, for the food. OMG! Very tasty and unusual preparations for eggs. I ordered the short rib benedict and the hollandaise was very nicely done. My poached eggs were done perfectly and it was so delicious with the short ribs. My meal was also nice and hot. My husband ordered a chorizo sausage type brunch dish, which was topped on a piece of soft cornbread, topped with eggs. OMG! I wanted that! Nice atmosphere, clean, good vibes. Loved it. Will return for sure!

    (4)

  • Karen T.

    10 things I love about Sola (and that you will too): 1) The Asian-Hawaiian influence manifests itself in their cooking, but never overbearingly or underwhelmingly. Sola is amazingly consistent and skilled in creating new dishes for their menu. It seems as if they always use fresh, seasonal ingredients to create unconventional but delicious pairings. 2) Being part of their mailing list. I love getting e-mails about the latest food competition they've entered a classic dish in, or about the latest prix fixe and wine pairing, which brings me to... 3) The latest meal I had there: an Artichoke prix fixe of 3 courses for $30 with wine pairing at $15. A steal of a deal in terms of quantity/quality. 4) An appetizer staple: Artichoke fritters with a white truffle honey sauce that made me consider being totally indecent and drinking the leftover sauce. 5) They made a candied artichoke tart with goat cheese mascarpone and meyer lemon that was amazing. I'll be honest, I was hesitant to think of a sweet artichoke/goat cheese dessert, and boyfriend was outright cynical about it, but it was sheer bliss - one of the best desserts I've had the privilege of indulging in at this city. For the less adventurous, their regular desserts (such as their molten center chocolate cake) are just as orgasmic and palate-pleasing. 6) Dale Levitski - A Top Chef Season 3 highlight who waits at tables here, Dale is engaging and charming to all who ask about his plans to open a new restaurant (and I hear at least one table ask every time I visit). 7) Brunch. I can't get over it. Whenever we have people from out of town for brunch, we take them to sola. It's classy, understated, yet reasonably priced...and there's always something for everyone. 8) Parmesan truffle fries: enough said. 9) Drinks: For the oenophiles, trust them with the pairings, they will bring a great compliment to your meal. And for the rest of the lushes: the drink list is great. Martinis, mimosas, bloody mary's, beers, oh my, the wizard of (bo)oz(e). 10) Attention restaurant.com users, they honor their coupons with subtlety - it's incredibly easy so don't hesitate to visit with one. A meal here is an unregrettable decision.

    (5)

  • Victoria K.

    I don't go on line and write reviews (although shamefully I do read them and they do influence my decision) but this place was so disgusting and overpriced that I have to warn people. We had a reservation for 8 people on a Saturday. Yes, of course, it was busy and I am sure the kitchen was busy, but nonetheless, they are professionals. What came out of that kitchen was bottom of the barrel. I should have said something then, but my friends and I have not seen each other in so long that we were too busy catching up. 1. my husband - cold tasteless salmon with look-warm tasteless baby food as the side. 2. my fish - undercooked, cold, tasteless fatty. 3. my friend - meat - worst cut with unknown ligaments still attached. 4. appetizers - right out of fast-food mall-style Chinese stand. 5. service - weird & disorganized- waiter annoyed and disinterested. Grabbed my husband twice on the shoulder (and he is a go-along kind of guy, but even he was annoyed). Plates removed and placed over our heads. Just like Paris, but without the cozy charm and you have to tip. If you must stay in this neighborhood and have no choice - make pasta at home. DO NO TRAVEL specifically to dine there - so many other choices in the city.

    (1)

  • Kim C.

    The salmon I had here was tied for "best salmon of my life"! It was soooo good, with a nice crispy outside and a smooth, buttery inside that melts in your mouth. All the other food I had there was excellent as well -- I just can't remember them anymore b/c the salmon was just that darned delicious!

    (5)

  • Katie B.

    Sola is now tied with Due Lire as my favorite Friday night date spot in Lincoln Square. Wonderful service, superior food & cocktails, and great people-watching. Described as Hawaiian fusion, the cuisine has an island feel that will take you right out of Chicago and to the beach! I loved eating indoors because the lighting was awesome and there were all kinds of good vibes in there. Drinks were a must on this lovely summer evening... I started with champagne with housemade lavender-infused syrup. Delightful! My man had a very spicy tequlia drink with a red pepper rim. It was a little weird to me, but he loved it. For apps, we had the miso black cod with barley and articoke fritters. The cod was light and soft and lovely and I would highly recommend it. The artichoke fritters were served with a soy glaze and a sweet garlic aioli, which I thought were underwhelming, but not bad. The entrees were outstanding! I cannot take my mind off the hanger steak, served on swiss chard and a large, thin purple potato pancake! It was divine! The halibut and risotto special was also unique and delicious. If you love banana, try the hot fudge sundae. It's a bruleed banana with banana ice cream, crushed macadmia nuts, and hot fudge. Loved. It. Not for the bananaphobic. I can barely remember the other drinks we had, but our server was super helpful during the selection process. Salty, sour, bitter, sweet, you name it and Sola has something amazing for your taste. The evening was not without incident as we witnessed some hilarious and tragic events. First, a woman at a table near us informed her server that she called ahead to make sure the food was "prepared more healthy", then her two companions enjoyed an order of parmesean truffle fries... each. Second, we observed a heinous dating crime of epic proportions. Girl pretended to go the bathroom, signaled her server and told him she was leaving, then escaped through the front door. Guy sat patiently, well-dressed and probably hungry, looking around for her. We wanted to take him out for drinks but the server still hadn't broken the news to him by the time we left. Girl has a whole lot of bad dating karma coming her way! There is just no excuse! Plus, the bitch missed out on a fabulous dinner - her loss.

    (5)

  • Marissa G.

    A great chef knows how to bring together quality ingredients that create new flavor combinations. If done well, you'll be singing, "A Whole New World" after every course. Chef Carol Wallack creates these amazing flavor profiles, but only when you eat as instructed. The amouse bouche that came out first was the foretelling of her style. A single tortilla chip-like crisp, lovingly cupped a tiny spot of bbq sauce unagi and a slice of banana. A single bite that was all fishy, sweet, savory, and crunchy all in a moment's bliss. But other courses, when deconstructed, didn't stand up on their own. The gooey chocolate cake was just chocolate cake, even a bit dry at first bite. But when put in combination with the ice cream and the special sauce, it is transformed. The Kalua pork just okay, but when scooped into your mouth with a bite of the moist banana bread and microgreens, it was a thing of beauty. These dishes left me perplexed. I wanted more of the tantalizing sweet and savory experience, and yet, since none of the dish's main attractions stood out, I'm was left un-satisfied. I will leave that culinary conundrum for some other sap! One combination, however, absolutely failed. Great service with personality and flair didn't mix with the interior that reminded me more of a corporate hotel lobby. With food so intimate and tables so close, you think they could have created an atmosphere where you felt more like home and could actually enjoy your dinner company.

    (3)

  • Stephanie B.

    I dined here with my parents one Saturday evening when they were visiting the city. We had reservations for earlier in the night (6:15) and were seated promptly. I'll take this moment to note the service here is phenomenal. I'm not a big service person. I think it's awesome when the waitstaff is nice, but it usually doesn't sway me one way or another unless they're downright rude and spill hot things on me. I have to say, Sola did an excellent job at hiring some of the best, most attentive waiting staff. Good job to all of them! My dad and I ordered the lentil/quinoa burger. We usually have good luck with veggie burgers of this sort. This burger was...mush. It had a crispy outside but was just too big because the moment I bit down the inside oozed out the side of the sandwich. Luckily I hadn't eaten all day so I was hungry enough to scarf it anyway. Dad had a similar experience. The bun was good, the toppings were fantastic (love that they put arugula on top!) but the burger....just bleh. Highlights of the night: My mom ordered the wagyu burger and said it was great. My parents also shared an eggroll and said it was delicious. So basically, good place if you are not getting the veggie burger.

    (3)

  • Marc J.

    I came to Sola for a late Sunday brunch, because they had quite an interesting menu of sweet (pancakes, waffles, etc) and non-sweet (eggs, omelettes, etc) options. Anyone who enjoys brunch, would enjoy Sola's brunch with the wide variety of options they have available. I was very impressed with the flexibility Sola extended to my group. We had a reservation for 6 made at 1:00 but only made it there by 1:30. The staff were not fazed by this and had held our reservation. I found that to be a very positive sign. I ordered the blueberry pancakes, because I was in the mood to order from their "sweet" menu. It was very good!! My friends ordered off the "non-sweet" menu including an eggs benedict meal. The review for this was also very positive. All in all, a reasonably priced brunch place (10-ish dollars for everyone before tax and tip) with good food and friendly service. I would come back here again.

    (4)

  • Suzanne A.

    This place has a great atmosphere and the food was great. You will want to have the full course experience w/ drinks!

    (4)

  • Chicago G.

    This is one of my favorite places in the 'hood. Great cocktails and wine list, consistently good food. I really like this place for brunch and they have a nice patio outside. Only 2 complaints: #1: On a couple of occasions our waiter/water guy has put the water pitcher on my glass when filling. Don't do that dude, that's how people get MRSA and $hit...#2: Their walls have food and spilled drinks and stuff on them, pretty gross. Hubs wanted to ban this place because of that alone ("If its that dirty on the walls at eye level out here, can you imagine how gross the kitchen is?") but I hope Sola reads this and at least wipes the walls down so I can bring him back there. Overall, I like this place.

    (4)

  • Oscar the Death Cat B.

    Did Sola for dinner on a recent Saturday before a show at the ATC across the street, and had a fairly nice experience. The "early" dinner hours seem to be a good time to dine in this area - not much street traffic by late afternoon, and the Martyr's crowd had not shown up yet. Street parking was easy, and the dining room and outdoor seating were very quiet up to 7:00 PM. I was surprised to find out, after the fact, that Sola's cuisine was advertised as Hawaiian - nothing in the menu really screamed "Hawaii" in my opinion. The menu provides a selection of small plates, big plates, salads, raw dishes, and side dishes. We decided to do a mix, trying a stuffed lambchop special, salad, soft shell crab, tuna, and the truffle parmesan fries. Nothing that we tried was disappointing, and the fries are a must-try, though we were surprised when they didn't show up until the entrees arrived - they came out in a fairly big serving and it would have been nice to munch on them as we were waiting for our main courses. Our waitress was especially accommodating, going back and forth to the kitchen several times to check on recommendations for the gluten-averse at our table and another nearby table. I highly recommend the outdoor seating, as the indoor dining area can become a bit loud when it gets busy. It's located on quiet side street and is quite pleasant on a warm summer evening.

    (4)

  • Larry B.

    Wow! The salmon with honey reduction glaze is amazing. It had a crispy sweet but tangy taste to it. Great! Great service all around. They have excellent appetizers and an decent wine selection. The pricing on Yelp seems a little cheap - dinner entrees are $16-$38, with most being in the $22-27 range. But well worth it. Go check this place out.

    (5)

  • Joshua S.

    Although not in the same style as Deleece, I had deja vu when I started tasting the food at Sola. It's good. It's definitely fresh, and definitely prepared well. I had the chicken with some "Angry" sauce, and what was apparently coconut Spatzle. Never tasted the Angry. Never tasted the coconut. Was I displeased with the meal? Nope. It tasted awesome. Good bok choy. Good chicken. Good spatzle. Are they doing anything risky here? Nope. It's good. It's overwhelmingly decent. The person I was with ordered crab cakes. Same thing. However. There's one place where I saw some cool stuff. The ice cream. The other desserts are cool, I guess. But when we saw the sesame brittle ice cream, the fivespice and caramel ice cream, and the arrangement of sorbets, it was a breath of fresh air of originality (as I had not seen ice creams of that sort). you can do a flight of 3 choices, and the other ice creams seemed cool, but I definitely went for the 2 I mentioned as well as the lemongrass pineapple sorbet. Probably the highlight of the meal, just considering that it's a cool idea they had and went for it. Honestly, I don't really get these types of places. I can get a BUNCH of food for the price I got it here at other restaurants. And will it be drastically worse than Sola? Probably not. Give it a shot, I'm sure you'll like it if you're a seafood kinda dude. Probably won't be back simply because it's just not...interesting.

    (2)

  • Brian S.

    When we sat down at our sun-bathed table, far after the traditional brunch crowd had left the restaurant (either that or business isn't doing all that well) and I looked at the laminated menu, I realized that I had tried more than half of their brunch options. As I write this review, I realize that that means their menu hasn't changed at all in the past nine months. That isn't the sort of philosophy a restaurant should be following unless that restaurant is Applebee's. In Sola's defense, many of those brunch options are quite tasty. In the past, I have enjoyed the French toast sandwich (which I would call a Monte Cristo, but perhaps they are ardent anti-Bonapartists) and the pork hash. This trip, Daniel and I ended up ordering two dishes we had experienced before -- the short rib Benedict and the horrifically-titled huevos benedictos. Out overly-polite server (whom D and I have also had before) brought the plates out -- well, three of them; the cornbread cornbed of my benedictos needed to be turned down, it seems -- and immediately, once it arrived, Michelle and I noticed that our poached eggs were practically hard-boiled. This is something that happens at least once in every 10 poached eggs that are plopped on my plate; it's always annoying (since the chef who created the dish intended the yolk to serve as a sauce, not a spread) and I am also always too hungry/lazy/polite to say anything. Michelle, however, possesses a bolder soul than me; she asked for new eggs. After an uncomfortably long time, she did receive perfectly juicy eggs, but we had already polished most of our food off by then (and then, oh, I was rude and made her talk as she tried to finish her meal). The benedictos was quite good. The corn bread is a lovely addition to the growing number of permutations that barely can call themselves Benedicts. The potatoes that accompanied it resembled sliced onions and were dry and flavorless. I would guess this was owing to our later arrival time in the brunch schedule, and I certainly managed to choke a few forkfuls down (despite the fact that, after the cornbread, did I really need MORE carbs?), but I'd like to see improvements here. The short-rib Benedict offered a good combination of flavors and textures; the peppery punch in the pesto complemented the typically mild-flavored short ribs, and the hollandaise was good if not standard. I've heard murmurs about Sola possibly, possibly not reformatting their concept. I would recommend changing up their dinner offerings -- they are too unpleasant and expensive to even waste my time on a review of them, sadly. But brunch? I'd recommend holding on to some of their best-sellers and experimenting -- finally -- with a few new plates.

    (3)

  • Jenna S.

    It's hard to believe i'm approaching nearly two years of loving Sola. But they are still as good as they were the first time we dined here for a dinner al la Groupon. Lately, I've been obsessed with their brunch. I always face the age old battle of Savory versus Sweet. How can you decided between the short rib benedict or the bacon pancakes?! Easy! Get the Ham and Cheese French Toast. YES! It's both savory and sweet. Kill me with a side of malasadas, which conveniently can be dipped in either chocolate sauce or raspberry sauce and we're basically besties at this point. Sola, you have my heart.

    (4)

  • Michelle G.

    Went there on Monday night and it was fantastic. My friend had a Groupon worth $50, but ended up still spending $65 a piece with tip. I had the short rib and it was very tender and seasoned perfectly. The pot sticker and gnocchi appetizers were also delicious. I can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Marcie M.

    Who has two thumbs and loves Mexican dishes in the morning? THIS GIRL! As I have previously mentioned, there just aren't really any unique food options in Indy, so when I venture out of the city, I must stop in to the local delicacies that are offered elsewhere. A few weeks ago I visited fellow (Elite) Yelper Sarah G. and our entire agenda was based on food. Where were we eating, what time and how much did it cost were the constant worries of the visit. Very productive, I might add!! We had a largish group of 7 adults and four babies for Sola on a Sunday morning. They accepted our reservation (probably with a bit of a hesitation - I know I would have!) and were all ready for us when we arrived! It was awesome! Our table was centrally located and I loved the atmosphere. It was just loud enough for a Sunday a.m. to lull my baby to sleep in his carseat and not too loud that we could have a conversation and talk without yelling. Our server was a lovely British (maybe?? Cute accent, that's all I know!) who was very helpful with the menu and only slightly scattered. Despite her being a bit slow with the bill, everything else was AH-MA-ZING (as Sarah G. would say). So ...let's just discuss the food...We started off with drinks. I had the palmango mimosa (soooo pretty and good), and we ordered these fried dough balls that came with lemon and raspberry dipping sauce. DE-LISH-IS-NESS! I wish I could have made my entire meal out of those but I am so happy I didn't. :P i personally ordered the chilaquiles which was awesome!! There was a bit of kick to it but it was an incredible way to start my day (did I mention I was in a bad mood - I was, but they fixed it!). I am just sitting here remembering the mouthwatering bites of the eggs, pico and guac all together now...mmmmmmm. I also indulged in a bite of Sarah G's short rib Benedict. I believe that is the only reason she comes to this place! :) And, the kiddos had pancakes and some other goodies. Everything was so wonderful! I wish this was in Indy. I would love to take guests to this place for some enjoyable mid-morning treats, but alas, I can only experience such fabulousness when I'm in Chicago. Thank you, Sarah G, for my incredible tour of food in Lincoln Square area!

    (4)

  • Katie H.

    My hubby and I hit up Sola for dinner last week and thought the food was great - and even better that it's in our neighborhood. Great drinks to start, followed by the scallops appetizer and the pot stickers. I am a huge fan of both these dishes normally, and they didn't disappoint. My husband thought the scallops were a bit salty, but apparently my palate isn't as refined because I gobbled them right up. For an entree, we decided to split the duck and then two sides: the mac and cheese and brussels sprouts. Honestly, I think the sides were the star of the meal! Not that the duck wasn't great - it was - although it was a little tough to cut (although really pretty tender to eat). We were both too stuffed for dessert but plan to return since there were some great-looking items (caramel creme brulee? Yes please!!) I think I'd return for the mac and cheese alone. Four stars given slightly rushed/stressed service, but other than that I cannot complain. Thanks Sola!

    (4)

  • Erin R.

    Went for brunch and decided to try something different, as I usually stick to French toast, and went with the banana pineapple upside down pancake. It was absolutely delicious, and very filling too. I will definitely return again for more.

    (4)

  • Unity O.

    You know, I am a bit of a freak about my birthday. I believe birthdays are special & should be done in style. I love to celebrate mine, I mean come on it happens only once a year & when else can you just totally selfish and make others do what you want to do?!?!?! Since my special day turned out to be a Friday this year, I went ahead & planned out an entire weekend of fun where people could join me according to what their schedule allowed. Part of what I have dubbed "unitypalooza"...catchy right?!?!?!?! ;-) was an outing for brunch to Sola. Now, I had read some great reviews about their brunch menu & so added it to my list of places to try. Thank you for not steering me wrong Yelp. A gathering of some of my chicas & I came upon Sola on a very lovely Saturday morning...we were ready for some good chow & some even better company (hello, we were celebrating me :-). I was immediately struck by the ambiance as we entered through the doors...Sola has an understated elegance. It is fancy without making you feel uncomfortable. I absolutely love the lighting & the warm colors. Of course we started with coffee which is brewed nicely & not at all weak...truth is some of these fancy schmancy places do good food, but their coffee can be blah (not the case here). Then since we were a slightly indecisive group...we started with the donuts (2 orders of them), they were highly recommended by our server and good gracious he did not steer us wrong. I am not a fan of donuts, but these sort of knocked my socks off...they were light & airy, sprinkled with sugar, and came with dipping sauce (oh the dipping sauces...I wanted to drink them). Everyone raved about them & it was a great way to start what was an excellent brunch. Now as others have mentioned, the brunch menu is not extensive, but it is still rather difficult to decide what to eat. Everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) just sounds so damn good. Then there is the battle of sweet or savory...this time savory won out & I ordered the chilaquiles (which is rather a fun word to say by the by)...tortilla hash, eggs, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream. This came is a rather attractive presentation & was devoured immediately...it was very tasty. In what can be considered a miracle when you have a gathering of 8...each of us ordered something different (yay)...so taste testing was abounding. So, I got to taste multiple dishes & can say that I will be back as everything tasted wonderful. I definitely want to go back & get the breakfast wrap sometime....so good. Overall an excellent experience...food was fantastic, service top notch, price super reasonable, and great coffee...So here's my question...who wants to go with me next time?

    (4)

  • K B.

    This restaurant is right around the corner from our place, so we've been here on multiple occasions. Most of the choices have always been above par, some even excellent (the tuna entree served rare and wagyu hanger steak in particular stand out in my mind). The service has always been pretty consistent. The atmosphere is nice and they always have Groupons which makes it a better deal (without one, the prices are a bit high but not outrageous).

    (4)

  • Dabney, B.

    This place is ridiculous. Seriously. Make the reservation and head in for a delightful brunch. I wish it was in walking distance. I'm usually too hungover to make it this far west, but when I get someone else to drive, I am never disappointed. If they have shrimp, the wasabi bloody mary is a must. For dining excellence, you absolutely have to try: 1) The Doughnuts 2) The Short Rib Benedict 3) The Chocolate chip banana and bacon pancakes with nutella. That is certainly not something I'd ever dream of ordering, but I did it on a solid recommendation and I couldn't have been happier. Service is always interesting. It's good, or good things happen. One time a server spilled a glass of water on a Friend Zoner's iphone while trying to jam a plate in an inadequately open space. He was a little impatient but it was ok. But the bill ended up being half off, and it was her phone, not mine, so I was happy as a clam. Top honors for Sola. If you came here to look for brunch at a place you haven't tried yet to switch things up, here you go. You're welcome.

    (5)

  • Try4Gold ..

    Loud, loud, loud.....LOUD! Wow, this place is outrageously loud. I think I've been to Chucky Cheesies that were quieter. If my burger and fries weren't ice cold I might have given this place 3 stars. I'm not poor and I'm not cheap but $35 for lamb chops, $18 for burger and fries and $4 for a cup of coffee...this ain't the Ritz. Cool vibe for a neighborhood place but way over priced.

    (2)

  • Johanna N.

    This was one of my favorite restaurants for several years. But after my experience last weekend, I won't be returning anytime soon. The food while delicious couldn't make up for the poor service. I gave Sola two stars not because I thought the food was awful - but I thought I received some of the worst service at a restaurant ever. First off, upon arriving, we were seated next to an extremely noisy dinner part of 8 people. It was odd considering that the restaurant was only half full! Second, our waitress, while friendly and very knowledgeable about the menu, stopped by our table only a few times. We only had two drinks throughout the dinner - we would have had more had she stopped. We would have ordered dessert - but 25 minutes actually passed between when she handed us the dessert menu and returned to take our order. At that point we were worried that the meter had expired at the car, so we opted for the check! At this point, we were already discussing our general disappointment with the place. I was particularly distressed because I had enjoyed Sola on many other occasions and had talked up the place to friends and family constantly getting them to go there. The cherry on the cake of our non-dessert was the fact that when I walked to the bathroom, I stepped on something incredibly slippery on the floor near the kitchen and took a topple. The only person who bothered to help me up was a passing bus boy, one wait staff sidestepped around me, and the hostess peaked her head around the hostess stand to see what the commotion was about. Overall, I vent more because of my disappointment in Sola's service and the fact that it absolutely did not match the food.

    (2)

  • Kristen W.

    I'm loving Sola more and more each time I dine here. First of all the Sunday breakfast is fantastic. Everything I have tried has been really great and the prices are very reasonable! Lovely ambiance even though it does tend to get crowded and there are lots of toddlers and young kids. It tends to work for breakfast. When the weather is warm enough, sitting outside is lovely. Try it, you'll like it. Dinner-yummy. Again, everything I have tried has been great. Skirt steak, any fish dish they have, pretty much anything is going to be wonderful. It's a great special occasion place or just a quiet, romantic dinner place. Service is top-top notch. This is how a restaurant should be. And my biggest pet peeve with other restaurants- lighting- is perfected here. Well done Sola!

    (4)

  • Elisabeth P.

    I just hosted a brunch here on Sunday for 14 and it was amazing! From the food to the service, Carol and her team did an amazing job! Everything was coordinated with Carol, the owner, and Ciara, the private party coordinator, who were both super responsive and terrific. We coordinated a set menu with the following: Starters: Fruit Malasadas (so yummy!) Entrees: (Guest picked one from the following) Ham & Cheese French Toast Miso Cod Green City Market Omelet Huevos Benedictos Sides: Bacon & Sausage Dessert: Delicious birthday cake - yellow with buttercream frosting (everyone kept asking where I got it from!) Most people ended up getting the Green City Market Omelet which was so great (fresh veggies and goat cheese), but the people who ordered the cod, Huevos Benedictos and the ham & cheese French Toast were raving too. I will admit, deciding what to order was the hardest thing about the entire brunch because it is all so good. I requested that the guest be given a glass of Cava upon arrival and to replenish as needed. The staff was fantastic about that too. I can't say enough about how wonderful the food, service and atmosphere were. The entire sola team is so helpful and nice. Most importantly, all of my guests had a fantastic time! Thank you for an amazing celebration!

    (5)

  • Brian B.

    Good service, but food was average at best and prices were high. Not worth another trip.

    (2)

  • Sharon N.

    This restaurant is so far off my personal grid that I never would have heard of it without a Groupon. I rarely get to this part of Lincoln Avenue, and even if I did I wouldn't have looked around the corner to find it cunningly tucked away on Byron so that you can't see it unless you're walking south (I was walking north.) I left the Groupon until it was almost ready to expire, then thought, "What the heck, I don't want to waste it." Am I glad we went! There were some lovely, fancy drinks to start off for those who like such things. The appetizer menu was outstanding. Then came the entrees! Wow! The chef is excellent and creative. I had salmon with a ginger glaze over an edamame puree--wow! Who would think of making an edamame puree? Glad this lady did because I loved it (AND its good for you!) My husband had the hangar steak, which he raved about. One other at the table had the hamburger; he usually only eats half and takes the rest home. He ate the whole thing. The 4th had the snapper special, which she also raved about. We will come here again. Spending money on the Groupon was not in vain for either us or Sola!

    (5)

  • Allison H.

    Came here for the second time this weekend. I had good memories of this place but truly it was even better than I remembered. The first time I came here I got an entree for myself and this most recent time we got a bunch of small plates to try everything and it was a much better option! For our small plates we ordered - the tuna tartare, artichoke fritters, seared scallops, and kalua pork. The tuna tartare and kalua pork were definitely the stars of this meal. A visit to Sola would not be complete without these two! The artichoke fritters were ok but they had a cornmeal breading on them and I think a lighter breading should have been used. The seared scallops was delicious and cooked well. For dessert, we ordered the trio of ice cream flavors. We ordered the fresh mint chocolate, salted caramel, and one other one that I can't remember. They have about 20 different flavors of really unique ice creams. You should at least ask just to see the ice cream and sorbet list because there are so many interesting flavors! For drinks, I ordered the black sand beach martini which was their take on the lemon drop martini. Instead of sugared rim, it has a black salted rim. Interesting idea - and having been to the black sand beaches in hawaii I liked the creativity - but overall I like the plain sugared rim better. Overall - go with small plates so you can try everything and make sure to get the kahlua pork and tuna tartare!!

    (5)

  • Gunner F.

    Maybe my new favorite place. The wagyu burger is da bomb. Never thought I would say that about a $15+ burger but it is. It tasted better than some $45 steaks I've had (ahem, Boarding House).

    (5)

  • Gary C.

    Sola has been on my list of "want to try" for a while, and well, I finally made it! I walked into sola and thought I was in a fancy-schmancy hotel restaurant. The lighting, the colors, the decor, it all reminded me of somewhere else. It was a very relaxing space. Not saying that's good or bad, but I'll say that I really liked the vibe of sola. On to the food... My girlfriend and I ordered the scallops, wagyu hangar, and truffle parmesan fries. It all tasted great. The scallops were light and flavorful, though not cooked to perfection, which was a bummer =( The hangar was great sans sauce, with the black vinegar sauce, and/or with the raspberry sauce. But again, it wasn't exactly cooked to perfection. I will say, though, that the truffle parmesan fries were perfection. Plentiful in quantity and quality, these skin-on fries were stuffed into a pint glass and sprinkled [very generously] with parmesan and truffles. Yummers. Service was good, though at times a little over the top. The gal was super nice, and at times a little too nice *shifty eyes.* The food runner[s] were great. It wasn't just a "here's your food, enjoy" type of thing. They were engaging in conversation about the dining experience and other random topics. I don't know why, but I feel like I picked at many minute details of my dining experience, but don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it! It came down to a little bit of cooking and a little too much service [if you can get what I'm saying], but I'm still goin' foursies. The dress code is "casual," but I did feel a little underdressed [and under age] compared to other diners. I'd say, at the very least, wear a decent shirt [both guys n gals]. Parking isn't terrible; Lincoln always has meters and side streets are manageable if you've got the patience to drive around. I'd love to come back and try sola's brunch, as there are many reviews raving about it. **save a couple dollars with a restaurant.com gift certificate.**

    (4)

  • Leah W.

    I've been wanting a fancier restaurant that's walkable from my house and Sola is perfect! The wine selection was lovely; the artichoke fritters were perfect. I ordered the lamb chops; my partner got the hanger steak, both were creative and delicious. Dessert was also lovely -- I got the adzuki bean cake and it was simply delightful. There are so many other things on the menu that I'd like to try! (Including brunch! And some of the cocktails!) And everyone was really friendly, including the person on the phone I made the reservation with and all the waitstaff. We went early and I was surprised at the number of kids in the restaurant. A few waiting for takeout with their parents, but there was a family nearby with two small children in a stroller, and a person at another table near us with a younger adolescent. This is not a complaint -- now that I've joined the parent club I'm keeping an eye out for restaurants, even fancypants restaurants, that are kid-friendly, and Sola gets points for that. The physical space is a little strange -- it's definitely a bigger-on-the-inside kind of restaurant, but it's not barn-like or anything. I'm glad we got to sit up the stairs next to the window; I'm not sure I would have been as happy in the lower section.

    (5)

  • Joel M.

    Went here on NYE for my first Lincoln Square dining experience and had a great time. The atmosphere is warm and comfortable, they have a fire in the entrance and the lighting is dim but not too dark. The place was completely packed and a little loud, but that usually a good sign. We had the potstickers for an appetizer which were pretty good but didn't blow me away. Our main dishes were the flank steak and the pork - both of which were completely awesome. I usually get my steaks medium well, but I got this medium and it was perfectly cooked and delicious. The pork was tender and presented beautifully. We got truffle fries on the side and the portion was ENORMOUS. We were pretty full at this point so didn't eat a ton of these, but I would go back and eat JUST these on an empty stomach if I could. The wine list was pretty extensive and a bit pricey. The lack of draft beer (even with a full bar) was slightly mitigated by their solid selection of craft bottles. If you prefer beer anyways, definitely get a few beers and you'll same some coin in the end. The hoppy Sierra Nevada pale ale went very well with our dishes.

    (4)

  • Sara B.

    Really great brunch, love the blood orange mimosa, favorite part- they put pickles in their Bloody Marys :)

    (4)

  • Laura M.

    I am giving Sola 3 stars for dinner. We felt it was overpriced for what you get. We didn't think it was anything special. I ordered the scallops and they were definitely not the best i have had (and very small servings). However, I give Sola 5 stars for brunch!! We go to sola at least every other week for brunch and everything we have had is excellent. Chilaqueles (sp?), short rib benedict, pinneapple upside down french toast (which hasn't been on the menu recently) are some of our favorites.

    (3)

  • Andy M.

    Sola is not the kind of place you would expect to find a Bourbon Swilling, Cigar smoking Caveman like me, but I'm glad I went. The Brunch was amazing. My visit to Sola gave me a major case of Deja vu. It took me a good hour to figure out that Sola is located in the same storefront that used to be a Bargain Town Toy store that I went to as a kid. The Deja Vu aside, the interior was what you would expect from a restaurant in Lakeview. It was Artsy and almost tacky. But like I always say, it's all about the food. The Brunch menu was impressive. I saw at least three things that I wanted to order. I settled on the huevos benedictos. The Dish consisted of a Poached egg, Chorizo and hash browns that were covered in their on special Hollandaise sauce. The Dish was delicious and was almost more food than this Hockey watching Neanderthal could handle. It was a hearty dish that left me with a full tummy and a smile on my face. The bottom line on Sola is a lesson of how looks can be deceiving. This Artsy, yuppie filled Fu Fu joint served up a man sized, heaping helping of artery clogging goodness. The experience and the food were awesome and if not for the fact that my Doctor would kill me, I would have brunch here seven day's a week. Yes, it was that good.

    (5)

  • Kathryn G.

    I was really excited to try Sola after hearing about it for years. Went with two friends to celebrate a birthday and made easy reservations at opentable. We were seated right away and enjoyed the food and cocktails we ordered. My issue was with the service. Once our food appeared and our waitress checked in with us - Poof! she was gone. We were not offered refills on our coffee or asked if we wanted another cocktail. She was definitely helping other tables but only came back to us to drop off the check. Not even to ask if we wanted anything else. We were glad to be headed out but then noticed that our drip coffee was $4 a pop. After seeing that we made sure to get a bus boy's attention and sat for awhile longer to enjoy our refills. I might go back for take out but will not be back to dine in.

    (2)

  • Allison B.

    Sola has the best brunch in the city! We have never been disappointed and it's always our "go to" place with friends and family in town. Delicious!

    (5)

  • Liz T.

    Yum...I was very pleased with my dinner tonight at Sola. I had anticipated a good meal, but I thoroughly enjoyed the food, pace and ambiance of the meal tonight. Maybe it was one of the nights where the restaurant just clicks, or perhaps it's like that every night. Either way, the restaurant was warm and inviting, and people were clearing having a great time. For my appetizer, I had the artichoke fritters with a honey truffle dipping sauce and a soy, lime, chili dipping sauce. They were delicious. B had quail tempura, which he really enjoyed. For my entree, I had salmon with a truffle teriyaki sauce, edamame puree, and tempura green beans. B had hoisin mustard panko-crusted tuna with bamboo rice and tempura avocado. He loved it, and mine was really good as well. For dessert, we had chocolate cake with a soft center, sesame brittle ice cream, and vanilla wasabi sauce. It was really, really good. The bitterness of the chocolate cake and the sweetness of the ice cream was perfectly balanced. Really, really good. We'll definitely be back to Sola. It was a great overall dining experience.

    (4)

  • Carolynne M.

    Kellie K and Angela L won the Yelp Charity Auction date that Andy and I had posted. Sola was to be the start of our fun filled day. I had heard about Sola and the amazing brunch offered but I had never been. Normally I would be nervous taking people to an "untested" place, but the reviews from others that had been put me at ease. We started out with what I was told was the house specialty, the Masaladas. Masaladas are Portuguese fried donuts, which look like a larger version of a donut hole. They came four to a plate and were accompanied by a raspberry sauce and a chocolate sauce. Simply divine! You must order these if you come here. Then, as others have mentioned, narrowing down the choices on this relatively small menu is shockingly difficult. Just when you think you know what you want you see two other things that look better. I had decided, and then as a joke said the only way you would be able to make a quick decision is to close your eyes and point. Which I then did and looked to see what it was. And I immediately changed my mind because what I landed on was a wild mushroom and goat cheese omelet (how did I miss this!!). Nicely balanced with big chunks of mushrooms and a layer of creamy goat cheese. A fan! Other dishes, such as the chilaquiles, the green city market omelet, and the huevos benedictos were beautifully presented and looked fantastically yum. One minor thing I should mention is pay attention to the coffee refillers. Although they were very efficient and consistently went around to attend to your cup, at one point we noticed that we were being given decaf (i think the regular was out and he was just filling the cups with what he had left). When we said we didn't want that the cups were all immediately replaced with new, but since so few people drink decaf it definitely seemed odd that they would give you that in the first place without asking. Anyway, the moral of this story is, go, close your eyes, point and order. You will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Casey N.

    Really enjoyed my meal at Sola. Classy scene that's still fairly laid back. Without looking at the menu you would probably think it's a lot cheaper than it actually is. Also, not sure why they call themselves a 'Hawaiian fusion' restaurant. They have seafood, that's about as Hawaiian as it gets. Service was pretty slow, but the food was awesome. I recommend the truffle parmesan fries and the Wagyu beef burger or steak. Food: 4.5 stars Service: 2 stars Ambience: 4 stars Price: definitely overpriced, but still worth the trip

    (4)

  • Kelly F.

    I've been here at least four times over the last 2 years. The food is fabulous and the service is really great. Everything is so good that I can't remember what I get. I love the Hawaiian flair, it's a great place to go for special occasions when they spell out special announcements on your desert plate. You have to get the fries, they are some of the best in the city. Bar service rocks as well and they have a solid wine list. I plan to go back soon!

    (5)

  • John O.

    I've been here twice now. Once for dinner and once for brunch. Both experiences have been great. The food is very innovative and fresh. Highlights from the dinner menu are the braised short ribs, truffle parmesan fries and macaroni & cheese. For brunch I enjoyed the crab benedict. Dale of Top Chef Season 3 fame is still working the front of the house. Service isn't perfect but it is plenty friendly. Great spot.

    (4)

  • Bobby H.

    Sola, I am so glad to have discovered you. We dined early on a Wednesday evening with the impetus of an online gift certificate. As I'm sure some of you can attest to, there can be some level of hesitation that comes with dining at a restaurant that has offered the group discount / coupon thing. All of my concerns were immediately assuaged upon walking in the front door (which is actually on the southwest corner of Byron). The decor of Sola is classy without being pretentious, the atmosphere is very comfortable and inviting, and the staff is friendly and attentive. Even arriving at quarter past 6 there were several tables full - always a good sign. By the time we were finished with dinner nearly every table was filled, providing an energetic-but-not-overbearing ambiance. There is also a single TV above the bar which had the Stanley Cup playoffs on ... something that pleasantly surprised me. Okay, so on to the food. For starters we went with miso black cod and artichoke fritters. The artichoke fritters were battered in cornmeal and came with both a garlic aioli and a sesame/soy sauce for dipping. These were delicious. The cod, though. Oh, the cod. I would like to personally thank the person who cooked this piece of fish. Talk about light and buttery. My teeth were happy to take the role of bystander as each bite just melted in my mouth. The accompanying pea shoots, English peas, mushrooms and barley provided a great balance in flavor and texture. I would go back just to eat this dish again. The entrees varied slightly from the menu posted online, but who could possibly complain about changes due to the use of seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients? Wagyu hangar steak? Yes please. I will be happy to eat you with a sweet purple potato pancake, swiss chard, and roasted elephant garlic. Oh, and you're cooked perfectly? Even better! We ordered this dish to share and, to our pleasant surprise, they split the entree onto two separate plates for us, even cooking the portions of steak individually. Everything has been good so far, might as well top it off with dessert. Now, I'm not a huge dessert person, but I love me some good chocolate cake every once in a while. The soft center chocolate cake was right up my alley. The accompanying ice cream and wasabi vanilla syrup were so very flavorful. Being the couth individual that I am, I resisted licking the plate clean. Service was helpful without being overbearing. Everything was conducted in a very efficient manner. Plates were removed promptly and water glasses were always filled. Tables were turned over quickly and all of the patrons seemed to be enjoying themselves and their meals. I will definitely be returning. If you haven't been yet, it should be high on your list of places to check out.

    (5)

  • Helena P.

    Great restaurant! Went for a dinner tonight. The food is very good, everything had a special oriental twist which reminded me why I am paying so much for it. I had scallops, my boyfriend had salmon. Both entrees were delicious. The seafood was cooked perfectly. Really PERFECTLY! They have a good wine list a number of cocktails to choose from. I chose a glass of Riesling and was very satisfied. Overall, a pleasant, romantic dinner :) Cannot wait to try their brunch!

    (5)

  • Esther S.

    Brunch, Brunch, Delicious Brunch. :-D Food: the Benedict was amazing. Delicious ribs with eggs and biscuits and hash browns and toast. Unless you really like strawberry french toast, I would skip the strawberry rhubarb french toast (which greatly lacked rhubarb)- the whipped cream on top was so yummy though. Price: Pretty Good $9-12 Morning Dranks: $8-12 Fizzy and pretty delicious. especially the mimosa. Ambiance: We got to sit outside for brunch. It was heavenly. Looking out to the neighborhood on a fairly quiet day. The gentle breeze. The barely audible clinking of spoons in coffee cups. The murmurs of conversation. Sigh **Love** The Service: No complaints. My friend asked the bus boy if we could use a groupon on father's day. The bus boy responded, "Could you ask the server? I'm just a bus boy." I donno why I find this so funny, but I do. He was pretty friendly. To be honest... I often can't tell who the bus people are and who the servers are. I also dont think there's a term for bus ladies. And now that I think about it, I don't think I've seen one. Also, the boy was actually clearly a man in his 20s. He should not be called a bus BOY, more like a bus MAN. Loved brunch here. Definitely recommend it

    (4)

  • Ross R.

    Good food. I had the steak tartar and tuna poke. Both were good, and reasonably priced. The poke wasn't quite as good as the tartare. Some of the textures weren't matched properly. The tartare came with a tempura egg, which was very nice. My wife had a salad which didn't strike me as that exciting, but she also got some gnocchi that were very good. Limited beer menu (although some OK options), all bottles as far as I could tell Good service, accommodating. Excellent bread service. Will go back with a coupon, but probably not under other circumstances.

    (4)

  • Gary R.

    This place was really good. Not sure if its really supposed to be called "Solar," and the "R" fell off due to a recent severe thunderstorm, or if it should be called "So LA?" I doubt that, as there were not enough people in there trying to look important and prove to me that they were better than me simply because of their plastic surgery or sunglasses. Regardless, the food was good. It had the right amount of moisture whereas I wouldn't call it 'dry' or 'chewy food.' We had some pork and artichoke fritters as our appitizers. I like that they served artichoke fritters, as it is simply too cruel to eat an artichoke's heart. To think they killed a poor innocent baby artichoke for my dining pleasure is simply intolerable. You'd think I wasn't so upset since I've given them 5 stars. Weird? For the main course, I had a cheeseburger made from "waygu beef." It was fitting, because the thing was way gooey, but also delicious. It was a contender for best city burger (not the winner, but a contender- more like a 5th seed in the playoffs). The dessert was really good too. They had some kind of bannana's foster with chocolate thing that was great. I cannot remember the name because I was getting a bit intoxicated by the time the sweet tray rolled around. I did not fall down or barf on my exit from the premises, so that is another positive.

    (5)

  • Jaime S.

    Went there for brunch with 12 people and was totally comfortable---THIS PLACE IS GREAT FOR BIG GROUPS. At Yolk, you are on top of one another at brunch, and even rolling solo, Toast is cramped. Dale was there! What a treat. He looked really run down though...i'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt and say that maybe he had a rough night. The service was fine---nothing was bad, nothing was particularly memorable (other than the pseudo reality tv celeb sighting). I had the smoked salmon scramble... it was good and all, but NOTHING compares to the hash browns at this place. SERIOUSLY. They are not served as a side dish, but were actually more generously served than the eggs themselves. SO DELISH. I can't say enough good things about the hash browns.

    (4)

  • Megan G.

    I've wanted to go to sola for ages but I tend to forget it exists - you can't really see it off Lincoln (the main entrance is on Byron). Recently when searching for a spot to meet a friend for dinner I ran across a sola coupon which triggered my memory. The coupon was purchased, reservations made (on opentable - so easy) and dinner set! Unfortunately, our experience did not live up to the years of anticipation. We were seated near the fireplace, which was a great cozy seat on cold evening. The inside of sola is pretty, but spare and the tv showing the basketball over the bar seemed incongruous in a restaurant charging $28 for entrees. Our waitress was adorable, friendly and prompt (serious shout out to her - I didn't catch her name, but she had a British accent). The breadbasket to start was awesome (honestly, probably the high point of the meal - if pretzel rolls are wrong, I don't want to be right). We started with the much ballyhooed artichoke fritters. I don't know what I was expecting, but these were disappointing - not terribly flavorful and just a bit...odd. I don't think artichokes really lend themselves to fritter-izing all that well. I thought both of the accompanying sauces were okay, but my dining companion did not care for the aioli at all. For our mains we opted for a whitefish special and the wagyu burger to split. The whitefish was far and away the better of the two, but I still wasn't as blown away by the entree as I expected to be at this pricepoint. The burger was pretty disappointing. It was a little dry and nothing special - I couldn't taste the difference in the wagyu beef at all. The truffle fries on the side were good, but we both agreed that the burgers at Bad Apple, a much lower scale restaurant, are actually better (and I don't necessarily think those are that fantastic, either). All in all dinner was fine, but not worth the menu prices. The general public seems to agree with me since sola constantly has coupons and specials (They offer their own "solupon" on their website now for $25 for $50 towards dinner. They're also restaurant.com , gdine, savored, and have offered Groupons.) Unfortunately there was nothing about dinner at sola that would compel me to return. That said, I've heard great things about the brunch and would be willing to go back to give that a shot.

    (3)

  • Niraj G.

    Their weekend brunch is highly, highly recommended! The chilaquiles are fantastic and never disappoint. I'm not even a big fan of desserts but the malasadas hit the spot every time!

    (5)

  • Jessica M.

    A long overdue visit to this talked about restaurant left me satisfied, but not so much that I am ready to come back. Tasty food and good service overall. The main reason is price. We had a groupon to use, so we did get $25 off the meal - and it was our anniversary, so we may have spent more than normal. But even so, it was too much money for what we got. We shared 3 of the small plates and a side of fries. My favorite was the seared scallops, but at $14 a plate, we only got 2 scallops. We each got to have one and then done. Bummer. Sadness. We also had the kalua pork ($11) which was a little more substantial and very tasty as well. The soft shell crab ($15) was the third plate, and while it had good flavor I didn't care for the texture of it. The fries ($8)... good potential, but they were stuck together and almost soggy. I prefer a little crispiness. The one plus here was that because they serve them in the glass, they stay hot. The "kick in the bill" for us were the cocktails. We each had a mixed drink first (about $12 ea) and a bottle of wine at $40. The entire wine list was higher than normal to pick from, and we picked one on the lower end. With tax, a $120 meal. Fine for this special occasion, but probably won't go back, except our friends say the ice cream is to die for. So, maybe a litttle dessert trip :)

    (3)

  • Kyle P.

    Was really looking forward to this place as the menu sounded good. The food was okay - but not great. Service was horrible. We felt totally ignored by our server.

    (3)

  • Don J.

    I used to love Sola when it first opened 4 years ago however my recent experience will ensure that I will not go back. I used to know a chef that was part of the opening team in Sola so I went a few times in 2006 and always enjoyed the food, service and atmosphere. I met Carol a few times and she was always pleasant and clearly had a huge interest and pride in her new and shiny restaurant. I was served once by Dale Levitski and I really thought this was a great restaurant. Fast forward 4 years and I brought my parents and fiancee for dinner in Sola on a cold and wet Saturday. We were seated in their raised area near the window and it was very cold. So much so everybody at my table put their coats back on. I mentioned it to our server (as we were right underneath the air con) and his answer was "well I'm ok" and started giggling. I was shocked by his answer and attitude but didn't make more of a deal of it as my parents had driven 7 hours to be with me that day and didn't want to cause a fuss. Server got 0 stars but the bussers were great and were always fussing around the table. To start I had the Potstickers which were ok. I've had much better in Chinatown. The others at my table had the French Onion soup which was tasty but there was too much bread in the dish so the great beefy broth was soaked up entirely by the bread. My father and I had the scallops which were average and I expected them to be better (we had brunch at NOMI the next day and their scallops were so much better), especially as I had been saying for so long how well they cook fish at Sola. My mothers Halibut was undercooked and not at the level I have come to expect from Carols team. The Tuna was very good and the best dish of the evening. I would have stayed for dessert but it was way too cold so we moved onto Le Colonial. Just before we left I saw Carol helping to bring out the main courses for a large table of 12 that was seated right next to us. She looked like she was set to kill our server (who was also in charge of the large table). No idea what he had done but her displeasure was clear for all to see. A once great place that unfortunately has dropped hugely in standards....................

    (2)

  • Jonathan C.

    I thought this place was pretty damn good. The service was amazing. When I got there, someone asked to take our coats while someone else showed us to a table right away. I ordered the Huevos Benedictos (mexican eggs benedict). My fiance ordered Matzo Brei. My dish was perfect. It was perfectly made corn bread, with amazingly poached eggs (just the right amount of being runny), a slightly spicy (not really spicy but tangy) sauce, and chorrizo. All of this had a very light texture, nothing hard. Then there were my hashbrowns. They were crispy, with specs of bell peppers mixed in. It was a great contrast to the light textures of the egg portion of my meal. The matzo brei was some sort of omlet. It had matzo, brie, eggs, and spinach. She said it was pretty good, but nothing too special. I'll head there again.

    (5)

  • adam r.

    For the price, it was a little too hit and miss. But the hits were big hits. Hits: --The Bread - Great assortment. If you can go just for the water and bread, you're good. --Kalua Pork (appetizer) - Pork, Onions, and Banana Bread somehow make for an awesome balance of tasty. --Adzuki Cake (dessert) - Wow. I couldnt' wrap my mind around any of the ingredients on the menu to understand what we would be getting. But this turns out to be a unique and stellar treat. Misses: (not really "misses", but rather I was hoping for more) --Artichoke Fritters (appetizer) - Neither my girlfriend and I were particularly excited about these. Probably very well prepared, but was absent of any memorable flavor or distinction. --Angel Cake (dessert) - Decent. --Mojito (drink) - your basic mojito mixed with some fresh pineapple, but the flavor was pretty subtle.

    (4)

  • Caroline M.

    Finally went to brunch at Sola!!! My parents were in town on Sunday morning and wanted to go for some breakfast....so I suggested Sola. They had no idea what I was talking about so I said, "Trust me on this one". Our server was wonderful. I don't remember her name, but she was certainly one of the best (if not the best) servers I have ever had. She was sweet, attentive and a total doll. My mom asked me if we could take her home with us. My delicious breakfast included a Maui-mosa (pineapple juice and champagne) and eggs benedict. The eggs were cooked to perfection. The potatoes on the side had a surprising spicy kick, which I even liked (I normally don't like spicy). I got to sample my mom's asparagus omelette and my dad's banana and nutella pancakes. YUM to both! We had a very lovely breakfast that truly exceeded my expectations. I heart Sola!!

    (5)

  • Bill O.

    My favorite brunch brunch spot in Chicago!

    (4)

  • Sarah H.

    I would marry the tuna if such a thing was allowed. Everything about our meal was great - good cocktails, fantastic pineapple french onion soup (strangely delicious -- never would I put pineapple, onion, gooey cheese and bread together but I'm glad someone did), artichoke fritters were a little taste of heaven (especially with the honey/truffle oil creme) and the service was exceptionally quick. The star was definitely the tuna though. Even after dining on it more than 12 hours ago I cannot get its wonderfully buttery taste out of my head. So good.

    (5)

  • betsy b.

    Guess I'm in the minority here because I wasn't too impressed. The bread basket rocked...that flat bread was very addicting. We started with the kaula pork and the black cod app.....the pork tasted like pulled pork on top of some soggy banana bread and the cod was sort of bland. I had the salmon which came with an edamame puree that resembled a giant hunk of wasabi. The sauce on the plate was good but there wasn't much of it so the fish was pretty bland too. My husband had the fish special which he liked minus the skin. We opted to go to DQ for dessert because we knew it would be good and cheap. I was really excited to try this place and was bummed at how boring and bland it was. For the price I'd rather go to Roy's.

    (2)

  • L L.

    Had a Groupon and never went before, but the menu was sexy to me so what the hell! Had an AMAZING experience and even though Sola is not close to where I am, I will be back! Service: Gracious and perfect Food: Oysters - good not amazing, they needed to be more chilled. Kimchi that came with was delicious! Kahlua pork - will get each and every time. Mushroom and Sea green salads, delicious! Brussel Sprouts - loved and will also get each and every time! Drinks: Had half the cocktail list and boy was it great! So excited I went and will be back!

    (5)

  • James M.

    Good, not perfect, just shy of great. I went for an evening meal looking to treat myself, and... Maybe it was an off night, but I wasn't feeling it. The food was excellent, as you'd expect - I really enjoyed the banana bread pork appetizer and the seared tuna. But honestly, the service took a lot away for me. My waiter seemed genuinely nervous around me, didn't seem comfortable giving me recommendations, and there were at least two dishes sitting in front of me, obviously finished, for well over five minutes. It's weird for me to say that the service would knock off two stars, but it took a lot away from the experience. :(

    (3)

  • Sarah B.

    I was recently here for a birthday dinner and had a wonderful experience. The food was delicious and our waitress was so nice. We ordered the gnocchi, the fish special, the brussel sprout leaves and the short ribs. Each dish was fantastic. This is a neighborhood gem and would highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • Angelica E.

    Cost wise its a lil pricey for my blood but yummy!!!! The food was sooooooo good! I had the app BBQ pulled pork on top of banana bread and it was really good! My friend and I also had some dessert which was great as well! I forgot what kind of beer I had (it was $10 ahhhhhh!!!!) again pricey for my blood but OMG the beer was so worth it! It was kinda like a ginger beer with a crispness to it that I liked. This is the kind of place where if you want something different and wanna treat yourself to something a lil more high class....Sola is the place to go!

    (4)

  • Claudia G.

    Sola is a great spot to dine for any occasion. I have had personal and business meet ups here. The ambiance (upscale yet comfortable and casual) and excellent service provide the perfect environment for conversation and then you add in the delicious food and perfection. I am particularly fond of having brunch here and most recently enjoyed the huevos benedictos without the chorizo. The foundation of cornbread caught my eye. The portions are huge so bring your appetite. It seems like the portions have grown since they first opened years back. And the menu has shifted (still excellent) from kind of hawaiian-esque fare to more spanish influenced comfort food. The dessert menu still reminds me of when Sola first opened. Anyhoo, great place for couples or groups. There is something for everyone.

    (4)

  • Scott M.

    Brunch is amazing. Short rib Benedict for the win and malasadas to boot! I seriously can't wait to try everything on this menu. I'm also skeptical of raving reviews of places, but dudes, this is the real deal. Easily my new favorite spot.

    (4)

  • Ernesto R.

    I went there for dinner last Sunday to check out the place since I live pretty close. I had the Poke as an appetizer and I really liked it since it compares favorably to the poke I had in Oahu. It was very fresh and was naturally seasoned. For an entree, I had the roasted duck which they serve medium well. The duck was accompanied by cabbage and was pretty darn good .

    (4)

  • Regina F.

    Purchased a Groupon and was looking forward to it, as I had a pretty good experience with Hawaiian Fusion at Roy's a while ago. Arrived early before our reservation but we got seated right away. The restaurant was barely half filled to begin with. After that, the service was weird. Yes, we were served and our server was actually really nice and attentive. But the the vibe from the rest of the service was weird and awkward, not very friendly or warm at all. The food was also just ok. I think I liked my fries the best, but come on... it's fries. Won't be going back.

    (2)

  • Anne C.

    I've dined at Sola twice-- once for dinner and once for brunch and was very happy with my meal both times. Dinner prices are a little steep, but the salmon was fresh and flavorful, the fries were delicious, and the pumpkin pie martini was one of the best I have ever had. That said, I was a MUCH bigger fan of brunch at Sola. We sat outside and sipped coffee and brunch cocktails-- one of my favorite ways to spend a weekend morning. I had a really delicious Green City Market omelet made with fresh ingredients found that day at the farmer's market. Love! But the highlight of the meal was definitely the Hawaiian donuts with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces. Totally. Amazing.

    (4)

  • Henry B.

    Had a wonderful dinner outside on a street side table. All the food was delicious, but the wife felt a little cheated with the crispy brussel sprout leaves which, while tasty, probably totaled 3/4's of a sprout. We will return though as all else was exceptional.

    (4)

  • Andrew K.

    This place is down right awesome for brunch. Interesting twists on classic brunch items, approachable, within reach. -a

    (4)

  • Brett F.

    I'm glad I get to jump the gun and review the Sola Prix Fixe 3-course meal featuring Bacon before the big Yelp group heads out to get their fix tonight. I went to Sola for the first time last night with 3 girlfriends. We were tempted by the $30 Bacon extravaganza special since Sola has been on our 'places to try' list forever; I'm glad our common love of all things bacon finally got us in the door. We were seated by the window where we could admire the total lunar eclipse outside and the rows of pretty illuminated lanterns inside. Other than the lighting, Sola's decor is warm and sophisticated with what appeared (at least on a Wednesday) to be a more mature crowd enjoying the Asian and Hawaiian inspired menu. After the menus were brought to us and we ordered a few bottles of wine from a nice selection, 2 of my girls immediately decided to depart from the Bacon plan and go with other items too tempting to pass up. Before we get to those however let me give you the breakdown on the bacon offering and what I had: 1ST COURSE - Bacon & Grilled Pineapple Salad; pineapple, rosemary, black vinegar, pineapple coulis This salad was the perfect starter... amazing flavor and a nice balance of salty and sweet, neither were too overpowering and the rosemary was a really interesting and tasty addition. 2ND COURSE - Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin; Hawaiian sweet potato puree, Chinese broccoli, Sczechwan peppercorn jus Typically I don't really enjoy bacon wrapped meats... in theory it sounds great, but the bacon is never really crispy enough and ends up sitting in a fatty pile off to the side of my plate. Not at Sola my friend!! They found a way to cook the pork to keep it juicy and still crisp up the bacon enough so that you can really enjoy it and it's not just used to flavor the meat. Dipping it in the sweet potato puree was divine!! The chinese broccoli was OK, but I found it to be a bit tough and difficult to cut. 3RD COURSE - Taffy Apple Pie with Bacon Brittle Ice Cream; apple cider five spice syrup So this dessert was exactly as amazing as it sounds. Bacon brittle ice cream brings two of the best things in the world (Ice Cream and Bacon) together and uses it to top a warm gooey caramel apple tart to make a sinful treat that is so good it will leave you speechless. Of the 3 courses, this was the only item I noticed is not on their regular menu but definitely should be, hopefully after bacon week it will be a new addition. We also ordered their Mashed Potatoes and Mac 'n Cheese as sides to share... skip the Mash, it was a bit dry and could have used some zing and pizzaz. The M'nC however was delish and super creamy, it's just one of those guilty pleasures impossible for me to pass up. So my friends who departed from Bacon Party USA ordered up the Crabcakes and the Salmon. The crabcakes were crabcakes...sorry I'm a bit biased here because I always think it's the most boring thing to order on a menu. Just not very adventurous, ya know? She said they were great, so there you have it. The Salmon was AMAZING... I could smell it's truffle broth the second I walked into Sola and the edamame puree was light and surprisingly flavorful. This is a must have for the next time. Our server was a total doll and knew her stuff really well... we even bantered a bit about Hot Doug's before she encouraged us to come back for their brunch and try the pineapple upside down french toast and blood orange mimosas. HA, I bet they have bacon too (just call me Dr. Obvious)!! Sunday Funday here I come, I'm definitely going to be a new friendly face Sola will be seeing much more of!!

    (5)

  • Sandy N.

    I'm giving sola 3 stars mainly because of the sneaking suspicion that I've become a food snob.. but really, it was nothing special. Went to sola last friday for their "foodie fridays" promotion with my boyfriend and our friend; I was the only non-vegetarian. Instead of ordering entrees, we each ordered 2 appetizers to try out the food. The artichoke fritters came with soy-lime & white truffle-honey sauces, which, while I love truffle, really didn't go with the artichokes. The artichokes themselves were sour, fried, and not very special--Home Bistro makes MUCH better artichoke fritters with an amazing roasted garlic aioli. So, I've had better. The soup of the day was a chilled corn soup with crab, which was not bad but would have been better hot. The grilled asparagus was just that. Nothing special, especially at $8. We then waited something like 30-40 minutes for our next dishes. I also had the squash blossoms with pork belly and kimchi. The squash blossoms were sour (pickled) which was too much considering the kimchi was already sour enough. Overall, I was pretty disappointed with the dish. I only ordered it because it sounded exotic and I was trying to be adventurous, and the squash, which was supposed to be the highlight of the dish, pretty much killed it. The truffle parmesan fries didn't come out until 2/3 of the way through the meal, which was way too late. The fries were my #1 reason for wanting to try sola, and I was pretty disappointed. I really didn't taste much truffle and they came out at a random time in the evening. Rockit's truffle fries are much better. The greens and grains was pretty good, although I forget the exact details. I love the whole IDEA of local food and everything, but considering how many things were pickled and how lackluster most of the food was, I don't think I'll ever go back.

    (3)

  • Dawn D.

    We've now been here for brunch and dinner. The weather was still icky when we came for brunch, so we sat inside, but dinner last night was on the patio. I agree with others that it is quite loud when crowded inside, but the service was much faster at brunch than at dinner. We were ok with the slow service, kind of decided we were on island time and in no hurry, but yes, it was slow. We were visited by no less than 3 servers at various times, but also, no biggie. All were nice and friendly. Patio furniture was comfy and it's a quiet street. Food: stellar. We were served a nice amuse bouche which was goat cheese and apples on a fried wonton. My only complaint is with the price of the scallop appetizer; $14 for two scallops with some veggies is outlandish. We expected more, though they were super tasty. I had the tuna with bamboo rice and it was cooked perfectly, and by that, I mean the tuna was rare as can be inside and nicely seared with some crunchy goodness on the outside. Not cheap at $28 but worth it. He had the Wagyu burger and loved every minute of it. Cooked medium-rare to order and served on a delightful pretzel bun with truffle parmesan fries, which he also loved. Drinks: I had the cliche mai tai just because it had passion fruit in it, but it was ho-hum. But then I decided to try out the Flower Power and oh, boy. Heaven in a glass, my friends. Lavender and prosecco? Sign me up. The beer and wine lists were fairly extensive as well, but not overbearing. Overall a lovely place with great food; I only took off one star for the inconsistent service and the price of the scallop appetizer. We will be back!

    (4)

  • Aurore L.

    February, 4th 2005: I am in my closet, trying to figure out what to wear. It's not too cold out for the time of year but I have no idea of what is in store for me today. Hard decisions. It's my first date with this guy. He's cute and I think we clicked. We are to meet under the Bean in Millenium Park. I prefer calling it the Cloud Gate...way more romantic. Right? I am nervous. My English is not that good and I will have to talk all day long....wow...can I nod all day? Hmmm.... Februrary 4th, 2010: The date went pretty well. He took me to the suburbs (first trip ever for me!!) and we had a lovely time at the zoo....we hold hands watching dolphins. I learned one of my favorite English words, pacifier. I made a mess eating sushi. We listened to Travis in the car. And now it's 5 years later. So much happened since that day, a lot of bad actually...but a lot of love too. We are good together, in a very peaceful and serene way. We got married last year. And in all that time we ate our way out through Chicago. With much delight. We had come to sola a few times already for brunch (pre-Yelp era) and decided to give it a try for dinner this time. I put a killer new dress on, drove up there and met my date of the night in front of the restaurant. He was waiting for me with a frying pan. Under the lid, stellar earrings and a matching necklace. And a monkey card. We go in, sit down and get lost in the menu. One of our favorite things in the world. I spot right away my appetizer, butter poached crab. I spot his. Share the news. We are ready to start. The crab is a true delight. Two big chunks of king crab legs, a wonderful crab cake, sweet potato gnocchi, chive, ginger, tatsoi.... Rich, balanced, exquisite. It is followed by the fish special of the day, opaka paka (Hawaiian red snapper) served with crispy skin. Roasted chestnut, long green beans, wild mushroom, ponzu reduction. Solid if not mind-blowing. The true moment of grace was dessert. We chose the butternut squash bread pudding which was absolutely divine, Ho'oponopono style. Served with a soft soy ice cream (out of this world), a black sesame brittle and a sweet balsamic reduction it was no ordinary bread pudding....no....light and airy, it was more along the line of a slightly sweet custard with melting pieces of squash and it made my heart flutter. Just like my sweetie. Happy anniversary to us, and to many more to come! (raising my glass of Riesling to you guys)

    (4)

  • Eliza M.

    And the award for the restaurant that's been on my "To Try" list for the longest amount of time goes to...Sola! A restaurant.com coupon motivated me to get my rear in gear and the waitress didn't bat an eye when I presented it. We loved everything we tried--soup of the day (pureed artichoke/vegetable soup), crab cake appetizer, hangar steak, scallops, and banana hot fudge sundae. I'm really into sparkling wines and champagne lately and the Gruet Blanc de Noirs was really good--this may be my drink of the summer. Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and seemed like she enjoyed working at Sola. Add to this the cool, modern décor and Sola is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Can't wait to go back and try brunch!

    (5)

  • Peter g.

    I had a good time and enjoyed most of my evening here, but had a hard time giving this 4 stars. While it had a lot of things going for it, in the end it was close but not close enough to push it over the line. This is worth a second investigation so maybe it will do better next time... I went with a group of friends to dinner, I see a lot of reviews here are brunch goers so I do not mean to offend, but here goes: The staff was friendly, and other then not hearing our waiter correctly once or twice, he did a good job and i have no issues here. We had a sampling of 3 before and 3 after courses, and a varied main course across the table. I had the salmon - it was very very good. As with each dish and each course, the presentation was excellent, really obvious that is was a very big part of the experience and they put a lot of effort into it. However portions were very small, and we were Left wanting after each course, maybe a good thing for some, and I am not asking for 10 pound plate portions like some restaurants seem to think is necessary, but more is better when the food is this good. 1 person tried the tuna, and was very unhappy with it compared to other restaurants - all the other meals were satisfactory. I had a side of veggies which were very fresh, and we also had a round of the fries and onion strings - both were tasty and worth ordering. Overall the food was good, but the menu was limited to very specific main courses and each was smaller then I would have expected to see for the price we paid, 6 people and the bill was almost $5 large with a few drinks and a bottle of vino, ouch. I know some higher price places will cost more, but I would not expect to pay this much and walk away with anything unsatisfactory. The deserts had more choices then the dinners, and were again presented very well and were very tasty, but again were small. We tried the warm chocolate cake, the creme brulee and the Carmel apple pudding, all were finished quickly and in the end we did have some very good food, save the tuna. The restaurant was empty when we arrived, but 100% full by the time we left, order times were also slower then I would have expected - yes it was a Saturday night but it was not even half full when we placed our initial orders. Another small but hold back reason for higher stars. Worth trying again for sure, but not a 5 star on my first visit.

    (3)

  • Lori L.

    I have one menu item for you. Spare Rib Benedict. That is all you need to know. Ok, maybe not ALL so I'll divulge a bit more about this wonderful dish. It's tender, tasty spare ribs on top of cheddar biscuits, covered with poached eggs, smothered in pesto and Hollandaise sauce. What really worked with this dish was the pesto did not overwhelm it. Sometimes pesto can be a bit much flavor wise. This was not the case with my meal. Loved it, loved it, loved it. My eggs were a little over-done, as in not runny. I actually will blame my mom for this. She doesn't like runny eggs and asked for her eggs Benedict to be cooked a little longer. So, yeah. Also to note, the huge side of hash browns that comes with the dish. I was surprised by this, in a good way, as it isn't mentioned on the menu. They were just about perfect; soft and a little crunchy with just the right amount of greasiness with a nice flavor that had a little kick to it. Nothing too spicy though. I had a couple of the blood orange mimosas. While tasty, I felt they could have been a little stronger, especially for the price ($9/piece). Next time I'll just go straight for the Rising Sun Martini as it's the same price. Service was very friendly, from the host to the coffee guy to our server. I'm glad I can check Sola off of my brunch list with a big happy face next to it.

    (4)

  • Edie J.

    A great meal! I tell you it's so nice to be able to go out and have a great dinner in the neighborhood. My friend and I shared several small plates, the artichoke fritters, crispy brussels sprouts, and the scallops. All very delicious, we were very impressed with the taste of the brussels sprouts given the simplicity of the dish. We had some cocktails and my friend well in to here 50's said she had the best Manhatten of her life here, I enjoyed my drink as well I believe it was a floral flavored sprtizer. For dessert we couldn't decide on just one, my friend got the hot fudge sunday with banana flavored ice cream, and I got the soft centered chocolate cake with wasabi vanilla syrup. So so good! I'd love to come back and try one of their ice cream or sorbet flights. The service was great our serve was lovely. She was prompt and attentive and very patient with us while we were ordering and chatting. The decor seems very modern, a little odd to me but it seems to work in the space well.

    (4)

  • Wendy Y.

    Had shared the squash blossoms (on the specials menu), wagyu beef appetizer, pork belly and kimchi, then lamb chops (special), and finally their homemade ice cream (sesame seed, bourbon, and five spice sea salt caramel). The wagyu beef and squash blossoms were so amazing!! It far outshined the main dish. Very creative and unique food preparation and collaboration. The tempura soft boiled egg with the beef, who thinks of that? It was spectacular. The squash blossoms were delicate, fresh, and crispy. I could eat that all day. And the home made ice cream is worth a try if you have a sweet tooth for ice cream like I do. Overall, great, friendly service and delicious, novel food.

    (5)

  • Scott C.

    Sola is a gem in North Center. The restaurant itself is modern and classy with both indoor and outdoor seating. The only knock is that it can get pretty loud when crowded on the weekends. The food is very good, fresh, locally sourced and imaginative. They also sport a very eclectic beer list that compliments their dishes well. The service was OK - friendly, but seemed to prefer a random drive by to check on us rather than attentive service. It was fine, but average at best. The food was fantastic. Between the hangar steak, chicken - ultra moist, and scallops everyone in our party was very happy with their food. I had the burger - apparently one of the best in the city. It was very good - juicy and had plenty of flavor (and also went well with beer). We had an order of the Parmesan fries which the table devoured. We were impressed with the freshness of the meat and vegetables with our food. A very good dinner and we can't wait to go back again!

    (4)

  • Chris J.

    Went there for Saturday brunch on a whim with a friend. Service was extremely friendly and prompt. Food was fantastic. Don't be put off by the prices, they are a little high but the dishes are large and the quality is fantastic! I had the wrap (breakfast burrito) which was very tasty and monstrous. My friend had the 5 spice waffle which was absolutely incredible. Major entree envy!

    (5)

  • Harold H.

    The food here is amazing. A little pricey, but worth every penny. I have not ordered anything here that I wouldn't order again and I have always gotten something different. Highly recommend anything with "wagyu" in the description.

    (5)

  • Nicole C.

    I originally had dinner at Sola years ago right after it first opened. I remember really enjoying it, but can't remember enought to actually review that.....so, on to brunch.... I celebrated the morning of my 30th birthday with a couple of Red Dawn Mimosas (champagne + blood orange), which reminded me that I really don't get enough blood orange juice in this city.....so, thank you Sola for making my Saturday morning. The mimosa was probably the most exciting part of my brunch. I was a little boring and went with the Eggs Benedict (my fave) -- very good, but nothing out of the ordinary. Our server was very friendly, but also very slow. And there was some other server with VERY LOUD footsteps -- it sounded like someone was stomping all over the restaurant. Distracting to say the least.

    (4)

  • Kelley L.

    A new friend invited me to dine with her at Sola, her self-professed favorite restaurant in all of Chicago. After our delightful evening, I can see why! Don't let the clever food descriptions and different ingredients scare you if you're not an experimental foodie. I'm not hugely experimental (Rabbit? Leave it in the forest, please), but I love to eat. You can safely enjoy a meal at Sola without having to ingest something that might make you squirm. We started our evening with a Wicked Wahini cocktail, which was different and tasty. And if I'd had more than 2, I would have needed a stretcher to carry me home. Instead I opted for the Prix Fixe for $30, which had the October theme of apples. Every bite was delicious. The only thing I didn't like was that my food started to pile up while I savored my courses. I am ok with waiting a minute between courses rather than feeling like I have to rush so something doesn't get cold. The atmosphere was pleasant. Not too quiet, but intimate enough to enjoy a private conversation. There was a large table of ladies (10+ cougars) that arrived mid-way through our meal and even their gossiping didn't cause us to have to raise our voices. Sola is far enough off the beaten path that you'd have to make an effort to get there, but it is definitely worth it. There is a valet available or street parking doesn't seem to be an issue, at least on a weeknight. Try this place!

    (5)

  • Kat S.

    The food was great, but not worth the expense. Every dish was well-made, but two scallops for $14 is a crime. The sweet potato gnocchi was delicious, but not worth $2/gnocchi. The salads were great and worth it, I had the seaweed and crispy mushroom, with the seaweed being the standout. We enjoyed our meal but went home and had a snack. That's kind of a bummer after spending $70/person.

    (3)

  • laurie s.

    My favorite place- love the owner, the service and the food- cocktails are fun- we have been there for romantic dinners for two including New Year Eve and birthday brunches and dinners with friends- best french fries ever- my husband who never eats them actually ordered them as an appetizer. Loved the email Ingredient of the Month and the Foodie Friday thank you. Especially nice for vegetarians and people with gluten issues as they will check ingredients and alter the dishes. Cannot say enough.

    (4)

  • Sean F.

    Sunday morning. A man and woman, uninspired and hungry, decide it is time to take advantage of their recently purchased A La Card deck and try somewhere new for brunch. A spin through the deck and a quick peek at a brunch menu online sends them journeying off to Sola as a gentle rain begins to fall. Okay, enough of that. We did the Sunday brunch at Sola and I was impressed. I'll get the bad out of the way quickly. I'm a stickler for having something to drink available at all times. I'll forgive a lot of things much more readily. Slow pacing, waiter forgets a dish, an underwhelming entree...these things happen in our imperfect and flawed world. But if I'm eating a meal, and my glasses, both soda and water are empty for a double digit span of time, that just burns my biscuits. I understand our waiter was quite slammed with the arrival of a very large party, so I don't mind the lack of refill on my drink. But the fact that I had my water refilled just before the entree arrived, and didn't see another pitcher near my table until I was ready to have my plate cleared away seemed a bit much. With that out of the way, onto the good. And there was plenty good at Sola. I had the just absurdly decadent chocolate, banana, bacon pancakes with Nutella. Everything you want in such a dish. Gooey chocolate, a little bit of salty goodness with the bacon. Total dessert junk food breakfast. The Mrs. went for the steak and eggs. The steak was tender and covered in Hollandaise sauce that tasted great without totally dominating the steak. We both had the Togarashi Hash Browns. These shredded potatoes had a little kick to them not always found in hash browns, and were an excellent compliment to the meal. The service, outside of the aforementioned drink issue was good. The hostess was very friendly and steered us away from a table that was about to be right next to a huge party. Our waiter was prompt and answered all our questions. Overall this was a positive experience. We will definitely be coming back here for brunch in the future, and I would be quite willing to revisit this rating if they tighten the service up just a bit more, because, well because I really really loved the pancakes!

    (3)

  • Lisa C.

    My friends and I were here for dinner during the July 4th weekend. Service was great, our server was attentive and very knowledgeable of the menu. Food was great. The bread basket had three different kinds of bread - flat bread made with rosemary and black pepper; sourdough; and a very yummy pretzel bun. I sampled my friend's soup of the day, which was a cold soup of cantaloupe, honey dew, campaign and a couple of other ingredients. I was skeptical of the combination but it tasted really good. I also sampled the salmon poke with hamachi, avocado, and wasabi. It was so good that my sushi craving peeked its head. The amuse bouche of salmon and avocado on top of a chip definitely amused my tongue. I was in a happy place when I tasted the wagyu burger. The cambozola cheese, bacon, arugula and caramelized onion were amazing together and did not over power the burger. We forgo dessert because all of us were stuffed and could not take another bite. Overall, great experience, will be back for more of the amazing bread and try some of the other items on the menu.

    (5)

  • CeeCee Y.

    Went for the first time not too long ago and I LOVE THIS PLACE! Get the wagyu burger with truffle fries. Their burger was seriously one of the best burgers I've had in the entire city of Chicago. Man is it delish! It was cooked perfectly just the way I asked for it, and includes arugula and an unexpected different kind of cheese I forgot what it was called with grilled onion etc. It was just delicious. Perfect pretzel bun. Fries were a tad dry, but the awesomeness of the burger made up for it times 100. I'm serious. Great atmosphere, soothing decor, great staff, although kindof in an out-of-place location I must say. It would fit in more in River North. Their drink menu is pretty all over the place in a good way. I got the Sola Mai Tai=perfect tropical drink for chicks

    (5)

  • Lis A.

    The food here is unique and very good. I absolutely LOVED the prawn appetizer. These are not the frozen, overcooked shrimp that other Chicago restaurants try to tell you are delicious prawns. Each bite was juicy, sweet, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. The kalua pork appetizer was tasty as well, and the tuna entree was excellent (and fun to eat - it's breaded in panko!). I read a few reviews here commenting on the awkwardness of the staff. I think we may have gotten the same waiter - he was a little awkward, but did his job, and was helpful and nice!

    (4)

  • Ed H.

    Really liked the space and the decor. The waitress helping out was extremely attentive and knew the menu real well so was able to give recommendations. As far as food, it was cool to see them start with an amuse bouche from the chef to start after we ordered our food. It was some sort of eel and plantain concoction that didn't really appeal to me because I don't really eat seafood. For my entree, I had the short ribs that was highly recommended. It was good - juicy and tender, but I wasn't blown away by it. Despite that, I'd still check it out again because the menu is pretty inventive with the ingredients. The one big flaw I really didn't like was that the utensils were all from Ikea....and they weren't even a good set..but that's just my 2 cents...

    (4)

  • Cindy K.

    Oh Sola. You've made me rethink my stance on steak. I used to wonder what the fuss was all about. Why do people go so crazy for a chunk of meat that doesn't taste like anything? Now I finally know why, and I daresay my life will forever be altered. Now that my drama queen moment has passed, on to the rest of the review. I bypassed the prix fixe menu because I ate NY Strip steak a couple nights ago. Our host suggested the special, a hangar steak. He said something about it being the most tender cut and less fatty. It was the steak with baby bok choy, chestnuts (the ingredient of the month), carrots, and this mystery puree on the side. The meat was soooo good. Tender but not fatty. Juicy. Perfection. I tried my friend's NY Strip from the prix fixe and there is no comparison. Hers tasted like something from Applebee's compared to my hangar steak. I also tried my other friend's short ribs, which were also delicious. Mine was a 10. Short ribs were an 8. NY strip was a 6. I had the hot fudge sundae for dessert which was pretty good. My favorite part was the bruleed banana. Good service, nice amuse bouche, lovely and minimalistic interior, awesome steak.

    (5)

  • Cecilia T.

    Truthfully, I see this place with 5 star potential but ordered a three star dinner this time around. Aw man! Here's what i LOVED: - The Parmesan Truffle Fries - OUT OF THIS WORLD!! Totally a standout dish. Perfectly crisp and flavored handcut fries. - Craft beer selection has taste! I ordered a stout from Dogfish Head...mmm really good for dark beer lovers. What is just ORDINARY: We ordered the Carrot Prix Fixe meal, which consisted of a three course meal for 30 bucks. Seemed like a good deal at that time since their regular entrees go for $28+ anyways. 1st course was Spiced Carrot and Pumpkin soup - tasted like a regular squash soup i could make at home. Nothing outstanding. 2nd course was a Pork Tenderloin with grilled baby carrots, bacon, a small side of potatoes and spinach. Honestly, the portions are very small and while the presentation was delightful, the flavor in the entree wasn't standout and only a couple of bites in the center of the meat were tender and juicy. 3rd course was a carrot pecan pie - I ate only half of it cuz it tasted like processed desserts i could buy at Dominicks.

    (3)

  • Richard H.

    This place has great ambience and very flavorful food! Presentation was great. It was spendy and I wondered if it was a bit overpriced. But, perhaps I'm just not accustomed to gourmet dining? The service could have been a bit better (particularly for the price). I had to wait a long while after being seated before getting a menu and, again, before placing my order. I felt that they were quite slow in refilling my water.

    (3)

  • Denise M.

    Excellent food! Wine list is a little pricey. Very enjoyable!

    (4)

  • Monica K.

    Went here for dinner last night because we had a restaurant.com coupon to use. Can I tell you it was amazing? So the menu is pretty small and everything is definitely overpriced - but the food is really good! There are a lot of different flavors going on, but everything complements each other. They gave us an amuse-bouche of a fried wonton, goat cheese, and i think ginger? It was really light and the ginger (or whatever it was) cut through the saltiness of the cheese to leave a really fresh, clean taste in your mouth. Yum! Tried the pork belly (I think it was an appetizer) as my main course - it literally melts in your mouth. It's fatty and porky. I loved it! The bed of spinach (i think) and the small cubed potatoes and toast really went well together. Ordered a side of macaroni and cheese and it was decadent and delicious. A little creamier than I would like, but the texture was perfect. The husband got their special for the night - potato prix fixe menu with the wine pairings. 5-spice potato gnocchi: delicious. Wagyu sirloin: cooked medium rare and also delicious. Comes with fries which are good, but nothing special. Macadamia/date cake dessert with potato ice cream?! AMAZING. It tastes a little bit like dried fig newtons and the potato ice cream is weird and delicious all in one. The alcohol is nice and strong - definitely recommend a cocktail with dinner! Server is super friendly and prompt. We'll be back in a couple of weeks - can't wait!!

    (5)

  • andrea b.

    Tried Sola the other night for the first time. Called at about 6:45 Saturday night, got a reservation for two at 7:30 and were seated at fantastic spot out on the sidewalk patio area as soon as we arrived. Wonderful! We ordered a bottle of the German riesling which was pretty tasty. Our waitress was friendly enough. We were brought a varied bread basket soon after ordering. We decided to try the softshell crab and scallop appetizers. I haven't had much softshell crab and found it to be super salty, which may be the norm. It was okay. The scallops were great but there were only two of them, for about $14 or $16! That seemed a bit ridiculous to me. For the entree, I ordered the halibut which came with fava bean risotto and red curry artichoke. The portions are minimal but I was full after eating most of it. The fish was good. My date had the mahi mahi which was quite peppery... he liked it though. For dessert we split the angel food cake topped with fruit and served next to a scoop of chocolate chip ice cream. We joked about the tiny portion size... seriously, for $7 or $8 - you'd expect a bit more on your plate. Good place but pricey, be ready to spend a lot and get a little, tastey, but a little.

    (4)

  • Kyle D.

    Mediocre all the way around and definitely not what I hoped for. Sola had been on my list for a while, but I was disappointed with the experience. I went during "foodie Fridays" when they offered 25% off every Friday in August. Maybe they couldn't handle the crowd. The food was ok. The amuse buche was a highlight. Our squash blossom appetizer was greasy, but the flavors were good. The main dishes were just ok -- deliciously prepared meats, but the rest of the plate was lacking. The parmesan truffle fries came out halfway through the meal and were a half-cooked, soggy disaster. I sent fries back for the first time in my life. Any supposed Hawaiian influence was certainly in hiding this month. What really tipped the scales was the poor service. Our waiter would disappear for 20 minutes at a time. He gave recommendations when we sat down, then contradicted himself a few minutes later. I wasn't sure that he even knew what the meals were. All in all, it was just ok. I'm in no hurry to return, and had I paid full price I would have been upset.

    (3)

  • Aimee D.

    LOVE Sola! Every time I go here, whether it's for brunch, lunch, or dinner, I always enjoy my experience. The wait staff is gracious and courteous and the food is always delicious. For dinner, their seared tuna is one of my favorites and the brunch menu has so many wonderful things to choose from. Outdoor dining is a real treat there because you're not sitting right on Lincoln Ave. inhaling all of the fumes. I even co-hosted a wedding shower there and was impressed with everything. Highly recommend!

    (5)

  • Erica M.

    Went to Sola tonight and loved the food!! The salmon amuse buche was amazing. It melted in my mouth and I wanted about 10 more. The chicken had the most amazing crispy skin and delicious cous cous. The hamburger was melt in your mouth yummy and had the most delicious sweet onion and brie mixture on top. My husband, who dislikes artichokes, commented that the artichoke fritters were great! Wish we had had room for dessert, but we were stuffed!! Maybe next time. Excellent date night Sola!

    (5)

  • David G.

    This place is great! It looks a bit like a Crate and Barrel catalog meets Michelob commercial. The bar even has a back lit shelf. I came here for brunch with my sister. We arrived at the right time, sometimes after 10am on Sunday and it was almost empty but started to fill up afterwards. A good place for a few people or families since I saw a few families with kids dressed like they just got out of church. A couple of individuals came for brunch and sat at the bar. I ordered the Green City Market omelet. It had spinach, red bell peppers and cheddar cheese and it came with hash brown potatoes and toast. To drink I ordered mimosa made with blood orange juice. A highlight of the day was the Malasadas. My mouth is actually watering thinking about them. They were kind of like portugese doughnut holes. They were fluffy and tasty and left me wanting more. I would go back just for the Malasadas.

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    They served an amuse bouche (salmon and herbs on toast). Spicy togarashi on the rim of the seniora geisha cocktail. Artichoke fritters were pretty good. Mushroom salad didn't have enough mushrooms. Halibut was a good choice. Great service. Multiple servers and staff helped us. Sat outside--nice furniture. It's a destination place.

    (4)

  • Al M.

    This place is amazing. The wait staff are very friendly and accommodating. The food took a while but it was worth the wait. I got the wagyu burger that was cooked perfectly. the lettuce and tomato were obviously fresh. The spices and seasonings were strong enough to taste but not overpowering. The server asked every question under the sun for my friends. And she did it with a smile and patience that is very refreshing. My only complaint is that I felt squeezed in. The tables were pretty closely spaced and I could hear every conversation all around me.

    (4)

  • Carly H.

    Sola is as amazing as everyone says. We came here to celebrate my engagement over brunch with my 6 close friends. Everyone enjoyed there selections, the staff was friendly and the food was on time and not expensive. I had the Chilaquiles, which were to die for!! If i didn't have to fit into a size 2 dress 5mo later.. i swore i would have eaten them all!! - I can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Susan F.

    Have been here a handful of times and excellent every time! My favorites are the duck and short ribs! Brunch has some tasty cocktails - especially the red dawn mimosa. Service always knowledgeable and attentive.

    (5)

  • Jacob J.

    Does Chicago know that Dale from Top Chef works here?! Yes, we were served by Dale. Good marketing keeping him out front for all to see. Stopped in the other night for a birthday dinner with family, headed there on a Wednesday evening and it just so happened they offered a prix fix (3 course) for the evening, $30. Half of us were able to take part in the prix fix while the others were left to pick and choose. An 8pm reservation and the prix fix was nearly sold out. (Outside seating is first come basis) Plating and garnishing was excellent. One of the servers a tall, dark haired dude that brought many of the dishes was very elegant in the way that he laid the plates, I've never seen a tall guy so graceful, I think he was posing as he did it. In between courses I'm wondering where Dale is, my freakin' cocktail has expired and I need a refill man! Thank goodness the runner was refilling the water often. I think when you're spending money ($$$) on a meal, I'm talking over the normal standards; you should get a higher level of service or regard from the waiters. Right? Like when the plate is served, some detail or gesture from the server like "buon appetite" or some sh*t. It shouldn't just be placed and then dude takes off. I've gotten friendlier service at Golden Nugget, now those ladies work for their tip and they don't forget to refill the glass. More on the food: The pom fritte fries were awesome. Why is it so faux pas to ask for ketchup, I mean I gotta have it! Since it wasn't my birthday, I skipped the ketchup and sat on silent protest. The calamari was good although the spicy aioli sauce on the side was hardly spicy, terribly bland and tasteless. When it comes down to the entree I've let go of my strict standards of cooking and now allowed these popular restaurants to just serve it and deal with what I get. (WTF is it such a big deal anyway if I want my meat cooked fully?) The lamb (slightly pink) and the sea bass were perfect. My short rib was overcooked and dry; it sat on thinly sliced carrots and garnish. A very light Hoisin sauce encompassed the meat; just a bit more would've really helped that meal. Another cocktail would've really helped as well! The duck breast was severely undercooked, I can't even bare to get a bite in when the meat is red, people eat bird rare / medium rare? Blah. The wait from the appetizer to the entree and then the desserts was hella long. Bring good company and get a smaller table, its easy for people to feel left out. There wasn't any music in the background so there isn't much people noise. Divine desserts that must be tried? All of'em. FYI, dress is casual. Like, nice clothing casual. Want to save a few bucks? 1) hit the Prix fix, they have two nights that it's offered. 2) restaurant.com They may still have a few gift certificates available. ******** I was just re-thinking the night I was here last and talked about it with family, whom I ate with. I'd forgotten many details when writing my original review. There were blatant grievances with service and just stupidity. The food by itself was great. But the customer / service moments were failures. It wasn't a good experience, it was just food in a decent diner. Forgetting to ask if a table needs drinks refreshed, new cocktails, any additionals; is just incomplete customer service. I remember thinking that day, I have a gift certificate to this place, I don't know if I want to use it. Maybe I can give it away. It was busy, but not terribly busy. In the end, its your server / waiter that needs to be paying attention. When they have staff helping them with the serving and refills, what are they doing for us now? What's got them so busy? When it came time to tip, I was bothered. Not knowing who all benefits from the tip, (waiter sharing with the other staff) I don't want to short those that did a good job. We over tipped, but even today, I think it was too much. I'm on the fence on whether this was a 2 star or 3 star experience.

    (3)

  • John H.

    Sola is simply one of our favorite restaurants in Chicago. We went for brunch this Sunday. The huevos benedictos are phenomenal--perfectly poached eggs topping chorizo and corn bread. Monica loves the short rib benedict. The chilequiles are certainly tasty. The omelets great and seasonal. I'm a fan of the sola bloody mary, preferably with a beer back. As many reviewers have noted, the brunch is outstanding and really great for all ages (including families). But dinner at sola also shouldn't be missed--we went for the dinner-of-the-month beet prix fixe over the summer and it was also really great. The entire place smells like truffles. Don't miss the truffle mac and cheese and the truffle fries. Mmmm, truffles.

    (5)

  • Michael H.

    It was good, but maybe I expected more?

    (2)

  • A W.

    After going here I realized how long it's been since I've gone to a restaurant where the food comes out looking so pretty. I regrettably forgot to charge my camera before going (Ugh!) so I unfortunately don't have photographic evidence of said pretty food. Trust me though, it's quite aesthetically pleasing. Ah, but the prices make my eyes water just a tad, lol. Let's get started. I must inform you that this place is NOT on Lincoln Ave. It's like a door and 1/2 west of Lincoln Ave which had me befuddled for a few minutes when I was 100% sure I was reading the addresses correctly. Go to 3900 N. Lincoln Ave and look West. As you will see right away, it has an open and fresh decor of wood, metal, glass, and white. A contemporary environment with a hint of casual. I immediately felt it to be the restaurant equivalent of Jake clothing store. Yep, if you've been to Jake you know what I mean. The hostess was very friendly when I entered and didn't question my intentions when I walked toward the table where my dinner companion was waiting for me. It requires repeating that it has sadly been a while since I've dined at a place like this so I was bit taken aback by the relatively small menu. There wasn't much to choose from. And from the selection that existed, there was a lot of fusion going on. I like new and innovative dishes, but some flavors I just can do without being fused together. Wasabi ketchup? Ginger kumquat jam? Apple togarashi compote along w/port and red curry jus in a dish? Now you guys are just "doing the most." What did I have? I won't lie. I played it safe with the least Jackson Pollock-like dish on there. I got the 1/2 chicken with shallots and some chopped spinach, on top of Chinese black rice dressed with minted yogurt ($21). It was damn tasty. The chicken was pan fried with that type of golden light crisp to the skin that you can only get in restaurants such as these. The meat was juicy and flavorful with there being a leg and a breast. The minted yogurt was a fantastic complement. I only wish there would have been more on the plate. I liked the rice. It had a hearty flavor with a bit of sweetness much like you get with chianti. Now it said spinach on the menu, but it didn't taste like spinach. It taste more like chard and it overpowered the other flavors when I ate it. Most of that stayed on the plate. I also got a side of mac and cheese ($6) which was really a side. It was a generous portion of creamy 4 cheese deliciousness. It had the lovely baked golden top to it and paired with the entree, filling but not too much. Dessert. Once again I was confronted by strange fusions of flavors that just weren't sounding like dessert, let alone appetizing. Black vinegar sorbet? Wasabi vanilla bean syrup? Mmmmmmn, I can't do it. I was going to opt for the mai'a hot fudge sundae which was banana ice cream, hot fudge, macadamia nuts, and bruleed banana ($8). I thought banana ice cream AND bruleed banana was just too much b-a-n-a-n-a-s for me, but the waiter was going to have vanilla ice cream substituted. I knew I couldn't eat it alone and my dinner companion wasn't up for it, so I missed out. Boooooo. Just means I'll have to go back! So even though I wasn't feeling all of the fusiony trendy options, I would definitely go back. The prices are a little higher than I've gotten used to paying, but it's not in the Tavern on Rush price territory. Sola has an extensive wine list and some great sounding cocktails. I'd could see myself dropping back in for appetizers, cocktails and dessert while sitting at the bar. Ooooh, sounds like a great date idea!

    (4)

  • Jennifer A.

    My husband and I recently hosted a large group (20 people) on a Friday night at Sola. This was not our first visit to Sola. My husband and I are date night regulars. But their flawless attention to our group brought my respect for Sola to a whole new level. First, Sola accommodated our request to seat us all together at one table in the main dining room, but we were discretely located on one side so our toasts did not disturb the other guests. The set-up was perfect. Second, the service was outstanding, which is no small feat for a group our size. Our server was highly attentive, tracking a diverse array of cocktail orders without error. Our water glasses were regularly filled, and our dinner promptly served. Most importantly, the wait staff was friendly and really helpful. Third, our meal was totally decedent. The appetizer menu is so tempting that we opted to pass our plates around family style so we could each sample each other's selections which included everything from artichoke fritters (yum yum!) to a tuna poke to a summer watermelon salad. Popular entrees among our group included a lamb chop special, ginger glazed salmon, and sliced duck breast, complimented by generously proportioned side orders of truffle parmesan fries and mac 'n cheese. Although we were pretty stuffed by the time we finished our entrees, we could not resist sampling a few deserts including the warm center chocolate cake and the mai'a hot fudge sundae. Before writing this review, I took a few minutes to see what other people had to say on Yelp about their experiences at Sola. Many reviews are about their brunch. OMG, I didn't realize that Sola serves brunch. We'll definitely be back again soon, possibly as early as tomorrow morning to check out the chocolate chip, banana and bacon pancakes! Life is good!

    (5)

  • Kristen H.

    We had a reservation and they seated us promptly upon arriving. To start we had the artichoke fritters that come with truffle aioli and soy-lime dipping sauce. Pretty damn tasty!! The kitchen also sent out 3 spoon fulls of shashimi type of tasters. For dinner I had the Salmon - seared, ginger-glazed, edamame puree, truffle-teriyaki sauce, green bean tempura and it was amazing! Probably one of the best salmon dishes I've ordered at a restaurant. The combination of flavors - the edamame puree really come together as a fabulous dish. The other ladies enjoyed the tuna and short ribs. Both I tried a bite and thought were delish, however the tuna could've used a bit more flavor. The cocktail menu is fun with different kinds of drinks and the wine list is pretty extensive. On a whim, I decided to get a pint of their homemade 5 spiced salted caramel ice cream to go and OMG it's the sh*t!!

    (4)

  • Amy N.

    The major reason why I visited Sola for the first time was b/c my friend saw the chef buying all their produce from Green City Market. So I know all the ingredients used in Sola is local/organic fresh produce. Food was simply delicious, everything is perfectly prepared. We didn't sit inside, but outdoor seating was great as it is on a side street. 1 star taken off b/c our waitress couldn't be found for awhile.

    (4)

  • xoxo j.

    Holy Crappola! This place is tasty! Eat here! Now! No really, the food was fantastic... let's start with my favourite topic :: the bread. I love the randomness of Sola's bread basket... it's like bread basket surprise. You have the typically loaf stuff, but then they throw in something fun like a pretzel roll (and seriously, pretzel rolls are friggin amazing and should really start being the rule, rather than the exception), and then you get these tasty flatbread-esque crisps that are basically flavor explosions of herbs + spices... sooo yummy. You can tell that they make everything from scratch and really, I would have been totally content with just eating the bread with my wine. SO GOOD. But then we ventured into small plates, and it was game over. King Crab :: a modern twist on the crab cake... huge chunks of fresh crab + potato gnocchi bites. Not your usual greasy crab pancake... this plate is crab chunk (CHUNK!) heaven. We got the sashimi that was on special... hamachi + salmon... superb, especially with the sriracha they had on hand (yay for sriracha!!!). Normally comes with shrimp, but the bf is allergic and Sola had no problem doubling up on the other fishies to make up for the shrimp. Tuna poke :: a really generous portion.... love the fact that they found a way to put rice in the poke without taking away from flavors and the tuna itself. Delicious. Wine :: good solid selection, priced at +8 bones... but they have half bottles in case you try a couple of different things. Cocktails have a hand-made factor to them... Everything seemed crushed, pureed, mixed fresh on the spot. The bf had artichoke fritters (good) + soft center chocolate cake (really good). The chocolate cake was reminiscent of Roy's infamous chocolate souffle, and the ice cream tasted homemade. Both were perfectly not-too-sweet where you could enjoy the whole thing. The space :: a little too bright for a small romantical spot... they need to turn the music up b/c I'd much rather hear Bon Iver + Broken Social Scene + Ratatatat (whoever was working that night has a great ipod playlist) than the noisy talkers next to us blabbing about boring subjects like snow shoveling + dog walking. Blah, blah, blah, long story short ... I'm coming back. I want more bread.

    (4)

  • Natalie A.

    This place truly is delicious!! As soon as you step foot you walk into an atmosphere where you are catered to. The dim lights definetely sets the tone of the night. I must admit I was a bit skeptical about the restaurant because asian and hawaii fusion seemed out of this world however it was amazing! The potstickers with mango salsa was great! The hamachi and salmon poke was to die for especially you lovee the taste of wasabi. The ribs are so tender it literally melts in your mouth. The mac and cheese was made just right and the truffle paramesan fries literally has you eating non stop! I was was really satisfied with the service, very attentive but not overbearing. to close out the night the bean cake def, was an orgasm to the mouth. mmm loved this place!

    (5)

  • K M.

    My g/fs threw me a surprise baby shower here and I'm so glad they did! Our brunch items consisted of chocolate chip - banana - bacon pancakes w/ nutella cream, eggs benedict, kalua pork hash. Since we love to share dishes and do it family style, I got to try everything and all I can say is YUMMMMMMMMM. I was so stuffed by the time we started our dessert. All dishes were good portion sizes and cooked to our request (i.e. scrambled eggs instead of fried eggs). My favorite dish out of all of them was the kalua pork hash - the shredded pork was tender and so good w/ the fresh guac. Next was the eggs benedict cuz of their homemade canadian bacon and last was the pancakes. Just b/c the pancakes were in last place doesn't mean that you shouldn't try it. You don't taste too much of the bacon cuz it's not spread all over but it was still a nice flavor combination. Then we ended the shower on malasadas (portuguese style donuts, chocolate sauce & raspberry coulis). These reminded me of beignets and were so good w/ the raspberry coulis. The chocolate didn't has as much as an effect on me like the coulis did. We sat right by the window and had plenty of room - did not feel squished at all. Our waitresses were really happy and nice. I've always seen this place but never got to try it until now ... wish I had been here sooner. I can't wait to come back.

    (4)

  • Kathleen O.

    ABSOLUTELY loved this place! So good! Everything we had was amazing. We each had a speciality drink and mine was a special rum drink that was benefiting the people of Haiti and it was YUMMY! We started with the pork potstickers with the mango salsa and they were delicious. We took the waiters recommendations and my BF had the tuna and I had the hangar steak. Seriously one of the best steaks I have ever had. Cooked to perfection and just enough sauce to give it a little flavor, but not to overtake the steak. We also had the parmesan truffle fries and I would order those by themselves anytime. My mouth is seriously watering talkign about it. It was my Bday and they brought out a plate that said "Happy Birthday" in Hawaiin with 2 truffells and we had already ordered the molten cake. The presentation of everything was beautiful and I will MOST definitely be back again. BRAVO!!!

    (5)

  • Karen N.

    Great brunch place. I went on a Saturday and it was just perfect. Bright windows, no line, good easy service. We had the malasadas to start, basically fried donuts with dipping sauce. That set the scene right there. Make sure you get some uncommon items, like pineapple upside down french toast and huevos benedicto. I had dinner here a while ago and it was very good, although I think there were two bottles of wine for us three girls, so I can't tell you what we ordered. If you haven't... go try!

    (4)

  • Colleen D.

    Meh is the perfect word for it. We had a Groupon and I was very excited to give this place a try. Nothing was bad but nothing was particularly memorable either. The boneless porkchop had a bone -- weird. Potstickers were a bit gummy. The crispy mushroom salad was good but you could not really taste the mushrooms. The best dish was the lamb chop special entree. A good dinner but not worth seeking out for a repeat in the future.

    (2)

  • Kim C.

    My roommate, Tiffany J, wrote an emphatic review of this place and has raved about it to me in person more than once. It definitely lived up to the hype! I was fortunate to go with a large group, and I love bugging my dining companions to order things I want to try so I can steal bites off their plates (I have great, accommodating friends :) ) Since Tiff is a regular she knew all the best things on the menu, and everything we ordered was delish! We started with their donuts with raspberry and chocolate syrup, and it was unlike any donut I've ever had. My (wagyu!) steak and eggs came with the most delicious truffle hollandaise, and the pork hash and short rib benedict were both good as well. Topped with some great coffee and friendly service=excellent Sunday brunch experience. Love that they take reservations and that it's not crazy busy like all the other popular brunch joints... more upscale, too, for when you're in the mood for a preppy brunch ;) Can't wait to go back and try their fun-sounding mimosas!

    (4)

  • Dan P.

    From the greeting at the hostess stand to the engaging valet the experience is always special--Informed friendly service fresh innovative specials--great bar menu--lighting and decor very appealing--A cant miss for every occasion!!!

    (5)

  • Simone T.

    Great for groups (we were a birthday party of 9); the food was wonderful! We enjoyed steak tartar, tuna tartar, duck dumplings, edamame, vegan soup, and the truffle fries for appetizers. The halibut really impressed my sister-in-laws. My husband had a delicious medium rare duck breast, I had the lamb chops - delicious. Our friend & her husband had the burger & tuna tartar as entrees - she said the burger was one of the best she's had in awhile. Tartar was great as an appetizer or entree. Strong, good sized drinks, great service! Thanks for a great birthday dining experience!

    (5)

  • Mike L.

    Don't be mistaken by the 3 stars. The food was excellent, but.....since when did it become popular to serve entrees the same size or smaller than appetizers? Nouvelle cuisine to me is and always has been nothing more than appetizers, except there is not enough to share - I ordered the Halibut - it was outstanding, but I was still hungry when we left. The appetizers were excellent, but again, we were all still hungry when we left because who is kidding who - especially in FAT America. When you wait until 8:00 to eat dinner, you are HUNGRY!. The service was good, but....the waiter didn't know that the cloth napkin used for the Champagne serves 2 purposes - 1) To uncork the bottle and prevent the cork from flying in the air or someones face, and 2) TO WRAP the bottle when you are POURING so the $180 Champagne so it ends up in THE GLASSES and not the table or someone lap. Plus it prevents the WATER FROM THE MELTING ICE IN THE BUCKET FROM DRIPPING ALL OVER THE GROCERY BAG PAPER ON THE TABLE! He was in intelligent waiter who knew the menu well, but didn't have the common sense to take the hint and BRING THE F'ING BREAD basket NOW after I mentioned to him twice that none of us had eaten since Noon. I had to ask another waiter to bring us some bread while waiting for him 10 minutes to bring a bottle of Chanpagne from the back of the restauarnt, although it seemed like he flew to FRANCE to get it - He was also not about to take my courteous suggestion when I told him on the side about the napkin for the Champagne because when the 2nd bottle came, he poured it the exact same sloppy manner he did for the first bottle. I personally would have rather skipped the Champagne and order another entree but I was not the only person at the table so I decided to STFU. One of the guests ordered an 8 oz special prime steak - what came out were 2 very small slices of steak on a small bed of grilled vegetable's, if we were coming for Tapa's, then I get it, but this was supposed to be an ENTREE not an appetizer. The Decor was very nice, but what is up with the brown grocery bag paper over a linen tablecloth? Why bother having a nice table cloth on a table if all you are going to do is cover it up with cheap, ugly brown grocery store paper that gets WET FROM THE SWEATING WATER, WINE AND CHAMPAGNE GLASSES??? The clientele was typical to that of any gentrified area - lots of young, well do to, good looking professionals - or those who portray that image, and then you had those who were trying to hard to look young, but were either very well off and in their Golden years, or leveraged so far that there is no return so who gives a flyin' F - in any case, the cars were incredible and one of the girls at our table was going nuts over all the women's shoes - that I will never understand, but I rarely get to see A BMW Alpina so for me that was pretty impressive - even more so than A Porsche because those are too common. The manager was incredible - when the guest asked very nicely if this was supposed to be an 8 oz. portion, she had the chef cook up more meat and served it to him personally - plus, she took it OFF the bill and gave us a free desert, even though we were all going to order some to share anyway. Now THAT is an outstanding manager who KNOWS WHAT CUSTOMER SERVICE is all about. If I owned a restaurant I WOULD WANT HER ON MY STAFF!! So, if you are looking for an excellent dinner that is a bit pricey that may or may not leave you feeling hungry afterwards? You will probably enjoy it very much. I personally believe that QUANTITY does NOT constitute QUALITY, but if I am going to pay a good buck for dinner, then you had leave me satisfied - I don't care how good it is. I would rate their food a 9 but unfortunately, it left me more hungry than BOKA on Halsted, which was a total rip off, but that review is coming later. All in all, it was excellent, expensive, and forced me to get a slice of Pizza before we finally went home.

    (3)

  • Steve K.

    Chef Carol Wallack is a friend, but that fact doesn't have anything to do with this 5 star review! We've been here for dinner several times. The pork with the bacon bread pudding is amazing, and the scallops with truffle vinaigrette are fantastic as well! Thursdays are Burger, Beer, and Bacon days - the delicious burger comes on a pretzel roll and comes with a side of parmesan truffle fries. Even if you don't get the burger, try the fries - they're ridiculous! Sola is moving closer to the loop in 2011, but its current location will become a new restaurant with a new, casual, neighborhood-friendly menu, still under the guidance of Chef Wallack. If that means I can get her burger and fries any night of the week, I see this as a win-win!

    (5)

  • Henryk S.

    Really nice restaurant, great food, and the service was top notch.

    (5)

  • Renee F.

    I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and we really enjoyed it. I had the tuna and it was incredibly fresh and delicious. I have never been here for brunch - but the dinner was great! The only thing we weren't TOO crazy about was the ambiance - but seriously the food was amazing! There was a groupon for this once and it was a great introduction to the restaurant. I have definitely been back!

    (4)

  • Caitlin U.

    Absolutely fantastic. My boyfriend and I went for brunch. Great service, good ambiance, and amazing food. We had the Portuguese donuts to start; the donuts themselves weren't anything to write home about, but the raspberry and chocolate sauces were delightful. The short rib benedict: omg. delicious. Honestly I expected the meat to be slightly more tender, but that's because I'm used to short ribs that have been used as a base in a red pasta sauce. Absolutely delicious with a bit of pesto on top, and not drowned in hollandaise. I love benedicts so much, but i hate when there's 2 cups of sauce poured all over it. This was perfect. BF got the chilaquiles with eggs over easy; it was a tortilla hash with guacamole, sour cream and salsa as well as the eggs. Incredible. He loved it; I tasted it and almost tried to steal his plate (and would have had my benedict not been so fantastic! We both had wasabi bloody marys; interesting flavor though I think I prefer the standard bloody mary. Glad I tried it though. The only bummer was that we had a groupon and they dont' accept the groupons for brunch. Kind of a letdown when you're expecting a discounted meal, but it was totally fine since a.) definitely said that in the fine print and I'm the dumb one that didn't read it and b.) brunch was so good that I definitely want to go back for dinner!

    (5)

  • Elizabeth N.

    Love Sola... Favorite place in Chicago for brunch. It is expensive at dinner but has totally reasonable prices for a gourmet brunch. All food is fresh and interesting! One of the great things is the location - a quiet neighborhood in North Center. There is always plenty of parking on damen and you can eat outdoors with no problems. I heard it was moving to Clark St...which is disappointing.

    (5)

  • Chris V.

    Sorry Sola but your service has been very lackluster. I have been to Sola probably 6 times over the past few years. Here are my last two visits: 1. Last night we showed up (2 adults, 2 kids) and had to search someone out to seat us. After we were seated outside we waited for 15 minutes for some initial contact. The waitress came outside a couple of times to talk to other customers and never acknowledged us. We got up and left. Nobody asked why or tried to make any contact. 2. A few months ago we sat inside to eat and the waitress told us about a special soup that included crabmeat. When I told her it sounded great but I was allergic to shellfish, she said she was also allergic and lo and behold they had made a version without crabmeat! What luck! She then proceeded to give me the version WITH crabmeat and didnt realize it until I had had about 5-6 bites and noticed it myself. So what did they do to make up for the fact that my life was threatened with a mistake?? Comp the whole meal? Nope. Comp my meal? Nope. Comp my entree?? Nope. They offered a free desert which we didnt even want. THANKS! Listen, the food as Sola is good. But it isn't great and you could debate the high prices - maybe worth it, maybe not. But never has the service been *great* and twice the service had been insulting. We will not be back. Seems like Sola wants to be social by linking their site to their facebook page but then doesnt even have the name or email address of the manager on their site. Another company that doesnt understand social media. If that manager wants to call me my number is 773-732-1717 Chris

    (1)

  • Dan L.

    ok, Ill go 4 on this, but i wish Yelp would do half stars as well so i could go 4.5 first, server was GREAT. made many suggestions, gave us plenty of time to decide and didnt rush us at all. I believe his name is Jason and i applaud his efforts we had two apps. hamachi sashimi and the shrimp app which they just brought back. both were very good. mushroom salad was great as well we had the scallops and the halibut. both were very very good and well prepared had the ice cream desert. good as well here is my thing. PRICE for what you get. I really believe that all of the apps are 2-5 dollars to high and all of the entrees are 5-10 dollars to high for what you get served. $14 for the hamachi app which had 5 small slivers of fish was a little excessive. $30 for 5 very small scallops and $28 for a small piece of halibut was a downer. every entree i looked at could have been much less than it was. i know we live in downtown so we pay more, but it was kind of over the top will i go there again....yes. the food and service were worth it, but i wish they would take a look in the mirror and realize that they are on the high end of things

    (4)

  • Jeff P.

    A top spot for brunch -- interesting flavors, welcoming atmosphere and great service. Hope to get back for dinner soon.

    (5)

  • Lauren H.

    "He's got high hopes, he's got high apple pie in the sky hopes..." I had been looking forward to dining at Sola for over a year, and as my restaurant.com coupon was shortly to expire, I persuaded my friend to come join me for dinner and drinks. I had looked at the menu in advance and wanted to try just about everything--not a statement made lightly for this Finicky Fannie. Enjoying a lovely summer evening on the patio, we started out with cocktails...she had the Couger margarita (made with elderflower liquer--she liked it, I thought it was ok) and I had the Manhattan (too strong. wait, did I just say that? and some taste in it to which Ijust didn't quite take a liking.) My second drink, however, the Black Cherry Soda, may very well have become one of my new favorite drinks--effen black cherry vodka, ibc cream soda, and brandied cherries. I could have drank those all night were it not for the fact I wanted to keep standing (or sitting, rather). Delicious and obviously effective on me. To start, they gave us an amuse bouche of salmon on a wonton chip. Fantastic. then we shared the artichoke fritters and the potato gnocchi appetizers. I was pretty disappointed, they were pretty small portions for the price, and flavorwise nothing stood out. The food was not even hot either. I would skip the apps next time. For our entree, we split an order of the scallops and they were good (a little undercooked I thought, but I know some restaurants make them that way), but not mind-blowing. For the prices, I expected more wow. The one saving grace was the truffle parmesan fries. Now I normally do not even like french fries, but OHMYGODTHESEWEREAFLAVORGASM. Seriously. I would have licked the waxpaper they were coned in if no one was watching (heck, another drink and I may have done it anyway). Hostess and service were friendly and pretty on top of the game. I would go back, but probably just for the drinks and those french fries, or maybe to try the prix fixe menu they offer Mon-Wed with an ingredient of the month. p.s. I would give them 3.5 stars if I could, but decided to give them three because I just really expected more.

    (3)

  • Natasa P.

    I live in the neighborhood and I've walked past Sola a million times. I finally got to go when my boyfriend brought me here for dinner on my birthday. Sola was what I expected and more. The ambiance was great, very warm and welcoming. We began by ordering crispy mushroom salad, which was delicious. The mix of Asian pear and cider-truffle vinaigrette was very tasty. I also had a dirty martini with my meal, which I gulped down. I ate the salmon for dinner. When I ordered, I was asked how I liked my fish cooked, which threw my off. I never had been asked that about fish before. Although my salmon wasn't cooked to my taste when I first got my plate, I was able to send it back and get it cooked right to where I like it. The edamame puree was to die for. I'd definitely order the salmon again. My boyfriend had the lamb special and he completely cleared his plate. Overall this place was full of flavor and I felt like I was eating a meal from Top Chef. I'd definitely go back for more!

    (4)

  • Kate L.

    When I first stepped into Sola, I felt a little bit out of place. Perhaps it was because I had ventured away from the West side of the city, onto Lincoln, maybe it was the well-groomed waitstaff in matching button-downs, or it could have been the almost too clean, cool and modern interior. Anyhow, it was cold and we got a table right away for Saturday brunch next to the fireplace, so I figured it was OK. It got more OK when my food came; short ribs eggs benedict. This Southern take on eggs benedict started off right by being served on cheddar biscuits. Piled on that was a generous amount of shredded short rib meat; tender and juicy. Next the eggs; one was perfectly poached with a runny yolk, the other was solid inside (one of my pet peeves), but at least they got one out of two right. Now eggs benedict on it's own is a pretty decadent meal, but when you substitute biscuits for the english muffin, and add short ribs, it goes a step past decadent to, well, I'm not really sure what to call it, but it is good. So good.

    (3)

  • Stacey P.

    I've been to Sola a few times for dinner. It was good. BUT, what I am here to tell you about is the BRUCH. As Marshall Erikson says in the highly popular television show "How I Met your Mother," "We're HERE, we're HUNGRY, get used to it, BRUNCH!" Well, that was my sentiment as I entered Sola on saturday morning. The first thing I ordered was the malasadas (portugese donut). I have had malasadas in Hawaii, where they sell them in parking lots and on the side of the street. I would say they are comparable. What I loved about the malasadas here were the lovely dipping sauces, one raspberry and one mango. Oww oww. We actually saved the two sauces to dip our bread in. People kept trying to take them away from us, and we would have to slap their hands away (and apologize later...maybe). Another Hawaiian dish I love is Kalua Pork. Good Kalua pork is the bomb. You can imagine my delight when I saw Kalua Pork hash on the menu! This dish hassss PERFECTLY cooked kalua pork, yummy hashbrowns, egg, and guacamole! HANDS DOWN, BEST BRUNCH DISH I'VE EVER HAD. I was so in love with it I ate it all and wanted more. If only the dinner was this good, I'd try to move in to Sola. Sleeping bag under the reception desk... and I could shower in the sink. It'd be awesome.

    (4)

  • John B.

    I'm knocking sola up to 5 stars, with the clear understanding that 1) it's probably not a "5 star" restaurant, and 2) there is room for improvement. BUT ... I always have a great time here. You know those places where you can just go and relax, where you feel comfortable bringing friends because you feel confident they'll enjoy it? That's my experience with sola. Everything about the place is so professionally run, and the food is so good and (god help us) creative, that I trust them to take care of me. I stopped in this week with a friend and her mother. Both mother and daughter can be picky, and both were happy as clams. It was chilly, but the fireplace was roaring, so that got us off to a good start. I had the house Manhattan, which was a delight. Mom had a special drink order, and it was delivered flawlessly. For dinner, I had the lamb chops which were on special, and they were cooked perfectly. If you've had lamb chops that were not cooked perfectly, you know what that means. Mom had the short ribs -- braised with an Asian touch, with hoisin and lemongrass, I cannot recommend these enough. I started off with the roasted beet and pineapple salad, which sounds strange, but turned out to be a lovely blend of sweet, earthy, and sharp, from the manchego cheese. This is the way in which the food is creative -- interesting combinations, without being too cute or clever. For me, the one flaw is dessert. They're either too pedestrian -- molten chocolate cake -- or too odd -- sweet potato and beet tart, jasmine rice pudding spring roll. I recommend opting for a flight of the ice creams and/or sorbets, which are consistently good. sola is not inexpensive. But my experience there is on par with places that charge twice as much. And that makes worth 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Carolyn K.

    Groupon brought me to Sola, but I will go back without one. We had a wonderful dinner. We had the sweet potato gnooki for starters which were very good. A little oily, but it tasted like fresh oil. I had the vegetarian special of the night which was an edamame cake with some other stuff I don't remember. It was flavorful and well prepared. My husband had a fish dish made of several things we couldn't pronounce. Although the menu seemed to be written in another language, we really enjoyed trying new things and everything was very good.

    (5)

  • Joan C.

    I went there for brunch with 4 of my girlfriends. Lovely decor - trendy, yet comfortable, warm and inviting. Had the spare rib benedict. The flavors were good, and I understood what they were trying to accomplish...BUT... the food was C-O-L-D. We were waiting for our meals for a while, and maybe they were trying to have all 5 of our meals come out at the same time, but the meat had been sitting there, the hashbrowns were soggy, and the eggs, were kind of rubbery. My stomach is usually a champ, but the food did not sit well with me upon 15 minutes finishing my meal. The fried donuts with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces were fantastic, but not enough to have me go back.

    (1)

  • Claire Y.

    Our group of 5 went to Sola for the NYE dinner before the party, and I must say it was a wonderful dining experience. From the moment we walked in the door from the frigid Chicagoan air, we were warmly greeted by the hostesses' smiles and the warmth of candle-lit, romantically yellow interior. They were very accommodating with modifying a four-person table into a round table to seat not only the 5 of us but also 2 others that dropped by for a drink with us. This was their initiative (i.e., we did not request it) and they did it with big smiles. Now, I call THAT great service. The food and wines were delicious and added greatly to our NYE festivities. My braised short ribs (been on their menu since the restaurant opened ~3 yrs ago) were succulent and surprisingly generous in the portion for a fancy place like this. My guy really enjoyed his tuna entree. The trout on the appetizer menu was also memorable, as was the banana hot fudge sundae for dessert. The guava-flavor sorbet was intriguing and kept pulling my spoon back for more. I'd definitely love to go back for another dinner or even brunch. I am smiten.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    "Absolutely phenomenal" describes this elegant, yet laid back hideaway right off of Lincoln Ave. I went here w/ my family for my birthday last night, and it was a present to all of us. Top 5 restaurants in all of Chicago, hands down...and #1 right now for me after last night. All 5 of us had different entrees, and all 5 of us were extremely happy with our choices....That is a rarity for all five of us to try every single entree and love them all. Every entree was under $30, maybe done on purpose, as most were in the $25-$29 range. I had the special lamb chop encrusted w/ Dijon mustard and stuffed with some sort of Swiss cheese that was amazing. My meal was slightly overshadowed by my favorite dish, my sister's braised short ribs. They were pulled off the bone and rolled up into one huge log-like structure. I know that's not too appetizing of a description, but the meat was so incredibly tender you could cut it with the edge of your fork. Above and beyond, amazing. My other sister had the Ahi Tuna which was made w/ a tangy wasabi butter that was great. My mom had salmon w/ edemamee puree and essence of ginger, Asian fusion and Hawaiian flavors added. My dad had the pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon. Sides are a must too!!! Truffle Parmesan cheese fries and the Mac & Cheese are playfully presented, but have bold flavors that give them grown up tastes. Just an overall unbelievable meal last night. You know, I came here originally b/c I was curious as to why Top Chef Dale is a server/bartender now instead of a chef here. Maybe I know why now...b/c I can't see how the food can get any better than this. My props go out to Carol Wallack and the entire staff here!!!!!

    (5)

  • Sarah C.

    We did brunch here a few weeks ago and I keep forgetting to Yelp them! Totally delish and well-thought out, but a bit on the pricey side. However, we did love it enough to ask to look at their dinner menu-- always a good sign from me and the boy. ;) Their menus for brunch and dinner are both small, but there's something for everyone on both. The ambience is beautiful-- I'd like to bookmark this as a go-to place for group special occasions. The service was attentive without feeling overwhelming. I will definitely be back to try dinner sometime soon....oh and brunch, since I will be needing more mini-doughnuts ASAP!!

    (4)

  • Heather G.

    I realize I risk a backlash from the folks who rate Sola otherwise, but...after what I'd categorize as a "nice" dining experience at Sola, I can't say that I'm in a rush to go back. After reviewing such rave reviews, a friend of mine and I had looked forward to trying a couple of starters in particular -- the truffle parmesan fries and the kalua potstickers. The potstickers were very good, although as I ate them I wished that the pork itself had more flavor -- I found myself trying to scrape every last drop of the mango kumquat salsa and cilantro oil off the plate. I'd recommend them, but again...wish the potsticker itself had more going on. As for the truffle parmesan fries...well, they were...just fries. As I ate them, I couldn't help but think that there really wasn't much there and that I would have appreciated them more had I had a hot dog or burger to accompany them. Of the other sides and appetizers, I'd skip them. My friend had the beef tenderloin special and I had the scallops with wild mushroom/leek risotto. Scallops had the slightest flavor of wasabi, complementing the clear Asian influence in the rest of the dish. Good, but not spectacular. My friend liked her beef but again...good but not something to rave about. The highlight of the meal had to have been dessert, where we split the blueberry lemongrass creme brulee. A different spin on something traditional, we didn't leave any of it behind. Delicious. What I loved about this place was the decor -- a true modern/minimalist ambiance creates a welcoming atmosphere as you enter. It's in a quiet part of Lakeview, which also makes it attractive. That said, while Sola didn't do anything "wrong," it just didn't dazzle me to a point where I'd include it on my list of places to send friends nor the list of places I'm in a hurry to get back to. With all the places in Chicago to visit, Sola, while admittedly good, just doesn't make the shortlist.

    (3)

  • Ay D.

    I'm a sucker for all things Pacific Rim and love the high-end twist that Sola puts on the classics. Everything looks good on the menu, so ordering is a feat of concentration. The kalua potstickers were tender and sweet. If I were stuffed with mango salsa, I'd be a happy pig, too. The duck breast was awesome - juicy and flavorful with earthy sides and garnishes, but not as heavy on your gut as duck usually is. Was also pleased with the tuna. You can't lose with a perfect piece of fish in the right hands and seasonings. There's a $30 prix-fixe menu from Mon to Wed with a monthly theme ingredient. Came in again for Valentine's Day dinner, and February's chocolate theme hit the spot.

    (5)

  • Dawn L.

    When we got there is was packed but the hostess sat us right away. The server was great and the food was awesome!!!!!!! The atmosphere was lively but not too loud and they had a great beer selection. Can't wait to go back

    (5)

  • Kristen K.

    I ate here alone late Saturday morning for breakfast. Really great service by not only my server, but other staff members were very attentive as well. I had a bacon cheddar omelette with green onions, which came with hash browns and multigrain toast, as well as a side of jam. It was perfectly cooked and came out in a timely manner (although, it was pretty slow at that time). This dish was pretty "safe" compared to other items on the menu, e.g. whitefish scramble, so I would love to go back and be a little more adventurous to try items that have more of that Hawaiian-Asian essence.

    (4)

  • Ginger C.

    Friendly service. Great presentation. Food is above average. Overpriced.

    (3)

  • Sandra J.

    Happy Birthday to me.. Dan took me to Sola to celebrate. I was a little worried because Yelp had the location closed on Mondays, but that wasn't' the case they are open on Mondays. Sola had a very nice decor about it.. felt very natural with the taupes, coffees, and beige colors. We were seated right away near the windows and not outside because I didn't want to sweat through dinner. The outside seating area is right in front of the restaurant. Marnie was our server and she was impressive. She chatted us up and gave us full details on anything on the menu. She has a very calming voice, which sort of made me enjoy dinner more. Dan had water but I decided to enjoy my day with a nice White Bordeaux. mmmm so satisfying and I don't like white wines! The bread basket came by and you know how I love the bread.. I dug right in. They had crackers and 3 different kinds of rolls, which were warm and so delicious. We wanted to start out with an appetizer and after Marnie answered our questions between a few different fish options.. we went with the Tuna Poke.. which was AMAZING. So fresh and had bursts of flavors. YUMMY! We ordered an order of Truffle fries with our meal instead of a starter and OMG.. the Parmesan, the flavors.. mm mm Fries! For dinner I went with the Fish (I can't remember the spelling) and Dan went with the Pork! Dan had 3 different types of Pork on his plate and Bacon bread pudding. It was a dance of Pork flavors with a melody of savory. My fish was so tender and the meal just made my mouth smile. The flavors and spices and meats were cooked to perfection. Very happy! The bus boys were fantastic.. our waters were refilled right away and the plates were cleaned off quickly. I like how attentive everyone was! At the end of the meal.. Marnie came out with a plate written with Happy Birthday in Hawaiian and two chocolate walnut truffles.. VERY VERY GOOD TRUFFLES. Sola and Dan made my birthday very memorable. It is a walk from the Irving Park El, but there are lots of metered parking. If you come early you won't need a reservation but make one if you are coming in later in the evening.

    (5)

  • ungs s.

    Loved the food. The service was fantastic and one of the best desserts that I have ever had. The only thing I can remember is that I had the duck and it was to die for. The only complaint I would have is that the dishes are a tad too small. The crowd was a bit older than expected, but not a big deal. The space is nice, the service is good but a bit pretentious.

    (4)

  • Ryan B.

    I have had one terrific experience after another at sola. The staff is friendly, courteous and attentive; That paired with the mouthwatering dinner and brunch dishes and you have a winning combination. At brunch be sure to order a Bloody Mary paired with a beer chaser (I call them beer grenades) and the donuts to share are a must (tip: the donuts are hidden at the top of the brunch menu). I recommend the Chilaquiles for your main dish...HUBBA HUBBA. The North Center location is slightly tucked away, but that's a good thing :)

    (4)

  • Alex N.

    Ate here on the Sunday after Valentines Day to miss the large crowd and rush of the Holiday (and I forgot to make reservations earlier than a week in advance, please dont PM Brianna W this info). Their phone etiquette when making the reservation for Sunday made me want to ask the guy to hang out with me this coming weekend (very friendly). Place seemed pretty minimalist in design and somewhat boring to me. Nonetheless, I thought it a pleasant environment for a meal. I can see how someone might say the people are crammed into the place with how the tables are laid out. Since we were here on a Sunday (and at 5:30pm even, call me grandpa if you'd like), there weren't many people. The food itself, I thought also worth of 3 stars. Since they still had the Valentines Day aphrodisiac menu available, I tried to order as much from it as possible. For appetizers, we had the two types of mussels (OK) and the foix grois and scallops (my first experience with foix grois and more than likely my last, just not my bag baby). I had the wagyu strip and thought prepared nicely, just didnt grab me. It came with new potatoes: it seriously was one new potato about the size of a chickens egg chopped into small cubes (~10 marble sized pieces). It also came with ~4 asparagus stalks. Brianna W had the salmon and I didnt think too much of it when I snuck a bite when she went to the bathroom (jk BLW). Had the bread pudding desert (opted for the soy ice cream versus the chefs option of bacon crisp) and again, nothing special. Highlight of my night was the Luxury Manhattan, very tasty with the brandied cherries in it). For being just OK to me, I dont think I'll come back before trying somewhere else new that Yelp recommends with high ratings.

    (3)

  • Kristin S.

    Mmm... Huevos Benedictos. Perfectly poached eggs with a spicy sauce on top of chorizo and amazingly light corn cakes topped with an awesomely fresh salsa. Yum! Throw some super crispy and a little bit spicy hashbrown potatoes next to that sucker and it's my perfect breakfast. I'd wanted to go to sola for awhile since I used to live around the corner. Back then, double digit prices scared me away, but their brunch is very reasonable ($10-14) for Chicago prices. I finally made it here for brunch last weekend with a friend. The grand marnier souffle french toast was good, but it wasn't great. It was pretty cold by the time it got to us (sitting outside), and while it was good, it didn't blow me away like I was expecting it to. Still, service was good. We ate outside, but I like the atmosphere inside from what little I saw--very warm and subdued. The tea was a little disappointing since it was from bags and served in a pot that got cold very quickly (again, sitting outside, so maybe that was part of it?). Also, we ordered a side of seasonal fruit that had some less than seasonal-tasting items in it, but it was quite large and only $3, so we weren't peeved. I don't know how we missed those donuts on the menu (maybe they weren't there?), but I want to go back for those and the huevos benedictos. Another good brunch there and I might be talked into dinner.

    (4)

  • Heather K.

    This is by far one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. As far as brunch goes, I've had just about everything on their menu. Their chilaquiles is out of this world. 5 stars and beyond... Dinner is equally delicious if you want to put down the dough for 30 dollar plates. Highly recommend the truffle fries.

    (5)

  • Vivian Y.

    Wow...SO CLOSE to a five star - if ONLY my food was served piping hot! If you read my other reviews, you'll realize that is my BIGGEST pet peeve if my food isn't hot! (or if there is hair!) What inspired me to come here with another couple is the Chicago Gourmet event - I was really impressed by the tuna poke that was served there and I wanted to branch out with my friends into a neighborhood that we don't normally go to. This restaurant is in North Center which is quite a trek for us near South folks. Other than that, I will say that we all really enjoyed our food. Appetizers ordered: Sweetbreads (special) - delicious, but really tiny portion. I do recommend it but pricey for how much you get ($15) Heirloom Tomatoes - nice ripe, colorful tomatoes, tasted fresh Potstickers - these were ok - I've eaten millions of potstickers in my life (I'm Asian!) and I prefer the skin of the potsticker to be a bit thinner but nice bold flavors Tuna Poke - I have never been to Hawaii, so I'm not sure how Poke is typically served but I've never seen is served with rice. It was still very good - the tuna and the dressings were served justed like at Chicago Gourmet (but no rice at CG). Entrees - star of the show was by far - the short ribs - which I learned had won an award in 2007 from the Restaurant Association. super tender and absolutely flavorful. Halibut - served very undercooked but fresh Duck Confit - My husband says his dish was 7/10 - so very good but not stellar. I had the pork done three ways which if it had been served hot, I would have loved it. Really tender - flavors were penetrated deep into the meat which was exceptional. I've often had or made pork from center cut meat and found it difficult to have flavor unless marinated for long periods of 24 hours or more. Dessert - Mmmm...the four of us shared the soft centered chocolate cake - is was AWESOME! Can't wait to try their brunch - but only if they promise my food is served hot!

    (4)

  • J. N.

    While I have not had dinner at Sola, I have had brunch here a couple times and ehhhhh. I have started a review for this place about 5 times and nothing comes to me... thats how ehhhh I find it. My boyfriend and I are used to slothing into brunch hungover with messy hair and less then fashionable attire. Upon entering Sola we stood out like a sore thumb... I felt eyes upon me and I even think I heard someone whisper, "How can homeless people afford it here!? I mean, we have a Top Chef contestant for a waiter!" I tell ya, I have never seen so many put together people on Saturday at 11am. The food is good, but expensive - not that you wouldn't expect that. (I feel the need to disclose we aren't complete cheapos, we regularly hand out obscene amounts of money for food.) The chilaquiles were really, really good... but I had a hard time paying $10 for some mushy tortilla chips topped with a couple eggs. (We *are* in a recession, people! chilaquiles is a staple cheap meal for families - and I paid 10 bucks for it!) I've also had the chicken salad, which was tasty but felt like I was eating a huge bowl of Asian style cold slaw. Their coffee was good, but clocked it at $3. I think that is the most I have paid yet for restaurant coffee. All in all, the meals I have had her were okay, not great. The stuffy, fancy, up-scaleyness of it paired with the fact that the food is small and pricey leaves me with an ehhhhh taste in my mouth. Also, damn it, they have Ikea flatware, plates, and cups. WTF? EDITED TO ADD: They have super crappy bacon. Slimey and thin. A place like this should know better, it was a sad scene. I mean, the Pancacke House in Bevely serves a more quality bacon.

    (3)

  • David W.

    We ate at Sola for valentines day... and i don't think i need to go back there. The food was ok. i had the bass and it was mushy and didn't have much flavor. it came with spinach that was a bit salty. my wife had the tuna which was actually pretty good. The experience overall was poor. We felt very rushed. We ordered a bottle of wine, soup, entrees, and desert. By how fast they wanted to rip us through sola, i would have thought we were eating Panera Bread. We felt like we needed to chug our last glass of wine as we felt like the bus boy was breathing down our neck to clear the plates. However, the table next to us was a "friend of the owner", and it was obvious. They staff all but fed them their food. My final issue with sola is you get no privacy. they cram so many tables into a spot they may as well call it family style. i understand the need to flip a table, but seriously, i have waited longer for my food at panera bread. Review Note. This is our 2nd time eating at sola. the 1st time was ok, but the experience was only average. we thought we would try again only after another favorite restaurant went out of business.

    (2)

  • Lesley A.

    I had the pleasure of trying this place when my coworker forwarded an email about Sola's "Da Governor" dirty martini and appetizer special (in honor of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's impending impeachment). The martini was laughable (and free with purchase of appetizer), garnished with a mini comb flanked with two green olives, and the appetizers were exquisite. When I made reservations with Sola for our group of 5, I was a bit taken aback that the restaurant requested to keep a credit card on file. It was the first time I ever heard of such a practice, and I believe it is because they charge you for missing your reservation, although you can safely cancel your reservation up to 5 minutes before your intended arrival. The concierge was also gracious in accepting my requests that day to push our reservation back...twice. My friend described walking into the restaurant as "walking into a J. Crew catalog." All of the patrons were nicely dressed and looked financially well-off, whereas we were a group of relatively under-dressed 20somethings who were taking advantage of a promotional offer. It took 15 minutes for the staff to clear a table for us since we arrived during dinnertime on a weekend. In the meantime, they hung our coats for us and allowed us to wait at the bar to order drinks. Other patrons admired our "Da Governor" martinis that were not on the main menu. The martini was well shaken and smooth. Appetizers were preceded with an "amuse-bouche", a new experience for me that truly did "amuse my mouth" with its taste that readied my palate for the forthcoming appetizers. We each ordered different appetizers: calamari tempura, tuna poke, 'kalua' pot stickers, crispy mushroom salad, and the crab cake special. The calamari tempura was lightly breaded and not oily, with perfectly soft calamari. The tuna poke looked like a large cut of a maki roll, and was good, though its not something I would order again. The crispy mushroom salad was excellent and lightly dressed, including fresh, spicy arugula. The 'kalua' pot stickers were the most favored appetizer among my peers; and the crab cakes were a special that I remember having a nice sweetness to them. Because we were so impressed with our appetizers, we also ordered dessert: butternut squash and sweet potato tart, yuzu cheesecake, banana hazelnut brulee, and assorted ice cream and sorbet. The tart was unusual and I applaud the restaurant for taking a risk with dessert. The banana hazelnut brulee is what I plan to order next time, and the other desserts were just tasty. Overall, I really liked Sola and hope to come back and try their entrees.

    (4)

  • Michael S.

    I have frequently been here for dinner, which is excellent for fresh seasonal ingredients, and fish dishes (also meat dishes). However, their brunch should not be overlooked either. For starters, while it doesn't appear it would be a kid friendly restaurant, their Sunday brunch gets plenty (and early dinners do as well). So, definitely don't be afraid to bring the whole family. I have had their steak and eggs, which is excellent with a prime piece of meat, and a couple of eggs. However, this past visit I strayed and had the pork hash, which was fantastic! It was pulled pork (slightly smoked) blended with what seemed were their house potatos (well spiced and super fresh), topped with a couple of eggs of your choice. The combo was truly excellent, and I can't wait to have it again. Also at the table was the farmers market omelet, which was basically what was freshly picked up at the Green City Mkt. It too was good, but the cheese was more like a super rich cream cheese (my laymans assessment) and would have been substituted with a more basic swiss had we known. Plus, coffee was good, which is definitely a necessity for any breakfast/brunch out. Finally, look for their coupons on dining.com ($10 off usable Sunday).

    (4)

  • Christmas D.

    Amaliya and I went on a Monday night without calling ahead...it was packed! Apparently they were offering a tasting menu with artisan beer parings - schmancy! And a good idea...how many restaurants are packed on a Monday night? Happily the kind host was able to seat us right away at what appeared to be one of 2 or 3 small unoccupied tables...by the window - BONUS! Most of the "gourmet" cocktails offered are some sort of martini. Not being a vodka person, this was disappointing. I ordered the one made with sake. It was good, albeit a little too sweet, but - even after not having any alcohol for a week - didn't even give me a tiny buzz. So I had a second....nope...nuthin'. Oh well. We decided to create a little tasting menu of our own so ordered 3 apps., one side and an entree to share: Tuna poke, Sweet potato gnocci, a dish with mussels, shrimp and clams, parmesan-truffle fries and the short ribs entree. Not one thing we ordered "wowed" me. The presentations were lovely, but the flavor just wasn't all that. The parmesan-truffle fries were especially disappointing: too brown, floppy, not crispy, not very parmesany or truffley. Amy, having a LOT of experience with short ribs, was convinced that the short rib dinner was not actually made with short rib meat. If it was, the meat was pulled-off, reformed and several pieces combined together to make a roll. I thought it was fairly tasty and very tender...just not "wow". We shared the caramel apple bread pudding for dessert. Again...good, but not "wow" The staff is friendly and attentive. The decor modern but somehow still cozy like a neighborhood joint should be. I would consider going to Sola again, but I wouldn't go out of my way to do so.

    (4)

  • Brigette S.

    Love Sola. The place was fairly quiet, yet I never felt the party at the next table could hear (or cared to listen to) the conversation my date and I were having. The staff is very courteous and knowledgeable without being pesky. Food is amazing, yummy, delicious. They present a cute Hawaiian desert plate written in chocolate for special occasions, without being embarrassing or singing dorky songs. This place is magical. Or maybe it was just the awesome company I had that night...

    (5)

  • Matthew W.

    Sola is a fantasic restaurant. I would classify it as American with French and Asian influences. I've been there at least 40 times. Lately, I feel like they have been trying to get too interesting with their food, but all and all, 9 times out of 10 the food is great. Brunch: Their chilaquiles are the best in town. Every time I go there I say I'm going to try something else on the menu, but I can never seem to pass on the chilaquiles. The egg sandwich looks very good. They make a nice Bloody Mary (I always get the shorty High Life beer chaser). Amber is a great waitress, very attentive and nice. I recommend asking to be put in her section. She brought us free malasadas last time. Those things are ridiculous. They are sinful. Dinner: Great bread basket, including phenomenal pretzel bread. Apps, the artichoke fritters are great - avoid the tuna poke. They usually have awesome specials, very good steaks and chops. The tuna and duck entrees are great. The waitstaff will always help you with ordering sides that you like, if your entree comes with something that you don't. Speaking of sides, the sides are great. Parmesan truffle fries and their stir fry veggies are delicious. Dessert is always decadent. Anything with chocolate. :)

    (4)

  • Luan N.

    This time went for brunch. Tried the Macadamia Nut pancakes swimming in Nutella sauce. I'm not much of a brunch person, but it was one of the better pancakes I have had and gets the award of best supporting actress. However, the star of the show... Malasadas! Each bite was heaven. I haven't had Malasadas in awhile since Hawaii, but Izzy N. ignited my deep seated gustatory memory, so I had to go to Sola. These donuts put Dunkin' Donuts to shame. It actually upsets me that Chicago let Dunkin over run the city with their atrocious coffee and donuts.

    (5)

  • Nel O.

    We went to Sola for NYE and were absolutely blown away by the food! Being that I was born and raised in Hawaii, I have pretty high standards for restaurants that claim they serve Hawaiian food, since that typically means they throw pineapple and macadamia nuts on pork and call it authentic. Totally not the case here... We started off with the tuna poke (see photo) that was extremely fresh and tasty. I had the Tuna that was cooked medium rare with a panko crust, bamboo rice, and tempura avocado. It was like an orgasm in my mouth, all the flavors and sauces melded together were incredible. My boyfriend had the Wagyu beef, which he said was tender and very flavorful. We ended the meal with the banana split, which sounds pretty boring, but it was refreshing and very unique with a brulee banana, fresh banana ice cream, mac nuts, fudge and crem fresh. We were both in foodie heaven and were totally impressed by the staff, they were friendly and attentive. Even though we were 45 minutes early for our reservations they were more than happy to accomomdate us (even on NYE). I would recommend Sola to anyone who appreciates great seafood and would rank it right up there next to Roys, for a little less money. *Oh and I forgot to mention the little touches that made our experience extra special: -The lavosh in the breadbasket is superb! -They gave us complimentary salmon appetizers and champagne truffles

    (5)

  • Melissa L.

    My first yelp review! I've always wondered what restaurant would compel me to finally write an actual review since I love going out to eat and have gone to a lot of nice Chicago restaurants w/bf. I really liked Sola. The ambiance is simple, open, and warm. Best of all, it's quiet so you can actually hear your date. I like this. Only 1 motor function at a time for me and and having to repeat something mundane like "the floor is brown" b/c people can't hear you is not ideal. Anyways, although the ambiance was great, the dish I had could've been served in an alley next to two dogs sharing spaghetti for all i care because the food was just so unique and flavorful. I got the seasonal entree, the cobia, which is a white fish. It was encrusted in pumpkin seeds and served with a a puree of something I can't remember, but it was a mashed root of some sort...maybe parsnips... it was light, fluffy, and sweet. There were also chopped chestnuts and roasted sunchokes. My favorite part of the dish, they were perfectly roasted and wonderfully caramelized. I liked this dish so much because first of all, the components themselves are pretty unique. But it wasn't just the uniqueness of the ingredients that made this dish so memorable. It was the way the flavors of each perfectly complemented each other. They all had a salty, sweet thing going on. The crunch of the pumpkin seeds balanced the softness of the puree, fish, and chestnuts. The sunchokes' nutty aftertaste married perfectly with the chestnut. The sweetness of the chestnut tied in well with the puree. The soft, neutral (and perfectly cooked) fish's flavor was just somehow heightened by the accoutrements. It was just a very well thought-out dish. I enjoy that fact that overall profile was very mellow but to a very high scale. Overall, a very flavorful meal. I liked it so much that I'm considering going back before this item is off the menu...and that's kind a big deal because I have an actual written list of all the Chicago restaurants I want to try and have been slowly ticking them off. Repeats have been rare. The bf had the Wagyu burger that he said was good. I pouched some of his truffle fries-they were tasty w /good truffle flavor. We also got the scallop and cheese plate appetizers. Both were beautifully presented -as were all the dishes - and as balanced as my entree. My entire meal went well with the glass of riesling I ordered. High praises to Sola. Even bf strangely gets points just for taking me there. You guys deserve more street recognition. I wish I had brought my camera to take pictures of the dishes- guess I'll have to go back :)

    (5)

  • Jason S.

    Delicious!!!! I've wanted to go here for probably close to two years now and I finally got there this morning. Terrific food and a really nice atmosphere. The Portuguese style-donuts were a very tasty way to start off the meal. Had the Hula Bowl (pancakes, eggs, hash-browns, and bacon) -- probably the least adventurous option on the brunch menu, but I am not a very adventurous eater. I found the $12 price comparable to other similar restaurants. I wasn't drinking this morning, but the brunch-drink menu looked very tempting. To top it all off, our waitress was totally adorable. Two enthusiastic thumbs up from me. Will definitely be going back there to try dinner sometime soon.

    (5)

  • Joe T.

    Dinner Review. First, a public service announcement: if you cannot afford to hire a babysitter, you should not be able to afford a dinner out at SOLA. Bringing your crying newborns, infants, and toddlers into this restaurant is plainly inconsiderate. You are a bad parent, and a horrible person. Rug rats notwithstanding, Sola was an excellent experience. The service was very professional and friendly. The drinks menu was predictably expensive, but the cocktails were strong and the beer and wine selection was very good. The food was excellent. The calamari appetizer ($12) was tender and my carnivorous companions seemed to enjoy the pork dumplings ($9). The two appetizers were enough to whet seven appetites. For an entree I had the salmon ($27), cooked medium rare and served with an edamame puree. The edamame was bland but worked well as a dip for the tremendous truffle oil french fries ($8). One side of fries was more than enough for our party of seven (although I'm sure no one would have complained if there had been more). I tried a bite of my friend's tuna ($26), which was crusted, pan-seared and served with a buerre blanc sauce. It was fresh and delicious. It was a beautiful night outside. Unfortunately for those of us sitting inside the dining room, however, this meant we had to suffer the cost of good weather (flies buzzing around our table) without the benefit of the fresh air. Although the ambience left a little to be desired, the competence of our servers and the quality of the food warrants four stars.

    (4)

  • Lisa L.

    This was a welcomed surprise - I was beginning to think that unique, moderately priced food, served by people that actually take time to make dining out an experience was all but lost! I enjoyed Sola before I even tasted a bit of food because our wonderful server explained the specials and even recommended a great drink to start (the mai tai was just perfect, not too sweet and a refreshing way to begin our meal). We had the artichoke fritters with truffle sauce and the bacon pineapple salad to begin (the salad was the best combination of sweet and salty I have ever had - LOVED it...and the fritters, well I think you could give me anything with truffle and I would be happy :) I had the tuna for my entree (excellent clean flavors and I loved the texture contrast between the tuna and the tempura avocado), and the little lady had the stuffed lamb special (I previously thought I hated lamb...as it turns out, I hate all lamb except for Chef Carol's lamb). We had the truffled fries (incredible) and stir fried veggies for sides. Everything was fresh, local (yay for dedication to seasonal market fresh produce), and served beautifully. For dessert we had braised pineapple and a s'more type thing - both were delicious and the perfect way to end a perfect dinner out...that is until our waitress brought over two glasses of moscato d'asti and a few chocolates to celebrate our planning a little Hawaiian honeymoon of sorts - talk about getting ready for the islands! Everything I put into my mouth was delicious and left me wanting more - yet I left without feeling heavy and overfull... can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Brittany L.

    Perfectly fantastic. That's all I have to say about Sola brunch. As tasty and great as this place is, you'd think it'd be super busy on a Saturday morning. But my friend and I were able to easily get a table on the patio. Our server was warm & polite, and attentive. We started with the Red Dawn--a mix of champagne & blood orange juice. It was totally refreshing & not too sweet. Then, forgetting that I still hadn't had coffee that morning (yikes!) I ordered a cup. Dios mio! This was smooth, full-bodied and gorgeous on my tongue--and I am insanely picky about coffee. Turns out, they work with a company to create their own signature Sola-blend. Although they don't have an extensive menu, it's well-rounded & there's something for everyone. I went for the option that gives me all my breakfast favorites--the Egg Sandwich w/Boursin. Think sturdy (but not too rough) rustic bread, boursin cheese, bacon, egg...Think mmmmm.... And it came with surprisingly tasty hashbrowns--they were sauteed with onions & red pepper, and had great flavor. My only criticism is that the sandwich automatically comes with the egg over-easy. There was no 'how would you like that cooked?' While I can stomach a runny yoke, I was definitely not a fan, and a little warning would have been nice. We got out of there for about $30 for the two of us, which included our breakfast cocktails. Not too shabby! I'll definitely go back for brunch, and am excited to try dinner there, as well.

    (5)

  • David L.

    Sola is excellent. The duck potstickers are crazy good and I could eat the crispy brussels sprouts leaves all day. I had the lamb chops that were listed on the specials and they were cooked perfectly. My girlfriend got the salmon but done with the preparation used for the tuna and it was some of the best salmon she's had in a long time. The wasabi rice that was served with it was incredible. We are already looking forward to coming back for brunch.

    (4)

  • ShelleyandBrian B.

    We went here because we had a Groupon - best way to make yourself explore places you may never explore otherwise. The decor and feel of the place was relaxing yet casual - we were probably a little overdressed but that is okay. We split the fries - yummy! - with our dinner. I had the salmon and he had the duck. Both dishes were very light, and we didn't walk out feeling bloated or gross. We did split the warm chocolate cake, and it was delicious but serving size was a bit hard to share. We like our desserts! Overall, the dinner was yummy but without the Groupon I am not sure we would want to spend that much money on the dinner.

    (4)

  • Katie C.

    Most authentic brunch I have had in a long time. I had the chilaquiles which was made up of tortilla hash, eggs, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream. This dish was absolutely divine. It I got my eggs cooked over-medium and it worked out perfect. The dish has some spice to it, but the cold guac and sour cream cooled it right off. My brother had the short rib benedict which was poached eggs, cheddar biscuits, pesto, hollandaise. This was truly delicious the tender beef and cheddar biscuits melted in your mouth. Our service was great! The server suggested these freshly baked Swedish donuts with a raspberry and chocolate dipping sauce. Before we even had a chance to finish those up, our food was being delivered hot to your table. The server refilled out coffee, water, and picked up all our plates. Also tried the maui-mosa- champagne, pineapple & passionfruit juice. It was good, but not worth $9. Next time just stick to the coffee! I learned about this place on yelp earlier that morning! So thank you to all those yelpers! This place tops the cake!

    (5)

  • Gabrielle S.

    Came here for brunch at 10:30 last Sunday just as the rush hit but we lucked out and got a table... Amazing chiliquiles- the freaking BEST I have EVER had! And big enough to have not even half for brunch and the rest for dinner. Josh had the Crab Cake Benedict which was on the blander side but nicely presented and light. Emelia(my 3 yr old) had the Pinapple French Toast which she loved- it was quite tasty- and very original. We also ordered the Banana Macadamia Nutella Pancakes which were a little to lite on the banana-ness; if I hadn't known they were in there already, I might not have tasted them much- but nicely done. Service was very nice, all the waitstaff was extremely pleasant, helpful, friendly and attentive. Chiliquiles: AMAZING Pancakes: Fine French Toast: Tasty Crab Cake Benedict: a lite choice Service: very good

    (4)

  • Kara G.

    One of my only other 5-stars, Scuba Steve took me here and I cannot WAIT to go back with friends! It really is a foodie dream, but to those who don't care about presentation and creative ingredient pairings, it's still a great place to eat. We started with a glass of wine at the bar, and I was duly impressed with their selection. I personally think wine is such an important part of a good meal, so having an excellent selection offering shows me that the restaurant really knows their food. We started with the Tuna Poke, which was absolutely perfect. I ordered the Scallops, of course, and was rewarded for my choice. The Soba Dumplings were amazing too! Scuba Steve had the Cobia, not only because he is a fish fan like me, but an even bigger bacon fan. It was a tough choice for him because their short ribs came highly recommended (which I almost ordered) but since he had had them there before he decided to try something new, and he also loved his dish. To top it off we ordered the Jasmine Rice Pudding Spring Roll, which came with a Black Vinegar Sorbet - the juxtaposition of the sweetness and richness of the Spring Roll and the tanginess of the sorbet was incredible - it amplified the flavors of both items without detracting from either one of them. They had several other offerings as well, but I was extremely happy with our selection! Our server was also incredibly well-informed and helpful in selecting our choices, and while the service was a wee bit slow, it was understable since it was a Saturday night! My second-favorite restaurant in Chicago by far!

    (5)

  • Liliana S.

    Great restaurant. The service was great. The food was amazing. The ambience is warm and nurturing. A group of friends and I went for dinner and we all loved our entrees. Try the parmesan fries, the mac and cheese, the grilled chicken, the salmon, the porkchops. I definitely recommend it. Good place for either an intimate dinner or large group.

    (4)

  • matt b.

    by far the best breakfast in the city

    (4)

  • Christine U.

    Beautiful restaurant, excellent food, great cocktails, good service. The lychee cocktail is one of the best I've had.

    (5)

  • margie o.

    You had me at avocado tempura! I didn't know one could improve on the creamy deliciousness that is avocado, but batter it up and fry it, and voila, it's even more decadent! Oh, and I guess the ahi tuna it came with was pretty darn tasty as well. I love that they start with an amuse bouche (thank you Top Chef for teaching me what that is) to whet your appetite. I don't recall what the boy had (it was only our second date, so I didn't feel comfortable stealing his food at the time; we're well past that point nowadays), but I do know that he was a big fan of whatever it was. We had some fabulous wine as well. Our server was very friendly and helpful in her recommendations. The hostesses were extremely welcoming and whisked our jackets away (it was winter). No complaints about the space itself; the tables weren't too close together, it wasn't too noisy and there was a nice energy in the room. I was disappointed that Dale wasn't working the night I was there - I was looking forward to a little local celebrity sighting (this was awhile ago, not sure if he's still working there). The bathroom isn't memorable to me, but I recall it being a nice, clean space back behind the ginormous coat closet (which I love, by the way). It's a great spot for a date or a group of friends. I haven't been for brunch, but am looking forward to trying that out. And I'll be back for more fried avocado.

    (5)

  • A R.

    A friend and I went for an early dinner together. Our waitress was very friendly. She seemed comfortable with us and perhaps enjoyed the fact that we were quite "normal" and laid back. (The clientele there seemed to be very Gold Coast-like--we were definitely not in our element. And perhaps my overly sensitive female side of me sensed that type of snubbishness from who I thought to be the manager--or maybe he just didn't like to smile much. Who knows.) Now for the food. They provided a bread "basket". The pretzel rolls were delicious. I even indulged in one after the meal. The crispy flatbread, pretty as it was, was okay. It felt more like a garnish. We moved onto the appetizer. Taking everyone's recommendation, we started with the truffle parmesean fries. They were very tasty and seemed to have been cooked in a different type of oil due to their flavor. Personally, though, I find seasoned, crispy fries to be the best so I wasn't blown away. But then again, I'm not a fry conoissieur. Then the actual meal began. They brought out an amuse bouche. It was carrot curry soup with goat cheese and a crouton. Delicious. Following that came our entrees. I ordered the bacon wrapped Cobia after reading the rave reviews here on Yelp. To be honest, I was very disappointed. I take that back--for $27 extremely dissappoited. While it was plated beautifully, the bacon that was wrapped around the fish was quite chewey and was simply not flavorful. The fish itself was too salty and, for lack of a better word--blah. The sauces on the plate were not too flavorful either. At least none of them stuck out to me or were rich enough in flavor to mask the blandness of the meal. There were, however, tasty morsels of bacon at the bottom of the dish. That would have to be my highlight. I will say that I do hesitate in my critique when I look over the other reviews of this dish but my friend felt the same after taking a bite. She got the kalua pork potstickers and said they were wonderful (I should have taken a bite). So in short, my main entree merits 2 stars in my book but I will rate the overall expereince with 3. I just had extremely high expectations for this dinner and found it to be one of the worst meals I have had in quite some time. Sorry Sola! Maybe it was just a bad day. Oh! and if you're looking to save some money on the check go to restaurant.com and buy a $25 gift certificate. Usually they cost $10 but you can find discount codes by digging around online (Google). I paid only $2.

    (3)

  • Tony B.

    Yelp has let me down. The food was bland - beyond bland, and it made me wonder if any of the reviews below were written by people with taste buds. Flatbread - awful Pretzel Rolls - Could substitute as a salt lick Carrot soup with crab - sucked Truffle Parmesan Fries - sucked Calamari Tempura - RUBBER BANDS Halibut - marginal The drinks were okay, but all they had to be was passable to be considered good compared to the meal. The quality of the food just doesn't justify the prices here and we'll NEVER be back.

    (1)

  • Robin H.

    Oh man do I love it here! I don't even care that Dale works here, I don't care that they have a effen/cream soda cocktail. Let's talk about the food. Let's talk about the staff (not including Dale from Top Chef) Everytime I call for a reservation I feel like I calling a friend. That's sounds lame, but it really is true. It's real nice, not contrived nice. The food is real, simple, and to the point. The flavors of Hawaii come through and its just one of our favorite places to go for a date night. I will say that it is normally a tad over budget for me, but for a nice treat (and the bonus of a prie fixe menu), its so worth it. I appreciate the love that the chef totally puts into her food and her business.

    (4)

  • Shasta H.

    Really interesting food at a reasonable price. A member of our party had a food allergy and the chef came out and talked her through everything, her hawaiian inspiration for the menu (she splits her time between Hawaii and Chicago) and how she prepares the short ribs. The evening featured a prix-fix iron-chef type, themed menu that was only $30 pp. The food was high-quality and interestingly prepared without being too weird. Their winelist is good and the server's recommendations were spot-on. Additionally, their cocktails have a fun, seasonal (and strong) twist. The mixologist likes Bourbon and liquers. Atmosphere is a little meh, but go for the food. Sola is a good place before a show at Martyrs.

    (4)

  • Joscelyn M.

    This place is one of the few places in Chicago I've been to more than once - and I have MANY plans to go back. Why do I keep going back? Brunch: Maui-mosa-champagne, pineapple & passionfruit juice (and other adult beverages), donut puffs, and various standard and not so standard brunch fare Dinner: seasonal fresh seafood dishes, savory meat dishes, truffle parmesan fries, fabulous wine list, divine dessert list! Great service, every time Outdoor seating

    (5)

  • Briana J.

    Sunday brunch at this place is great. I usually have the same thing for brunch...some version of eggs with cheese and a cinnamon roll. That was not really an option here so I had the breakfast sandwich. It is made with eggs and cheese so I was happy...but I was still longing for a cinnamon roll. There are not too many sweet options on the menu but I did have a fried dough thingy covered in sugar. Not too shaby. The food was great. (I tried a little of everything at the table). The coffee was great, and I assumed it to be Intelligenstia but I was wrong. I asked the brand and promptly forgot it. Our server was funny...it made some great jokes and really earned his tip in that way. However, he cut his tip in half when he forgot our drink order twice. Twice. Lucky for him, my friends and I decided to leave a big tip in hopes it does not happen to the next table. By the way, we arrived at 10 on a Sunday and were seated right away. If you arrive any later you will be waiting!

    (4)

  • Kevin A.

    SOLA GRINDZ STAY BROKE DA' MOUT' For those of you who don't speak Hawaiian pidgin, that means Sola serves extremely delicious food. I have very high standards for fresh fish and Hawaiian regional/fusion cuisine and Sola excelled on several levels. HITS: -Wasabi crusted mahi mahi w/ coconut butter; Mahi mahi can be a very boring fish, but this dish showcased how much potential the fish has and how it can dazzle the palate with its delicate buttery texture when cooked properly. -Braised hoisin short ribs; Tender, juicy, and thoroughly infused with the flavor of hoisin and star anise. MISSES: I wanted to give Sola 5-stars, but it fell short in several ares. -Ahi poke; The hijiki tasted too fishy and sushi rice timbale was styrofoam-like and really did nothing for the dish. -Artichoke fritters with white truffle honey; Good concept, but underseasonsed and lacking salt. -Service; Our server took about 20 minutes to take our food order and made a point to avoid eye contact whenever she rushed by to her other tables. -Portions; Way too small. It left everyone in my party feeling a little cheated despite how delicious it was. With bigger portion sizes and more attentive service, I'd be back in a heartbeat.

    (4)

  • Drew S.

    Sola, an amazing restaurant that sounds like it could also be a tanning salon. Almost everything we ate here was terrific. Maybe even transcendent. Groin grabbingly transcendent. Sea greens salad: amazing. I've so over land greens. They are for suckers. Parmesan truffle fries: also fantastic and full of truffly goodness. I ordered the salmon entree and loved it and I never like fish that's been cooked. Disclaimer: I ordered the salmon super extra rare. It comes medium rare by default. The edamame puree underneath it and a teriyaki truffle sauce over the top were both pretty and unique and wonderful. My sexy date had the braised short ribs which were also great but closely guarded. We finished with the ice cream trio/sampler/flight contraption. The waitress listed off a dozen options and we picked three at random that were all good on their own but could have been better matched with the others had we had a list of some sort. Screw Flanders.

    (5)

  • Kara H.

    I tried Sola for my birthday dinner this year and was very impressed. The service was a little slow to start, but very friendly. we started with the tuna poke. The tuna was very fresh and the portion was large. My husband had some sort of stuffed pork special. it came out a little too rare the first time and we had to send it back. once it was cooked a little more it was outstanding. I had the scallops - very good. and the truffle parmesan fries for a side. these alone are worth coming back for. wow. my husband mentioned to our server that it was my birthday and she ended our night with a complimentary desert. overall a great experience.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth E.

    Everything was excellent and cooked perfect. Great service. Atmosphere isn't very cozy, but the food outweighs that. Much like the fine downtown spots without the downtown hassel. Very delicious.

    (4)

  • Scott W.

    It was fine. The decor is the selling point. The menu is ok, but it's really no better or worse than any other decent brunch venue in Chicago. I got the pancakes, which were pretty much IHOP pancakes with some jam and a few nuts sprinkled on top. Another person I was with got the egg burrito wrap...again, just fine. The last person did have the short ribs and loved them. Our waitress was great, drinks were good, price was ok.

    (3)

  • David L.

    Forgive my quote from "Pulp Fiction"...but Samuel Jackson said it best when he said "This is ONE TASTY BURGER!!" I've been all over the country looking for good hamburgers, and this is one of the finest I've ever tasted. Thank you Carol for caring enough to make a great burger!!

    (5)

  • Erin S.

    Started off with the Truffle Parmesan fries which were fantastic. Had the Cobia, which was good. I can't say anymore about it - wasn't spectacular or particularly memorable. But it was good. We had the sundae for dessert which was delicious. Oh, and if you like Manhattans (which I LOVE) order one here - brandied cherries and they were perfectly mixed. YUM. The waitress was a little off her game, and I ended up getting water spilled all over me. But that ended up in a free dessert for me. So no biggie! Definitely would come again, and want to try for breakfast!!

    (4)

  • Sue R.

    We live in the neighborhood and although we've been to dinner there on numerous occasions we decided we needed to try brunch before moving. So yesterday we headed over. First off, I must say that every time we've eaten there I've been blown away by the food and the terrific cocktails. This restaurant has a nice relaxing atmosphere which is beautiful not not stuffy. It's a neighborhood place that folks bring their kids to, but it's not loud and obnoxious. The kids seem to know to behave, or the parents are actually good parents (that's a whole other story). It's peaceful. The brunch menu is really very extensive and offers a lot of great choices. We started with the yummy Portugese donuts which we loved. We also had two different mimosa's, one with pomegranite and mango the other with pineapple and passion fruit. Spectacular! Fresh fruit juice with decent champagne. Sola always has unique drink offerings on the menu and brunch is no exception. I had the Short Rib Benedict. I've had the short ribs before so I knew they would be killer - and the dish did not disappoint. The cheddar corn biscuit that replaced the english muffin was delicious. Sola always uses the best fresh and local ingredients, which really makes the difference. The hollandaise was light and tasty as well. The hash browns were crunchy golden with a dash of spices. My girlfriend had the Big Kahuna - Waygu hamburger with 2 eggs, potatoes, cheddar cheese and house-made bacon. This was HUGE and very, very good. Frankly, we could have split that item alone. I ended up helping her with it and it was delicious. The hamburger was just outstanding. The service was impeccable the waitress was attentive but not annoying and was ready to answer any question we had. It was a very relaxing meal - we ate outside this time because it was such a nice day. We were a little to close to the prep station, which may not usually be a problem, but this day the bus boy seemed to be dropping things every couple of minutes, he seemed a little off his game, so it was pretty loud. But all in all it was a great experience and we'll definitely be going back. The food is just wonderful!.

    (5)

  • Tory w.

    Absolutely fabulous chilaquiles, big enough for three people. Yum.

    (4)

  • Nathan S.

    Love, love, love Sola. So nice to find a neighborhood restaurant this good. Would definitely be worth schlepping downtown for, if it were located there. Haven't been in a little while, which is stupid because I live in the neighborhood now, but once upon a time had one of my favorite short rib experiences in Chicago here. And I sample short ribs the way Kanye does Can, ya heard? Also have had an unbelievably good tuna steak, impressed well-eaten NY in-laws, and thrown down a top notch brunch at Sola. GO!!!

    (5)

  • Andy S.

    Came here to celebrate a promotion. My fiance had purchased a Groupon as well, so we thought it would be the perfect night to try this place out. I saw pictures of the Waygu Burger on the Tribune website and I had my heart set on it. It was incredible. Additionally we got the Artichoke Fritters and she got the trout I believe. Everything was phenominal, service was good and attentive, and I'd be psyched to go back to try their brunch.

    (5)

  • Ian V.

    Went here on a weeknight for a friend's birthday dinner. The place was empty. Even if all the people eating outside ate inside, it'd be sparsely populated. The space is roomy. Lots of tables, wood finishes and a fireplace near the front that would probably look awesome if lit. A long bar along the side is the best place to view the lone TV if desired. They have an alright beer list full of local brews. The cocktail list is tropically themed and poured heavy handedly. Wine list had a wide selection as well. The service was attentive with asking how we were and with refills, but they need to be more clear when explaining the specials; a written out list of specials would have helped. The busing was spectacular and kept our table clean. Given the Hawaiian theme of the place, I ordered the Sea Greens, Wagyu Steak Tartar and the Kalua Pork. Before the dished came out we had an amuse-buoche, it was a little heavy in gorgonzola or whatever cheese it was, but a nice way to start. The sea greens really tasted of the ocean, in a good way. The seaweed was fresh and the macadamia nuts and water chestnuts added some great texture to it all. The lotus root was a pleasant surprise. The tartar was not as finely chopped as I thought it'd be but it was probably to accentuate the marbling of the wagyu. The fried wontons were a bit too salty for the dish and best left to the side. The Kalua pork was shredded and in a sweet bbq sauce, and served atop banana bread. Overall the dish was very flavorful but could be too sweet for some people. The fried onion strands were good, but a little too oily. The 5 spice sweet soy brulee i tried for dessert was not my thing; the anise was too strong for me. Overall it's a tastefully designed restaurant with good service and well rounded menu, although lacking in seafood variety. I chose not to try the mid-week pre-fixe special because the theme for the month was plums, but even still, getting 3 appetizer sized dishes for about the same price seemed a better deal. I would try this place again probably as it was very good overall, even though vaguely Hawaiian to me.

    (4)

  • Jeffrey C.

    You can't go wrong when Dale (runner-up on last year's Top Chef competition) is your waiter. I've wanted to go to Sola for quite some time now and it was quite enjoyable. A negative comment: I would say that given that only one of the two of us were drinking, I consider the final tab of $160 with tip to have been quite pricey for the experience. Much of the enjoyment of Sola is its refinement in setting and service. It has a calm, serene interior of understated elegance - especially light and airy when the restaurant is opened up to the outdoors with warm weather.

    (4)

  • Jeff K.

    The food, service, everything was fantastic. It was expensive but not ridiculous. We got 1/2 bottle of wine and dessert and it was still under $100. I had the tuna and would absolutely go back for it. My wife had the soup of the day & the 1/2 lobster and both were excellent. For dessert we had a mix of the ice creams and sorbets and wow those were good. Every piece of the meal was good. Service was top notch and the place was very romantic. It was a great place to celebrate valentines day! I highly recommend!

    (5)

  • natalie v.

    I went to Sola for Dining Out For Life...the Wagyu beef burger was on the specials menu. It was deliciously bloody and perfectly medium rare with camembert melty cheese and served on a hearty pretzel roll. Parmesan truffle fries. Food coma heaven.

    (5)

  • Brittney B.

    jimandbrittneyeatchicago… It was our first Valentine's Day, and we're spending it at another Á la Card establishment! Sola was ready for the big day, with gorgeous table tops and a printed specials menu. We opted for a mix of the aphrodisiacs on the list and some items from their everyday menu. We started with two wines, the Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne (France) and the Brooks Amycas (Oregon). With the wine came our first special, the oysters two ways - kumamotos on the half shell with Meyer lemon emulsion, and Thai basil... and malpecs tempura with avocado wasabi puree, basil cucumber salad, and American sturgeon caviar. The kumamotos were extremely fresh for the Midwest. We both commented that they "tasted like the sea." We had never had fried oysters before, but they were surprisingly light, and the avocado wasabi puree was delicious. A very successful aphrodisiac, from what we could tell. We then shared the crispy mushroom salad, which was baby arugula, Asian pear, shallots, pleasant ridge, cider truffle vinaigrette, and of course, crispy mushrooms! This salad could do no wrong. The mushrooms were like nothing we'd ever tasted, the pears added a delightful sweetness, and how on earth could cider truffle vinaigrette not be amazing?! It was a great salad, and it was unique enough to be memorable. For her entree, Brittney had the scallops with green apple crab risotto, green beans, and apple curry butter. The description made this dish sound perfect for me, but it turned out to be pretty disappointing. Though the scallops were very well down, and the apple curry flavor was nice when I could taste it, the risotto was extremely fishy and didn't taste at all like apples or crab. I ate most of the scallops and the green beans, but I left the risotto, which I thought would be the highlight of the dish, mostly untouched. For his entree, Jim ordered a special, Carol's Colorado lamb chops with cambazola cheese, cauliflower puree, wilted spinach, shallots, and shaved fennel. For our final course, we ordered a sweet dish and a savory one. To satisfy Brittney's ever-growing desire for sugar, we got caramel apple bread pudding with Roxbury russet, Szechwan peppercorn-cider sauce, and sweet soy vanilla ice cream. Yes, it was definitely as good as it looks and sounds. This was quite possibly the best bread pudding we've had, and that's saying a lot. We always gravitate towards it on any menu, mostly because it tends to come with interesting pairings. This was no exception, and it was a perfect Valentine's Day treat. However, next year they should find a way to make it pink. To satisfy our (constant) cravings for cheese, we got a really nice cheese plate, which included housemade fruit preserves, nuts humboldt fog (California, goats milk), gouda aged 4 yr. (Holland, cows milk), and manchego (Spain, sheeps milk). Each new cheese was better than the last, and we literally scraped the plate clean. A perfect ending to an almost perfect Valentine's Day meal (company was perfect, risotto was troubling). The ambiance of the place was pretty lively and friendly, and we even struck up a conversation about whisky with a nearby table. However, we told them ahead of time that we wanted a slow meal, and we instead got the feeling that they wanted to turn over our table three times before V-Day was over. Overall, the food only missed the mark once, but frankly, we're not likely to go back any time soon. If you're in the area and want to stop in for salads and dessert, then we say, "Bon appétit!"

    (4)

  • Bee B.

    I feel renewed after reading a thread where people brought up reasons to review a place even if it has a bazillion reviews already... so here goes. The staff at sola is extremely polite and impressively knowledgeable. I really appreciate that our server took the time to explain every dish and answer all our questions. I am mentioning this specifically due to the fact that my husband and I both have baby faces and look like we are approximately 17 and therefore are not always given the best service ever especially at nice places... Just because we look young doesn't mean we don't have jobs, yo!! (end rant). I have been to sola twice, but once was yesterday, so I remember than one better, okay??? We ended up going with the parmesan truffle fries to start with. I am not a big cheese fan, but these were go-oooo-ood. Salty, like regular fries but with a special sumthin' sumthin' underneath that flavor. I really hate to say this, but I think they would be bitch'n with Katsup. (did not have the balls to ask for it). One last thing about the fries is a warning for those of you that get hungry before your entree and just want to munch - the fry order is large. I think we would have been much more content-feeling after our meals had we not eaten so many of these fries. We only finished about half, too. Just saying. I also recall that had the gnocchi last time...and were not too too impressed. They were really little and not too exciting. Alrighty - I had the tuna which has some sort of panko-mustard crust. The "crust" was not "crunchy" but it tasted damn good. The tuna was cooked rare/med-rare and was awesome. My husband got the washu beef special and I think he may have died and gone to heaven for a moment there. We did not get dessert, because were just weren't feeling any of the listed desserts and to be honest, I just wanted a Susie's choc-marshmallow shake after all that. (Okay - the katsup and susie's refs may not be making me look too mature after all :) A few quick notes about drinks, though I know this is long... The first time I went I got a really fab, strong, well mixed cocktail, yum! The second time, however, somehow we got persuaded to get a half-bottle of wine. I'm gonna say it - I don't think half bottles are worth it. I feel like each of us got 1 glass of wine out of the deal, and while the wine was quite a nice Zin which we couldn't have gotten by the glass, still felt like a raw deal for me. I may have rather done 2 different wines by the glass, or maybe cocktails. Lastly, the first time I went I saw Dale from top chef, and the second time I went I saw Linda Yu from, you know, the news... I wonder who I'll see next time dining at Sola!

    (4)

  • Stephanie B.

    I heart Sola. The best brunch I've had.......... probably ever. We went on Saturday - so not too terribly crowded. Sat inside to begin with - the atmosphere is so-so/fine - and moved outside to the patio for more mimosas after brunch. My bloody mary was ON POINT, as was the (Mango) mimosa I got after that. (I got the regular bloody mary but I heard the wasabi one is to die for). I ordered the Huevos Benedictos, which was amazing. It was cornbread, topped with poached eggs and crumbled chorizo, and then some fun twist on hollandaise...... put 'em all together and you've got a party in my mouth. The two friends I was with loved what they got as well (the breakfast wrap and the crab benedict). I would go here anyday, anytime, for any meal. I thought for as good as the food was, it was still fairly reasonable. Our waitress was SUPER cool but got kind of lazy/unattentive after our food came (and we needed drink refills) which was a smidge annoying, because they weren't busy. In her defense, we are lushes. But otherwise the service was great and I am chomping at the bit to go back.

    (5)

  • min. r.

    If I was just reviewing their mac & cheese, or for the fantabulous company I had tonight for dinner, this would be a five star review, but this is for the whole meal, so sadly, they get 3. We had a good meal with an attentive server (Jen), who was more than happy to guide us through their menu and questions, she'd get 5 stars too. Sadly though, the rest of the meal wasn't as good as the mac & cheese, or server. I got their "trademark lamb chops" that came with a side of Japanese eggplant. I LOVE eggplant in any form, and was all excited as Japanese eggplant is a favorite. I took 1 bite and spit it out. It was sour, uncooked in taste, and yet, mushy as I've ever seen eggplant. Just gross. One bite was all I needed. The lamb chops were alright, the mahi mahi also decent, but overall just not worth the fortune we dropped on dinner (sans drinks). I don't see us ever going back. For less money, we could get a much better meal at other restaurants. *shrug* Maybe I just missed the boat here, everyone else seems to like this place. Oh well, one more table for you guys!

    (3)

  • Alison M.

    Extraordinary experience every time I've been here. The service is attentive, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and that's just the first five minutes here. The drinks are excellent, I always get the black cherry vodka/ cream soda drink. It's garnished with brandied cherries (those alone get me a little giggly). Last night we shared blue cheese fritters as an appetizer--the fritters were decadent (there's four to an order, but one per person was plenty). Each entree is so intricate that it doesn't even bear explaining them, but suffice it to say everyone was very happy with their choices. We couldn't help ourselves and ordered the onion straws and truffle parmesan fries as extra sides-- oh wow, even though it was probably too much food, it was worth it for those fries. And yes, we went a little overboard-- I still got dessert, the soft center chocolate cake, with sesame brittle ice cream, and wasabi vanilla bean syrup. I thought the syrup might be a bit weird-- but, it wasn't overly spicy and played perfectly against the cake. The whole meal couldn't have been any better.

    (5)

  • Walker H.

    Service was the only failing. The folks at the door were nice, the atmosphere was amazing. I just wish our waitress had been a bit more attentive (like the water/coffee guy). The food was excellent. It's not anything I would kill to eat again, but definitely good food (and the homemade bacon was great). I loved desert. My bread pudding was above-par and saved my bread pudding love from a recent fiasco involving said desert that occurred in Olney, MD. My date's chocolate a trois was also mighty tasty, as I tried all three of her mini deserts. Throughout the whole meal, the portions impressed. Not so much as to leave you feeling bloated or heavy.

    (3)

  • m t.

    I'm drooling just thinking about SOLA. It is melt in your mouth good. Fantastic service. Fantastic ambiance. Fantastic deal (brunch) We went 5 weekends in a row after discovering this place! Go for brunch sit on the patio order: coffee bloody mary with a side of shorty beer huevos benedictos sub spinach for chorizo malasadas for dessert. piping hot doughnut type ball rolled in sugar with raspberry and lemon sauce for dipping!! Dinner is also unbelievably good. perfect for special occasions.

    (5)

  • Jacob K.

    This time I went to Sola for dinner- my previous review was for lunch. The place has a wonderful friendly warm and cozy atmosphere. I went with a few friends for my birthday. Everyone had a different dish- lab chops, wagu beef, beef short fibs, seared tuna, salmon, pork, etc. I had the pot-sticker appetizer which well.. tasted like your regular pot-stickers so i might not order that again. The lamb chops 9my dish) was very good although it is their signature dish and stuffed with Gorgonzola cheese. The Gorgonzola was a little over powering but the presentation was very nice and the lam chops were perfectly cooked. I think everyone enjoyed their selections except the wagu beef was supposedly somewhat tough. The desserts were very good and there were many different options. I had the molten chocolate cake which was good but pretty standard. The peanut brittle ice cream that accompanied it was very delicious. The service was very good and they had the table for my party reserved well in advance (some of my friends accidentally got there 30 minutes early). The only caveat is that if you have reservations for 5+ people they require a credit card number.

    (4)

  • Joe W.

    This was my second time eating at Sola, although this time the crowd I came with may have dictated some of the reason why I was forced to give this awesome restaurant 4 stars instead of 5. I started out with the pork cheeks special appetizer which was unbelievably good followed by the spare ribs that were unfortunately a bit overcooked. The flavor profiles of these two dishes were amazing and the infusion of Hawaiian/Asian cuisine into modern American food really creates something that I've not been served at too many other restaurants. Now for the crowd. I came with 6 of my closest friends, we were drinking and some of us had been drinking prior to making our entrance into Sola. It was my birthday, so getting tipsy on a Wednesday night seemed like a viable dinner activity. But, putting together alcohol and 7 very good friends can sort of bring up the volume at the table to levels that maybe wouldn't be appreciated by the other patrons at the restaurant. We were given dirty looks by everyone who was eating there for just having a little bit of fun as opposed to sitting quietly and eating. Our waitress catered to our every need and she definitely deserved the large tip that we gave her. The one thing that I took away from this experience is that Sola seems to be the kind of place that you might want to bring a date, not a bunch of guys who are ready for a rip roaring evening of drinking and good times.

    (4)

  • Brynn M.

    This is a great place for a date-night dinner. The food was delicious, the drinks were reasonably priced and our waitress was excellent. We didn't get to sit outdoors (it was raining), but that looked like a nice space as well. My husband and I will definitely come here again.

    (4)

  • lucky r.

    I really liked this place, I just wish it was closer to my house! But I would definitely do the hike back. We ordered almost everything on the menu. Gotta try the beet and pineapple salad, macaroni and cheese,gnocchi, artichoke fritters, french fries with truffle cream, and must try azuki bean cake!

    (4)

  • Joelen T.

    My husband, a friend and I came here for Sunday brunch and were impressed from the beginning. Our coats were taken, we were seated promptly and the restaurant gave a cheerful, sunny vibe to start our meal and day. Everything about this restaurant is very clean - from the tablesettings, decor, style and presentation of our dishes. It's what I expected after having one of their very own became a celebrity through Bravo's Top Chef reality tv show. For our meal, we started off with... Coffee & Blood Orange hot tea. I liked their coffee (then again, I'll take any caffiene I can get in the morning) while my companions raved about their tea. Malasadas ($7) - which are portuguese style donuts that came with a mango curd and raspberry coulis for dipping. My companions preferred the mango curd while I opted for the raspberry coulis. The only critique I have is that they should consider serving the curd & coulis in larger dipping bowls for the malasadas to fit in. The donuts were a little to big to achieve a perfect "dunk" into the sweet sauces. My husband ordered the steak & eggs.... and that was done nicely. The thickness of the steak wasn't too thin, just perfect for a brunch serving. My friend ordered the pineapply upside down french toast... and it was heavenly. The dish was extremely rich, especially with the mango curd, tropical fruits and creme anglaise that accompanied it. She barely finished half so if you decide to order this, you may want to consider asking for a half order or splitting it with a friend. I ordered their savory chilaquiles... tortilla hash, scrambled eggs, guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream. A nice smoky hint of chorizo was mixed in somewhere and it definitely was filling. The only thing I would have preferred is that it be served on a plate, rather than a square bowl. I thought it was a bit odd, but having all the components of the toppings presented more clearly, rather than just plopped on would have made a nicer presentation of the dish. Nonetheless, it was a great meal to start the day. I would recommend this place for brunch!

    (4)

  • Anna M.

    The dinner was great. A good variety. Our waitress explained about all the different dishes that sounded weird to me. The food was awesome. Pricey but expected that, so no surprises there. Found parking easily. Couldn't say anything bad about this place.

    (4)

  • Herine C.

    Truly fabulous. Had a girls' nite out with a friend who is moving and everything we ordered was just wonderful. The fried Squash blossoms were so crisp and delicate. I had the duck breast salad and loved every bite of it and the way the tropical flavors and hazelnuts came together in the dish. We had the grilled pineapple and coconut sorbet for dessert. The outdoor seating was quite lovely. Our waitress was sweet, giggly, and super attentive. The drinks were great, although my first, a ginger infused vodka martini, was a little bit less sweet than I anticipated. Other than that, I have no complaints at all.

    (5)

  • Greg R.

    Sola does it again. It was sunday, so of course that means brunch! We were heading to Tallulah because D wanted their mascarpone pancakes, but they were closed for some reason. So since we were in the same hood, I suggested Sola because the others in the group hadn't been and believe me they were thrilled that I did. They were much busier than they had expect, but the service was still great. Our waiter was Dale from Top Chef and I thought it was him when he first came by and then K confirmed that it was him, but we didn't say anything at first. All the food was excellent, I got the Chiliaquiles again but this time with some chroizo, nice touch. K got the same thing but was a little disappointed that the tortillas weren't actually chips but cut into smaller pieces. So for you fans of Chiliaquiles, just be warned. C got the crabcakes and said they were really good too, but that lead to a 15 minute discussion about what time of the day one should eat seafood. But let me move on to the real treat of the meal......since we had four people and no one really wants just pancakes for brunch, we were able to get the banana macadamia nuts for the table after our regular brunch items were done. Incredible!!! Its one of those things that you just want a few bites of, so having the extra people to split them with was key. For those of your that don't get dessert at brunch, don't knock it till you've tried it. Being Sunday, we ventured out a bit on the drink menu. C and I got the bloody marys with the beer chaser, I know classy but still good. K and D got some fruity mango champagne drink. I think they were pretty good, but a little sweet. There was one drink really intrigued the table....the "sneaky pete"! So being the daring one I order one of those and everyone liked it but having a bartender with us we decided we could make it better. We changed out the spirit for just soda water and that didn't quite work and then figured out that the best combo was half sprite and half soda. So if you get the sneaky pete, go with the half soda half sprite combo. So by this time, meaning our 3rd round, Dale makes the comment "I want to have brunch with you guys". K figured this was her opening to ask some top chef questions. Once we confirmed that it was him, he gave us some really cool insight into the behind the scenes stuff about top chef, really cool treat to end a great meal.

    (5)

  • Mr M.

    A room we've been meaning to visit for a while, our Groupon nudged us there on a Tuesday evening. I met my wife at the bar (!) where our bartender was also serving the floor AND the patio. She was busy. But upbeat. After a pre-dinner drink, off to the table we went. Guess who our server was? The smooth, even-tempered bartender took us through the specials, etc. That night's prix fixe (my wife's selection) for $30 included a ginger/carrot/miso soup that was fantastic. Afterward, an amuse-bouche of creamy cheese and ginger on a cracker. The main course for me was the special of the day, lamb chopped stuffed with some cheese (damned if i can remember it) and a nice avocado sauce fingerling potatoes and some very small veggies. She had the pork roast with fingerling potatoes. These were out of this world good. And perfect portions too: not too big, not too small. The dessert, which we shared, was a small piece of molasses cake with ice cream. I may have left out some ingredients from these dishes here but we were extremely happy walking out of there. It's too bad that we're moving out of the city but Sola is definitely high on the list of places to visit when we get back in here. Service was great Staff was great Room was great

    (5)

  • Rachel A.

    Crazy friggin' awesome. I went there about a year ago but still remember the visit in detail. I loved everything about Sola. We went on a crowded Saturday night and while we were waiting for our reservation, Chef Carol herself was making the rounds of the tables and personally fetched a drink from the bar for us. Wow! Talk about making a great first impression. The service was perfect - there when you need it, but not overbearing. We got the tuna poke and artichoke fritters for appys. Delicious! Entrees were short ribs and bleucheese-stuffed lamb chops (which appear to not be on the current menu), with risotto and fries on the side. Dessert was some kind of dessert egg roll, I think, also not on the current menu. Are you f-ing kidding me? YUM! Do yourself a favor and go.

    (5)

  • Dov B.

    Oh, hey, a place that serves brunch in Chicago that accepts reservations! Attended a six-person surprise birthday brunch here last weekend and, I have to say, we had a really excellent time. Being that we were a surprise brunch, the hostess and server were gracious in seating us and putting up with our antics before the Birthday Boy arrived. The coffee is decent. A bit of a lighter roast than I like but drinkable. I also ordered a juice which was underwhelming. The malasadas, however, were outstanding. Perfect little sugary pillows of yum! There were 5 different dishes ordered at our table: Crab & Leek omelet, Huevos Benedictos, Short Ribs Benedict, French Toast, and two orders of the 5-Spice waffle. According to the meat eaters, the Short Ribs Benedict was the winner in the meals, with the other benedict recipe a close second. The eater of the French Toast didn't express much love for her dish, but both waffles were devoured. The Crab and Leek omelet was good, but the Philistine in me prefers whitefish to crab for flavor in omelets. [Go 3-Mile Omelet at the Omelet Parlor in Colorado Springs!] Also, the staff brought out a fancy plate of truffles for the Birthday Boy which was sweet of them. They didn't bother us at all during our extended brunch and were invisible in their steady refillings of our coffee. It was a great experience, and I'd love to try sola again for dinner and a repeat of brunch.

    (4)

  • Jon J.

    Dined at sola last night after putting it off for months, and I have to say that I was impressed. I had been prepped for the general style of cuisine by dining at their chef's previous digs, Deleece, several times, but I have to say that sola surpasses Deleece in just about every aspect of the meal. They've got a great wine list with some very good selections by the glass, as well as generous pours. Our server was attentive, friendly, and informative. Bussing staff and runners were also professional and friendly. And the food - phenomenal. I had the stuffed lamb chops which were fantastic. And my wife had the short ribs, which she enjoyed a lot as well. Truffle fries on the side were a nice treat, and served in generous portions. Even the bread basket was tasty, with a pretzel roll that I loved! Finishing up a solid meal we had the banana and nutella "egg roll" which was as decadent as it sounds - delicious. The insides were molten hot, though, which is about the only complaint I can find with the entire meal. I found sola to be a very pleasant dining experience. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, with some nice lighting and the low flicker of a fireplace. And the food was phenomenal, and reasonably priced for the quality, portions, and presentation that came along with it. It's a great restaurant with some talented people in the kitchen, that manages to retain the comfort of a neighborhood joint. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Kelsey M.

    Went yesterday for Easter Brunch. It was out of this world. I ordered the huevos benedictos. It was amazing, the spice of the churizo was perfect and the cornbread was just the amount of sweet. It was bomb. We also ordered the donuts to start which I would highly recommend as well. I wanted to drink the sauces they served with them. The service was also outstanding. Their coffee is great as well (it looks as though they roast the beans there). I couldn't get enough of it and they were constantly filling it up, so I practically floated out of there. Highly recommended with a strong 4.5. It pains me, but my 0.5 reduction would be because of the lack of non-egg options on the menu. Very excited to come back and check out the dinner menu.

    (4)

  • Becky R.

    I was so excited to finally try Sola for myself after hearing so many wonderful things. Sola did not disappoint! I loved the atmosphere: fun, energetic, and warm. The food, drinks, and service were all impeccable. We ordered a special appetizer, which was poached lobster with an Asian soba noodle salad. It was light and refreshing. Awesome! I had the salmon, which was also cooked perfectly. It had a sweet glaze of some sort on top and was served on top of an edamame puree. I was skeptical of an edamame puree, but it tasted wonderful! My friend had the spare ribs, which were recommended by our server. There was not a speck left on his plate! I concur with everything that's been said about the truffle parmesan fries. Amazing! Our dessert was seasonal -- a pumpkin strudel or something. Tasty, but probably the least impressive item of our meal. At most places, it might have been the highlight, though. My cocktail was great! It was the last cocktail on the menu (I can't remember the name). It had ginger vodka and was topped with black pepper. It was divine. The server even had the bartender leave the star anise off, since I'm not a huge fan of that flavor. In short, I'll be returning to sola many many times.

    (5)

  • Robert F.

    ENVIRONMENT There's a certain expectation of ambience when you're paying $25 or more per entre. Though I can't put my finger on it, Sola was not quite convincing. Maybe it was the lack of color. Maybe it was the t-shirts the waitstaff wore, remeniscent of saturday morning hangovers. There were also no "cozy" spots to be had. Everywhere feels like you're in the middle of the place. FOOD Qual Tempura was well worth the trip. Though serving them bone-in forced me to eat with my fingers. My wife's soup of the day was splendid, and her short ribs were fantastic. The lamb special was not satisfactory, being void of flavor and of fatty texture. For dessert, the best chocolate cake I've ever had. SERVICE The waitstaff (despite the overcasual uniforms) have an encyclopedic knowledge of the menu. If I didn't know better, I'd say they were cooking it themselves. Friendly, knowledgeable, accomodating, fast, and of good taste. At the end of the night, I left satisfied but slightly underwhelmed. 4 stars in lieu of a 3.5 option.

    (4)

  • Cathy L.

    Great food (had the wagyu beef, scallop appetizer and brownie dessert). Portions were just right - not overly generous but not too small to enjoy. Parmesan truffle fries were pretty good. Really just enjoyed the great service and casual, but fine dining ambiance.

    (4)

  • Nas T.

    Brunch is the joint! Can't vouch for dinner, though, yuppie. For $7, you should totally get more of the fraudulent beignets than four. I'm talking like seven or eight for STARTERS, baby.

    (5)

  • Vicky C.

    Spent an evening at Sola for my friend's birthday this past Saturday. Everyone raves about the brunch that they serve, I almost wish I went for brunch instead of dinner. We were a party of 7 and ordered 2 appetizers: the tuna poke for $15 and the kalua pot stickers for $10. The tuna poke was just ok, a little fishy. I thought the flavors weren't very strong and the fishiness overwhelmed the rest of the dish. The best part of the pot stickers was the mango salsa. The ladies I was with loved the kumquat mojitos although by the end of the evening, there was significantly less kumquats in the glasses compared to earlier in the evening. For dinner, I had the waygu flat iron steak. They recommended medium rare, but I'm not a rare kind of girl so I stuck with medium. Even if I had gotten medium rare, it would not have improved the tendon running through my steak. For an upscale restaurant charging $30 for a steak, I had higher expectations for the quality of the steak. Amongst the 7 of us, we had the ahi tuna, barrimundi, scallops, halibut, I just felt like I wasn't getting what i was paying for. The meal wasn't bad, but I wouldn't go back for dinner. I tried all the other dishes and while they were cooked to the proper temperature, I didn't think they were outstanding or worth a trip back. the flavors didn't really meld for me.

    (3)

  • Andrew W.

    some of the best brunch I have had in Chicago. Had the big Kahuna, it was great. Went there with 3 other people and everyone walked away raving about it. Nice list of Brunch cocktails too

    (5)

  • Wendi R.

    I went there for breakfast with a couple of friends and weall expected to pay more as it seems like a nicer place. Surprisingly, it was REALLY reasonable. Not to mention DELICIOUS!! Highly recommend this restaurant if you're looking to try something new. You won't be disappointed......promise! :)

    (5)

  • Kate D.

    This is seriously good food. Went here for dinner on the 4th of July weekend with a $10 off A La Card coupon and was pleasantly greeted with lots of open tables both inside and out. Opted for out, ordered some white wine, and got ready to dig in. We started with the kalua pork on banana bread and chilled melon soup. The soup was refreshing (though that sort of thing is not my favorite), but the pork...oh, the pork! Heaven. For the main course I ordered short ribs (with quinoa and brussel sprouts) and my husband got the tuna. Both were delicious, but the tuna was really exceptional. Panko-crusted with some creamy-yet-light rice and drizzled with the most delicious glaze, this dish made me wonder how I could have thought that tuna was fishy. It was wicked good. To wrap up the meal we split a hot fudge sundae, which came with house-made banana ice cream and just the right amount of fudge at the bottom. Perfection. As for the decor and such, I liked that too. It's modern and on the minimalist side, but the woven chairs on the patio were very comfortable and suitable for a relaxed, multi-course meal. Prices are on the expensive side, but appropriate given the care that goes into the food. Save up your dollars and take your significant other here on a Sunday night. It's a slam dunk.

    (5)

  • Johnny B.

    Sola is about a 3-wood from my condo. (Note: a decent golfer's 3-wood, not my 3-wood. It would take me half a dozen hacks to get there.) So... the last two times I had friends stay with me from out of town, its location made it an obvious choice for a quick Sunday brunch. I have yet to visit for dinner, which is annoying, but their brunch is superb. First off, if you can get a seat on the patio, it is an absolutely gorgeous setting when the weather is nice. It's well shaded, and just off the corner of Lincoln. It's calm and serene, but with the buzz of the busy street just a bit away. And getting a seat has not seemed to be a problem. The two times I've visited have been at the height of regular Sunday brunch rush, and we had zero wait. That point alone makes it a great brunch find. But I haven't even arrived at the best part... The food at Sola is mouth-wateringly delicious. I'm salivating right now just thinking about it. They serve little donuts with fruit dipping sauce you can get as an appetizer (terribly located on the menu, so be sure to ask) that are little balls of heaven. I'm pretty sure I could get two orders of these for my meal, but then I couldn't get the Huevos Benedictos. Now that would be a shame. The Huevos Bendictos is pretty much a tex-mex version of Eggs Benedict, swapping out the ham and muffin for corn bread and chorizo. It's even better than it sounds - trust me! The service is on par with the food. Suffice it to say, Sola is my new favorite brunch spot. Hopefully its quaint location can keep it from becoming another overpopulated brunch mess.

    (5)

  • Koh K.

    My coworker and I decided to go last night for the monthly prix fixe special. This month's special ingredient was orange, so I was looking forward to the three courses focused on this ingredient. Much to my horror (due to food allergy), the first course was a crab cake. The entree and dessert looked fantastic, so I asked the waitress if a substitution was possible. And yes, they would do it! (+1 for service). The food was overall very good. The duck was my favorite part, cooked just right to retain the right amount of moisture and pink. The orange sauce that came with it was a nice touch. The dessert was a little bland. It looked like they put an orange cream on top of toast. (thus, minus one star) For $29.09, I was perfectly happy with my first two courses though. I would definitely come back again to try their beer dinners.

    (4)

  • Molly G.

    The ambiance is comforting and easy on the senses. The service is nothing to rave about, but they are friendly. (They have never noticed - in my 3 visits - empty water glasses, dirty silverware, empty coffee cups, etc.) The food is very good for brunch. Actually, it's damn good. I haven't been for dinner yet, so I can't comment on that. Definitely a place worth revisiting.

    (4)

  • George J.

    Very high end restaurant. Felt like I needed a Sport Coat to even walk in there. Reservations are a definite as the chefs here are from other famous restaurants. I would highly recommend this place if you are trying to impress someone or go out with friends that don't know the area. Foods great, presentation is phenomenal, and you have a wide variety of American fare. Service is great and they have a wide selection of wines. A must for food experts.

    (4)

  • Kyung P.

    We ate at Sola last night and everything was 5 stars! I was really hoping that TC Dale would be there, and he was! He didn't wait on us but came by and said hello. Back to the food, there were 4 of us, and our entrees were short ribs, 2 scallops, and salmon. I think the only miss of the night was the salmon (personally I never order salmon at restaurants). I had the short ribs, and they were amazing. The scallops with lobster risotto were absolutely delicious too! We also got the mac & cheese and fries as sides to share. Just as good as the entrees! Then it was time for dessert. I am a dessert person, so I wanted to try multiple desserts, but no one else at the table wanted anything. So our server came to take our order. I was being a baby about wanting to try multiple desserts, but eventually ordered just the chocolate cake. A few moments later, our server came out with two dessert (one chocolate cake and the other that we didn't order but were debating about) and told me it was on her!!! It was a perfect end to a perfect meal!!!

    (5)

  • Rebekah K.

    I have been here for dinner and brunch, and both were amazing. For dinner I have had the grains and greens with tofu, and had the best, most perfect silken tofu I have ever had- it was indescribably delicious and this is tofu. The mac and cheese is also knee weakening. Before I was vegan for lunch I had the wild mushroom omelette, and the eggs benedict. Both fantastic. This is what quality food made with pride tastes like.

    (5)

  • Andrew P.

    I've been brunching in Chicago since the mid 00's and consider myself quite the brunch connoisseur. Sola is one of the best brunches I have ever had. God bless their ham and cheese french toast. Emotionally I'll never be the same.

    (5)

  • Julie L.

    This restaurant has gotten so full of itself over the years. I went the first year it opened and the food was excellent, unpretentious and the dining experience was great. This past Saturday the expereince was horrific. We were sat at 7:15 for a 7:00 pm reservation and by 7:30 we had been served 2 appetizers and our 2 main entrees. The only reason we were at the restaurant past 8pm was because they brought me the wrong entree and had to bring me the right one. There was no dining experience at all. It felt like a fast food restaurant with much higher prices. I will not be returning.

    (1)

  • Nicole B.

    Sunday brunch was great, and at a great price. The coffee was tasty and strong, the smoked salmon scrambled eggs were really tasty, but it was more of a grilled salmon than smoked. The home fries had a little kick. The best was my vodka soda, a good strong drink when the hair of the dog was needed. The water glasses are a little small - this dehydrated girl needed a refill every 5 minutes.

    (4)

  • Thongsy S.

    I've been to Sola for dinner and brunch and both times I was not disappointed. The meals were delicious and service is always great. The dinner menu is pretty expensive but the brunch menu is very comparable to many brunch places around between $8-15. I would definitely go back for their brunch since it's more affordable. Plus, they participate in Restaurant.com so both times I went there, I used a gift certificate which helped quite a bit with the final bill.

    (4)

  • Mallery I.

    Five stars, I obviously love this place. The food is amazing, and the atmosphere is so laid-back. Sola lacks the pretension that accompanies a lot of restaurants in its caliber. I have been there for brunch and dinner, and both are great! Brunch: Try the banana macadamia nut pancakes with nutella cream sauce! Sounds heavy, but they are actually light and delicious. Dinner: While it is pricey, the dinner here is totally worth the money. My boyfriend took me here for a special occasion, and it was the perfect spot. The staff was attentive without being overbearing. The artichoke fritter appetizer was surprisingly light, and the accompanying truffle honey was a perfect dip. For my main course, I had a lamb chop special that came with mashed potatoes, carrots, and shaved fennel. The lamb was so tender and juicy, and it was stuffed with the perfect amount of gooey cheese. For dessert, I had caramel apple bread pudding, topped with vanilla soy ice cream. It is probably one of the top five desserts I've had EVER. I highly recommend it. Moral of the story: Go to Sola! You won't regret it!

    (5)

  • Henry S.

    Sola is unique as there are not many Hawaiian focused restaurants in Chicago. I've been a fan of chef Wallack since Deleece. Haven't been here in a while, but decided to visit as preparation for an upcoming Maui trip. The kalua pork potsticker is good. The dumpling skin was a little tough, but i am a fan of savory/sweet combinations. The mango salsa was excellent against the salty pork. Also had the special appetizer of oysters tempura. The tempura is more like a corn-meal batter, and the whole dish felt more like an Italian fritto misto. That said, the oysters were fried perfectly. You can taste the ocean, without it being overpowering. I was tempted to ask for a hoagie and make it a po'boy lol. For entree, the ahi tuna did not disappoint. Seared tuna seemed such a 90s leftover, but this was a good revisit. Tuna was seared just so, pretty much a thin layer of cooked flesh against pristine raw flesh. The crust of hoisin/mustard/panko gave the meaty tuna a nice layer of flavor and texture. I have never had avocado cooked tempura style, and this is giving me ideas. We had a cheese plate for dessert. While excellent, i don't remember well enough for details, lol. We had a bottle of the Marques de Gelida Pinot Rose Cava. A nice bodied pink sparkling, worked great with the tuna. Service was attentive and friendly, but not overly chummy. Which is what i prefer for a restaurant at this price point.

    (4)

  • Laurie V.

    I decided to treat myself to lunch there on Friday. I say "treat" because $21.85 isn't cheap for a burger and fries, but oh what a burger and fries they were. Wagyu "kobe" beef with cambazola, bacon, caramelized onions, arugula, pretzel roll, asian slaw or fresh fruit. Truffle Parmesan Fries. I had placed the order for carry out so I took it home and savored it in the yard. Oh was it good. If you are looking for a fantastic burger this one is worth every penny of the $13. The fries were damn good, but I think $7 for fries is a little crazy, no matter how good they are. Now I can't wait for Thursday so I can take my husband there! ps-I have been there a few times for lunch and dinner. Never cheap, always good!

    (5)

  • Tiffany J.

    This restaurant deserves 15 stars out of this 5 star rating. I love love love Sola!!! It is my FAVORITE brunch place in Chicago. The perfectly crisp doughnuts sprinkled with sugar and dipped in chocolate and raspberry syrup are to die for. They seriously taste like heaven in my mouth. My favorite entree is the pork hash which comes with eggs, avocado, and salsa. Each bite I take out of the entree seems to melt in my mouth. The nutella banana bacon pancakes are super DERISH as well. Even though I hate eating bacon, the bacon bits were so tiny and added a mild crunchiness to the pancakes, which make them irresistible. The juices and mimosas taste so fresh and full of flavor. And the best part, the entrees are not super expensive- they are around $10!! Moreover, the waitresses and waiters are always soo nice. This is the best find in Chicago for me yet! :D

    (5)

  • Luis E.

    Been going there for a few years now. Their brunch is outstanding although I believe the dinner menu is way better. The Wild Arugula salad is topped with a truffle vinaigrette. Wow. I have also tried the short ribs, pork two ways and the beef tenderloin. Every time my meal has been cooked to perfection. Jaime is an excellent waiter. If you get him, you're guaranteed excellent treatment. The place is nicely lit and decorated. Good place to go on a date or to have a large group event. They have a room on the west side of the restaurant that is perfect for groups and offers good privacy.

    (4)

  • Benjamin B.

    I have only eaten at Sola for brunch, but it was outstanding. There was so much to choose from on the menu that we had to start with an appetizer of the malasadas, which were awesome. I mean, how can you go wrong with fried dough covered in powdered sugar and dumped in mango or raspberry sauce? My omelette was excellent and full of flavor. The leeks were excellent fried on top, and the onions were sweet on the inside. Furthermore, the latte was great and they were very generous with the coffee refills. On top of it all, the decor is beautiful. Sola for brunch should be on everyone's menu. It is in the top tier of brunch locations in Chicago.

    (5)

  • Alexandra S.

    Want a fine dining experience outside of the loop/downtown--head to Sola and you will not be disappointed. The hawaiian/asian influence on regional cuisine is brilliantly done. We tried the pot stickers and tuna tartare to start. The pot stickers were juicy and stuffed with tasty pork. The tartare was very tasty with a sticky rice on top which was a nice touch. I went for the crispy duck with five spice gnocchi. I still crave the gnocchi which were very flavorful. Desert was the red bean cake which was memorable for the salty iced cream and bacon praline. Cocktails are inventive and delicious, service is helpful, pleasant but not intrusive. Brunch here is also a delight if you want a lower priced option.

    (5)

  • Brendan O.

    Brunch at Sola has redifined the meaning of Brunch!! Had the crab cakes benidict and a rising sun Mimosa and both were delicious. Normally not a fan of hollindaise but the light lemon version at sola has converted me. The portion was filling and satisfying and the presentation was refreshing. The AM cocktail selection is great and the menu offers a nice variety of dishes. Ate on the patio but the dining room looks fun and inviting.

    (5)

  • Naum N.

    Admittedly being understaffed due to absence of a server that night, the service was fair. The food is memorable and dishes well made. The mac and cheese was a bit too creamy, though. I had the sturgeon and thought it turned out really well. The other party had the wagyu hangar which they thought was pretty good. The decor was okay, though I would say that they are attempting to cramp in 2-3 tables more than the initial layout called out for. It was a quite evening, though on a night when it is packed, one would be challenged to have a discreet conversation. So why the 3 stars? For the price, the food was decent, though not spectacular. The service, given the circumstances, pretty heroic. Hard to gauge that this is a regular occurrence or not. If Yelp would allow, it would be rated as 3.5 - struggled with a 4 though they are better than a 3. Would I come back? Yes though not going to rush back.

    (3)

  • Hao L.

    I love this place! The food is always delicious and has an asian/hawaiian influence that adds colorful flavors. The short ribs are boneless and plentiful, leaving enough to take home for a sandwich the next day. I had a venison special that was cooke medium rare and it melted in my mouth. The hoisin-mustard crusted tuna is also one of my favorites. The brunch is always good too...I recommend the banana and macadamia nut pancakes. The food isn't all. Great atmosphere, and you can dress casual and relaxed. The service is excellent also, makes me feel special even when I walk in with a baseball cap. The place is affordable for me as they always have coupons in the mail, and I also go to restaurant.com for $25 off.

    (5)

  • Emily A.

    Went here for lunch today...my first time here...and I was very pleased. The chicken salad is yummy and light. Not busy at all, so although the profile says this restaurant isn't good for kids, my friend and I were fine with my 11 week old and her 8.5 month old. The only bummer was that they didn't have their outdoor tables setup yet...quite possibly because today was the first day to see 76 degrees, and they weren't ready for it. Will definitely try this place again for dinner. P.S. They offer free wine on Fridays. Woohoo!

    (4)

  • david g.

    Went there for brunch today, and it was simply fantastic. the food was great, the space is simple, yet elegant, and the wait staff were extremely friendly and attentive. try it, you'll be happy.

    (5)

  • s y.

    Pluses: They are super nice. We were late for our reservation and they seated us right away anyway (it was busy), and when we didn't like the salad they brought us a new one no questions asked. They split plates for us without our even having to request it. They also recommended just the right amount of food, which I appreciated, not suggesting we order an extra three dishes we'd never eat. But the food was unfortunate. I never send food back, ever. But the salad was not a salad, it was a salt lick. So was our crab but by then we had given up. The scallops were not fresh (or maybe not real), the gnocchi was kind of interesting but nothing special, and the chicken was okay, but I could have made that myself. The complementary sample they brought was soggy and warm. The service was mostly friendly but slow at best. Even with the groupon, it wasn't worth it. And they have tacky signs everywhere reminding you to give large tips if you have one. Apparently they have no interest in actually improving to deserve it.

    (2)

  • Kathryn M.

    A friend and I dined outside on the patio on a warm summer night, and it couldn't have been more lovely. Plenty of room, not all cramped like many patios, and as the sun dipped down the candle on our table flickered appropriately while he sipped some craft beer and I enjoyed my manahtten garnished with brandied cherries. For appetizers we had the tuna tartar trio and artichoke fritters - all were good, but only one of the tuna tartar combos really wowed me. For dinner we had the short ribs and the fish of the day, as described by our server, who was busy and sometimes hard to flag down, yet always helpful and smiling. I thought it was all wonderful, but the food just lacked the special something that pushed me into the 5-star category. Overall, great location, great patio, great food.

    (4)

  • Daniel C.

    Sola ranks among one of my favorite brunch places. I love the fact that there is rarely a wait (I hate long waits just to have brunch, especially when hungry). The ambiance is very pleasant. In terms of food, the asparagus and sun dried tomato omelet is very good. They also have these small donuts with a couple of fruity dipping sauces that are fun and delicious. Their drinks are also pretty good. Perhaps the least impressive dish is the Hula Bowl, which despite its name and higher price, is just a basic breakfast combo. I also wished that they changed their brunch menu a bit, as we go there pretty often! I have only been to dinner once, since it is more expensive. The time I went they were having prix fixe dinner featuring bacon. I generally thought that it was pretty good, though perhaps it could be a bit cheaper.

    (4)

  • Diana S.

    It's more a 3.5 stars. I really wanted to like this place. We came here for dinner. I liked the simple and clean decor. We had the artichoke fritters and gnocchi. Then the mahi mahi and lobster risotto. For dessert, warm chocolate cake and banana ice cream sundae. The artichoke fritters were delicate and yummy. I didn't think the sauces did much for the fritters. The gnocchi, was an extremely tiny portion for the price. The mahi mahi, was the best part of the dinner. The fish was flaky and tender. The lobster risotto had no bite to the risotto and the flavor was not very rich. It also wasn't creamy enough. The desserts were pretty good though. Overall I was just surprised at the cost and portion size of the selections. It was pretty ironic considering the tables were covered with a big sheet of brown paper. The food was pretty good, but not worth the money. I would rather go to May Street Market for Asian inspired fine dining. However, I'm interested in trying the brunch here sometime.

    (3)

  • Terris A.

    Took my mom and 15 other friends to Sola last Saturday for Brunch. Great service, everything was ready for us and it was as good as it was before. Thank you!

    (5)

  • Barney G.

    Delicious food in a nice atmosphere, but too bad the table service is reminiscent of Applebee's. Even on a slow night with several open tables, when the first person at our table finished her entre, the busboys immediately removed the setting and cleared her place while the other three people at the table continued eating. This also happened to the second and third diner, leaving the forth diner to finish eating while the table had been almost completely cleared. Any fine restaurant would never start clearing the table until everyone at that table was done eating. I hope the service catches up with the cuisine.

    (3)

  • Gigi L.

    One of the best restaurants in the city. Every time I have come here, the experience is authentic and consistent, which goes a long way in my book. Carol Wallack used to be the personal chef for Jack Nicholson, so we say if it's good enough for Jack, it's good enough for us. She also used to live in Hawaii, and the menu is bent that way. The room is open, with a bar to the left and a 2 level dining room. There's a large 2 sided fireplace by the host desk, surrounded by an exotic looking wood. The color scheme is very natural and clean. In the summer they greatly expand their capacity by offering outdoor seating. Started out with an inventive well-blended drink from their cocktail menu. Refreshing. The basket with a variety of breads, cracker-like flatbreads and butter was first very satisfying, and made us hungry for more. We started with the endive salad with pear, and the heirloom tomato salad, simply dressed with microgreens and a shave of manchego cheese. Fresh and tasty. For entrees, we had lamb chops (perfectly cooked, stuffed with bleu cheese, and served with sesame spinach), the seared panko-crusted tuna (cooked rare and served with fried avocado and bamboo rice), and the braised shortrib (with hoisin and mixed veggies). Absolutely terrific. Everything is presented proudly and simply on oversized white china. We also ordered sides of truffle fries and mac and cheese for the table, and killed those too. Desserts are spectacular. Banana cream pie tartlettes, thai coffee creme brulee, baked haleakala and a hot fudge sundae with banana ice cream and macadamia nuts. Carol does the desserts too, which is quite astounding, given that places of this caliber frequently have separate pastry chefs. Portions are generous, service is smooth and attentive, and staff is friendly and knowledgable. Total for four people with tax, tip and booze was about $220. It's a fabulous place. Just fabulous.

    (5)

  • Stephanie S.

    One of more interesting cuisines in Chicago, Sola has always been on my list of to-dos and I am really glad to finally have made it there for what was a really memorable meal. After being seated at what was a truly uncomfortable, cramped, and jacked up table, the intrepid hostess promptly reseated us in a much better corner by the front windows. Boo for the jacked up table, hooray for the intrepid hostess! The menu, which is influenced by seasonal, local, and Hawaiian/ Asian flavors, covers a range of vegan options to full-on red meat entrees, which made my mixed group of vegetarians and unrepentant meat-eaters very happy. We ordered a varied lot of options, including the vegan soup of the day and the greens and grains meal. Everything was flavorful and rich, and obviously very fresh. The portions admittedly look small, but the dishes themselves are so hearty that everyone left feeling full. Desserts were very tasty -- the banana/mango/coconut concoction was very original, but the little apple tart with macadamia nut ice cream and flaky crust was without question the winner. Solid service and NO MUSIC also made the whole experience really topnotch. Blessed silence! Sola is damn good stuff and I will definitely be back to see what the new dishes are for the summer menu.

    (4)

  • James J.

    Judging by the 350 reviews, there's probably not much more I can say... This is great food, executed perfectly. You can taste the chef's confidence in every dish. The palette is clear. There is no guesswork. Not to say, there is no sense of adventure. This is the kind of menu where you wish you could try everything. We had Entrees: hangar, duck, salmon and tuna. All great. Apps: Shrimp and Peaches, Artichoke Fritters, Poke. Dessert: A cheesecake. Everything was fantastic minus the cheesecake (too much of that orange liquer taste). Sola used to be a "hotspot," and it has survived that period through consistency and good quality. I went here 3 years ago for the first time and it was just as good or better when I went on Tuesday. The identity was the same and that was not a bad thing at all. If you want a really nice dinner with a few foodie friends, Sola is always going to be a hit.

    (4)

  • K P.

    I've been to Sola twice, once last summer and again last night. I really like this place. I've had consistently good food, great service - not overbearing. From start to finish - we walked in and they checked our coats, a few minutes after we sat down we were given a lovely oxen amuse bouche (delish and JUST the right thing to whet our appetites), the service from the waitstaff was fantastic, and a genuine thanks from the host as we left! I tend to judge places on how well the waitstaff is able to pair wines with what I'm thinking about ordering. Last nights pairing of the Meritage ($11/glass) w/ the Tuna was perfect! Thanks to Wendy for that great suggestion. It's a little more expensive side ($45-50/pp) but for the yumminess of the food, wine and really great service, it's totally worth it. I can't wait to try it out for brunch!

    (4)

  • Julia W.

    Impeccable service, lovely food and a relaxed environment are really all I can ask for in a restaurant and sola delivered well on all fronts. The four of us enjoyed some flavorful pot stickers and a fantastic squash blossom appetizer with a bright cilantro sauce--very tasty and surprisingly light; a nice way to whet the appetite. The entrees were so enjoyed that no one was willing to share--a rarity for our group, indeed. My 4 wasabi-crusted scallops were enormous and delicious, prepared perfectly and immensely enjoyed--I even enjoyed the micro greens with enoki mushrooms and I am not a fungi kind of girl. Other entrees at the table included the flat iron steak and the striped bass and lamb specials, all which received rave reviews (although I heard the lamb was especially rich, stuffed with a yummy cambozola cheese as it was, but again, I didn't see anyone offering any samples from their plates). The heirloom tomato salad was scrumptious and the checkerboard beet salad artfully presented (not such a fan of beets, myself, but they sure looked pretty!). Dessert was not quite as orgasmic as I'd expected--the baked haleakala's chocolate cake was good, but nothing particularly amazing and the salted caramel ice cream is second to that at Hot Chocolate, but I did enjoy the toasted marshmallow flavors of the meringue. Next time I think I'd try the banana ice cream hot fudge sundae... Cocktails were very well-made and our server was fantastic--very attentive and kind, never obtrusive or rushed, and she made wonderful wine suggestions. I would say sola is on the pricey side, so it won't be my typical go-to for regular dinners out, but then again, it's not a "regular" type of place. It's much more special than that, so I would recommend it for a lovely date, special occasion or splurge with friends. I can't stop thinking about those scallops, so I'll have to make up some special occasion soon so I can go back again. :) 4.5 stars and a very happy birthday girl.

    (4)

  • Melanie B.

    Finally went back to Sola after moving away from the neighborhood, and it's as tasty as I remember. We went on a Friday with another couple. To start, we split both the steak tartare and the sweet potato gnocchi. I was reluctant to try the tartare, but the panko-crusted egg on top changed my mind. Delicious. The gnocchi was not what I expected -- darker, chewier -- but the veg with it were really tasty. For my entree, I ordered the kalua pork appetizer, served over banana bread. Killer, especially with the truffle frites. The hubs got the special truffle pasta, and it was super rich and yummy without overpowering. Our dessert was the apple crumble, and it was really great but hard to eat: the crunchy cinnamon bits kept spilling over the top as we tried to get to the ice cream...it was worth the effort. A nice note: our waiter was really cool, especially when we randomly made him tell us how tall he was.

    (4)

  • Shannon R.

    We went her for brunch this past weekend and it was great. From the mimosa to the chilaquiles, everything was divine. We started with the pastries from heaven for the table to share and they were delicious. The service was great as well whether it was the fact that my water glass was never empty or my coffee was always warm. Overall, a great experience.

    (5)

  • Theresa M.

    Update of my update. Easter Brunch...spectacular as usual. Had the Chilaquiles AGAIN. The Tortilla hash is out of this world! Family ordered steak and eggs (great), Big Kahuna, wild mushroom omelet, regular eggs potatos with toast, and the ham and cheese french toast. All was great. Will be back again!

    (5)

  • Gennadiy R.

    It's been almost 2 years since I've been to sola and I still have a very fond memory of the food and service. The service was okay (for the price of the food, you'd expect to be waited on hand and foot - but the food made up for it 100%. The Parmesan truffle fries come in a big cone of wax paper held in a metal holder, and once you start you can't stop munching on them. The entree, filet mignon - was especially well made and had a hint of Asian preparation in it. The salad was the best and funniest I've seen in my life - 4 different colored tomato quarters arranged linearly on a rectangular serving dish, drizzled with a vinaigrette. And it was about $10 for that. Anyway, the dessert was phenomenal - a warm tart with a shell balancing vanilla ice cream. The hot & cold really left a special place in my heart. Next time I'm in Chi city, I am coming back here.

    (5)

  • Karen A.

    Not cheap but damn good. I've been 3 times, each time exceptional. The cusine is american with a hawaiian/pacific twist, and I'll take it. I've had many of the specials, some almost leaving me in tears of joy from the overpowering elation of my tastebuds. The shortribs: best I've ever had. The mahi mahi was exquisite with a sauce that I wanted to put in an IV and mainlined into me. There is a great martini menu and if it is busy the bar is a cool place to hang. They also have a take out menu!! And the desserts? Sinners paradise! Nice place for a date. Nice place for an excellent tantalizing flavored meal. You'll need to make reservations on the weekends. Yum

    (5)

  • Borracho G.

    I've been there many time and it's a great place with excellent food. Staff is friendly and the prices are reasonable and you walk away satisfied. The must have appetizer's are the tuna poke or the truffle fries. For dinner the tuna is the best, it is a fine cut and melts in your mouth. The ribs are good and meat just falls of bone. The sides that come with the dinners are a bit small so I would advise getting apps first. I am a big vodka gimlet fan and they had this vodka from Wisconsin called Death's Door. I usually go for Grey Goose but this vodka was so smooth and they way they made it at the bar was great. The specialty drinks are great and I recommend the Manhattan with the infused cherries if you want a strong drink and if you want something fun try the Sneaky Pete.

    (5)

  • Matt M.

    If you're looking for a high quality brunch at reasonable prices, then Sola is the definite place to be. Not overly crowded, I've never had a difficult time getting a table around noon on weekends. Don't come here if you don't expect to leave in a food coma and/or with a third-trimester food baby. The adventurous kalua pork hash and rich short rib benedict are great combinations of flavors and the decadent chocolate chip banana bacon pancakes are incredible. Definitely take a trip to the northwest sometime soon to try Sola.

    (4)

  • A S.

    Kalua Pork, $11, is to die for. Overall, good experience - sophisticated menu and nice and relaxing atmosphere.

    (4)

  • John O.

    The goods: The service, food, and extreme attention to detail that you find here makes it well worth at least one trip. My wife loved the upscale mac & cheese side and truffled parmesan fries, while the mustard crusted lamb chops stuffed with cambazola cheese left me in awe. The bads: Yet another restaurant where you can't even hear yourself think if you have the misfortune to be there during peak hours. The entrees are quite expensive and although usually worth it, you aren't exactly getting a deal or anything. Brunch at Sola might just be the best time to be there: its usually not as crowded and you get the same amazing "culinary craftsmanship" in a breakfast dish as you do for dinner (but for only 1/3 the price!)

    (4)

  • Emily B.

    I was sadly disappointed by our dinner at Sola. My mom, sister, and a friend were in town for the weekend and I was excited to show them "the next step up" in dining based on their norm. When looking in from outside it looks like Sola is a cozy little restaurant, but as soon as you open the door, you are hit with a roar of noise and heat. Our server was delightful and incredibly helpful, cocktails were tasty, but the food after our amuse was just nothing special....soggy truffle fries, plain looking plates of food with barely interesting sauces. We decided to share a creme brulee which was topped with a fun salted caramel crunch, but was cold underneath and again, not memorable in presentation either.

    (2)

  • Tara M.

    I must say, Sola wasn't as fantastic as I'd hoped. We went earlier this month for my birthday dinner, and while it was very good it wasn't the 5-star experience I had been expecting. Though the Dale sighting was fun, no matter how disappointed I was that my friends had no idea who he was. We were about 20 minutes late for our reservation, because the weather was miserable that night. But we were seated right away, much to my surprise. The atmosphere was nice, though I do think that they tried to cram a few too many tables in the space. We might as well have been at the same table as our neighbors, as we eyed each others' food and my table cautiously eavesdropped on their awkward date. Appetizers and desserts were excellent. Entrees were well done, but my male friends were a little concerned about their size (or lack thereof). By the time we had wrapped up dessert, we were cutting it close to the time that we were supposed to be elsewhere, so I asked the waiter to bring the check after we put in our dessert order. He didn't, so we asked again as we were finishing our desserts and it took at least another 15 minutes. We had let him know at the beginning of the meal that we had somewhere to be, so his lack of promptness was a little disappointing. But otherwise he was fun, knowledgeable and paid us just the right amount of attention. I've heard from others that the best time to eat at Sola is in March/April, so I'll definitely give it another try then!

    (4)

  • Jennie S.

    Update: Someone pretty interesting is now a waiter at this restaurant....I won't spoil it for you! I'm a big brunch person (in case you've noticed my other reviews : ) ). Our group made reservations prior to coming. We were met by a hostess who seated us immediately. The atmosphere is sunny with a classy casual theme. I felt comfortable the moment I walked in and sat down. Because the restaurant is a little more open, the acoustics in the restaurant are not the greatest. It makes people's voices carry. We also saw a number of families with small children there, which added to the mix. Our group was fine with it, but you may want to rethink coming here if your are bothered with a lot of secondary noise. I really liked their brunch drinks, but their prices add up when the bill comes around! I was a big fan of their palmango mimosa. I also tried their Red Dawn mimosa which was also yummy. As for the meals, Unfortunately, I didn't care for my Matzo Brei. The inside was dry and the outside was greasy and way over seasoned. The huevos benedictos was delicious! The Onion Pie that my friend had was SOOO good, I found myself secretly wishing he would leave so I could steal more off his plate. I thought the brunch was good all in all, but I have places I prefer over Sola. I heard through the grapevine that Sola's dinner is fantastic. I will most definitely be venturing back to see what the fuss is about!

    (4)

  • Inna T.

    Best meal we've had in a long time. The Tuna Trio App was very tasty. The Eel Turine was to die for (perfectly combined flavors that you would not expect). The Crusted Tuna was. . .well, just WOW! The Halibut was very good. The Lava Cake was amazing and the cheese plate was well thought out. The room was bustling and loudish, but in a good way. The service was very good and the waiter's recommendations were dead on. Not overpriced at all. We left very satisfied with $$ still left in our wallet. A+

    (5)

  • Allison M.

    Excellent service. Very good food. Variety is good.

    (4)

  • Tony S.

    It's so unfair you can't give half marks as I would give Sola 4.5/5. I had a great evening, the food was tasty and the prices weren't as expensive as I thought they would be based on some of the whining below. Service was brilliant and non intrusive and the waitress overheard me wishing my partner happy Birthday and he got a special Birthday desert. So the nice waitress definately earned her 20%. I found it a tad too noisy but not distressingly so and the decor was a bit too orangy/beige but they were the only negative comments. Appetizers: Sweet Potato soup - Delicious with a hint of apple Tuna Poke - Subtle Wasabi, very tasty Mains: - Some fish, I forget but quite a small portion that ended up being perfectly portioned. - 3 stuffed lamb chops, very tasty and perfectly cooked Sides: - Parmesan, fries. Oh my god I would sell my brother for these. Super fab but 1 portion enough for 2! - Onion sticks: Less immediate fabulousness but longer term yumminess. Simply delicious. Desert: Complimentary 3 Birthday chocs & candle nice touch Some graham cracker, marshmallow thing which was OK but said partner who didn't want a desert ended up being a lardy and eating most of it. Isn't it always the way. Great night out would defo recommend. We had: 2 appetizers, 2 mains, 1 desert, 1 Glass wine ($10) 1 cocktail ($11). Total bill $120 plus tip for 2.

    (4)

  • Michelle Z.

    This place was good but not great. Very pretty restaurant. I ordered the barramundi for dinner. Perfectly cook, nice crust and great flavor. I thought the portion of the fish was great but I was a little disappointed in how small the sides were. It came with sauteed artichokes and green beans. I think there were four green beans on the plate. The beans were tied like a rope...um, ok. Cute, but I would rather have a respectable portion than a fancy presentation. My friend had the tuna. I've had better. Tuna that is. Little fatty but it was ok. For apps we shared a salad. Topped with hearts of palm, on the side it had cooked eel mixed with banana or plantains. Different but good. We also shared a side of coconut creamed spinach. Very tasty but a few bites were enough. Service was nice. We went early and the place was empty but the server didn't "over serve" us. Love that!

    (4)

  • Sarah Z.

    The food was very good, the service was very good.. but what is so special about Sola? Is it because of it's *unexpected* location? I went here for dinner and we had the fried artichoke which was good. I had the salmon with teriyaki. It was good, but nothing I don't make at home a few times a month. We sat outside, and I arrived after my friend was already seated so I didn't see the inside and can't comment on the atmosphere. I will give it another try, but I just wasn't blown away.

    (3)

  • Lee W.

    I was here this past weekend and was very much looking forward to going. The food was excellent, but the service was wayyyy beyond sub-par. Being ignored for 30 minutes after you sit down (and rarely seeing your waiter throughout the entire meal) is downright unacceptable -- particularly when you're shelling out $100+ for two for dinner. The food was good -- but given the horrible service -- I won't be rushing back. So long, Sola!

    (3)

  • Marisa N.

    Tonight was my second time at Sola and I was so glad we came back again. We are always trying something new and rarely return to our favorites. It was even more perfect than I remember. The portions are larger than any restaurant in its class, every single dish we had was delicious and impossible not to finish. We had the steak tartar and kailua pig appetizers, both fantastic and unique. The Kailua was a huge portion! We shared a crispy mushroom salad which was plenty for two. It had cheese in it called pleasant ridge which really put it over the top. For dinner we had the Cobia fish (perfectly cooked and seasoned), and the waygu beef. Yum!! Medium rare is the way to go. We had a side of crispy brussel sprout leaves with our entrees and loved them! We ended up sopping up the delicious sauce from our entrees with the brussel sprouts. I would recommend this restaurant to any foodie!

    (5)

  • Christophe A.

    I've eaten at Sola a few times in the past and always had a great meal. Last night was my first time eating at Sola since learning I need to eat gluten-free and dairy-free and need to mostly avoid soy and egg. I called ahead to let them know of my food allergies. When we arrived they had a gluten-free menu waiting and the waitress already knew of my food restrictions. She went out of her way to check with the kitchen about the dishes I was interested in and let me know what was safe and what could be accommodated with alterations. Everything I ate was delicious. If you have to eat gluten-free (and can freely eat soy), this is an amazing restaurant with a gluten-free menu that rivals the regular menu. I was especially excited to eat the soft-shell crab since at most places it is battered or dredged in flour and then fried. At Sola it was cooked in a delicious sauce with a side of pork belly. It was wonderful. My only suggestion is to put the gluten-free menu on their website. We will definitely be returning to Sola.

    (5)

  • J B.

    I went to Sola last night ( on a tuesday). We had a reservation for 7:45 and had to call because we were running 10 minutes late. The restaurant appeared fine with it, but acted the complete opposite when we arrived. After we were seated we were rushed to order and told that the kitchen closes at 9. While our food came fast, our waiter was extremely pushy and really didn't care to provide service to our table. When we asked for his recommendation he had no response. The entire experience was uncomfortable..... to top it off with spending over $100.00!!!! For that price I expect high=end service. Don't waste your time or your money.

    (2)

  • Kerry D.

    Back to being as amazing as it used to be! One of the best brunch options in town, great food and service! I've only been for brunch, but it was delicious! I had the BF omelet, which was so good- but a friend ordered the pancakes for the table---they were the best ever! We're all going back to get them. I Will have to try for dinner sometime. Great atmosphere too.

    (4)

  • Dana P.

    I had dinner here Wednesday night and then went back last night with Andrea W and others because I'm obsessed with this restaurant. Andrea covered most of our meal with her review so I won't go into much detail besides saying that you have to try this restaurant! I loved the miso cod and the mac & cheese is to die for! Sola was packed both on Wednesday and last night (Saturday) so call ahead for a reservation!

    (5)

  • Barry J.

    The kids are away so the wife and I treated ourselves to Sola last night. Wife had the miso black cod. It was so delicious that she actually refused to share a single bite with me. It's served with "forbidden black rice." That sounds kind of racy doesn't it? Well up until the rice part perhaps. SAT style analogy: deleece/salmon, sola/cod. Signature fish dishes for a thousand Alex. I had one of their three specials, a 12 oz. ribeye steak with corn / mushroom hash and broccoli rabe. Like everyone else (according to the waitress) I ordered mine M/MR; it arrived still pretty red in the center but with a nice char outside. My cut was very tender. The sauce was rich and heady but I am too embarassed at the poverty of my ability to accurately invoke the flavor to even make the attempt. The steak was so large and the flavor so rich and indulgent that I decided at first bite to save enough for the next day so as not to overwhelm my peasantlike capacity to appreciate the experience. In fact I just finished the leftover portion at my desk so I am a little intoxicated again. Wow that's good. OK I'll try to compose myself so you can decide what to order. There is a $29 beef tenderloin entree on their regular menu that the waitress thought was in fact better than my special ribeye. That's better among equals, like in the tour de france when one rider actually wins the final sprint, but there were five riders in contention, and they all get the same finish time, and they are all fantastically gifted and worthy of the win. Thank you very much. You might also want to try the spareribs. I heard they are amazing, I just couldn't order a prole cut of meat at a posh resto like this. They had a lamb chop special too but as they were stuffed with very rich french cheeses, it sounded a bit much on a dark and stormy summer night. But undoubtedly excellent. We noshed on an order of their truffle Parmesan fries for openers. It arrived in a wax paper cone upright in a fountain milkshake schooner. Delicious of course but let's explore the broader context a bit. I thought it was a bit of a dirty trick on the chef's part to offer such a pandering side dish. Who doesn't love fresh cut fries? Cheddar shmeddar, let's put parmesan on 'em! Ooh, truffle oil too! Maybe she was stoned when she dreamt this one up. Eating the fries made me feel desperate and I ended up matching the wife 2 for 1 on these. This made my side of the conversation a little clumsy and awkward at times but fortunately there were no major bite wounds on my fingers afterwards. Yes I'd go back just for the fries. Just need to calm down a bit. Lots of girlie cocktails on their drink card but we flipped that over and opted for some nice american microbrews. I had Bitter End, a satisfying IPA. Apologies for sounding negative here but why are you other yelpers going tentpole on mac and cheese? And breadbaskets? Had a side of mixed beans. Very crisp, again with the rich dressing. Service was good. Decor pleasant. Good sound system and choice of music. The meal left us very satisfied. We skipped dessert but had a few cups of their good coffee. Got out of there for well under a hundy, thanks to the wife's timely acquisition on an online coupon.

    (5)

  • Joseph O.

    The flavor profiles are right up my alley. The location is also fairly convenient for me. I want to love this place, but execution in the kitchen can be slightly off. Let me begin with the tuna poke. It's an appetizer I must get every time I eat here. The ingredients meld together flawlessly. They should never, ever stop serving it. They used to serve a sea greens salad that was phenomenal, but it's no longer on the menu. I pray they don't do that with the poke. Since my must have dish is an appetizer, I still get to sample a good portion of the entrees. Bread service features a boring multi-grain, excellent peppery flatbread and a fantastic pretzel roll. The pretzel roll is featured on the burger, which comes with a simple yet tasty asian slaw. I recently had the short ribs, which were extremely salty. I could have done without the hoisin and soy. A reduction of the braising liquid would have been fine with me. To counter the saltiness, the dish came with citrus sections that were WAY too tart (I don't know the name of the fruit, but it was the size of a persimmon and the taste of a very intense white grapefruit). As I mentioned earlier, slightly off. Desserts are utterly forgettable. I would like them to completely revamp the dessert menu. At best, it's boring. The room is laid out very nicely, with tables comfortably apart. Service is efficient, but can be a bit hovering at times. The pricing is a little high, especially for the neighborhood. They do offer a prix-fixe that is a good deal, and it's usually themed. Plenty of street parking is available. They offer valet, but it's not really necessary. I enjoy eating here, but I often leave with the feeling that my meal was good, but could have been exceptional with a little tweak here and there. The poke is proof that the kitchen is capable of producing outstanding dishes. I wish that level of excellence was more prevalent than it is.

    (4)

  • Stephanie L.

    Went to Sola last night with some girlfriends. Its a cute little place tucked away on Lincoln. When we got there, the restaurant had about 4 other tables. Its a cute little restaurant. The waiter took our wine order. Then we ordered some appetizers, we had the potstickers and some sort of crispy mushroom salad...the salad was pretty good, lots of good flavor with the greens, dressing and a little cheese. I didnt have any of the potstickers but my friends said they were yummy. They also brought out a selection of breads, which of course, everyone loves. They had this amazing flat crispy, peppery "bread." It was so good and peppery, which I totally love. Then we went on to order our entrees. I think that our waiter was a little stand offish because we all were gabbing the whole time. I had to ask what the greens and grains special was and he had to check on it...it was risotto, mushrooms and squash. Then my friends asked for some suggestions and the waiter highly recommended the tuna so one got that and the other got the mahi mahi. Well, the greens and grains was fab. The tuna...YUMMY! It was crispy crust and raw on the inside, I totally know why the waiter liked it so much. The mahi mahi...nothing to write about. It actually was a little chewy and just nothing special. Overall the dinner was a success. We also had some sort of banana sundae with nuts and chocolate...oooooo, it was good. Plus, a dessert martini made just right. I liked the restaurant...I didnt LOVE the restaurant. Its pretty good food, a cute little place. We each spent about $60, not too bad but not fantastic either. I probably wont go back just because even though it was good, it wasnt WOW, I would actually probably give it 3.5 stars...YELP you gotta get into the half stars!!! I am a big fan of halves!

    (4)

  • Suz C.

    Great place for a first date, girls' dinner, or a grown-ups meal. I wouldn't really recommend for families or children. Not only did I not see any children, I didn't really see anything on the menu for them nor did I see any high-chairs or the sort. My BF and I visited Sola this past weekend. Sola is located near Byron and Lincoln - although it has a Lincoln Avenue address, it is actually more solidly on Byron Street. It has ample outdoor seating, and a relatively spacious indoor dining area. The decor is contemporary, Zen-like, and simple with its boxy-square theme (the menus are square, the plates are square, etc.). The place was a tiny bit more upscale than casual (you might feel a tad bit out of place if you wear shorts or ripped jeans), but I did see a couple of people in shorts (who looked outta place). There is a lovely little bar area. We were a tad bit early, but we were not seated until 10-15 minutes after our reservation's time. Oh well, we enjoyed a drink at the bar. Unfortunately the hostess sat us at a table right next to the fireplace at a table that I felt was "hidden" from view. Plus, the smell of gas emanating from the fireplace was a little troubling. I was ready to pull a Smokey the Bear routine and tackle anyone who was going to try to smoke near us. Sure enough, our table location proved to be a problem as we received verrrrrry slow and forgetful service. Our server didn't come by for about 35 minutes after we sat down. Our drinks didn't appear until 20 minutes later. I think we saw our server a total of 2 times. Other servers brought our meals out, refreshed our drinks, and brought us our bill. They forgot one of our dishes. Our server showed up towards the end of our meal to ask us how the food was. My BF was a little upset that I left a 15% tip (I usually tip 20-25%) and thought I should have left 10% to send a stronger message. Although I felt that the sh*tty service primarily resulted from placement at such an odd location (like they shoved a table into this small space just to have another table), my BF is probably right that this reason didn't justify the bad service. The food was amazing! Kudos to the chef. Sola presents American contemporary cuisine with a pan-Asian twist. The tuna was perfectly cooked with just enough flavor - I usually lament about seared tuna entrees as having either too much or too bland sauce, but Sola does it just right. Tuna melted like butta in my mouth. My BF's flat iron steak was soft and tender as well, cooked to perfection. Our plates were nearly licked clean! We also ordered mac-n-cheese, but they had forgotten to bring the dish out and by the time they did, it was soupy and a little bit undercooked. Finally, don't overlook dessert! I had a hard time deciding between the Thai iced coffee creme brulee, the banana cream pie and the chocolate cake, but we went with the chocolate cake dessert. We were not disappointed, although it was a tad bit tiny for 2 people. They have a decent selection of port/dessert wines, too. Breakdown of Rating (Almost 3.5 stars, but because the food was so damn good...4 stars): 5 for the food 4 for the ambiance 2 for the service

    (4)

  • Karen L.

    I still need to go here for dinner, but I got to try the brunch again. I really can't remember what I had last time but this time I ordered the Kalua Pork Hash. So yummy and a huge portion! I was stuffed. I also tried my friend's hawaiian donut-like dish... also very tasty. I love the atmosphere and really do want to try it for dinner.

    (4)

  • David B.

    While I am delighted that haute cuisine is manifest destinying northward, I need more than proximity to the hood to return to Sola. Sola's decor leans toward mod with clean lines and patterned booths. Yet, its modernistic tones tandem with little comfort in seating. The setting is, however, intimate, and the tables spaced enough to engender casual or romantic interludes. On this particular night, it was packed, yet unintrusive. We initially sidled up to the bar while awaiting our table. The bartender and wait staff were efficient and friendly. The bartender pointed us to wines by the glass and the omnipresent flavored martini list. While both seemed appealing, they connote an identity tension with what will please the bar crowd in the hood and what will match the menu with thought. The menu at Sola leans toward Thai fusion with a touch of French and American influence. The flavors strive to be big, but the execution missed. We began with artichoke fritters that were both overdone and overbreaded. While I was looking for a tempura-esque preparation that would allow me to taste an artichoke, I was slammed with cornmeal and pepper that would be better suited to a fried meat or fish. We next tried salads, and the sea greens salad is a standout. We proceeded to a pumpkin seed encursted mahi mahi and a venison tenderloin that were good, and are both best described as solid. The mahi crust was tasty and the fish properly meaty without being overdone. But the combination of flavors was difficult to discern from a nut or bread crust cooked under high heat. The venison was, as the mahi, good, but the bacon wrapped around it lacked both crispness and saltiness that would have better complimented the rare and brilliantly gamey venison loin. My compliments, however, to the vendor that provided the venison, its consistency, presentation and inherent flavor were spot on. The wait staff was a bit laid back, a little too much so. Our waiter did not know much about the menu beyond the specials he had memorized, could not answer wine questions, and was unfamiliar with what after-dinner drinks the bar stocked. He was equally somewhat tired in his service and had mentioned more than once that he was quite exhausted. I was too, after a long day of work, but I didn't mention that to him.... For the cost of admission, we were looking for more than solid from Sola. With tax and tip, and a bottle of wine, we left with a 180 bill. I have no compunction about paying that to dine, but it simply was not worth it just to be able to walk down the street and back . Moreover, I don't need to ever notice that I am eating with IKEA flatware while I am settling that bill. Sola is an interesting entre' into a neighborhood that is sorely lacking in restaurants of its type. It had its high notes, but, I can say little more than it was interestingly unremarkable. I doubt we will return knowing that two Sola visits would equal one visit to Arun's.

    (3)

  • Al Y.

    Great place...excellent food, nice wine list, definitely try the tuna poke and the kalua potstickers. I've been here numerous times and have never had a bad experience. Also, they have a very nice brunch, with a great outdoor seating area, which will come in handy as the al fresco season approaches.

    (5)

  • Mike M.

    Outstanding meal from start to finish. I definitely want to go back and explore more of the menu.

    (5)

  • Kelli F.

    I dined here with my best friend this past Saturday night. The weather was beautiful, so chose to dine outside on their patio. Beautiful atmosphere out there, and service did not lag, which is always a concern of mine. There was a table available, so we were seated right away - rare for a Saturday night walk-in. We started dinner around 8pm. The amuse was delicious and unexpected. They have a wonderful beer and wine menu. I tried a new Pear Hard Cider that I had never had before and am now in love with. Bread basket was good - homemade tuile is a nice touch, loved the Hawaiian sea salt on the butter, perfect touch. We ordered and shared quite a few plates including: scallops, grilled octopus, onion strings, Waygu beef tartar (to die for) and the beet salad. The server was so sweet and gave beautiful descriptions of all of the menu items...she sold me on dessert, which is really hard to do. They have an amazing and fun selection of housemade ice creams and sorbets, and I ordered the banana ice cream fudge sundae because our server made it sounds so yummy - it delievered! This place has a lot of things going for it. The decor is modern and beautiful without being stuffy and pretentious, the restrooms are beautiful and better yet, they were really clean! Anyone can appreciate that. Kudos to the Chef and the staff, I will be back soon to check out your next seasonal menu! Thanks for exceeding my expectations, this place is going to be around for a while!

    (4)

  • Matt N.

    Hard not to get five stars when so much attention is paid to the details. We met some friends at the bar after work on a Friday and had a bottle of northern california cabernet (pretty decent and varied wine selection) before dinner. If you don't have a reservation for dinner get there before 7:00, after that the place fills in. The interior is well done and interesting (it doesn't get too loud). The pendant lights are cool and plentiful but don't overwhelm the space. The gas fireplace would be cooler if it were real. The menu was amazing, but five of us ending up ordering off the the special menu for the evening because it sounded so good. And lets be honest, if you order a special it is like you are getting in on some big secret. I had the lamb which was cooked to perfection... very tender. They had a lobster pot sticker that night too which should not be missed. The bartender was very nice and talkative. The waiter for dinner could have been a little more personable but still did a great job.

    (5)

  • Jessica C.

    Sola never disappoints. Make your reservations early and go.

    (5)

  • Jennifer G.

    maybe i'm impartial cause i went with my friend who works there, maybe i'm impartial cause i want to at least date eggs benedict in any form. i don't know, but we went there for brunch and while i've only had versions of their benedicts, i can say with a firmness i didn't know that i possessed: do yourself a FLAVOR and get the Short Rib Benedict. seriously. the egg was cooked perfectly to my satisfaction, the biscuits were divine, the hollandaise sauce was on point and the pesto that they do with the h. sauce makes it even more incredible. p.s. those are short ribs on top of your eggs benedict, how can you be upset? also to note and not to be ignored: the staff was positively friendly (and not in an overbearing fake kind of way) and helpful and attentive.

    (5)

  • Isabella W.

    Came here before and after Dale (from Top Chef) started working here, and it's been consistently good - espcially for a Hawaiian restaurant. Also have tried their 'sister' restaurant, Deleece, and it's equally good. I love the drink menu, the entrees/apps/desserts are consistently good. Appertizers overall were good - had the crabcakes, duck salad - both yummy. Definitely order the "gourmet" mac n cheese and truffle fries. I've had the short ribs, duck, porkchop there - all delicious. I've also had the barramudi (something like that ), which is a steaky white fish, and it was suprisingly good. For dessert, had the chocolate cake and apple dessert - presentation and taste were wonderful. Looking forward to try out the brunch!

    (4)

  • Keara K.

    I was so excited to try Sola. After reading the Yelpers reviews, always being up for a new dining experience, and not to mention, the perfect ending to a romantic date with my hubby, we were there. Unfortunately, the moment we were seated, it all went downhill from there. The menu is fantastic. I will give Sola that. The bread was good, and the busser (who refilled our water) was on the ball. Our server was cold and seemed like she'd rather be somewhere else, especially when we didn't order wine or cocktails with our meal. I ordered mixed greens to start with, and the dressing was great- a passion fruit vinegarette, but the greens were wilty, and for $6, I was hoping for more than a tiny handful of California greens. But it happens. The entrees were very tasty- hubby ordered the Bacon Prie Fixe, and he enjoyed it. I ordered the 1/2 Chicken, which was very good, although the rice was *really* squishy and overcooked. Our deserts were okay, but nothing memorable, with the exception for the bacon ice cream. My hubby liked it, but the taste of bacon overpowered the bite I tried. So here's my problem with Sola... Not only was the ambience waaaay to stuffy-- I felt uncomfortable my whole dining experience (and I've worked in upscale restaurants- I'm really easy to please), but the service was not good. My hubby went to the bathroom, and when he was gone, the server came by, said "ugh" and refolded his napkin on the table. Also, we had a $25 Gift Certificate from restaurant.com , and they apparently had decided we couldn't use it *after* we were finished eating, and that we should "come back another day". Then table next to us, an older and more affluent looking table had a gift cert. as well, and then our server came over and said "Well, I guess you can use it, but don't go telling any of your friends". Whatever. At least we could get our check and leave. We paid cash, and left her a good 20+% tip, and she seemed irritated as she took the check from us. No smile, no genuine thank you, nothing. Not a very welcoming experience. So, I'm happy others have enjoyed their Sola experiences, and perhaps we went on an off night, but we won't be back. The food was good, but the service was just rotten.

    (2)

  • D R.

    It must be that the chef owns the place or something, because this place just keeps it together. I'm guessing that the brunch menu has been updated recently because we had some great items that I don't remember being an option previously. Possibly the best in that neighborhood. Wonderful brunch.

    (4)

  • Bethany L.

    I have to say I was not as impressed with Sola as most people seem to be. My roommates took me there for brunch on my birthday this year, a Sunday. I had read their menu online and was looking forward to some outstanding but decently priced food. Maybe it's because I stuck with a more traditional dish (Eggs Benedict), but I didn't find anything to write home about. The portion was rather small, and the potatoes it was served with were not my taste. I also got the blood orange mimosa, which was a little heavy on the liquor. My roommate got the tropical mimosa, which was delicious. The best part was that Top Chef Dale (as he seems to be known around these parts) served me my eggs. I didn't realize it was him until he was back inside, but it was a nice brush with fame. Still, I don't know if I'd return to Sola for brunch again. Maybe dinner is better.

    (3)

  • Lil G.

    I am in love with this place. My sweetie took me here on Valentine's Day. I know, I know... I can't believe we succumbed to the hype of a day that Hallmark created, but that's beside the point... sola was great. Great food, great atmosphere, great service. We felt well taken cared off despite the craziness of that day. I had the seared scallops with risotto and it was delicious. Perfectly cooked and seasoned and my risotto was creamy and heavenly. Hubby had the beef tenderloin and it hit the spot for him too and mine as well (hey, sharing is caring!). For dessert, I had the Soft Center Chocolate Cake with sesame brittle ice cream and wasabi vanilla bean syrup and it was insanely good. Hubby had the green tea creme brulee and it was good, but not as awesome as we thought it would be, but we still licked the bowl clean. Overall, I feel that they have done Hawaiian/Asian fusion cuisine justice. I know there's plenty of other places who try to do this but end up falling short. Sola gets it right. This is easily going to become one of my favorite restaurant destinations in the city. Oh, and i feel that I need to also add this on here, but we had a Dale sighting!! :P

    (5)

  • K C.

    they have great food but yeah it's pricey...so if you're starving and you want good eatssss dont eat here...but if you're trying to impress a date, this place is great! just make sure you ate before you come here. Their tuna is so good but how i wish it has a bigger serving...it was so small that i finished eating it in less than 5 mins...left this place still hungry, but hey what can we do, this is one of the high end restaurant in north center. But ive been to lots of expensive restaurants, they dont give you this small serving tho...ill give it another try tho...taste wise it's delicious, servers are great...

    (3)

  • Gfiddy F.

    Happy take-away customer - great macaroni & cheese.

    (5)

  • Blah B.

    We had our work x'mas party a year ago..oops I meant to say Holiday party. (my boss is Jewish) The food was amazing tho looking at the menu it's changed a bit since I was here last. I know we had the lamb chops, pork and fish and it was all delicious. I hate when I can't remember something! Hmmm.....I probably need to come back asap to refresh my memory;)

    (4)

  • K E.

    Creative, delicious food. We ordered soup, salad, an appetizer, and an entree from the specials list, in addition to the truffle parmesean fries and dessert. Everything was great. Great beer list as well. One of my favorite casual dining experiences in Chicago!

    (5)

  • Jeremiah S.

    I recently made it to Sola for the first time with some friends and everyone enjoyed it greatly. We made the mistake of not having reservations, however, so we ended up waiting at the bar for approximately 45 minutes. Their martini/beer menu is filled with many fun options to peruse at the bar. We ordered the artichoke fritters to munch on while we waited, which were good but not anything special. As entrees, we got the steak filet, seared scallops, miso black cod, and the truffle parmesan fries as a side. Everything was delicious, but my favorite was the wasabi crusted seared scallops. Our waiter, who was very knowledgeable and attentive, suggested a bottle of the 2004 'Footbold' Shiraz, which was a success with everyone. We ended the evening with the chocolate creme brulee and the soft center chocolate cake -- both were amazing. Overall, an amazing restaurant perfect for a romantic evening or a small group. It's certainly not inexpensive by any means, but I found it well worth the cost.

    (5)

  • stephen r.

    Service was great, the food and presentation was top notch. It was simply a positive experience. I had the short ribs, on recommendation from a friend and my wife had the flat iron steak. We shared the truffle Parmesan fries.

    (4)

  • Event P.

    Stopped in for brunch with my 18-month old daughter and wife. They have a large space, very well organized and the service was great. Expediators helped get the food out while it was hot, server accommodated a shortage of shrimp for their wasabi bloody mary with a $2 credit, and the braised short rib benedict was out of this world. Will be back soon!

    (4)

  • XO K.

    Sola could improve a few things in the ambiance department, and I suppose it didn't help that there was a table of 10 or 12 very obnoxious guests not 15 feet from us didn't help much. The decor is nice, but it's a bit open and could be cozier. That said, the food was wonderful and the service great. The menu was fairly limited, but I still had a bit of trouble settling on an entree because they all sounded so good. Creative without getting too esoteric and, as it turned out, prepared perfectly. The portions were perfect, too. I just managed to eat all of my dinner. I have to agree with Courtney about the noise, too, though I am not sure how the food could be "too flavored" unless that means over-salted or something. I had a bit of difficulty hearing the waitress, but she was very nice and happily repeated herself when necessary. I can't deduct too many points for that in a restaurant in Chicago, as it seems most restaurants I visit are quite loud. Overall a great time with great food.

    (4)

  • Darlene L.

    Brought some friends here over the weekend after enjoying a great brunch on a previous visit. This time I was a little disappointed. The Champagne cocktail needed more blood orange liqueur to sweeten it up a bit. Eggs Benedict were a mixed bag. The eggs were light and delicious in a smooth sauce but the bacon was a tough pork tenderloin. Should stick with Canadian. Huevos benedictos were quite spicey and the omelet was good. Service was ok. The noise level was also not as bad as my previous visit when both rooms were packed.

    (3)

  • Jen C.

    WOW... I dunno what the point of writing a review is since there are already 170+ reviews, but I'm going to do it anyway! I kept hearing good things about this place - esp from my friend Cindy D. I LOVED it here! Parking - easy metered street parking. Seemed plentiful. Ambiance - beautiful. I'm not sure why they choose to put brown butcher paper over their nice white tablecloths...I think that takes away from the "nice" restaurant feel, but I guess it's easier to clean and maintain. :P It would be nicer if they got rid of it. They have a lot of nice outdoor seating as well (no dogs allowed in the outdoor seating area.) Service: Great! Food - delicious! Everything we ordered was awesome. Appetizers: Like everyone says, the truffled parmesan fries are delicious - YUM!!! The Kahlua Potstickers were also good - very meaty. (complimentary) Amuse Bouche (sp?): yum - also loved it! When we went, it was a bit of gazpacho. Entrees: We ordered scallops, the wagyu steak, tuna, salmon, and pork chops. All awesome. I don't even like seafood - and I always try it whenever we're out and I still don't like it - but I LOVED the Tuna! I was in shock that I liked seafood! Amazing. Dessert: Awesome sorbet flight and chocolate molten cake. Plus, since it was my birthday, they also gave a complimentary dish with 3 orange chocolate truffles! Very nice of them. :) Moola - entrees are around $25-$35... so I'd say about $40-$50 per person. Definitely worth it! I will be back again! This is definitely up there as one of my new fave restaurants! :)

    (5)

  • Jenna G.

    Impeccable service. Ask for Karen as your server (love her!). Staff keeps thorough records on your visits ... they make the experience incredibly personal. Oh, and the food will not disappoint! Fantastic menu, unique and wonderful. LOVE.

    (5)

  • Charlie B.

    Wow! I was at this place a week ago and cant' wait to return. There were four of us and we each had an appetizer and entree and tried each others dishes. Every singe dish turned out really amazing and yummy. I want to keep coming back and work my way through the whole menu!

    (5)

  • Kitty L.

    The food is solid here but lacks the creativity I would expect at a restaurant with these kind of prices. The apetitizers ranged from $6 to ~$12, the entrees from $20 to $30, but the menu is pretty standard, with no really no original items on the menu. The food is heavily focused on seafood with a tendency to sweet flavors (sauces/accompaniments that are fruits, figs, etc.). For example, the tuna tartare I had for an apetitizer was standard. The scallops I had were better than average (not rubbery and not too salty), but similar to other seafood places I've been to. Beware of "medium rare" lamb that is very red - it was their special for the night, so while it was tasty it seemed like it was breaded with shake 'n' bake. Service is a bit slow. The decor is modern and clean, with outdoor patio seating as well. Hooray for heating lamps! All in all, a good restaurant that will satisfy - but not one that I give raving reviews.

    (3)

  • Edward G.

    Wonderful brunch, great staff, ambiance, food, table. Really enjoyed it.

    (4)

  • Erin C.

    We went here on a monday night and really enjoyed ourselves. Interestingly, there was a certain waiter there that i recognized from a certain food-related television show on bravo. I won't spoil it for you though. We started with drinks. My husband was impressed by their eclectic beer menu and tried a few different varieties that aren't usually present at restaurants. I had the effen cherry vodka with cream soda and brandied cherries...yum! Later I had this amazing drink with chambord, vodka, and a bunch of fruit juices....lovely! Let me tell you, two drinks is all a person needs here, even when you absolutely stuff yourself with food. We gorged ourselves on the bread basket enough so we actually skipped an appetizer, a rarity for us. They had pretzel rolls! Yum! I ordered the special Hawaiian sea bass with veggies, basil risotto and the most amazing light lemony sauce. It was seriously amazing. My husband had the special cheese stuffed lamb chops. He loved it too. Of course, i barely got a bite of that since he inhaled it. We also shared a side of those parmesan encrusted truffle fries. Frankly, I was rather disappointed in them. The fries were flavored a little on the salty side and also a bit soggy. Who wants a soggy fry even if it is truffle encrusted? Try sweets and savories truffle fries instead. They're much much better and served with fig ketchup. I didn't even want dessert because i was so full, but since when has that ever stopped me? We shared the baked alaska type dish. It was amazing! It was this chocalate cake covered with salted caramel ice cream and burnt meringue. Try it! We waddled home afterward and promptly fell asleep on the couch due to a food coma. Bliss!

    (4)

  • Corey Q.

    I think I caught this place on an off night. I went on a Monday prix fixe and it was busy. I'm not sure if a waiter/waitress went home sick or someone didn't show up but they were severely understaffed. Two people were serving and one of them was in charge of the bar. The hostess ended up taking our drink order because she felt bad and the guy clearing tables ended up bring our bread out. It was a solid half hour before we ordered. Our drinks ended up being comped and an appetizer was brought out from the kitchen on the house. When the food finally showed up it was great and salvaged the evening. The steak was done to perfection, very tasty and the presentation of the plates was nice. I wont let this experience prevent me from coming back.

    (3)

  • Rob L.

    I have been here for brunch and dinner and never have I been disappointed yet. I came here on the 4th of July with a friend of mine for dinner. Yes, we got served by Dale, yes he knew his stuff and we certainly stuffed ourselves. We started off with the tuna poke, think tuna roll, 1000 times better with out the seaweed. Then I went for the salmon and she went with the sea bass, then of course we went for the truffle fries and the mac and cheese on the side. Finally we finished off with their pineapple carrot cake and the molten chocolate cake. Food coma, but oh so good. Friendly service, interesting people watching, great food. You pay for it, but it is worth it.... oh so worth it.

    (5)

  • Jeff K.

    Awesome experience. Best, unpretentious service I have had in the city. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and gracious. The baramundi fish was great. My partner had the prix-fixe menu that was an homage to asparagus. What a pleasant surprise. Lovely setting as well!!! Will be back!

    (4)

  • Lindley E.

    What a cute little checkerboard matrix of yellow and red beets I had. It was more visually intriguing than interesting to eat. Someone spent a lot of time making those little beet rounds into squares. Reminds me of those Warner brothers cartoons where they showed how toothpicks get made: whole trees on a lathe getting whittled down to a single, tiny toothpick. The service at Sola is impeccable. The setting is pleasant and relatively relaxing. The food leaves something to be desired, with its new Cali-American sensibility. For those of you who haven't dined in Hawaii, there are some true visionaries incorporating Asian ingredients into their unmistakably American cooking - Alan Wong comes to mind as someone who is a master of the style. Carol Wallack's cuisine is a step forward for Chicago, but on a scale of other restaurants attempting the same food in the US, she hits right in the middle. The food is fine. And that's the best and worst thing I can say.

    (3)

  • Anthony Z.

    If 4.5 stars was an option, I would use it. There is a lot going right at this restaurant. To start, the food is fantastic. Entrees are solidly in the mid $20s, but are hearty, well prepared and worth it. The interior is a bit minimalistic and relaxed, which I appreciate. Background music is very nice. The chairs are quite comfortable, and the outdoor seating is nicely set up on the side street.n Tables are well-spaced. I made reservation for myself and out of town guests, not having eaten here before, which was a little ballsy. It all worked out fine, except thsy the service just was not up to the standard of the rest of the experience. Had very minimal and spotty contact with our server, and if anyone was coordinating what is going on on the floor, I certainly did not witness it. Food was delivered from kitchen by staff other than the server. Once someone takes control of the front of the house, this place will be top notch. Went on a Monday, which was not crowded at all. In considering the other yelp reviews, this was likely a significant blessing. The crazy sounding Unagi Timbale actually worked really well, despite having banana in it. The pork was unbelievably tasty, but quite rare. Like bloody rare. My friends cod entree was fantastic. Desserts were solid, if not memorable. For some reasons, this place really reminds me of Spring. Will definitely return, but only if it is not crowded.

    (4)

  • Beth P.

    My boyfriend's family is a pack of foodie Jews. They know good eatin'. Sadly, my palette isn't as sophisticated as theirs. So when we go out to dinner, I am always used to pretending everything sounds great while covertly trying to flip the pages looking for the kids' menu. Last summer it was a different story at Sola. We showed up there pretty late in the evening because we just wanted dessert (our dinner at Think left us looking elsewhere for sweet treats). Dad, Mom, sis, and lovey-boy all ordered fancier items and I went for THE COOKIES, ha-ha. In minutes our desserts arrived, and even though everyone's selections were great tasting, my cookies were the hit. Everything was fantastic, and I'm not even a sweets fan- I have more of a "salt tooth." The place was dim, clean, and lovely. And making it even more lovely was Dale from Top Chef passing us every few minutes while he was waiting tables there. Star-struck nerd girl in full-effect! I can't say I know about the rest of the menu, but you can read the other reviews for that. I hope you learned from this story to Never. Underestimate. Cookies.

    (4)

  • Jen G.

    I spent one of my birthday celebrations here and really liked it. It's pronounced Sew-Lah, but I prefer to call it Soooo-LA (as in Los Angeles) but that hasn't caught on with the cool kids yet. I was tipped to this place by its availability on Open Table and positive Yelp reviews and so I had my friend make a reservation. We were a party of 7 or 8 on a Saturday night and didn't have to wait at all to be seated. Anyway, most of us began with salad. I got the beets one and others tried the pears one. We also all shared potstickers. For dinner I got the beef tenderloin and my sharing companion got the halibut. They surprised me with a chocolate dessert dish that spelled out Happy Birthday and it was really rich and tasty. Oh! Several of us ordered the truffle parmesan fries and then proceeded to make fools of ourselves fighting to lick the crumbs. No, I am not kidding. They are a gluttonous must-order IMHO. Also: they seated us as we arrived. None of that annoying "wait until the rest" arrive crap. (I understand why restaurants do that, but if you've had a reservation for weeks and promise to order a drink while waiting, I believe it's in a restaurant's best interest to seat you but I digress.) Will definitely go back. I'd be interested in sampling their brunch or sitting at that beautiful bar.

    (4)

  • Brian T.

    M'lady and I tried sola on a very low-key Monday night. We ordered fish; salmon for her, sturgeon for me. What stood-out for me was, each item on our plates complemented one another. That's a true hallmark of any restaurant that kicks-it-up-a-notch. Our server's approach was great; not pushy or smarmy, yet not aloof. One thing I did not expect to eat that night: Crow. My outspoken self thought that the salmon would be too basic a dish. I was wrong, I accept that, and I'm ready to move on.

    (4)

  • Vickie L.

    Went for brunch on a Sunday. Parking was very easy and plentiful. Had Dale from Top Chef 3 as our waiter (didn't know it was him until after)! He was pretty attentive and was thoughtful enough to let us know our food might take a while due to a large party. I had the crab cake benedict - WONDERFUL - came with a very large helping of hash browns. Everything was very tasty. There were a lot of big groups there, but noise level was not bad. Overall a great experience, I'd be a regular if I lived closer.

    (4)

  • Blake W.

    Awesome place! We made it there late one night a started eating on the patio. The girl got a little bit cold and they were very nice and moved us in quickly to a table. We had a couple apps. The ceviche was very good and the Tuna tartare was standard nothign fantastic but still a solid starter. I had the Black Cod for dinner and it was one of the best fish I've had in years. Unfortunately we didn't have do much diversity that night for entrees so I didn't get to try other good eats but I looking forward to going back. The restaurant is very good looking and I actually liked the fact that it's in a quite area. Although across the street there a very newly look Irish Bistro that looks very fun. Definitely worth a try, I'm going back as soon as I can get someone to go with me!

    (5)

  • Brian m.

    Tried Sola last night. Loved the atmosphere and the food was delicious, however the service could have been a little better, and the portions were a little too small.. We both had the cheese and grape sald for an appetizer, which was very light and very tasty. For my entree, I had the pork, which was absolutely incredible. It was a flight of 3 different cuts. The porkbelly was just about the most scrumptios thing I have eaten all year. My only complaint about the dish was that the portion was tiny. I seriously could have eaten 2 more plates of food. My date chose the duck, which was also top notch, and a perfect portion for her 100lb body, but I think I would have left hungry if chose that dish as well. All in all, I was pretty impressed with the place. I was able to get a cupon for "buy one get one free" entrees through my office, so our total tab for: 2 appetizers, 2 entress and 3 glasses of wine came to $80 (without the cupon, it would have been about $120) This would have ben a 5 star rating had the waiter ben a little moe attentive, and the poritons about 30% larger. I mean come on, for $120, two people should both leave full. But that being said, the food was still dynamite!

    (4)

  • Lauren D.

    i enjoyed sola. the atmosphere felt a little minimalistic, but the food was very fresh and delicious and i had a really tasty martini. I tried the mahi mahi and my parents are crazy about the tuna. Cool cocktail list; good wines. I'll probably go back at some point - definitely want to try their artichoke appetizer and their salmon.

    (4)

  • Ian C.

    The service is good. The best is the food but it is too little. 4 small slices of duck dish is for $27.

    (5)

  • Tiffany M.

    This place is a real gem. The chef here is amazing, using fresh local ingredients and delivering up some really polished gourmet food at reasonable prices. Great date night, I also pick up carryout here a lot. Truffle parm fries, mushroom salad, tuna poke and the duck are among my faves.

    (5)

  • A M.

    It saddens me that this will be my very first yelp review, as I wanted to enjoy my experience here so much. I first had dinner at sola about 4 years ago and was so blown away by the pork tenderloin I ate that night that I've been ranting and raving about the restaurant ever since. So, when my boyfriend told me that we would be celebrating our 3 year anniversary here, I was extremely excited to finally visit again! When we entered, I was disappointed to see that the beautiful elevated dining area of the restaurant was closed and we were seated at a bare table next to the windows looking out on the patio. Okay, fine--but it felt like we were having a quick workday lunch instead of a special occasion dining experience. The giant plasma TV hovering over the bar really detracted from the elegance of the room. The reservation noted our special occasion, so I would have thought they'd reserve a table in the middle of the room for us so that we could enjoy the beautiful lighting. Guess not. Okay, so the ambiance is not what I'd expected--at least the food will be amazing...right?? The seared scallop appetizer was my favorite part of the meal. Sweet, salty, and a bit spicy with a wasabi crust. The accompanying veggies were nice and the mushrooms were soo good, but there were only two (very small) scallops and that was a bit of a bummer. We also ordered the gnocchi and that was kind of 'blah', but I do love ramps. The truffle fries were truffle fries and you really can't go wrong with truffle fries--my boyfriend loved them. Still starving because of the tiny portions of our appetizers and our inability to eat too many truffle fries, I was looking forward to our entrees. I ordered the tuna and my bf got the wagyu steak. There was definitely some time spent wondering when our food was coming and, after looking around, I realized that there appeared to be only one waiter for the 12 or so tables that needed to be served (what?!). My water glass sat only a quarter-full for most of the meal (trying to be optimistic here) and I only had one glass of wine because I was never offered another--nor could I flag the waiter down as he flew past our table to help the other neglected guests. So anyway, we finally get our entrees. All I can say about the tuna/tempura avocado/bamboo rice: soft/soft/soft and subtle. The texture of my dinner was so consistently mushy and so subtly flavored that I stopped eating it out of sheer boredom. The tuna was of great quality and cooked perfectly, but I couldn't really taste the mustard in the crust and there was virtually no "crunch" to it. The avocado was a big disappointment as, having eaten/made love to the tempura-fried avocado at The Drawing Room, I had high expectations. Here, it was more like fried avocado as there was no fluffy, flavorful or crispy coating as is expected with foods with tempura in their names, yanno? I would have liked some kind of bright and bold flavor or texture somewhere in the dish, but never found either. My boyfriend seemed a bit uninspired by his meal but wanted more food on his plate because, well, he was still hungry. We agreed that the small portions would have been completely acceptable if the flavors were more unique and the service had been better. My wine glass was empty for the entirety of my entree. For dessert we ordered the soft centered chocolate cake because I had a chocolate hankering. Meh. Again, we ate our tiny portion with our tiny dessert spoons (gotta stay consistent, I guess) and wished there was more sesame ice cream on the plate (it seemed to have been scooped on with our tiny spoons) because that was the most interesting thing about the dessert. The cake itself was a snooze. After we finished that, they brought out two little chocolate truffles with "Happy Anniversary" written on the plate in chocolate--the waiter managed to squeeze in half a moment to say "Congratulations" before running off to another table. It was a nice touch, but that was about as special as we got to feel that night. We often compare our nights out to the incredibly special and attentive experience we had celebrating my bf's birthday at Joe's on Grand last year--the service at sola was not even in the same ballpark. This is the world's longest yelp review, I'm sorry. The experience was just so deflating. I understand that they're trying a different concept with this space, but why does the customer's experience have to suffer while they transition? I can now (permanently) scratch sola off my list of places to revisit.

    (2)

  • Blair R.

    I went to Sola several months ago but I still remember my dinner and continue to reccomend it to others. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere was warm and modern. I started out with the artichoke fritters which were flavorful without being greasy. I had the short ribs as my entree which were so tender they almost melted in my mouth. The decadent molten choclate cake was amazing without being too rich (I finished the whole thing) and I had an amazing glass of Malbec that was reccomended to me by my knowledgable server. It was a tad expensive but I felt it was totally worth it. My date was a vegan and they were very accomodating. Check it out.

    (4)

  • aileen b.

    Four stars for the food. One star for the noise level. I realize it was a Saturday night and the place was busy, but I could barely hear my dinner companions across the table. That being said, I want to go with the higher rating here because our meals were great, especially the beet salad. Yum, I could eat a couple of those for my meal next time.

    (4)

  • Mandy P.

    We went here for Mother's Day brunch this year. I definitely don't think the place was worth the hype, neither did my mother, but my husband said he would have given it a 4 star rating. The decor is nice, but the place, as so many have said, was very loud -- not wood floor and wood walls, beer drinking, loud-music-playing loud, but loud enough to really detract from the atmosphere. I thought we were going somewhere nice for the brunch and ended up feeling, largely because of the acoustics, like we were sitting at just any other restaurant. The menu was impressive looking. I thought the choices were different and really exciting. The food, however, was not in reality very different or exciting. I really enjoyed the malasadas (sp?) that we had as an appetizer (if you can have an appetizer for breakfast) -- donuty things that tasted sort of like begnets (sp?) from New Orleans, though they had a different texture than those. My potato pie thing was okay and my mom's french toast was tasty, but not amazing. My husband had the huevos benedictos, which had meat so I didn't try it, was very good. So, we had mixed experiences with our food. Our waiter was terrible. He was not snotty or offensive, but he was perhaps just too young and inexperienced. When he brought us the malasadas, he did not bring us plates, which was ridiculous, since they were very messy. When I asked for plates, he acted a little like it was a strange request. He never really checked in to see if every thing was okay. He was just bad at his job, unfortunately -- though the bus staff was great. In all, I think the best part of the meal was the Mother's Day cookies that they sent us home with. They were yummy! I don't think I'd ever really seek out Sola again, but I wouldn't avoid it either. I might try it for dinner some time to see if my theory about time of day affecting one's enjoyment of the restaurant stands. It was a fairly disappointing experience since I was aiming for something special for Mother's Day.

    (3)

  • Morgan C.

    I took my grandma, mom, and boyfriend here and all were satisfied. I didn't see much of the "hawaiian" flair on the brunch menu, but it was still delish. The highlight was being waited on by DALE! He recommended the huevos benedictios and chilaquiles, I went with the beneditctos. This dish consisted of a giant square of cornbread topped with plenty of chorizo, perfectly poached eggs, and hollandaise. Amazing! We also started with an order of the Malasadas, crispy little donut like morsels of a perfect consistency and heavenly lemon and berry dipping sauces. The coffee was great and the atmosphere was modern and understated. I can't wait to go back for dinner.

    (4)

  • Lauren B.

    Went there with a few friends on Saturday night. The service was great, not like some other higher end places where they just buzz around the table waiting for you to do something other than enjoy yourself. The meal was more than satisfactory from the quail tempura to the stuffed lamb. Highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Melissa P.

    My hands down favorite restaurant in Chicago. I've been here for brunch, lunch and dinner several times. The food is always awesome and they have some of the best drink combinations.

    (5)

  • Malinda J.

    Went here for brunch yesterday with my girls and I will have to agree with another yelper on here that I too must be becoming a food snob! Or, it could be the mear fact that their menu is just very, VERY, limited... 5 or 6 of their dishes are made or served with Hollandaise sauce, 2 or 3 of the dishes are seafood oriented (bleh!), I don't eat beef or pork which was pretty much the whole breakfast menu, so for me it was a veggie omelet or a waffle. The french toast was even made with HAM and cheese... Huh? I did try a friends' home fries and they were really good. We also ordered the Portuguese donuts and they were okay, just sugar donuts with chocolate and raspberry sauce...nothing ooohweee! The place was full of babies banging cups on tables, I go out for brunch with my girls to get AWAY from children for a few hours.... Their cocktails are great and on another good note.. the decor is nice and the hand soap in the bathroom smelled wonderful! I wouldn't go back but for those individuals that are into beef, pork, seafood, noise and hollandaise, this is your spot!

    (3)

  • Gabe J.

    First time there for brunch. It was excellent. Started with masalas (fried dough covered in sugar), and moved onto the salmon and cream cheese egg scramble. I originally was expecting the usually flavors (chives, etc.), but they added roasted red peppers to the equation. It completely added more complexity to a normally simple dish. It was great - highly recommended. I will definitely be back for brunch, possibly dinner. I can't wait to try some other dishes!

    (4)

  • Kimberly L.

    This place is really a gem. It's reliably delicious for brunch or dinner. The service is professional and friendly, the food is scrumptious and creative, the atmosphere is cozy, pleasant and fun. I've been here at least 3 times and it's been very positive each visit. This is a great place for groups--particularly for a girls' night out--or for a romantic dinner for two. It's not easy to achieve that balance but somehow they managed. They have a nice wine list with a good range of prices. You won't break the bank by chowing down (and drinking up) here. Looking forward to my next visit!

    (5)

  • cely M.

    we went for brunch this weekend and they have some great options and they take reservations! perfect if you are tired of waiting 30 mins for a table just to eat breakfast. i had the chilaquiles, they were delicious. bloodys were tasty and the smores dessert was yummy. sit outside if it's warm. will definitely go back!

    (4)

  • t s.

    I love coming here for dinner. It is always sooooo good. The waitstaff is awesome. Others seem to have figured this out as this place is getting more and more crowded.

    (5)

  • Nannette P.

    I absolutely love Sola. I have been a huge fan of the place for over a year. The food is always delicious. I have never had a bad meal here, ever! They keep the menu simple, yet not with ingredients, but with choices. Not overdone, just great combinations with an Asian contemporary twist. When you go here, get at least a four choice meal...appetizers, salad, entree, and dessert. It's worth doing a tour of the entire menu. During the Summer, they have a beet salad that is so amazing! Try the Tuna Entree and Short Ribs too. They also have daily specials, which are always good. The best part of Summer is the outdoor seating at Sola as well.

    (5)

  • Michelle G.

    I went to Sola last night after hearing awesome things from my fellow foodie trainer about this restaurant. I'm going to be starting a new job so, I decided I needed a celebration dinner! I figured that it would probably be pretty busy so, I decided to call and make a reservation. There first impression was great. I love when people are hospitable even before you get there. The host was just super nice on the phone. She was very understanding about my timing. I wasn't sure what time I was getting off work and she really worked with me. Once we arrived, we were seated right away. I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc to start and my b/f had our server pick for him. She picked out a chocolaty, deelish meritage for him. After I sampled her pick and loved it, I decided I'd let her pick my wine for the remainder of our dinner. We started with the artichoke fritters that came with an incredible truffle sauce and another which to me didn't stand out as much. We also had the tuna poke. The tuna tasted perfect, very fresh. I think the wasabi oil was a nice compliment too. For the main course, I ordered the panko encrusted tuna with tempura avocado over bamboo rice-YUM! The tuna again was phenomenal! I also never thought of such thing as tempura avocado but, it was a very pleasant surprise. My b/f ended up ordering the short ribs and unfortunately, the dish turned out to be very fatty and he had to let the server know. She handled it like a pro. With no question, she apologized, and told him she was going to speak to the chef. When she returned from the kitchen she said that the kitchen was very sorry and that he could have whatever he wanted. He went with the scallops and lobster risotto. The dish was tasty but, too rich for my liking. I'm not a fan of risotto. While enjoying my tuna, she brought me a crisp, bright pouilly fume. It complimented my dish quite well. She knew her pairings. For dessert, we ordered the braised pineapple. I for sure had to get it because it came with coconut sorbet and I love coconut sorbet. It also came with some sort of macadamia nut cake? I didn't care for it too much but, I loved the flavor of the pineapple braised in wine and ginger with the coconut sorbet. I ended up drinking the chenin blanc the server brought for the b/f for the scallop dish because he didn't like it very much and ordered a cappuccino and was set. Overall, it was wonderful experience and I loved the sleek clean look of the restaurant. It definitely allows patrons to focus more on the food. I think. It was just too bad about the short ribs and occasionally our server would forget what oil was in a dish and what the sorbet of the day was. Not a huge deal but, I tend to over-analyze at times. I will be back though. I'm curious about there upcoming wine tasting.

    (4)

  • Su S.

    I went on a Tuesday, I don't think it was loud at all. Maybe the loudness is a weekend thing? They had low music playing, nice lighting, everything seemed very relaxed. Great service, very well organized. I got the tuna and creme brulee. We had a big group so we called ahead for reservations. The bill came out to $60/each and that included a drink or two for each person.

    (4)

  • Sarah S.

    If you have to put a piece of gum in your mouth right after leaving a restaurant to get the taste of the food out of your mouth, it is a bad thing. I don't even know what happened there tonight. I seriously used to LOVE this place, but the food was so bad I had to write this review. It was a Monday night, but the prices are still the same and the food should be as good as it is on any another night. I ordered the tuna dish, which is on the pricy side at $27, but it has been worth it in the past. Tonight, it literally had a fleshy tube in the tuna, I don't know if it was an artery or something, but it looked so gross. We started with the calamari, it was too chewy and the batter was super rich. My fiance got the mac and cheese and the crab risotto. I am a fan of sharing, but after one bite of each I was done. I didn't even want a second bite. So four out of four dishes were really disappointing. I hate writing this 2 star review because I seriously used to LOVE this place. On a positive note, the service was still really good. I really, really hope it was just an off night.

    (2)

  • Lindsey B.

    I love this place! I have been going to Sola since sometime early last year. But only for the Wicked Wahini Martini they have. Wow, it's awesome. It has star anise floating in it, it HAS to be good. Anyhow, the first time I ate at Sola was just 3 weeks ago. 2 of my co-workers and I went there for a team dinner. For appetizers, we ordered the blue cheese fritters and the Gnocchi. The fritters were pretty darn good. I was hoping for more of a blue cheese flavor, but they were good nonetheless. (I'm a stinky cheese freak.) The Gnocchi, on the other hand was out of this world. For my entree I ordered the pulled pork. I'm not a huge meat eater, but for some reason this sounded really really good that night. And, boy, was I right! The meat was so tender and tasty. I finished the whole thing and almost licked the plate clean. My co-worker got the scallops, and after tasting hers I wished I'd ordered that! Everything was so incredibly good. The only reason I give 4 stars instead of 5 is the price. It's not as expensive as I thought it would be, but I was a little surprised at the portion size in comparison to the price. I'd been there lots of times prior, and eventhough I didn't eat the food, I was still eye-balling everyone's plates in the place. The portions seem to have gotten considerably smaller. The portion was very "gourmet". Ah well.. excellent for a splurge either way :)

    (4)

  • kevin m.

    Breakfast is unbelievable! Have yet to have lunch or dinner there but it's only a matter of time. Certainly recommended for breakfast though!!!

    (4)

  • Julia J.

    I agree with many other reviews here that Sola has quietly gone down hill in recent years. You can still get a great cocktail here, and you're bound to have at least one delicious dish while you're here, but it hasn't been standing up in terms of overall experience. Since my last review, I've been here three times. Each time, a dining partner did not really enjoy their entree, or the appetizer was a bit off, or the service wasn't great. Bummer. This was once my go-to place for an outstanding meal, but I've moved on.

    (3)

  • Greg I.

    The kind of place you would go out of your way to visit, but in a neighborhood setting. Nicely stylish. The staff is professional and long-term. Sometimes I have to stop myself from going here too often.

    (5)

  • Rachelle G.

    Sola is a restaurant I have been wanting to try for a long time! The restaurant decor is very serene and comforting all done in neutral shades with a hint of color here and there. The tables are a bit too close for comfort in my opinion, as you can easily hear the conversation of your neighbors and then some. It was a bit hard to carry on a conversation because of the noise levels. Service was impeccable from the minute we walked in. We were greeted immediately and seated (w/ reservations). We were also celebrating a birthday and were treated w/ complimentary truffles. I love that they write "happy birthday" in Hawaiian and personalize it w/ the celebrant's name. The food was what I was a bit disappointed in. It was good, but not great. I also thought that the entrees were missing something, possibly a side accompaniment to help you appreciate the flavors of your main entree? We also tried the artichoke fritters, which weren't anything to rave about and were extremely minimal in portion size. Aside from the heavenly truffles, we also got their Thai coffee creme brulee. Pretty good, not overwhelmingly sweet. Overall, a restaurant with GREAT service, but I wasn't impressed enough with their food to long to come back in the immediate future. Update: 3/05/07 Visited this past weekend, food was excellent. If you visit and the soup du jour is some sort of sweet potato puree with lobster and crab, get it! It's absolutely fantastic. The chef came to speak with our table for a bit to clear up a few issues re our table and offered comp. glasses of her favorite champagne and also sent a round of mini desserts to our entire table when she noticed we didn't order dessert (we were all too full).

    (4)

  • Hotfive D.

    Great, nice, unpretentious everything; and it only gets better.

    (5)

  • Javier B.

    Hate to take a star away, but the truth is that this is a 5-star brunch place and a 3 to 3.5-star dinner place. For starters, the dinner prices are wayyyy too high for the area and for the quality in my opinion. Entrees are in the $25-$30 range. Should probably knock those prices down by $5-$10. The starters were good. Interesting pot stickers and nice onion soup. The pork entree was tasty, though I am still weirded out when they suggest that I eat pork medium rare. I asked for medium and wished I had asked for medium well. The best pieces were the non-loin pieces that were well cooked. Now to the big disappointment...the tuna dish was somewhere between mediocre and bad. They serves us two large pieces of tuna, but it was really fatty and not well prepared in my opinion. The edges had a fried crust which was also not to my liking. My big problem though was with the quality of the fish. For $29 I expect to be served a really nice piece of tuna, and as I said, it was really below average. The wines by the glass are also very expensive ranging from $10-$15. I am not a wine connoisseur, but the first $12 glass of wine was awful. Tasted like the bottle had been left open for a few days. The server was nice and changed it right away. The second glass I got was a different brand of Pinot Noir. It was better, but still not great. I took a restaurant.com coupon and my dinner still came out to almost $100. This is a really nice space and the service is good, but given the prices, the overall experience really didn't quite deliver. I think I will be sticking to brunch from now on.

    (4)

  • Richa G.

    great place for brunch, they take reservations and have top notch service!

    (5)

  • daisy J.

    i must admit i was skeptical before trying sola. i have recently started using savored.com and with the reservations available, i let a friend pick the place we'd go. he chose sola and when i looked at the menu, i was intrigued, but wasn't sure what 'hawaiian surf and turf' was. the place was a little out of the way for me, but parking was ample, so it was fine. we ordered the scallop and pork belly appetizer and the goat cheese/tomato salad. all three things were delicious. the banana bread under the pork belly was a little odd, especially considering you couldn't really taste it, but the meat itself was cooked perfectly. the scallops were on point - but nothing exotic or new in the flavor department. the goat cheese/tomato salad was literally chunks of tomato with goat cheese and balsamic on top. while it is always a good combo and yummy, not worth it to pay for in a restaurant. for the entree, my friend ordered the wagyu steak. it was moist and simply delicious. i ordered the tuna which was probably the best tuna steak i've ever had. i'm not sure what they did to the crust, but it was cooked perfectly AND had a flavor out of this world. i would DEF recommend the tuna! we split the creme brulee dessert and were pleased as well - can't really screw up creme brulee! the service was OKAY, but left something to be desired. overall, if i was ever in this random neighborhood, i would return. unfortunately, it is a bit out of the way, though, so i'm not sure i will. definite recommendation, though, for those living nearer to the restaurant!

    (4)

  • Steve J.

    We had some very good dishes here, but this place is not as good as it used to be. On our most recent trip,some of the appetizers were fabulous (e.g. gnocci) while other were boring (e.g artichoke fritters). We were especially disappointed with the ramps (wild leeks) on the menu. In several dishes, we could not find them, and in the one recommended to us (asparagus and ramps), there were 3-4 small ramps (but many asparagus); the ramp preparation was also boring (I do much better at home). Why put them on the menu if you haven't got enough to serve?

    (3)

  • Bridgette K.

    The service hostess gave a weird vibe but our waitress was a doll she had a cute accent and very friendly she was attentive even though we had a long wait for our food. And our food was delicious the kobe beef burger was yummy in my tummy. The truffle fries were crispy and good. Other items in the menu sounded good. I will be returning soon!

    (5)

  • Amy D.

    So absolutely yummy. I tried the pre-fixe last Wednesday. Wow, what a great appetizer with bananas. The entree was super delicious. The dessert, which would be easiest with bananas, was just ok to me. Howard had a really great piece of steak and the yummy potstickers. Great beer list and great wine pairing. The whole bill was $120,not bad!!! Great deal, would love to see what they have next month.

    (5)

  • Emily H.

    I went with four girlfriends for a birthday dinner. The place was full on a friday night with a buzzing crowd which was handled very well. The service was excellent. Don't miss out on the fries made with truffle oil. They melt in your mouth. The artichoke fritters were good as well as another tuna appetizer we had. I had scallops with lobster risotto and can't stop thinking about how good it was. I liked it so much I'm going to go back again this week for another friend's birthday. Everything at Sola was just right.

    (5)

  • Laura G.

    A couple of my girlfriends treated me to a birthday dinner at Sola earlier this month. Once I finally found the place (it is just me or is it not actually on Lincoln?), I settled in and was surprised at how much bigger it was than I expected. We took a long time with our menus but it worked because the restaurant was busy on a Thursday night. We went through the appetizer list, eliminating things based on what we were planning to order for dinner, and ended up selecting the potstickers. They were great, and how often do you say that about potstickers? For entrees, my friends chose the tuna (our server's favorite) and the lamb chop special stuffed with Cambozola cheese. I ordered the scallops, but unfortunately they'd run out so I had to substitute with the pork tenderloin special. Our server was extremely accommodating while I chose again, and even helped me select a substitute side dish. Not one of the entrees disappointed. I never order tuna as an entree (too much rare tuna is overwhelming to me) but I would go back and order this one in a second. The panko-mustard crust around it was amazing. The lamb chops were also rich and heavenly. And my pork tenderloin (wrapped in bacon, hello!!) was I think the most juicy and tender I've ever had. Somehow we ended up ordering 3 desserts (something with apples, a panna cotta and a creme brulee). The (chocolate hazelnut?) creme brulee was huge and the hands-down favorite. PLUS they also brought out a chocolate truffle plate with "happy birthday" written on it, such a nice touch. I think we were the last table to leave and still we never felt rushed. I went in hoping I would like the place and it totally exceeded my expectations. It was such an enjoyable experience and I would definitely recommend it for a memorable dinner.

    (5)

  • Peter M.

    I have been here several times. I want it to be very good. It isn't. The food is just ok. Location is good and the people are nice. Nuts!

    (3)

  • Jared C.

    sola. my overall experience was great, no complaints. why no 5 stars? i only give 5 stars on when i walk away obnoxiously speeching to friends and more about their rush to dine. i had the artichoke fritters to start. they were okay, good, but not amazing by no means. however, i don't love fried foods so you cannot judge my opinion on this guy. i was dying for the tuna poke appetizer that our waiter, yes dale from top chef- i was on the patio on a saturday evening so apparently hit the target of prime best server spot- however, my partner in crime at dinner is allergic to fish... so i had the tuna for my entree instead. it was great, really great... it was not OUT OF THIS WORLD speak to your friends about, but was really good... it was my birthday so they brought me some passion fruit truffles... it was cute. the truffles were sub par but they were free and the idea was very cute. i would definitely go back. it was about $130 for 2 of us but i drink double don julios and she was drinking nice champagne, you could ease that cost... wouldn't spend $130 for 2 on the experience again, but definitely have no complaints... recommended.

    (4)

  • Paul D.

    I'd have to say the food is a primary disappointment - execution is off-key, with some basics just really missed, on an elementary level (e.g., oversalted and flavors generally imbalanced; really mushy tortilla chips in what I'd have to say is a a pretty off-putting (and pricey) chilaquile, for brunch; really overcooked fish for dinner, couple of examples). Sauces are unrefined to me, flavors coarse, and food too often seems improperly "finished" or not served at peak, like it's been baked beneath a holding lamp, or something like it, for instance; and for the ticket prices this restaurant charges, it needs to do better. While I do appreciate inspired experimentation, I'd have to say not a fan, either, of the chef's flavor and palate combinations, really - by my taste, anyway, it just feels a bit like odd pairings for "wizardry" effect over thoughtful marriages. My wife and I drop substantial dough on well-crafted cuisine. Here, for the quality of food delivered, I'd have to say a poor value. Ambience is OK, if a bit sterile by my taste. Wait staff are helpful, though harried, more than many places we enjoy - on one occasion, we uncomfortably witnessed an owner/managerial absolutely unleashing on a service staff person, a dressing down that absolutely should have been better kept in back rooms, if at all, to be honest. Outside of that one instance, no big dramas or snafus, just feels that there is an atmosphere of tension that seems to pervade the place; not sure why, as it seems to do well. Doesn't fit, at least not for me.

    (2)

  • Isa B.

    Went for brunch on a Sunday. The decor is very subtle and nice. The staff was friendly and the food was delicious. My husband's eggs benedict were a bit overcooked but he didn't seem to mind too much. We went with a friend who is a chef and he chose this place he frequents. Good service, good food, not outrageously priced.

    (4)

  • Laura B.

    I had one of the best dinners of all time last week at Sola. The Tuna Poke appetizer melts in your mouth. We split the mahi mahi and wasabi crusted tuna. The tuna definitely won, but both were amazing. Our server was great, but we had a comically overzealous busboy who seemed to hover and then swoop in to collect our plates.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    This would be far and away out of my price range were it not for my friend who works as a hostess here. But if you have a real job or are a trust-funder I would highly recommend Sola. I went for lunch when the menu is simpler yet more affordable and everything we had was amazing. Articoke fritters for starters, veggie stir-fry and banana pie... I felt posh and well-fed upon leaving. The only reason I'm not giving Sola 5 stars is because I thought the interrior was really sedate and stuffy. The food is so inventive and modern that I don't think they need to play it so safe with the decor.

    (4)

  • Alissa F.

    after reading some of the other reviews, i was expecting not-so-good service, but our waiter was attentive and helpful...a nice surprise! i ordered the black sea bass (i think, but my memory is failing a bit right now) and my husband ordered the tuna in tempura breading (this is a bastardized description!)...we ended up switching plates (and entrees) because the bass was not what i expected but the tuna was out-of-this- world delicious. YUMMM! We were underwhelmed by the fries that everyone raved about....but loved the strawberry rhubarb tart and delicious sesame ice cream...mmm...and after we stuffed ourselves silly, we had a nice walk home...hoping to burn off some of the calories!

    (4)

  • Purnima M.

    Was at Sola for brunch last Sunday, and it made me wonder why we've put it off so long. To begin with, we got the perfect table for a blustery winter day - right by the fireplace! The room was bright and airy, without being a hit-you-over-the-head sensory assault. Great way to start a weekend meal. Service was attentive and unobtrusive at once, made us feel very relaxed. There were four of us, and we started off with some good morning cocktails, although the bloody mary was a true standout. Once the food arrived, though, I forgot all about my red dawn mimosa. The pineapple upside down french toast is simply heaven on a plate. Absolutely the best french toast I've had, and I've had plenty! Bread was so light, the sweetness wasn't overwhelming, and it was the perfect combination of flavors - pineapple, rum, and vanilla creme anglaise...yum! My husband loved his huevos benedictos, and sola's omelettes were a big hit with our friends as well. It's a little more than we usually spend on brunch, but worth every cent. Can't wait to come back here for dinner! Part 2 - Dinner Finally made it back here for dinner, and it was spectacular. The drinks were fab - black cherry soda anyone? The appetizers outdid themselves - the blue cheese fritters and sea green salad were both great, and the waitress brought out a complimentary plate of the gnocchi too, which turned out to be wonderful as well. Entrees were all winners, and the ice cream trio was a lovely play on flavors. All in all, as memorable a meal as brunch. Just go already.

    (5)

  • Cecilia G.

    we went on a weekday with a restaurant.com coupon, quiet and soft atmosphere, nice staff, the food was very good, tasty and great looking - only downside, food is not abundant, you would like to eat much more of those delicacies! good for a date. kitchen closes at 9pm on weekdays - learned from experience..

    (4)

  • Ashley L.

    a couple of girlfriends and i went here last saturday and had a great time. good for groups or a date, though it was a lively, fun bunch when we were there, so maybe not the best pick for a romantic date. the service was great and very helpful. not a lot of vegetarian options, which affected my friend, but us meat-eaters were very happy with the salmon and sturgeon. i like that they source locally for meat and produce and the dishes are exquisitely prepared - presentation, portion size, delightful flavors. i'll admit i didn't know what everything on the menu meant (not that big of a foodie), but i would have tried anything. and with a groupon, the evening was very affordable.

    (5)

  • Chadwick G.

    From the moment we walked in, it seemed a bit off. There restaurant was fairly empty, yet we were sat in a high traffic area for the servers. Felt like I kept apologizing for being in the way. Cocktails were good. Food was hit or miss. I had the short rib. It was dry. Tasted like beef jerkey. The Sweet Potatoe Gnocci was tastey.Our server was certainly rushing the entire experience. The night ended with blaring Tejano music from the kitchen while they were cleaning... we were trying to enjoy desset. Glad we used a Groupon. Would not want to pay full price for the experience we had.

    (2)

  • Heather K.

    Overall okay, but just okay. Went a couple weeks ago with a girlfriend and didn't really have any expectations before arriving. Dining room is nice, comfortable and relaxing. As we went on a weeknight, it wasn't a packed house, but can see how a weekend would be "cramped" in such a small space. The service was attentive, the food was "good", but for the pricetag, I've had much better. And I left hungry. The portions leave a lot to be desired. We started with the artichoke fritters and while they were good, they were very small. You expect small portions for an appy so I didn't think too much of it and they'd received such rave reviews, had to give them a try. They were okay, but needed a hint of salt. Without the sauces they accompany them with, they're very bland and uneventful. On to the main course: the pork chop. Again good, but I'd requested to have it cooked meduim, it came out mostly medium rare and rare in parts. Fine, I ate around the too-raw parts and what I ate was tasty, but it wasn't something that tasted SO unlike anything I've had before that I'd go back. My real hang up is that it came with what amounted to one-half of one single fingerling potato sliced into about 4 pieces and two halved brussel sprouts. Really? For a $30 entree in a neighborhood restaurant, I can't get a side without ordering, and paying for it, separately? On a brighter note, the banana creme brulee was amazing. Plate presentation was nice, but I'd rather pay for more food than to have it look pretty on my plate. The only reason I'd ever consider going back would be to try the prix fixe menu, or possibly brunch.

    (2)

  • Emma M.

    My boyfriend and I ate here for our 1 year anniversary and it was the perfect spot. The service was great, the atmosphere was chic and the food was amazing. Try the lamb chops! They are not on the menu but it's their specialty and always have them available. Also you have to try their Parmesan encrusted truffle fries. They are to die for. If only you could go there and drink a coke with the fries and that be it. It's pretty expensive, but worth a try!!

    (5)

  • Amy S.

    A wonderful place. Modern, great service. Love the Hawaiian fare. Interesting dishes and they were great. I really enjoyed this place and would definitely go back again.

    (5)

  • Christine E.

    I just got back from dinner at Sola and had a great meal! I live in Lincoln Square and wanted to check this place out for so long. We both ordered the pre-fix menu. app, entree, dessert & sparkling water for $35. The short ribs were amazing, so tender. The halibut was good but I have had better. I was VERY impressed with the drink menu, wine selection and beer selection. Not that I tried them all but a great selection! Service was excellent and the atmosphere had a welcoming vibe. A little pricey but worth it. I can't wait to go back and they have take out!

    (4)

  • Patty M.

    Over several visits, Sola has grown on me to the point where I'm ready to call it one of my favorite contemporary cuisine restaurants. The service is friendly and attentive. The ambience is relaxed and pleasant, if not exciting. It's the food that really stands out. Every dish I've had there--soup, salad, appetizer, main course--has had a wonderful, often complex, flavor. I've been to several pricier restaurants that have national reputations, but I can't say I've had a tastier meal at any of them.

    (5)

  • Blair T.

    Fiancee and I have been looking forward to Sola for quite a while, but every time it came up as an option, it was too late to get a reservation. I think I booked this one a good 4 weeks in advance. Went last Friday night, 8pm. Fiancee and one other friend who was in town visiting. The Space: The atmosphere is pretty swanky and cool. It did get a litlte loud, but that's not unique in this town. The light fixtures are pretty cool, but my friend commented that there were too many of them, and I agree. In all, the place looks cooler from the outside than the inside. The Service: The waitress was great. There were 7 different specials (we counted) to remember, and she knew them backwards and forwards. We could tell she knew them because she loves food, but because of rote memorization. The best part of the service is the "Muse" delivery guy. How do I get that job? We saw him once all night. He told us that "tonight's muse is made of carrots....etc." Where do you put "muse delivery guy" on a resume? But I digress. The food: For me, this place is all about the food, and it came through in a big way. We had a special appetizer of duck breast and root veggies with micro-greens and a vinegarette. Delicious in a curious way. Some of the flavors we had a hard time identifying, but they were great nonetheless. I had the short rib. I had been looking forward to it for quite a while, and the flavor is fantastic. It comes with a soy based sauce, which is unique compared to other short ribs that tend to come in beef gravies or with latin american flavors. There was also a perfectly ratio-ed taste of citrus fruit in the sauce that keeps you guessing and makes the heavy dish almost refreshing. The thing was fork tender, which is expected with a braised short rib. I didn't care too much for the veggies in the presentation. For me, they were a little heavy on the shittake mushroom flavor. I couldn't taste any other vegetable flavor. They were cooked well, and the pea pods and green beans had a nice pop to them, but the flavor seemed to be hidden behind the shittakes, which was strong for me. Fiancee's tuna was top notch. She was practically licking the plate by the end of the night. I'm not much of a tuna guy, but I tasted it, and it did melt in your mouth. Friend had the pork tenderloin. I'll just come out and say it...I'm afraid of pink pork. The serving came out nothing past rare. I've seen pork cooked medium and medium well, and been okay with it. But this looked like it was about to "oink." He gave me a taste, which luckily came from the outside and was at least seared, and the flavors were very nice. I would probably have asked them to cook it further and been fine. He didn't complain, so maybe it's just me. Summary: In all, this is a very nice place that is certainly worth trying. I'm not sure it's going to be our special occasion place, but we may come back if friends suggest it or want to go there. For the same price point, I'd probably go back to Chalkboard before I went back to Sola. But we didn't try the desserts, which might have changed my view.

    (4)

  • Tom E.

    Went there with my wife for an aniversary dinner. The food and service were all top notch! I used to live in San Franciso and this restaurant reminded me of some of the better fusion type of places I used to frequent there. To top it off, we had really stuffed ourselves and didn't feel like ordering dessert, so the waiter surprised us with a plate of a couple nice chocolates and the words "happy aniversary" written in rasberry syrup. Very nice touch and appreciated!

    (5)

  • Cindy D.

    Went there for my b-day this past Sat. night. I love top chef, so my bf found out that Dale worked there. We both thought he was the chef, but then later we discovered he was the server. The entire time, I wished he was serving us :( Anyways, here's the breakdown of what we got. 1. App - Butter poached lobster - wasn't the greatest.. and won't order again. 2. Entrees - bf got the beef tenderloin and it was very tender! The flavors were very typical, so nothing astonishing. I got the planko encrusted tuna. DELISH. The tuna itself is raw, which I love, but it was the sauces on the side that made it extra scrumptious. 3. Dessert - my bf was so sweet and notified them it was my b-day. sola had a special dessert and gave me choc. truffles and translated happy b-day cindy, in hawaiian (spelled out in chocolate sauce). SO CUTE. We also got the choc. hazelnut creme brulee. It was really tasty, i just wish there was fresh raspberries or something to eat with it. Overall very tasty and want to go back again! EDIT 4/28/08 Decided to celebrate my 4 year anniversary here last night. Everything was perfect and sola is now my favorite restaurant!!!! Here's what we got... Halibut cheeks - This was one big cheek, I tried to imagine it on a fish b/c it was so big. Anyways, it's got the same texture as scallops but does taste like fish. Pretty good, but not great.. Accompanied by fried plantain, bacon (which was excellent), and black rice. Signature lambchops - EXCELLENT. It came out medium when I asked medium rare, but I just ate is anyways because it was so delicious. Coated with breadcrumbs and stuffed with blue cheese, it melted in my mouth. YUMMY!!! My bf got the tuna - see review above. Once again very very good! For dessert we got the cheese platter and that was excellent as well. Very good quality cheese, but don't expect too much. You are literally paying $1 for a sliver of 3 cheeses, 9 pieces total. This is a GREAT place to celebrate some occassion, b/c it is pricey. Our bill was $150 not including tip, so save this trip for something special!

    (5)

  • K.M. C.

    Just went to Sola for brunch with the girls on a Sat. morning. We all had a feast: chilaquiles, pineapple french toast, crabcake benedict...mmm, mmm! My fave is the malasadas...should've ordered 2 plates, darn it. Loved the open, minimalist decor with soft lighting... "everything is beautiful in soft lighting" so says my girlfriend. Since the place was pretty empty we just lounged and sipped nice, hot coffee for so long that 2 of my friends forgot to feed the parking meters and got tickets...oops.

    (4)

  • Katie W.

    Yummmm!!! Came here for brunch yesterday with 3 girlfriends. We had a reservation (which I would recommend -- the place was packed and it was about noon) and were seated immediately. Everything from the get-go was awesome, from the food to the service to the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. Good mix among the crowd. No complaints at all. I tried all of my friend's dishes and all of our's were equally as awesome. I'm not a Top Chef watcher (horrible, I know) but my friends recognized Dale mixing drinks behind the bar -- cool! Highly recommend this place for an easy, enjoyable, and affordable brunch!

    (5)

  • Amy O.

    Been hearing about this place for a while and I know it's a little pricey so we saved it for NYE and it was soooo worth it! Ambiance was romantic and cozy. Had foie gras for the first time...discovered I like it...but I feel guilty about that. Our server was very helpful and was informative about the dishes and specials. I was especially impressed that when I made the reservations I told them we had tics for Martyr's at 9pm and they got us out of there in perfect time. We'll be back for a special occasion or to try a brewmaster's dinner. P.S. I just realized one would think all I do is go out to eat based on my yelp reviews...I do go to other places...I just tend to yelp only about the food...don't know why...LOL!

    (4)

  • S. O.

    Fantastic food great drinks and good service. The Black cod with miso and the "Progression" something cocktail were so fantastic though...I could eat and drink them once a week! The tuna entree and salmon carpaccio were really good too :) I will definitely be back.

    (5)

  • katie s.

    Really great food. Excellent service. Went there for an anniversary dinner with my husband, and everything was great. They were even nice enough to give us a special plate of truffles and "happy anniversary" written in chocolate--very sweet. Also went with my parents, and they were very accomodating with my mom's soy allergies. The chef came out and talked with my mom for several minutes to help her find something she would love to eat. the food is great. Very inventive--but not overly thought out or fussy.

    (5)

  • Kristin M.

    I've been so excited to go to Sola since watching Top Chef (one of the contestants works at this restaurant-and if your a fan of the show he should have won!). We checked it out for brunch, and it was very good. I wouldn't say that it blew my socks off or anything, but I can't wait to go back for dinner. Brunch was decent, the fiancee got huevos benedictos, a Mexican version of eggs benedict with salsa, chorizo and corn bread, very fun and tasty too. I got the french toast, which was wonderful but VERY rich for breakfast and after the 4 cups of coffee I had, left me feeling rather sick. The coffee is outstanding here btw. The atmosphere is cool, warm yet swanky and fireplaces always add a great touch; a little noisy but in a good way. All in all, def worth checking out!

    (4)

  • Ingrid H.

    Simple, fresh flavors with consistantly great service in a casual, but lovely, atmosphere. Go. You will not be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Lindsey S.

    I've only had brunch at Sola, but man was it good! The french toast was just the right consistency and it had lots of fresh fruit and my dining companion's huevos rancheros were delicious. They have a lot of great breakfast options as well as fun drinks. The pomegranate mimosa was the perfect accompaniment to the meal. Service was good and the atmosphere was simple, yet still trendy. I hope I get the chance to try dinner here!

    (4)

  • Paulius N.

    Great food, flawless service. The waitress, Marnie, was most gracious, especially when she realized we were in a "tasting" mode and split our plates without a blink. She even split our eggnog. This eggnog -I must say, was very well done. I love eggnog and make it from scratch regularly. This is very delicious. So far so good! Appetizer of artichoke fritters. Perfect, but the 2 sauces were the only dissapointment of the night, and they were still OK. An amuse bouche of duck confit appeared, served in an asian soup spoon. YUM. Rich confit with some other deliciousness ... marvelous. Salad of roasted root vegetables. Perfect. Various veggies all cooked just right- meaning, all were roasted for different times, not all at once, with various degrees of doneness. Homemade breads, and delicious european butter topped with hawaiian sea salt. You can eat this butter with a damn spoon its sooooo good. My entre': butter poached lobster with a pineapple/saffaron coulis. This was my best meal in my week in Chicago. What a beautiful flavor combo. Go. Sola is very well done.

    (5)

  • Nina W.

    Sola is one of those restaurants decorated by someone with great design sense. It even has a fireplace built into the freestanding wall in the dining room. I went for brunch and started off with the Maui-Mosa, which consisted of champagne, pineapple and passion fruit juice. It's not as sweet as you would think, but good nonetheless. I also ordered the Tomato Mushroom Omelet, which came with a side of potatoes and toast. The marinated tomatoes added an intense burst of flavor and the asparagus was cooked to perfection. I will definitely be back especially because service was excellent.

    (5)

  • Gerry G.

    We were in the neighborhood for the Half Acre brewery tour and went here for breakfast. I ordered the short-ribs benedict. The meal was a mixed bag all around. The hash browns were room temperature and had no crust (maybe they pull them from a big pile). The short rib meat was also room temperature, but oddly the eggs on top were steaming hot and perfectly prepared. I'm sure it would be delicious if prepared more carefully. Oddly, my friend's hash browns were steaming hot and had nice crust pieces. The decaf was great, though it certainly should be for $4! Our waitress couldn't have been better and was smiles all around. With this kind of inconsistency, it's hard to muster enthusiasm for returning--at least for breakfast. Maybe I'd give them a shot for dinner sometime given the rave reviews.

    (2)

  • Ari L.

    Wow

    (5)

  • Tad S.

    Great!

    (5)

  • Kim B.

    My Sola experience is mainly brunch-focused, so this review is focused on their brunch menu. I love, love, love Sola for brunch. It is warm and welcoming, has a fantastic menu selection, and the bloody marys are fantastic. If you are a fan of chilaquiles, order them, they will not disappoint. When Sola took them off the menu about a year ago, they had to bring them back because people kept asking for them. Yes, they're that good. As far as dinner goes, if you are in the mood for seafood, Sola has super fresh and uniquely-prepared fish. The wagyu burger is always a big hit and the truffle fries are enough to share. Yum!

    (5)

  • Stephanie C.

    I had dinner here to celebrate my birthday and I am so incredibly glad I did! It's just the right amount of fancy without being pretentious. Everything was delicious and nicely plated. The pulled pork appetizer with banana bread was creative and really good (love the sweet/savory combo), salads were fresh and flavorful, and I loved the tuna poke. Boyfriend had the burger and was also really impressed--and since he's not a fan of fish it's wonderful to have a place where we can both eat something we love. The ice cream was also really tasty, and I love how you can taste 3 different flavors. And since it was my birthday, they sent me little chocolates with a candle--delicious and adorable :) I would highly recommend Sola and will absolutely be going back!

    (5)

  • Amber K.

    The food here is amazing. The staff is very friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. My only gripe is that it's very pricey. I came once with some girlfriends with a groupon which made it more reasonable. Entrees range about $23-27 and although are decent portions and delicious, it just seems excessively priced. Came back with my boyfriend for my birthday dinner date with a groupon and again was very impressed with the great food, but honestly I will likely not return unless there are specials or other groupons to make it more affordable. It's also in a great neighborhood/area and has specialty cocktails that are really good (also fairly pricey but on par for MOST specialty cockatils).

    (4)

  • Issy G.

    We have gone here for Brunch twice and each time it was an exceptional experience. Low key atmosphere, service was great, food is inventive and oh so very tasty! So we thought we would check out the Dinner aspect. We were not disappointed at all! Being Good Friday, we ordered two different fish entree. Both were delish!

    (4)

  • Ed J.

    Hm. I bought a Groupon so I got a deal that was maybe $20 for a 50 value. I went this recent summer and sat outside on the patio. It was a beautiful night, the service was GREAT, but i just wasnt blown away with the food. I think my husband had the short rib. I remember the mac & cheese was delicious but also remember the convo i had w my husband on how it was so so. If I could give 3.5 stars its more so 3.5...

    (3)

  • August B.

    The vegetarian burger redefines the term, truly unique. So they get five stars based on a lentil and quinoa sandwich with a gluten free bun I didn't eat. Seriously that good.

    (5)

  • Christina S.

    We went here for Valentines Day dinner. We found street parking half a mile away but it was still well worth it. We made reservations which was smart. There was no line for people waiting. It was very packed in there. We didnt get to sit in a booth. It was very loud in there. We were seated right away. We ordered crab cakes for appetizer. There was two small crab cakes that came out but they were VERY GOOD!! Soft tender and warm. Unlike no other crab cake I've tried. I ordered octopus and it ends up being an appetizer. It was on a Friday during lent so I could only eat fish and seafood. Good place to get that at. It was still good. If you like the loud atmosphere then thats the place to be.

    (5)

  • Yvonne B.

    I brought my sister to Sola for her birthday this past week and we both had a really wonderful experience. Inside is warmly lit with yellow lights hanging from the ceiling and large front windows. My sister and I sat at a table by the window. The server asked us if we felt a draft (I did not) and offered to adjust the ceiling vents if we wanted (I thought it was nice of her). The service really was peachy. Karen was our server and she was all smiles and friendly butterflies, but was still professional and did not hover. I liked that the hostess also helped with bringing food to the tables even though they weren't very busy. We had a really wonderful amuse bouche that looked unimpressive but was extremely flavorful. We chose to order truffle fries, onion rings, and artichoke fritters to start followed by some small salads for entrees. The fries and onions both came in tall glasses lined with parchment paper. They were both delicious. We could see the truffle oil collecting at the bottom on the onion ring glass and took that as a sign of liberal quality. The artichoke fritters really were the star of the evening though. They were crispy on the outside and warm and soft on the inside. They were not greasy. My sister got the tomato salad and I got the sea greens salad. We both preferred her salad over mine. I like sea weed, but this one seemed to have grainy, crunchy dirt mixed in with it. I hated feeling the grittiness in my teeth. Our cocktails were also wonderful - especially the lavender one. I highly recommend it. It was refreshing and light. For dessert I got the bean cake. It was the perfect portion for a dainty dessert. There was a cube of cake, a small scoop of ice-cream, bacon flavored jelly cubes, and some sort of drizzle on the plate. All together it was amazing. As far as price goes, I think everything was priced splendidly. It's a great price for really inventive food, good service, and a great atmosphere. I think it'd be a good place to bring someone special for a lovely evening without breaking the bank. Our entire dinner came to about $85 (and that includes alcohol).

    (4)

  • Tricia D.

    Like: after making my Open Table reservation, the host/ess called to confirm and inform me that the entrance is not actually on Lincoln, but on the cross street Byron by the Chase Bank. Dislike: Limited street parking. I found a spot by Wolcott/Byron right away though. No meter. Must have gotten lucky. Like: potato hash that accompanied our brunches. Crispy and flavorful! Dislike: my crab and leek omelet only had patches of crab and was rather bland. Like: warm, golden decorated interior with a fireplace by the entrance. Dislike: it was kind of loud, despite there being no music and sola being half empty. LOVE: malasadas donuts! Sugar coated fried goodness and comes with raspberry and mango curd dipping sauce.

    (4)

  • Anne M.

    Very nice place. I think we've found a new "take family & visitors" place! (The other local default being the Irish Bistro, across the street.) Great atmosphere and decor - lovely, warm, inviting. Great service - funny, chatty host; fast refills, plate clearing, food service. Nice, friendly server. Food was beautifully presented, though portions could have been a little larger for the price of the entrees (several were $28 or so). I ordered the mahi-mahi special - served with an onion miso broth, wilted greens and truffled peaches. It was good - not the best mahi dish I've ever had, but still pretty and tasted good. I tried the panko-crusted tuna steak dish, which I actually preferred over mine. All in all, a fine, upscale but not too upscale place to dine. Lots of great seafood options, all with unique twists and side dishes. They do have a few other standbys for people looking for chicken, steak or just a burger.

    (4)

  • Chris H.

    We went to Sola for an early NYE dinner. For the most part, the night went very well. The staff was very friendly and attentive. We really enjoyed the pork shoulder, short rib, and filet. I ordered the oysters and thought they tasted a bit funky, so I didn't finish them. Also, call me picky, but I believe a manhattan should always be stirred and never shaken. It throws off the character of the cocktail. All things being equal, I'd probably go back again (with a bit more careful navigation of the menu).

    (4)

  • Subha R.

    A pleasant surprise. Wonderful and awesome food. Loved it!!!

    (5)

  • Beth M.

    We went there for Valentine's day. Very cool, modern looking dining room. Our waiter was attentive and the food delivery was fast. The food tasted as good as it looked (mahi mahi and chicken). They also had yummy specialty drinks. Very good overall experience.

    (4)

  • Greg L.

    Before eating at sola, I never claimed to be cultured with fancy customs. Afterwords, the same thing. But I did find out what to do with the spoon full of fish before the end of the meal. I ordered gnocci, and it was great! I'd happily have it again, but know that I need to try other items on subsequent visits. We just beat the dinner rush at about 7:00. When we left around 8:00 people were waiting for tables. The wine selection is fair, but lots of people seemed to be ordering the signature cocktails off the menu. Do what makes you happy.

    (4)

  • Rebecca K.

    Sometimes after being blown away by a restaurant the first time, the second visit is a disappointment. Not at Sola. This is by far one of our favorite restaurants in the city (and we eat out a lot). It is upscale without being pretentious. We have always had extremely friendly and attentive service and the food is spectacular. Favorite dishes include the pulled pork banana bread and tuna poke. Keep this place in mind for a special night out!

    (5)

  • Josh V.

    Here we are again. I'd really like to bump up my review to 4 stars, but I can't quite bring myself to do it. Last time was brunch outside, this time was dinner inside. Let's start with the good. The burger! It was on my "to do" list of best burgers in Chicago, and I can see why! It was excellent, definitely in my top 10. Three of the four of us ordered that and we all thoroughly enjoyed it. Properly cooked, good flavor, great toppings, on a perfect pretzel roll. The fries good, and an order of the mac & cheese we got to share was tasty as well. And the not so good? Let's start with the service. I skimmed some recent reviews before writing this one, and saw several with things like "while the waitress was friendly and knowledgeable, service was quite slow" and that pretty much matches my experience. The waitress was nice and had a lovely English accent. But we had to ask for bread, and then got a basket with two rolls and 2 big cracker-like slabs for a table of four. Drinks took too long to appear, and the food seemed a bit delayed, too. At least we got an amuse bouche! Then there were the desserts. All in all they were a bit disappointing. The portions were small (in all honesty, they are about how big a dessert for one probably should be, but for $8-9 we were expecting a typically large restaurant-sized serving). The angel food cake was not very light, and the "chocolate chip ice cream" it came with turned out to be MINT chocolate chip, and the mint was quite strong (they clearly used real mint, so props for that...but it was a bit much). The sundae was better, but there seemed to be as much whipped cream as there was ice cream. So even with an outstanding burger, the flaws keep this a "strong 3 stars" . . . not quite a four. But I'm not writing sola off just yet.

    (3)

  • Grace L.

    Me and my dining companions all really loved this place. The food is excellent...the service friendly...and the dining room was simple. We had the hangar steak, short ribs, and pork three way. of course, we had to add the parmesan truffle fries. All of the dishes were very good, cooked perfectly and seasoned. My dish, the short ribs, were really meltingly soft and had a sweet glaze on the braised exterior. It was tad bit on the salty side, but the lime slices on the side, when eaten, made the meat more palatable. Don't fill up on the bread! The entrees were not portioned large, but at just the right amount. Save room for dessert! We had the sorbets, which that night was mango, passionfruit-pineapple, coconut, kiwi-coconut, beer, and four berry. Since we didn't to try the beer tasting sorbet, we got all the fruit based. If you are a fan of any of those fruits, the sorbet was awesome. Mango-coconut together was really good. The passionfruit was a bit tart, even for sour lover me...so be forewarned that the sourness is a kicker. My husband ordered the chocolate sundae with banana ice cream. Take this as a good sign...he said that it was really good and then was silent for the rest of the dessert chomping session. Nuff said. We are definitely coming back for brunch and lunch.

    (5)

  • Heather D.

    One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago!!! Definitely try the short ribs -- my very favorite dish on the menu!

    (5)

  • Katherine R.

    My family came here on my birthday on a whim. I mean I picked three restaurants before we decided to settle at Sola. The place was full staffed and pleasant and inviting. The hostess looked over at a large group of people and said it looks like some of your party is here. We were afraid they would think since we arrived early that our party for seven wouldn't show up so we told the hostess that we were early. When my boyfriend and I arrived early since we live only a couple miles down the street, I was pleased to see our table for seven being saved as we scurried to the bar and ordered espresso. They make delicious mojitos non alcoholic and I learned that they use the mild and tangy ginger which I like in a few drinks and dishes. The enthusiast bar tender brought our hot drinks and came back to give us our check to move to the tables. I let the hostess know our party would be late and that my boyfriend and I wanted to sit at the table to wait. And she asked if we were paid out at the bar. Then a woman came and asked if she could take the five menus and replace them later like they didn't have enough menus to go around. I said ok and she did bring more menus later and the bread basket didn't arive until all seven people were sitting down. While my boyfriend and I sat at the large round table waiting our server took our order for two appetizers but couldn't bring their bread basket. The party of ours arrived soon and we ordered a plate of kalua pork with bbq sauce and banana bread for an appetizer. The pot stickers were small and dry with very little duck confit fillings for $12. The sirloin burger called the wagyu burger with french fries cooked in truffle oil was delicious. Our party of seven ate heartily salmon, roasted chicken breast in apple cider liquer, Ahi Ahi Tuna Steak, and short ribs for mom, and the dessert was eye catching, a chocolate sundae, banana flavoring, and some kinda crusty and dried out truffles that fell apart with one bite. Although we enjoyed the food and service, I felt the night was very crowded and the poor servers barely had any room getting around everyone. The tables were so close together and we were all kinda crammed. I enjoyed the jubilant servers and there efficiency although the art on the walls did not flatter their colorful and exotic menu items and atmosphere. I think more of the elegant side of the Hawaiin style could be enhanced in the ambiance here. For example, large flowers of purple and blue or fruit basket decor with coconuts and or pineapples. I wanted to save the best for last, their bread basket I won't describe to great lengths BUT IT WAS Phenomenally except able! I want to know the names of every large and small hard and soft grain in that thing!

    (4)

  • DeJuan S.

    We are in the neighborhood and visit this place a few times a year. Great food and simple menu. A couple of our favorites are the short ribs with mac & cheese and the halibut. The short ribs are boneless and cooked to perfection. Also, a pretty good beer here but slightly pricier than some other local places. Overall, a great cozy place and service is always top notch as well.

    (4)

  • Pete P.

    I concur that sola has gone downhill since my last visit over the winter. Went back a few days ago and things had taken a notable turn for the worse. Food was bland and, while not terrible, not great either. The worst part about sola is the value for your money, which is zilch. 5 small slices of barely seasoned pork should NOT be a $26 entree. I would have been truly pissed if I had not had a Groupon. I can't imagine how this place plans to stay in business while charging River North prices and serving bland food.

    (2)

  • Erick N.

    We dined at Sola for the first time a few weeks ago and enjoyed the experience so much we went back this past weekend. Both meals were outstanding. Sola features a fairly extensive menu with a nice array of options - in fact I was a little overwhelmed the first time trying to narrow down what I wanted to order as so many dishes seemed appealing. Our server Carlos was so friendly and helpful; he provided an overview of the menu and everything he recommended turned out to be just to our taste. In addition to outstanding food, Sola also features a long list of unique cocktails and a good beer list to boot (though all bottled beers, not draft). As good as the appetizers and main courses are, be sure to save room for dessert as the desserts are creative and not to be missed. As somebody who grew up in the Boston area, I tend to shy away from fish in most Chicago restaurants, but the Tuna main course is to die for. It was so good my first visit to Sola that I ordered again the second time and it was as good as I remembered. The accompaniments (avocado tempura and a hoisin bamboo rice) were outstanding as well. I hate to say it, but this dish was superior to any fish dish I have tried in the Boston area and will be ordering once again next time I return to Sola. Across both visits we sampled many of the appetizers (soft shell crab, seared scallops, kalua pork, waygu steak tartar and raw oysters); all were amazing but the soft shell crab was my favorite. Be sure to also order the truffle Parmesan fries; possibly the best French fries I have tasted. Sola also has a nice ambiance. A fireplace for the wintertime, al fresco seating for those nice Chicago summer evenings, friendly staff, highly competent servers and as an added bonus the chef came and spent some time chatting with us last visit (which was much appreciated). I highly encourage others to try Sola; it has rapidly become one of my favorite Chicago restaurants and makes for a great date night. We plan to try out their brunch next time, which I have heard from others is very good as well - I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Hayley H.

    We had a restaraunt.com certificate to this place that we used on a Wednesday night. It was full! Had to get a reservation, but Yelp has a link, so it worked out. We had some craft beers, ordered some small plates, and some of those truffle fries everyone keeps raving about. The seared scallops, the gnocchi, artichoke fritters. Please don't forget the Kalua Pork. Actually, just order that to begin. It is so good, you wont forget it.

    (4)

  • Mike Y.

    This restaurant serves Hawaiian fusion food. I tried this place with a group of 8 friends for brunch and it was excellent!!! The hostess was very accommodating considering we didn't have a reservation. I tried a little of everyone's meals and everything was delicious! They put a nice twist on the standard breakfast fare! I'll definitely stop by the next time I'm visiting Chi-town.

    (4)

  • Kristin B.

    My husband and I became very comfortable with having brunch and/or dinner at Sola 2-3 times a month. I would have given the restaurant 4 stars until we had a HORRIBLE brunch experience there. I have an allergy to certain foods. I am always very clear and open about this with servers when ordering at restaurants. Sola had previously been accommodating with my allergy/dietary concerns. During this visit, I shared with the server three times about my allergy and he claimed he even checked with the kitchen about the dish I ordered. When my food was brought out I asked to confirm the ingredients once again. He assured me everything was fine. Two bites in and something didn't taste right. I called him over and he again assured me and said you are definitely safe to keep eating. I took one more bite and then knew for sure something was wrong. My husband and I rushed out of the restaurant to the car to get my medication. (Unfortunately I did not bring it into the restaurant on that day.) On the way out the manager asked for our number and my husband quickly gave it to her. She called and left a message checking to see how I was feeling later that day and asked me to return her call. She said she would like to extend an apology and a meal on the restaurant in response to their error. This seemed like a nice gesture; however, I called back four times for the next few weeks and spoke to staff and answering machines leaving messages for her. Never heard from her again. I have been in many situations at restaurants, given my allergy, and I have seen staff and managers handle things professionally (in which case I am happy to then return) and I have seen them handle things unprofessionally and without regard for their customers (in which case I do not return.) We have not returned to Sola since that experience and do not plan to in the future. We have also shared this story with friends and family and they too have stopped dining there.

    (1)

  • Sassy I.

    Delicious brunch and great for dinner too! The malasadas doughnuts to start brunch are so indulgent. Warm and soft on the inside and lightly crisp on the outside, and rolled in sugar! YUM! The short rib benedict is a must have!

    (5)

  • Alexis O.

    Just came back from dinner at Sola, and both of us are pretty satisfied. We like trying new places, and Sola's Hawaiian inspired menu sounded intriguing. Walking into the place at 8pm on a Wednesday night, the place was packed except for a private room off to the side. Warm, modern ambiance, but it was so loud we could barely hear the server. Based on other reviews, we tried the Kalua Pork and Artichoke Fritters for appetizers, and had the Steak Tartare and Raw Tuna, along with a side of Mac and Cheese for our main entree. Kalua Pork - very sweet, like a honey bbq flavor, which was also served on top of banana bread. Artichoke Fritters - I'm surprised how much I really like artichokes in this fashion. About 6 to an order, with 2 very interesting sauces. Raw Tuna - This was my favorite. It tastes like a piece of tuna maki with wasabi and tobiko, and had so much flavor and spice, that it just hit the spot. Steak Tartare - Neither of us cared for this. Maybe because we just finished the Tuna dish, and the flavors of the two dishes did not mesh well together. Mac n Cheese - I'm always tempted to try my child hood favorite everywhere I go, and I was not disappointed. Absolutely delicious! At first glance, my husband thought the dishes were small, but we both left satisfied after finishing our meal. Sola has a cool wine and beer list, along with many interesting Signature cocktails. Service was awesome - the way it should be always! I can see myself comparing future service experiences to the way we had it at Sola's! Will definitely return. Thanks Groupon for bringing this restaurant to our attention.

    (4)

  • Jeremy T.

    What a wholly average experience. This attractive restaurant in North Center has received mixed reviews here on Yelp. Many people praise the food and lament the service. Some people praise the drinks and mention underwhelming food. Others hate everything. And a few of you, who I'll refer to as the low standards group, loved everything. I'm just kidding. That's not very nice. About the standards anyway. The hostess was friendly and quickly sat us at a table. I'd made a reservation via OpenTable, which really limits the opportunity for a hostess to shine. Maybe I should've created a complex seating dilemma? "Yes, we'd like to make sure our table faces west. WEST, damnit!" However, it took 15 minutes for us to get a visit from our waiter. We had barely placed our cocktail order before the waiter was gone again. I immediately noticed that he didn't look down at us. He was staring across the room. This was to be an ongoing theme for his demeanor. Maybe he's distracted I thought. Or maybe he's an aloof prick who is resentful of his job. Or us. Or his employer. Or life. Regardless of the reason, his lack of interest in his customers was apparent. Thirty minutes in, we managed to place our food order. I ordered the grilled octopus appetizer and the tuna entree. My date ordered the salmon. Rare. Once the order was actually taken, food arrived in a timely fashion. The grilled octopus was amazing (possibly the best I've ever had) and a nice treat, a cheese/vinegar amuse bouche was brought over. My tuna entree was plentiful, and honestly, was too much food. It seemed like 12 oz. of seared ahi. That's a huge hunking piece of raw fish, man! The quality was good, but Its flavor was lacking. I had gotten my fill a few bites in, so being left with nearly a pound of very, very mild fish was disappointing. My date's salmon was worse. Not only was it not rare, but it wasn't even medium rare. I'd say it was more towards medium. It's a damn shame, as the flavor was good despite this. A proper temperature would've made for an above average meal. Alas, after the $100 bill was settled, I was left completely uninspired, bored, anxious, and slightly annoyed. The average cocktails, poor service, mostly below average food (for the price point) left a bad taste in my mouth. Or wait, is that the nearly flavorless wasabi sauce that was dressed over my tuna? Flavorless wasabi? What the hell, dudes?

    (2)

  • Chloe Z.

    Very attentive waitress, yet she mistaken my duck breast from medium-well to medium-rare. I am a big fan of this entree and after trying it at so many restaurants, I assure you the duck breast here is not the best I have had. great seared scallop though!! it's so tender on the inside and charred just right on the outside. My friend got a ginger glazed salmon as her entree. We both agreed that the salmon is the winner. The glaze is thin yet very flavorful. The char on both sides added more twist to it. The soup du jour was fantastic! It got a vegie puree and had ginger as a kick. I'll def try it at home. Overall, liked this plac!

    (4)

  • Stella A.

    Loved it. Everything about it. The location: ample parking on Lincoln Ave. The decor: minimalist but warm. The service: timed well; knowledgeable waiter; attentive busboy; host and hostess were very nice. The food: ridiculously good. My friend and I started off with the Tuna Poke. It tasted like a magical tuna roll but with so much flavor. There was a hint of wasabi, cilantro, lemon, and I don't know what other amazingness. I ordered the short ribs for the main entree. The meat was so tender, I didn't even need a knife. It came with mac & cheese and brussel sprouts that were marinated in a soy concoction. The M&C were okay, kinda bland. However, the brussel sprouts made up for what the M&C lacked in flavor. We ordered the 5 spice creme brulee. It came with ginger cookies. It had great fall spice flavors. I will definitely return. Their scallop appetizer sounded too good not to make a second trip.

    (5)

  • Dusty K.

    [puts on the grumpy hat] I don't get it. Hawaiin? Fine. But after a few rounds of mimosas our table was $150 in the hole and our food hadn't even come. What the hell, Batman? How is that even possible? My french toast was fine. Everyone's mom makes better at home and others who ordered the same wished they picked a different option. The donuts which everyone raved about were not nearly as great as stated. I'll say it's the donut factor - no one will ever admit to having a bad donut. How do you think a place like Dunkin Donuts stays in business? I'd rather drop $7 at a local bakery on my way back home. I never understand places like this. People hand over lots of cash for mediocre food. If Hawaii is anything like Sola, I won't be visiting anytime soon.

    (1)

  • Rachel G.

    This place is SO great! My husband and I have eaten in the restaurant and have done carry out a few times. Everything has always been delicious, beautiful, and well prepared! The appetizer scallops and the gnocchi are amazing! Salads are a bit less amazing. As far as main courses, you can't go wrong. The fish is always cooked to perfection and my husband raves about the wagyu steak. On a side note, it seems like it would be a lovely place to sit outside. We never have, but will next time!

    (4)

  • James W.

    Great outdoor seating and service. Food was delicious and unique flavors. Highly recommend the egg rolls with chili dipping sauce and duck with Hawaiian red rice.

    (5)

  • Yvonne Y.

    Food: Perfectly marinated and tender scallops for appetizer. The steak tartar was quite delicious (may be a tad bit too many capers). I'd pass on the soup and salads in the future. Loved the roasted red snapper special and the cobia that's served over Japanese squash. Of course, there are the malasades with vanilla and chocolate. Also shared their Meritage bottle. Excellent waiter who really knew the food and wine offering. Easy parking.

    (4)

  • Derek D.

    I went to dinner last week with my GF and another couple. The place is modern and VERY COOL. I really liked the wait staff and felt they did a great job at making me feel taken care of. All of he dishes except for one were good. Fresh stuff across the board. Thanks! d

    (3)

  • Kate H.

    I have mixed feelings about Sola, but I think this may be due to some less-than-ideal ordering. Overall, it was enjoyable and the service was stellar. Every person involved in seating us, serving our food, and clearing away empty plates was prompt, pleasant, and polite. Our server Alison was especially nice. The dining room was lovely. It felt very modern but the soft lighting gave the room a warmth that is sometimes lacking in contemporary establishments. The fireplace was lit, and we sat right by it. The mistake we made, though, was to split four small plates and then one entree. I think we would have been better off ordering entrees, because the small plates were a little, well, small. What we loved: The seared scallops and the kalua pork over banana bread. Both of these dishes were amazing. My boyfriend isn't crazy about bananas, but even he admitted that the kalua pork was his second favorite (after the scallops). There are only two scallops in the appetizer/small plate, but they are plump and perfectly prepared. What we liked: The wagyu burger (our split entree) and the artichoke fritters. I would've preferred the burger without the cambozola, which is a blue-veined cheese (and I'm just not that crazy about blue cheese). Otherwise, this was nice and came with truffle fries. Our server asked us if we wanted truffle aioli with the fries, which we agreed to. However, these came with a surprising $2 charge when we got the bill. It was not enough to complain about but just enough to be a little irritating. Overall, I wasn't that fond of the truffle aioli, which was also served with the artichoke fritters. The fritters themselves were nice, although there were just five of them for $8. What we weren't crazy about: Sweet potato gnocchi. The actual gnocchi was fantastic, but the rest of this dish was just okay. It was a heaping amount of fava beans with roughly 5-7 gnocchi. Had this proportion been reversed, this would have been a much more satisfying dish. Overall, our bill for four small plates, one entree (one of the cheapest at just $16), one beer, and one soda plus tax and tip was just shy of $100. This is a bit high for casual dining, but I think we could've sliced this in half if we'd ordered a bit smarter. I'd like to give this a 3.5, but I'll bump it up to a 4 because of the service.

    (4)

  • John B.

    Great service, great food! Has become a favorite of me and the missus.

    (4)

  • Kelly C.

    Recently returned to Sola, but this time on a Friday night night. The restaurant was packed which is good for business but tight for space. The experience this time around wasn't a strong as the first time. There were two main reasons: 1) Service was less attentive: We were often looking around for our server when we were looking to order drinks, then again for food and then again after we received the food. 2) Food was good, but not standout. One nit is that they advertised lamb chops on the menu, but based on the size and the flavor they were clearly mutton (not lamb). This seems to happen frequently that lamb is advertised on the menu and then mutton is served (because who wants to order mutton, it just doesn't sound as tasty). That being said, it was nicely prepared and tasty just different.

    (3)

  • Yanyao N.

    Sometimes you dine at a place and before you waddle out the door, already start making plans to return (headed back on Monday!). A few of my examples: Takashi on Sunday nights, Table 52, Girl and the Goat. I would like to extend a welcome to Sola for joining that list! I had heard somewhere that New Year's Eve was going to be Sola's last night, so in December, we came and dined. The room is so relaxing and warm -- browns everywhere, pretty lighting fixtures -- I always feel so warm and fuzzy (can rooms give hugs? I think so) and therefore, happy (!) when I am in a beautifully decorated place. Anyway, more importantly: food! Artichoke hearts? Definitely on my list of vegetables that I really really like. Fritter?! A word that I always have problems pronouncing but who said that ordered fried food should be easy for me? By the way, artichoke fritter totally trumps calling "deep fried artichoke heart". Fritter fritter fritter! The french onion soup had BACON FAT in it. I love when people describe food to me, even more so when they use the words "bacon fat". Also thrown into the mix was the word "pineapple". Interesting... and much appreciated when it helped cut the richness and fat of the dish. Genius! The dish that I would return for (and eat over and over again) is the duck entree. The breast is PERFECT. Crispy duck skin on the outside and a beautiful pink on the inside. Crispy kale, kumquats, gnocchi and parsnip puree share the attention. This plate is a flavor and texture wonderland. I also really enjoyed the pork trio dish... more like quartet as it was served with BACON BREAD PUDDING. Awesomesauce! However, the winner of the evening (on top of all this?! It can be done!) was the dessert: an adzuki bean cake with kabocha squash and sweet miso ice cream. I have deemed this the best dessert I have eaten in 2010 (and yes, I've had the Bristol's house-made nutter butters). Seriously, it is about time that bean desserts start popping up on menus. Ask any Chinese bakery fanatic: bean paste rocks. It is sweet and brings this earthy quality to desserts that cannot be recreated with chocolate or fruit. Whoever came up with this dessert is brilliant. And next time, I'm ordering one per person. Fortunately, Sola is going to remain open until April. I think Carol Wollack is going to open another restaurant in River North. I hope (hope hope!) that Sola remains open forever, so I can go eat adzuki bean cake every month. If not, she better serve it at the other place! Dessert of the year!

    (5)

  • Jennifer T.

    We have previously enjoyed dinner at Sola, and I am sure it is still wonderful- however, now that we have a baby, brunch is more our style. Each of our meals were delicious and huge- Green City Market Omelet, short ribs Benedict and the breakfast burger. Our server was attentive and friendly. This is a place to go with a few close girlfriends, your family, or as a couple- not a place for loud, half-drunk groups of guys and girls like some brunch places. Tip- We arrived at 10, so we could sit at the first come/first served patio, and it was filling up by 11. The patio is nice and relaxed- especially for brunch, which is more casual than the dinners there.

    (5)

  • Dawn H.

    Orgasm. That pretty much sums up the entire culinary experience. The food was impeccable. I usually don't have such a hard time narrowing down menu choices, but I couldn't decide among FIVE dishes, folks. That's really saying something. After the meal, I am certain that the indecisiveness was justified. The hubs and I shared the artichoke fritters, soup of the day (crab/apple soup), the burger, and the pork entree. Everything was absolutely FANTASTIC. The blend of flavors were innovative and mind-blowing. Finally, it felt like I was a judge on Top Chef! The service was excellent. Water was constantly filled. What I appreciated the most was the hostess calling me two days prior to the reservation to kindly inform me that the entrance is actually on Byron St. and not Lincoln Ave. as posted. Very thoughtful and appreciated. Entrees run about $30/each, and the portions are perfect (no slathering butter on the doorways to squeeze yourself out!). Love you, Sola.

    (5)

  • Jessica V.

    This is based on my brunch experience only. We came here for brunch after reading all the phenomenal reviews and also from friends that recommended it. I ordered the sweet and savory French toast and my boyfriend got the eggs Benedict. We also each got a blood orange mimosa. The sweet and savory French toast was.... Ok I guess. Too much preserves, not enough cheese. The preserves over powered everything else and made the bread soggy. The version at Southport Grocery is much better The Benedict was alright,but both poached eggs came out overlooked which was a huge let down. The mimosas were ridiculously small and not worth the price. We may return for dinner but with so many other great brunch spots I doubt we will be back for brunch

    (2)

  • James D.

    We went here for Valentines day and I was thrilled with our meal. I had the new york strip steak, and my girl had the tuna. It was delicious! The only negatives to this place is the lighting is way to bright. For the upscale vibe it should be dimmed a bit to be more intimate. I also thought the staff needs to enunciate more, the staff mumbles often and we couldn't understand what they were saying.

    (5)

  • Ella K.

    Tuna poke is fresh, light & cool, a perfect antidote to the heat wave. Truffle fries are served in a pint glass & more than plenty to share for two. The truffle aioli on the side completes the decadent tasting experience!

    (4)

  • Kathleen T.

    Oh, Sola. I knew you when. Maybe it's gone downhill in recent years, or maybe the city's dining scene has simply passed it by. Whatever the case, I was letdown by my meal last night. (Even after saving 30% by booking on Savored.) The atmosphere was fine, though lower rent than I remember. Forever 21 garb on the front of house, faded t-shirts on servers. Our server was friendly and probably as fast as he could be, given that he was also tending bar. And as for the food, well, the tuna was pretty good but not great. Same with the scallops, the wagyu steak tartare and the soft-center chocolate cake. Today, I've kinda forgotten it all. Truthfully, though, the problem wasn't the food. It was the food runner. She was absolutely doused with perfume. We're talking, took a bath in it, washed her clothes with it. then gargled it. Every time she walked by, the scent hit us in the face, then hung in the air. Good god, woman! Put down the Chanel No. 5! Isn't that rule #1 of working around food? I hope Sola reclaims its former glory. It really was a neighborhood gem.

    (3)

  • Beryl C.

    We dined in here this past Friday night for one of our gfs' birthday. We had a huge group -- 12 adults and 1 kid. We all had high hope for this place due to the good reviews. However, our experience is less than pleasant. Service is next to nothing. Our waitress was definitely not on the friendly note. I've never seen one smile from her face. Food is meh meh meh esp. with the price they charge. I had the salmon -- ordered it well done. The salmon was cooked well but there was barely any sauce on it. Also, the edamame puree was disgusting -- no taste at all and it was cold and they forgot the green bean tempura on mine. Oh well... We ordered 3 orders of truffle fries and 2 orders of raw oysters to share. Truffle fries was one huge greasy mess -- extremely salty. Raw oysters were lukewarm and tasted fishy. As far as I know half of us (including myself) got stomach ache after we got home and we all blamed it on the oysters cuz they were definitely not fresh. I cannot remember every single entree that my friends ordered but the highlights are as follow: Beef short ribs -- too sweet Duck -- good Wagyu steak -- salty Tuna -- fishy Halibut -- fishy, salty and dry We all ordered desserts. I had the sorbet trio -- was okay. Nothing to write home about. A few of my friends ordered the soft center chocolate cakes -- and none of them finished it. They all said it didnt taste good and it was one big gluey mess. One of my gfs said it tasted like the microwave lava cake. Oh well...I guess we will simply never come back.

    (2)

  • William H.

    Brunch was amazing! Had the eggs benedict with chorizo. Totally recommend. The hash was good too. If you order a side, note that they are really big portions.

    (5)

  • Ashley C.

    I came here first by way of Groupon... and have already been back since. Exceptional food and great service - although I have to say I liked our service the first time we were there better. I love the food. It was all very fresh, nicely seasoned and just delicious. When we go, we like to get plates and share them. This way you can try a little bit of everything. The portions are very nice and they can make anything entree size if you are with a crowd of non-sharing/small plate people. You must get the truffle parmesan fries. Sound so basic, but are SO delicious. I also really quite enjoy the seared scallops and the raw tuna for light appetizers. Both taste so fresh such that they were just caught from the ocean. For entrees, the wagyu hanger steak was absolutely cooked to perfection! We also tried a seasonal lambchop dish which was cooked good although it was stuffed with blue cheese (a negative in my book on personal taste only). The pork is also very nice. I find the dessert menu lacking to my taste, but thankfully they have a chocolate cake that is delicious. It is good, but nothing that separates it from every other chocolate cake. One down side is that the kitchen can close early (10-10:30). This is key if you are meeting for a late dinner. Yet, you can hang out and have your drinks after that. Now that we know that, we probably wouldn't want a dinner later than 8-8:30 to give yourself plenty of time to savor the food and pick new things out. Overall - a hit! One of my new favorites. It is nice but not too out there that it is only a "special occasion" spot. Tip: Even though it has a Lincoln Ave. address, the entrance is around the corner on Byron Street.

    (4)

  • Allan B.

    Food/10 Service/10 Unbelievably good duck breast. Try the homemade ice cream.

    (5)

  • Phuong L.

    My husband and I came here for dinner last night and the experience left much more to be desired. The wait staff was very friendly and attentive at first and the food started out strong. We ordered the tuna poke for an appetizer and it was out of this world! Delicious. The sweet sauce and wasabi sauce complimented the fresh tuna very well. But when we ordered the duck breast and pork chop with a side of fries for our main course that's where it went south. The pork chop came out way over cooked and when the waiter addressed this issue he said he would take care of it and let the cook know about it. When the waiter gave us our check he said he took the difference off of our side of fries and when we opened our check, sure enough, instead of taking $28 off for the inedible pork, he only took off about $8 for the fries. Had we known we were going to end up paying for it we would've asked the chef to redo the pork entree and just taken it home. We were paying with a Groupon and at that point I didn't want to ruin our nice evening so we paid the bill and walked out, definitely never planning on coming back.

    (2)

  • Jason B.

    nothing exciting or boring on the menu. you want graet quality food prepared well then this is a safe choice. i call it safe intentionally. also get the tuna. seriously and im not even a tuna person. it was stellar. id actually recommend teh tasting if its available. JEANS: OK but dont wear a tshirt ORDER: wait staff

    (4)

  • Rachel L.

    I feel the need to update my previous review just to give people a heads up. This place loves pork. And by love pork, I mean LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVES pork. Not for vegetarians or pork-free diets should you want protein. If it's pork-free and carbs that you want, go for it. Still, what I have had here is delicious, I just wish I could do more than the green city omelet.

    (4)

  • Inna B.

    I went here with a "dinner for two" groupon and I thought it was just ok. Nothing on the menu blew my mind, especially for the high price point. One of our dishes was so salty that we almost sent it back. On the other hand, I've been here for brunch & I thought it was much better for that.

    (3)

  • Dan P.

    I was very pleasently surprised about Sola. Went for dinner on a Thursday, and they had a burger special. I am not much of a burger guy, but I was feeling meaty. The wagyu burger with pretzel bread is outstanding - so flavorful! Probably the best burger I've ever had. The truffle and parmesan fries were also nice - mine were slightly under cooked, but they were still very flavourful and didnt stop me from wolfing down about 2/3 of them. During my burger infused elation I paid little attention to my dining companion, but I faintly recall them saying their food was equally as good. I do recall the drinks though, and both the mojito and the pretty in pink cocktails were outstanding. Go now.

    (5)

  • Jay S.

    The food was okay, it wasn't bad but it wasn't anything special. We had the cheese plate, kalua pork, pho and scallops. The quality and presentation was good, but the taste was pedestrian. The wine list was nice the service was pleasant. Nevertheless, for the price per entree I expected a lot more.

    (2)

  • Johnny T.

    My take? Come for dinner. As vaunted as brunch was, it didn't quite satisfy. But, there has to be a reason so many people rave about sola. My guess is that they came for dinner. I didn't dislike anything about my brunch and one thing - in particular - called me 'Susan': the malasadas. First off, just say it a few times. It's fun, right? Then, prepare to sneeze on the dish as soon as it comes out because you're going to want it all to yourself. These sugary, Portuguese-style donuts come with a rich, chocolate fudge sauce and a tart, fruity raspberry coulis. It's like getting the best part of a filled donut (the filling) and getting to eat as much of it as you want. Had I had a brunch full of malasadas, I would, definitely, have given sola 4 stars or more. I'd also have a 44 waist, DDs and many more lonely nights. Portion control is our friend. Beach season is coming and my Baywatch reunion mates are real b!tches. But, sadly for me (and sola) brunch was more than just malasadas (I am determined to say it as much as possible). The Maui Mosa which started my meal left me a bit flat. On paper, sparkling wine, passionfruit and pineapple juice sounds like a no-brainer. In execution... not so much. I would have been more satisfied with a regular mimosa or maybe I just didn't have a well-crafted one. I was still on a high from my malasadas, so I hadn't given up hope. I needed to decide between the breakfast wrap and egg sandwich. Given ingredients like kalua pork, avocado, bean, egg, and spinach, the wrap was an easy sell. It's frustrating, then, that with every bite, I was, like, "the magic starts... NOW!... Now?... now?" I just don't understand how I was so bored by a dish with good ingredients. Not only did I find it bland but I was disinterested in finishing. Me. Disinterested in eating. That says something. sola has plenty of fans and few detractors. I don't think I am either. Perhaps if I came back for dinner, I'd change my mind... but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

    (3)

  • Amy W.

    I came here with my boyfriend for dinner and I absolutely loved it! Service was great, decor was lovely as well (although I don't think the large-screen TV playing baseball was as appropriate for the ambiance). We shared a wagyu beef tartar and truffle oil Parmesan fries for appetizers. My boyfriend ordered the hanger steak while I got the soup of the day (miso fennel with duck confit) and the prawn appetizers. The food was amazing. I especially loved the soup, which was creamy but not overly heavy. I also loooved the flatbread (made with rosemary, black pepper, and fennel) that came with the bread, and the waitress was so kind to pack us an extra box to take home. For dessert, we had the chocolate fudge sundae that the waitress highly recommended. I loved the homemade banana ice cream, although I felt like the flavors of the chocolate fudge overpowered the more subtle banana flavors -- nonetheless it was quite enjoyable. My ooonnly complaint is that there was not that much of a discrepancy between the size of an appetizer and an entree. My boyfriend's steak, which was $20+ more expensive than the majority of the appetizers, was pretty much the same size as the prawns that I ordered. Even though the portions generally were on the smaller size, I did leave Sola feeling full (and not uncomfortably, painfully full) and satisfied.

    (5)

  • Aaron T.

    We went here for dinner one night. Being that this is a fairly trendy and upscale place, I'm setting expectations a little high. First, we had the scallop for an app. We were not very big fans. I would avoid this item at all costs. The scallop was cold, rubbery and whatever else they put with it was not the right thing to put with it. I think it was some kind of fruit. Now, the reason this place gets four stars. I had the salmon and my GF had the halibut. We both agreed that these were the two best fish dishes we have ever had. We both tried each others dishes and liked them equally. Overall, we had an appetizer, two main courses, two drinks. Ended up being around $80. We were referred here because we had a Groupon.

    (4)

  • Sue K.

    I would recommend the tuna entree and scallop appetizer. Excited to try brunch one day. Very nice and helpful staff

    (4)

  • Linda D.

    I have dined at Sola several times through the years it has been in business. Frankly I don't understand the bad reviews or the comments about how the place has gone downhill. My dining experiences have always been consistent. Carlos has always been my waiter and the service has never been less than superb. I love the food here and it never fails to surprise and please. Tonight I started with the Crab Cakes with Butternut Squash and a Coconut Aioli. This appetizer was divinely perfect. My next course was the soup of the day, a lite pureed Butternut Squash with Pistachios. My entree this evening was the Barramundi with Soba Noodles delicately seasoned with a Soy Vinaigrette and garnished with julienned Green Papaya, Carrots and Red Pepper. The fish was one of the best I have had recently. The Trio of Sorbets were tasty and not too sweet. The Coconut and the Banana were my favorites. A most wonderful repast.

    (5)

  • Colleen L.

    Awesome! The menu descriptions promise tons and tons of flavor combinations, and the items we ordered more than met our expectations. Thebest advice I can give is that if a flavor combination sounds reeeeally strange, ORDER IT (I'm looking at you, banana bread topped with BBQ pulled pork). The menu is small by Cheesecake Factory-type restaurant standards, but every single thing on it is carefully crafted and delicious. The portions are also "small" by today's gargantuan standards, but they're actually closer to normal human-sized portions, and you will not leave hungry. Our server's friendliness was outstripped only by her helpfulness in navigating the menu to make delicious choices. She also seemed to have a good relationship with the chef and was able to give input on exactly how each dish was created and served. The pho-jito is the greatest cocktail I've ever had; you won't even miss the booze. We were so impressed with how flat-out delicious everything we ordered was (and we ordered quite a lot for just two people) that we asked our server to let the chef know how pleased we were. Our server obviously did so because a few moments later the chef was at our table graciously thanking us for the compliments. She seemed to get genuine joy out of feeding people meals that made them happy. We can't wait to go again. I guess the menu changes often, but the salmon is a constant for very good reason.

    (5)

  • Laurie S.

    Excellent food and great service except it took a really long time in between courses and they weren't that busy. Everything looked fantastic and i plan on returning soon. I had a carrot curry soup, yum!, the wagu burger, excellent and an apple bread pudding...that was just ok. Our waiter was very knowledgeable. Props to him. worth the trip!

    (4)

  • Vanessa R.

    We'd wanted to dine at Sola for a while since it has great reviews, a constantly changing menu and is in the neighborhood. Unfortunately, I left disappointed and feeling a bit salty after our recent dinner there. Literally. Atmosphere: We went here on a weekday and only one of the two dining rooms was open. The décor was pleasant and the lighting steals the show. The seating is nice and open with a mix of open booths and tables. There is a decent sized bar on the end and a nice fireplace which I'm sure makes this place feel cozy in the winter months. The crowd was a bit older than expected (nothing wrong with that) and the outdoor patio was also open. We opted to sit indoors. Service: Our waitress was very pleasant and kind, however, service was SLOOOOOOOOOW. It seemed evident from the looks on other diners' faces that they too were frustrated with the pace of service. It appeared that there were not enough servers. The waitresses also had to make their own drinks. What is the point of having a bar without a bartender? Also, it was a nice evening so people were seated both indoors and outdoors so perhaps that exacerbated the problem of what seemed to be short staffing. Food: I ordered the Wagyu Hangar Steak with Swiss chard over a sweet potato purple potato pancake. The steak itself was tasty - very juicy and well flavored. However the portion was very small. My main issue was that the rest of the course was extremely salty to the point where it was inedible - especially the chard. The sweet potato pancake also soaked up a lot of the saltiness and just had a really off taste. I was really hungry still since we skipped an appetizer and most of my meal (sans the steak) was inedible so in my desperation I took a bite of what seemed like a fried potato chip only to find it was roasted elephant garlic! Gag! Needless to say, dinner was not pleasant. To try and salvage this outing we were going to order dessert (I had my eye on the sorbet), however our waitress didn't come by in a really long time. By the time she did make her way over, we just asked for the check knowing that would probably take long too. It's a shame - perhaps we caught Sola on a low-staffed day, but even then, the food was sub-par, especially for the price. Bummer.

    (2)

  • Bart T.

    Decent. I thought the pork belly and kimchi side was pretty good, had a lot of great taste to it. The scallops appetizer was really good too, cooked perfectly. The problem was with the entrees. I had the lamb chops and my gf had the seared tuna. They both were breaded and the breading basically blunted the taste of both dishes. Not sure why they thought it was necessary to put breading around both. Questionable decision and to make it worse, the breading was just meh. We also had the bean cake for dessert. I honestly don't remember it but that might be because I had too much to drink :). One other thing - the ambiance of the place was strange. The lighting, walls, fixtures, and bar gave the appearance of a higher-end, more upscale restaurant but the seating (tables and chairs) made it feel like a diner. The pricing, however, was definitely not diner-like.

    (3)

  • Kelsee H.

    My friend made a reservation at this restaurant when I went to visit him in Chicago a couple of weeks back. I knew nothing of the restaurant besides the fact that it was across the street from the theatre we'd be going to later in the evening. We went in on a Wednesday evening and there was absolutely no wait and we were quickly seated on the patio, which we had requested. We were assisted by several different staff members - one brought the water, one brought the bread, so I was a little confused as to who our server may have been at first. I'll break it down... SERVICE: Prompt, not pushy or slow. Just right. Other than the initial server confusion, of course! Waiter even had our food split in half before it came out to the table, made it much easier for my friend and I to share. However, it is important to note that you should tell the waiter you want your check split up front, or else at the end of your meal they cant go back and split it. Frustrating, but understandable. FOOD: We split the artichoke fritters, the chicken entree, and the truffle parmesan fries. And it was worth the price we paid! I could not stop eating those fries, they were like heaven in my mouth. I also had a LOVELY pineapple mojito. Definitely recommended. We also received samples of a salmon dish, compliments of the chef...which were also delicious. Would I go back next time I visit Chicago? Maybe. I had a decent experience overall, but I'm not quite sold on the place.

    (3)

  • amanda M.

    The food was really good. Pricey but i think worth it for a special night out. I had the duck and it was delicious. The truffle fries are pretty much the best fries ever. Service was great! Our waitress was so nice. The drink i had was really good also. I would go back. :)

    (4)

  • Devon B.

    Wow what a find. After missing the flavors of all the Hawaiian food I had just recently enjoyed I was on a mission to find some similar offerings. I found it at, Sola. I was immediately turned on by the fact the owner & chef is a female. Boy, can she cook! The dinner was fresh a fabulous. Creative ingredients & flavors flowed perfectly. Our server was pleasant & sweet & very knowledgeable about the food & menu. I was there for an amazing dinner but hear the brunch is a must. I'll be back soon!

    (4)

  • Stella W.

    love the low key, chill ambiance, the service was excellent...when i asked our server's opinion on dishes i was considering, he gave me the most honest opinion, and thus, i had really good experiences and enjoyed everything i have had...i regretted not listening to his suggestion on dessert! The kalua pork on banana bread was tasty and different. I haven't had the real thing from hawaii, so i had nothing to compare it with...but i like Sola's The crispy mushroom salad was really good...the hint of the mushroom fragrant sipped through from the distinctive favour of the arugula...well done... The steak tartar paired with tempura egg.....excellent...well, the steak tartar alone wouldn't have worth such "high praise"...but i wonder how they could fried a soft-boiled egg but still be able to keep the yolk runny and the egg white so soft.... :O The chocolate molten cake...hmm...still good, but i wish i had gone with the server's suggestion on the banana pudding....but i am more of a chocolate fan than banana and caramel's.... worth the tread up to the north center area...

    (4)

  • Jeanie P.

    Slightly disappointed with Sola after all the great reviews. Creative pan-asian/hawaiian food with warm atmosphere. I recommend the tuna tartar appetizer (under the "raw" section). I tried the salmon with the edamame puree, and the salmon was cooked perfectly but you couldn't really taste the truffle in the truffle-teriyaki sauce. I thought the portions were a little off because there was just TOO much edamame puree (tasty like mashed potatoes). Green bean tempura was good. Skip the truffle fries (WAY BETTER AT HB restaurant!) The aioli was truly sub-par. Creative drinks as well (too strong for me!). Dessert we had was super creative but honestly wasn't THAT tasty.. I never thought I'd say this but... too many flavors! Really strange service experience. Our waiter barely came to our table even when we tried to flag him down. Another waitress in that section basically covered for him and took all our orders. Twas alright overall, but not worth returning to anytime soon.

    (3)

  • Michelle W.

    we went there with a groupon. it is a little expensive but is definitely worth the money! strongly recommend the wagyu hanger steak. we also tried the brunch, cheaper than dinner but almost has all that you can find at the dinner menu.

    (4)

  • Amer A.

    Brunch on Saturday, Nice location. Well done decor. Friendly staff. A little surprised by the bus staff sporting filthy t-shirts at they very beginning of the day. We ordered the sour cream pancakes (very lemony, quite nice), the berry french toast (nothing special), and the short-rib benedict. The short-rib benedict had all the components to be an awesome dish...but managed fall flat on its hollandaise. The beef was tough, unevenly reheated and under-seasoned. The cheddar biscuit was flavourless. The 1/2 of the hash browns that were seared were quite nice. The other half was still partially cool and mushy. This place could be great if they had consistent kitchen execution.

    (2)

  • Jean C.

    I came here today with my parents and husband for my birthday brunch. The weather was perfect so we sat outside in the shade. We weren't in a hurry and the server completely respected that. I got a coffee and and everyone else got drinks: Wasabi Bloody Mary with a Miller High Life side car, a Palmango Mimosa and a Red Dawn Mimosa. I sipped all three and I love Bloody Marys but that Palmango Mimosa had me at that one sip. So citrusy and crisp. It was lovely. I ordered the Short Rib Benedict, which I knew I was going to get once I looked at the menu online. The hubs ordered the Chocolate Chip, Banana, & Bacon pancakes and my parents both got the special Salmon Benedict. The food was delicious. My short ribs were a little cold and I only got one egg. Well, one egg with yolk and one egg white. The poached egg was perfect. The yolk ran when I broke the egg. The cheddar biscuits were a nice surprise and worked really well with the short ribs, egg and hollandaise sauce. I could definitely have used more of that sauce though. The potatoes were good but the benedict was filling. Everyone enjoyed their meal and we definitely agreed to come back for the dinner menu. This was a great brunch spot and I'm ready to try everything else on the menu. Go here. Fast. I promise you won't be disappointed!!

    (5)

  • Debbie S.

    Solid brunch with friendly service. I have been to Sola several times for brunch and each time I come, I am pleased. It never seems to be too busy, which surprises me, given the food and the neighborhood. I like to start my brunches with a cocktail and the red dawn mimosa always delivers (champagne and blood orange). I also like the maui-mosa which is champagne combined with peach and passion fruit juices. We tend to order the malasadas as a starter, which are these delicious donuts that come with chocolate and raspberry dipping sauces. Then on to the main event -- I am a big fan of the short rib benedict. The short ribs provide a nice compliment to the eggs and the pesto hollandaise definitely kicks this brunch item up a notch. I am also a big fan of the huevos benedictos -- eggs benedict with chorizo and a salsa hollandaise. This is a great place for brunch with friends but I have also taken my parents to brunch here on occasion. They have been very accommodating to us with our little man and I feel comfortable bringing a baby here. It's nice to be able to go out for a nicer brunch without feeling bad about having a kid around. We tend to hit this place early (like right when it opens for brunch) so later it may not be quite so great with a kid. If you're looking for a different brunch option in the North Center neighborhood, this is definitely one to try. I'd like to check it out for dinner -- hopefully it will live up to the high standards set by the brunch.

    (4)

  • Janna N.

    I think I would have liked this place a lot more if I had been able to sit outside on the patio (apparently since there were 3 of us it was going to be an hour long wait for outside seating). Anyway, inside the restaurant it felt a little bit like a nursing home to me: it was really quiet, carpet on the floor. I love going to restaurants where I can't figure out what I want because everything on the menu looks good, but this place was kind of the opposite. In all, my food was okay, the service was fine, and the place seemed clean but I won't be back unless I am looking for a Sunday Brunch place that takes reservations and this is my only option.

    (3)

  • Roshani C.

    Just went this past weekend. Really good brunch food. Not much of a wait on a Sunday. Great service. Our waitress was so energetic. The staff brought over anything we needed in a timely manner. The chilaquiles, egg sandwich, and banana upside-down pancake were all great dishes.

    (5)

  • Joseph D.

    Sola is solid. We went there for dinner on a Saturday night. The place was crowded. It's a moderately sized, open space restaurant. I consider Sola as a great restaurant for social dining. The service was good. The food was good. Nothing out of the ordinary, and the menu prices reflected it. Menu prices were reasonable, nothing too expensive. I left the restaurant thinking "good restaurant." I did think my dessert could be better though. I ordered ice cream...it was fine...nothing exceptional.

    (4)

  • Melanie S.

    Went here for brunch yesterday with my favorite female dining partner in crime before we hit up some vintage clothing stores. We had originally planned on going to M Henry, but decided that with the Midsommar Fest it would be more of a zoo there than usual, and instead chose to go to Sola based on all the great reviews. I hadn't thought to make a reservation and it was hopping at 12:45, including two big parties, one replete with the dreaded diaper cake. The host managed to scare up a table, thankfully, far away from the ensuing ooohing and ahhhing of the baby shower. PIC arrived shortly thereafter and the waitress greeted us. She had a very sing-song -y Irish accent and she was more perky than anyone should be on a Sunday morning (okay, technically it was afternoon, but still). She gave us menus and asked if we wanted some donuts to start while we looked over the menu. In a flash, we both looked at each other and read each other's minds. You bet your ass we wanted those donuts. To that, we also ordered mimosas - a Red Dawn for me and a Palmango for Keri. I love blood orange juice and this was a delicious twist on a classic mimosa. The donuts, actually called "malasadas," were placed down in front of us. There were four of these little beauties and also small pitchers of raspberry coulis and chocolate sauces for dunkin'. I am always a fan of breakfast/brunch appetizers, especially sweet ones, (I'm specifically talking about the breakfast bread pudding at m henry :::swoons:::) so these more than hit the spot and the sauces were spectacular. For our main courses, I ordered a wild mushroom, asparagus and goat cheese omelette and she ordered the huevos benedictos - a spin on classic eggs benedict. The food arrived and we dug in. On the side were hash browns which neither of us cared for. They were shredded but not at all crunchy. They were just big chunks of steamed potatoes with no texture at all. That is a big fail in my book. My omelette was good, but it was cooked a bit longer than I like and was more like a frittata than an omelette. Keri liked, but didn't love her dish, which admittedly had a lot going on. Sweet cornbread, a ton of crumbled chorizo and some heat from the salsa, which she thought didn't necessarily play well off of each other. The service was cheerful and friendly, almost too friendly, but she was knowledgeable and efficient, so I can't complain. I'd say Sola is a solid 3.5 stars for brunch, but I look forward to returning for dinner and updating my review.

    (4)

  • Ariel B.

    The Girlfriends and I got together for our monthly brunch and Sola was the restaurant of choice. We'd heard about these Portuguese donuts and chocolate chip pancakes...they were worth the price of admission. Those donuts (or MALASADAS, as they are known on the menu) were amazing. The chocolate chip, macadamia nut pancakes with nutella sauce...yum. I ordered the spare ribs benedict with cheddar cakes and pesto hollandaise. Heaven. The meat was very tender and the biscuits were divine. The chilaquiles were also a big hit at the table. The restaurant itself is pretty modern and has a lot of great light in the morning. Our server was ever so kind as he dealt with our unruly group. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Christina G.

    The hubby and I tried Sola for the first time last Friday night. We had bought the groupon and finally got around to trying it. I have to say, it was not all that I had expected. The second I walked in, I was hit by the extremely strong smell of fish. Don't get me wrong, I like fish. But your restaurant shouldn't be over-powered by the smell. We decided to order a bunch of the small plates, so we can try more than just one dish. Here's what we ordered and a short assessment of each. 1. Kalua pork This tasted like tender pulled pork on some bread. It was good, but not great. 2. Artichoke fritters Does it make sense to say this tasted a little too deep fried? The fried coating was really thick and the dipping sauces they brought out with it didn't add much to the dish. 3. Seared scallops These were cooked perfectly and were exactly the right consistency. Their taste was amazing. 4. Gnocchi These or the scallops were my favorite. The gnocchi just melted in your mouth with each bite, and the veggies served with it complemented the dish wonderfully. 5. Truffle parmesean fries As we ordered everything at once, and our server said he'd stagger the plates, I was surprised that the fries came out with the last batch of food. They would have been good to have at the beginning, to eat throughout the meal. They were tasty, but not amazing. 6. Adzuki bean cake We tried this unusual dessert. Bean paste is such an unusual texture and has a really interesting taste. The dessert was pretty good. We each also had a cocktail that seemed overpriced. I had a pear-ginger mixed drink that was about $10 and I believe my husband's was about $11. Stick to the wine, I guess. The plates were on the small side, so thought it seems like we ordered a lot of food, we really didn't. I felt full, but not stuffed with what we ordered. Just don't expect a lot of food if you order a small plate. For example, the seared scallop dish came with only 2 scallops. I did find that the service itself was great. Our waters were constantly filled, our plates were taken away soon after we finished the food on them, and our server was always nearby if we needed something. Overall, I don't think I'd go back for dinner. I did read some great reviews about brunch, so I may have to try that, but save your money on an overpriced dinner and go somewhere else.

    (3)

  • Crystal P.

    Best surprise from the boy ever :) mmmmm. Sola was soooo good. Nothing we ordered disappointed us. The Hostess was Wonderful and came and made small talk with us when she noticed our waiter was lacking in social graces. Now let me break it down. Drink: I wish I remembered the name It was delish! It was candied ginger vodka pineapple and black pepper and a little star anise floating on top App: Parm-Truffle fries So good.. a lot of people are trying their hand at this type of fry and failing. But Sola is on point Perfect! Entrees: I had the Tuna It was perfect. It was Panko breaded and seared. it came in a cute little tower on top of bamboo rice with Tempura avocado on top! mmm and I the best part soy-wasabi buerre blanc sauce ... perfect and delish. The Boy had the Scallops- wild mushroom - leek - fava risotto, wax beans, baby bok choy, truffle vinaigrette, oregon truffle I'll let that speak for it self... it was near orgasmic... Dessert- sponge cake Panna Cotta - sake soaked, lemongrass,raspberry gelee, kumquat compote... This was inhaled and it was a perfect balance of sour and sweet and creamy :) mmm i'll dream about this :) I will be back!

    (5)

  • Kathy S.

    The reviews are right, really everything we ordered for dinner was amazing! The smell of truffle oil is in the air when you walk in, but we tried the pot sticker app with mango, contrary to everyone else who were getting the Parmesan truffle fries - didn't want to fill up too much because everything sounded so good. Loved the salmon with edamame puree and the Ahi Tuna. Everything was absolutely delicious - then we got dessert. As another reviewer said - it was honestly an orgasm on a plate (literally said that out loud while eating it)...molten chocolate cake and sesame brittle ice cream (who knew this existed?). It was seriously the best dessert I've ever eaten. We would have licked the plate if that was socially acceptable. Great service too! Devin couldn't have been better - we never felt rushed and he gave us great recco's! Sola has set the bar for my Yelp 5 star restaurant reviews!

    (5)

  • Deirdre L.

    Mmmmm. Me: "Hey Breakfast Burrito, why don't you fill my belly with an abundance of fresh deliciousness, ASAP?" BB: "Don't mind if I do!" The service was fast, kind and attentive. The ambiance was nice, upscale and comfortable (even if it was 100 degrees hot in there). The bloody was a bit watery and mild (I like em thick and spicy), but the mimosas looked delectable! The four of us cleared our plates of all their delightful deliciousness and it was very reasonably priced. Quite possibly the best breakfast burrito I have ever eaten.

    (4)

  • Jason D.

    Phenominal food. It's a bit on the pricey side of dining but the quality and taste makes up for it. There isn't much on the menu for strict vegetarians, but if you eat fish you'll be more then happy. They also have a pretty sweet beer list for those none wine drinkers out there. Ps. Parmesan truffle fries. Do it.

    (4)

  • J T.

    My party of four went to dinner at Sola on a Wednesday night. It wasn't busy and we managed to find parking fairly quick. Initial reaction was nice decor and the staff was friendly. The waitress and wait staff were great the whole night. Sola has a great beer menu and decent wine selection. We ended up grabbing a couple beers and cocktails - success. For dinner, they had an appealing $30 prix fixe of soup, steak, and dessert. Two of us got that and the other two got the specials of the night, which were a Colorado Rack and a bacon wrapped white fish. All of the dishes were nicely plated. The butternut (?) soup had great flavor and texture. The steaks were cooked nicely, but I was disappointed that the meat was so tough. The fish was dry, despite being bacon wrapped. The rack looked great. Dessert was a crepe with a pastry built like a nest and topped with vanilla ice cream. It also came with a shot of mixed liquid, which had an apple turnaround taste. Ice cream was awesome and probably the highlight of the meal. Overall, it was an average meal, but I felt it was overpriced. Execution of the main courses could have been better. Decor and ambiance is good for a date or a chill night. I'm not sure I'd recommend this to friends and I'd rather try another restaurant in the future. Of note, I might have to come back and try their brunch because a ton of people are raving about it.

    (2)

  • Nick M.

    Any place that serves an amuse-bouche and also has it taste like heaven is my kind of place... plus then I can say amuse-bouche over and over the rest of the night. Sola is now my perfect example of elegant dining. As soon as you walk in you are greeted warmly plus we were seated right away, so bonus. Though we did have reservations but regardless we didn't have to wait for a table which is very unusual (though they have a beautiful bar area so I wouldn't have minded). The decor and table settings are perfect, not to intrusive but very stylish. I don't know if anybody else has noticed but the flatware was from IKEA**, which is really funny to me (I was admiring how cool they were and then I flipped them over and went Nooooooooooooo). My only complaint is that the tables are a little too close to each other (the girl at the next table got up and we got full shot of her ass and it almost dragged on our table as she went by... she was very tall) and that it gets extremely loud. Sola seems to really wHip their servers into shape. Not only was it great service but I would give a star for actually remembering all the specials, which took almost 5 minutes to go over all of them. Very attentive without being overbearing. Just a note for the water-boys, let my glass go down at least halfway before refilling. I swear this dude just stood be hind me the entire night filling my glass after each sip. Again as I said elegant, their menu is creative and executed wonderfully. We started with the Calamari tempura with a saffron aioli sauce, it was a hard choice for the apps but we were more then satisfied with the pick. Actually the whole menu is really hard to pick from because you want it all. For our main course she had the Tuna hoisin-mustard-panko crusted, bamboo rice, avocado tempura, soy-wasabi buerre blanc and of course I HAD to have a bite or two or four. I went with the 1/2 chicken shallots, spinach, minted yogurt, Chinese black rice. The chicken was tender and gone in no time. And last the dessert ( I have to say that I'm a little pissed off at their dessert menu... there is WAY TOO MUCH AWESOME desserts to pick from), we finally after much debate chose the mai'a hot fudge sundae, banana ice cream, hot fudge, macadamia nuts, bruleed banana. It was the perfect ending. I'm going back to try their lunch and brunch menus as soon as I can!! **IKEA = HELL on Earth

    (4)

  • Mari K.

    The name sola is a feminine take on the word 'solo'. I found it cute. I'm cutting straight to the main dishes. sola serves up their Cobia (oily, meaty fish) wrapped tightly in bacon. When the dish came out, I thought that I'd have a difficult time cutting it up while keeping the fish and bacon intact.. bc fish is usually flaky and bacon almost never cuts well for me. To my surprise, both the fish and bacon obeyed the commands of my knife. Nothing fell apart.. unbelivable! =) And the taste? Absolute perfection. My friend had the pork chop trio (which I think the server mentioned is their signature dish) and loved every bite of it. It's stuffed with cheese so it almost has to be good. Although the main dishes were amazing, I think my favorite part of the meal was the appetizer- Tuna Poke. It's big enough for two and the tuna is delicately layered between a sheet of pressed rice and avocado. It's a perfect blend of flavors and an excellent way to start off your meal. Service was flawless and our server was a total sweetheart! She was knowledgable and offered some great recommendations. The ambience is nice- minimalistic, sepia tones, contemporary.. but my friend and I both agree that there's something kinda missing.. warning: If you're watching what you eat, do not get the fries. I guarantee that you won't stop eating them.

    (4)

  • Hilary P.

    What, you may ask, brought my girlfriends and I out to Sola on a chilly Thursday night in February? Well, if you do ask that, then clearly you have no clue about Sola's "Burger's, Beer, and Bacon" night. The lure of excessive amounts of bacon (along with the insistence of a bacon-obsessed friend) may have brought us into Sola but it wasn't what made me want to go back. Yes, said bacon-obsessee did love her burger but the varied wine list, my delicious scallops on green apple crab risotto, and the awesome hot fudge sundae with banana ice cream and macadamia nuts were all insanely good. Sola serves up great food in a relaxed and friendly environment and I will certainly be back for more cozy nights by their fireplace...bacon night or not.

    (4)

  • Url R.

    After 315 reviews of the place, what else can be said. Well here are my few: -Very good for the price, plan to spend about $130 for two -The bar has an excellent kumquat mohito. - Banana Unagi appetizer is recommended -Parmesan Fries, of course -Soup of the day was French Onion Pineapple. If you like sweet/savory this is the dish for you. -The scallops over black rice had a rich texture to it, so it is a bit heavier of an entree. The Scallops were cooked perfectly. -The chocolate cake was nothing to write home about, but the wasabi vanilla ice cream that was served with it was.

    (5)

  • Charlene S.

    Brunch is my fave meal of the day. The hubs and I had worked out, took a long walk, went to 2 places for groceries and then were starving our buns off by noon, we needed a place stat. So I looked at my trusty brunch list from Chicago magazine, which is in the glove compartment conveniently and chose "Over Easy". We were near and it had good reviews. But we show up and the damn place is closed. Everyone's on vacation for 3 weeks until after the New Year. What the? Are you Rick Bayless who vacations his whole crew to Mexico every year? I was just ticked cuz I was starving. I referred to my list again and saw Sola, which wasn't too far away down the street. So we pulled up, were seated immediately in a comfy booth and everything on the menu looked amazing. The magazine recommended the malasadas, a Portuguese Hawaiian donut, the short ribs eggs benedict and a pineapple french toast (I think). The grub: All looked so great but I got the bacon and leek omelette (with egg whites) and potatoes and the hubs got the steak and eggs. We did get the malasadas. We started with the donuts, which were warm and doughy served with raspberry and chocolate dips. Just regular donuts, I thought... but they were fresh, warm, and comforting.... delicious with the dips provided. The hubs enjoyed his wagyu steak, served with veggies including baby brussel sprouts, which he had never had before, and a tempuraed egg. That's what caught our eye. But it was a medium boiled egg covered in bread crumbs.... nothing special really. The bacon and leek omelette was delicious... smoky bacon... mmmm. The potatoes were delicious... simple with a tiny hint of spice. It was great. The hubs finished his off. I only ate half of my meal. I never really like reheating my breakfast for later but I did and it was still delicious. The peeps: chill. Awkward couples with the in-laws, a big group of friends, a dad and his son. The atmosphere: bright, could be a little fancy... probably for dinner, but more casual for brunch. I'd definitely go back for brunch. And maybe dinner.... I love Hawaiian fusion places. Something spam would have made it more authentic.... but I get it, it's fancy

    (4)

  • Shanna B.

    My husband and I had ourselves a lovely dinner here a couple of weeks ago. We ordered the truffle oil & parmesan fries to start, which were quite delicious. I think the presentation is very attractive (they come in a paper-lined pint glass) but they stuck together a little more than I would have liked. Not really a big deal though. The pretzel roll was my favorite selection from the bread basket. I ordered the scallops with soba dumplings and mushrooms, and oh my god was it delicious! The scallops were perfect - sweet and fresh and perfectly seared. Yum! Hubby ordered the short ribs, which he devoured with gusto. The flavor was amazing from the couple of bites I stole. To finish off the meal we shared a blueberry lemongrass creme brulee, which was great as well. The lemongrass gave the dish a light, refreshing taste that we loved. Overall, this was an excellent splurge meal for us. We had a coupon from Restaurant.com ($25 off, which we paid $2 for), but our bill with tip was still $85. Definitely not an inexpensive place, but it was a fabulous meal. The ambiance of the place is somehow both fancy and relaxing and we never felt rushed or out of place.

    (5)

  • Judith A.

    As other reviewers have commented, the artichocke fritters, truffle parm. fries and ice cream assortments are all don't-miss-them winners. We also enjoyed the octopus appetizer on special. The wagyu hanger steak on the regular menu is one of the best steaks I've ever had. The black pepper/star anise flatbread in the bread basket is made on-site; so good it's tempting to fill up on it before the appetizers arrive. Our server was terrific -- friendly, funny and knowledgeable. Our glasses never want unfilled for long, and the timing of courses served was perfect -- not rushed, but also not much lag time. We told them we needed to leave at 7:45 PM get to the theater and we were paid-up and out the door at precisely 7:45 PM. We'll be back next time we have reason to be in the neighborhood.

    (4)

  • S R.

    The food and drink and service was excellent!

    (5)

  • Dee W.

    I'm surprised that it has taken me this long to stop by, but I came here with another couple for brunch and we really enjoyed ourselves. First of all, I had a $10 restaurant.com gift certificate which is good only for weekend brunch and second of all, I got 100 points for making reservations via opentable.com . Next, parking was super easy to find on Lincoln and we passed up sola since it's not actually on Lincoln but behind the Chase bank there on the corner. Service was super friendly and we were seated right away. I noticed a decent sized group of ten people so it's definitely fit for a group meal, as well. There were also families there with little kids, as well. The decor and ambiance was warm and cozy. We watched a little girl point out the fireplace to her father. Onto the most important part, the food. As tempted as I was to get the steak and eggs, I withheld and got the egg sandwich which was savory yet light. It had arugula, bacon, and egg with hash browns on the side. My husband ordered the black forest omelette which had Gruyere, crispy leeks, black forest ham, and onions in it. He said that it was so fresh tasting and went down smoothly. When I went to go sneak in a bite, his food was practically all gone! Our other friend tried their eggs Benedict which was served on cornbread and super filling and delicious, as well. I cannot wait to come back here and try their lunch and the truffled Parmesan fries!

    (4)

  • Joe F.

    A wonderful place if you want to enjoy a refined meal in a casual environment! The service is helpful, friendly, prompt, and attentive while not at all obtrusive. For the first time in my life, I was offered another beer and I DIDN'T feel like I was being upsold! The food was cooked impeccably and was mostly seasonal. The balance of flavors was perfect on everything that my date and I ate, from appetizers all through to desserts. My only criticisms are few: The portions could be larger for the entree sized plates, as they do not seem to reflect the prices. I paid $30 for what looked like 4-6oz of hangar steak, the cheapest cut of steak! The cocktails could be improved, as I feel like they do not match the flavors or level of skill of the food. The big screen tv by the bar is somewhat distracting and confusing. On one hand, we're having a nice romantic dinner in a beautifully decorated casual dining space, and another minute, it's too casual for romance because we turned our heads to the tv. Anyways, my compliments to the Chef and her phenomenal staff! I highly recommend!

    (5)

  • N M.

    we had dinner at sola last night and it was wonderful. we started with edamame, which was not your usual boiled, salted emamame. oh, no. this had a lovely, lovely flavor (were those shallots?) way above average. my 'luxury manhattan' was excellent: mmmmm... brandied cherries, which any good manhattan should have, but which too many places omit. starters were miso mushroom soup, creamy and delicious, and crab cakes. these were the best crab cakes i've ever had. the crab flavor was amazing -- very little 'filler' and probably no mayo, which many crab cakes have. if you like the taste of crab, this is IT. i had the mac and cheese side dish for my main and it was pretty good. flavorful, hot, nice crust of crumbs on top. maybe not as dense as i was hoping for. hubby had a veggie burger that was obviously hand-made there. very tasty, nice texture, good toppings. that came with 'veggie' chips: beet, sweet potato, (and something else i can't remember.) they were tasty and crispy but a little too salty for my taste. oh! and i forgot that they brought us a nice amuse-bouche of crab with pineapple and some other stuff. oh my god. the perfect mouthful (of food) for dessert we had an ice cream flight: white coffee (amazing!) a rich, creamy, slightly tangy goat cheese ice cream (wow!,) and a mint chocolate chip. did i say that the white coffee was amazing? we were there rather early and there weren't many diners there. even so, our waiter, who was not the only server, was not nearly as attentive as i thought he should have been. we're good tippers, but deducted a bit for his rather lackadaisical attitude. other reviewers have mentioned the noise level. yes, it's loud, and toward the end of the meal we were almost shouting to be heard. not conducive to a romantic evening, but we'll keep coming back for the excellent food. (and thank you to the maitre d' who sat the couple with noisy kids in an out-of-the-way corner. very thoughtful)

    (4)

  • Ashley B.

    I went to Sola for dinner and was not very impressed. The food was a bit salty and overpriced for it's quality. I had the smoked bacon cheeseburger and pumpkin soup. The soup was bland and the burger was only mediocre for its $18 price. Our waitress was completely inattentive and not very friendly. We waited 20 minutes just to receive bread, and almost didn't order dessert as the waitress seemed to have blatantly decided to ignore us as she talked to other employees. I had the bread pudding and it was too sweet. All in all, not the best experience. Ive had much better food for a lot less. Save your money and try somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Tim S.

    I don't have time to write a review on this place, but I've been meaning to. Unfortunately I just have not gotten around to it nor do I have time to write one now. At the very least, just to give everyone a taste of my experience, here is the letter I wrote to the chef/owner. "Hey Carol, My girlfriend and I came to your restaurant and wanted to let you know that we absolutely loved your staff. Jenny, the very cute blonde that appears to run the hosting scene of things was a pleasurable person to encounter when first entering the door. She has a beautiful smile and a lovely personality. She also was able to pull up our reservation and seat us immediately. Now on to Pete our server. A very handsome and helpful fellow. My girlfriend and I both agreed that he looks exactly like Scott Speedman, AKA Ben Covington from a show called Felcitiy, but we did not notify him of this fact in fear of embarassing him. He's a charmer too. Definitely had it going on with making my girlfriend laugh and smile. I'm all about that when we go out to eat. Impress my partner and you leave me feeling happy. On a side note, I'm a server too, and I know there are a lot of people in our business that don't go out of there way to do a song and a dance to please the guest. They are there to take you order, serve your food, and maybe give you an occasional refill on your drink if they remember to check. Not Pete, he's one of the good ones. Love Him! He was also very kind in understanding our situation with having to leave to watch a friends presentation before we were able to eat the dessert we ordered. I'm a complete bozo and I should have let him know that we are on time contraints from the get go, but I didn't, so he paced the meal as I normally expected it should be. We finished our main course and came back a couple hours later to continue where we left off. Oh man was that bananna sundae thing good! I'm actually glad we were able to let our food digest. With the appetizer, salad, and main course....I just dont think we could have pulled it off, and if we did, I'm not sure if it would have appreciated as much if we were to have rushed through it. So long story short, if you haven't gotten this much so far: A) You have people that look like models working at your place :o) B) They are very kind and friendly. C) We love them. Thanks for the great dining experience. I hope the restaurant continues to do well. See you soon."

    (4)

  • mike h.

    I'm a food snob, I very rarely write reviews, and the food here is incredible. We had a party of 16, service was slow, but the food killed. Every single dish was great. This was the possibly the best brunch I have ever had. "Steak and egg" as well as the Short Rib. Damn.

    (4)

  • Mira K.

    Sola is an amazing restaurant, I can not say enough good things about the ambiance, service, location and quality of food. Everyone at our table LOVED their meals - tuna, steak, sturgeon, and salmon. Our sides were devine, truffle parmesan fries are a must, and the waiter recommended the mac 'n cheese (which we were not considering) but it was so delicious we practically licked the bowl clean! The waiter was respectful, the water was refilled frequently, and when a drink order was wrong he quickly corrected it with a smile and apology. Now that's customer service! When asked later what kind of a restaurant we went to, one of the diners replied "Gourmet." What a compliment to this American-Asian/Hawaiian menu! I'll be back for any occassion.

    (5)

  • Patrick R.

    Great work Sola. You made our Valentine's Day a great success. The finance and I decided on Sola for this years V-day dinner and we were very happy. We had early reservations so service was fine to be expected. Very welcoming upon walking in and our waitress was very nice, knowledgeable and accommodating. Now. . . we are easy guests. . . not too picky. However the table next to us defined "pain-in-the-ass" "wait-staff-nightmare" "if-you-are-never-happy-why-do-you-go-out?" First, they got seated at a table next to wall. Wow! You would have thought they got sat next to a stinky garbage can. They made a huge deal of this and were moved (all of 10') to the other side of us. Then, they also freaked out when their entrees came out 5 minutes after their apps. Mind you it's Valentine's Day and I'm sure the kitchen was just slammin. Bottom line, the wait staff was SO ACCOMMODATING and nice to these freaks. We really could not believe how composed and nice they remained. Service = 5. Drink. We had some pre-dinner cocktails and mine was awesome. The Newton was a Calvados (apple brandy) and apple cider concoction that was like an upscale, apple version of my favorite cocktail, the Brandy Old Fashion. Only thing missing was an apple garnish of some sort. Our waitress was also very knowledgeable about wine when it came to dinner time and they have a wine manager on hand as well. Food. Foie and scallop appetizer was good. As were some pork potsickers. Well seasoned and presented. Fiance got the stuffed lamb chops and I had a Waygu strip. Whatever the lamb chops were stuffed with was awesome, some sort of cheese stuffing that really complimented the lamb flavor. My Waygu was cooked perfectly and had a peppery, well finished sauce. I thought the serving sizes were good, 8-10 oz steak and Fiance got 3 chops with her order. The food highlight was desert. We got too very different deserts. One was a grapefruit sorbet surrounded by a crispy shell and custard. The sorbet had a very light and crisp flavor which was an interesting contrast to the the light, acidic, sorbet. The two actually were very good together, and the shell gave some good texture. Our other desert was a trio of house made ice cream . . .vanilla. . .banana. . . and . . . . drum roll please . . . . BACON ice cream. . oh yeah! it was valentine's day and I fell in love all over again. Leave it to bacon ice cream to make the fiance jealous! It was a delicious butter custard with sprinklings of candied bacon throughout. really. . .really. . .really good. I considered canceling the rest of our plans for the night and just asking for a pint and going home! Much like the bacon sausage at Hot Doug's, I will be devoting a large part of my life to replicating this treat at home. All in all a great success, 10 times better than last year's v-day nightmare at Le Sardine. I signed up for the newsletter and I expect we'll be seeing you again soon. I really like restaurants that strive to change things up and experiment and looking at the newsletter, I can't wait!

    (5)

  • Lai X.

    Nice ambiance with excellent mimosas. The food was so so the first time I went - my omelet was a bit dry and bland, but the mimosa was so good that I went back a second time. Got the Hula Bowl this time and it was very tasty - although it might not be a fair judgement considering I had three mimosas prior to getting my food. Went back a third time for a friend's birthday. Same great drinks and according to my guy friends, the steak and eggs (esp. the steak) were excellent. We also brought in a cake to celebrate, not only did they cut and plate our cake, they even drizzled on some raspberry sauce and added some fresh fruits for us! I would def. go back again for their food, drinks, and service :)

    (4)

  • Andrea R.

    My friends and I just had the most amazing meal at Sola- definitely a 5 star review! One of my friends just had dinner here this past Wednesday and liked it so much that she suggested we go back tonight. I'm glad she suggested it because it just may be one of my new favorite restaurants! The restaurant itself is absolutely beautiful and the service was great from the minute we walked in. The drink menu alone got me excited and I especially enjoyed one of their specialties of black cherry effen and cream soda (my 2 favorite drinks combined). We started with the lobster shitake dumplings (yum!) and then moved on to our entrees. My friend and I shared the miso cod and the seared scallops. Both were unbelievable, but I preferred the scallops, which worked out well since my friend was all about the cod. The other people at our table were also quite delighted with the tuna and shitake pad thai. The dumplings, delicious bread basket, and entrees would have been more than enough for us, but we still felt the need to go to town on the sides. How could we possibly say no to truffle Parmesan french fries and mac & cheese. The fries were especially good...I was so full, but even thought about loosening my belt just to make room for more fries. Sola is by no means inexpensive, but I found it to be reasonable for the quality of the food. Our meal for 5 people was enough to feed 10 people and it came out to $50/person. I will definitely be going back to try more things on the menu, as well as for some more truffle Parmesan fries!

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    So my wife (who I share a yelp account with) may not agree with my rating, but I'm going at it first so I win. :) She would probably go 4 stars. We went to Sola last night (a Sunday) to enjoy a nice dinner out. And a nice dinner it was, but the nice guys never win, do they? It wasn't spectacular. Tracy had the Cobia, I had the Pork. Both were good but not great. Sola seems to put all of their effort into the sides that accompany the main dish. If I could have a plate of nothing but the excellent sounding sides, for example the Bacon Bread Pudding, I'd be happy. Service was fine, but not great. Ambiance was fine, but nothing special. On the whole, I enjoyed the experience, but am I in a hurry to go back and pay $140 to relive it? No I'm not. The best part for me was the dessert. The sesame brittle icecream that sat along side the soft center chocolate cake was great. Tracy was moaning in an eerily suggestive manor over the chocolate cake, but I had similarly erotic thoughts about the ice cream. Beer / drink selection was good, the fries are way overrated. So yeah, if the meal was $50 less or the main courses were far more memorable, this would have been a 4 star review. For the record, I am glad I went, and I did have a nice time.

    (3)

  • Melody L.

    Hands down this is one of my most favorite restaurants in the city! I've gone there many times for brunch and dinner and it's great every time! The truffle fries are awesome! Love the cocktails! Love me some malasadas! (takes me back to the fond memories of Hawaii). Chocolate chip bacon pancakes, delicious! The price points are reasonable. I've had arranged a couple of private parties here (I highly recommend this place!) Everyone loved the food. Thank you Ciara for making it so easy. It was such a pleasant experience from the initial email inquiry, selecting the menu and how smooth it was on the day of the event. I give the ALL AROUND service an A++! I will be back!

    (5)

  • Jo W.

    I have a little group that I do brunch with about once a month. We like to switch things up and try new places, but after a rough week last week I knew I needed to return to Sola for their yummy brunch. And you know what? Red dawn mimosas make *everything* better. Just like last time, we had outstanding service, yummy yummy food, and the perfect brunch experience. This time we even had my friend's 19 month old daughter with us, and the staff was absolutely great with her. I was nervous about coming here with a child because it says it's not good for kids, but it was no problem and there were plenty of babies there this morning. So I'm thinking for brunch it is indeed good for kids - I don't know about dinner, as I've never eaten dinner here. Anyhoo, I am still in love with Sola and it is now the restaurant I compare every brunch place to in Chicago.

    (5)

  • Shary E.

    I brought my friend from out of town who must eat gluten free. I called the restaurant to find out if they had items that would accommodate the special requirement and was told yes. I was very happy to tell my friend that they even have a dedicated fryer for french fries which as any Celiac patient knows is still rare. We got there and went to order and lo-and- behold the fryer was being used for breaded items. Bye-Bye FF even though they were on the Gluten Free menu. Looking at the GF menu my friend noticed ingredients listed that contain gluten. She told the waiter, he brought over the manager and she explained that although they have told the chef he has argued with them about whether Oats and Barley contain gluten. It was like a Seinfeld episode. The food we did order was tasty enough, but I felt like the management didn't really care if we were satisfied or not. With so many great restaurants that do act like they care I haven't been back, but maybe I will try again.

    (3)

  • Emily K.

    I was really impressed with sola. The woman I spoke with when making reservations was polite and helpful and our service was really excellent when we arrived. We had 2 servers because one was new and both were great- I never would have guessed one was being trained. He actually steered me towards a cheaper entree of the two I was considering, which is nice (and also appreciated, since the short ribs were excellent). My friend had the wasabi crusted tuna which was also delicious. The tab was much more than I'd like to spend but it was a really great place to have a special meal or to treat yourself once in awhile. We each had an entree and their lowest price glass of wine and our tab was $75. Each entree was $25-$30, which is about double what I'm used to spending. The food was worth it for sure, but I can't dine out at this price often. Judging from the reviews and the photos on Yelp it sounds like sola changes its menu frequently which seems cool and a way to try new things each time. I'd love to come back.

    (4)

  • Anthony S.

    Pretty Hip place!!!!!,..... My group went here for a birthday dinner....The food was colorful and delicious!!!......well worth it!!!!!....Very accommodating!!!!!.........ENJOY!!!!

    (4)

  • Tsung-Hui K.

    We've only done brunch----but it was crazy good! Everything about the short rib benedict is true. Prices were not bad for a higher-end brunch, and we had tons of food.

    (5)

  • Angel G.

    So, my New Years resolution is to start actually leaving Yelp reviews instead of just using them. Let's see how long this lasts, no? So, my husband and I decided to have a last hurrah dinner last night before the semester started and we stop seeing each other at all. Again. Not to mention we had a restaurant.com certificate. The restaurant was pretty empty when we arrived, but it was a hella cold Monday and they had just opened (can we say 1000 point OpenTable reservation?). We were immediately seated near the fireplace, which helped with that cold. There is a great, laid back feeling to the place, and it looks like there is a good spot for private groups to the right of the door. Our server Marnie, was FANTASTIC. She walked the line between attentive and hovering perfectly, always had a recommendation, didn't push, and offered samples of wine when I decided to get indecisive. Everyone one of her recommendations was accurate and spot-on. As for the food. My husband's lentil soup was solid. Nothing fantastic, but it was good. Could have used more seasoning perhaps? Of course, it didn't use a chicken or beef base, so that may have been part of the issue. My king crab appetizer was pricey, but great! Excellent mash of flavors, and really enjoyable. Nick's pork 3-way was awesome. Really, really fantastic. Great presentation, good mix of textures, and the flavors were out of this world. They also offered the tenderloin to order, and I can't tell you how nice it is to not have pork overcooked because someone has a random trichinosis fear. Unfortunately, it didn't get the attention it deserved because it was competing with... One of the best Wagyu steaks I've ever had. Seriously. The flavor and texture of my new york strip was out.of.this.world . And the preperation was perfect. There was one small issue that my mushrooms didn't initially come out. The only reason I even realized it was because Marnie and I had discussed them - the dish didn't seem to be missing anything. However, once they were quickly whisked to my table, I couldn't believe I had ever lived without them. Seriously. Drinks were very good, but not inexpensive. I really liked the pretty in pink drink of the month, worth the $ (although I skipped a second because of the $.) Great selection of wines by the glass, and knowledgeable staff. Overall, we really loved this place. It could have been the particular staff or the slower time of the week, but the restaurant succeeds in making its guests feel like they are the ultimate focus of the night. That, and fantastic food.

    (5)

  • Pickle P.

    Delicious brunch food and brunch drinks. Chef was on Top Chef some seasons back, so kind of cool to peruse the place. Very clean, well-kept, fresh food, a little pricier but the quality is definitely up-to-par as well. Located in a nice, quiet part of the neighborhood. Definitely a nice brunch place, at least.

    (4)

  • Ross F.

    Great food with a Hawaiian flavor. The fish was excellent, we were celebrating my girlfriends birthday and they even wrote out her name and a Hawaiian Happy B-day on the plate in chocolate without making an embarrassing fuss of her. The tables were a bit cramped by the window but it looks like there are some other options.

    (5)

  • Luther Z.

    I saw a $9 ham sandwich on the menu... and kept walking. I'm sure this place is great for what it is, but a $9 ham sandwich??? I guess a sucker is born every minute.

    (3)

  • Jenni F.

    A beautiful snowy night in Chicago, what good be greater than dinner with a good friend at a great restaurant ? Not much. One of the staff came and delivered a bread basket with spicy flat bread and pretzel rolls. Both were very good (though I would have loved for the pretzel rolls to be warm!) We started with the bleu cheese fritters which were tasty. The food at Sola was excellent. I had the bone in pork chop with apples, Hawaiian sweet potatoes, and house made bacon. The pork chop was cooked perfectly. My friend had the venison special, that also had a venison sausage to accompany. I typically stick with the big three when I am out beef, chicken, and on a crazy night like tonight, pork. (I tend to shy away from less common meats...) Though, I never turn down a bite, so I tried both the sausage and the filet, and they were quite good. For dessert we had the cookie plate. Tasty, but not phenomenal. I hope to go back again, because the food is great. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I hope to go back on a busier night. (Tuesday during a heavy snow, not a big night!) For me, it just lacked something, and that was the energy of other customers.

    (4)

  • Lindsay B.

    I just hosted my sister's Bridal Shower there for brunch and it couldn't have been better. Our server, Kate was wonderful, the food was amazing and the semi-private space was just perfect. My favorite dish was the huevos benedictos...a mexican twist to eggs benedict. I have been craving it since they took my plate away! We also had pancakes which were delicious and the donuts with mango dipping sauce which were to die for as well. I would highly recommend Sola to anyone...whether it be for 2 people going to brunch to a party like I had. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Ila L.

    Wonderful all around. I highly recommend Sola.

    (5)

  • Foodie A.

    Came here a few weeks ago just for ice cream, but once we were in we decided to order something more than ice cream. Food was good and delicous. Nice service. Would definately be back for a good sit down meal.

    (3)

  • Shannon S.

    I took my friend here for her birthday. I have nothing but good things to say about Sola. We went on a Tuesday night so it wasn't very crowded. We were able to sit outside. Our server was great and had some great suggestions for us. I ordered the Halibut which was perfect. My friend had the tuna, which I actually liked a little better than the Halibut. The desserts were also very good. Just an overall good experience. One warning....this restaurant is a little pricy, expect at least $50 per person, more if you drink a lot.

    (5)

  • Emily B.

    i love sola. it's not far from my house and is consistently good. and the wait staff is always friendly and helpful. usually pretty crowded on weekends but that's a sign of a good restaurant, no?

    (4)

  • Cat B.

    I ate at this place on Friday. What a beautiful space! Great wine list and the food was very good. The service was lacking a bit; our waitress never came over to ask us how everything was and we were responsible for pouring ourselves new glasses of wine from our bottle. (It's the little things sometimes). Overall, I will eat there again, but I might eat at the bar...the bartenders were nice. They also have a fun list of cocktails to choose from. I at the Snapper and we had ceviche for an appetizer. Very pleased with the flavors.

    (4)

  • J V.

    My buddy and I went for dinner on a Tues nite. We sat inside and the place was filled and loud. I don't know how long the place has been business, but it definately seems like they were still working through some problems. For an appetizer we had some fries w/parmesan and truffle oil. This was a bit oily. I had the Halibut and my buddy had the flat iron steak. The fish came out nicely and the steak was decent. I liked their beer selection as it had a lot of micobrews and even locally produced ones like Domaine Dupage (ha-ha). I don't remember name of the beer, but that sticks in my mind. Nice beer overall though. The service was spotty, and our food was a bit of a wait. Overall, I would give 2.5 stars, if it was possible, because it was overpriced and had mediocre service. The food was good overall, but $24 for fish? Would I return? Maybe for a 2nd tasting.

    (2)

  • chris w.

    had a great time here. came for a late sunday brunch. 1st timer. street parking no problem. came with my wife and a friend. was able to make noon reservations 2 hours prior. big plus. simple relaxing interior w/ a fireplace and two separate terraced seating areas. mix of families, couples and groups of friends. laid back. great menu. ordered the short rib benedict, huevos benedicto, chilaquiles and some norwegian donuts w/ raspberry and hot fudge. loved none of the food but enjoyed all of it. all four were unique and adventurous takes on standard breakfast fare. love the attempt. didn't deliver for me at the end of the day as all three dishes reminded me more of traditional dinner items--chilaquiles (enchiladas), huevos benedicto (mix of turkey stuffing and taco beef), etc. not bad, but just didn't hit for me. but i loved the effort and creativity. thank you sola. i will be back.

    (4)

  • Rich F.

    Sola is a modern restaurant with minimalistic touches and very good food. Started off dinner with some pineapple glazed brussel sprouts which were very tasty. Barrimundi entree was nice and the beef tenderloin was way better than expected. Wine list is impressive and service is outstanding. Desserts are OK-rhubarb/strawberry shortbread-like dessert was decent.

    (4)

  • Erica M.

    I went here twice, once with my fiance and another time with him and my parents. Both times were excellent and very reasonably priced. Their braised beef is out of this world yummy. It is a really cute and well put together restaurant. The only problem is when you first walk in there is no room for waiting and sometimes its a bit crowded near the entrance. I usually step over to the bar area while we are waiting for our table.

    (4)

  • Emily W.

    I went here for Easter Brunch, and loved it! It was one of the only places taking reservations, although with the pouring rain a reservation wasn't necessary. We had Rising Sun martinis: sake, mango, pomegranate, and blood orange. They're all about mango and pomegranate on their drink menu. They were strong and yummy! I got the steak and eggs, simply delicious. But I was really jealous of my roommate's huevos benedictos: chorizo, cornbread, eggs and spicy hollandaise. Phenomenal. I can't wait to try Sola for dinner.

    (5)

  • Johanna L.

    I brought a winemaker friend from Napa here for dinner in April on the recommendation of a chef friend of mine. It was a very enjoyable experience - the pre-dinner cocktails were large (worth the price) and we didn't feel rushed at all. The food presentation was lovely and the staff was quite knowledgable about wine. The reasons I am not giving it 5 stars is that it's quite pricey (my steak was good but not $39 good) and I really disliked the art / fabrics they chose for the walls.

    (4)

  • Tim B.

    I have tried half of the menu @ sola now and have been very impressed with everything, The Mac and cheese is great, I usually dislike duck but theirs seems to a little more flavorful with less grease and fat. I really enjoy how they add a little Hawaiian fusion flair to most their main dishes. I love to cook and others have told me I am great at it and when I go out to eat I expect a meal that is better than what i could make at home with the same ingredients and that is what I feel I get when I eat at Sola (FYI go if you go to Restaurant.com you can purchase a discount gift certificate if you dine from Monday-Thursday which makes the check a little more bearable)

    (5)

  • Sarah T.

    My husband and I had brunch here with my folks a couple of years ago because we'd heard it was "good for brunch." What an understatement. I still salivate when I think of those beignets. More recently, the hubs and I had a date night here to remind us of our honeymoon in Hawaii...and it did not fail! Go crazy and try the wildest cocktail you find...they are all amazing. Last month, we sat outside with friends for an extended dinner (You know the one...cocktails, apps, then dinner with wine, then dessert because why not...). Everyone loved every single dish. Our waitress was the sweetest...but I seem to remember thinking that EVERY time I visit! They never rush you, always serve with a smile, and when they apologetically said they had to run us off the patio because of the 11PM curfew, they offered us to come into the bar just to talk, for as long as we like. Frankly, this is one place where I don't know why they offer so many coupons. It's pricey but I would pay full price. Don't tell anyone. ;)

    (5)

  • Todd C.

    Had some friends in from NYC for the weekend and decided to take Sola out for a spin. I agree with Emma on the Parmesan encrusted truffle fries, as we are all still talking about them. The table had an assortment of appetizers and entrees, from the Gazpacho to the tuna tartar. All were outstanding. The tuna was very fresh and prepared in three different ways which was a nice touch. Entrees were split between fish and meat and everyone came away thoroughly impressed. The bill wasn't outrageous but this is definitely not an inexpensive dinner place either. I am already thinking about my next visit.

    (5)

  • A F.

    Went here for Mother's Day brunch. After reading all of the fantastic reviews we were pretty disappointed. Service: 2 stars Perhaps they weren't used to the traffic, but our waitress was a little distracted. We had to wait for coffee, the runner spilled coffee and water all over the table, she didn't know the details about the specials and she was definitely distracted. Food: 3 stars we had the pineapple upside down french toast -- although light and not heavy it wasn't flavorful either. The black forest omelet was tasty but not particularly noteworthy. The short rib benedict was just odd -- the short rib was too sour and overwhelmed the delicious cheddar biscuit and the pesto hollandaise. The crab quiche was not good at all -- it was too fishy, too salty, lukewarm, would have preferred warm or cold and i unfortunately had to send it back. The chilaquiles were the one dish we all agreed was delicious. It was flavorful and had a nice spice level. The maui mimosa was also delicious. Value: The brunch was pretty expensive for brunch but incredibly affordable for Mother's Day which I liked. When I called and asked if there was a special prix fix menu for Mother's Day the greeter said "no, we don't do that here". I really appreciated their simple honesty and desire not to "stiff" customers just because it was Mother's Day. One thing I will note is that the restaurant seemed to be very family friendly -- there were many large groups there with children. Perhaps I'll give Sola another try for dinner, but I was pretty underwhelmed by brunch.

    (3)

  • Veronica H.

    wow...I feel like everyone else is talking about a completely different restaurant. I did not think this place was anything to rave about at all (sorry). The menu is interesting, but the food doesn't hit the mark. I was there on a weekday to use our Living Social or Groupon (can't remember which), so maybe we got the not-so-great weekday chef or something. We had a soup, salad and two entrees--all of which were "eh". The only thing that was pretty good were the Lamb Chops. The wine list is great, but it was hard to get the attention of our server... We started off with cocktails and he never came to us until half way through the main entree to ask us if we wanted wine...and that was only after about 15 minutes of trying to flag him down. oh, and the cocktails...again, a very impressive cocktail menu, but the drinks themselves were bo-ring. The worst, the absolute worst part of all this were the prices. It was ridiculously expensive. I don't mind spending on nice dinners, but this place just wasn't worth it. I might try it for brunch sometime since it's in the neighborhood, but never again for dinner.

    (2)

  • Juan-Carlos G.

    Very nice. The service was great, which is reassuring for a place like this. The tuna was fresh and we loved the truffle fries. They make a darn good martini as well!

    (4)

  • graham h.

    Still saving up for dinner here, but I've already been to breakfast at least five times since my first trip back in July. Very reasonable - you feel like you're getting a good deal, because the portions are filling. I've tried pretty much everything, but I'd recommend in particular the chilaquiles and black forest omelet. The best, though, is the huevos benedictos - eggs benedict mexican style, served on cornbread with chorizo and salsa hollandaise. Service generally keeps the coffee flowing, too. I would additionally recommend the portuguese donuts, which are a great little snack, with raspberry and mango dipping sauces. When summer comes back around, I'll be on their awesome patio every weekend.

    (4)

  • Laura W.

    I loved Sola! We went with another couple and none of us had eaten here before, so we had no expectations. It was an unusually warm October Saturday night, so we had the luxury of sitting outside. I love how is tucked right off of Lincoln Ave. so that when you are sitting in the restaurant or outside you don't have the noise of Lincoln. I really liked the decor on the inside although the boyfriend thought it was a little sterile and had too many lights... For starters we had the steamed clam and mussels and the artichoke fritters. I can't say that I was over the moon about these fritters, they lacked something...just a tad bland. My main course was the scallops with a lobster risotto!! This was delish and was hailed by everyone at the table as the winner for the evening. The boyfriend had the pork chop and that was quite tasty as well. My friend and her hubby had the filet and the salmon. Her salmon was a tad salty. :( We finished our dinner by sharing several desserts...the trio of ice cream or 3 scoops if you will, chocolate cake, and the cookies. All were satisfying. The service was perfect...there when you needed him, but not in your face the entire time. I would definitely go back again and I really want to try the brunch sometime.

    (4)

  • Katie O.

    I'm kind of sad that this place isn't quite the hidden gem it once was! Perfect for cozy dinners/drinks/appetizers; but perhaps even better for a summer brunch on the surprisingly large patio.

    (5)

  • Becky C.

    AMAZING!!!!! I love this place!!!!! Saturday morning is the best time to go! The chilaquelles (sp) are increbible! Some people beg to differ, but they are so yummy!

    (5)

  • Jennifer M.

    This is my go-to neighborhood restaurant for brunch and for dinner with anyone that's coming into town. I've probably been there 10+ times and have only had one mediocre experience. The food is great, the ambiance is excellent and the drinks are yummy, too! Chef Wallack also donated a gift certificate for a silent auction...she supports the community!

    (4)

  • Jeanette S.

    We went here for an impromptu celebratory dinner. We were able to make a reservation the night of. The food was fantastic. The service was fantastic. It is BOYB with a $20 corkage fee, which was reasonable compared to standard wine lists at a restaurant like this. Our server knew the answers and then some to each question we asked. It wasn't overly crowded even though it was valentine's weekend, and it wasn't overly noisy. The tables were spacious, but the lighting was a bit harsh for the atmosphere. We were not offended, I just typically expect more subtle lighting at a nice restaurant. Everything we ate was delicous, and they brought out a plate that said "congratulations" on it in honor of our celebratory dinner. Very thoughtful and nice. We will definitely be back. Go to restaurants.com for a coupon and you can save a little....but even if you don't do that, it is a must-try kind of place.

    (4)

  • Jennifer S.

    Great menu, really nice service. The food was good, delicious flavors...I would suggest it as a new restaurant to try. Just be aware the entrance is on Byron near the corner of Byron and Lincoln. My friend got lost on the way b/c their address is on Lincoln which is somewhat misleading!

    (4)

  • Emily D.

    Favorite restaurant in Chicago. Hands down. Food, service, ambience all outstanding.

    (5)

  • catharine s.

    yum yum! i came here without reservations on a friday night which i thought would be a bad idea, but we waited at the bar for a bit and enjoyed the great martini/beer/wine menu- they have some creative and delicious drinks! once we were seated, we received excellent service- knowledgeable and attentive, but not impatient with us even though we took our time figuring out what to eat. although it is not a very extensive menu, everything sounded delicious. i loved the salmon with edamame puree and the vegetable spring rolls too. my dad enjoyed his seared scallops and the mac and cheese was pretty good too, and i don't like mac and cheese. the atmosphere of the place was what i enjoyed the most though. it is definitely a nicer restaurant, but the energy of the place made it welcoming and fun. there were several larger parties and i would definitely consider eating here again for a big bday bash or something. one last note: it's a bit pricey, so i'm glad i went here when my dad was visiting!!

    (4)

  • Mark P.

    Miso black cod doesn't compare to Nobu. Menu should lose the reference to the original. Go for the house specialty cambazola-stuffed, dijon-rubbed, panko-breaded lamb chops instead. Atmosphere is very casual, almost to a fault with all the kids present. Overall, still a good dining experience.

    (4)

  • gregory j.

    just ok. seems the workers are stoned. just seems that way

    (3)

  • Allison C.

    Last night was the 3rd time I went to SOLA in the past 6 months and they so deserve a glowing review! I love everything about this place; the decor, the service, the specialty drinks, the variety of meal choices and of course, the TRUFFLE FRIES (sounds icky - tastes like heaven - you have to try them). I have now had the spare ribs three times in a row b/c they are so delicious but tried a bite of the lamb chops, the steak and the mahi mahi (all good). I have also had almost every starter on the menu as well as tasted many of the desserts. I would recommend the pot stickers to start and I love the creme brulee (you will have to share the generous portion b/c you will already be full from your meal). Also, you can't leave this place without trying the SOLA MAI TAI...I know your thinking a swank restaurant serves Mai Tai's? Trust me this is no Bob Chinn's experience. The drink tastes and looks fabulous. The only reason I am giving 4 instead of 5 stars is because the spare ribs were once a little cold in the center and my friend Jennie hated her pork chops last night! Otherwise, I LOVE IT! Eat there soon!

    (4)

  • nicole r.

    Had brunch there on Sunday. Went in without a reservation and found out it was their two-year anniversary. Still, we managed to get a table after only about a five minute wait, and really enjoyed ourselves. I had the eggs benedict, which was delicious, and my boyfriend had a different benedict (can't remember the name, sorry) with chipotle hollandaise sauce and chorizo. Both were great. And the portuguese donuts, which we started with, were phenomenal. Service could have been better, but as I said, it was their two-year anniversary. We'll be back.

    (4)

  • Sarah F.

    I really really liked this restaurant, although I think it's taking it a bit of time to get its footing - which is normal. The atmosphere is beeeeaaautiful and elegant, and so is the crowd. It's modern and sleek, but something made it feel very comfortable - maybe it was the lighting...? Anyway, my friend's flat-iron steak was a tad fatty and tough, and my fish (miso black cod) was salty, but nothing was bad. I just wished I would've been more impressed by the entrees. Maybe it was just me that night? The artichoke fritters that we started with were a highlight, as was the mac n' cheese that we all shared as a side. Definitely get that! The service wasn't all that hot - but not bad (I'm sure it didn't help that we were the server's last table of the night with a pretty late seating at a bit after 10 p.m.). I liked the feeling of this place though, and do love Carol Wollack from her Deleece days - so I know I'll definitely be back.

    (3)

  • Joseph F.

    I really wanted to like this new eatery that has been getting a lot of buzz lately. The server we had was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable and courteous. The service is what I would recommend this place for and if I were able to rate her performance I would give it a 4 out of 5. However the food presentation left me a bit unsatisfied. It's not that the menu wasn't diverse enough or lacking in originality it was a few simple problems we found. First, the tuna was way too salty - you could see the salt all over it - definitely not seasoned to taste. Second, and this is what really got me, my entree plate was cold - ice cold. The food I am sure came out hot, but the plate was cold enough that when I tasted my macaroni and cheese under the short ribs (which were excellent) I was quite disappointed. Also, the espresso was lukewarm with no crema visible. I had a great time with friends in this lively well designed and decorated space but overall I can't say I would recommend in a city with so much competition.

    (3)

  • Susan M.

    We had a groupon to Sola. We arrived promptly at 530 and STARVED. Our ridiculously friendly and attentive waitress set us up with a bread basket and some himalayan salted butter. I observed the owner (or manager, maybe) taking care of some ppwk and making sure things were all set for open (they open at 530p - dinner only). Fireplace in the front and the golden lit dining area led us off to a nice relaxing evening. We started with sushimi, artichoke fritters and the scallops. The sushimi was a little smelly, good texture though. I only had one piece and finished off the delicate greens with sesame dressing. The artichoke fritters were lighty breaded, not greasy, seasoned well and served with aioli. The scallops were perfectly cooked melt in your mouth buttery. We ordered the lamb chops (special of the day) stuffed with brie and blue cheese and the short ribs with mac n'cheese, pineapple glazed brussels sprouts. Very good dinner. Lamb chops were definitely the better choice - you get three double chops. Very juicy and tender. We ordered the flight of ice cream (all homemade) of salted caramel, choc and bourbon butterscotch pecan. Also had the choc lava cake with black sesame ice cream (pretty tasty). Some flavors are avail for sale by the pint. I needed a nice night out and this did the trick.

    (4)

  • Isabel C.

    Having never been here before, I took a gamble and booked a reservation for my bestie's bday party because the menu looked fabulous. Sola did not disappoint!! There are a number of foodies in my group and everyone raved about their orders. We shared several appetizers (my favorite were the oysters) and I had the duck breast which was perfect. Everything was so fresh and the flavors were exquisite. Portions were generous for a frou-frou (aka, gourmet) restaurant. Service was impeccable, ambience warm and noise level not too loud. Fine selection of wine and cocktails and the Mai'a hot fudge sundae made me want to pick up the bowl and do the "Singing in the Rain" dance. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Wayne H.

    I remember dining here a long time ago and it didn't really leave a lasting memory. However, since I live close by I thought I would try it again and unfortunately I was not impressed the second time either. My girlfriend and I started with the mussels appetizer. The waitress stated that they were a special and they were also listed on the card of specials, however, this item was listed on the regular menu as well which we found to be quite odd. Is it a special or is it a menu item? Anyway she recommended them and said they were unlike any other mussels we might have had before. Well she was right; they were definitely different but not for the better. The mussels were very dry and smoked with some type of spice that left a powdery texture and taste in my mouth. We then split the tuna poke which was not that great either. It was definitely edible, but I would never want to order it again. On the plus side we split our main entree, the halibut, and it was good for the most part. The service was also outstanding. The hostess and server were very friendly and attentive. The decor is also very nice and comfortable. Despite the service I cannot recommend this place because the food was overall mediocre.

    (2)

  • J K.

    Came here for brunch with the family, and this place was very child friendly which was great. Service was great, the food was great, and the drinks were great too. We had the malasadas, the salmon, and the tuna tacos and they were all superb. A very pleasant discovery and we hope to go back again soon!

    (5)

  • Irene L.

    A little disappointed. The reviews for this place were so good, but my veggie burger was ok and the fries were a bit salty and got softer and softer by the second. The "pretzel" bun tasted a bit burnt and the arugula just didnt' work with patty and mayo sauce. The dip was ok (but @ $2 it's kind of pricey), Nordstrom cafe fries so far are still one of the best fries I've had. The service was great and ambiance is relaxing and nice.

    (3)

  • Archie M.

    Solid food., but nothing outstanding.

    (3)

  • Allison K.

    Haven't been here in a few years and had dinner here last week. Wow, it was such an enjoyable meal! The service was fantastic, the food was incredible and we had a truly great time. I had the barramundi special and my husband, who has to eat gluten-free, had the wagyu burger. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about GF eating which was refreshing and put my husband at ease. Can't wait to come back! A true gem on the north side dining scene.

    (5)

  • Scott M.

    The food gets 3 stars but the service gets 5, hence an average of 4. Our server was absolutely delightful and made up for the average food. Had the artichoke fritters, tuna poke, and tartar to start with and spilt the salmon for our entree. Desert was a flight of homemade ice-cream. Maybe it was my taste-buds being impaired by the extreme cold we had this past week, but the food was had was just O.K. Those 5 food items (portion size was on the small side) plus 1 glass of wine ran me $85. One thing they did do that I really liked was split our salmon entree onto 2 plates without us even asking (again, 5 star service). Oh, the mint chocolate chip ice cream tasted like you were eating a raw mint leaf. It was really strange; I've had a similar experience the time I chewed on a RAW MINT LEAF. Not bad, just weird.

    (4)

  • Sarah S.

    Sola is a Hawaiian - Midwest fusion restaurant - Ahhhhh ha! I didn't quite know the concept before visiting. All I knew from my fellow Yelpers was that it was supposed to be great. I had a lovely meal and a lovely evening tonight at S(s)ola. Is it all lowercase? I'm such a noob! They list small plates/appetizers and large plates/entrees on their menu which kind of confused my friend and I. So how many plates do we order? An app and two entrees like we would at a standard restaurant? Or a bunch of small plates like at tapas? Confusion! We gave our best guess a go and it turned out to be the perfect amount for us - 3 Small Plates, 1 Large Plate and 1 Raw item. Our meal was brought out to us in 3 courses for sharing - our waitress knew what she was doing! Amuse Bouche - Fantastic bite! All I remember from the ingredients rattled off was micro greens but it was a harmonious bite for sure. Bowl of bread - Pretzel bun with their special butter is top notch! It honestly may have been my favorite part of the entire meal! Small Plate 1 - Gnocchi - $12 - Not really a fan. I didn't find the gnocchi had much flavor and wasn't a big fan of this dish, overall. Small Plate 2 - Kalua pork - $11 - This pork in BBQ sauce was scrumptious! I wasn't into the banana bread but overall a great dish. Small Plate 3 - Cheese plate - $14 - ursinis, sunset bay, six-year cheddar, cured meats, pickled mushrooms & onions. I loved this plate! The cheese choices were great and it came with duck belly and pancetta as the cured meats. We could have used some crackers or fruit or something to pair the cheeses with. Raw Dish - Wagyu steak tartar - $10 - Cool, inventive dish! A tempura egg that seemed to be prepared 5:10 style, burst open over the wagyu making this dish super cool and super tasty. Loved the flavors in this and would get the dish again for sure. Large Plate - Halibut - $26 - Highly, highly, HIGHLY recommended. This may have been the most perfectly cooked fish I've ever had. It was moist and succulent and the whitest white I've ever seen. The halibut had a sesame pepper crust and was on a bed of black rice. Loved it, so glad I tried it, and I must say again that I highly recommend it! When one course finished, the plates were cleared and the next was immediately brought out. Not a second of lag time! Our total time eating was just an hour. Things got quite busy for our waitress though because once we finished we waited about 20 minutes for her to come by and drop off our bill. The same went for the table next to us. Another random sidenote, there was a couple on a date next to us. The guy flipped out on the girl because she said she liked beets! haha Fun times at sola.Total bill $99 including tax and tip. I'll definitely be back to sola and may try sitting out on their lovely sidewalk patio next time!

    (4)

  • Nicole M.

    Yummy food and good service. My fiance and I stumbled into this place and we got a reservation right away. He had the salmon and it was to die for, even requiring a photo of it and mass message to the family that they need to try this place. He never raves about food or sends photos. The ice cream was delish as well. We had three exotic flavors, nailed it! We will for sure be going back soon, even found a Groupon...SCORE!

    (4)

  • M B.

    Note: This is a review by a vegetarian. My husband and I went and were skeptical about vegetarian choices. Once we looked over the menu we were pleasantly surprised to find alot of food that meet our dietary restrictions. We ordered the artichoke fritters (based on other yelpers reviews) and the gnocchi. The Gnocchi was DELICIOUS! I only wish there was more on the plate for $13! There were barely 5-6 tiny tiny pieces of sweet potato gnocchi. But overall the flavors on the plate blend so beautifully in your mouth. Aha! Heaven. This is a must-try..I guess I had too high expectations from the artichoke fritters. My husband liked it and said it was really well cooked, but I found it to be just ok. Then we ordered the Veggie burger. That was mind-blowing! The quinoa and veggies were perfectly blended and was so soft that it literally melted in your mouth. Thankfully, this dish was big enough to fill my still-empty tummy after the tiny appetizers. We then ordered the 3 ice cream plate each. The 5 spice salted caramel was a lil too 'spice-filled' for my liking. I could distinctly taste the cinnamon and clove and that's not a flavor I appreciate much in my ice cream. But if you do like those flavors, you might like this one. The white chocolate and mocha, and the bourbon butterscotch pecan were delicious! (and im not even a bourbon drinker!). Overall, we were pleased with our experience here. The server was also super friendly and didn't seem to be pissed that I asked her to describe almost all the ice cream flavors before I finally made my choice.

    (4)

  • Susan S.

    Sola is my friend D's favorite neighborhood restaurant---it's where she likes to take all of the visiting out of towners. I'm so glad she did---the food and the service were delightful. We ate outside, which one should always do in Chicago since the season is so short. The outside vibe was so-so. The glare from the street lights was a little off-putting, but that was no fault of the restaurant. The menu cites a Hawaiian vibe, but I wouldn't have noticed the influence if it hadn't been mentioned. We split a beet and goat cheese salad--which the kitchen plated separately, always a nice touch. We also shared a scallop appetizer---D loved it while I found the texture a little mushy. But, that was me. My entree of grouper was perfectly prepared and hit all of the right taste notes. D ordered the signature tuna dish, which I tasted and found good although I prefered my grouper. We started off with a mai-tai (as a sweet and festive kick off to a 30 year high school reunion). If it werent' for the calorie and alcohol content, I could've consumed about fifty of them---so good! Strangely, the best and most memorable part of the meal was the outstanding bread basket---it was impossible to resist! I'd go back just for the seeded flat cracker bread thingy! If I lived in Chicago, I'd bring my out of town friends here, too!

    (4)

  • Amber N.

    We tried Sola for the first time tonight after driving by it for years. The service was excellent and the food hit the spot. We enjoyed a glass of wine and some artichoke fritters to start. They were served with an aioli and soy sauce combination. Great flavor! I enjoyed the crab cakes with mango salsa and the flash fried brussel sprouts for dinner. Both were outstanding! Crab cake had zero fillers, all crab and the brussel sprouts were crispy and delicious! My husband enjoyed the wagyu truffle burger on a pretzel bun with truffle fries. It was very good, only drawback was it was a bit too salty. Overall, we will be back often for a nice dinner full of quality food and great service! Great neighborhood restaurant with a nice outdoor patio as well.

    (4)

  • Kristina W.

    I have never heard of this restaurant until I stumbled upon it on Groupon. I love Asian Hawaiian fusion restaurants so I decided to Yelp this place. Saw that it has stellar reviews and bought the Groupon. Came to this place with my boyfriend on a Saturday at 5:30 and it wasn't packed at all. We were seated immediately and I mentioned I had Groupon to the waitress. She seemed happy that we were there and didn't look down upon us for having it. We started off with drinks and I had the Wicked Wahine, which was great and I could barely taste the alcohol. They gave us bread with butter. The bread came with these pita like crackers/chips which were very tasty. We ordered the BBQ shredded pork with banana nut bread as an appetizer. Tasted great except I wasn't a fan of the BBQ sauce; it was too tangy and salty. Then we were each given a free taste portion of the chef's special. I'm not sure what it was, but it had an interesting taste to it. I ordered the Mahi Mahi as my entree and it was delicious. The fish was fresh and cooked well. Overall, a great dining experience and I'll definitely be back.

    (4)

  • Dennis S.

    Praise be to Yelp's Bookmarking system. Back in 2010, our Chicagoland Yelp leader at that time, Colleen C., reviewed Sola. I bookmarked it based on her comments, but never made it there. Now I have, and I SO much appreciate both her writing skills and the bookmarking system. This is the first time I have ever tried the dishes of all four people at our table. I know many Yelpers do that as a regular thing, but most of the time I'm not interested in trying lots of other dishes. This time I was, and they were all delicious. Every one! The ham and cheese french toast, my order, was excellent. It was a version of a Croque Monsieur with a plum/ginger syrup. Absolutely delicious. The three other dishes I tasted - all great - were: . Bacon, leeks, white cheddar, and pear omelet; Strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry french toast; and Blueberry pancakes with lemon ricotta. I wasn't alone: My dining companions all loved and finished their dishes too. For food like this, Sola is definitely a destination restaurant. Everything on the menu looks great. What I saw on plates was great. I could tell some of the items are seasonal, so I've got to get back soon. The wasabi bloody mary was good, but not exceptional. The wasabi flavor was mild when drinking, but stayed around a good while afterwards. Our service throughout the meal was not only very attentive, but outright friendly. That added nicely to the experience.

    (5)

  • Susan G.

    The best brunch in the city! The outdoor cafe, the coffee, the chilaquiles, the Portuguese donuts, won best potatoes in the country award a couple years ago......

    (5)

  • Anjali S.

    This place was really really good. The BF and I were hungry and randomly bought a Groupon Now to Sola. 30 minutes later we were seated, eating yummy carbohydrates from a bread basket and drinking yummy alcoholic concoctions from glasses. I had the gnocchi and mushroom salad. Both were delicious and savory. Boyfriend had some sort of fish which he enjoyed. I would definitely go again, even without a Groupon. Its that good.

    (5)

  • Michael L.

    When I had dinner there it was a weird experience. We sat at the bar before we had our reservation come up. Drinks were good, a little too sweet, but good. The hostess seemed to stumble over words and direct us to our table. The server we had wasn't that knowledgeable about the menu, but passable. The table was sticky and the atmosphere wasn't inviting. There wasn't a good flow to the restaurant to move around in and you can constantly feel like you're dodging the waitstaff. The menu is weak. Really weak. Not that many options for meals and WAY over priced. An appetizer of mussels is about $15 and you only get 5 mussels. I had a meal with red beans that were still crunchy and my partner had mashed potatoes that had a texture that was like it was freeze dried mashed potatoes. If it was moderately priced I would be okay going to a place like this, but it was overpriced and cocky in its attitude. A "better-than-thou," with their noses in the air feeling from the place.

    (2)

  • Annie V.

    I enjoy Sola a lot but it's never on the forefront of my mind when I consider places to eat and that's why I give it 4 stars instead of 5. There must be something holding me back! I've been here for brunch many times and dinner once and I can say I enjoy dinner more than brunch here. It's a nice family friendly restaurant or even great for date night. It's a great option for a great meal in the North Center/Lincoln square area.

    (4)

  • Amy M.

    Cocktails are superb! The food is exquisite! Sola is an experience for your taste buds! You will always have good service here because they aim to please! The portions are smaller, but the flavors are huge!

    (5)

  • Lauren R.

    Best brunch ever. My husband and I had gone for dinner and thought the food was fabulous, but the brunch made this place irresistible. We split the Short Rib Eggs Benedict and Chilaquiles. Both were plate-licking worthy and very unique. We are regular visitors to Over Easy, but hate the wait. Sola not only has equally amazing food but also takes reservations....which is great on a cold morning! Definitely will be returning for both these menu items! YUM!

    (5)

  • Nikki C.

    had half the burger and one tuna seared taco. bloody mary with shrimp, olive and asparagus. my pee smelled a little bit afters. the burger was bloody tasty. licked my hands wet. the tuna was tasty. the bloody mary on a sunday morning was pleasant and a good gastric juice motivator. this was a pleasant meal. lots of tables turning pretty quick as every time i looked up a new set of people were seated close by. unless I just didn't notice their ugly stares and their quick departure from my growling consumption. oh well. aloha.

    (4)

  • Ann W.

    Went on a Sunday night with my mom and husband. I've been here more than 3x and was always (more than) satisfied with the food and service. I've tried almost everything on their menu, and each one was delicious. They pair the ingredients very well (with a surprising element - like anise in the apple bread pudding!) Their portions are enough for a hungry person (I eat like a man!), and plating is artistic. I love the ambience- a little fancy, but not pretentious. The waiter knows the menu very well, the busboy never left our glasses empty. I would highly recommend to friends, and definitely come back! By the way, free street parking on a Sunday night is a plus!

    (5)

  • Carol K.

    Still a good choice for dining al fresco- Sola was a bit of hit or miss the other night. The positives? As I was waiting for the valet to come and park my car- one of the servers walked over and said that there was no valet on that particular night but that I should just lock up my car and leave it where it was. Nice! That same server then got us a couple of menus and found us a great table for two on the patio. Too bad it wasn't in his section as I think he would have made our entire night! While the food was quite good on this visit, the service wasn't. Our server came and went . . . .oftentimes leaving us with empty glasses or wanting for something. Not sure what was going on but we had to keep flagging her down. She was pleasant, friendly and quick with suggestions . . .she just wasn't present the way she should have been. Now let's talk about the food- the good part of the night! We started with the raw oysters. I found it odd that they come 5 to a serving but oh well. They were fresh and almost creamy. But know that they don't come with the more traditional cocktail sauce and horseradish or even any kind of sauce. Nope. But still delicious! For our entrees we had the duck breast over risotto and the special of the night which were lamb chops stuffed with cheese. The duck was good . . but those lamb chops were amazing! Lightly breaded, every bite was a delight! Love the food, love the ambiance . . now if only Sola could get the service to match it would be back up up 5 stars in my book!

    (4)

  • R R.

    This has been one of my favorite places for years. First, Excellent brunch. Opens at 10 am and actually takes brunch reservations. Interesting take on chilaquiles - it's a hash with amazing depth and flavor. I like to add in extra Sola's house-made chorizo. Lunch and dinner have many excellent options. The burger is really good. You can't go wrong with most options; although the cost can quickly run up. Great outdoor space during nice weather.

    (5)

  • Tim G.

    A good friend of mine and I dined here at Sola this evening after it had been highly recommended by some of my friends. I was able to get a gift certificate for $25 off our bill and figured we'd give it a shot. The seafood is excellent. The tuna was especially flavorful and sweet, I'm used to bland tuna that needs a lot of help from seasoning, but this was truly shines. I highly recommend the Tuna Poke for appetizer and the Azuki bean cake for dessert. Both of those are must-haves. The staff is friendly and courteous. Our server was happy to answer any questions we had about the menu as well as give a number of recommendations since it was our first time. He also gave us a sampler of beet, fennel leaf and goat cheese that was quite fresh and tasty. Their dinner service filled up fast, so I was smart to book a reservation on their website through OpenTable. I received a call the morning of the dinner letting me know they had received our reservation and all should go well. What I appreciated was they clarified the directions to the restaurant making sure we did not get lost because of their unique location. Overall it was a great dinner. It's only been a few hours and I've been raving about this place to my friends and family, instagram, twitter, etc. This is definitely a place I plan to return to.

    (5)

  • Colleen C.

    For years, Sola has proved top notch. The brunch experience I had over two years ago detailed below (my my, time flies) was OUTSTANDING. So much so, that I convinced our group of 5 brunch-hearty girls to head to tried-and-true Sola instead of a myriad of other new brunchy suggestions. The ability to secure a reservation sealed our fate, and I was very excited to share in the brunch-magic with my female compadres. And magic, it was not. From the very beginning our brunch experience was mediocre at best, verging on somewhat disastrous. I won't give a play-by-play, but suffice it to say: *slow on the coffee *overcooked eggs on the benedict - sent back. *forgotten cocktails - 25 minutes *average french toast (and this was something I'd had before and loved!) - sort of cold. *lackluster service - absentminded/negligent moreso than rude. *incorrect bill, incorrect charges on credit cards resulting in a restart. After years of sending folks to Sola, I have to say I couldn't do so in good faith anymore. Obviously by their ratings they are a fine establishment, but my brunch experience was absolutely inadequate and I felt embarrassed having convinced our brunch party to relocate here. It was a bummer of a brunch...I know every spot has an off day, so here's hoping that's the deal at Sola.

    (3)

  • Layne S.

    4.5 stars. Everything was great. Service was great. Food was great. Tuna poke was a standout. Next time will ask for a bit more wasabi if possible. Fries were ok. Artichokes were pickled. Was hoping for fresh. Dinner was great. Duck was great. Steak was great. Server was a little chatty. Just personal preference yet I like to be left alone. Will return. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • S G.

    cocktails were great- all of their drinks on the drink list we tried were wonderful. We had the scallops and artichoke fritters, and the pomme frittes for appetizers, and dinner varied. We tried the veggie burger w mac and cheese, the duck, mahi mahi and tuna dishes and all enjoyed their meals. dessert was a chocolate lava cake and a banana sundae, perfect to share. the waitstaff was quick even for a Sat night. We had a reservation for 8 and were seated by 815, out by 10 pm no valet noted

    (4)

  • Simone K.

    Went there today for my girlfriends birthday and it was just good. Not great, just good. They were nice enough to make the changes to the menu for me and my child. But again it was just good. The weirdest thing was that I brought a cake for my friends birthday and they charged me $2 per person to cut the cake. Then they gave us the smallest piece ever! It was a huge cake and not a lot of people and I was totally shocked that they didnt give everyone a bigger piece. They also decided to add ice cream and some fruit icing. I didnt ask them to do any of this so i guess that is part of the $2. Overall it was not a great meal, I have ad better and I wont go back.

    (2)

  • Vicky O.

    the food was excellent. The waiter was great. Definately will go back again

    (5)

  • Jennifer L.

    Good food, but not the best service hence the three star review. Thankfully I dined with a Groupon and saved $50. To start, the boyfriend and I shared the waygu steak tartar and the truffle fries. The tartar came with a salad dressed with a very crisp, light and refreshing dressing that I could have eaten more of. I enjoyed the creative presentation of the tartar as well. The egg had a light fried batter coating - kinda like a tempura egg, which was really neat. I could have eaten a lot more of that. In retrospect, we overpaid big time for the fries - $10 including $2 for a truffle aioli, which was just OK. The fries were good, but not worth the $ in my opinion. I could have had more tartar for that price. I had the salmon with the edamame puree and like the other reviewers, I found the ratio of fish to puree to be completely off. There was way too much puree! I've never had anything like it and I give them points for creativity. But, it's weird because they have the consistency of mashed potatoes and to me, eating mashed potatoes and fish is weird. I'm used to having some vegetable medley or succotash on the bottom. Nevertheless, it was good and I ate it all. Would I have it again? Perhaps not - especially since the boyfriend's dish blew mine away. He had the pork chop, which came with a rice mixed with some mango and other yummy goodies. The sauce to accompany the dish was sweet and the meat was cooked to perfection. Oh, side note - our server told us that the salmon and pork would be cooked medium rare. Um... not so much for me. I go, "Um..." and he goes, "Well, we can cook it however you want!" and so I requested to have it prepared more medium. I just felt like it was so awkward to bring up how it's done. Maybe he should have asked how I wanted it prepared before telling me how they do it. That way, if he knew I wanted it medium he could have just done that instead of weirding me out with the suggestion as to how it's done. The boyfriend okayed to have his done medium rare and it came out more medium and he was relieved at that. For dessert, we had the sorbet trio of guava, mango and passionfruit. I highly recommend these items as a great palate cleanser after your meal. My only gripe was our server. He wasn't particularly welcoming or friendly. He wasn't downright rude or anything, but just didn't seem particularly thrilled to have us dining there. He checked up on us just fine, but i just wasn't feel his service. Honestly, I liked the people who brought out my food and refilled my water better. Bottom line: good food and creative menu options. I may give it a try and perhaps would have liked it better if I had a better server or had mine been friendlier.

    (3)

  • Sara M.

    brilliant weekend brunch! I had the huevos benedictos... amazing flavours and exceptional hash browns ( I rarely like them) others had the short rib benedict and the upside down banana pancake. everything was cooked to perfection. My tip would be to order the savoury items then spelt the banana pancake 4-6 ways... it is huge but very "more-ish"

    (5)

  • Pack C.

    We went there for dinner and we were so disappointed with the food. Menu looks interesting and simply over-promises. Below are items we had Kalua Pork: it's nothing like Hawaiian Kalua pork! it's basically BBQ pull pork on top of mushy banana bread. The bread + the pork everything is just so sweet and over powering. The portion is small (one piece of bread with pork on top) and i still can't finish it. (it was my worst trial of the night) Crispy mushroom salad: simple lots of arugula and slices of apple tossed together. nothing fancy about this. I can make this at home! Wagyu burger: it was good but how can you screwed up a burger really... Truffle pamesan fries with truffle honey aioli: this is probably the best dish we've got. i can sense & taste the truffle. The aioli can be thicker Wagyu hanger steak: ok. Red bean cake: again way too sweet. They just have a lot of sweet components in one plate: red bean paste, sweet potato and etc. They have salty caramel but still it doesn't help much the waiter kinda annoyed us, tried to keep the place while we barely finished the meal yet. the atmosphere was good but the flavor was just not there. i won't go back here again

    (2)

  • Dale B.

    As Larry David would say... Prettttyyyyyy, pretttyyyyyyy good. They're at a solid 3.5 stars, but I have to round up in this case. We were given a Groupon, and the place was lauded with praise from trusted friends from Irving Park. Considering this place already has a boost of value on its side (the Groupon), and the nod from some esteemed friends, it's sort of being graded on a curve. I very much liked the cocktails (I ordered two and my wife had one). The Tuna Poke was excellent (though it took the request of a little soy sauce to get it there), presentation was very good, and the food was also quite good, I just don't see myself coming back. After the $50 Groupon, the balance came to $80 all tolled after three drinks, two starters, one main, and a dessert. That's not bad at all, but without the Groupon, I may have walked out feeling a little ripped (for $130). The service was sub-par, which I attribute to the server's presumptions that we're cheap and not going to tip well, so he sort of stranded us at key points in the meal. The kitchen and bar is doing it right, I'm just not convinced on the value and service.

    (4)

  • Nancy C.

    Wonderful server. Tuna entree was superb. Drinks and scallop appetizer mediocre. Desserts stupendous.

    (4)

  • Elizabeth B.

    So good! Try everything. It's unique and delicious. I always leave happy. One of the best restaurants in Chicago!

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    I think this is the second to last groupon that girlfriend bought that needed to be used and Sola did not disappoint. Came here after working out only a block away and saw we didn't really need the reservations as there weren't many people when we arrived at 6:45. Service was actually a bit spotty at first as we saw our waiter also double as a bartender... Kind of weird... Had the scallops for an appetizer and it was pretty good. It wasn't spectacular, especially for the price, but with the groupon it was fine. The salads, crispy mushrooms and sea greens were great. I would say that the crispy mushroom was better though. Mains were the tuna and the halibut. Really loved my tuna, but it did seem like a lot of wasabi underneath. The girlfriend loved the halibut and I thought it was really, really good as well. Overall, the service was kind of slow, but it was good. Really loved both our entrees and really liked our salads. With that, it definitely is a 4. Not sure it was really worth the price if we went normally, but I wouldn't mind paying for everything again minus the scallops.

    (4)

  • Megan G.

    Excellent, unique dining experience. Delightful cocktail menus that complimented every dish. Friendly atmosphere. We will be back.

    (5)

  • Chris D.

    Hard to explain why I was so underwhelmed. It wasn't over hyped, the service was decent enough, except for some exceedingly brusque and partly unintelligible statements by the hostess, who really didn't seem to know what she was doing. The food was quite good, but probably as good as it was pricey. The drinks were good, when we could get them from the harried wait staff. Overall impression was of a place that was understaffed and seemed unready for what appeared to be a normal Thursday evening in North Center. Had a good time, but can't say I was impressed enough to want to return and pay those prices.

    (3)

  • Stephanie H.

    Sola hosted our Sunday morning brunch after our 8/16/14 wedding. They hosted our 20-person party perfectly, and even had a custom-menu with our names on the top! They had delicious food- everyone was raving about the selections that we had made. I definitely recommend them!

    (5)

  • Rupa N.

    I don't spend enough time frequenting amazing brunch places that fabulous Chi Town has to offer. Put Sola on the list of must visit for brunch. Sola is a little way out there; not far from Wrigley Field and I loved the location. We chose to sit inside although the outside would be divine on a beautiful summer day. For drinks, I had a nice pot of strong hot black tea along with the light-hearted maui-mosa. I had my eyes on the ham and cheese french toast but our server told us it was a very "heavy" dish. He recommended the bacon omelet and I ordered it. I am not a fan of bacon so I admittedly contemplated my selection for a while. Two others in our party ordered the banana upside-down pancake. I would have ordered the upside-down pancake but do not have a fondness for bananas. The bacon omelet with a side of hash browns were fabulous; probably one of the best omelets I've had in a long time. I dumped ketchup and hot sauce on my plate and dug in. The banana pancake looked interesting enough for me to snag a bite off my husband's plate. Wow, this is one heck of a pancake and totally worth the wait. I assumed there would be fresh chunks of banana's but thankfully that was not the case. Just a sumptuous pancake adorned with a dollop of miso mascarpone atop. Thankfully my husband couldn't eat everything and I was happy to finish off his plate.

    (4)

  • Roxanne R.

    I had a groupon to use so I went here last weekend. We ordered: Tuna - Which the waiter stressed is their signature dish Short Ribs Tuna - The waiter prewarned us that it was going to be mostly raw which I was fine with. It was a good portion size of fish and it was probably a good quality fish. I think it lacked some seasoning because the fish was bland and nothing really brought out the flavor. It was served with some breaded avocadoes but the breading just made the avocadoes crunchy and chewy. It didn't really complement the fish with. The rice that it was served with was good but for this being the signature dish, I don't think this was that great. Short Ribs - This is what I originally ordered. The short ribs were very tender and moist like the waiter promised. However, it was really salty so much so I switched my dish with my husband who seemed to tolerate it. The desserts looked like they would be appetizing but after 2 letdowns on the dishes I figured I might as well just eat the ice cream that I have at the house.

    (3)

  • Oksana D.

    This place was very well put together and refreshing. I enjoyed the creative variety of the menu. The mahi mahi was to die for, but the artichoke fritters did not impress me as much as some reviews said they would. I also tried the crab cakes,and although very crabby and not bread heavy, they were a little bit too greasy for me. If I come back, I will definitely stick with the fish dishes and leave room for the delicious looking variety of sorbets!

    (4)

  • Jason M.

    this is one of my favorite restaurants in chicago! it's definitely pricey, but the food is fantastic. they also have a great brunch. also, their burger is top 3 in chicago in my opinion. you won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Francis F.

    The food was exceptionally crafted with influences of Hawaii and Asia. We asked for more of the scrumptious flat crackers that had subtle flavor of anise and pepper. They paired really well with the cuisine. The waitress was very attentive and knowledgable and made us excited about the food and the daily specials. Portions were just the right size. Worth the price!

    (5)

  • Tom R.

    We started our meal with the steak tartare which was served with micro greens and topped with what should have been a runny egg. Unfortunately, our egg was almost entirely hard boiled which negatively affected both the taste and texture of the dish. We also ordered Sola's mussels and clams - thankfully much better executed than the tartare. The tuna entree was said to be panko crusted although it honestly tasted like it was chicken-fried. Surprisingly, I actually kind of enjoyed it aside from the bed of wasabi rice it sat on. We also ordered the wagyu burger simply because we wanted some of the parmesan truffle fries. The burger was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and well seasoned but the fries were overloaded with truffle oil and the aioli was for too liquidy for my liking. All in all, Sola is simply too expensive (~$110 for two people) for the quality of food they serve and the service they provide. We waited for nearly fifteen minutes to have our plates cleared but, fortunately, we were entertained by eavesdropping on the train wreck of a blind date at the table next to us.

    (2)

  • Seth F.

    Apparently the restaurant likes to stylize their name in all lower case, like the band fun. or will.i.am . I for one condone this type of behavior. More establishments SHOULD rebel against the tyranny of proper grammatical construction. Bravo sOLa, bravo. On a more serious, and pertinent, note: sOlA is also a very good restaurant and one that is usually pretty easy to get into. At times a reservation is needed, but I have gone there plenty of times without one and never been refused. They used to do a bacon thursday, which was like 5 courses of bacon inspired cuisine. It had an octopus bacon dish, a bacon burger and a few other bacon-centric items. It was finished off with bacon ice cream. Now this is not a reflection on the quality of food at SolA which I have found to be superb each and every time I've been, but that was first, and still only, time I've ever not liked something with bacon in it. It still sorta feels like a bad dream. *shudder*

    (5)

  • Linsey R.

    This place is amazing. Excelent drinks, food, and customer service!!! We will definetely be back.

    (5)

  • Ramya P.

    Best goddamn artichoke fritters I've ever tasted!! How do they do that?? I would say they're a must-try. They served em with a delicious truffle aioli. Also, get the truffle parmesan fries, unbelievably tasty!! Me and the hubby were here on our date night and enjoyed the food and service incredibly. For a $$$ place, the ambiance felt casual and your attire need not be dressy. The amuse bouche was cucumber and pineapple with hoisin and sesame, that I could've eaten a bowl of. The soup of the day was a super creamy cauliflower vegan option that we enjoyed. For the main course, we got the gnocchi and a pecan crusted tofu dish. For the dessert, I would definitely recommend you to try the crazy flavors of ice cream. We got the cherry-goat cheese, vanilla wasabi and 5 spice salted caramel.

    (5)

  • Brandon B.

    Here for a birthday occasion: and a Groupon, but one of the best places I have been to in a while and definitely the best place that every sold a Groupon. The food speaks for itself, an outstanding mix of unexpected combinations that consistently worked well and contrasted so much as to feel like you had 5 meals by the end. This is one place where I feel compelled to list the food, the descriptions hint at the mouth orgy experienced: adzuki bean cake : maple confit, kabocha squash, bacon-praline brittle, vanilla miso ice cream, sweet soy, maple reduction, candied seaweed. kalua pork: banana bread, bbq sauce, crispy onions. artichoke fritters : truffle aioli, soy-lime sauce. sea greens salad: hijiki, macadamia nuts, cucumbers, water chestnuts, pineapple, hoisin. Salmon : seared, ginger-glazed, edamame puree, truffle-teriyaki sauce, green bean tempura. Also some fantastic sweet and spicy cocktails. The lighting, design is open and lends to a nice exciting communal dining event, with top notch service.

    (5)

  • Elyse C.

    I took my sister here when she was visiting from MT. We made a reservation and arrived about half an hour early and we got seated right away. The dining area is lovely. We were not packed in or seated too closely to others and the ambiance was very nice (romantic!). We got the miso mushroom soup which was incredible. Then for entrees we got the short ribs and mac n cheese and the Wagyu burger. Both were delicious! So satisfied. The service was great. We cannot think of anything that was unsatisfactory. Definitely recommend this place.

    (5)

  • Rita W.

    I am in the middle between 3 and 4 stars. (Yelp - it would make my life easier if you could let us do half stars!) I will give them 4 since the food was solid. We with there last night with two of our friends. Our waitress was attentive and had an english accent - so cute, so definitely A for service. Our friends ordered the crab cakes to start. The crab cakes were definitely the best I have had in a while. Large chunks of real crab, not too deep frieds, and it had some lovely diced pickled beets as a relish. The girls ordered the black pepper crusted halibut and the guys ordered the hanger steak and we (ok ok I admit I did it!) ordereed a basket of parmesan truffle fries. Both entrees were good, the black pepper crust on the halibut definitely made the fish stand out. The steak was cooked to order...but it somehow lacked the flavor I had anticipated. We ordered a banana ice cream sundae to share...it was soo yummy! Banana ice cream, whipped cream, caramelized banana and macadamia nut slivers....it was a great way to end the meal. All in all we thought the food was good abeit a little pricey for what you get. For the prices you pay I expected a little more of a wow factor but all in all it is still a pretty solid meal.

    (4)

  • Amie M.

    Loved Sola and so did the boyfriend. Took him for his birthday and everything was fantastic, he is still dreaming of those crabcakes. Service was just a great as the food.

    (5)

  • Burger Guide D.

    The Wagyu Burger at Sola features a premium cut of beef that is complemented by some high quality ingredients. A pretzel bun, bacon, caramelized onion, arugula, and cambozola cheese. The star of the show is combination of the sharp cheese and caramelized onions melting together. Overall, the burger was very tasty however something was missing. The burger may be a victim of using top shelf ingredients, but not taking full advantage of their potential.

    (4)

  • Alicia K.

    It's been a couple of months since I've been at sola - and I have not had a better meal since. The only reason we came was because we had the groupon deal, and boy am I glad we went. Appetizer: We had the wagyu beef tartare. It was heavenly and topped with a soft boiled, panko-crusted egg. When you cut it open, the yellow yolk oozed beautifully on the beef. Perfectly paired with an arugula salad and chips. Divine. I wanted seconds. Entree 1: I had the seared duck breast - cooked medium-rare, per my request, and seasoned purrrrfectly. I'm normally the type of girl who scarfs down food like I'm a ravaged animal. Not at sola. The entree was so well done I enjoyed every. single. bite. This is the only dish I crave these days. Entree 2: My fiance had the wagyu beef burger. I didn't try it, but it was a healthy portion and I bet it was delish. I can't wait to go back. Hawaiian fusion may be my new favorite cuisine.

    (5)

  • Angelica P.

    Awesome food! We had the tuna and halibut dishes when we went and they were 5-star quality. The tuna is sushi quality and was lightly seared with a fried avocado which was interesting and different.

    (5)

  • Brule L.

    We've dined here off and on over the years and returned to find it just as great as ever. Food was excellent - cobia and tuna - and the service matched the food. Dessert of molten chocolate cake was top notch, as good as it gets. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Erika G.

    Prixy Fixy dinners with wine pairings, me likey. This was a Bacon dinner, and while the bacon thing is pretty played out . . . we still love the bacon. $45 including wine, it's fairly affordable for an occasional splurge. Started out . . . two chicks, two straight up Manhattans. Delicious. Served by a very comely waiter . . . this dinner has started out well! First course, parsnip-carrot-celery(?)-squash(?) soup garnished with . . . bacon! This was good, but not great. So, I lapped up ever bit of it, 'cos I am a fan of soup, nonetheless. The entree: bacon wrapped chicken breasts. These were presented in the shape of Ho Hos (who doesn't love a delicious entree in the form of a trashy 70's kids treat), but what savory, tender deliciousness! Moist breasts tightly encased . . . *fidget* in a wrap of . . . *sweats* . . . bacon. Mmmmmmm. This. Was. Good. And the fabulous Chef Carol brought it out herself for us, so so cool! The breasts were coyly reclining on a bed of quinona and crunchy, tiny, salty brussel sprout "chips". Salty goodness! The wine pairings were great. Dry reds, yum. Always a fan of the dry red. Dessert: Apple ice cream surrounded by sliced apples over apple cobbler topped by a slice of candied bacon. A bit sweet for my taste, but apple ice cream tasty indeed. I like Sola. As John B. said, it is a relaxing comfortable restaurant with a great, friendly vibe. And cute waiters. Gotta have those.

    (4)

  • Stacey A.

    I went to Sola for my birthday in 2010 and had a lovely time and ate ALL the short ribs and knew all the songs they played because it was like they ripped off one of my "Indie Musick" playlists. I went to Sola again last summer and sat on the patio and had this magnificent tuna dish and was unreasonably happy. And I went to Sola AGAIN on Monday, and I just want you all to know that if you happen to see ANY octopus dish on their menu, order the fuck out of it because Sola does octopus right.

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    dear sola, I love u :) I was catching a show at the American theater with my best friend and we stopped we were in the mood to try a new spot. we popped into sola, it was early evening so we were seated right away :) our server was kind (a little slower than desired but nice) - the food was delightful. The sauces with the artichoke friter dish were very tasty and the BURGER ... Let's talk about the BURGER. I would go back once a week if I could just to eat that burger! :) very yummy - great flavor I wish it was closer to me ... But that might be asking too much lol I'll be back :) a great spot to "try" if u've never checked it out

    (4)

  • Eddie W.

    We had the cobia and hanger (waygu steak). I ordered the steak medium and it was quite clear that they hurried it, it was undercooked on the inside and burnt on the outside. Our server Devin was very nice about it and offered a change immediately so I ended up having the Cobia instead which was great. It was good but I wouldn't go back again.

    (3)

  • Amoli P.

    My fiance and I went to Sola twice in the span of one week...just because we neglected to read the fine print. We showed up on a Sunday for brunch, eager to use up an expiring Groupon, only to look foolish when our server pointed out at the end of the meal that the deal was for dinner only. My own fault for not reading right and our server was very nice and polite about it. We came back 4 days later for dinner, figuring at this point we were committed to using this coupon up before it expired. Both visits were pleasant and enjoyable, but not necessarily memorable. I will say I enjoyed the dinner a little bit more, which seems to be against the grain as other yelpers seem to rave about the brunch. Brunch: The atmosphere was a nice combination of sort of trendy but also breakfast diner-ish and the service between both the server and hostess was very welcoming and friendly. I went with a new item - a whitefish scramble while my fiance chose the short rib benedict. The whitefish was smoked but did not have a fishy taste to it at all and blended nicely with the flavors of the scramble. I didn't taste any of the sirracha that was supposedly mixed in, but it was flavorful enough. My fiance enjoyed his benedict but it didn't seem to be especially different or special. The bacon he got as his side was weird and inedible. The hash browns, however, were crispy and seasoned and quite tasty. The drink menu is a little disappointing for brunch and they definitely have better drinks available at dinner time. The bloody mary was very good, served with a healthy piece of shrimp and with a nice amount of spice. I like a good bloody on a Sunday morning and this one was delicious and hit the spot. My fiance went with some sort of mixed drink that had St. Germaine's in it and should have been delicious but instead was watered down and bland. Dinner: Dinner appealed to us a little bit more and we enjoyed the evening drink options as well. I went with a pear martini that was refreshing and tasty (made with Le Poir) and he went with a whiskey based specialty cocktail that was a little too similar to bourbon and ginger ale. The amuse bouche was a tasty bite of vegetarian heaven. We had the artichoke fritters to start and they were fresh and crispy and tasty. Not overly greasy and the two dipping sauces were yummy. For our entrees I had the barramundi special, and was very pleased with it. The fish came flaky and crisp and was very fresh with a lovely yellow slightly sweet glaze. My fiance went, once again, with the short rib that Sola is famous for. He enjoyed the dish, but not so much that we'll be back. Sola is a very good restaurant and worth visiting once. But neither the brunch or dinner left a lasting impression or memory. They were just missing that extra effect. A wow factor, if you will. Service and atmosphere is great. Very casual and welcoming and service was excellent and friendly. The food just isn't quite at the level to make Sola an elite Chicago restaurant.

    (3)

  • Catherine K.

    Really bad service! I have a food allergy, yes a real food allergy and I carry an epi-pen. I asked the server, D, if he could check the bread basket for me, could I have any of the items? He did not. I also asked for a recommendation about the dinner items on the menu. He didn't do it! Ignored all my questions. I ended up getting the Greens and Grains, which was free from green and boring as all get-out. Even waiting for a table at the bar, the service was poor. Don't waste your time.

    (1)

  • Abby T.

    I liked this place as soon as we entered the restaurant. The ambiance is so soothing and inviting. I thought the food was mediocre....the flavor profiles perhaps a bit more contemporary than we like. The scallops were cooked to perfection but a bit on the salty side for my taste (and I like salty). We also wished the portion came with more than 2 scallops. My boyfriend ordered the lamb chop special; however, there was a subtle flavor in the dish that he didn't really love. I ordered the short ribs and it was ok as well...nothing to write home about. Our server, Allison, was GREAT!! She was so down to earth and very attentive. She made sure to let us know she was in no way rushing us out. I would return to Sola to try some other items and in hopes that Allison is my server again.......but my boyfriend said he would not be joining me.

    (4)

  • Lisse C.

    Had a wonderful meal here for brunch. The tempura french toast was fantastic, a must try! The mimosas were the perfect blend of juice and champagne, Blood orange was my favorite. Our waiter was knowledgeable, and very nice. The place was packed and service never suffered as a result. The decor is warm and contemporary and if you want outdoor seating prepare to wait.

    (4)

  • Amanda O.

    Started with the artichoke fritters which were AMAZING! They are very lightly crisped and have some sort of goo that oozes with each bite. For dinner I had the duck. I wasn't terribly impressed. It didn't stand out but it was perfectly cooked in regards to the fat and the temp of the duck. It comes with a really delicious sweet and sour cabbage which I ate all of. My friend had the Wagyu burger which comes on a pretzel roll. LET ME TELL YOU - It's freaking life changingly delicious!!! It comes with fries that didn't do much for me though. We also wanted to try the brussel sprouts which were okay. Tastes pretty much like what I eat at home. The waiter told us they were fried so I don't know how healthy they are. Our total bill was $62 without alcohol or desert so it's a little on the pricier side but I'd say it's worth the splurge. The fritters, burger and ambiance earned this place a 4 star as opposed to 3. I would definitely recommend you make reservations for the weekend. The bar is full service but only has 6 spots. I called ahead and was told that the time we wanted was booked with reservations but they definitely took walk-ins. Well, seems like that really shouldn't be the case because we waited quite a while just hoping to get a bar stool and everyone who came in after us was immediately sat because they had reservations. It's also quite loud by 8 pm once the wine has been flowing for a while. I don't suggest this place for an intimate dinner or first date. Go with a bunch of friends for the cozy atmosphere and delicious food :-)

    (4)

  • Menton M.

    Not friendly on the phone , and not knowledgable about where they source their food.

    (1)

  • Alice M.

    All the food here was mediocre. Service was ok, the atmosphere was nice, the dining room was a bit crowded, and the prices were kinda steep. The food... nothing was horrible but nothing was extraordinary either. All very "meh." Had the short ribs, pork, and flank steak. Short ribs had a good sauce, but were cooked a bit tough. Pork was somewhat bland and one of the three porks (cooked three ways) was odd-tasting. Flank steak was maybe the best dish of the three but was seasoned a bit too salty. Also, tried the truffle parmesan fries which were good, but definitely not the best truffle fries I've ever had.. we actually didn't finish this, which I almost never do. I wanted to try dessert at the beginning of the meal. But by the end, I was full, and also, I was disappointed in the rest of the meal, so I decided to save my money instead.

    (3)

  • Sarah B.

    Every time my husband and I go to Sola we are blown away by the excellent quality of the food. It is pretty pricey, but definitely worth it. My only criticism is that one particular waiter annoys me every time he waits on us. No matter how long you've been waiting he uses the same line every time..."I know you just sat down, but can I get you a drink?" No dude, we've been here for 15 minutes waiting for you and we'd like to continue waiting. Other than that guy, everything is AMAZING! Excellent food and ambiance!

    (4)

  • Spencer H.

    Stopped in for brunch this morning, and it was all kinds of yummy! I had: breakfast wrap flour tortilla, beans, kalua pork, eggs, spinach, avocado mango With a cup of coffee and a Maui-Mimosa, of course. Proportions were perfect and very tasty, hit the spot. She Had: short rib benedict short ribs, eggs, cheddar biscuits, pesto, hollandaise With a Maui-Mimosa as well, one bite of her dish left me very envious, luckily for me this dish comes in a fairly larger portion so i was able to steal a few bites. This dish is definitely shareable and I would highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Jason A.

    Not gonne lie - I discovered Sola strictly because a friend gave me an unused coupon. Without any knowledge of the restaurant or preconceived notions, I was pleasantly surprised by the great food and friendly staff (we affectionately referred to our waitress as the friendliest person we had ever met.) We shared a few plates - Kalua Pork, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Angry Chicken and the Mac N Cheese (which we ordered simply because the table next to us had and it smelled/looked unreal, which it was). The waitress actually split our orders from main dishes into smaller plates, without our request, which was great. The Kalua Pork - much like bbq pulled pork, over fresh banana bread - would be enough to bring me back alone. Cozy atmosphere + excellent food + great service + coupon from friend = happy Yelper :)

    (4)

  • Philip P.

    I had a seriously difficult time deciding on an entree - there were so many great options here! Classy atmosphere with a nice selection of American dishes with an emphasis on Hawaiian cooking. A nice beet salad kicked off the meal and bought me some more time to make a decision. As good as all the seafood sounded, I ended up going with the lamb shank (was a little worried because immediately after I ordered I saw a women complaining about her lamb shank). Not to worry, it was cooked to perfection! Truffle fries sealed the deal (Great flavor but they were mostly small bits and hard to eat). Will have a swing back here to sample some more of the menu, especially the seafood...

    (4)

  • Ali R.

    After two visits, I'm sold on Sola. While I wasn't blown away, the food was very good and the service was attentive and outgoing. The host is fabulous and really went out of the way to answer my questions and accommodate my requests. While Sola is quite popular for brunch (it's pretty good but service is extremely slow), dinner will be my preferred time to visit Sola. For dinner, I had the duck breast and added the crispy brussel sprouts and truffle fries as sides. The duck breast had a wonderful blend of flavors with lemongrass risotto and baby bok choy. The duck was cooked very nicely although I wish it was a little more juicy (= fatty cuz I'm Asian). The sides were wonderful. The brussel sprouts are flash fried and tasted like delicious butter. The truffle fries were great and even after eating a bunch, I didn't make a huge dent into them. There was definitely enough to share.. The Hapai Punch was yummy and so was the Pretty in Pink cocktail. Overall, well done Sola. You've achieved a status of being unique and delicious. There's a lot of competition out there but I encourage you to try Sola out; you won't regret it! Also, check out their website; they often have great deals (e.g. solaupon!)

    (4)

  • Chandra M.

    My first dinner here was in March for my 30th birthday. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. I recommend the wasabi-encrusted seared scallops for dinner and the unique mild (but divine) sweetness of the adzuki bean cake. The service was friendly and professional, the atmosphere chic, modern, and warm. Will definitely return on my next visit to Chicago!

    (5)

  • Uniform H.

    A Groupon introduced me to Sola, and my wife and I both enjoyed it. Nice atmosphere and the food was tasty and inspired. Some dishes are hit or miss, but that comes with the territory of the culinary risks they take in making the dishes, overall very good. We have been back since. Although the menu changes, I would suggest the steak tartare and the truffle fries. The chocolate lava cake was one of the best we've ever had.

    (4)

  • Viv C.

    It's our first time visit this restaurant and the service from the beginning to the end makes us feel like important guests. Even though I don't think their food is Hawaiian style, more like American and Asian fusion cuisine, overall, the food quality and display gave us a great experience here. We ordered chicken and pork. Pork portion is a bit small but they all taste great! Desert is a must. That made a happy ending for the night!

    (4)

  • Susan F.

    Since there's really nothing bad to say about Sola, I'll just shoot out my recommendations! Also, I believe they are on Savored.com , so you can get 30% off your entire bill if you sign up. Things to try at Sola: -Salmon or Cobia -Pork: They serve it two ways on your plate (cheek and tenderloin) Super juicy and tender, just how a cheek and a loin should be. ;) -Mushroom fried salad or Duck pot stickers to start. -The various breads(pretzel, wheat, flat bread) are not to be missed, so grab a piece or two. -Sesame ice cream or Mango. You won't regret it. Nice affordable wine list and attentive service. Very warm and welcoming environment that is hoppin on a Saturday night. This would be a great date destination, too!

    (5)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

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

Sola

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