Went to The Bristol with my family in December while I was home over the holidays and the whole experience from the drinks, food, service, and ambiance was so stellar I 'm writing my first ever Yelp review. Was the best overall restaurant experience I had in 2011 and I'm a fairly avid restaurant goer. I live in San Francisco and this really reminds me of the food scene there and my favorites like Bar Tartine and Zuni Cafe. I recommend getting a few things from each section of the menu, snacks, starters, medium, and large and sharing all the courses. I'm assuming the menu changes all the time but here are the highlights from our meal: +drinks: sazerac - the absinthe and sugar cube cut the normal harshness of sipping burbon and it adds a unique flavor. reminds me of barcelona +snacks: duck fat fries +starters: apple salad - this was on every table in the place and for good reason +medium: raviolo +large: roast chicken - some of the most perfectly done, moist chicken I've ever had. spatzle was excellent as well. +desert: the basque cake is the best desert I've had in a long, long time. Also, our waiter was excellent -- friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive without being suffocating and schmoozy.
(5)
Colleen A.
Bristol has a great set-up. They don't take reservations but the upstairs bar area is very open and nice and they let you know when to close out your tab when your table is almost ready. The duck fat fries were glorious. The restaurant is very intimate - but not with your own party. It's a tiny place and you sit at communal tables so you sit by other people, but it's not so loud that you can't hear your own party. Service was amazing and the food was very good. The monkey bread was good, but in my opinion, bread should be free, but the butter was incredible. The prawns were my favorite dish by far. I also recommend the hangar steak. The raviolo that everyone else has written about was good, but has to be shared. It's just too rich to eat bite-after-bite on your own. Prices seemed cheaper than expected, but it's also because the portion sizes aren't huge. Great wine list. Overall a great experience for a more expensive night out.
(4)
Colt E.
The Bristol is one of my favorites. From the food to the drinks to the servers, you really can't go wrong. I love a place that lets you sit upstairs and have great cocktails or beers while you wait for a table. Their Moscow Mule is outstanding. After your drinks, you head downstairs for a meal that can't be beat and doesn't kill your wallet. We found their bone marrow course to be especially impressive. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
carolyn e.
Oh dear, sweet Bristol...you failed me this time. From among the thousands of amazing Chicago restaurants I chose YOU! What for you ask? I chose YOU for both entertaining and filling the beleaguered bellies of two wearily traveling friends of mine visiting our great city for the weekend. And how did you fail me? Please...do let me tell... +++ The wait was 3 hours! Two in the party arrived at 7:40PM on a Saturday evening, two in the party arrived at 8:10PM and two more arrived shortly thereafter. The original head-count was five, but changed to six upon the inclusion of a friend of a friend. Upon sharing this information with the host at 8:10PM, he proceeded to make us feel badly about the addition of one more guest and how it had really screwed with his plans of organizing the guests at the tables. Instead of an hour wait, he said this would add 30 more minutes to the wait (OH! Shew! what's 30 more minutes?). So, we headed upstairs to the bar to wait it out and enjoy some signature cocktails. Three...(count them)...THREE HOURS LATER...we all had spent hundreds at the bar and were drunk and STARVING and feeling forlornly forgotten. The exquisitely talented bartender (ehem! cocktail artist, I meant) upstairs even felt so badly for us that he ventured downstairs to inquire about our extended wait! So, after finally being seated at a table... +++ The waitress proceeded to ask us multiple times if we needed more beverages after I stated twice that we were good on drinks! Ok, this probably doesn't sound too bad, per se, but you must consider that we had just spent three hours drinking beverages-only and being forgotten by the restaurant-part of the operation. To compound the annoyance I felt with the waitress continuing to ask if we needed MORE beverages, she then abruptly told me that she saw that I already HAD a cocktail and was continuing to ask us if we needed drinks because others may need drinks. Fine. Good. Whatever. But we NEEDED FOOD and my out-of-towners were entirely drunk and restless at this point, so I thought that response from the waitress actually quite rude. +++ The "Large Plates" at The Bristol don't have any more food on them than the small plates, but rather are just presented on larger plates...lol! This became quite a conversation topic for the group of six starving people who had just spent $20+ per "Large Plate", only to be served up another stomach-starvingly small portion on a plate that was comically large enough in diameter to warrant 4 more portions of the dish. Outside of our particularly lengthy evening of being neglected by the foodservice side of The Bristol, the cocktail artist at the upstairs bar (forgive me fine cocktail artist...but I forget your name. Instead, I will describe you via your dashing good looks -- balding, thickly-rimmed glasses, salt n' peppa gotee) he served us well, and made the experience worth repeating. The list of cocktails hand-written in chalk above the bar include both classics and a number of cocktails created by this fine bartender. He really knows what he's doing...so I suggest your asking for his suggestion on a cocktail or being sure to try one of his personal creations. All cocktails, like all food items at The Bristol, change seasonally and/or daily, which makes them even that much more delightful!
(2)
Michelle C.
I just adored the Spinach Raviolo!! Perfect portion sizes and many fun flavors to explore!! The monkey bread and olives were great apps for the table to share. There's a rather long wait if you don't go early but worth it!! The owner and is wife were very accomodating and welcoming.
(4)
Jessica B.
Went here for my birthday brunch and it was DELICIOUS. OMG. I cannot wait to go back for dinner. I had the Eggs Benedict (my brunch staple) with country ham and mustard hollandaise. It was amazing. Flat out. I always order eggs benedict but this was above and beyond what I expected. The breakfast potatoes were really great too and there weren't too many of them to make it feel like a "filler." My dad had the fried egg sandwich which he liked (even thought the pork belly was a little dry) and my stepmom had the malted waffles, which she liked too. The bloody mary was good but tasted a little grainy. I brought the blueberry crumble home but from a few bites, it's delicious too. The setting and decor is great, very minimal, modern with a comfortable feel. My only complaint was that the host was a little rude when we asked to be seated in a booth (there were two available) rather than at communal seating. He made a rude remark, which was unnecessary but not a deal breaker. I would definitely still go back, as long as the attitude is adjusted :)
(4)
Leigh K.
I am just repeating what others have said. There are some things here that owned and other things that lost. The price of your meal can add up, so it's definitely recommended to go with friends so you can order a bunch of things. I went with a fairly large group fairly soon after the Bristol opened, so I was able to do this. The duck fat fries were excellent. The monkey bread was not so much. I fully intended on sharing the thing that looked best to me on the menu that looked delicious to me, but when the raviolo came out and it was rather small for $11, I hogged it all. Definitely get this, but plan to eat it all by yourself. Since the big thing here was cocktails, I tried one. After the waiter who I ordered it from asked what I thought I said it was okay and he offered to get me something else which I declined. Then I figured I would try something else. I got it and it was okay. Other drinks I tried were better, but still...this place is not the Violet Hour. After the experience I kind of just wished I'd gone there, where all the food I have had is lip-smackingly good. I may go back to the Bristol again because the daily specials are always changing.
(3)
Mike T.
Went there for brunch on a Sunday. Good food, but nothing to write home about. Very small portions. Would I go back? Probably yes.
(3)
Sandra W.
The service: was great. 2 of my friends and I went in at around 8:30pm for dinner. The place was fairly small, but we got sat immediately. The waitress was extremely nice and accomodating. After we ordered, the food came very quickly. The food: I was not as pleased with the menu as I had hoped. The entre was overpriced for very small portion. The angolotti was very good and the raviolo was amazing. But it was definitely over priced. The Appetizer: DELICIOUS. Monkey Bread - great! Spicy Olives stuffed with sausage - SO good! and the best was the Duck Fat Fries with the Aioli sauce was sooooo gooood. The Drinks: I had a watermelon (I forgot what it was called) martini and it was really fresh and homemade and my friend had a lemon martini and he said it was also very good. Overall, I was satisfied but I just thought it was a tid bit overpriced.
(4)
paulette b.
The atmosphere was nice (a little loud) and not hard to get a table on a sunday night. Drinks were the best part of the meal: "Hucklemary" cocktail that included both huckleberries and rosemary in a vodka cocktail. Delicious! And then a wonderful Belgian beer I've never heard of... hommel something - it was listed as an IPA but was quite fruity and delicious. I would come back here for drinks. As for food, my hamburger was only OK. The patty was definitely pre-made and overworked (how does a beef patty ever become a square shape??) which made it too chewy. Fries were good! But the portions were small for the price ($10). Not really worth a trip, but nice for drinks if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)
Hugh B.
Although I was there on just the second night, The Bristol was firing on all cylinders. This looks like it could be a great neighborhood spot. The room is pretty -- not much different than Il Covo, although sans the wood-burning oven in the back. There are many banquette tables plus a communal table in the middle. The management and service are warm and inviting. Very eager to please. Food was excellent. We started with monkey bread, which was FANTASTIC. A small pan of bread, fresh from the oven, served with some sort of green sauce. The bread was piping hot and buttery rich. Entrees -- I had salmon, my friend had a burger with duck-fat fries. I had a side of late summer succotash. Everything was totally tasty. For dessert we shared a peanut butter wafer dipped in chocolate sabayon. I couldn't cram it in fast enough. Service was spot on the entire evening. I'm a fan already.
(5)
Temi C.
It was our first time at the Bristol. Even before I got there, I knew I was going to order the fried egg sandwich w/pork belly. As I waited for the bf to show up, I was getting anxious fearing that they would sell out of it. I love brunch. My bf loves brunch. We usually order 2 different dishes and share, but the duck skillet was not on the menu. I ordered the fried egg sandwich w/pork belly and told the bf to get his own. Good call. He quickly devoured his and looked over at my plate. I must like the fellow enough bc I shared more of mine. The runny egg was so good over the thick pork belly. We also tried a side of the house maple sausage which I'd definitely get again. I love how each table has its own Peugeot salt and pepper mills. Attire ranged from fabulous sundresses to the more casual and everyone seemed to fit in. It was a bit noisy, but I still think it's a super cute date spot or fun place to dine with friends. I can't wait to try dinner!
(4)
J D.
We've been here twice now and it's a solid addition to the neighborhood. Bonus points for being a well oiled machine only the third night open and more points maintaining the same level of service and food several weeks later. A bit reminiscent of Avec in terms of communal seating, I've decided I'm totally over eating with strangers sitting rightnexttome. it's no longer charming. Love the blackboard idea, most of the stuff up is more interesting than the regular menu. Service is great, the waiters are attentive though those specialty cocktails take FOREVER to make. Sure they're delish but seriously. On to the food: fritters, yummy! ELT, I can't belive i've never though of this myself. A minor criticism on the ELT, the bread is a tad too buttery. I'm usually not one to complain about fat, but it made for a greasy sandwich and didn't add much. Also, when it's available, the pork chops, a must try. It's probably a true 3.5 (the food is good but still a tad inconsistent and all those little plates add up, so the value is not truly there) but I'll be back! Also, we haven't had to wait yet but whenever we walk by (usually on weeknights), it's packed, so be warned!
(4)
matt b.
Liked it, has a nice atmosphere, albeit a bit cramped. Decent wine list, and less markup than comparable places. Lots of small dishes, perfect for 2-person-splitting. Liked the "grouper nuggets", cheese selection (double cream cow's milk, came with pickled cherries. yum.) and the fried green tomatoes. .then. I ate this disgusting mussel. sick. SICK. follow that with grilled head-on prawns, over-cooked to that soft anti-al dente texture, strange color... bad aroma. Not a fan. and follow that with the relish plate. Potted salmon is indeed a bad idea, don't second guess yourself. Mussels remained on the bill, and pretty pricey for our level of satisfaction, but sitting around eating (potentially) delicious seasonal snacks is tempting enough for a second visit.
(3)
Rob L.
I've been anticipating this place for quite some time. I know plenty of people who love this place so the bar was raised quite high for me. Walking in, the staff is friendly and welcoming. Looking around the room, it is a slight cramped feeling in there but not to the point you feel everyone is on top of you. I spotted my friend whose husband was parking the car, it was a bit of a goodbye dinner. They were leaving at the end of next month, so this was a chance to get together one more time to break bread. They loved this place and rave about it all the time, so as we perused the menu they pointed out things they have had they loved and things they have never had. Apparently the menu rotates quite a bit, always enjoy the revolving and evolving list of dishes. As we perused the menu I ordered a Cable Car. A spiced Caribbean rum that had they day been even warmer, it still would be just refreshing. Hints of vanilla and citrus, balanced and tempered though out and with a cinnamon and sugar rimmed glass, just made me feel a little more indulgent of a drink. Of course I had a second one. We did a round of three courses with about two to three dishes each. Ever the one to be tempted, we had their flat bread, which I was slightly disappointed in, the flavors of cheese and caramelized onions were delicious, I just felt the actual flat bread could have been a little thicker and heartier rather than a very thin and crispy cracker like consistency. The duck fat fries were really pretty good, the aioli was tasty, but not amazing. Moving on to the next round, I had to switch it up to another drink, (those Cable Cars were going down a little too fast), so the sarsaparilla got a shot. Well, more like there were more than a shot of Buffalo Trace whiskey along with Goose Island root beer. Tasty, but a heartier drink and there for a sipper. We also got one of the pork dishes. Thinly sliced pork, (which to most people would look at and say raw bacon, but lord it was tasty pork fat), with a shallot creamy dressing, arugula and shaved manchego cheese. Really a great fat laden dish that I had a hard time resisting not to lick the board. A really well balanced dish with a lot of things playing off of each other, keeping each other in check, a well played dish. We did got their pappardelle with rabbit. Yes, Thumper. And he, (or she), was really quite good. The sauce was seasoned well with green olives which gave it a good briny saltiness to it but the tomatoes gave it a good balance to it. The rabbit was well done, not too gamey and very tender. For our mains we did the roasted chicken with spatzle and their soft shelled crabs. The chicken was done perfectly, crispy skin, tender meat, seasoned just right and the spatzle was a perfect texture complement. The soft shell crab was done with more Asian flavors of soy and more of a tougher green, but it all came together really well. The crab was not over done, the portions were good to share and I was fairly happy with it all. Oh, then dessert. You can't celebrate a departure with out dessert can you? Oh my goodness gracious it was all lovely. from the nutter butters and the chocolate sabayon, (if you love chocolate, you will love it), so rich, deep in flavors and well... chocolate yumminess. The orange vanilla truffles were good, just not my favorite taste combination. We certainly enjoyed everything we had, the food was good to great on pretty much every level. The drinks were of Violet Hour level good, (oh and that Shaddock was pretty amazing too), the prices weren't on the outrageous level, but I would say this is a place I would want to come to if I was sharing dishes with someone or a small group of people. I know plenty of people who would want to have their own dish, but the dishes here lend themselves to share as well as enjoyed. Glad I got to enjoy this place with some good friends.
(4)
Amy Elizabeth S.
I loved the Bristol. It has a nice comfy warm atmosphere that is perfect for a cold winter day. Jamie K and I split a bunch of the food, so I felt like I got a great idea of what their menu has to offer and it was all delicious. The service/bartenders/owners were about as friendly as they come too. A few things: 1. It appears that they have European seating, which I am a fan of if I know who I am with, and if I want to socialize with others. Otherwise, I would just sit at the bar. 2. The drink menu is cool as heck. I got my Moscow Mule in a tin (or something other element) cup. The wine was great too. 3. I wish there were more green things on the menu. I like balancing my starches and proteins with something green besides a salad. Honestly though... every time someone tells me that they going to the Bristol for dinner, I want to ask if I can tag-along.
(4)
Karen L.
I would give this restaurant a 3.5. This place was "the place to be" since it is new and hip. Tried to go here one other time and the wait was over 1 hour! Luckily this time went a little bit earlier and maybe now it is not so popular, so got in right away! One thing is this place is tiny so make sure to go there early or at an odd time. I believe they have communal seating, which I am not that into, but we got lucky and got our own table. What I did like about this place: the small dishes, or snacks, so you can try different things. I tried the grilled flatbread (pretty good, but nothing that special), the monkey bread (ditto), and the duck fat fries (really tasty at first, with a yummy dipping sauce, but then just really greasy.) For the entree I tried the steak with gorgonzola ravioli. And, for dessert, the pistachio and pear tart. Overall, everything was decent, but I wasn't blown away. I think I enjoyed more the tasting of everything and the different types of things I got to try. Everything tasted good, but I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. They did have a good girly cocktail, which now I cannot remember the name of. I am definitely glad I got to try it but don't know if I would necessarily go back.
(3)
Saneel R.
The Bristol is a great place to spend an entire night. It's a long wait for a table, but the upstairs holding area has enough "bar" about it without being a bar that it's worth sipping the unique cocktails they offer for an hour (Lebowski fans, they have "sarsaparilla") before you eat. The food is a collection of small plates that encourage sampling, most relying heavily on cheese or pig. I'd skip the duck fat fries (plain) and grilled octopus (too smoky), but definitely do the flatbread and raviolo. Chocolate Sabayon w/ nutter butters for dessert might be worth the trip alone. The service was friendly and knowledgeable and the ambiance is upbeat and friendly...just don't plan on having a completely private conversation.
(4)
Chelsea M.
This place was the highlight of my recent trip to Chicago. I just can't say enough about the yummy food! Highly recommend the duck fat fries, monkey bread and raviolo. We had a big group so we ordered one of every dessert on the menu and all of those were great too! Nice atmosphere also! Definitely on my itinerary for any future trips to Chi-town!
(5)
Brent D.
I finally made it back to give Bristol a fair shake. My previous stop was after a long day of drinking wine and I was probably not a very good patron, or worse, the kind of person that you would dread sitting next to at a communal table. In any case, I have been wanting to return to give the place a try with a clear head. We met up with some friends and began to try a bunch of the items. The flatbread was delicious. The monkey bread is like crack as were the duck fat french fries. All in all, I really enjoy the communal and tapas-like nature of the restaurant. In addition to the great food, they have a fantastic beer menu, complete with descriptions that would help even the most novice beer drinker.
(4)
Jerry M.
Great beer, creative good food, and excellent, knowledgable bartenders. Classic cocktails!
(4)
Noah C.
We loved the 1/2 chicken, probably the best we ever had. The trout was awesome too. Don't forget the fries- they're uniquely cooked in duck fat! The staff was friendly and professional. All the food comes from local organic farms.
(5)
Annie R.
Am i alone in thinking this place is overrated? I like the concept but am just not as psyched about the execution.
(3)
Sara A.
was NOT impressed. went here over memorial day weekend with a group of 5. communal table seating-- not the best-- but ehh okay, i can deal. the food was horrible. could have made the beef brisket and cornbread myself. for as much as we were spending, not worth it. i had the softshell crab- did not taste cooked properly the only good thing at the restaraunt were the cocktails. come here for drinks, but thats it!
(1)
Susan H.
Now that I have a kid, I only go out to nicer restaurants a few times a year, so I agonized for days about my birthday dinner and finally chose The Bristol. The drinks were fantastic, the bone marrow was a great start, and the dessert (especially the Basque cake) was some of the best I've had anywhere. But everything in between was not so good. First, the portion sizes are all over the place--the "medium" bone marrow was waaay too much, and the flatbread "starter" was enormous! (not to mention bland and just not very tasty) We ordered one starter and 3 medium plates, which our server said was "kind of light". Not true! It was way too much food. But that was okay because the quail was virtually inedible. I had to swallow it with water like a pill. And the accompanying cornbread and slaw were so lackluster I didn't want to waste the stomach space by eating them. The gnocchi with goat belly were gummy and overwhelmed with mint, which was a big turn off for us. We've eaten at several similarly priced restaurants in Chicago, and I have to say, we've enjoyed them all except this one. I'm sorry, Bristol, I don't think we'll be back.
(2)
Laura H.
Another boring small plates concept restaurant. Been there, done that, had better. And the doormen with ear piecies were a little pretentious for the family style neighborhood eatery this place wants to be. As for the food, eh, it was fine, but nothing special. The flat bread had good toppings but it was dragged down by the burned tortilla shell-like crust. It was more like pizza on a chip, but bland. The salads were a cute attempt to be creative but both missed by being too over the top so they came out a little flat. The ravioli "entree" is about the size of your hand, and bland and boring at that. Don't bother. The goat was very good, but the potato cake underneath again, came up bland, and the corn salsa was the only thing left to compliment the meat, but of course they skimpped on that so I may have gotten a few bites before it was gone. The chicken entree was a winner. Moist and delicious. Finally, they got something right. Too bad it was something as simple as chicken. Dessert: Go for the Nutter Butters. They're homemade. Melt in your mouth. Delicious.
(3)
Lauren R.
My husband & I tried this place & really liked it. The portions are perfect as we both don't like an overload of food but I will say that the prices were kind of expensive for the amount of food given. The food was very savory. My husband had the stuffed chicken - it was unreal. I had homemade pasta with a meat sauce which was excellent. I would definitely recommend this place but probably won't be back anytime soon due to the prices.
(4)
Russ B.
Ive been here twice now. The first experience was good. However my most recent was so good that I felt compelled to write. It started very poorly having to wait an hour for our reservation for a party of 4. We kindly suggested to the host that given the extended wait, we thought it would be appropriate for our first round of drinks to be comp'd. The host said he couldn't comp our drinks which nearly sparked our rage. But, fortunately, the manager overheard and quickly took over. His apology was very sincere and I could see he was slightly embarrassed at both our wait time and the hosts handling of the situation. The manager mentioned that it was policy not to comp drinks, however he told us that our entire food order would be on the house, and encouraged us to order as much as we wanted. Awesome! His sincerity saved a disaster and the free meal was icing on the cake. We certainly did our best to pay him back in drink orders though. Oh, and the food was great as usual. The standouts were the gnocchi and cavatapi. All in all, I hope they don't make a habit of the wait times, but everything else was outstanding.
(5)
Shonda D.
Nice and eclectic space. We only had drinks, but the menu definitely peaked our interest and we will be heading back. Their bar is also very nice and inviting, which is always appealing.
(4)
Sheila K.
This place was our backup place for a group of three girls to go to, because we couldn't be relied upon to actually settle on a time to meet until the day of. And so the normally negative aspect of no reservations was the main reason why we chose this place. Ironic, I know. On a Friday night, the wait can be substantial if you don't arrive pre-7pm and last Friday we waited half hour but it wasn't so bad. We had duck fat fries while we were upstairs (the bar, a.k.a. the waiting area), and they were good, but I wouldn't write home about it. The Monkey Bread, on the other hand, is so simple yet so fabulous. That little dish comes out so hot, you know it's straight from the oven, and that buttery dipping sauce is so very good. We ended up getting two of those in the end. It was that good. The grilled skirt steak wasn't bad and those blue cheese raviolis on the side were awesome. We also tried the apple salad, which was nicely done; some average-ish pierogi's; the bristol burger which was pretty good (note that this dish comes with the duck fat fries). And after all of that, we didn't leave enough room for dessert. The wines by the glass were decent. And the food was definitely solidly good. I will definitely be back.
(4)
Stefan R.
Mega hooba!
(5)
Joel S.
My wife and I ate dinner here last night. Absolutely perfect from the cocktail to the service to the ambiance to the menu to the fact that it was a short walk back to ray's bucktown bed and breakfast where we were staying.
(5)
Emily S.
Went here on Saturday night for dinner. We went early because we had other plans for the night. Luckily we did because they tried to seat us at one of those long shared tables. I was not to thrilled about that, so lucily there was room to get our own table. The decor has a very calm feeling. I love the wood tables. It actually smelled like a steam room or sauna. Our service was pretty good. He was very knowledgeable but definitely had too many tables and we had to wait a little for things. The food was delicious. I enjoyed the way the menu was set up so you can try a variety of items and not have an overwhelming amount of food. I know they change the menu up like everyday so we tried all the specials. I was not disappointed with any of them. The seafood dishes were amazing. Highly recommend this place. Its good for a large group if you want to sit at one of the big tables in the middle of the room and order a little of everything!
(4)
Jaime J.
This place definitely over delivered based on my expectations and I will be going back again soon. I only gave them three stars because one thing I was excited about (the monkey bread) was not as good as I was expecting and the crowd in there was annoying. I can't blame the restaurant for the behavior of the other other customers except that we were at a communal table and the "beer hall" feel is not my favorite. On the upside the cheese plate was delicious and I was very impressed with the wine and beer list. Our server knowledgable and friendly and a number of things on the menu looked interesting so I will have to check it out for dinner one day soon.
(3)
Nathan S.
Outstanding! Superlative beer list (on draught, and in small/medium/large format), remarkable yet unpretentious service, and food quality that I felt warranted higher prices than the very fair prices being charged. Love the commitment to in-house production wherever possible.
(5)
Reva M.
We've been wanting to try this place forever, but I was a little nervous given all the bad reviews recently. But, we decided to go for it this weekend and are so glad we did! With the no reservations policy, we got there early - around 6:30 - and were seated right away. There were plenty of seats open though, and it didn't start getting really busy until closer to 8. Anyway, the atmosphere is great - the menu is small, but has enough variety to have something for everyone. We had a big lunch so decided to go relatively light. We split a pasta dish on special - homemade linguine with smoked trout and the lightest dressing of cream sauce (pasta was cooked perfectly, so delicious) - and the chicken. The chicken was phenomenal. I generally try to avoid ordering chicken when dining out, but was convinced by all the yelp reviews that it was the way to go - plus, my husband was in the mood for it. It was delicious - so moist, amazing sauce & came with this yummy dill spaetzel & apple slaw. We also had the basque cake for dessert - again on the advice of fellow yelpers. It was really good - super rich, so we each only ate about 1/4 of it each - but really tasty & definitely had a unique flavor. Minus 1 star for the food being just slightly over-salted...not enough to kill it, but just enough to notice - and also for the "interesting" service. Not sure what other word to use to describe our server... he was a little manic and kept trying to upsell us (he said that "4-6 dishes for 2 people was what they recommended" - we were totally full with 2 & a dessert) - and we kept hearing it at other tables too: "Would you like dessert?" "No, just coffee." He brings the coffee: "So, did you change your mind about dessert??" "Um, no... fine with just the coffee." This was continuous throughout the night! Whenever anyone did order anything, he also liked to tell us how many minutes it would be: "I need to take care of a few things first, so it'll be about 10 mins. for your coffee because I'm going to make it myself." Another table puts their order in: "I'm really busy right now, so it'll be about 5-6 minutes for your drinks, okay?" We know your busy... it's a Sat. night. You don't need to keep reiterating it, and we're not expecting our food/drinks to appear instantaneously! So, he was a trip. Also, the tables are pretty close together, but that seems to be everywhere these days. Overall though - great spot - definitely recommend!
(4)
Lauren H.
I loved how this restaurant was nicely decorated and felt cozy. The food was quite tasty and different from other foods I've tasted but at least I could say I've been to this place. The service is really good and one of our friends knew the chef and so we got to taste a few complimentary dishes which was good!
(4)
Grey T.
I like the Bristol. The food, the drinks, and the service are great. I have tried many things there, and all were wonderful. They use seasonings and flavors that are somewhat uncmmon (i.e., a lot of dishes utilize tarragon) or that I would not think I would like (some dishes utilize anchovies in the sauce), but they are always delicious. Among my favorites are the market green salad, the apple salad, the tempura broccoli, and the head-on prawns. Also, everone MUST get the basque cake. It does not necessarily sound like much in the description on the menu, but I got it at my server's recommendation and it was phenomenal! The cake is fresh baked, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and is just perfectly sugary sweet without being too much for people like me that aren't necessarily huge dessert junkies. SO GOOD. I think you get to learn a lot about a restaurant when you happen to be there when they seem to be having a bad night. This seemed to be the case when I was there this past Friday. Nothing horrific - just seemed like the kitchen was pretty backed up - it took a while for people to get their food, and the reservation times were running a bit behind. I totally get it - everyone has an off day. Sometimes10 people call in. It happens. But I tend to get surly when it is happening and nobody at the restaurant seems to care. This was NOT at all the case at the Bristol - they handed it beautifully. My monkey bread ran behind; so they comped it. My reservation ran late, so I was given a free glass of sparkling wine as soon as I sat. The servers were all clearly checking on orders and doing their best to keep everyone happy. In my opinion, this is exactly how one should handle a problematic night. I left totally happy. FYI, lest anyone think that I am suggesting that the service at the Bristol is bad, I am certainly not. Their service is usually great - I was just really impressed by how well they handled the unavoidable bad night.
(4)
Garrett G.
When I think of my top 5 places in the city this always makes the list. The beer selection is great and they have a unique (and delicious) food menu. I have never had to wait long and the waitstaff knows what they are doing. I am not a huge fan of how close together some of the seating is but a glass of wine or beer later and I tend to not let it get to me.
(5)
Jessica B.
This is the best brunch i've had since moving to Chicago. The eggs are absolutely, without a doubt, THE BEST. They are so fluffy. They even have my favorite tea, bottled, which is a huge bonus. The brunch was a little pricey, but well worth it. I ordered the waffle with candied walnuts and i cant even describe how amazing it was. I would highly, highly recommend this place. The decor is trendy, but classic. I have yet to come here for dinner or drinks, but im sure i will soon....
(5)
Kate H.
Fantastic environment, great beer selection, and inventive cocktails. I really enjoyed how warm and inviting this place is. And the staff is helpful when it comes to the beer menu. However, the food is a little off par for the more chill aspects of the rest of the space. It's beautifully plated, but not served in a format that makes it copasetic for sharing (they insist that the small plates should be shared so that everyone gets a full culinary "experience). In fact, I would skip the small plates altogether. The real-standouts were the large plates, but even moreso, the desserts. The chocolate sabayon was out of this world. I would swim through shark-infested waters to a remote dessert island if it housed a lifetime supply of chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters.
(4)
Dav S.
If I lived in Chicago, this would be my dining date spot, but since I don't, I'll have to stay with EOS in SF. For a Monday night, this place was crowded and loud. Although I love brick walls, I'm not too keen of it when it comes to sound. Our waitress was phenomenal. Very knowledgeable and helpful. The atmosphere was simple with the menu written on the blackboard. Service was great with the owners coming over to make sure our food was fine. As for food, I thought it was A-OK. It was definitely a hit & miss. We began with the fries, the squash, the goat brain ravioli and bone marrow. I'll skip the goat brain ravioli because it was too salty. The skate was fried so I tasted more of the bread as opposed to the skate. I was thinking of something to Redd's skate in Napa but disappointed. I've learned expectations only lead to disappointments. The farfalle with wild boar was nothing spectacular. Overall, I'll still return to this place and try other things on their menu.
(3)
Elizabeth T.
This place is nothing short of phenominal. By the end of our meal, we were debating which meal was better--the one we had that night or the one we ate at Spiaggia in February for almost 4 times as much. Each dish we received was very obviously, VERY well thought out, every piece complimenting the rest to perfection. We ordered the goat loin carpaccio which is served with a hint of almond, goat cheese and grapes. who knew raw goat could possibly taste like this? We had the flatbread with bacon that had this smokey, homemade, thick-sliced goodness to it. The duck fat fries. (Need I say more?) Of the "apps" the monkey bread was the only thing I disliked--a bit heavy and i wasn't a fan of the dipping sauce, but my friend loved it. For entrees we had the Bristol burger, which is nothing like I have ever tasted anywhere else. It has this incredible smokey taste, and was perfectly cooked with a red center. The half-roasted chicken exploded with flavor in your mouth and then MELTED. My God. We also got the Hallibut, which was good, perfectly cooked, but lacked the punch of flavor that the burger and the chicken had. they have a huge drink list, and I'd have to recomend the elderberry concoction. Delish and dangerous. We will be back. We had a great time, the service was superb and the atmosphere welcoming and fun. Best of the all, though, the food was out of this world good!
(5)
Terri M.
I had a really enjoyable New Year's Eve dinner here. The description of their prix fixe dinner in the Reader was what attracted me. It was definitely a well-thought out, sophisticated menu for a very reasonable price. And it included items that were actually appealing to us, which is not always the case with prix fixe menus. The entire experience was very easy and convenient. I was able to get reservations for the 6:00 seating even though I called the day before. When we arrived we were seated right away and the service was friendly and efficient. The food was delicious and the beverages list impressive. If I were rating only the food and service I might award five stars. The only real drawback was the loudness of the dining room (which was otherwise comfortable and well decorated). We could hear the very loud table in the corner, which was slightly distracting and which made it difficult to fully enjoy our meal. Also, parking is impossible so one would have to rely on valet parking if driving in from another part of the city. the cost of the valet, though, was reasonable: $7.
(4)
Blake M.
One of my friends recommended Bristol to me as a good place to go for alternative contemporary American food. When I walked in, I the atmosphere was very welcoming. The seating is somewhat tight, but getting a table on a Tuesday night was not a problem. I was amazed at how diverse the selection of food on the menu was. The basic menu has about 20 items, but there is always an extensive and changing special menu on the chalkboard. My friend and I split an acorn squash appetizer, which was grilled with a creamy cheese. This isn't something I would normally order, but it was extremely well prepared. For my entree, I had the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli, which was a great pairing. My friend had the salmon with jasmine rice, raisins and citrus top. Again, it was a great combination. Their drink menu is quite impressive. I enjoy getting premium beers, and Bristol has more than their fair share at very reasonable prices. Goose Island Matilda on tap for $7 and Thomas Hardy's Ale (2005) for $11. They even make their own nutter butters, served with a thick chocolate Sabayon. Overall, I was quite impressed with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Our waiter was a little bit odd, but very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation. One piece of advice: I could tell based on how busy it was on a Tuesday that it will be tough to get a table on the weekends, and they do not take reservations. It is definitely a good idea to head there in off-peak hours for a quick table.
(5)
Saba A.
BRUNCH must! Dinner Reviews--- not as great so schedule brunch! Immediately you are given the best service! As I was waiting for my friend (Please make reservations!) I was encouraged to go to the bar and the host pulled up a bar seat and told me to sit and enjoy a drink. There isn't much standing room but the A+ service made it even more exciting to dine at Bristol. I love supporting any restaurants that use local and fresh food and loved the chicken in a biscuit. I know the chilaquiles is a popular hit as well as the cinnamon roll - so that will be for next time! But I loved the big mug that my generous amount of cappuccino was served in. This place is perfect for a smaller group too and a great way to begin a Sunday morning! Here is a brunch menu: thebristolchicago.com/wo… I will return if I am in Wicker Park again. It's located in the 'quiet' part of Wicker Park - so it was nice to go off the beaten path a little bit!
(5)
Mark P.
We thoroughly enjoyed The Bristol. It's the first time I went there and it will be a restaurant I recommend to people. The service was phenomenal, high end service without the high end attitude. Our server was great explaining things on the menu that we were unfamiliar with (kampachi-some kind of yellowtail fish, ramp- wild onions, something di testa- pigs's head...uh, yes, pig's head). Outside of explaining the menu, our server was not hesitant to tell us what he really loved on the menu. Beverages: We got a number of different beers. They have Weihenstephan on tap! That's the oldest brewery in the world and it's amazing. We also got a huge bottle of Hitachino- a Japanese white ale. App: Grilled Flatbread with homemade bacon and melted sweet onion. This was fantastic. The onions tasted so sweet and the bacon/pancetta was really good. Entrees: Ramp Carbonara with homemade Linguini noodles. Best Carbonara sauce I've ever had. It came out with a slightly cooked egg on top. You are supposed to break the yolk and have the hot noodles cook the egg and turn it into the carbonara sauce. This is how its' been done in Italy for centuries. I will remember this pasta dish for a loooong time. Homemade bacon (again), homemade noodles, it also had a strong peppery taste to it. Entree 2: Grilled Skirt Steak with blue cheese Ravioli. When you think of skirt steak, you think of mexican food- steak tacos. Usually the meat is cooked well done and very thin. I don't know how they did it, but The Bristol cooks brought out a very plump, medium rare skirt steak. I've never seen skirt steak cooked like this and it was fantastic. Combined with the mini blue cheese raviolis, it was a great dish. Desert: Cheesecake with carmelized apples. A very very light cheesecake. Not the best, but it was pretty good. Definitely a good finish to the meal. One more thing and it's not a complaint, but an observation that I think people should be aware of. The portions are small, well, smaller than you are used to. I'd say they are "just enough" if you end up getting a 3 course meal, which they want you to do. This isn't a place where you get one big entree as your entire meal. You should get a couple apps, one or two entrees, and a desert. It's a place where they want you to try the entire menu if you can and hopefully over time, you will.
(4)
M M.
I've been here a few times... food and service is always outstanding. Approach is small portions that are meant to be shared. Can be on the pricey side but is worth it every once in a while.
(5)
Jen J.
Friends of mine gave my husband and I a bunch of their $10 off cards for 52 restaurants in Chicago--unfortunately, they are about to expire at the end of this year. My friends just had a baby so they haven't had the time to eat out much so they hoped we could make use of them. I picked a few places I'd been to and a few I'd heard of but not tried. The Bristol was one of the latter. From the web site I learned that they don't take reservations, so my husband and I decided to go early to hopefully ensure that we would not have to wait. We arrived after having to park several blocks away (not willing to spend $10 on valet in Bucktown) a little after 6pm on a Saturday. The restaurant was not full, but there definitely many tables well into their meals (they open at 5pm). We were seated right by the window at a small two-top, which was ok because there was a space heater behind us. I do wish they had done a bit of weather sealing though around their floor to ceiling windows. The seating is quite cozy; tables are a bit close together. I enjoyed the mix of modern art, heavy wood tables and metal chairs, but I wish this place had a bit more room to move around. The music was a kind of dance version of jazz--something my brother-in-law would play in the background at dinner parties. You could tell that music was playing, but it was not too loud so as to drown out conversation. The crowd was very white, not surprising for the neighborhood, largely younger, though several tables seemed to be entertaining parents or in-laws. Surprisingly, at 7:30pm there were several tables opening up. There seemed to be some sort of bar with a waiting room upstairs, but we didn't get to see it. The Bristol also does a complementary coat check. We both started with one of their $11 cocktails. I with the Violette Collins (sweet, subtle, refreshing) and my husband with a Sazerac (strong, slightly sweet from the absinthe). We started with the vaunted Monkey Bread ($5), which pulls apart and is topped with flakes of the trendy sea salt (which one of my science teacher co-workers--I'm a history teacher--told me that sea salt is actually less nutritious than processed salt and contains more sodium--so much for healthy trends). The bread was warm, soft, salty and tasted almost like there was a buttery cheese in the dough and the dill dipping sauce made it really pop. Dill is such a strong, spring-like flavor and it tasted great with the bread. We also had the Market Greens ($7) salad which has butter lettuce, sliced radishes, fennel, dill and a tarragon-buttermilk dressing. Again, we enjoyed how fresh, simple and flavorful this simple salad was. Very good and not overpriced for salad. For our meal, we got new drinks. My husband loves porters and stouts so he tried a pricey ($15) Swedish porter which he thoroughly enjoyed and I had a glass of the Aglianico ($9). They have an extensive by the bottle wine list, but all of their wines by the glass (at least the reds) were only $8 or $9, which I appreciated. For our entrees, my husband had the Half Roasted Chicken, dill spatzle with a crunchy salad of apple, celery and herbs ($18). I have to say, I tried the chicken and it was good, but the best pieces were the ones with skin because the roasting flavors had not really permeated the meat. The spatzle, however, was really special! It was so tasty, I could have eaten it as a stand alone side and I only had one bite! I had the Fazzoletti with duck sausage, rapini and parmesan ($15). To be honest, I feel like I'm a sausage with rapini and pasta expert because it's been such a trendy dish in the last few years, so I like to try it at places because I love the combination. (I will say that the version of the dish with orecchietti pasta at Anteprima in Andersonville is the best I've had in the city.) The pasta was nice and tender; the sauce spicy but not too rich. I wish the rapini had not been cooked as soft, but all and all, it hit the spot. I cleaned my plate. The pastas are touted as medium size plates, larger than the apps, but smaller than the entrees. They had some kind of 30 oz beef on the menu for upwards of $59! Clearly, we did not have room for that. For dessert, I had a glass of tawny port and my husband an excellent espresso (they must use good beans) and we shared their Ricotta Cheesecake Brulee topped with fruit tart pieces and sort of compoted cranberries. I have to say, the fruit tart pieces (much like a holiday fruit cake) needed to go away. They added nothing to the dessert. The tartness of the cranberries though with the subtle sweetness of the cheesey pudding was fantastic. The hardened sugar added that brulee touch. Not as good as the blueberry, brown sugar, ricotta & granola dessert at Girl & the Goat, but very good nonetheless. All in all, we enjoyed our experience though we broke the bank (total bill $121 w/ tax, before tip & discount) and that $10 off didn't feel like much.
(4)
Amanda Z.
there is a reason everyone raves about The Bristol...they are worth all the hype. last night, i had one of the best meals of my entire LIFE! their ecclectic menu comprised of dishes I've never heard of, thought about, or tried before, pushes you to be more adventurous than you may be. my bf and i embraced the challenge and ordered things that we don't ordinarily "like." i don't like olives: i sure did like the breaded Scotch Olives served w/some sort of creamy dip. my bf doesn't like dill: he sure did like the Monkey Bread w/dill butter and sea salt. thanks to all the Yelpers for raving about this wonderful bread...it was everything y'all made it out to be...and more! i loved it! neither of us have tried Quail before, nor did we ever want to: we both loved the quail dish. it was seasoned and roasted like a cornish hen and stuffed with some goodness, served atop something akin to sauerkraut (but chunkier). the flavors blended so nicely with one another, and we just could not get over how much we now like quail! this next extra special dish is one we both knew we would love from the description...Raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter. when it came out looking like a flan, i was confused, then realized, this is one huge pasta shell. i can't even adequatly describe how wonderful this dish was...the flavors really burst in my mouth. i literally cried out "oh my God!" after my first bite, then a few mins later when my bf tried it, he had the same reaction! it really does just shock you how flavorful, creamy and zesty it is. dessert: Nutter Butters w/a light chocolate mousse. perfect portion, perfect way to end a perfectly delicious and delightful meal. again, shout out to all the Yelpers who rave about this dessert...spot on! service: perfectly attentive, helpful staff. always there but never noticable. we felt welcome, our food came out quickly, our plates were cleared after we took the last bite, our water glasses never got half empty. Overall, this is the BEST restaurant I have been to in Chicago and one of the most joyous meals I have ever had the pleasure to experience. I'm so lucky and happy my bf took me there to indulge in an intimate, memorable foodie paradise! We can't wait to go back!
(5)
Nikki S.
Quick and sweet: This place has, hands down, the best customer service that I've seen in a smaller restaurant. We arrived and our table wasn't quite ready, we were fine to wait in the vestibule, but they graciously ushered us to the bar to sit, set up waters, and during the meal took multiple small but meaningful steps during the meal (hold a napkin as a splash guard during coffee service and changing out plates and utensils between dishes.) The one star off is that I wasn't a huge fan of my breakfast selection (shrimp and grits) but everyone else really enjoyed their meal. My hats off to the staff for an enjoyable brunch.
(4)
Carrie F.
Add The Bristol to the list of Chicago restaurant's serving offal and calling themselves "inventive" and "unique." I myself am not an offal fan, but I am a fan of The Bristol for it's non-organ offerings. We had the buttery Monkey Bread which was delicious, the lively apple salad which was perfect, and the crispy chicken which was super moist. We also liked the Carbonara. The cocktails were excellent, although they could have been larger :-)
(4)
Chris B.
Any place where the owner/chef (I'm assuming that's who it was) comes by and asks how you're enjoying the food is a good place in my book. Sit at the bar, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, and enjoy the food!
(5)
Max M.
I went to the bristol early on a friday night (7p.m.) and only had to wait about 5 minutes for a nice table. The person at the door was extremely friendly (One of the 2 owners I believe). A good first impression can't be beat. I went with Amanda and Zak. The 3 of us had a nice table right near the large open window/doors at the front of the restaurant. The atmosphere is cool. Nice wood tables. A large chalk board at the back displaying the specials. We had a few drink before had. The Bristol has a small but unique list of special cocktails. I had a Moscow Mule and a Dark and Stormy. The Moscow Mule was great: Ginger Beer, Lime juice and some Russian liquor (I'm guessing Vodka) It was served in a copper mug and was amazing. The Dark and Stormy was good but not as good. It had Ginger Beer, molasses, rum and a few other items. It just wasn't as crisp following the mule. But I'd give both a second chance. Zak just had Republic of tea iced tea, which was fine. And Amanda had 2 of the same drink. Something with Elderflower which was really tasty. Good enough that she had 2. (I'd tell you the name but you have to download the menu as a PDF,Booooo. And the drinks aren't on that PDF). All of the cocktails were great. On to the food: We started with the Duck Fat Fries. They were really good but what sealed the deal was the Garlic Aioli (Or was it Garlic Mayo). Regardless of what it was called it was amazing. We literally scraped the dish clean. There was home made ketchup as well. Which was good but stood no chance against the garlic. Next we shared a Raviolo. A larger Ravioli filled with Ricotta cheese and a runny egg, sitting in browned butter. Amanda and Zak almost fell out of their chairs they enjoyed it so much. I also really like it but I didn't have to excuse my self and change my underwear from the pure pleasure of the pasta. For the main course Zak and I both had the soft shell crab. It was flavored very well but the crab its self just wasn't that great. Perhaps it was just that I don't have much experience with softshell but it didn't seem very soft. Still tasty but I wish I had tried something else. Amanda had the Cavateli. She described it as one of the best pasta dishes she's ever had. Great Flavor perfectly prepared etc. The food was all delicious. But as other have said, for the price the portions are pretty small. But the food is good enough to be worth paying extra to try. I would definitely go back and try some of the other delicious conctions the folks at the Bristol have cooked up. I would definitely recommend checking it out when you have a little money to spend.
(4)
Jason B.
What always set The Bristol apart from similar restaurants was that they didn't accept reservations - you could have an amazing Saturday night dinner without having to plan weeks in advance. Unfortunately, they now require reservations, so ordinary citizens will now be relegated to Wednesday evenings. It's a shame - as far as the food goes, this was my favorite restaurant in the city.
(3)
R S.
Happiness. I started with the Moscow Mule - it's made so well here. The duck fat fries - yummmmy. Definitely order these. It's a pretty solid basket - for 2 of us girls there was still quite a bit leftover. The apple salad is lovely - nothing extraordinary, but I liked it's lightness and flavor. The chicken was great. Located in Bucktown. Thoroughly enjoyed both experiences here, and I'll be sure to return again.
(4)
Carmelita T.
Definitely a repeat performer -- for food, atmosphere, price point, overall experience. If I could give 4.5 stars I would -- it deserves more than 4 stars implies. LOVE/HEART/PLUS: The monkey bread -- it's a pull-apart bread, so it conveniently breaks off into little chunks (no awkward squishing of the poorly sliced loaf while the table watches and wonders if the bread is smushed beyond saving!). The coded wine and beer list -- how great that you can drink well and support local business or biodynamic vineyards? The heirloom apple salad -- mortadella cheese and the perfect amount of dressing. The cheese plate -- loved the Ohio cheddar and appalachia. i used to sniff at cheddars...no more! EH/SHRUG/CHECKMARK: The papardelle pasta -- I love fresh al dente pasta...this was a little tougher, somewhere between al dente and a rubber band. Good flavor, just not great texture. The white wine temperature -- not cold enough. After a few sips, it was was close to room temp. Overall - I'd definitely recommend. Great quality, fresh, and good price point. And if slightly warmish white wine is the worst thing, I'll happily drop an ice cube into my glass. Pass the monkey bread!
(4)
Sara P.
I came here on a weekend night right at opening with my boyfriend to split some appetizers. We got the monkey bread, which I absolutely loved. It was warm, fresh, flavorful, and the perfect balance between crunchy and soft. Plus, the little salt pieces on top: heavenly! I loved the dill butter too. I'd get 3 of them at once and eat that for my meal! You can get duck fat fries at a lot of places these days, but I have never had bread like this. Ever. We also got the bone marrow since neither of us had tried it before. The presentation makes you very aware that you're eating, well, bone marrow. The marrow itself was not something that I wanted to keep eating after the bread and side salad were gone. But the combination of the toast, the marrow, the salad, and the herbs was great! I probably wouldn't order it again, but I was glad I tried it. We got the nutter butters, which were yummy! Great beer selection, and service was perfect.
(4)
Jennifer H.
I've been to the Bristol in two ways, once for brunch and once to host a private party in their amazing party room upstairs. I was very impressed by the cocktails and food at our brunch, which was why we chose them for our party. The craft cocktails are tasty and worth trying, and the package we got for our party included four featured cocktail options, plus beer and wine, as well as whatever liquor people wanted to order on their own. Everyone raved about the drinks and selection. For food we got a variety of passed appetizers, plus some finger foods and cheese/charcuterie platter. All of their food is chosen by the season and availability, so while that makes it harder to plan your menu, it makes the food more unique. We got tons of compliments on the food and cheese/meat selections! Michelle, who worked with me to plan my event, was flexible to my needs of vegetarian options and changing the menu options, and I was able to drop off my decorations and music and they set it all up for me since I couldn't be there beforehand. She also helped coordinate the deliveries and all the details. All the staff and bartenders were great during the event!!! Everyone helped to make our day great. For what we got, the price was reasonable and the room is terrific and was just right for our needs. I recommend booking their party room for your event (no fee for the room, just a food and beverage minimum which is much lower than some places I checked), and enjoy the food and drink!
(5)
Jane R.
My boyfriend and i went to the bristol last night for their Valentines three-course dinner for $39. that did not include drinks, tax, or tip. i had a glass of wine, he had one beer and with 20% tip, the meal ended up costing $120. let me tell you what we got for that $120: a near empty stomach. we're both skinny as hell too...so it's not like our appetites are that demanding! we were served as a first course: beet salad (about 5 tablespoons worth), burrata cheese and caviar (tasty but no crackers or bread. what the hell? have you ever heard of such a thing? they expected us to just spoon the cheese in our mouths) and calamari salad (delicious, but again, about 5 tablespoons). the main entree: we both got chestnut ravioli. again, it was so minimal. i'd say probably 10 pieces total. delicious but not quite a full meal. dessert: 5 homemade truffles. delicious. needless to say, we went home totally dissatisfied and cooked pt 2 of our dinners. if this is the best they can do, i don't think i'm interested in going back again. i think the $120 we spent would've been better invested at Lula, which is more delicious and has better portions for the money.
(2)
Matt W.
World class and one of the best meals I've ever had. We went on a Saturday night and they do not take reservation so it normally will be a long wait. However, since there were only two of us, we only had to wait 1/2 an hour for two seats at the bar. While we were waiting, we went to the lounge they had upstairs. The lounge is nice and has various beer wine and cocktails. The cocktails were the real deal and a lot of work went into making them. We sat at the bar for dinner and I don't know if our waiter was the owner or someone with an ownership interest in the restaurant, but he was great. He knew everything about each dish and explained his recommendations in great detail. Service was very prompt. The food was absolutely fantastic. The plates are meant to share, which I always enjoy. We started off with their take on monkey bread. It was a bit like a parker house roll, with a side of dill butter, served in a cast iron crock. We also had the scotch olives, which were olives, stuffed with chorizo, breaded and deep fried. We kept going with mussles, stuffed buffalo wings, octopus and finished with a cheesecake and caramel apple dessert. If you don't want to wait for a table, you should probably go on a weekday night.
(5)
Emily C.
Went out for apps and drinks, the food was very tasty, the drinks were AMAZING! I had a brandy based drink, and it was insanely good. The waitress came around just the right amount of times (not in your face, but not MIA) and the price was reasonable. I will def be back again!
(4)
Kelsey N.
This is hands down one of my favorite places to go on a Thursday or Friday night in Chicago. Not only is the Moscow Mule cocktail one of the best drinks I have ever had, but the food is outstanding. There is a waiter there, Caiden who is so helpful in suggesting what to order...I think that asking the waitstaff here suggestions is key to having a great meal. You will find that the menu is very unique and some of the things on there are items I never would have imagined trying in the past. But honestly I don't think I have tried one thing that I haven't absolutely loved. Brunch here is also delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)
Amy W.
Really enjoyed dinner here last weekend. Had a Smoked Sicilian Manhattan to drink, ordered the cheeseboard for the table, and chose the ramp fettuccine carbonara for my entree. The drink was good but a pretty standard manhattan. The house-brandied cherry was a nice touch. Cheeseboard was great; the homemade semolina cookies, cashew clusters and apricot chutney really stood out. The ramp fettuccine was very good as well; the handmade pasta was tasty and cooked perfectly. My friends all ordered pasta dishes also and everyone seemed happy. The homemade sasparilla caramel on the way out was a sweet little touch. Service was very knowledgeable and friendly (and just a tad pushy.) Not sure the meal would be worth waiting multiple hours for, but if the timing was right I would definitely go back!
(4)
dan s.
damn, forgot I used to not like this place times have changed for brunch - try the pork chilaquiles for lunch - the Quail of course the menu is subject to change my bad Bristol
(5)
Foodie S.
Best dining experience in a long time! Pricey but well worth it. Staff are very polite and helpful.
(5)
Jen H.
I can walk to the Bristol, which is a plus, given their EXTENSIVE beer and wine list. Take advantage- although the dinner menu changes constantly, the appetizers are consistently savory and delicious- my husband and I enjoy ordering several apps and drinks. My personal faves so far-- the monkey bread, fries and cheese plate. A great way to try what the Bristol is all about is to try to the very affordable brunch. Most items run in the $10 and under range. I tried the pork belly and fried egg sandwich which came with a large side of the best fried potatoes in town. They brew Intelligentsia coffee which is also a huge plus. Get there earlier...they open at 10.
(5)
Rosa L.
I would never recommend this place to anyone! I am not a picky eater and I like most things, but this food was awful, and I am surprised by the ratings. We went here with an "a la card." Started with the ravioli- way too salty and too much butter. The only flavor was salt and butter, and over seasoned ricotta. And the runny egg does nothing for it. Entree was the white fish with lentils- again, way too salty and too much mustard flavor. There are so many awesome restaurants to try and this is the first time I feel like we wasted $60 on food. Nothing but regrets!
(1)
Jennifer D.
Amazing. My boyfriend's coworker recommended this place, and all I can keep saying to him is THANK YOU! Our waiter explained the menu perfectly and helped us select a couple pairings. We started with the Scotch Olives with Pork Sausage n' Lemon (described well as Olive Poppers), Monkey Bread, and the Italian Broccoli (Rabe?) with Duck Egg and Croutons. Then on to the Grilled Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Ravioli and the Lamb free form lasagna. We were stuffed by dinners end with no room for dessert. Amazing place and could rival restaurants in San Francisco. Yes, I eat in SF a lot and I love this place. So sorry I missed the brunch here, but had to learn how cold the wind could get coming off the lake while watching soccer. Can't wait to come back here in the summer and try some new treats. It was suggested to get here by 6:30pm on a Thursday, great recommendation, no wait and we loved every bite. Will be back!
(5)
K J.
Seems to be a great place for groups, as there were several large groups there, but it was just two of us last night. Reminded me of some NYC restaurants in that you can barely hear your dining companion speaking, but the conversation next to you comes through loud and clear. The waitstaff was charming (and they don't hire the ugly either). Per our waiter's suggestion, we enjoyed the special wild boar risotto (YUM!!!), the apple salad (the manchego in this was perfect), and the steak with blue cheese ravioli. I'm a huge fan of seasonal specials, and there are plenty to choose from. I'm sad that I was too full for the duck fat fries, as I view those to be among the most perfect foods invented. But that just gives me something to look forward to when I go back.
(4)
Jenna C.
Two words:Bacon Manhattan. Give me a strip of bacon hovering above my bourbon and you have one happy lady, infuse that bourbon with bacon and serve it to me in the morning and I've fallen in love. The food was lovely as well. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get the potatoes. I haven't been here for dinner yet but I plan on it.
(5)
EV G.
I had brunch here and I will definitely be back. I am very persnickety about my poached eggs and I have to say, they know how to perfectly poach an egg. The eggs benedict comes with a mustard hollandaise that makes this dish devine. The chilaquiles was very good too. Was very loud as others have said, but the food more than made up for that.
(4)
lee k.
We have been twice so far. For what we ordered, the value was quite reasonable - I did think that the wine pour was a bit stingy (but one time I didn't like the wine I picked, so maybe that was for the best!) The food is tasty, though a bit over-salted. I liked the variety on the menu, and thought the wine/spirits/beer list was broad enough that I could easily find a few things I was interested in. It did seem really loud at times, and I'm not sure if that was a few people shouting or if it's how the room sounds. We had a really hard time hearing each other and the wait staff at times. I hope it stays good, since we're right around the corner!!
(4)
Melanie B.
I've had The Bristol on my list for a long time, and we finally made it over there last Sunday. To drink, I had the poire & elderflower cocktail, which was sweet and refreshing without being cloying. We started with the monkey bread, and it lasted throughout the rest of the courses, which was nice. I don't love dill, but it wasn't too much in the bread or the butter to dip it in. With that, we had the apple salad with marinated manchego, hazelnuts, fennel, and a green I can't recall, all tossed in a creamy dressing. Crisp, slightly bitter, bright. Up next was the pot au feu, which was not my favorite but was really done well (his pick). We finished with the raviolo; egg yolk ravioli is kind of my new obsession -- watching that orange spread across the plate is so fun -- and this was a great one, with ricotta and brown butter mixing into one decadent sauce (perfect for using the rest of that monkey bread, too). Yum. We knew we had to save room for the dessert, and I lobbied for the banana semifreddo. It was beyond delicious, with fried honeycomb and drizzled honey topping a financier that hid a pool of caramel. I can't stop thinking about it. I think I'd like to go back and try the marrow and some more of the smaller plates (and the duck fat fries), but this was a great way to start.
(4)
Nick S.
I went here for Sunday brunch and seriously had one of the most delicious brunches in a long time. It's a pretty small place so you'll often find yourself waiting to be seated but it's located on a busy street with a lot of boutiques so you're always welcome to leave you name and number and they'll call you while you're exploring the area. Pork has been done justice at The Bristol. Pork belly is one of my favorite cuts of pork and they do not skimp on the belly! Fried egg sandwich is delicious and if you can, ask for the grain mustard hollandaise sauce. I had the chilaquiles which were pretty good considering I wasn't at a mexican eatery. You'll want to order extra salsa rojo though... Fennel turkey sausages were very juicy and its casing gave it a really pleasant snap. The service is good and the ambiance is very easy. The chef is really into seasonal and local ingredients to the menu is always changing.
(4)
Brian M.
I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't been in said in the 500+ reviews for Bristol but there is just so much to love. You walk in to a quaint and cozy restaurant with welcoming staff and sit amoung decor that is modern yet homey. Start with what was quite possibly the best drink I've ever had by their master mixologist (Moscow Mule) you will not be disappointed. Going through the menu, everything sounds so good and I love that it's sourced from local farms, we tried a few dishes and were blown away by all of them. The monkey bread and scotch olives were both awesome! I wanted to try the bone marrow but my better half was too afraid. Next time I'll do it no matter what. I definitely recommend getting a pasta dish, you can taste the pasta is fresh and homemade there, it's amazing. We also split a huge pork chop, it was seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection, and it just melted in our mouthes. I can't wait to be back. This was one of the best meals I have ever had.
(5)
Inga M.
What more can I say, 5 stars all the way. This place is stellar from the moment you step through the door. The food is solid, clean, complex yet elegant in it's simplicity. The service is friendly and knowledgeable. If you're on the search for great food, this is the place!
(5)
Michelle R.
Really great, well thought out, delicious food here. Cool ambiance and great service too.
(5)
Jim M.
Do you like a 2.5 hour wait time for dinner? Overpriced Beer? Slow Service? Pretentious Hipster Crowd? Then The Bristol is for you.
(1)
Dina I.
One of my favorite restaurants in the city. I've been here at least 10 times and it's in my top 3!
(5)
Jims L.
The juiciest chicken and worst dessert, clafoutis, I've ever had.
(4)
Evan T.
Best dessert I've ever had... Basque cake!!!! Get it! Sea trout was amazing too!
(4)
alison k.
After being recommended by my folks, the boyfriend and i tried it out on a saturday night, around 10:30 pm. The joint was jumpin'! We waited about 10 minutes upstairs, where it was much more relaxed, at the bar, and ordered some drinks - super friendly bartenders. I ordered something that involved carrot and orange vodka and an egg - it tasted like a naughty orange julius! bravo! we were offered two seats at the bar downstairs, which we prefered over the weird family style tables - which is fine... if you're not smooshed up against another couple or big party. but we ordered off the full menu at the bar. i got the monkey bread and a giant delicious and rich raviolo to dip my rich and buttery monkey bread in... mind you this was supposed to be a light meal at 11pm... that was quickly out the window when i saw the menu. the boyfriend ordered the bone marrow, which is not my thing, but he enjoyed it like a puppy, licking each morsel out of the center of the bone. he also had some serious beers - which were so nicely described by the bartender/waiters - im not a beer person, but things were described unpretentiously and i was impressed w/ that. all the staff was super friendly - the vibe was fantastic and we cannot wait to go back when its light out and enjoy the rest of the menu without feeling like we ate a brick at midnight! many thumbs up for the bristol! what a neighborhood treat!
(5)
Brie Y.
For the first time I have been to Bristol, the food was amazing, the wait to get seated on a Friday night not so much. Waited upstairs for about 2 hours, half the time without a chair, then was able to sneak to the bar and watch the bartender make all the special drinks which was very interesting. We then were seated downstairs, had an amazing meal and definitely would return again.
(4)
Kyle K.
The food, in general, was excellent. I was part of a group of 4, we went on a Friday night, so things were busy. We started with a bunch of appetizers including the cheese platter - nothing special, and apple salad, highly recommend. We also split the fish and the chicken - both great, and hanger steak- soso. What I found disappointing was the wait staff. Our server seemed very disinterested in us when taking our order (was looking around the room) and then missed an order for the duck fat fries. No big deal, we then asked for them when we realized they weren't coming out (before dinner was served), thinking they'd come with the meal. Twenty minutes later, we were served the main entrees, and still nothing. We were finishing our main courses and still had about a third of the fish left when the waiter went to take it away. I stated we weren't done and he rolled his eyes as he set it down, no big deal. Then, he came by when the plate was clearly empty and asked if we were done enjoying the dish. Honestly, there is no need to be a sarcastic ass, clearly the plate is empty and therefore we're done. When all the plates were cleared, he came by and quickly dropped off the fries. Really? First of all, I don't know why it would take over 40 minutes for an order of fries. Secondly, why would anyone want to eat these essentially as a dessert. The waiter then gave us a hard time when we sent them back. I understand things can be busy, and I certainly had the feeling that they were trying to rush us through. Overall, I'll chalk up the experience to a bad server on a busy night and will likely try Bristol again.
(3)
A-train R.
I went to the Bristol for their Valentines Weekend special. From their fixed menu i chose the Lamb and my gf had the chicken. The starters were okay. We had oysters, and 2 salads. One of the salads was to lemony; so much so that I couldn't eat it. The other was okay and unique but I couldn't tell you what it was exactly. For the entree, the lamb was very well prepared and served in a crepes style which was different, but really the meat itself was so good. The chicken was served with chicken sausage and it was very good also. The dessert was awesome. It was a chocolate cake served with white chocolate on top and berries on the side. My gf said she felt like she was in heaven for a few minutes. The service was very good and the servers knew what they were serving. Every dish was explained to us very well and the beer and wine selection is lengthy. The Bristol is very cozy and comfortable. I wish I would've asked to see a regular menu just to check out the regular prices. I would go back just to try out different dishes because although I wasn't impressed with the starters I definitely realized that their entrees and desserts are very good and almost flawless. Unfortunately for now, I cant quite give the Bristol 5 stars because I wasn't feeling the starters and after all that food I'm not very full. But I can tell this place certainly has potential for 5 stars; its definitely worth trying out.
(3)
Kimberly G.
Loved the menu, diverse yet adventurous. Portions were very small, especially for a sharing place. Don't get the monkey bread fascination, it was just a small pot of warm bread, not bad, not anything else either. Duck fat fries were delicious, raviolotto (sp?!) was the best thing I had, too bad I had to share it. Tried bone marrow for the first time, not a fan, the texture reminded me of gelatinous butter and it just tasted like pure fat. Not bad but wouldnt get it again. The quail was delicious but again, way too small to share. The pasta with the rabbit was good too but a little dry. Cocktails were good. Altogether I thought it was a great dining experience, the food was very good, not fantastic and I'd definitely go back again if only for the menu variety.
(4)
Eric V.
Stumbled upon this place at about 9:00 Saturday night. The place was pretty busy but the bar was open and available for full food service. The seating is very communal and the ambiance quite cozy. The menu seemed well thought out and the drink menu was very unique. I ordered the trout with wax beans and my wife had a pasta dish with so called heirloom tomato's. While they were tasty each were surprisingly small proportionally. The pasta dish was about 3/4 cup of pasta tossed in some cheese with about 6 halved plum tomato's. Just a bit disappointing considering it's potential.
(3)
bonnie b.
This is definitely the best new neighborhood restaurant to open in a long time. The staff is super friendly, the menu changes frequently and the drink list is huge! As a vegi- there isn't a whole lot on the menu that i can eat, but everything I've had has been fantastic. If you're going on a weekend go early, it's communal seating and they don't take reservations.
(4)
Jesse C.
Competent cooking, solid ingredients
(3)
Marta P.
This was my second visit to Bristol, I like it but I don't love it. There are some other restaurants that are in the same category but I like better. We came here with a group of 6, which I think is ideal if you want to sample a bunch of different dishes. Here is what we ordered: Flat bread: I loved this dish and wish we would have gotten more than one piece. Fries: these were okay, I've had better duck fat fries, but I would still recommend this dish if you like duck fat fries. Both the mixed green salad and apple salad. I LOVE the tarragon dressing on the greens salad. And usually not a fan of the apples in my salad, but the walnuts gave it great flavor. Monkey bread: I liked this dish, but if you are coming here with a smaller group and don't want to get two breads, I would opt for the flat bread instead, more flavor. Entrees: Trout: I loved this dish, I love fish in general, but some non fish eaters at my table also liked this dish. Not too fishy and perfectly cooked. Kielbasa: It was tender and the little potato chips served with it were amazing. Chicken: I cant say I order chicken at restaurants too often, but other people dining with us really wanted to try it. It was awesome, the bone and skin on the chicken gave it great flavor and it was really moist. The pasta dish with feta: I liked this and would also get it if I came with a larger party so you can taste it rather than eating it as your own entree. .... and the marrow, which we decided to order after we ate our meal, just to try it since it sounded like something my dog would eat. I didn't try any, but was told it had a weird consistency. Took it home for the dog. I did find it weird that we were sent to another bar to get a drink rather than drinking their while waiting for our table. I know this makes it more comfortable for the diners that are at the restaurant, but still a weird business practice. And our service was good after the wine guy got involved. He made some good suggestions at reasonable prices. I think your experience here will really depend on what is on the menu that night. Overall a good place to eat. But not sure if I would go back for the third time.
(4)
Kimberly F.
Made my way over here with friends after a Cubs game one night. The decor and ambiance were really nice. We ended up ordering the monkey bread and flatbread appetizers along with the roasted half chicken and pasta dinners. The flatbread and chicken were absolutely delicious, while the monkey bread and pasta were just okay (I found them to be bland). Chicken is probably my favorite thing to eat- so in my opinion, the chicken dish is what makes this a 4 star review. I'd definitely return for dinner.
(4)
Taylor S.
Was looking for a good place to go for a weekday date and decided on this place.... great choice! Love the ambiance and really interesting menu if you are ready to step outside the box. I conquer with the consensus - the duck fat fries are amazing! I had the striped bass with rye dumplings and sauer kraut - genuinely in the top tier of dishes that I've ever had! My boyfriend had the fried trotter sandwich - also delicious... very rich. While we skipped out on the cocktail menu, they looked good and I heard good things. On top of all of that, it's pretty reasonably priced compared to many restaurants of this quality. It's definitely making my list for solid dinner spots!
(4)
Wendy H.
I had a fantastic time dining at Bristol. I might have been so impressed due to our less-than-stellar dinner a few nights earlier, but none-the-less was very impressed. We were greeted immediately, told we would wait about half an hour for a table and advised to go to the upstairs bar for a pre dinner cocktail. The cocktail list was very creative and fun to read through. The cocktails themselves, hand crafted and extraordinary. So much so that I convinced friends of mine, when they were dining in the area, to stop in for after dinner drinks and then spent the rest of the evening fantasizing about what they might order. Our server was informative, efficient and more than happy to guide us to plates we might enjoy. I was super impressed with his knowledge of the menu, both food and wine, and with his ability to help us pair. On to the food. I was happy with what we ordered, though some dishes made me happier than others. The heirloom apple salad was delicious and full of surprises, the parmesan crusted chicken sausage over beluga lentils....was an acquired taste and the ricotta ravioli with egg and brown butter had a flavor that made me angry I had never tried the combination before. I loved that they could list the farms they sourced their food from and really seemed committed to their concept. Their beverage lists were thoughtfully constructed which I alway appreciate and they really delivered on the food end as well. The reason for four stars: with as popular as the restaurant and bar seem to be, it would be a good idea for them to keep the upstairs bar open all week long. It's such a nice detail.
(4)
Janis W.
We will surely return. We ordered 4 of the small plates, 5 yummy drinks, one salmon entree, 2 desserts and 2 double espressos. I should've asked for the salmon medium because it was too rare in the middle, otherwise everything was good. The sauces were good enough to drink from a cup. We got alot for $104 plus tip. My friend did comment on how measly the wine pour was, so we didn't order wine.
(4)
Meghan O.
I have had few meals as terrific as the one I had at Bristol. I was with 3 other people and we shared our meals. The choices were unique and seasonal and the pace of serving was perfect. The table favorites were the flatbread and raviolo. A terrific meal.
(5)
Ben W.
The drinks are a little expensive and you will drop some serious change in this place, but the Half Chicken I had was the best I've ever had! It was accompanied by wonderful corn bread and sweet corn seasoned with cilantro and bacon! Wow. If you have some extra money laying around, go to the Bristol.
(5)
Erin C.
This place is AMAZING!!! Love, love, love! Have been here twice so far and have had great experiences both times. Duck fat fries are a must and I also always get the chicken... it seriously melts in your mouth. I would also try one of their special cocktails... delicious! The only dislike I have is that the place is small. The 2 person tables are very close to each other.
(5)
caroline e.
MMMM....the bone marrow was RIDICULOUS. So was the Raviolo. Everything else was delicious, but not quite as memorable as those two dishes were. And like others have mentioned, the bill can easily get out of hand at this place, so be careful when ordering. Can't wait to go back.
(4)
Mike M.
I'd rate it higher if I actually hadn't left before ordering. Long story short, we were so excited to go there last week to celebrate a great week...and ended up leaving to go to Avec, and SO glad we did. Sat down, and the appetizers looked good, but the entrees were all over the place. I found the menu to be quite unfocused. The server came by and told us he'd like us to order all at once because they "tend to run out of things." What? Anyway...he then told us he was running short on the hangar steak and if we wanted one we had to tell him right away so he could reserve it for us. We said, "yes, please save us one and we'll look over the wine list, we were thinking a big California Cab." He comes back and told us "well, while we were talking we must've sold out, so we don't have it anymore." That was the only red meat dish on the menu. Doesn't this place pride itself on local, nose-to-tail cooking? I was STARVING, so we attempted to order some monkey bread and fried brussel sprouts while we decided and again, the server refused to let us do that, because "they like to take the whole order at once and send it out as it's ready." again, WHAT? So we weren't allowed to order any food until we had decided on everything. Mind you it's Sunday evening at 7:15pm. I was so perturbed, we both looked at each other and said, "let's go to Avec." On our way out, I asked for our coats and the host asked if anything was wrong and if it was "something he said." I said, "well no, it's just that I'm starving, and I'm no impressed with your entree selection and just wanted to order some apps while we looked over the wines and decided on our entree." Again, even the host, who AT THIS POINT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDY THE SITUATION AND GET US TO SIT BACK DOWN AND ORDER FROM THEM AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, said that "yes, we do like our guests to order all at once for the kitchen's sake." Whatever. That was total bunk and the WORST customer service I have yet to receive in a restaurant to date. I'm so glad we went to Avec, the food is amazing, the service is terrific, and it's always a welcome environment where the guest can have a terrific dining experience. Sorry Bristol, but you had the chance to fix that dining experience, and now I...and anyone I meet will learn about the many reasons NOT to dine there. Get it together.
(1)
Melissa N.
To officially conclude Chicago Restaurant Week 2012, we brunched it up at the Bristol! We were seated right away which was unexpected but always nice. I ordered the Bacon Manhattan which was a manhattan with bacon soaked burbon and a piece of candied bacon on top sweetened with maple syrup. While I was hoping for more salty to balance out the sweet, it was still a nice drink to experience. We started by sharing the citrus glazed doughnut with lemon curd. Holy Yum, Batman! Delish is the only word I can get out before drooling all over the table. Jeff and I both opted for the chilequiles which is a fav of ours. This version had pork belly and an over easy egg on top along with the tortillas, lime, cilantro. It had some nice heat to it which enhanced not overpowered the dish. The people next to us ordered duck fat fries which looked like heaven on a plate, trust me, I'm a french fry expert. It was nicely priced and the perfect way to round up our week.
(4)
Heidi A.
It's Thursday nite...8pm...where can you go for dinner if you haven't made reservations? The Bristol! Upon arriving...we were told that it may be a 45 minute wait, but if you want to leave your cell number they'll call you when your table is ready (so you can walk around, shop, have a cocktail). We chose to wait there and ordered some cocktails from the bar...the Cuc Cai cocktail is a deadly, but delicious drink. The hubby ordered something with ginger in it that he loved. Luckily a table opened up within 15-20 minutes. We were seated and put our order in...upon the suggestion of others we ordered the monkey bread. Everything was delicious (I had quail, he had halibut). There are some larger commune tables so you may be sitting elbow to elbow with strangers. It does have a tendency to get really loud with all the conversation...so not the place to go for a quiet romantic dinner. We'll definitely be back to sample some of the other dishes!
(4)
Katie T.
I really enjoyed this place. When you walk in you are enclosed in a glass box. You get to talk to the host in a quiet environment! You don't have to yell your name six times before they realize you're saying "Katie". I was waiting for a friend to show so I was directed to go upstairs and wait at the bar, if I was so inclined. The bar is small but stocked. I tried a new beer that came from the oldest brewery in the world. The bartenders are fun to watch make cocktails. The lady next to me had a glass with a thin slice of pear in it. It looked so good. The staff was very helpful and the service was great! For dinner we started with the duck fat fries and monkey bread. I have never had either (embarrassing). The fries were great and the aioli was delicious. The monkey bread was so cute and comforting. We also tried the apple pear salad and it was so fresh and the dressing was drinkable. We had one of the pastas for our main dish. It was rich and perfect for a cold night. Now for dessert... I'm sure you've heard this a million times... Nutter Butters. These nutters are homemade and served with a chocolate pudding for dipping. mmmmm. The restaurant itself is aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot of wood and everything looks so clean. There is a chalk board on the wall that lets you know where everything came from. It's basically a list of local farms and drawings of which animal/produce came from that farm. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Wendy H.
I've been wanting to try this for a long time. So many people have raved about it, I REALLY wanted to love it. It was OK. 5 stars for the staff, especially Charles who took our reservation and greeted us--friendly, helpful, welcoming. The apple salad was fabulous. Monkey bread (which sounded soooo good) was a little dry, not like wonderfully fresh bread (but the dill dipping sauce was great and the tiny cast iron french oven they serve it in is adorable). The entrees weren't bad, just not exciting. I thought the raviolo was too lemony for my taste. And the chicken, which many have raved about, well, it tasted just like chicken! Don't get me wrong, the Bristol wasn't bad. But in a town with so many great restaurants to choose from, it just wasn't that special or memorable, like I was hoping it would be. I will give it another try sometime, if the opportunity comes up, but wouldn't go out of my way to do so.
(3)
Jonathan C.
The food wasn't great, food was not cooked well. I gave 3 star cause the service was good and maybe the chef had an off night. I will try again because other have told me good things.
(3)
Michelle A.
Went to the Bristol for my birthday on a Tuesday night. Not crowded, then again it was 10 degrees outside. I wanted to love this place and the food but to be honest, it just didn't blow me away. This is what we ate: Flatbread - decent, but not out of this world Apple Salad - again good, but nothing I haven't had Short Rib Ravioli with capers and lemon - way too heavy on the lemon. You could have have mushed beans inside the ravioli I wouldn't have known because all I could taste was lemon Pork Loin and Belly - The belly was excellent. Pork lion was good but again nothing I haven't had Basque Cake - This was exceptional and was my favorite item of the evening Ricotta Cheesecake - Again this rocked it. I was dissapointed to say my favorite part of the evening was the dessert. This wasn't a bad place by any means, I just didn't think it was worth all o the hype.
(3)
Cadillac M.
Well, what can't I say about bristol. Was super pumped to eat here, heard good things from some chef buddies in the industry, so when my roomate's dad came to town I recommended Bristol on a whim. We didn't make a reservation for our party of 4, rather jus walked in and were seated immediately...nice. our server was a stout chubby gentleman who stumbled over his words and recommended that we share all our dishes, later we found out why. We were given the dinner menu and from the looks of things I was pretty excited, however the server keeped saying they were a head to tail restaurant, who utilizes all parts of the animal. Stocks don't count man. Where is the head? Where is the tail? In the stock and natural jus??? Jackass. After we ordered draft beers from the I think 6 they had on the dinner menu...our server then brought us their extensive bottled beer list....??? Jackass. We ordered the pate and and duck fat fries to start...both delicious. Traditional pate was smooth and perfectly seasoned...well done. Duck fat fries??? An infant can't fuck those up...delicious. from there we moved onto the butter taragon head on prawns...delicious...but portion size for the price was B.S., seriously...prawns and compound butter consisting of tarragon and anchovy...for $16...3 prawns. Bogus. Then we had the sausage...again portion size for the $14 price tag was bullshit...rapini and one 5" house made sausage...with the presentation on this dish as well as the prawns we learned why we were encouraged to share...because if someone ordered these dishes for themselves they would be chapped. Our stout server highly recommended the whole roasted red snapper, which we ordered as well as a pasta dish containing saffron that was under cooked and so bland I can't remember a thing about it...besides..being an Italian chef as I am, how undercooked the pasta was...crunchy dude. No bueno. Red snapper dish...$36. Wow. Like a 10 oz fish, with the bones and all...after we picked apart the fish and dug the pin bones out of our mouths, we were all left a bit dissatisfied and HUNGRY. pork jus served with the snapper was delicious, as well as THE KIMCHI!!! BEST PART OF THE MEAL. seriously...nice job on the seasonal kimchi. Won't return. Won't recommend. I think chef pandel needs to spend a little more time babysitting his baby. Went for hot dogs afterwards...they we phenomenal.
(2)
Lola Chelsea B.
Delicious. Just tasty. I was ambivalent about trying this place - I kept going to DuChamps because of the outside Garden - and boy have I been missing out! This place is friendly, warm - a good place for a couple or a group. They treat you like a King (or Princess)- they explain everything on the menu to you - without making you feel like a three year old and the food rocks. We had the sheet pasta with Testa(don't ask - just eat) bone marrow (the boys loved it!)and burgers. I just started eating meat a year ago - and this place makes me really happy that I did. Mostly everything meat wise is organic. Great beer selection. Nothing here is cheap. It's worth the splurge. This is a great place to bring out of towners for its unpretentious atmosphere. enjoy and yes I am writing this from a very pleasant duck fry coma.
(5)
Natala M.
This place was awesome -- they have nailed the "Farm to Table" cuisine with style, great drinks and good food. We had drinks upstairs - the drinks are creative and tasty. I had some type of blood orange champagne thingy. Delicious. We then had dinner downstairs. We were seated at one of the t "farm style" tables and it was a lot of fun. If you go, and they have them still, definitely try the breakfast radishes. So simple - and so very very good. We also had a mixed green salad - perfectly executed - and then I had the halibut and my friend had the burger. Yep, the one that comes with the duck-fat fries. All of it was delicious - and the portions are nicely sized. You can purchase all the food for the table or individually. I highly recommend this place - it was fun and the atmosphere was trendy and not overdone.
(5)
Ruth G.
The food is tasty, i will agree... Delicious, or out of this world it is not. The duck fat fries, were just pretty good fries. I had the duck confit and it was solid, but nothing I would crave for in the future. The chocolate sabayon & homemade nutter butters were were good.. not amazing.
(3)
Carter G.
I read Cindy D's review and overall I have to agree with her. I ate at the Bristol with a good friend of mine two weeks back. What was so ironic was the way my friend described the restaurant was-- high end food at an affordable price. If your looking for high end food at an affordable price then GO TO Province in the West Loop. We tried all sorts of things Monkeybread - Good (although overpriced) Duck fries - They're french fries and while they are good, if you must eat here you can get french fries at your local hot dog spot. This is another way the Bristol gets you to "pad" the bill Raviolo w/Riccotta Egg--- my friend enjoyed this dish...It's very rich Half chicken - While Cindy didn't like this dish...I thought it was the best part of the meal. Prawns -good Pasta dish w/ duck (I forgot the fancy name) - it was good, but there are much better dishes for the price elsewhere. If you looking to impress a date take her or him to Le Bouchon. The Bristol is trendy and if that's what your looking for then by all means try this place, but if I had to choose between here and Province...Province has you covered for both trendy and great food.
(2)
Shayna S.
The quick run-down: Good concept, bad execution. Phenomenal beer list, good atmosphere, unexperienced wait staff, creative ideas for dishes made with an unskilled hand. My experience: We ordered three dishes with pork in each and still left hungry. An appetizer of "country ham" turned out to be more like German ham. The ham was good, but in no was was representative of country ham, which is salt-cured and is one of my guilty pleasures. It was served with vinaigrette-dressed frisee, sunchoke slices, pomegranate seeds, and a sunchoke puree. The sunchoke puree tasted as if it had liverwurst in it and was in dire need of crostini -- something to cut the fat. All the ingredients were good on their own, but together were an amalgam of crap that did not make a successful dish. It was as if, in the kitchen while the chef was creating this concoction, he decided to add superfluous ingredients to try to save this dish. The slivered sunchokes he thought would add some needed texture, but alas, they did not; they were slivered too thin. Maybe he was trying too hard with the liver pate in the sunchoke spread. It would've made a fabulous hummus, but it tasted too much like meat...with all the accolades this place has gotten, I was surprised the chef couldn't pull this off. Also unnerving was the fact that our server called the frisee in our dish arugula. Good thing I didn't need an education from her. Mussels, which were fantastic, came with guanciale (pork cheek) which looked like bacon but was sweeter and was the highlight of the meal. Mussels were cooked perfectly with great balance of flavor in the pot liquor. A perfect amount of chilies, coriander seeds, and confit of orange peel in the bottom of the bowl. Just wish I had more bread for sopping it all up. Next course was pork tenderloin wrapped in house-cured bacon. The bacon was so thin it didn't impart any flavor into the lean tenderloin. It's a shame to put so much effort into making house-cured bacon and having it be so ineffective in application. On the other hand, the pork was cooked a perfect medium. The loin came with a couple caramelized onions. A few potatoes or a little swiss chard would've been a nice touch, but was nowhere to be found. We'd ordered three dishes with pork in them, and left the place unsatisfied. The blackboard menu is supposed to be sustainable, but nothing can be sustained if the restaurant doesn't stay in business. Cocktails and beer selection were some of the best in the city. I had a mix of Greg Goose au Poire, white grape juice, and fresh lemon sour, plus a couple brews from Two Brothers. Drinks were fabulous. I also liked the exposed light bulbs. Too bad this place didn't live up to expectations; I could've become a regular.
(2)
John F.
Was just there again last night, and YES, it really is that good!
(5)
Jennifer S.
We loved eating at the Bristol. Great Menu and we enjoyed everything we ordered in our big group. The drinks were awesome too! Also liked that it was very low, key and casual at the same time. We went with a group of friends and took our 2 year old for dinner - arrived 5pm on a Saturday and was easy to get a table - not a place that many kids probably go to, but it worked out fine for us - I don't think we ended up being too much of a bother to the others around us.
(5)
Blah B.
I'm in love..really I am; I savored and enjoyed every single bite!! Sooooooo the wait was long, 2 hrs to be exact, but thankfully we had such an experienced mixologist who made us amazing drinks but also kept us entertained as we watched him so passionately make every single drink! Once our table was ready we were starving literally:) OK I'm going to start off by saying...you must and I mean " U MUST" order the monkey bread w/dill! It was DELICIOUS! On to all the other delicious dishes: 1)Pan Roasted Skate Wing, Sauce Saor, Root Vegetables (breaded to perfection) 2)Grilled Mackerel Caesar, Romaine, Croutons (the salad was light dressing was great) 3)Steamed Mussels, Hard Cider, Crème Fraiche, Tarragon ( they were very tasty and the dipping bread was good) 4)Grilled Skirt Steak, Blue Cheese Ravioli (this one was a huge hit) 5)Duck Fat Fries, House Ketchup, Garlic Aioli (delish) 6)Heirloom Apple Salad (amazing) 7) Pear tart with pistachios for dessert ( was excellent) 8) cappuccino ( one of the few that I've had that I truly enjoyed) The service was def. @ par with the food and the ambiance of the restaurant. I personally loved the decor. I've been raving about this place and I can't wait to come back for dinner and to try their Brunch:)
(5)
Missy M.
The Bristol is officially one of my Chicago faves! Had a great experience here. Maybe it was luck, but even though they do not take reservations, and I had prepared myself for at least an hour wait, my friend and I were seated right away, window table. Great start! Every course was delicious, but the roast half chicken was probably the best I've ever had. Oh, and don't forget to order the Monkey Bread!! Love love love!!!
(5)
James W.
My wife and I had a great meal on Saturday. We dined at the bar before the rush started (6:30 pm). We started with the olives, flat bread (bacon & carmelized onions), spinach salad. My wife ordered the halibut and I had the burger. The food was wonderful and the service was great. This restaurant and Avec are two of my favorites in the city.
(4)
Nichole D.
monkey balls, deep fried brussel sprouts and pappardell with braised port, turnip and prune...oh and chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters!! ever thing was amazing and locally grown! beautiful and simple restaurant that lets the food speak for itself...loved it!
(5)
Julie G.
Definitely my favorite restaurant in the city at the moment. Delicious old school drinks and fabulous, innovative menu that mixes regular favorites with rotating specials. Very high quality food and excellent wait staff. Plus the owner is on Facebook, and when I became a fan of the restaurant, he friended me and totally recognized me the next time I went there. Pretty nice touch. Favorite drink is the Dark and Stormy, and yes, the Duck Fat Fries are as good as everyone says!
(5)
Zach T.
Believe the Hype. I went to Bristol by myself as my a la card was expiring. I was greeted right away and sat at the bar by choice. I was a bit scared by the menu. Not so much because I am afraid to try new things, but wasn't really in the mood for anything in particular. I had the same issue with the beer list... It's huge. Like 6 beers on tap and 70+ bottled. So, I opted for a Moscow Mule. My first. As expertly prepared as any cocktail I've ever had (including at violet hour). And strong and Spicy. The housemade ginger syrup was aptly the selling point. I decided to go for some of the Yelp recommendations, and being teh tarte flambe fan I am, I went down for the bacon flatbread. there's not much "bread" to this flatbread. It's like a divine cracker topped with carmelized onions and bacon chunks. Outstanding. The duck fat fries were as good as they were purported to be. At that point I decided to cut my losses... almost. I went down for the sabayon with nutter butters. Man am I glad I did. During the dessert one of the owners (Philip, I think) came over and introduced himself and asked about my dinner. I wish I'd thought then to suggest that they have a "Chef's sampler" or "Chef's suggestion" plate. The reason is that they had 4 kinds of heart on the menu that night. I would have tried them all, but I was not brave enough to order an entire beef heart. It'd be great if they also had an "Offal Experience" plate so you could try the marrow and the oxtail and the like. I'll be going back, emboldened.
(5)
Bridget B.
Ok, start with the Grey Goose Poire cocktail...best drink I've had in ages!!! It has a proper name, but after indulging with 2 of them, I forgot what it's called. The food was amazing. We were 2 girls having dinner before going out for the night. We shared the Monkey Bread, Flatbread with crispy bacon and caramelized onions, the Beer Cheese with homemade saltines and the Cheeseburger. No complaints about anything we ate. I personally love that they are smaller portions, because there are sooo many things on the menu, you really want to try everything. They do not take reservations, but we went at 6:30 on a Saturday and were seated right away...my advice would be to get there early if you don't want to wait, but if you do have to wait, do so at the bar and enjoy any of their homemade cocktail concoctions, or choose something from the seriously expansive wine or beer list. Our service was really great, too...our waitress was extremely knowledgeable. This spot is well worth the wait and well worth checking out.
(5)
Raytus C.
Right off 94 on Damen. Great service. Publican like spot. Very nice wine. Started with duck fries and bone marrow. Duck fries were good, but nothing out of this world. Bone marrow was undercooked. Went on to the saltiest prawns I have ever had. Almost inedible. Sausage plate with a fried egg that was nothing remarkable. Plates are a few dollars less than an entree at other restaurants, with about half the food - so the value for a dollar was very low. Super loud by the time we left. Will not return.
(2)
Amanda F.
Went to the bristol on Friday night for dinner. We used the foodie app to get a reservation .... They normally don't take them so that was decent. We had a party of 4 and were able to score one of the individual tables. A key point for me because I am totally over the communal dining thing. Our server was really helpful and made great recommendations for beers and wines. Everyone was really happy with his recommendations. Went with small plates, (a pattern in the restaurants I choose), cheese and dessert. Pork loin and arugula was really flavorful...salty pork with the peppery arugula and pickled green beans. We also had the Monkey bread and duck fat fries - both are mentioned as favorites on other yelp reviews and although they were good i am not sure I'd order either again. They were really heavy and not so unique/interesting that I'd pick them over other things. The special pyramind ravioli was rich and unique. Also had a flatbread with onions and cheese that was very creamy. Dessert was a chocolate hazelnut truffle. It was bite sized, which was perfect after everything else we ate! The one thing I will say is that the portions are definitely large on the medium plates (and even on some of the small). We had a group of 4 but could easily have shared them with 6.
(3)
Joe B.
This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. If I have to drive 45 min into the city, this is the place I want to eat. LOVE IT!!!
(5)
Mary F.
If I could give this place 2.5 stars I would. The beer list is excellent, so 3 will do. The restaurant was very busy, but we would given the beer list and shown a place to stand immediately. We were seated within a reasonable amount of time. I thought our server was very nice - delightful really. Unfortunately, the food was so-so. We had an apple salad that was great. The gnocchi was dry, and just did not taste good. The skirt steak was over cooked. We got a cheese plate that was brought by a food runner - so no explanation. But we soon discovered it was not needed there were 2 kinds of cheese - 2 large slices each - cheddar and parm. Lame. Overall the experience just wasn't worth the price.
(3)
Mindy C.
The pig tail was delicious. Really great effort to do farm to table. Drinks are fancy - the right kind of fancy... delicious, unique and memorable. Good value for the quality of the food.
(5)
David A.
A friend invited me out to eat dinner and the selection for the evening was The Bristol. when i arrived the ambiance was great, simple rustic yet modern woody furniture with retro metal chairs. our waitress for the evening was Erin, she was Great, very charming attentive, informative and very Vibrant. we started with apple salad with marinated manchego, and hazelnut. Delicious! great with the glass of Malbec wine. the second item was roast bone marrow, shallot jam, and toast. WOW! explains enough for that starter. the finally was head on prawns a la plancha in anchovy butter, tarragon, this was just OK, and the Salmon with lentils and dates, was tasty and subtle.
(4)
Laura H.
Still love the Bristol, just not as impressed these days by the service, something in there has changed.
(3)
Ryan B.
This is a brunch review (hopefully a dinner review will be coming very, very soon!). Like most of you, I'd heard great things about dinner at The Bristol, but I hadn't really considered it for brunch. But, on my birthday weekend, I wanted to forgo our usually sunny, casual brunch favorites and soak in a cocktail, some dark wood and just a different vibe. Inspiration to try The Bristol struck like lightning, and man, am I glad it did. I had a super gin cocktail, shared a seriously delicious cinnamon roll, and ordered a really really good entree. But the potatoes - that's where it's at. The best breakfast potatoes I've ever had. Ever. It tastes like they've been roasted, tossed in chili oil, and then crisped up on the outside to starchy spicy crunchy perfection. I dream about those potatoes, and everything else was certainly yummy enough to share the same plate. (I forgot to hit 'post' on this! This review is about four weeks old, and I'm still dreaming abut those potatoes.)
(4)
katie g.
For a new american restaurant this place is amazing. It has a garage door that opens on beautiful Chicago days... the menu is constantly changing (allowing for perfect excuses to keep coming back) and the food is INCREDIBLE. I took my father in law here and could not have been more pleased. We had the Duck Fat fries... (yummmmm) amazing! A Raviolo... amazing. Monkey bread.. it was alright. the drinks were personalized and unique, not to mention delish. The service was attentive and very helpful. The food was top notch. rumor has it, Bristol has a killer Sunday Brunch... look forward to my return.
(5)
Bess R.
Went tonight for my sis's b-day, and it was quite tasty. We had Monkey Bread (yum), Duck Fries (double yum), Melon salad w/feta and olives (triple yum), Burger (you get the picture), and a Salmon dish. Everything was awesome and the service was excellent.
(4)
Heather C.
First of all, I know everyone loves this place, but I will say, if you are not a huge lover of meat, STAY AWAY! Went for breakfast, host was hesitant to give us seat by window that was open, I'm not a fan of sitting right next to the other tables, but I won't skip a good restaurant for that reason. Options are very limited due to the changing menu, only 2 non pork options were offered. I went with the corned beef hash, it was dry, overly smoke flavored and the portions were ridiculously tiny for the price. The bloody marys, which were 9 dollars (!!!!) were way too citrusy and lacked flavor. Still, I had two to drown out the bad food. If you like pork, I guess you might like this place. If not, skip it.
(1)
Sarah C.
Thank god I got in now....this place is going to be impossible to get into after another month! There's something that I noticed so strongly at Bristol that I haven't seen at many Chicago restaurants-- a SUPERB front of house hostess. I don't even want to call Shelby a hostess-- she is expertly planning the floor's moves, or at least gives the impression that she is. The staff here is clearly loving their fifteen minutes in Chicago foodie fame and if they keep up their high quality service, they won't have to worry about fading away. When we walked in at 8pm on a Saturday, we were told that it'd be 1.5 hour wait. Shelby made sure to keep checking in on us and let us know that if we could get the rest of our party to the restaurant, she had a 4-top waiting for us. AWESOME! We found out that since the wait times do end up getting crazy, people aren't answering their phones once their table comes up. Enter us! 40 minute wait. While we waited, we did cocktails-- Pisco Sour and Poire and Elderberry. Both were YUMMY and lovingly made. Great presentation on both- egg white was perfectly frothy on the Pisco and the elderberries as a garnish on the other were great. Once seated, we were sadly informed that since there had been a limited quantity on the pork entree specials, they were sold out. :( Booo-- no pork belly that I'd been craving. But there were tons of choices left. We ended up splitting the flatbread, the duck fat fries, and the fried green tomatoes for appetizers. The flatbread wasn't anything amazing, but the other two were delightful! The housemade ketchup was an especially nice touch-- it's such an easy thing to make and yet so few places do it right. The fried green tomatoes were crisp and hot, the spicy aioli was nicely plated as well. At this point, it was time for another cocktail- Pink Lady for my boyfriend (ha...) and a Moscow mule for me. The Pink Lady was good-- not my kind of drink but good. The Mule....mmmmmmmmule. Homemade ginger beer (which I adore) made into a gimlet-style cocktail. Tart and spicy...and it came in a frosty copper mug. Totally adorable. Entrees: parmesan crusted sausage (made in house!), mussels, the prawns, and skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli. The sausage was apparently excellent as were the mussels-- AND HUGE portion on them to boot. The skirt steak was perfectly cooked and the ravioli were rich without being leaden. The prawns, my dish, I was sort of disappointed in. The portion was VERY small-- 5 medium-sized prawns-- and there wasn't a lot to it. Basically a few prawns in a VERY yummy sauce. I give them points on the flavor and the meal itself, but honestly, I expected a little something more. The desserts were excellent-- cheesecake with caramel apple and the chocolate sabayon with HOMEMADE NUTTER BUTTERS!!! My boyfriend finally spit this gem out, "If I were a chef who could make these, I would never leave the house". The nutter butters were awesome and the sabayon was good. I wish there'd been some more saltiness to the sabayon, but it was good nonetheless. The coffee (Lavazza) was good, but nothing special. Hate to keep rambling on, but when we finally get a good place with great buzz like Bristol, I want to make sure I've covered every angle for people looking to check it out. Recommendations: arrive early, be patient and hang out near the bar if you get waitlisted, enjoy a good cocktail or five...it's a good night out.
(4)
Melissa P.
I love this place. I've been here three times. Once for brunch, which might have been the best meal I've had here yet. Everything I've had here is really good including the drinks. Also, the decor of the place is amazing.
(5)
Jaime E.
the bristol is quite loud. in spite of this, they have won me over with the following menu items: Raviolo, Ricotta, Egg Yolk, Brown Butter (which we drank, when we rant out of bread) Monkey Bread Pull Apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt (the dill butter was also polished off, long after the bread disappeared) (with a spoon) Bristol Burger, Cheddar, Pickles (w/ Duck Fat Fries, Garlic Aioli) mc got the half chicken with spaetzle and mushrooms-- which he doesn't usually eat, but he cleaned the plate! He also didn't share a morsel, which is a pretty good sign. I was really impressed by the dill butter, the lemon zest on the duck fat fries and the really nice waitstaff. Also we got there on a Thursday at around 8:30 and had our choice of table or bar, which was nice. i was really unimpressed with the aforementioned loudness. i'm unsure what inspired them to charge the same amount of money for both the monkey bread and the Goose Island Root Beer. but this is a gifthorse. next time i go, i'll probably just drink the dill butter with my menu items and ask for some water. if i need it.
(4)
Dory O.
The Bristol is Fabulous. We went there on a Wednesday night around 8pm and were able to get a seat right away. I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in the door. I ordered the Dark and Stormy cocktail and I thought it was pretty darn good. It was VERY gingery, but I love ginger so I was okay with it. We started with the zampone, which we found out was a pigs leg and the bone was taken out and stuffed with sausage and it had some mustard on the side.. YUM. Then we had some gnudi (large gnocci) with a some type of beef sauce .. YUM again. We also shared the chicken and it was delicious. So, for the 2 of us, the bill came to $80. This included my $10 cocktail, 3 beers, and our 3 dishes. Really...the food and service were excellent. The only reason I gave the Bristol 4 stars is because I thought the portions were a bit small.
(4)
Corey B.
You really can have it all. I have been to the Bristol for a casual dinner, post dinner cocktails, just dessert, to hang at the bar (up or down), for a special occasion and a hang over brunch. No matter what our tastes for the evening, the staff is super friendly and helpful, the drinks and food NEVER disappoint and I always have a great time. Yes, there are times I wait 2.5 hours for a table, but the time always flies by thanks to the amazing staff that stays upbeat and doesn't let your glass go dry.
(5)
Michael S.
Dear God, Bristol--you have everything I could ever ask for. Amazing food and great service combine for an overall outstanding performance. The interior is inviting, unless you're over an hour deep in the line, but great for groups. Being busy on Monday and Tuesday nights is a sure testament to the greatness of the restaurant. Everything on the menu is a must, but if I had to pick a few, the first would be the beef tendon salad. Don't be intimidated. I've had beef tendons before in Pho, and never enjoyed them, but the Bristol turned me around. Order this for a surprise, and commit yourself to a first bite--the rest will fall in place. Number two is the split, head on prawns--very serious stuff. The prawns are piled up into a magnificent tower of decadence. Charcuterie lovers will be at home with their outstanding, in-house platter as well. Come hungry, and order well. I wouldn't worry about the monkey bread, because at the end of the day it's just [good] bread. To get a guaranteed seat, come in early when they open at 530, or late around 9 (they close at 12).
(5)
Liza M.
Great drinks & great food! We had to wait about an hour for a table, but we did have a party of 7 on a Friday night, so it's understandable. After going to a bar down the street, we came back & stood smooshed in the doorway browsing the drinks menu for awhile. We finally sat down to eat at about 11, late night dinner! If I were really hungry that might have been a problem. Thumbs up for the cocktails - I ordered the Pink Lady - egg white & cream with gin? and fruit? I don't know but it was good. We passed around our drinks so I can tell you the winner - the Moscow Mule. Ginger beer, vodka and lime, served in a lovely little copper mug. Also great was the sparkling sangria. We ordered a lot of appetizers, the best was the fritters with a delicious sauce of...something tasty. Also the monkey bread was great, again I don't know what that is but it's good. It's bread. Made from monkeys. So it was a little pricey but worth it for the atmosphere, friendly servers, delicious drinks and food. The only food I didn't like was the cheese platter, and I was also disappointed that the chorizo & chicken wings dish was out. So I'll have to go back to try it! Overall I highly recommend this place.
(4)
David k.
I love this restaurant! I just celebrated my 6 month anniversary with my fiance here. It's a quaint, romantic little neighborhood spot with a European feel. Crowded, but not too, we were seating right away without a reservation. We had a very friendly and helpful waitress who advised us on good wine choices. The food is listed as "snacks, small plates, medium, and large entrees". We ordered the Oysters Rockefeller, which were very fresh and delicious. The monkey bread was tasty, but a little forgettable. The cheeseboard was the highlight of our meal. Served with perfectly paired accompaniments (honeycomb, brandied pineapple, fig jam) and crostini, the whole experience was delightful. We ordered the Basque cake with candied walnuts for dessert, which was amazing. The cake managed to be rich in flavor without being too heavy. It was a perfect evening at The Bristol, and we will most definitely be returning.
(5)
Brian S.
When I die I would like to be buried face down in a casket full of monkey bread and nutter butter chocolate fondue from The Bristol.
(4)
Sara S.
when you go - and you should - order a sazerac and a raviolo. if you need more. order it again. and if you are still hungry, order the octopus, muscles, or the skirt steak. our server was delightful and made sure we all had enough homemade nutter butters to dip in chocolate pudding at the end of the night. it was nothing short of blissful. and if you are in love with a beer and meat man - he'll find a nice home here.
(4)
Susan H.
I am a huge fan of breakfast. HUGE! My sister, the foodie, and my friend, Rachel, the personal chef all went there a few weekends ago to have brunch. Rachel had been there before and her only complaint was that the eggs were overcooked. We went around noon on Sunday and had no problem getting a table. I had the biscuits and gravy. It was supposed to come with basted eggs but they were nice enough to substitute egg whites. The biscuits were amazing but the gravy was a tad salty. My sister had the eggs benedict. Her eggs were quite overcooked but she enjoyed the rest of the meal. Rachel had the fried egg sandwich made with pork belly and we all agreed it was great. I would definitely go back again.
(3)
Ndamukong S.
Disappointing. The owner sat us and, per his recommendation, we had the monkey bread, melon salad, bone marrow, and a (forgettable) pasta dish. The monkey bread was a bit dry and cold in the center. It was particularly disappointing because that was one of their "signature" dishes. The pasta was finished with an orange zest, and the orange zest was so strong that it dominated the entire dish and it was all you tasted during and after each bite. The dessert was equally unimpressive. This was unfortunate given Pastry Chef Amanda Rockman's current success on Top Chef. All in all, it was most disappointing because it was so highly regarded and there are so many other high quality new American spots (Gilt, Publican, Girl and the Goat) in the city.
(3)
Margaret M.
I really enjoyed The Bristol. I came with a girlfriend visting from from Costa Rica! When I first arrived and was told the wait was over an hour I was extremely disappointed. They don't accept reservations which was also frustrating but I was determined to eat there. I went upstairs and was pleasantly surprised. I did not mind waiting the hour because I had a great time at the bar! They had a wonderful selection of Greek wines which I really enjoyed. Once we were seated the party began. They sat us in our own little table so we didn't get a chance to experience the communal dining, which was OK with me. I The food is all small, tapas like...so you can order a good variety. I really enjoyed the portion sizes. I'm not the kind of person who goes out and wants to leave a restaurant stuffed....yuck. What we ordered: The Monkey Bread and the dill sauce was delicious. A really fun dish to share. We also ordered the duck fat fries which are always a treat! We than ordered the Ravioli with ricotta and egg. It was so decadent and flavorful. A really treat for your mouth! I could have ordered another one! We ended our meal with the Nutter Butter dessert a perfect ending to this delicious meal. The whole meal made me feel almost nostalgic. It brought me back to a different time...maybe it was the monkey bread and nutter butters (they remind me of my youth). Overall,the service was pretty good....our server was attentive but kind of the nervous type so he made me feel a little edgy. The menu is fun and diverse so you won't be bored! The only complaint I had was it was really loud. It's definitely not the place to take a first date. But it is the kind of place you would take a friend visiting from NYC! Thanks again Bristol for a fab meal and I will return maybe for brunch!
(4)
Ceal P.
went in on a lovely summer friday evening, the dining room is loud and bustling which is great if that's what you're looking for -- definitely not ideal for a quiet romantic dinner. we sat at the bar which worked out great for 2. menu is written on the far wall. wasn't too sure about the food prior to eating here with mixed reviews around, but i was pleasantly suprised highlights included: - apple salad with delicious manchego (?) -- definitely not a healthy salad, but not necessarly the point - their signature raviolo in brown butter sauce -- very rich but rightfully so, delicious! - the bone marrow was phenomenal if you're into offal and unique dishes as such -- nice complimentary mustard and a small salad - soft shell crab was a special i believe -- never really had an italian version with tomato sauce -- crabs were FRESH and sauce was light and complimentary overall a fantastic experience. just recently moved into the neighborhood and really enjoying what i'm discovering. -
(5)
shelly p.
I had been pushing to go to this place for a while b/c this place has recieved some good buzz, but I don't think I'll be returning any time soon. I went with a large group which was a mistake b/c you will never get seated. They make you wait upstairs where you can get drinks and nibble on cheese. We waited almost 2 hours and I it took 15+ minutes for our drinks to arrive each time. When they seated us (communal tables), our waiter was nice and we ordered his suggestions. I can tell they take their time in preparing their foods, but I don't think it's worth the price. The squash dish was bland and the duck sausage was just 1 piece of duck sausage for $16. The steak dish, raviolo and perogis were good, but nothing extraordinary. If you want to check the place out, just go for a drink and snack on the scottish olives and duck fat fries.
(2)
Seann G.
Great room, solid service, outstanding food. Couldn't pick one thing wrong with this place. Well chosen wine and beer list. Fresh, simple food and reasonably priced. A must if you're in Chicago.
(5)
Tu'ens N.
very good - lots of fresh herbs in every dish. tonight's specials included sardines which were the best dish I had. lots of good beers. the menu pretty much has every possible catch-phrase and trendy dish you can possibly imagine, but it is still all well done and tasty, and the place is very comfortable and lively. the duck fat fries have an interesting citrus element, which we determined to be bits of lemon rind mixed in with the cheese on top. not sure if thats correct but it was the first time i tasted citrus on fries, a good twist.
(4)
Stacy W.
My husband and I met another couple for dinner here, excited for a new Bucktown restaurant. The monkey bread and the smoked fritters were excellent and highly recommended. The drinks were also excellent. As for our entrees, the portion size left something to be desired. The flavors of the food were great (two of us had the salmon, one had the skate, and one had the raviolo), but we were disappointed that there wasn't more on our plates. Another negative was due to the spacing in the restaurant. The four of us were seated at a 12-person dining room table with other people, right next to us. Plus, we were constantly getting jostled by the servers passing behind us. All in all, we will probably be back, but only for the appetizers and drinks.
(3)
Jordan B.
We went for a friend's birthday last week after his girlfriend and I pondered several different options. Since his only request for a place was to eat something that he's never had before, the Bristol's interesting and daily changing menu seemed to be a good fit (i.e. bone marrow spread). Fantastic! We ordered two of every dish, so that all six of us could have a taste. Apple Salad, Marinated Manchego, Hazelnuts: Light, fresh, good base to the subsequent dishes. Simplistic enough for me to make at home, though not sure what vinaigrette was in the salad. Raviolo, Ricotta, Egg Yolk, Brown Butter: Nothing mind blowing, but a tasty take on ravioli. Our waiter said this was a staple for most diners. Roasted Bone Marrow, Ramp Pickle, Parsley, Shallot Jam: The main reason we wanted to try the place. I was taken back at the presentation (since it's served in a beef femur), but it definitely exceeded expectations. Spreads like butter, with a complex taste. The jam and pickle was necessary, otherwise may be too rich. Only could have one serving but worth it. Duck Fat Fries, House Ketchup, Garlic Aioli: ....Ate all the remaining french fry crumbles, embarrassing but necessary. Monkey Bread Pull Apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt: Took a while for this item to come out to the table, but delicious. Just came out of the oven and buttery as I'd hoped. On top of a huge selection of wine and beer, great place to meet friends and try some new food experimentation. Recently rated by GQ as the 9th most delicious new restaurants in US. Great find, would go again to try their updated season and daily menu items.
(4)
Sarah E.
We went to The Bristol for the first time for brunch last weekend. I have to say that it was bad timing (am I a bad daughter to forget mother's day? I do have the excuse that my mom doesn't live in Chicago lol). The restaurant was jammed so we ate at the bar (and paid mother's day fixed menu prices). The food was very good. We enjoyed the eggs benedict and the chilaquilles which were both fantastic. Would definitely return. Fixed priced menu was expensive though ($20 p.p. for brunch).
(4)
Kelsey M.
wow. this place delivers upscale food in an inviting and casual atmosphere. whether you're an amateur foodie with an adventurous palette or a delicacy connoisseur, the bristol will fit the bill. we started with the sausage stuffed olives and cocktails upstairs while we waited for our table. yes, you heard right, they have a space upstairs dedicated to drinks and appetizers while waiting for your table. this alone is deserving of 5 stars. i had the cuc-cai cocktail. it was life changing. cucumbers and grey goose la poire? don't question, just drink. moving on downstairs we ordered a variety of plates which were all outstanding. flatbread, monkey bread, goat liver sausage (a unique blend of sausage flavors with a spreadable pate texture), bone marrow and duck fat fries, followed up by the nutter butters for desert. not one complaint from anyone at our table. lastly, the service matches the impressive menu. attentive and knowledgeable. this place is well deserving of all the highmarks!
(5)
Minh T.
What attracted me to the Bristol were the duck fat fries and the roasted bone marrow. Both were indeed delicious, but what really made me want to come back was the raviolo with an egg yolk in the middle. Incredible! Staff was friendly and not at all pretentious.
Pretty good but I really wasn't blown away by any of my food here. The waitstaff walked by us a few times (and right by us, the place is packed tight) until I handed him a receipt he dropped. The flatbread was decent but I've had much better. They had one of my favorite affordable wines on the list, Gladiator Cycles Pinot Noir. But I drink that weekly.
(3)
Haute H.
I started out annoyed with this place because I went 15 minutes before open and they would not let us in to wait at the bar and it was chilly outside. Not good hospitality a mon avis since there is quite a choice in restaurants(especially during the recession). Never turn biz away. So once we were allowed in they redeemed themselves. Ate at the bar and the service was attentive and knowledgeable and the food was exquisite. My companion loved the burger and I had the chicken which was the perfect balance of crispy and juicy but not like fried chicken of course. Go for brunch too but don't go early!
(4)
Allison B.
Went here with no expectations. Was completely blown away with the ambiance, amazingly delicious small plates, and the wonderful service. The entire experience was fantastic and I can't wait to go back. My favorite were the olives...yum. If you are looking for a nice evening, visit here....
(5)
Amy S.
Yum to the quail egg big ravioli in the amazing buttery sauce. We ended up ordering the monkey bread cause we could not let the sauce go to waste. So gooood. We also ordered a pork sausage which was solid. The sauces that accompanied it were interesting to try. It''s one of those dishes that you order to try but would rather try something else when you go back the second time. Service was great and our waitress suggested a really great wine (oahi?) to go with our meal.
(4)
Greg R.
So here's the deal, this review really should be like 4.5 stars because I wasn't thrilled with the Chilaquiles, they were just good but not great, but on the other hand there's NO WAY The Bristol should only have a 3.5 star rating so I took it upon myself to help the average up a little bit. I love The Bristol for brunch just as much as I do for dinner because they have interesting food or take something common and make it interesting and plus if you're adventurous with your drink choices they have some really cool options for brunch. (Yeah I know all my brunch reviews have extensive comments about the drinks) T and I were waiting for A,so we thought well shit... might as well order a couple of drinks and something to start with, so we did. I started with a Bacon Manhattan, I know what you might be thinking.... a cocktail with bacon? Well not exactly, they have bacon infused Dewars, which all by itself should spark some interest, right? They take that add some maple syrup and bitters. I like bacon, I like syrup and I like Scotch, so I thought why not. It's not something that you're going to have several of, but definitely something worth trying. It has this sweet taste from the syrup, but a muted smokyness from the bacon, good drink. Then I tried a Peruvian Sunrise, which was a totally different type of drink. You could taste the Elderflower but it wasn't too sweet and it had a nice touch of citrus from the blood oranges that were added as a garnish. And then when you're done you can try to get the slices of the oranges out from beneath the ice with your knife if you happen to get a little bored at the table. I didn't try T's Bloody Mary, but she said it was good. Getting back to the food that we started on waiting for A....We got biscuits and gravy and each of them had a poach egg on top. T was a little weary of the egg screwing up the biscuits and gravy but it worked out rather well. The eggs were poached just right so you got some of the yolk to fall down the biscuit you were eating and the gravy was flavorful with the right about of spice, all making for a great bite each time. Then A finally showed up, so we ordered the stuff we really came for. I had the Chilaquiles and I was a little disappointed. They didn't have quite enough sauce in it and it could have really used two eggs instead of one. Also not quite spicy enough and I thought it could have used more cilantro too. It would have been nice to have more contrast between the heat of spice and the coolness of the cilantro. However the braised pork that was with the dish was really well done, just the right amount of saltyness in the crunchy pieces of the braised pork. T got the egg sandwich with porkbelly that sounded really good to me, but apparently she wasn't so into the porkbelly. I think either you're a fan of it or not. I thought it was good, so maybe that's just a different of preference. I also really liked the breakfast potatoes, but my brunch didn't come with any, so I kept picking them from T's plate. A ended up ordering a bunch of sides to make a traditional eggs, bacon, toast breakfast...sure its a little boring but everything was cooked well. Almost forgot to mention the side of sausage was awesome and by the looks of it was also homemade. I highly recommend The Bristol for both brunch and dinner, but read the dinner review to make sure you are going to the type of dinner you are expecting.
(5)
Meredith J.
I give this 3 stars because I am really in the middle since I love some aspects and am not a fan of others. In many ways, it deserves a 4. What I don't like and what compelled me to review: 1. The owner is a jerk. I called about hosting a private party there. I just wanted to find out the details. He was rude and insulting and treated me like I was stupid. I was nothing but nice and simply calling to inquire about the upstairs lounge area. I was encouraged to call by one of his servers, which he promptly berated on the phone for giving me misinformation and kept mentioning that HE was the owner. When he told me he wouldn't host a brunch event, I said (trying to be nice) "Wow, you guys are missing out. So many people are looking for places to host brunch events and your place would be perfect. Oh well, I am disappointed (because I like your restaurant)..." He then proceeded to ask me what I didn't understand about them not doing it and was so rude I couldn't get off the phone fast enough. If I had felt like continuing the conversation, I would have said that what he didn't understand was that I was willing to pay him $600-700 if he would just give us a long table during regular brunch hours. How hard is that? The restaurant is already open and serving food. I don't see the issue. He is not someone I would want to plan an event with, and they seem totally inflexible about their minimums and strict hourly requirements. Also, their prices for events are silly. 2. Brunch is good. Not awesome, many of the dishes are a little boring, but it's usually easy to get a table. That being said, if they have the popover on the menu, you must go in. It's excellent. 3. The appetizers at dinner are fantastic. Plan your dinner around the apps. My advice is to order a bunch and have them coourse them out for you so the whole table can share. They are stellar. This is the experience that will make you walk away thinking about your meal a couple days later. Definitely get the sardines on toast if on the menu. 4. Entrees are blah. After amazing appetizers and middle courses, they just don't stand up. The hanger steak is just OK and the chicken is fine. 5. They are really nice about BYO wine if you bring a nice bottle. They are very accomodating to the winos that want wine that is beyond what they offer on their list. I don't even think they charge corkage. They know you're not being cheap, they can appreciate a great food-wine experience. (also, always share a little with your server. They are really knowledgeable and appreciative.) 6. Service is always good and the servers are knowledgeable. They always provide a pleasurable experience. Go and enjoy. Just don't call and talk to the owner. However, the rest of the staff is lovely, so just deal with them.
(3)
Meredith F.
Beautiful ambience. The restaurant is very warm and cozy. They make great use of their limited space. I'm confused by the menu and the offering of eating 'family style'. The portions are too small to consider them family style. Maybe 'family style' means tasting a bite off of everyone's plate? The food was okay. Several items monkey bread and duck fat fries were good but they won't get me back. Nice wine selection by the glass.
(2)
Joe S.
we only had the bar food upstairs. we sat in the corner and then moved. so did the next couple that sat there. it was funny.
(3)
Justin R.
Crap. This review is late because I forgot to write it when we ate there. Oh well. Here goes. The Bristol is Awesome... And that is an awesome with a great big giant capital A. It was so great to see such a mixture of classic and traditional dishes that have almost completely disappeared from American dining. Dishes using parts of animals that most would no longer eat, such as pig's head meat, are sprinkled throughout the menu. And cool snacks like the scotch olives were delicious. I will go back and write a more thorough review soon, but until then know that The Bristol is one of my favorite new restaurants in Chicago. Go. Open your palate. And don't forget to try some of their wonderful classic cocktails.
(4)
Janette L.
Come here more for the drinks than the food. Still for some great creative drinks and small bites this is a decent place to go. It can get very loud and hard to hear if you are going with a date. I enjoyed the frites but as another reviewer said the homemade ketchup was slightly bland. Monkey bread and fritters were all ok but nothing that I would need to go back for. I wish I could even tell you what I ordered for a main but sadly it was nothing too memorable. Service was great and we went pretty late on a Friday and the wait was not too bad (less than 1hr!)
(2)
mike s.
I have been several times... food depends on what you order. For the most part it has been fantastic, with a couple of mediocre dishes here and there. Great drinks and service. I want to try their brunch.
(4)
Erin R.
Great spot! Came on a sort of triple date if you will. I like how the seating is communal very different. The service was excellent. We ordered a ton of small plates and each had a meal. The olives that are wrapped (i think) were amazing. I had the chicken for dinner and thought it was very flavorful. My fiance had the burger which was equally as good and had a nice bite to it from the sauce. Fries were fabulous. A fun spot to come with friends to chill out and enjoy some good food.
(4)
Natalie P.
My whole experience is here was perfect. Good service, love the atmosphere and the food was perfection. Really fresh ingredients and the monkey bread is amazing. All the food was really good and I can't wait to go back. My only complaint..we ordered the radish w/ butter starter, and while it was delicious, it was hard to cut a whole radish (it arrives as a whole radish) sitting down on a wobbly cutting board. But again it was tasty so I didn't care too much. Can't wait to go back! Great wine selection too.
(4)
michael k.
Had a excellent dinner at the bristol a few weeks back, The decor was relaxing and the food was great, I had the roasted bone marrow with the duck fat fries, Very good... The beer list was extensive making for a very enjoyable night out.
(4)
LVNV F.
The Bristol has a lot going for it. The bar and the room is very pleasant, especially with the windows open. The service was great, probably helped by us arriving at 6.15 on a weekday (which allowed us to secure an excellent two top). The drinks were top notch; a classic daiquiri made me rethink my views on this libation, and the cucumber drink was terrific, if you have a love for cucumbers. The food was more uneven than I would have expected. The Apple Salad was terrific; many different tastes and textures made it interesting throughout. The much touted Monkey bread? Well, the presentation couldn't be beat....a small iron pot of pull apart bread, but the bread itself was, in a word, bland. And I bow to no one in my love of carbs. The cheeseburger was a mixed hit: I liked it much better than my dining companion. I also agree that the duck fat fries and the garlic aoili were terrific. The chocolate saboyon and nutter butters were good: I liked the sea salt in the chocolate but I think my friend could have passed on it. On the whole, although the portions were not massive, I thought that they were more than adequate, and the prices very fair. I wish we had had some more "hits" but I would consider going again nonetheless.
(3)
Alia K.
Yum Yum Yum! This place is GOOD! There's communal tables in the middle so we decided to go with the theme and order family style. There were 5 hungry women and were perfectly full with 4 small plate/appetizers and 3 entrees topped off with 2 desserts. While all the appetizers and desserts were all great, the actual entrees did leave a bit to be desired. I would pass on both the gnocchi and white fish next time. Definitely check this place out though.
(3)
Candice O.
This was the most rich and decadent meal I have had in a long time. We ordered the apple salad, monkey bread and duck fat fries to start. The only thing that wasn't over the top yummy was the fries, and thats because I'm not really into fries. I then got the raviolo. I see lots of complaints about the egg being runny, but its a poached egg. What do you think its going to do? So rich and delicious. I want it again. My husband ordered the burger, which was prepared the way he wanted it and he seemed to enjoy it. The waitress helped me pick two different wines, and the Moscofilero was a perfect combo with my raviolo. All in all, one of my favorite meals in Chicago so far.
(5)
Jung K.
Just got back from a fabulous and lovely dinner at the Bristol. The stars aligned and everything seemed to work out perfectly. I had heard about long waits, but we were seated at the bar as soon as we walked in. The place was packed, though, so we really lucked out. We were seated at the end of the bar near the bartender, which ended up being an excellent location, as he provided lots of helpful commentary and chatter (really made the dinner!). My husband got the Moscow Mule, which he enjoyed, and we both loved the copper cup it was served in. We started with the delices de bourbogne, an excellent and very flavorful appetizer of crostini, crushed fava beans, and a buttery smooth cheese. Fava beans are so under-rated! We then got the monkey bread and raviolo, paired together as suggested by the bartender. Sopping up the raviolo with the monkey bread was delicious, and I also liked the dipping sauce the bread came with. I saw someone complain about the runniness of the egg in the raviolo, but I think it only added to the richness of the dish. The only mistake we might have made, though, was ordering too many rich, pungent dishes together to begin with. I felt a little heavy after that. We then split the quail, which was absolutely delicious. The simpleness of the sauce and the light greens it came with, as well as the small bits of nectarine, made it a refreshing entree to end with. I can't remember what it was called, but I got what was essentially a chocolate pudding and house-made nutter butters for dessert. It was a perfect blend of sweet and salty. The sea salt topping the pudding and the saltiness from the nutter butters was a perfect combo. Though some might complain that the portions were small, I think it was the perfect amount for the quality and price. Total bill, with 4 dishes, a soda, two cocktails, and dessert was $80. Not bad for an excellent meal, stellar service, and a great night out.
(5)
Jane R.
For my boyfriends birthday dinner, he chose for me and his other friend to go to The Bristol for dinner. He said he had heard a lot about it and so as usual, we were all expecting a lot. And mmm it sure was good! We sat down in the middle of the room on a crowded Monday night, and wanting so badly to not be one of those people complaining about the noise and needing a hearing aid, we sat down and tried our best to hear what eachother was saying. Yes it was hard with the store-front windows wide open, and the groups of people practically sitting on top of us. But, to me, that's all part of the experience. After receiving a bottle of wine from a friend we saw a few tables away, we knew the night would be great. We were a little worried when the waitress told us that they prefer to put in the whole order for the table (apps, entrees) all at once, so the food comes out fresh and as soon as it's ready. I quiver at the sound of not being able to order as I go, but we went along with it. It turned out great with everything come out at the right time. The bone marrow was delicious, just cooked right with that heavy butter feeling to it as I spread it across the perfectly toasted bread. We then had the apple salad, which was a great size and dang were those apples fresh and delicious! We then shared the scotch-olives which were olives wrapped in sausage and then deep fried. This was my appetizer choice, as I am an olive lover, and yet this was the only thing I was disappointed with. It tasted like straight up sausage off a pizza, with not even a hint of olive to it. We decided to go big or go home and get 3 entrees, even though the server told us they are big enough to share. The ravioli I could easily eat every night. It's only one big ravioli but when the plate hit the dark wood table, the aroma made my mouth salivate. The brown butter is so perfect accompanying the egg yolk and ricotta cheese. Next was the pork heart, ordered by my boyfriend the adventurous one. It was a "chalkboard special" so we figured it had to be good. Ehh about our expectations. It came piled up with a corn and pork heart broth under it which was delicious, but the meat itself was a bit too chewy and don't be surprised by this, but yeah there was actually TOO MUCH MEAT!Even for 3 people each having a few slices, it was just piled on there like they were trying to get rid of it. The chicken was good, although we were totally stuffed and couldn't eat another bite. It easily was one of the moistest chicken I have ever had. For dessert I don't need to say much except: Go for the Chocolate Sabayon and house-made nutter butters. Overall the food was delicious, the service was good. The only problem me and my guests were complaining about was how pushy not only the servers, but the managers were about getting us to buy another bottle of wine or any kind of drink. We must of been asked 6 times about seeing the wine list by about 4 different people. But, luckily the food and ambiance saved it. We will definitely be going back to the Bristol sometime soon.
(4)
Cassandre P.
I should preface this by saying that I heard lukewarm things about the Bristol so my expectations were probably fairly low. But regardless, I really enjoyed my meal here. We arrived around 6:45 on a Tuesday so there were only 10 or so couples already seated in the restaurant. We were lucky enough to snag the cozy table next to the blackboard in the back. After we were seated I realized that we were basically sitting right next to the specials "wall" and had the same minor anxiety attack I get when I have to sit front-row in the movie theater. A minute later our server came over with the regular menu AND a printout of the specials board. We decided to order the smokey fritters, monkey bread, goat mixed grill special, mussels, and sausage. I was starving and tend to turn into a raging bitch when I get hungry so thankfully for my dinner guest they brought out the fritters and monkey bread fairly soon after ordering. The fritters were flavorful and fluffy and went perfectly with the mustard dipping sauce. I had heard great things about the monkey bread and don't get me wrong, it was good, but nothing that exciting. It was basically just baked bread with dill butter. The goat was DELICIOUS and came with the rib, loin chop, and belly so we got to try a little of each. I also appreciated the servers explanation before we ordered it as to why it was a small portion but so pricey. The mussels and sausage were just OK but really the goat dish made up for their mediocrity. The goat dish definitely made our bill a little high but with the exception of that, the meal was very reasonable and I will definitely return.
(4)
Cy C.
Last week, ate here again...and if I can make it...this Monday :) I have to say, the Bristol really has evolved to something incredible since it first opened. This time around we (as always) ordered most of the menu. The monkey bread was delicious and I'm happy to see that they started sprinkling salt on top. Two things I always get ...well, I guess three are the monkey bread, raviolo and the head on prawns. The raviolo is really something spectacular - the brown butter, yolk, cheese.... The prawns are my favourite dish though - I never see head on prawns at restaurants (i think they hold the most flavor) and the way these are presented are in a way where the diner doesn't really have to get their hands dirty. Bone marrow was straight up simplistically delicious. The porchetta was freaking awesome - it's like they cooked it in magic juice. Again, service was beyond fantastic as were my cocktails. They were so well balanced I had like 3 (and I usually don't drink cocktails). Thank you Bristol for your consistent service, food and cocktails. Also, I really like the shout out to the local farms on the boards.
(5)
mary b.
They dont take reservations so we had to wait over an hour upstairs in the lounge area for out table. No problem had some drinks and waited since the place was packed. Communal style tables so that was fun. Different. We had the monkey bread to start off with, pretty good, nothing special, pretty much garlic, parlesy infused rolls with melted butter to dip in. Shared the salmon and mussels, salmon was niceley done. Mussels nothing to write home about. I guess pork is there big speciality but we didnt have any pork products. will probably be back there considering it is half a block away from where I live.
(3)
Josh B.
Went to this place the other night. It was fantastic. The owners are super nice and very knowledgeable about their business. Took a leap of faith and had the ginger cocktail, it was super yummy. The food was very good, consistent with the description. The dessert was the peanut butter chocolate thing (sorry can't remember the name) it was a wonderful combo. A little heavy on the meat for my tastes, so if you are vegi it may be tough to find something to eat. My only complaint was that the server was a bit on the quick draw. He cam to the table and zoomed away just as fast, in some cases before we could tell him what we needed. All in all a very good experience and would go back for sure.
(4)
Joanna E.
Bristol sets out to be accessible and fresh and succeeds splendidly. The staff really knows their (fill in the blank). While waiting at the bar, the bartender knew every person who walked in--they'd describe a certain feeling that they were vaguely looking for from a drink and be presented with something that seemed to perfectly satisfy. Their Sazerac was by far the best that I've had in this city yet. A Moscow Mule housed in a little copper cup was biting fresh. And twice throughout the evening, we wanted some sort of clean, well-matched beer with the courses (admitting that my limited scope was not match for their awesomely vast beer list) and left it to our waitress' more than capable hands. Post Alaska adventure, I have been looking for a match for the Glacier Brewhouse Ale Cheddar Pot. And so, I absolutely fell over myself flagging our waitress as quickly as I could, and yet. Yet. Starting with the Half Acre Beercheese just felt like a stretch. Three bites in and and only after a detailed explanation from our sparkly-eyed waitress did I begin to understand what all was going on. The blue cheese, cheddar cheese and half acre seemed to fight against each other and unfortunately the saltines and slaw couldn't help to pacify the situation. But please let's move on to bigger and better things. Scottish olives? Fabulous- lemon creme fresh balanced perfectly against the salty tang of lightly breaded green olives. Bone Marrow spread? Rivaled that of St. John (the king of 'Nose to Tail charcuterie") according he who was there last April. And Halibut? As one who fished her own halibut in Alaska, it was fresh, perfectly sauteed in lardon on a bed of french green and wax beans. Delightful. The end of the meal brought what felt like the end of a perfect 7th grade school lunch: chocolate pudding and nutter butters-- grown up style. Pudding drizzled with sharp olive oil and grey sea salt, lightly sprinkled. Nutter butters with just enough salt to crunch through the rich, syrupy pudding. Nice work Bristol.
(4)
Molly M.
My husband and I are long-time fans of this place as it is right in our neighborhood. Always impressed with the creative food and the world-class service. But last weekend, my parents hosted my brothers rehearsal dinner in the event space on the second floor. I cannot say enough about the experience. Phil, one of the owners who handles events, was thorough and helpful all along the way while we were planning. It was easy and I felt every detail was taken care of. And then the event - WHOA! My parents and all 30 of our guests were blown away by the atmosphere, the service and the amazing food. Among many wonderful items we had the roasted chicken and a pasta dish that everyone raved about. I was told more than once it was the best rehearsal dinner anyone had been to. I highly recommend the Bristol for any special event.
(5)
Samantha H.
The Bristol is (so far...) my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Saturday was my second visit to the restaurant and I cannot wait to go back. I would give an itemized report of what we ordered, but their menu changes daily and all but two items we ate were their "specials." The Bristol doesn't take reservations, so get ready to wait when you arrive. Although waiting for 45 minutes for a table isn't my favorite thing to do on a Saturday night, Bristol makes the experience very pleasurable with an upstairs lounge/bar area for those waiting. You can sit at a cozy table, booth, or bar stool and order appetizers and beverages while you wait. When your table is ready you don't have to strain to hear your name shouted across the lively hum of patrons, a hostess comes over to your table to settle your bill and escort you to your table. While the restaurant itself is small, I never once felt crowded or uncomfortable. Our server did an excellent job of making us feel as though we were her only table. She was incredibly attentive and knowledgeable. When you visit, you MUST try the duck fat fries, they are unreal. I tried the monkey bread for the first time on this visit, and it was top notch as well. If you are looking for a dining experience you must visit The Bristol!
(5)
Rita W.
The Bristol delivers one of the most solid meals I have had where I like almost everything from start to beginning. I went here with one of my favorite couples who actually live across the street from The Bristol, they talk so much about this place, I knew I had to check it out with them. For appetizers, we shared the duck fat fries, the monkey bread, and the apple salad. The duck fat fries came out hot and fresh, the garlic alioli and the homemade ketchup were great condiments for the fries. I loved the apple salad, the crunchy hazelnuts and manchego cheese were the perfect touches to the mix of tangy apples and cabbage shreds. I wasn't too impressed with the monkey bread itself but that dill butter dip, I thought I had gone to butter heaven, it was creamy and yet not too thick and light enough to make you think for a spilt second that it is something healthier than butter. I had the ravilo for my entree. WOW. I wasn't expecting one huge ravilio, and was a little worried I would not be full afterwards, but this ravilio is so decadent and rich, that it is the perfect amount. It is literally one huge ravilio with a poached egg inside and when you break into it, the egg yolks combines with the sweet butter sauce on the dish and its a happy marriage of rich flavors in your mouth. I was amazed by how good this was! My friends ordered the half chicken and the pig tail. The chicken was moist and tender and I was amazed by how tender it was. The pig tail..well let's just say it was interesting, but I am not sure I would recommend wasting your time on it. The flavor of the pork is good but it is really fatty so its hard to eat an entire entree of it. Plus it just doesn't look appetizing after a while. For dessert we shared the chocolate sabayon. It was ok, nothing impressive. What was impressive were the homemade nutter butters! Without the nutter butters, it would have been a pretty big flop. I was a little nervous about the portion sizes after the waitress told us the portions would be smaller, but the food is pretty rich so the portion sizes end up being the right size so you don't feel like you overate. Although we ordered so much food, I still left feeling like I overate. The prices are actually not that bad, for going with two other people and getting a drink, sharing three appetizers, three entrees, and one dessert, my bill ended up being $41. That is not bad at all considering how much food we got! I would definitely come here again!
(4)
Lakshmi R.
What can I say that hasn't been said? My one main criticism: I get that it doesn't bill itself as a vegetarian restaurant, but this is America, not Germany, guys. Vegetarians exist! In large numbers! So I think it's a little scandalous when a restaurant of this caliber offers exactly 1 vegetarian dish (the pasta), and it's not even a main course. I noticed that there was a vegetarian among the party at our neighboring table, and that she was having difficulty finding something to eat. We had checked the menu in advance and so knew what to expect (my boyfriend eats fish, it was his birthday, etc etc). But it seems clear overall that The Bristol really needs to step up in that department. Otherwise, the food is great. Staff is great. Location is great. We arrived at 6pm on a Friday night and got a seat immediately, but the restaurant filled up shortly thereafter - so plan accordingly! My boyfriend loved his cod entree and I enjoyed my pasta dish, which consisted of one, gigantic raviolo stuffed with ricotta and sitting in a mini sea of browned butter. Actually, it was a little too rich even for me, and I actually felt a little nauseous by the time I finished it. Yums, nevertheless. The monkey bread is yummy. And the Dark & Stormy cocktail? With shredded bits of ginger floating in the drink, I tell you, it was divine. Like the Basque Cake we inhaled for dessert.
(4)
Jedd J.
Expectations were high, but The Bristol disappoints. We arrived at 8pm Friday night. The upstairs lounge was nearly full; luckily we were able to find a table for four. At capacity the staff should not have been overwhelmed, but my sazerac finally arrived after a 25 minute wait. We ordered the breakfast radish, butter, and sea salt. It was really good, but there was no cooking or combining in the creation of this appetizer; the jury was still out. After 2+ hours we were finally led to a table downstairs to order dinner. The grilled flatbread with bacon and melted sweet onion was flavorless and mushy. D The apple salad, marinated manchego, and hazelnuts looked like cole slaw and tasted like raw onion. F Minus. The sturgeon wasn't right either. Too much butter, and whatever seasoning they used didn't work. D The wine also left us wishing we'd gone somewhere else. We didn't finish anything and quickly left, never to return.
(1)
Sao-Mai N.
I came here with my parents who are from out of town. Like most Chicago restaurants, Bristol is one of those small restaurants that can accommodate a few people. However, the atmosphere is lovely and the staff are excellent. The cocktails are beautifully crafted and quite tasty. I ordered the Dark and Stormy, and the hint of ginger was just right where it's not too overwhelming. The menu is a little heavy from first glance. So we split the bone marrow, which was very tasty and my favorite, the apple salad. I ordered the veal with sweetbread and a poached egg. Everything was delicious and the portions were just right. I love breaking into a poached egg. However, I found the rest of my dish extremely salty. It may have just been my dish and I'm willing to go back and give this place another go around. Cheers!
(4)
ak w.
First of all, the atmosphere is fun, the service fantastic and attentive. Duck fat fries and money bread spectacular. The changing sustainable menu is a good start. Our entrees were so incredibly salty, they were inedible. I had the roasted chicken and hubby had the pork and his dish was rare (kinda gross for pork). The dessert menu was extremely "deconstructed" (think carrot cake without the cake -- pile of carrots, pile of raisins, etc.). The people at the table next to us had the pasta and steak and that looked really good, but again, can't comment on the sodium level of their food. My fingers are so swollen today I can't get my wedding ring off.... Go for the starters, go for the atmosphere, go with friends, go for drinks.....beware of the entrees.......
(2)
Amanda T.
They had a tv show that featured the fact that they served a stuffed chicken wing that looked spectacular and guess what, they don't serve it anymore because it's too hard to make. Sooooooo dumb. I saw chicken hearts and I forgave them. I excitedly ordered a toasted brioche with mushrooms and chicken hearts. What can I say, I'm an offal girl. The dish came out and dude, there were NO hearts. I swear, not one! I never complain and really thought about if it was worth the risk of spit in my food but, I was pissed. Did they think that I would not notice? I mentioned to the waiter who first tried to talk me into the mushrooms being the hearts I am from a family that grew up on tongue, liver, chicken feet and anything else people toss out. The waiter did bring out two ramekins of hearts. I forgave once again and enjoyed the rest of my dinner.
(3)
Danny O.
Top to bottom, start to finish perfect time here at the Bristol. (I'm not good at detailed reviews, but I'll share some highlights... Black IPA brewed in colloboration with Goose Island Poire and Elderflower cocktail Roasted bone marrow beef tongue ravioli diver scallops beef short rib Basque cake (STOLE THE SHOW!!!) Our party had quite a few other dishes, and all of them were fantastic. The things listed above were OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. As far as service goes, we went on a Monday evening, so the place was busy, but not too crazy. Our server was extremely friendly, knowledgeable AND informative. And most importanly, very unpretentious. I can't wait to get back in this place! It will definitely not be my last visit. Very well deserved of their Bib Gourmand designation. Keep up the good work folks!
(5)
Brook E.
We had brunch here this past weekend. Everything from the Bloody Marys to the potatoes were GREAT. The ketchup tasted even tasted homemade. At first, I was disappointed to look at the menu and realize that the only vegetarian offerings were sweet breakfasts, as I'm usually more of a savory type of gal. All of those misgivings were completely wiped away through, once I received these fluffy pancake delicacies smothered in a not too sweet banana topping and maple syrup. Everyone at the table loved their food. I honestly don't think that you could have ordered something bad off of that menu. Service was great with one exception: they cleared plates even though one of us was still eating (it was half empty, so no reason to rush us). What a stupid way to end what was otherwise a great meal. I'll be back to try dinner though, the menu looked awesome.
(5)
Brooke L.
Went here with a group of girlfriends for a girls' night out dinner. We requested a table downstairs but since we were a large group (6), they said they could only accomodate us in the upstairs which turned out to be quaint and intimate as well. I guess we weren't really prepared for it being a shared-dishes restaurant and a lot of the menu didn't appeal to us outside the pastas, duck fat fries, and monkey bread. That being said we decided to forego sharing dishes and each ordered our own pasta and split two orders each of the duck fat dries and monkey bread. I ordered the raviolo which turned out to just be one giant raviolo. It was delicious but lacking substance compared to everyone else's well-portioned pastas. The best things of the night was the duck fat fries for sure. They have an extensive wine list and a sommelier to assist in selection. Overall it was a interesting and tasteful experience, but not one I'd need to repeat.
(3)
Michael N.
Food was very good (above average), but nothing made it stand out. Great ambiance. Service was very slow, which is fine if that's what you're in the mood for, but we were on a schedule (Dexter started at 8) so we were not thrilled with the timeliness of the service. Great beer list and very polite staff though.
(3)
Jennifer L.
Great ambiance, great food, great service. I heard great things about this neighborhood joint and was certainly not disappointed. Definitely get a few dishes to share as the portions are moderately sized.
(4)
Kevin M.
My wife and I had dinner here on Sat 8/6. We had a couple dishes that were really good and a couple that were OK. The reason I'm giving it 4 stars and going back is the service. Solid, but one thing stood out - The busser asked if he could wrap up teh remainder of a smoked trout fettucine for my wife and when she declined he probed if she liked it. She said it was OK. He apologized. The waiter then came over and apologized genuinely for us not liking it while we protested that it really was fine. Then he took it off the bill. I'd go back to Bristol in a heartbeat.
(4)
Davida T.
First visit to The Bristol - great atmosphere and cocktails. Most of our meal (smoked mackerel, duck fat fries, gnocchi) was delicious. Steak ordered medium rare came out all but raw (we love medium rare to rare - this was cold and purple). Server didn't check back... The most disappointing aspect of this meal was the wine. After tasting a sample of a delicious wine, I ordered a glass. What I was served was the dregs of an old bottle. I decided not to complain, but the last mouthful, full of sediment, left a bad taste in my mouth about the whole experience. Will never be back...
(1)
Kristen W.
I liked The Bristol itself, great atmosphere, cozy, warm, modern. Finally a restaurant who gets the importance of proper lighting! Kudos on that. The booze: decent beer selection, points for having beer on tap and a good bottle selection. There are larger bottles to share. Mixed drinks look great, love the vintage selection. Food- everything was quite salty. We had the pastrami (yes we knew this would be salty ), the monkey bread- wayyy tooo salty, and the sardines- again all salty items but man alive did my blood pressure take a beating. I'm fine with small plates but sometimes a small plate can seem ludicrous for the price. And the waiter was a bit too in our face. I wish it had been a little more laid back and I wish I had liked the food better. I feel like we paid the price of a full meal for about 1/10th the actual food, and believe me I HATE large portions so it's not that I wanted to stuff myself. Judging from the rest of the reviews I'm sure this place will do fine despite my whining.
(3)
Chillie D.
Life has to be savored. Food is made to live life better. When it comes to flavors that are robust, ubiquitous, and unfettered by complicated sauces, the Bristol restaurant does not disappoint. The Bristol boasts exquisite Mediterranean cuisine, which is usually divided into three culinary regions: North African (especially Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern European (Italy, France, Spain). RECOMMENDATIONS: For starters, we shared these: Apple salad, marinated manchego with hazelnut (luscious and nicely put together) Pork Meatballs, Creamy Polenta, Pomodoro Sauce (outstanding) Razor Clams A la Plancha con salsa verde y olive oil (exquisitely delectable) (Note: a la plancha means grilled on a metal plate) For our MAIN ENTREES, we ordered: Hand Rolled Cavatelli, Cotechino, Broccoli Rabe (note: cotechino is a freshly made Italian pork sausage which can be garlicky in taste and is very popular in northern Italy); Seared Red Snapper, Fregola, Chiles, Aromatic Broth (note: fregola is a tiny beaded pasta that has a unique nutty flavor and is similar to couscous); Hanger Steak, Bulgur Wheat, Grapes, Pine Nuts, Yogurt (note: bulgur wheat is a natural whole grain food which has no chemicals; it is low in fat and high in carbs); Garganelli, Braised Kale, Lemon Butter (note: Garganelli is an Italian pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region. It is small tubes of pasta that resembles penne pasta). SERVICE: We all agreed that the service is worth 5-stars, 8 thumbs up and a quadruple high-five! Our Server was extremely knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. High props to our Server! We went with another couple, who were in town over Thanksgiving, and we decided to try The Bristol because my niece gave it high praises! We're glad that we took her recommendation. Plan to spend any where from $20 to $35 per person (excluding wine, beer or dessert). In other words, be prepared to spend more than $30 per person. Their wine and beer selections are excellent. We will go back again for a special occasion (anniversary, birthday, promotion, graduation, etc.).
(4)
Eric M.
I liked the Bristol. My brother and I got there at six on a Tuesday night, so there was no wait (I love dining early for that reason). One of his coworkers recommended it. The place is warm and inviting, lots of wood (only complaint there is that the tables are too thick, leaving too little room between my legs and the top). The drinks were well-crafted, the wine was nicely selected. The food was quite good. I had some asparagus special that I did really enjoy and was nicely prepared. My brother had their roast chicken, which the server billed as teh best roast chicken you'll ever have. Sorry - that's overbilling it. It's a capable roast chicken, that's not out of place at the Bristol, but it's far from the best roast chicken I've ever tried. I make better roast chicken at home - moister, with better skin. I think the poulet grand mere at Bistro Zinc is also a consistently excellent roast chicken, if you're looking for one in a restaurant. We started with the monkey bread - really awesome bread! We also had some sort of sliced meat on light greens dish, which was very nice. And we split a raviolo and the marrow. The flavors on everything were delicious, although maybe one more slice of bread with the marrow would have been good. The server was very friendly and prompt and good at anticipating things. So why four stars instead of five? I'm not sure. It was very good, but it just didn't appeal to me as much as my favorite places do. I'd easily eat here again, it just didn't break into the level of my favorite places.
(4)
Lin H.
cherry glazed donuts: moist, fluffy, and love the whipped cream on the side. shrimp and grits:....... not impress at all, bit blend, and the shrimp taste like the frozen shrimp you could get from jewel. salmon Benedict and the side potato: potato was not great for the eyes, but it def taste more than a million bucks. crispy and flavorful. overall not bad for a Sunday brunch
(3)
Lauren D.
Another great find in Bucktown! Went here on a Wednesday night and it was pretty crowded, but have no complaints about service -- the staff is efficient and accommodating and helpful with the menu. I wanted to try one of their hand-crafted cocktails, but the menu says "please allow for a few minutes" and I didn't want to allow for anything seeing as I needed some vodka into my system STAT. So, I didn't, but I hear they're great and if they are anything like the food, they should be phenomenal. I tried and loved the duck fat fries, the apple salad and the chicken. All the food I saw going to the other tables looked incredibly tasty. I will definitely visit Bristol again and probably order at least 2 servings of the duck fat fries. (What exactly are they?)
(4)
Rob H.
Dined at the Bristol for the first time with my girlfriend and a friend. Cocktails: I had an awesome Dark and Stormy (definitely recommend it if you like ginger) and a not-so-great Pomelo Fizz (tasted more like grapefruit pith than grapefruit flesh -- too bitter for me.) My fellow diners' choices were all very tasty as well (a Loretto Jam, a Pisco Sour & a Poire & Elderflower). The thing I really liked about these cocktails was that strong without being overpowering, and super flavorful, so they were perfect to sip with a meal and enjoy at a relaxed pace (which helps ease the pain of $11/drink). Starters: Duck fat fries, the monkey bread, and a California burrata (soft cheese). All were excellent, though it did end up being a bit of a carb overload since the cheese was served with toasted bread. Moved on to beef tongue raviolo split three ways, which was also pretty good. Picking one to recommend, I'd go for the duck fat fries -- even though you can get fries anywhere, these were very satisfying. Mains: Loved my short rib with a blood orange bbq sauce; enjoyed the gf's quail. Friend seemed to like his prawns as well. Dessert: Was underwhelming. We had a chocolate sponge cake with beets and I would rather have just enjoyed the beets as part of an amuse or a beet salad. We also had something that was like chocolate pudding with housemade nutter butter cookies, which was good but not fabulous. Service: Very nice when I called to check if they were open and what the wait was like, and a good waitress. It was a slow night which may have helped, so I don't have any "long wait" commentary to share -- that's well addressed in other reviews here. Value: A bit expensive since we ended up spending $80/person for a meal and two drinks each, but they were REALLY good drinks, and we did enjoy several courses. Overall: great cocktails, good food, don't bother with dessert.
(4)
Cindy D.
Wow - I'm really really shocked people like this place. Went here with my husband, sister, and her boyfriend. Got the following.. Monkeybread - Great!!! It comes in tear away pieces with a lovely butter dill dip. Duck fries - OK, nothing orgamic - fatty fries Rock fish - Good, but the lentils was a wierd contrast. I loved the sausage that came with it, but that's about it Half chicken - Gross - salty, a bit dry, and not that much different that fried chicken Prawns - SALTY, once again overseasoned and a bit overcooked. Pasta dish with duck (I forgot the fancy name) - my fav dish, because I love fresh pasta. Overall, drinks and dinner was $190 for four people and we weren't full. Would not go again!
(2)
Matthew L.
This could be the best food I have ever tasted in Chicago. Duck Fat Fries were delicious, bone marrow was also awesome, and the staff was so knowledgeable that we even started pairing wines with our meal. The ambiance is wonderful, aside from the uncomfortable chairs. But you will quickly lose yourself in the meal and service. Their knowledgeable staff helps make the experience memorable with aiding in food experience. If you like food, both fancy and home-style, save up the money and make a trip.
(5)
Daniel S.
Consider this review for brunch only...dinner appears much better. The coffee was good at brunch but you get cups in 6 oz portions. The cinnamon roll glaze is not traditional glaze but more of a cheesecake blend without any mention of this on the menu. The entrees were fine but not great- not recommended spot for brunch.
(2)
Ryan M.
Came here for brunch on a rainy dreary Sunday AM hungover and looking for any help I could get. Bristol brought the goods...started off with a strong white russian (lil on the pricey side) and tasty coffee to try to get the day going. Needless to say they had homeade hot sauce on the table, which was a mind blower and the surprise I was looking for. Ordered the chilaquiles and the table shared the duck fat fries WOW both were a taste explosion...that ketchup with the fries was dank and I hate ketchup. Did some scouting on the beer menu and was blown away also...Founders Breakfast Stout on Tap is 5 stars in my book (although also a bit pricey $9 for a snifter). Table really dug all the food we got... the chilaquiles, duck fat fries, eggs benedict (girlfriend kept raving about), egg sandwich, and hangover breakfast were all talked about post meal. Minus the hangover a kick ass meal.
(5)
Anthony A.
Here are the highlights: cool spot, fun drinks, awesome appetizers, and knowledgeable staff. The monkey bread, flat bread, and duck fat fries appetizers are outstanding. And the ravioli with egg yolk is definite must order. For drinks, try a pisco sour. I lived in South America for quite some time and this is one of the best I've had in the states. They do it up right. Sadly, our entrees were a bit lacking. Shared the pork belly and chicken entrees. I'm a pork/bacon expert and really wanted to like this. The pork belly per se wasn't too bad, but it was served on this "pretzel bread" which 1) sadly didn't taste like pretzel bread and 2) was way too heavy for the dish. Was very disappointed in the entrees. Especially at this price point. I would be willing to give them another chance, when they change their menu up. In the mean time, I would come here for fun drinks and good appetizers, but would stay away from the entrees.
(3)
Char Y.
No wait on Tuesday night! We walked right in and were seated right away. The waiter was helpful & bossy, but very information. We ordered duck fat fries - ok flat bread - wow bone marrow - done the right way & super yum lamb sausage - yum wow for the food, but not the price. However, they do have an HUGE selection of beer and wine. Too bad I don't drink.
(3)
Kim A.
I love this place. The staff is incredibly friendly and receptive, the food is well thought out and deliberate, and... the beer selection. You can get good food in Chicago, for sure, but Bristol is a package deal. It's always packed, and easy to see why. Defiantly a great place for a group, or even to bring a date. I normally don't like sitting at a bar to eat, but it's nice to meet other people, and to chat with the staff as well. Indelibly recommended.
(5)
Ela G.
to gorge: an act of eating greedily and to excess. I am guilty. No one could come near my stealthy fork skills as I quickly snatched up every last morsel. Bristol, yet again, made me very happy, but very soon after sick to my stomach full and in regret, but for those of you that have more will power, read on, give it a go. Salads: Market Greens, Apple Salad - recommend both Mediums: there were 2 special pastas - the celery root ravioli and the gnocchi. Both to die for, amazing, lick the plate. Larges: chicken, oh chicken. Never has this chicken dish so rocked my belief system that ordering chicken at a restaurant is stupid. This chicken makes me want to order chicken everywhere I go, yet none still compare. Crispy skin, perfectly cooked, and spatzle, can we TALK about spatzle??! I wanted to use it as a verb, like SPATZLE this all over my body this chicken is delicious. Pork porterhouse and trout were also excellent. Desserts: Basque cake, chocolate panna cotta, and fromage blanc - amazing but I most highly recommend the fromage blanc - a not too sweet slightly savory rich type of panna cotta that will blow your mind. All in all I had an amazing evening at The Bristol. Although I acknowledge I am not the most adventurous foodie (pig tail, tuna collar, bone marrow are all staples here yet I steered clear), there truly is something for everyone. Oh and my Moscow mule cocktail, with house-made ginger beer served in an icy cold copper mug? Key to my heart.
(5)
Lauren H.
I came to the Bristol for a friend's birthday on a Saturday night. I had to think before writing the review, because it was a mixed bag. We started with drinks, which were served at different times even though we ordered together. I had the Koi Pond, with tequila, ginger ale, and some other ingredients and it was nice and smooth. We split all our dishes and had the following: -Monkey Bread with dill butter and sea salt: this was my favorite dish of the night, especially when it was still piping hot. -Grilled Flatbread with bacon and melted sweet onion was also very good. -Half Acre Beer Cheese with slaw and crackers--it wasn't bad, but to me it tasted like cheese out of a tub you can get at the grocery store. Not restaurant quality in my opinion. I did like the crackers though. -Duck fat fries-these were good as was the garlic aoli they were served with. -Porchetta-all we could taste was the salt, which overpowered the meat. Not a good choice at all and we even advised the server as to the issue. -Ravioli-this was deliciously rich and tasty, but it was one (albeit big) ravioli. I thought the portion for the price was a bit meager. We ripped through two of these easily. -Bone Marrow--I didn't taste this but the others in my party didn't seem that impressed. Not that it was bad, it just was nothing special. I did like the shallot jam it was served with. -Bristol Burger--someone in our party had this, and luckily we hadn't intended on splitting it because it was the size of a slider. So again, I thought it a meager portion for the price. -Chocolate saboyon with nutter butters--the saboyon tasted like pudding, good but nothing extraordinary, but I liked the homemade nutter butters (especially when dipped in the pudding). But once again, small portion (shotglass of saboyon with two cookies). More like 3.5 stars, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt.
(4)
MEdlinda C.
This place is to die for! I don't normally give 5 stars, but when the food is spot-on, and the service is in the A-game, why hold back with the stars? E and I arrived at 10 pm and the restaurant was still bustling (escape from cabin fever in full force here). The hostess greeted us with the drinks menu and made us feel comfortable while waiting in the foyer. Given E and I were both fighting off hunger pangs at this point, the drinks were a godsend - I started with the poire & elderflower drink, which was sweet and refreshing, with top notes of white grape and berries. E got the apple cider, which was rich and sweet with caramelly notes. Warmed and gently buzzed from the liquor, we started on our dinner. Flatbread, bone marrow, apple salad and duck fries to start. My fav. of these were the bone marrow and the apple salad. The bone marrow is rich, and velvety, but more fat than marrow - which I wasn't used to. Regardless, delicious served with jam and micro arugula-type vegetables. The apple salad had shaved fennel (divine!) with a touch of pecorino cheese - the colors on this salad are as bright and beautiful as its taste. For our entree, we shared the flank steak (I was seduced by the bone marrow "dumplings"). The flank steak was perfectly cooked med-rare, with delicate sweet cioppolini onions and dumplings. The dumplings weren't at all like the Asian-style dumplings I (naturally) envisioned, but more like a small marrow cake. I gobbled them down all the same. Yum!! More drinks followed: dark and stormy, pisco sour, violette, and some other drink I understandably can't recall now. All in all, a highly pleasant night of fine dining, well-executed drinks, and wonderful service. What more can a girl ask for on ANY night in the city?
(5)
M B.
I thought this was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life, everything was incredible! First the best cocktail, the Gin Fizz was delicious, kind of tasted like a creamy lemon meringue pie but still a very light drink. Appetizers: duck fat fries (they were a little unsalted but I assume they do that intentionally so you first taste the delicious duck fat then season to your palate as not everyone likes salt), cheese plate (the cheddar cheese and candied cashews were amazing! the blue cheese was a little too intense for a cheese plate though) and finally the bone marrow (sooo fatty and creamy!) Entrees: The roasted half chicken was sooo juicy and flavorful, the skin was crispy and perfectly seasoned and the fried pig's tail was incredibly juicy, tender and succulent. The service was also very attentive, polite and nice. Between the friendly staff, great ambiance and decor and of course the food, I feel extremely confident in giving The Bristol 5 stars!
(5)
Lala S.
Run! Don't walk...better yet, steal your neighbor's Ferrari and get there quick! Absolutely delicious. Duck Fat Fries?!?!?! What more could you ask for (maybe MK's truffle cream to dip the fries in--then I could die happy)? Food is superb here. Their brunch is awesome as well. I recommend the Fried Egg Sandwich. The sandwich has a generous portion of pork belly--mmmm mmmm mmm. The Eggs Benedict is yummy and the hollandaise sauce that accompanies it is even better. I would also recommend their DUCK SAUSAGE skillet. Need I say more? You won't be disappointed here. The price is just right. The food is on point. I crave it every Sunday morning and when I get there wish that I had waited for dinner. Maybe next time I'll just go for brunch, hide in the bathroom, and reappear for dinner service (just a thought).
im willing to give the bristol another try. i went there for brunch and was very underwhelmed. every sunday i eat brunch with my family and i had been on a biscuits n gravy kick. of all the places i went in the past few wks, i hadn't gotten a dish that i was completely satisfied with. i was looking forward to the bristols - it was not very good. at all. biscuits were dry and there wasn't enough gravy! the egg didn't belong. it was awkward. whatever my sister ordered was just ok (i can't remember what it was). again, underwhelmed. i've come here for drinks once (no food) and just sat at the bar. the bartender was nice. i think i need to come back and try the duck fat fries like everyone says. but is it overdone? next time, next time.
(3)
Jani L.
Fantastic service and fun waitstaff. Our waiter explained the specials and specialty cocktails in great detail. The Bristol has an extensive beer selection but don't miss the cocktail made with the house smoked Makers Mark, it's awesome. The food is delicious too and the cheese plate with honeycomb is so good. If you have ever been to Husk in SC, the Bristol is a mini version of that right here in Chicago- local, farm fresh and awesome. Can't wait to go back.
(5)
Maggie B.
I went for brunch on Sunday and everything was great. We went around 10:30 with a party of seven and were seated right away. We shared the cinnamon roll and coffee glazed donut and both were excellent. I ordered two eggs with breakfast potatoes and they were delicious too. The eggs were different than others places in a good way. I'm not exactly sure what they do to them. I also ordered the french press coffee and it had a great strong flavor. I will definitely go back there.
(4)
Doug C.
Three words ... Duck Fat Fries Go, eat, and you will enjoy
(4)
Megan G.
ROASTED BONE MARROW. What other restaurant in Chicago can you order that menu item??? So I tried The Bristol last night with a friend who had been there before. She loved it and her recommendation didn't disappoint. Let me set the scene: dimly lit, large wooden communal tables, small bar, modern trappings, very responsive host right away as we walked in...there was a 45 minute wait for a table so we opted to sit at the bar so we could hear each other speak. My friend chose the Cue-Cai cocktail, made with fresh cucumbers, and Grey Goose Poire. I didn't drink, but she said it was refreshing and fantastic. We started with the monkey bread. It comes in a small crock, golden brown and sprinkled with sea salt. Has a pretzel-like quality, but a lighter texture. It comes with a dill-butter sauce for dipping. That sauce, man...mmmm. I wanted to drink it! Not overly herb-ey and not greasy. Delicious. We then split the market greens salad with buttermilk-tarragon dressing. There was a bit of butter lettuce and mixed greens with thinly sliced radishes, shallots, mint and tarragon. The dressing was light and the flavor of tarragon was perfect. Not too overpowering of a licorice flavor. It was a nice, light break in the meal. After that we again split the pan roasted halibut, which was perfectly cooked. It came in a light lemon cream white wine sauce, with baby grape tomatoes and yellow squash. The squash was so fresh you could snap into it. Onto the star of the meal: the roasted bone marrow. Now, I have never had it before, but have seen it eaten and let me tell you, it does not look appetizing at all. It is just this gelatinous, greasy mass inside a huge hoof. Served with crispy toast, parsley and shallot jam, it's hardly a meal, am I wrong? Yes, I was totally wrong. I was full after eating the dish and I didn't even eat the full portion. I dont know what I was expecting, but this was amazing in it's soft, salty, fatty, perfectly greasy deliciousness. Imagine cutting yourself a piece of the most perfectly cooked steak you have ever eaten (we all have one, mine is from Manny's in Minneapolis)...now imagine you took that flavor and combined it with just the right amount of marbley fat and let it melt in your mouth. That meltiness...that's bone marrow. Spread over thick, crusty toast combined with the vinegar of the shallot jam and there were literally fireworks exploding over my head as I chewed. It's too much for one sitting though, too rich. I would only eat something like this a few times a year, but it's worth it to get past those precarious food notions you have and just TRY IT. To finish up a great meal we split the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butter cookies. Decadent. You gotta dip 'em. And we managed to eat that much and that elegantly, plus another glass of wine all for $75-$80! The Bristol is doing it. Go do it, too! UPDATE: Wow, after re-reading this I realize I sound like a total caveman with a huge monster leg of meat and that is A-OK with me.
(4)
Nancy V.
The Bristol has great ambiance and decor. The cocktails were innovative and delicious! It is definitely a place where you should probably have no more than 4 in your group considering that it's a pretty small restaurant. This is somewhere you would go to share the dishes with your group since the plates are fairly small and the food can be slightly decadent. The ingredients are all local and fresh and there was nothing that I particularly disliked but there was also nothing that completely wow'ed me either. Love it: Monkey bread and duck fat fries Loathe it: Steamed Pake
(3)
Garrett C.
I've lived down the street for ages and never knew this place existed. It was -hiding-. Like a delicious ninja about to pounce on my tastebuds. There was a short wait for Sunday brunch, so we sat at the bar (plenty of seats there) and started the day with a drink. My drink's name escapes me, but it had vodka and ginger and was very refreshing. 'Twas served in a tin cup that reminded me of camping trips. Once we were sat, three of us shared a rather large cinnamon roll, which looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. I ordered their Bristol Brew (by Intelligensia) coffee, since the availability of good coffee is a rare and treasured event for me. My entree was eggs benedict over ham with hash browns. The hashes were perfectly browned and seasoned excellently. The eggs benedict were awesome too, though anything with Hollandaise sauce is guaranteed to be a brunch hit. My only complaint, and perhaps this isn't entirely fair, is that the meal reminded me a lot of Feast, a local brunch favorite of mine. Their menu offerings, the feel of the restaurant, everything kept giving me Feast-ja-vu. Perhaps at some point, every hipster-y brunch place starts feeling the same?
(4)
Marc D.
Besides life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness another self-evident truth is that bacon makes everything better. Since I am not an investment banker or lawyer, I never order Manhattans. However, for brunch The Bristol offers a "Bacon Manhattan" and truth be told, I enjoyed it. Plus I had a piece of bacon to nosh on. Sounds kinda redneck, tasted kinda awesome. You will certainly earn respect at your table with one of these! Enough about that. How about everything else? People claim it's the small things that matter and the Bristol delivers in spades. I returned from the restroom to a folded napkin. My water glass was never empty as the table service was seamless and unobtrusive. It also speaks volumes that the manager (possibly the owner, I don't know) was on the floor helping bus tables, fill water, etc. Teamwork = a well oiled machine at The Bristol. These were the small things, now onto the big. The Bristol has great food, great service, and especially good value for the money. Our server Amelia took excellent care of us, offered honest recommendations and knew the menu well enough for us to make confident decisions. I ordered the Braised Pork Chilaquiles as did a friend, my wife ordered the Eggs Benedict and our other friend ordered the Biscuits and Gravy. All superb. The Chilaquiles had cilantro and lime so I was in heaven. The hollandaise sauce on my wife's plate was a light, honey-flavored sauce that was far removed from your typical goop. The biscuits and gravy light, fluffy, sweet and delicious without being a soupy mess. Total bill for the group of four: $82 pre-tip. Take away the two drinks and we're talking $62 for the food / coffee tab. For awesome food, that's an awesome price. Go to The Bristol. Now. The clean modern Alpine-inspired decor will invite you in and you'll be happy you stayed. Some tables are communal and some people don't like that. Whatever. We live in a cold, insular society so I say we need more communal dining. Bravo Bristol.
(5)
Lisa R.
My husband and I save our money, and every once and a while we enjoy going out for a budgeted splurge. We'd heard rave things about our neighborhood bistro, so we went to check it out. I was impressed at the friendlyness of the hostess, who seated us right away without a reservation. Then we waited... and waited... for the one server who was working to take our order. She finally came, and I was so hungry at this point that I didn't even ask about the cocktail I ordered, and I just word vomited my order. My husband loved his manhattan, but my drink was too sweet for my taste. My server didn't ask about my cocktail either. Ah well... let's get to the food part. We ordered the monkey bread... It was delicious. 'Nuff said. Then the chitara came.. We were both kinda meh about it. I only ate about two bites. I had high hopes for the steak... The server told us that the chef recommends ordering it medium, so that's how we ordered it. When we received our steak, there was no heat coming off of it. It wasn't bloody, but it wasn't medium either- at least not how I've ever seen medium. That's all well and good, but my steak was luke warm, if that. I left feeling a little robbed and disappointed.
(2)
Scott H.
Good food, but not as great as described by others. Yeah, it's full of porky goodness, and the menu is inventive, using lots of local products. But I've got to say, I was a bit let down by the service and the space itself. I didn't get the communal vibe they were trying to achieve with the big family style tables. Instead I felt cramped and on top of the diners next to us. (Don't get me wrong, I love family style places, but this one didn't sit well with me). Regardless of my measly 3 star review, give this place a try if you haven't been there before. As others have noted, the monkey bread, apple/manchego salad, and chicken are excellent.
(3)
Brian C.
Excellent menu, great for sharing with friends, delicious cocktails! Visited The Bristol on a recent trip to Chicago. I read a little on this place a little before we came here, by recommendation of a friend, and was already on a mission to try their Honey Mead... but that would have to wait until the end of the meal... more on that in a sec. When we walked in, I knew this place was going to be special... the long family-style wood tables and chalkboards on the walls promoting their partnerships with local farmers set the perfect setting for a cozy dinner with our good friends. We started with cocktails, which were delicious. I had some concoction of absinthe and whiskey, which was suprisingly good. The dinner menu was eclectic, and there seemed to be something for everyone. The portions are smaller, so we opted to try a bunch of different things and just share everything. The monkey bread with the dill butter was amazing. We also tried the Pig's Head, the Duck Confit, Bolognese, and half chicken... all of which were delicious. Finally came the dessert, which was a delicious chocolate mousse type thing with homemade nutter butters... it went perfectly with my honey mead, which was sweet and satisfying - everything i hoped for and more. Overall, a great dinner on a Sunday night with friends.
(4)
Brad B.
This review covers two visits to The Bristol, you've been warned. Neither time that I've been here, have I actually sat at a table and had a proper meal. Once upstairs at the bar, once downstairs at the bar. Both times, brilliant. Let me say that again. BRILLIANT. The cocktails are fab-tastic, the bartenders witty and engaging - the first time I went, my date and I spoke to the bartenders almost as much as each other. We ate radishes, then cheeses and finished with desert - all the while working our way through the cocktail board to our right as if it were a 'to-do' list. The second time, with a business associate it was cocktails, then escargot followed by a lovely whitefish with a tomato sauce and finally, deserts. The flavor combinations that come out of the bar and the kitchen are amazing....its a must if you're a foodie in Chicago.
(5)
Sean S.
We went to Bristol last night because we couldn't get into Girl and the Goat and it was highly recommended. I have to say huuuge let down. The beers were WARM, and the waiter blamed it on the warm glass when I asked for a glass of ice to cool it down. The service was very slow and the tables are inches apart. We ordered salad, an app, fries and 2 entrees and it took 2 hours to get our food and it was the same temp as the beer. Drinks were slow and on top of the poor service the only thing hot was the waiters breath (not so fresh).... the atmosphere and place was very cool, but we were just really disappointed. The highlight of the night was the couple next to us worked at Girl and the Goat and actually called and made us a reservation on the spot. Very nice thing to do.
(1)
Jason N.
I can't see why this restaurant currently has an average rating of 4 stars. Maybe I'm getting older and my wife, who is really into food trends says that this menu, heavily skewed towards pork related items, that are presented in otherwise overly creative forms, is the current food trend. So perhaps, my one star may not be fair to this restaurant. My wife and I got to the Bristol at around 8:30, told there was a 45 minute wait, which we were fine with. We went upstairs to the bar where we waited 10 minutes just to order our drinks and another 20 minutes to receive them. We both ordered the Pear Vodka and Elderflower cocktails, which were very fragrant and tasted excellent. We were finally seated. We couldn't decide on what to order, so we decided on The apple salad, which was decent, the duck fat fries, a flat bread, and the egg and bacon sandwich. The egg and bacon sandwich was disgusting and was nothing how it sounded. The bacon was about 1/2 inch thick, mostly fat which was covered with a mayonaisse type of substance, and the egg on top of that was miniscule egg. All for 10 bucks. I can't even say it was remotely worth it. In the end, the best thing about this place, was what we made fun of in the beginning...the drinks.
(1)
Matthew C.
This rating might be slightly low, as it probably deserves 3.5 stars. The roasted half chicken was phenomenal. Perfectly cooked, and served with some delicious little goodies. For dessert, the basque cake was outstanding. GFs favorite dessert in Chicago, better than anything at Hot Chocolate, she said. The duck fat fries were...fries. I didn't see what all the big fuss about them was. Same goes with the Monkey Bread. Both were just meh.
(3)
Liz H.
I wish there was an option for NO STARS. This experience was unpleasant from the time i called to make a reservation and the snobby women on the other end of the phone informed me they do not take reservations, which is understandable but i didn't need the side of arrogance with the answer. Our waiter might have been the RUDEST person i have ever met in my entire life. He was impatient and explained everything we asked about as fast as he possible could. And when a women i was with asked him to repeat something he started the sentence with "like i said before..." I mean really??? What happened to the customer comes first. He then arrogantly explained the rest of the menu. I really couldn't believe the way he was speaking to my table. The fact that we didn't know what goat sago was seemed to be absolutely appalling to him. We finished our drinks and left. I understand being a fine dining trendy restaurant but you can also be polite and friendly at the same time. I will do my best to tell everyone about my experience at this place.
(1)
Katie H.
Summary: It wasn't bad, but I doubt I'll be back. The details: There were some major hits and misses here and overall, I just don't think it was worth the price. It wasn't really expensive (about $60 for dinner for 2, not incl. drinks), but I could get much better food for the price elswhere. The monkey bread was delish (it's warm bread with butter and sea salt - it would take some real talent to screw it up). The ravioli (one big ravioli for $12) was amazing and gone in a second. The duck fat fries, beer cheese spread with crackers and the flatbread were all . . fine, And not very memorable. The marrow (albeit, my first) was flavorless and the porcetto was downright crap. It had no taste other than salt, and for 4 super thin slices they had the nerve to charge somthing like $10. Are you kidding me? When we told the server we didn't like it, her response: oh. One person at out table also had the world's smallest $10 burger.
(3)
Mike C.
Really good food with a great vibe. Kinda hard to get a seat but once you're there, it's nice. I heard the service upstairs wasn't so great but we luckily ended up downstairs for dinner. Monkey bread is awesome, so was the flatbread. Prawns were good, though I wish they weren't split the way they do it, made it harder for me to unshell it. That or maybe I have feet for hands and have no touch. Boar's belly is awesome, as usual wild boar proves to be the truest pork of pork. Good beer selection as well.
(4)
Jim S.
Very solid food...great ambiance...witty staff. The food is certainly unique, but in a good way. They do a great brunch now which is as good...if not better than the dinners.
(4)
Gaige G.
Exceptional food. If you're a foodie, not to be missed. So far this and HB are my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Menu is sophisticated and super high quality. Drinks are fantastic, great natural materials used in furnishings, nice atmosphere - fine food focused.
(5)
Joyee L.
I had a very mixed experience eating at this restaurant. First thing to note is that it is EXTREMELY loud and crowded in this restaurant. I guess you could go here on a first date, but only if you want to spend your dinner shouting across the table, squeezing past neighboring diners to get up to go to the bathroom, and having your conversation overhead. I went on a very crowded Friday night around 6:00pm with my boyfriend, but was seated right away. However, I can't say the same for the next 100 people who came in after us. They were forced to stand in the very cramped 'foyer' of the restaurant, adding to sea of people in the space. The meal started with the owner of the restaurant explaining the concept of the restaurant to us. He seemed generally excited about the food, but also seemed a bit pretentious too. There were 3 menus. 1. Drink Menu, 2. Regular Menu on a Single Sheet of Paper and 3. Chalkboard Menu on the Wall. Menu on the Wall seemed like a cool concept. Too bad we were all the way across the room, and I couldn't read about half the things on it. Luckily, my boyfriend figured out that everything on Menu 3 was basically the same as the stuff on Menu 2. Food was all pretty exceptional: 1. Fried Green Tomatoes - A+ 2. Grilled Flatbread - A+ 3. Stuffed Chicken Wings - definitely a misnomer, but delicious nonetheless Then it was here in the meal when we waited 45 minutes for our entree to arrive. During these 45 minutes, nobody came to check on us. We finally had to get up and physically grab the owner of the restaurant to ask him to check on our entrees, because he was so busy running around. 4. Grilled Skirt Steak - Very tasty, but the portion was way too small, which didn't satisfy me especially after the 45 intermission between courses. 5. Roasted Half Chicken - very bland and boring, especially compared to all the other big flavors had hitherto experienced. Then we were comped some desserts because of our dining mishap. 6. Pistachio Tart - meh. I usually love pistachios, but this cake was dry and flavorless. 7. Some other dessert - which was apparently was very forgettable. Apparently, reading some of the other reviews, we picked the wrong two desserts to have to end our meal. Service was fine, but the bussers were almost too insistent on their water filling. I probably will go back here at some point, but as the other reviewers before me have said. Go on an off-peak night.
(3)
Michelle H.
B is for basic foods prepared as exceedingly average fare R is for righteous - as in self - as in the host I is for interesting interior S is for strenuous street parking T is for duck fat fries (mmmm...good)(had to get that in there somewhere) O is for "Oh no you didn't try to seat us at the table near the door after we waited upstairs for 95 minutes!!" L is for the blue video police light flashing into the restaurant every 10 seconds when a car drives by too fast. wine list by the glass - worth exploring for the price oh - and - get a coat rack up stairs!
(2)
Kate Z.
I can think of very few places where I could be this excited about a place after waiting for two hours to eat at it. The service was unpretentious and caring - the food was inventive and artfully unadorned. I'm impressed with the Bristol ethic and execution. Very few things are worth it like a dinner with seven at the Bristol.
(4)
Margot F.
Among the many hip small plates eateries in Chicago, the Bristol the most disappointing. The wine prices were astronomically high. The menu items sound great, but we found they were not as good as similar dishes at other establishments. Specifically the pappardelle was too chewy and the meat was nearly non-existent. The service was pathetic. We waited very long between ordering our drinks, receiving our drinks, and being asked for our order (I would say we were there 30+ minutes before being asked if we were ready to order or if we had questions on the menu). Our server returned only once after that (about 20 minutes after our first drink was empty and with only one plate left to arrive). He returned again after our plates had been cleared to ask if we wanted dessert. At that point we hadn't been served the only large plate we ordered (which was trout and very delicious). He looked confused and when we mentioned we hadn't received the fish and he left the table in a hurry. The server returned a few minutes later mumbling something about being confused and the fish would be just a few minutes longer. 20+ minutes later the fish arrived (our wine was gone again at this point). Again, did we want dessert? No, we'd been there for 2 hours already and just wanted to get the heck out. The server did not apologize for or even acknowledge his mistake with the fish. This was the worst service I had at nicer restaurant in Chicago. Management-- if you read these, I suggest you discuss with the pudgy male server who worked the evening of MLK day with how to handle what to do when you forget to put in one of the orders at a table and it will take 20 minutes to prepare.
(1)
Kristin W.
I've been wanting to go here since it opened. I went on Friday and it did not disappoint. We called right after our movie at Kerasotes Webster (totally walkable) and they said an hour to an hour and a half. Most of our party didn't want to wait that long but we convinced them to give it a go. By the time we got there (they don't take reservations) they told us 30 minutes to an hour. We went to nearby Danny's for a drink and came back after 30 for another 20 minute wait. We hung out at the long table by the door and got some drinks from the bar. Even though the place was crowded it was easy to manage at the bar and we got our drinks (even fancy cocktails) right away. The drinks were really, really good. They definitely rival The Violet Hour and are $9 instead of $12. There is also tons of wine and beer options. I got the Sparkling Sangria and it was great. The Pink Lady is also super good and so was the Moscow Mule. Delish. For food we shared the Smokey Fritters, the Duck Fat Frites, the Cheese Plate, and the Monkey Bread. All were good. The fries came with housemade ketchup that was really sweet and yum and the Monkey Bread was tasty too. I don't like stinky cheeses and the cheese plate kind of stunk up the place, but my husband really loved it. I can't wait to try more food! So much was crossed off the board by 11pm. For dinner I go the egg sandwich which was amazing. It says it comes with bacon, but its really like a thick piece of pork belly or something. Its so tender and not like bacon at all. I loved that egg sandwich. It was great. I also got to try the heirloom apple salad and the cheeseburger. Both were really good. The food was great, the drinks were great, and the service was outstanding (not at all snobby- super nice). The place is expensive, but not crazily so. I really liked it. Best of all - the kitchen is open until 1am!
(4)
Debbie S.
Hubby and I left the baby at home and went here for date night a few weeks back. We were not disappointed. I started off with a Moscow Mule cocktail...highly recommended if Ginger is your thing. It's even served in a copper cup. I felt like I was back in the 1920s...either that, or one of the members of Oliver Twist's gang looking for food. And on to the food...Hubby and I split the Monkey Bread and the Duck Fat Fries and we also had a special veggie snack that isn't on the regular menu. For our mains, we split the Brisket and the half chicken. The chicken was the highlight of the evening. I normally don't order chicken at restaurants...but this one was worth it. Moist and delicious, I could have continued to eat it all night. For dessert, Hubby and I split the chocolate cremeaux with nutter butters. Yum although we both agreed that we couldn't have each eaten our own plateful (and I love dessert!) Service was great -- our server was adept at recommending dishes and cocktails and explaining the dishes well. Our food came out quickly and when we arrived, we were seated immediately. All in all -- a great experience at the Bristol. I'm planning on going back to try the brunch.
(4)
Kathy W.
This place was awesome! I went only about a week after it opened and everything was running like they'd been open for years. Our main course meals were going to be slightly delayed (about a 15 minute wait from appetizers to main course) and the waiter actually came over and told us that it was going to be a slight wait. I haven't had someone pay that close of attention to exactly what was happening in a long time, and usually I'm eating at a much more established restaurant! Our group started with a few appetizers. The monkey bread was very tasty with a great butter/pesto type sauce. The duck fat fries were amazing, perfectly crispy with an aioli sauce and homemade ketchup on the side. Plus we had a succotash type dish that was really different with a variety of vegetables but very flavorful. For the main course I had the prawns with an excellent butter sauce. A friend had the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli which looked delicious. All of the portions were actually normal sized. You leave satisfied but not over stuffed, which is refreshing for a restaurant to not completely over serve you. To finish off the meal we had a pistachio tart. I'm not a big pistachio fan but it wasn't bad, and my friend (who is a pistachio fan) gobbled the rest raving about how good it was. The seating was a little interesting for larger groups, there were 6 of us. Any party over 4 is sat at the community tables, that is fairly wide, so conversation across the table for a large group can be a little challenging, but we managed fine. Overall it was a great experience and I would highly recommend it. The service was excellent and the food was creative, mixing complementary flavors to bring out the best in all the foods.
(5)
Eva V.
Totally overhyped. Ok service, food is too focused on being gimmicky. There's just so many other reliably good places (and many of these literally blocks away - Mado, Takashi, Le Bouchon, Taxim) that the Bristol just isn't worth the opportunity cost. On paper the menu reads like it has a ton of potential, but when you get the food, most of it is forgettable. Dill monkey bread: Good pretty much only because it's straight out of the oven (What bread isn't good fresh from the oven??). After all the mention the bread had gotten in food publications, I was expecting way more. Scotch olives: ok. After all the hype they'd gotten, I was expecting way more. Raviolo: This was excellent. Pretty clearly a Schwa knock-off, though. Quail with grains, yogurt & other stuff: Tiny and over-priced. $18 bucks for something the size of maybe a chicken breast. Not really remarkable in any other way. The biggest disappointment was dessert. We got the "our take on nutter butter" thing. There are so many ways you can take a nutter butter and interpret it to taste better than it does out of the carton: play with the salty/sweet flavors; mix up the textures (salty peanut butter mousse with a crispy, paper-thin wafer, for example?) But instead, the Bristol bakes some shortbread, slathers it with peanut butter, servers it with a one-dimensional, too sweet chocolate sauce/runny mousse and calls it a day. So frustrating. Literally the first time I've been in a restaurant at Brisol price levels and did not finish the dessert - one bite was just way too much, and not in a good way.
(2)
David W.
Pork is the new steak. Beer is the new wine. Bristol is my new Volo. Most dishes are sharing size. Some are seasonal. Order a bunch, go down the beer list. Good stuff. Place is loud, if you have to wait, there's a bar upstairs. The cocktails are made with precision.
(4)
jamie k.
I've been here twice in less than a week. Whoops! It's really really good. It can be compared to many restaurants that have opened recently...such as, Mado, Mano, Avec, Bluebird I think all these restaurants have it right. Utilizing local food sources and using whole animals, simple seasonal small plates, amazing beer and wine list - I see no problem in multiple unique restaurants having any of these characteristics. First time we went we had the smoky fritters, monkey bread, relish tray, mussels, cheese, and a great Portuguese red wine. We had to go back because there was more we wanted to try, and eat again. More smokey fritters and mussels and Portuguese red wine...along with the trout (so perfectly prepared), ceaser salad with mackerel, spicy olives, Japanese sweet potato gratin. There was not one thing I wouldn't eat again in a second. It's a perfect addition to the neighborhood. The interior is yes, a bit loud, a bit tight, and maybe a bit smoky (mmm...fritters) - but it's festive that way! I've only been there with one other person, we sat at the bar the first time and at a small table the second. To be honest, the big table in the middle doesn't appeal to me, I know I'd get a little overwhelmed in that situation. Highly recommended!
(5)
Michael F.
Solid place to bring a date. All of the ambiance and excitement of a trendy gastropub with a safe menu for unadventurous eaters. The hippest and glitziest way to eat rotisserie chicken, fries and have a few beers. Beer menu is outstanding, prices are tolerable. Service is excellent -don't let their unassuming attire fool you. Servers are vigilant about beer pours, regularly dropping by to top off the glass with a rich head. Plates, napkins and chairs are all treated as in more pretentious settings.
(4)
Eddy C.
My friends and I had dinner at The Bristol on its opening Friday night, which was also their 4th day in business. With any new restaurant, there's always an inherent give & take. The Bristol was no different, as they did a lot of things well but also showed that they still had some kinks to work out. On the plus side, service at The Bristol was top notch. Everyone from the hostess was very friendly, courteous and professional. While we were waiting, we chatted with the hostess Shelby, who also happened to be the wife of one of the owners, and she gave us the lowdown on the restaurant and how they really wanted to use organic, sustainable ingredients. Cool stuff. Our server was also terrific; his knowledge and enthusiasm when describing the dishes made everything sound amazing. Food at the The Bristol was unique, with a gastropub feel to it where the expectation is everything is shared. I personally thought the small plates were better than the large plates, though I had no complaints about anything we ordered. Highlights of our meal included the chorizo stuffed chicken wings, the relish plate with a salmon spread, beer cheese and beets, and the pork rilette. The beer/wine/cocktails selection was also exceptional. I highly recommend the cocktails -- the Poire & Edelflower was excellent. So what about these kinks? Two specific things. One: they ran out of sweetbreads, which was disappointing considering it was only 10:30 PM and they said their kitchen was open until 1 AM. To their credit, they did apologize and recommend and lamb's liver dish as a replacement. Two, we had to wait a good 1.5 hours before we could sit down. This was due to the fact that they don't take reservations and they don't open up the upstairs area except for private parties. We asked Shelby if that would change in the future and she said it might not. Point being: given the size of the downstairs area and the fact that they don't take reservations, you may have to wait awhile if you go on a busy night. Kinks aside, I really enjoyed my meal at The Bristol. While I'm sad that Il Covo went away, I think The Bristol is a terrific place that I will definitely return to in the future.
(4)
around town e.
This restaurant did not fall short. Nothing but phenomenal restaurant design,service and food. Tomato tart and smoked mackerel to start. Chicken for main was perfect. Blueberry ginger pie for dessert. And muddled peach cocktail was incredible.
(5)
Scott H.
I had read all about Bristol and because I sort of know the main chef mainly thru my folks, I had to check it out. To be honest I was disappointed. For some reason I pictured the place as more of a bar that happened to have great drinks and way above avg bar food. Instead it was like many other new restaurants with avg food and avg decor. I think had I not had any connection to the Chef, I would have rated it higher. I set the bar too high on this one... The service was great, thought the place was noiser than most places even with communal like seating. We enjoyed the monkey bread, fritters and frites, as well as some others but nothing has warranted a return trip. Bristol could have been great, instead it was just good. SJwinter08
(2)
Nick H.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago at the moment. Why? 1. The food is great. I haven't eaten or drank anything that i didn't like. 2. The food is about as good as you're going to find in terms of local-ness/sustainability/humanely raised/etc, while still being very tasty and affordable. They do their own butchering on site, and seem to take these issues very seriously. My one major complalnt: Brunch is quite affordable and straightforward, but dinner can easily get out of hand. Their dinner plates aren't clearly separated between small and large plates, but rather move on a continuum from small plates at the top of the menu to large at the bottom. How many items does it take to make a meal? When do you stop ordering? It can be pretty disorienting and doesn't lend itself to a clear plan going in. Last time we were ordering progressively and at the end got a plate big enough to be a full meal for one. Didn't expect that.
(5)
Naomi L.
I believe this place may be the next hottest restaurant in town. I can't fault it ...the swordfish is so moist, the chicken was as top notch as Craft..in NYC. The service was 5 star. the booze endless and creative. they are upscale, artisinal and affordable, get in fast...there will be a LINE.
(5)
S S.
Eh. This place isn't terrible, but I honestly expected better. The biggest disappointment was the upstairs bar where they offer you to wait...an experience which let the whole dinner down. The Bristol Lounge is bare bones and all you're given to tide you over is a drink list and a few appetizer choices. This wouldn't have been a problem but even though the menu gives various "preparation times" for certain cocktails, it took us 30 mins for 1 Sazerac, which came out after we had finished our appetizers and about 5 minutes before we were called to our table. There is a good chance the bartender flew down to New Orleans and back to get the drink. Had the lounge been remotely busy I would have had more understanding but it was mostly empty with 3/4 of the staff pretty rude. This nonchalance towards time was again reflected downstairs in the restaurant where we were immediately asked to "order everything together" and note that things come out when they're ready, so "sharing and small plates are encouraged." I'm all for chef eccentricities but that concept really only works when people like and eat the same things...oh and when they aren't starving. Point? If you're in for a long night, like unique food, are open to sampling and time is on your side, you might like this place. The atmosphere is loud and possibly upbeat but make sure to eat something before the wait. And order a beer along with your cocktail...you'll need something to tide you over.
(2)
Christy Q.
Ahhhh-mazzzz-ing! FANTASTIC! LOVED IT! I will be back! These guys are doin it right, from the decor to the staff to the food- they hit the nail on the head, for sure! I came by on Tuesday evening for a GNO (Girls Night Out). Boy oh boy am I glad we decided to come here! The decor is very minimalist, in my opinion. And I like that. It looked clean and chic. The space isn't huge. There are two large, long tables running down the middle of the space for larger groups. There are smaller tables along the perimeter and of couse you can also sit at the bar. First thing you need to know is this is very much small plates. So if you want a GIANT entree just for yourself, you might be disapointed. But to be honest, how one could be disapointed here is beyond me. Being small plates it's great for someone like me who is always indecisive about what to order. Do I want the crab legs or the pasta? Not an issue here. Come for a hot date or with a group. Either way you won't be disapointed. I can't even recall everything we had because we ordered SO much food- well that and we went through 2 bottles of wine. We started with a cheese board with the most FANTASTIC gorgonzola cheese on the planet. (Gorgonzola picante, Lombardy, Italy). The cheese tasted more like a really really creamy blue cheese. It was simply decadant! I coulda and woulda just licked it right off an ice cream cone if it were socially acceptable! That cheese (served with some sort of pear and mustard seed chutney) made me smarter. I know it did. I'll let that sink in for a moment... We also ordered the duck fat fries. Best damn fries ever. Why haven't more restaurants started to serve these things? OH MY GOd were they good. And the garlic aioli they were served with was so good I was licking it off my fingers with gusto. (It must be pleasant sitting across from me during feeding time, er, dinner time). We also got a pumpkin seed salad which was delish and oh so seasonal! Not to mention a pretty array of autumn colors! Then there were the 2 orders of this Chitarra pasta (due to it's size and shape it's also called guitar string pasta, according to our awesome waiter). The noodles almost tasted like they had been prepared in chicken broth. It was delish (thus the 2nd order). We also got the halibut which was fantastic! It was just the right amount of crisp on the outside and succulant meat on the inside. Then we ordered the flatbread with bacon and sweet onion. WOW. That was simply sinful! I think it lasted on our table for a max of 2 minutes. We inhaled our food. It didn't hurt that our waiter, Jeff, was completly knowledgable about the menu. He was honest and recommended dishes he thought we might like based on how hungry we were and which dishes we'd had and enjoyed (which really was everything). I predict good things for this restaurant. The menu is ever changing (like... daily, weekly changes). They change depending on season, and also depending on what they are seeing at local farmers markets and other local establishments. Be sure to keep your eyes on the chalkboard for all the delectable specials. If you haven't been yet, you'd better get in soon before everyone in the world reads my review and the line stretches out the door. Trust me, I wouldn't lie about food. I might tell you that dress doesn't make you look fat (even when it does), but I wouldn't lie about food!
(5)
Jeff Y.
The decor is rather spartan, but the food and drink more than makes up for it. The menu really pushes the envelope when it comes to eating local and seasonal ingredients. The cocktails are all tasty and made with quality ingredients. Also boasts an extensive beer menu heavy on the European imports. 5-star service. Wait staff were all attentive and knowledgeable. The seating is tight (the table next to me was practically in my lap ... but a few drinks later I didn't care). Highly recommended: any of the pastas on the menu, the scotch olives (fried olives stuffed with pork sausage), duck fat fries, and bone marrow. One loser: the seared walleye. Kinda fishy, bland and not all that great. One tip: try to get there before 8:00. It can get pretty crowded.
(5)
Jake C.
Believe the hype. Went here about three-four months ago with my wife (I've been meaning to catch up on my yelp review for a loooong time). We sat at the bar a little bit before the dinner rush on a Saturday early evening. The staff were excellent beer advisers, walking us through some excellent options. I wish I could remember all of the dishes we had - there were scotch eggs, pizza bread, a ravioli dish and one more. Hell, the menu changes a lot anyway I suspect. Point is, we had mad success just showing up shortly after opening. By the time we left it started to get crowded, and we walked off with nice buzz and full stomachs. The menu was great for ordering several dishes large and small for sharing. Good for date with someone you love, or for you single folks someone you are trying to love.
(5)
Sam K.
Duck fat fries is to die for. The waiting staff is friendly and prompt. Loved the chicken. It's definitely worth a visit
(4)
Nicolas H.
This one's a no-brainer. The service was outstanding and the food was just as good. We shared everything which included: Monkey bread, flatbread, duck fat fries, halibut, ravioli. The drinks were great (the cucumber concoction was quite refreshing) and they kept em coming. The only issue I have is the noise level, but I guess that's to be expected when the place is that crowded...
(5)
T B.
Hands down, one of my favorite restaurants in the city! I have eaten there several times, and every time the experience and the food is fantastic! Consistency is the word! They use local farms, which I love, and everything is always fresh. I never thought an "apple salad" would be so amazing! I mean I like apples, but the salad is really fresh and very tasty! My favorite thing on the menu is the Raviolo. It is an orgasmic experience in a bowl! No joke! And you have to get the yummy Monkey bread, made just for you, to sop up all the gooeynes is the bowl. OMG! The decor is understated, but modern in a really good way, they let the food do the talking, not the decor. The service is always spot on and might I recommend the Eldeflower cocktail to top off your meal, you won't be dissapointed. I work in the neighborhood and recommend the Bristol to everyone and have had nothig but thank you's thrown back my way! If you haven't gone yet, go, what are you waiting for? You will love it!
(5)
Jason m.
Restaurant week, spectacular.
(5)
Anisha A.
They don't take reservations, so probably was a mistake showing up on a Friday night. Still, they quoted us only a 45 minute wait. But couldn't kill time at the bar- something about being too crowded and fire codes, blah blah. So literally got shooed away though were assured they'd call when our table was ready. 79 minutes later and after a few drinks at Charleston's around the corner, still no call. So we went back. They had forgotten about our whole deal but were able to quickly scrounge up a table. The entire staff seemed to be flustered and panic-ridden- the type that would especially benefit from sprinkling their cereal with Xanax. Sat in the booth which was positioned at a much lower and unsettling height compared to my friend across from me. Wish I had a yellow pages to sit on to keep me at a more appropriate level. The menu had curious drink and food options, in a good way. Enjoyed the vodka gimlet-ginger beer concoction. Dishes were above average, though not worth the wait. We had the flatbread, skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli and tail-on head-on prawns (best of the three). Like a bodybuilder, all were glazed with a nice sheen of oil. We were still ravenous and wanted to order more. And would have if our waitress had been more accessible.
(3)
Jeremy B.
Great experience. Had the gnocci and raviolio. 2 drinks. Tip. $70. Not an every weekend place for me but this IS 5 star dining, no doubt about it.
(5)
M. M.
Came here for cocktails and ended up sharing 3 plates of food! I did something that I have never, ever dreamed I would do... I bought the same dish - twice! It was the squash from the "snacks" menu. The major plus for their menu is also (at times) it's biggest minus, as they profess to have an o-so-seasonal selection of *fresh* ingredients - the food is constantly switching up. The staff was kind and attentive and the price:portion ratio was pleasantly surprising.
(4)
Jeff S.
My girlfriend and I had wanted to go for Brunch after having a few drinks in the upper lounge, and we finally got a chance to enjoy a Sunday morning there. Definitely one of the newer spaces that has the potential of really taking off... Service and Space: From the moment we arrived, the staff was friendly and inviting. The seating is a bit snug, but very comfortable. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. She kept the coffee coming, and made a fantastic recommendation for my side biscuit (A chipotle butter...YUM) All in all, the service was fantastic for the setting. 5 stars. Food: YUM! Who doesn't like Pork Belly? It was amazing. I had the Eggs Benedict, and my girlfriend had the breakfast sandwich. I'm a bit of a Eggs Benedict snob, so I always fear ordering them at a new restaurant. They were so amazing. Probably the best I've had in the city. All the ingredients are fresh, local products, and it shows in the wonderful flavors. We are looking forward to checking out the dinner fare soon. If it's anything like the breakfast, we'll walk away happy and full. :)
(5)
Hilary T.
Delicious and fun atmosphere for a festive girls night out. The Stellenbosch white wine was crisp and the perfect recommendation from the bartender while we waited for our 3rd person to arrive (they don't take reservations and won't seat you until your entire party is there.) But luckily, we went earlier (7:15pm on a Wednesday) and were able to get a table against the wall. While we were seated closely to other tables, we weren't on one of the two large communal tables which look like fun too! We enjoyed the duck-fat fries, the flatbread (we love anything with bacon), the halibut but most of all, loved the apple and celery root salad- highly recommend (the dressing is amazing). The duck fat fries were heavenly! Will definitely be going back- the atmosphere and wait staff are welcoming! Loved it!
(4)
Lizzie R.
When I first arrived I was confused with the menu but the staff was incredibly helpful. I recommend going with a group maybe 6 or more because of the community tables. They do have tables for two four tops. I highly recommend making a reservation they seem to be busy even on a sunday night! The only downside was I left still a bit hungry..the portions are small but very very delicious!
(4)
Lindsay D.
Hearing that sometimes people wait an hour for a table, I was happy to walk into Bristol on the early side and snag any table I wanted. Their cocktail specials looked great, but it was more of a wine night for me. I defintely want to go back though and try some of their signatures. Right off the bat, everything looked good. I always have bigger eyes than my stomach, so this was a toughy to choose just a couple to try without having to be rolled home. We ordered the famous monkey bread with a green dill dipping sauce, the apple salad, and their special salad with pumpkin croutons and cocoa infused cheese. Very different salads with distinct flavors. The monkey bread was warm, salty and buttery. Doesnt get much better than that. And DILL??? Wonderful. Not overpowering at all, just a hint always sneaked through. We split the half roasted chicken and it was SO incredibly, (yes I HATE this word, but such a describer) MOIST. Tender, juicy, flavorful....perfect choice. Along with our split entree, we had to get the duck fat fries; there are no words to describe hot greasy duck fat fries with mayo dipping sauce, a true gem. Thanks, Bristol! You now have another fan indeed.
(5)
Marissa D.
this place is so good. service is very friendly from the moment you walk in the door. great beer list and a solid choice of wines - i really liked the chenin blanc and wow do they give you a good pour! so for food, we tried the duck fat fries, the monkey bread, the raviolo, the mini burger, the apple salad, and 2 of the other pastas. the only things that weren't a hit were the 2 other pastas that we ordered...one had fava beans or something like that and i actually enjoyed it but no one else did. the other had sweet breads, which i thought were crispy croutons (before i tasted them)...i didn't like that pasta but everyone else did. the only thing that annoyed me a little was when we, towards the end of our meal, decided to order the mini burger to split and also said that we would like a few more fries. so we were brought another order of the fries and the burger, which COMES with fries. it would have been nice if the waiter had let us know about that fact - we probably didn't need 2 more orders of fries. nonetheless, i took one for the team and ate them. so...all that being said...i will definitely be back and can see the bristol being an easy destination for me and george when we're in the mood to go out.
(4)
Kimberly S.
First, and most importantly, I have to say that my expectations were set extremely high for The Bristol, as I have an acquaintance who nearly lives at this place and raves about it on a daily basis. Also, if you read through the rest of the reviews here, The Bristol seems to do a very good job? Apparently, in our particular case, we just were very unlucky. Primarily, my main focus when dining out is the food. Not an unreasonable expectation. At The Bristol, as everyone is aware, you are required to wait for quite a while. During this time, we ordered the duck fat fries and scotch olives. Throughout most of the reviews here, everyone raves of the duck fat fries! I was expecting "duck fat fries." What I got was "lemon zest." To quote Joel Robuchon "I think it is perhaps harder to do something simple than sophisticated." Can I please have 'duck fat fries?' I understand duck fat can get a little rich, and your desire to cut that richness with the zest of lemon, is in fact a noble intention, but your hand on my fries was just a bit heavy. Rather than send them back, because I am a very laid back diner who complains little, I ate them out of hunger due to the long wait. Next, scotch olives. Sounds yummy, right? I thought so too! Salt! My favorite! Any opportunity I get for Scotch eggs in the city, I jump! When I thought of a lovely salty olive instead, I was so excited! What disappointed me about this gastro delight, was the little salty olive was the pimento green olive from a jar. After the disappointing appetizers during our more than 1 hour wait to be seated, we decided the food wasn't good enough to warrant staying for our meal. It is unfortunate, as I will say again, I have an acquaintance who considers himself quite the foodie, and nearly lives here! Perhaps my palette is a bit more sophisticated than his? I don't know? However, the staff is very friendly and accommodating, albeit very slow.
(1)
Sarah B.
I had a truly lovely dinner here as I was preparing to leave Chi-town and go home to Madison. It was a memorable final meal-the duck fries were superb, the halibut was perfection and I LOVED their apple salad. Service and server were top notch, as was my delicious Cue Cai cocktail. The only quibble I had was with the monkey bread, which I found to be a little on the bland side. Otherwise, a fantastic meal. I will definitely be back to try their brunch!
(4)
Shannon K.
Had a fantastic dinner here - our waiter was knowledgable, our food was delicious, every new small dish was just large enough to get your fill while still leaving room for other tasty options.
(4)
Andy R.
with little experience i endorse bristol thusly: have scotch olives
(3)
Stephen G.
Not a 5 only because of the no reservation policy. Great food. Well thought out, reasonably priced wines. Comfortable place with friendly people.
(4)
Brian R.
We dined at the Bristol a couple of days ago and we enjoyed the experience. I had the smokey manhattan which sort of set the tone for my evening. Very masculine drink. Not my usual, but very well done. We had several appetizers including the much raved about Duck Fat Fries. I thought they were sort of bland. They were fine fries, but nothing to shout about. I thought the Scotch Olives were the appetizer to really rave about. Olives stuffed with sausage, then surrounded in sausage and deep fried. A truly indulgent delight. We also had the flatbread with bacon which was also delicious. I had the chacuterie plate for dinner which went excellently with my drink and was excellent. There was a good variety of meats and the homemade mustard was the perfect accompaniment. My wife had the chicken which she said was very tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and had excellent suggestions and the atmosphere was very welcoming. I will definitely be heading back to check out some of the rest of the menu.
(4)
Ams T.
Honestly, the reason I first chose this place was because they had valet. Turns out that it's more than easy to find parking on Sunday night in Bucktown. With no reservation, we waited about 15 minutes. In that time, the extremely friendly & accommodating host made sure to take our drink orders, which were hand delivered (and made from scratch?) by the bartender. I got the sparkling sangria; tart but delicious. For appetizers, we ordered the 'monkey bread' and the 'duck fat fries.' The monkey bread was doughy deliciousness, I was in heaven (as long as you like dill). Nothing remained of the duck fat fries, after my 2 companions scarfed them down. Food made in fat normally turns me off, but these were perfectly crisp, with great dipping sauce. I ordered the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli. The steak was perfectly cooked and oh-so-tender. Ravioli a perfect compliment. My friends ordered salmon (great reviews, though at times too lemony, can't vouch as I'm allergic) and the swordfish (on the chalkboard, unbelievably tasty). Our waitress was very attentive, but left us alone the perfect amount. Her timing was impeccable. If only I still lived in Chicago, I'd be a frequent visitor!
(4)
m. s.
it says a lot about a restaurant when it is packed on a 0-degree monday evening. i really enjoyed the food and ambiance here. i started with a pink lady cocktail. i believe it had house-made grenadine and egg whites in it. anyway, it was great. i shared the monkey bread, duck fat fries, and parmesan-crusted sausage. all were delicious and had great sauces/accompaniments. my companion had the bone marrow, which he thoroughly enjoyed. we shared the amazing chocolate/nutter butter dessert. the portions were not huge but, as the menu is tapas-inspired, they were not all intended to be meals in and of themselves. kudos for the ever-changing menu and rich variety. i tend to be an unadventurous eater, and there was an abundance of choices for me as well as for my anthony bourdain-like companion.
(5)
a w.
Amazing staff that are warm, professional and attentive. It was difficult to choose as everything looked delicious. I had the apple salad and trout, both which were exactly what I was looking for.....fresh, delicious, not too complicated and not too boring. Will be back.
(5)
Andrew E.
The Bristol is a great place for anyone looking to enjoy a local fare menu and artisanal cocktails in a hip, cozy, communal atmosphere. Though the cocktail menu is smaller than specialty bars, almost everything they make is really, really good. The food is outstanding, though the main dishes were a little rich. My favorite drink so far is the Ranson Gin Fizz, which you may or may not find on the menu when you go since everything is rotating. In terms of food, it is worth going to The Bristol just for the monkey bread, apple salad, and market greens salad. I was blown away. Main dishes we tried were garganelli with an octopus sauce and a ravioli. I enjoyed the garganelli, especially the fresh hand-made pasta, but it wasn't as good as the salads. The ravioli was too rich. I'm not always a fan of communal seating but I really enjoyed the setup at The Bristol. Tables along the wall are individual but close. Communal tables are in the center. The intimacy of the setting jives well with the approach to food and drink. All in all, this place definitely lives up to its reputation. You are sure to find an outstanding dish on the menu, and the cocktail program is inventive enough to come back just for that.
(5)
David K.
Finally there's a good (and apparently successful) restaurant in this space!! We've been going about once/week since it opened. The food is quite good although some things are oversalted - especially salads. The communal tables bring up the energy level. The chalkboard menu always has something new and interesting. Great selection of beers and wines by the glass. Waiting to see what they do with the upper level ...
(5)
Trevor W.
I downloaded the Yelp app specifically to review this restaurant. These folks are on point, and you should totally eat here. I had a late brunch on a Saturday and want to make it a regular thing, cause damn. Just be sure to make a reservation! This is a small restaurant that is clearly in high demand. 1.) The hosts are on their game and easily have one of the most thankless jobs, next to the bussers. 2.) We were seated about 20 minutes after our reservation because the table we were meant to be seated at had paid but decided to have a leisurely chat despite the fact that it was a weekend brunch at max capacity. 3.) But who cares? We got to spend more time at the bar enjoying the delicious beer selection and French press coffee! 4.) They still have us a free cinnamon roll the size of my face. I ordered another one to take home. It's so flipping good. 5.) Couldn't decide between the Chilequiles or the Hangover breakfast (a slam dunk of a Thai/Korean noodle dish with a broth so delicious I'm convinced it can cure cancer), so I got both. Ha! The former was fabulous, and the only thing that kept the latter from being my favorite thing in life was the surprising lack of noodles compared to the amount of broth. But who cares? So flavorful and delicious. They even brought me a special container to take the rest of the broth home and I drank it all before I even made it back.
(5)
Chris C.
Absolutely love this place. Great food and great atmosphere! The Bristol is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago by far. Dinner and Baruch are amazing. I would suggest the Ham Benedict... Amazing!
(5)
Holli R.
Absolutely silly menu trying to be something that just missed the mark of foodie into the sublime of a waste of money. Great ambience.
(2)
maya s.
If I could give this place a zero, I would. It's highly over rated. I like that all their meats and produce are local. But, that is the only thing I like about it. I took my fiance there tonight for his birthday. It's family style seating which I hate. Luckily, we were able to get two seats at the bar instead. We ordered a salad which sounded quite delicious. Sadly, the entire salad was covered in fresh parsley which the menu did not detail. Fresh parsley is a poor man's herb. If you are relying on this for flavor, you clearly need a new head chef. After spitting out my salad twice into the napkin, I eagerly hoped that my entree (the one vegetarian option on the menu) would be delicious. Sadly, this was not the case. It was a stuffed noodle dish. The main flavor was again.... ding ding ding.... PARSLEY. Again, the details on the menu did not indicate that this was one of the main seasonings. After 2 bites, I just couldn't do it. Our bartender dave make a great moscow mule and did listen to why I was disappointed with the dish when he finally came over to ask. He offered to have the kitchen make something else. But, with one vegetarian dish on the menu and 2 dishes having been gross, I was not willing to take him up on his offer. He "took the dish off the menu" but seriously, what does that do?! I just wasted an hour plus, am now depressed I decided to give this over rated place a shot and I am still hungry. Taking the dish off the menu doesn't do anything to make the customer happy. They should at least offer me a free cocktail to make up for my pain and suffering for having to sit there for so long. Ugh. Luckily, my partner enjoyed his pig tail entree. The portion was big and he will have left overs. I would never go back here again and am more than happy to spread the word about how disappointing it is. The cocktails were good. But, this isn't the type of place you go for a night cap. It's crowded, it's loud and the seats are uncomfortable. If only I could get those wasted hours back and have a decent meal. And when all was said and done, my bill was $80!
(1)
kathy w.
Delicious! We went with the waitress' suggestions, and she was spot on...the duck fat fries, the raviolo (yum!), the apple salad, and the halibut. She forgot to mention the monkey bread which we ordered as a savory dessert...imagine a dill soft pretzel, complete with salt, with an extreme dill butter. Fantastic! If I had to change a thing, I would skip the entrees and order all smaller plates. The halibut was good, but (by far) the least impressive of the things that we ordered. I'm anxious to go back. Fair portions, attentive waitstaff, dim lighting...I might just sit at the bar and eat alone.
(4)
Jane N.
THIS PLACE TERRIBLE! First the food is terrible --- secondly, the service is terrible. everyone that works there thinks they are soo cool and have a snotty attitude towards everyone as if they are so great. Stay away - not worth the money at ALL!
(1)
k E.
I have to say, I have read so many write ups of the burger at the Bristol. So, we went to have a burger, right? Guess what, they haven't had one on the menu for at least six months. So, already disappointed, we peruse the menu and ask our server for her recommendations. We followed her advice - smoked trout (good) duck fat fries (good) sturgeon (eh) and pig's tail (OMG). Several employees raved about the pig's tail. Having never tried one, we figured "When in Rome..." so we ordered it. To say it was off-putting is the least of it. Picture a long, skinny thing with a pointy end - cut through the skin to reveal big white globs of fat with a couple shreds of meat. Served with cauliflower which was nearly indiscernable among the white fat globs. Sorry, but pig's tail should not be served anywhere - even if this was a good preparation (I don't know as it was my first experience with this entree) , it was nasty nasty nasty.
(3)
Jordan V.
the eggs benedict is sinful.
(5)
Anthony Z.
Drinks are very good...Dark and stormy was very tasty and savory, and the Hucklemary was like tasting the holidays from a martini glass, with a little sprig of aromatic rosemary floating on top. Environment is attractive, but the shrieking Trixies got very annoying after a while. I must say that I have had some of the best food of the past year tonight, at this restaurant. In reading the other reviews, I believe this is highly dependent upon what you order. Started with the fritters, squash, and bone marrow. They were uniformly excellent. Fritters were piping hot and matched with a very complementary sauce. Acorn squash slices had a creamy texture and yummy carmelization. The marrow fat spread on the robust toast slices was everything that it should be. Skate and white boudin sausage were the entrees. Boudin was excellent, served with sauerkraut and tiny dumplings....really perfectly matched and balanced dish. Skate wing was very well cooked, but the sauce was overly acidic. Nutter butter dessert was a hit, and tiny taste of Meyer lemon panna cotta was very nice. Can't wait to go back. Valet is 7 bucks. Server Michael was perfect; friendly and most knowledgeable.
(5)
Molly L.
I love this place! Sometimes when I check out a new restaurant in Chicago I have fears that it will be completely empty but Bristol was packed to the brim on a Thursday night. While we ordered a bottle of wine it was difficult for me to stop drinking their moscow mule cocktail. It sounds weird but it was very refreshing and surprisingly strong. Throughout the course of the evening we tried many of the small plates but the ones that stick out a day later were the boar bolognese, monkey bread, and skirt steak. After 4 dishes, a salad, 3 cocktails, and a bottle of wine our tab was only ~$122. I think for the quality of the food and wine it is a steal. It has a great atmosphere with exposed brick walls, some communal tables, and quite flattering lighting. I have nothing but good things to say (it is a bit loud if that bothers you) and can't wait to drag each and every one of my friends so I can try everything.
(4)
Jaclyn C.
Bristol has everything I look for in a great restaurant...amazing food, creative drinks, fresh local ingredients, changing menu and good service. I know some people are open to communal tables but I happen to like them and the feel of a small intimate restaurant. I have been to Bristol 3 times. The first time when it was brand new and the word hadn't really gotten around cause there was absolutely no wait on a Saturday night. The wait is better now but still, definitely a wait. Musts are monkey bread and duck fat fries. I love the changing menu and everything I have ever gotten has been wonderful. Last time I had their version of roasted chicken and it was probably the best and most juiciest roasted chicken I have ever had. They had a cucumber drink on the menu which is my weakness and it was so damn good, I am still trying to replicate it. I have taken friends from out of town there on 2 occasions and they are still raving about it. I can't wait to go back cause I know no matter what is on the menu, I am always talking about it for days after.
(5)
Derek S.
i was there for the opening with a friend who knows more about food and wine than i ever will, and we both were very impressed across the board.
(4)
missallfun H.
yummy! a bit loud, love the wine taste pours, and that buttermilk dressing!
(4)
Kc H.
After the first time I went here, I was pretty certain I'd be back. After the second time I went here, I was sure it had become my favorite place to go as often as is humanly possible. Fucking ever. This place has to be the most incredible bar/restaurant I've been to since the advent of my young adult life. The service is attentive and unpretentious. The manager/ host/ co-owner/ owner are all amazingly nice. I have never once been disappointed with anything I've had on the menu and the cocktails, wine and beer selections are all fantastic. The raviolo, the sturgeon, the beer cheese, the salads etc. are all super and one could easily fill up on snacks and drinks upstairs without ever making it to dinner. The wonderful bar aficionados upstairs make this both an attractive and delightful option. Pricing is very reasonable for the immense quality and precision that you get with both food and beverages. I am so thrilled that a place like the Bristol exists and look forward to making it a part of my regular dining experiences (if it could be any more so than it already is). Uber double yum outstanding deliciousness!
(5)
Karis F.
best eggs benedict ever. i cannot get over the fact that there isn't a line down Damen to get in here for brunch. the food is amazing. the service is friendly and prompt. the prices are incredibly reasonable. besides the eggs benedict, i love the biscuits and gravy and the breakfast potatoes are to die for.
(4)
Kevin H.
execution
(5)
Katie M.
The bartender makes fabulous drinks. TRUST ME. Food - I recommend the monkey bread, the bone marrow, and the mussels. Don't bother trying the desserts.
(4)
bob j.
excellent brunch & dinner menu's. the staff is friendly and good at what they do. The food is great everything ive tried has been very good.
(5)
Miss O.
i came here after a recommendation from a friend. i'm not sure what the hype is about. i ordered the elderflower cocktail which was excellent. very very good. got the monkey bread that everyone raved so much about. it really wasn't that great. i mean maybe as a substitute to table bread but not as something you actually purchase - lacked a lot of flavor really. we also got the stuffed chicken wings - which were okay. nothing to die for. i liked the slight hint of blue cheese so it didn't overwhelm the chicken. and i ended with the duck sugo. once again - it was good. but not amazing. i will have to say that the service was very good - as good as the elderflower cocktail. this is a casual dinning place - shared tables, etc. great place to hop into for dinner. the food lacked a bit but the ambiance, drinks and service were excellent. i would go back for that - rather than the food.
(4)
Britta M.
I had plans for the evening on Damen, and was searching for restaurants within walking distance and stumbled upon this little place. I was really excited to eat here, and upon arrival I was very pleased with the atmosphere. For starters we ordered the duck fat fries, which have salt, garlic, and lemon zest sprinkled on top. They were absolutely divine. You MUST order them to avoid adding a major life regret to your track record. And we also ordered the monkey break. It has sea salt and a really unique tasting butter sauce for it and we ended up loving that as well. In summary, order appetizers. They rocked. They're pretty generous portions for about $6-$9 too. For dinner we ordered the Parisian gnocchi and brown sugar ravioli. We really didn't like either of these at all. They were both honestly pretty bland and we hardly touched them. $15 for one circle ravioli seemed a bit pricey as well. I ordered a glass of wine for $12 that they about 1/3 filled the glass for.. it was a solid red wine, but it felt really cheap having them pour so little in the glass. The main dishes really killed this place for us and I don't think the starters are enough to bring us back again for dinner, hence the 3 stars.
(3)
Trevor M.
Fried chicken and biscuits are a must. Service was okay and the A/C was broken which made the place kinda hot. Willing to look past that to give it another try because the food was really good
(4)
Elle M.
This Sunday was my second brunch at The Bristol, and its consistent deliciousness compels me to write about it. Honestly the cinnamon bun did it. The bellinis with fresh peach juice were perfect, the chilaquiles were eggy and spicy and porky (and perfect for my hangover). But the cinnamon bun- oh the warm, gooey, heaven that was the cinnamon bun. It made me happy, my friends. Happy in the way that only a cinnamon bun can. Yes, I took the lion's share of the "split" with my father. No, I don't feel guilty, and hell yes I'd do it again! Actually next time I'd just order my own. Someday I'll actually come here for dinner. Till then, another stellar Sunday, guys.
(5)
Andrea R.
Stand outs- monkey bread, pasta (we tried the chitarra, but they all looked amazing) basque cake dessert & the cocktails. All you need to know. Also tried the cucumber & tempura avacado starters & the trout main and they were good but not memorable like the above.
After our bad experience, we were contacted by the restaurant manager, who asked us to give the restaurant another shot for our custom. Our experience was completely different - every detail was taken care of and we had a great evening. Starting with the seats - we were situated downstairs at the bar in the great atmosphere. Dave took care of all our drinks orders and food. The food was flavorsome and tasty, the drinks (moscow mules) were great too - everything we had was awesome. We left the restaurant 180 degree from our last visit. Thanks for asking us to come back. We definitely kept Bristol on on our regular "go to" list from our great experience.
(5)
S N.
I have been wanting to eat here since I moved here from NYC a few months ago, and so I finally used the excuse of a friend's visit to make it happen... I could not get a res at the right time for our post-dinner plans, but I called ahead to ask about wait times, and they offered to hold two seats at the bar for us, which already put me in the mood to love them. The food more than matched that lovely customer service. Monkey bread - holy cow. Please order this. Also, their house made pasta was divine. We had it in a chitarra style with fennel and other lovely touches: I want to eat this exact dish every day and never stop... The heirloom melon salad was fresh and bright and full of flavor. The trout exceeded expectations. Go here. And eat all of the things. You will be very very happy.
(5)
Karen M.
6/20/2015 - Attended my cousin's wedding. It was so elegant! We dined on the 2nd floor, which was exclusive to just our party. The wait staff was fabulous, attentive! The food was absolutely wonderful, four course meal, well done. I would definitely have to say I would recommend this venue. They were even friendly to the children. The environment felt warm and welcoming too.
(5)
Lauren K.
Cute place, good food, better cocktail. We came here for Saturday brunch because the Chicago Magazine highly recommended it. I started with the Poire & Elderflower cocktail (yes, at 10:30am - whatever!) and it was FANTASTIC. The brunch items our table ordered were the ham benedict (very good), chicken n a biscuit (ok) and pancakes (ok). The menu is very pork product heavy so one of our guests was kind of limited and a little disappointed in the pancakes, I think (just nothing super special). I might come back for the cocktails and to see what dinner is like.
(3)
Zach J.
I have been here 4 times now. Most recently, last night. In the four times, I have had some of the worst service and some of the best service. I have been served really mediocre food and incredibly outstanding food. The good thing is that the poor service and mediocre food was just one out of the four times. I will take that as an outlier. The other three times, the food could not have been prepared better and the waitstaff more helpful. The wine list is impeccable and the servers are very knowledgeable about it - full of reccommendations. The waiter helped our group decide how many rounds to get, apps, pastas, mains, etc. Last night the halibut was delicious - and the flat iron steak was cooked perfectly. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to anyone and chalk that one experience up to a bad night.
Yummy - we came here for dinner last Thursday and everything was so great. We started with the tempura avocado and it was so light and tasty - i really liked the tangy dipping sauce. We next ordered the charcuterie board, and we both really enjoyed that. The chorizo was a standout for the both of us. The board had an ample amount of meat and spreads. It was perfect for two people. Lastly, we split the roasted chicken and it's just SO good. You receive half of a chicken and its roasted to perfection. Crispy on the outside and juicy when you slice into it. Lastly, we enjoyed the caramel bar. Great topping to an excellent meal! Our waitress was great as well. The Bristol is always a consistently great dining spot!
(5)
Amar M.
Did not live up to the hype at all. Friends and I celebrated a friends birthday here and everyone in our group was underwhelmed. The monkey bread and the duck fat fries were both great, but nothing special and nothing that one couldn't get at another place. Sausage stuffed olives were quite tasty. None of us were satisfied with our mains. The chorizo entree consisted of overly salted chorizo/nettle patties and a salad dressed with way too much vinegar. Sour salt lick status. The pork loin slices on the salad were tasteless on their own; adding meat for the sake of texture is no bueno. Friends all complained that their food was salty while being flavorless at the same time. The raviolo, which I had heard good things about, was unevenly cooked, bummer. Had heard great things about dessert as well, but none of us felt like sticking around. Worse than the entrees was the service. Our server was pushy and condescending...I get that it's Bucktown, and that he owns hipster glasses and a whole lot of brylcreem, but come on. Come here for great drinks and starters...the only redeeming factors of the night. Save your money and skip dinner here. Tons of other options out there!
(2)
Mandy F.
I came here on a Friday night with two friends. The restaurant is the decor that everyone loves- dark wood with leather. It's a small restaurant and it was very dark at dinner time. We sat about 3 inches from the tables next to us, and the noise level was moderate. We tried a bunch of cocktails- Eustis, American in Barbados, Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule were all delicious! It took a little while for the drinks to come out after ordering. The menu is shared plates, and seasonal, which I love. We ordered a number of starters for the three of us- brisket, market salad, smoked trout, chicken dumplings. Of these, the dumplings were the standout. The trout wasn't great, kind of like tuna-fish which I wasn't expecting. For entrees, we shared pierogis, raviolo and steak. Raviolo was amazing- buttery and lemony, and just a heart-attack waiting to happen. The steak was a little cold and chewy, though the seasoning was good. Living in Chicago makes it really easy to differentiate a good steak from a not so good steak. For dessert we had the tutti frutti spumoni and the caramel bar. The caramel bar was amazing. The service was REALLY slow. Our waiter was super nice, and apologetic. He kindly gave us one of the appetizers on the house, and brought out an extra dessert. We weren't terribly bothered by the slow service, but we were eating until nearly 11 PM, so it was nice that they acknowledged this. The meal was pretty pricey, but a tasty night for our small group.
(4)
Jordan P.
On a Sunday around noon, my buddy and I decided to get our day started with a bite from Bristol, no intentions beyond that. She, a fanatic for all things duck fat (or really, duck-related), had been eyeing their duck fat fries for a bit. And, when the opportunity to dip crispy fries into mayo-disguised-as-aioli, who am I to say no? For $5, this portion was generous, and came served with a side of housemade ketchup (which was a little thick for my liking) and tossed with herbs (which were right up my alley). But, honestly, these were the type of fries that would've been a-okay even without dipping sauce, the kind that have you licking your fingers and contemplating licking the plate clean of any niblets. She was also craving something a little heavier, but wasn't prepared for the whole Eggs Benedict dish. Instead, she asked for a slightly-undressed Benedict (so scandalous!) without the ham. Poached eggs on an English muffin with hollandaise. This ran her $7, slightly less than with the ham and potatoes (which normally run $11), and it was nice that they were able to accommodate her desires. I couldn't resist the Moscow Mule on the menu, so I guess this day wasn't entirely booze free. This Mule was made with American Harvest Vodka, fresh lime juice, and Barritt's Ginger Beer, and served in what looked like an adorable tin or copper mug, this cocktail was refreshing, light, and chock-full of ginger taste. I'm into that. I'm real into that. I'd go back to The Bristol in a heartbeat, and next time for more than just duck fat and liquor. Though that's still pretty fantastic.
(5)
Anna G.
It had been a while since my last visit to The Bristol, but I realized why I remembered it so fondly. Staff was friendly and attentive as always and the atmosphere was great too. The food was as delicious as ever. We had the monkey bread, which is a great example of why I could never leave carbs, and tartare as starters. The tartare portion is quite large. Then we had the risotto...so good! I'm not really big on lamb or risotto, but it was great. For our entree we ordered the chorizo and pork loin, very good and sizable portion as well. We went home with leftovers as it was definitely too much food (but in a good way!). The only reason I'm knocking down a star is because of the drink. I had the poire & elderflower and while the taste was good, it was just too too sweet for me.
(4)
Chinwe O.
I decided to visit The Bristol for brunch. 5 girlfriends and I went on a Sunday around 130 pm. The one reason I chose this restaurant for brunch was the fact that you can make a reservation. Amazing right?!? Service is always wonderful here. I had the braised pork chilaquiles (fantastic) and the cinnamon roll (must try) Great place for dinner but brunch is definitely worth a try Cheers!
(4)
leyla a.
i loved this place. I MEAN LOVED IT. I F'IN LOVED IT! I walked in the door and I was a little turned off by the communal seating, it made me feel anxious at first. Then, I stepped up to the bar and the nice man with weird, hand tattoos made me feel super at ease. He rolled with my humor, which isn't easy because I come off as condescending and rude but I am just kidding. He totally picked up on my dry, angry humor and gave it RIGHT back to me without missing a beat. Gotta love it. We only had to wait a minute or so and then we were seated. We shared the Market Salad with buttermild dressing - mixed greens, tarragon, fennel, radishes and mint leaves. I love mint leaves in a salad. Though I didn't want the Monkey Bread, I am SO HAPPY I ate this bread - it was like winning the carb lottery. I ordered the Raviolo, even though I had no idea what this was, and...it was SO F'IN GOOD I WANTED TO STAND UP AND SHOUT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. Honestly, I would've ordered a second entree if they hadn't sold out of this dish. I wouldn't even let my date try it because I did not want to relinquish a single fork-ful. It was one giant ravioli with a poached egg on the inside (perfectly cooked) on a bed or ricotta cheese and brown butter. My date had the roast chicken with mustard and crunchy salad, shredded salary and radishes in a chicken broth. The chicken had crispy skin. We finished with a strawberry pannacota....That could make a grown man cry. Very reasonably priced and so good. I will be back and back and back.
(5)
Mel A.
I ordered the $45 strip loin and it was wayyyy too salty and fatty. For that money I expected to be blown away by it. Would not recommend. The starters were okay, and the drinks were good, but all in all this place isn't worth the money. Service was poor too, as there was some back up in the kitchen and our food took over an hour. Meh. I'd recommend the drinks and that's about it.
(2)
Jessie H.
This review is for their bar area upstairs: Back in the windy city, and I had to take my friends here to have some drinks and of course... duck fat fries. I truly love duck fat. It has a special place in my heart. The service was some of the best I've ever had. I forget her name, but our server was incredibly nice, friendly and helpful. Monkey bread was not on the bar menu, but she asked the kitchen if it would be alright if she brought some over to us - and they did! Apparently the menu is different upstairs from the main menu downstairs. Duck fat fries were still amazing, the monkey bread was completely devoured, and the pickled olives were to die for. And beer, who doesn't like beer?
(5)
Janel J.
I came with my family over Thanksgiving weekend. Being the ambitious and perpetually hungry bunch we are, we ordered a very thorough sampling of the menu. ..An embarrassingly thorough sampling. That we very thoroughly collectively inhaled. Highly pleased, no disappointments. I've also been eyeing the brunch menu for a while......just sayin', if you're ever hungry on a Sunday morning.
(5)
Stacey A.
I hate change. I hate being used to one specific thing and having it CHANGE COMPLETELY in the span of a few minutes and then having to DEAL WITH IT and learn how to cope with something that is COMPLETELY FOREIGN. So, as you might imagine, it kind of messes with my head when someone who is important to me moves away. I get needy and weird and get a sort of complex about making the absolute most of the time I have left with a person and try to fill that time with as many good memories as I can. It was with this complex in mind that I took my friend out to dinner at The Bristol before he moved to Seattle. I chose The Bristol because when my friend eats anything that involves a bone, he will suck all the marrow from that bone and alternate between saying "IT'S SO GOOD" and making gross little slurpy "MMNMNMNMNMNMNMN" sounds. The Bristol has marrow on its menu - and I figured it would be better than sucking on the bone from a chicken leg. And it was. It really really was. And so was everything else we ordered - and we ordered a LOT of things. Like, enough things for six people. When we were done ordering, our server said to us, "You guys know you've ordered a ridiculous amount of food, right?" And we shrugged it off because we're adults and we know how to eat large amounts of food and pace ourselves and so on. But as it turns out, if you order enough food for six people for just TWO people, you will get really really full. Start with the apple salad with the hazelnuts and the manchego cheese. It's perfect. Then have the marrow - which looks like boogers, but tastes like heaven and comes with shallot jam. Just close your eyes and eat it. If you've got a lot of people with you - get the cheese & meat boards. Everything on the meat board will be weird looking - and then it'll get described to you and it will sound gross - but shut up and eat it anyway. Close your eyes if you have to because you're a little baby and you can't handle head cheese. Get the prawns. Eat their weird delicious little heads and scoop them out of their little shells with that weird tiny fork you use when you eat prawns. If it's on the menu that day - get the salad with the rabbit and the poached egg. Yes, I said salad and rabbit. Together. With egg. Put some pepper on it and coat everything with poached egg yolk and stuff your fat face and be happy. Order fancy cocktails. Browse the extensive beer/wine list. Eat enough food for six people and make noises afterward to indicate that you are uncomfortably full. Continue to make these noises all the way home. And stay. Stay in Chicago. Don't move away. I'll get a complex and I can't afford that many more nice restaurants.
(4)
Mike B.
Went for Sunday Brunch. Was crowded but got right in with our reservation. Highlights of the meal were the doughnut appetizer, the chilaquiles entree, and the bottle of green hot sauce on every table (Never got an answer on what that was). That bottle of hot sauce definitely improved my hangover breakfast (their take on pho) as well as our bloody marys. While good, I didn't find the Bristol to stand out as a brunch place. Service was okay (pleasant but inattentive and the kitchen had an issue with timing--our doughnut took a while to come out and was immediately followed by our entrees so the table got really crowded and we couldn't enjoy each aspect of our meal as much). I also found the entrees to be relatively small for what you pay (although I have no doubt of their quality). I will be back to try dinner but I'll keep sticking closer to home for brunch.
(3)
Angie M.
You know those Sunday mornings where you're craving a bad-ass brunch, but it's raining, it's like 10am and you're in absolutely no mood to wait for an hour at Toast? Skip the lines at Toast and walk a block over to The Bristol. You won't be sorry, I promise! After being quoted a 45 minute wait at Toast at 9:45am today, my friends and I were like, "Forget it," and strolled on down to The Bristol. Even though they weren't open, the kind manager-type guy told us to come on in out of the rain and hang out at the bar and have a cup of coffee until breakfast service started at 10. Like a few orphaned puppies being beckoned in from the rain, we scampered in, grabbed a cup of Lavazza coffee and patiently waited for service to start. The menu? Amazingly upscale, yet accessible. If your tastes are simple, go for the two eggs, bacon or sausage and potatoes or step it up a notch and try the Duck and Potato skillet or the Fried Egg Sandwich with pork belly. The Bristol supports local farms (they display their selected farms on a huge chalkboard in the dining room), so you know you're getting super-fresh and healthy food. P.S. That pork belly fried egg sandwich was one of the best things I've eaten in a really long time. The service is absolutely, completely and utterly ON POINT at The Bristol. Besides being let in and served before the place even opened, our server was so gracious, knowledgeable and adorable. She gave us great suggestions, didn't rush us one bit and even had a sense of humor when she caught me spewing some profanities while telling a story. Gotta keep brunch lively, eh? The coffee refills were blindingly fast, so fast my coffee seriously never even cooled off before it was refilled. That is attentive brunch service. Finally, the prices were way more reasonable than expected. Most breakfasts (except the full Bristol brekkie, which included a Bloody and a High Life) hovered right around the $8-10 price point, which I thought was a great value for the upscale nature of the menu. So if you're over the waits at other Bucktown brunch joints, why not switch it up and head to The Bristol? Because while Toast's chicken sausage is good, it's not hour-long-wait good.
(5)
Vern R.
Was actually trying to go to Girl & the Goat but they were booked and this was a related restaurant, menu looked good so gave it a go. First off, walking up, thought it was cool how the front of the restaurant opens up into the street. Not like there's a lot to look at, the area was pretty dead when we went but I like the concept. Normally not a cocktail w/ dinner as I find them too sweet and usually just go w/ a beer or wine, but saw reviews of their Moscow Mule and had to try it. Glad I did as it was delicious and refreshing on such a warm night. Wine list was nice, had a lot from Napa/Sonoma and CA Central Coast which I thought was cool. Did the bone marrow, duck fat fries and pull apart bread as apps. All good, that dill butter they serve w/ the bread is really good. I love homemade pasta and usually order it when it's on the menu, but since I was sharing we also got the half chicken. Possibly the best chicken I've ever had, even better than fried chicken. The skin was just super crispy and flavorful and the meat really moist and tender. I would probably go again just for that. The tagliatelle, was ok. The pasta was good, but the flavor overall wasn't what I was looking for. Finally had the apple cake thing for dessert and it was worth the food coma. It's like a light, super moist pound cake, not too sweet. Service was excellent, our waiter was really nice and really helpful in explaining the menu and suggesting popular items.
(4)
Matt J.
Went to The Bristol the other night with a good friend that I eat out alot with. We had both been to The Bristol before with mixed results, but decided that we needed to go back and check it out again. We got to the restaurant just as it was opening up for dinner service, which was great, as we were able to score two prime seats in the middle of the bar where we could be assured of getting quick service to tasty elixirs. We started things off with some cocktails and orders of the roasted Brussels sprouts, duck fat fries, and the apple salad. All of these were quite good, although the sprouts seemed a tad overdone for my taste. For our entrees, I had the pappardelle and my friend had the trout special. We both were very happy with our orders and neither of us seems overly anxious to share with the other. Lastly, we enjoyed the basque cake and a couple of la louisiane cocktails for dessert, which was an exceptional finish to a very fine meal. After this meal, I think my previous dinner that was not so successful was probably more my fault in poor ordering rather that actual performance, so I plan on being back soon and listening carefully to the bartender's suggestions of what to order.
(4)
Colleen O.
The pigs tail! The PIGS TAIL! THE PIGS TAIL!! You must order the scrumptious, supple pigs tail! It has changed my life. It it weren't so crass, I would have sucked that tail for all of the delicious meat table side. It was a symphony of lushes meats and crispy skin, fat like butter. And they do take reservations now!
(5)
Laura S.
The Bristol just made my family's "Best Of" list. I loved it so much, in fact, that I'm considering assessing my other five-star reviews to determine if they are truly on this level. I visited last Sunday with my mother and sister in celebration of my graduation from my Master's program. While I *almost* want to detract a star for not allowing reservations, because I truly hate this trend, it just wouldn't be fair to the incredible experience (plus the fact that we sat down right away). Have a Drink on Me: Hands down the best I've had in Chicago, clearly made with care. My mum and I savoured each sip of our poire and elderflower concoctions, and my sister raved about her violette collins. I'm not a fan of gin, but I conceded that the drink was spectacular. Start Me Up: As many before me have said, we swooooooned over the monkey bread! The duck fat fries were a touch underwhelming: the ones on top tasted like they were doused in lemon juice, but those underneath were far, far yummier. The bone marrow with a lovely shallot jam was a first for me and my sister, and did not disappoint. The Main Event: We chose two specials: a homemade pasta with artichokes and the most incredible goat bacon, and an arborio-crusted whitefish with lentils. The former was a bit small for sharing, but the latter more than made up for it, and I'd absolutely order both again. Pour Some Sugar On Me: Oh me oh my, the desserts. Perfection. My mum ordered the pistachio cremeux, which came with the largest macaron I've ever encountered. True to form, my sister chose the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butter cookies, and refused to leave behind the 1.5 cookies and several tablespoons of chocolate that she couldn't finish at the restaurant. And I almost fell out of my chair upon first bite of my basque cake. I suspect it was made by angels. The Bristol was good enough to make me wonder if I should eat out far less frequently, save up my pennies, and only patronize establishments of this quality. If this isn't a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.
(5)
Justin N.
One of the worst brunch experiences I have had. Now granted the space and decor is really nice and I in my mind enhanced the dining experience, but frankly that does not excuse bad food. The staff did not serve our coffee and the service was mediocre. I ordered the hangover breakfast. They indicated that they made their own noddles, which I'm fine with, but I don't believe they know how to cook them. It was not al dente. Lastly, the broth had too much salt. I'm sure their dinner is fine, but the brunch was uneventful. I didn't have the heart to tell the hostess my experience,so thanks for bearing my online rant.
(1)
Julie Z.
After spending about an hour searching on Yelp for a brunch place, I decided on The Bristol and I'm happy I did. My fellow diner had been here for dinner and based on his rave reviews I figured their brunch must be legit and it was. Bloody Marys + 7 oz High Life - check! Meat + cheese + pickled items- Check! for the meat + cheese. The pickled business was not very good. Fried egg sandwich w pork belly - Check! Duck Fat fries - Check Check Check!!!! I could have eaten an entire plate of these. Mmmmm The Bristol reminds me of a few restaurants in Amsterdam. Great ambiance with pleasant and non-intrusive servers. I can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)
Billy L.
Saturdays and Sundays, check their excellent brunnnccchhh mmmeeeennnnuuuuuuuuuuuuu! DONUTS.. drool~ .. DUCK DISH
(5)
Holly J.
At one point in time (a mere four months ago) I was a somewhat avid "Yelper". I gave gleaming reviews and once in a great while a negative review would slip through the cracks. I had ceased production of witty banter and reccomendation however when I re-joined the service industry. Yelp can be such a fickle lover. There are those that hate long wait times, those that think seating is uncomfortable and those that think if you don't get a gratis loaf of bread and a slab of butter, the a place isn't worth your time. I think that's all absurd and was somewhat remiss to ever Yelp again. And then came The Bristol. We dined last night for Chef's week and each component of our visit was fairly superb. Four courses and two drinks well worth the $130 price tag. No sticker shock here. Service was nice. Not over the top and efficient in nature (we had everything we needed at all points of service and never felt that he lingered too long or rushed us through). The food (as follows) was delectable: To begin, we got peanuts seasoned with lardon bacon. A nice little snack and something I'm glad I don't have sitting around the house for I'd eat them all without hesitation in moments. After, I chose to have the egg/bread pudding and leek dish. It was a very enojyable accompaniment of flavor and the dish had an amazing asthetic. For the main course I chose skate wing with potato and parsnip puree and some balsamic greens. Accompanied with a tiny marrow bone. Again, the course was nice. I really enjoyed the skate wing, something I'd never tried before but so tender and not overly aquatic in taste (i.e. not from the Gordon's Fisherman, I've never trusted that dude). The highlight of the evening came in a small jam jar, lid flipped open. It was desert and it was cheesecake heaven topped with spiced breadcrumbs, apple, raisin and other delicious effects. Booze drinks are also stellar and the wine list is on point. I ordered a Gruner to take me through my meal and we chose two craft cocktails to begin (The Dark and Stormy and the Poire and Elderflower). Both were amazing. Thank you Bristol. Thank you service industry. And Yelp...I'm still uncertain of your merits however when I dine at an enjoyable place I'll make sure to rave. I'll save the rants for other forum.
(5)
Bharat W.
Had high expectations of this place but everything here was average and nothing was extraordinary. We had the croquettes, the prawns, egg yolk and cheese raviolo, the roasted half chicken, as well as the monkey bread and olives for appetizer. The chicken was the best dish here which is sad. It was cooked perfectly with a nice crispy exterior and a nice tender taste inside. The drinks were also just okay. If you are looking for a good gastro pub, try Frontier on 1072 N Milwaukee instead which blows this place out of the water! On dessert side the nutter butter is also not too bad but the highlight was the blueberry cake. My 'Moscow mule' drink was lacking balance and structure. It felt like a combination of things that didn't fully come together. I hear good things about the bone marrow which I did not try but even if I did, the disappointment on the rest of the meal doesn't justify dining here. Once again not too bad of a place but in this economy your $55 are better spent elsewhere.
(2)
Lindsey W.
This place was great! I started out the night with a moscow mule, served in a copper cup and super refreshing, I had 2 of them...but that was my limit. They were very strong and the ginger beer can get a little sweet after two. A definite must though...you have to at least give it a whirl. We then started off the meal with the monkey bread, it was golden and delicious and the dill butter was amazing! Next we moved onto the Apple salad, it had the perfect blend of cheese, sweet apples and a light vinagarette...loved it! Next we had the very large raviolo...I still can't figure out how this lucious pasta can hold a runny egg yoke and be cooked just perfectly. The brown butter sauce was a nice compliment to the creamy ricotta cheese as well. We finished the night off with the homemade nutter butters. I know some people think it is lame but they were delicious! Whatever is in the chocolate is amazing and I could eat that by the spoonful...which I may have done at the restaurant! All in all a delicious meal and it was enough food for 2 people to share.
(4)
Dallas F.
Its been a while since Ive written a review and that's mainly because nothing has struck my fancy enough to write. That was until my recent dinner at The Bristol. Let me take a moment to walk you through my meal... Since I was with a group I had the opportunity to try several things from the menu. Let's start with the small plates, shall we? Holy duck fat fries! My taste buds are still haunted by memory of their deliciousness. Make sure to order them when dining at the Bristol. Think of me, and know that I am jealous of you. The Lazy Pierogi and Heirloom Apple Salad are also great dishes. The medium plates I tried were A-Ok too. I thought I wouldnt like the Raviolo, but it was actually pretty good. I could have done without the Goat Brain Ravioli, but hey you live and you learn and I can say I tried it. I did not regret the Large prawns in anchovy butter! The prawns were huge and could have filled me alone! After I was done eating everyone else's food I ordered the Chicken entree for myself. It was great I'm sure, but not terribly memorable. I do know it was seasoned well and very moist. The spatzle on the side was great though! The owner came out and asked how everything was and he couldn't have been nicer! It was a lovely meal and Id definitely recommend the Bristol.
(4)
Luan N.
One thing I liked about the Bristol was that there were a lot of light and refreshing items on the menu. However, I felt the items did not quite have the technique and sophistication as Avec. After dining at the Bristol, I didn't ask any of the dishes, "Where have you been all my life?" FYI I tried the monkey bread, flatbread, raviolo, tenderloin, and skate wing. The raviolo, as Amish S put it was a child sized portion. I think the Raviolo would be just right for someone that just had a gastric bypass. I think the tastiest out these dishes were the raviolo and skate wing. However, it would not affect my psyche if I was told I could not dine here again.
(3)
Bart T.
Just went here for brunch with some friends and it was great. First, get the duck fat fries and get it to start. I ordered it but it came later than my meal so I didn't get around to it until late so I had barely any room for it, which was a shame. They were crispy and went well with the garlic aioli. We also ordered the cinnamon roll and the donuts, which came first. I would have liked to eaten them at the end (I always like to finish meals with something sweet). I hate to say it but the donuts were ok - I honestly think I prefer Krispy Kreme :). The cinnamon roll was excellent though. I wish I would have eaten more of it. I had the fried egg sandwich with pork belly and mornay sauce and breakfast potatoes. This was excellent. There was more pork belly than I was expecting and the plate looked like there was a ton of food but I was able to finish most of it and still not feel like I over-ate (which I sometimes feel like after breakfast or brunch). The egg was done sunnyside up and cooked perfectly and the pork belly was fantastic. The breakfast potatoes were breakfast potatoes, nothing exactly special about it but good nonetheless (I mean, who can mess up breakfast potatoes)? Oh, and if you're wondering what mornay sauce is (which nobody at our table seemed to know), it's some sort of cheese sauce and it worked very well with the sandwich (which, I should mention, is an open-faced sandwich). Finally, a note about the drinks - the bloody mary here is ok. Not enough stuff with the bloody mary (just one olive and a lime) and not peppery enough. It was very bland. I also ordered the bacon manhattan and the candied bacon was very nice and the manhattan was pretty good also. It was stronger than I expected and I might have gotten a little buzz from it :).
(4)
Mary H.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Chicago, which says a LOT considering how many options exist in this foodie city. After coming here once a few years ago for a friend's birthday, my girlfriends and I have returned to The Bristol every single time there is something special to celebrate. They have wonderful standbys (we consistently get the monkey bread, duck fat fries and chicken), but switch up menu items enough that you feel like you can try something new during each visit. The cocktail list is fantastic as well--I personally recommend the Poire & Elderflower. And how can you possibly review the Bristol without talking about their Basque cake. Holy balls, you guys...I had what was basically religious experience the first time I had this cake ("It tastes like HOME!"). The Bristol may be my favorite restaurant in Chicago, but the Basque cake is my favorite dessert of all time, no contest. Friendly staff, addictive food, innovative menu....thank god it's pricey, or I'd weigh a metric ton.
(5)
Justin K.
Amazing food (everything was amazing), amazing service, and massive portion sizes for a restaurant like this. I actually had left overs which was a pleasant surprise.
(5)
Marcy B.
Haven't been for brunch, but have heard it's great. Have been three times for dinner. One of the best roast chickens in Chicago. Chicken can be boring and dry. Not here. It's delicious. We have sent many friends and they all agree. Also love the pork chop. It's enormous and very flavorful. They have a great wine list and the staff is very helpful. One of our favorites.
(5)
Matthew K.
I cannot complain about the food at all. With fine ingredients and quality execution, its hard to go wrong and the Bristol does not. The Mrs. and I shared a number of menu items and none were lacking. A flatbread with bacon, carmelized onion, and a rich goat cheese was very good. Duck fat fries were extremely tasty. The monkey bread was buttery, light, and fluffy-- though the dill butter tasted a little bland considering it was butter loaded with dill (it was also one of the more overpriced items). Ravioli with mushrooms and brown butter was also very fine, and the grilled prawns were delicious. My wife enjoyed her cocktail very much and an adequate beer selection provided me with a nice pairing to the meal. Atmosphere is nice even if you're slightly cramped. Service was fine and aside from the monkey bread, prices were fairly reasonable. I probably won't put it on a "must do" restaurant list, but its certainly a good restaurant that I would be happy to dine at again.
(4)
Amanda B.
LOVED the bristol! Went here with some girlfriends for restaurant week and although its a little out of my usual price range... I would definitely go back. I don't usually start a review raving about the service but I think in this case it is merited. Our waiter was awesome!! He was helpful choosing drinks and entrees, he was attentive, he was funny and he could take a joke- loved it. He also made some special accommodations for my friends who were intimidated by the idea of bone marrow as part of their dinner (it was weird but delicious, by the way) In terms of food and drink this place was fantastic. We each got 2 rounds of cocktails and everything I tasted was unique and yummy. Definitely recommend their twist on a tom collins. As far as food, the dessert was probably the highlight of my meal so I'll start there- gingerbread pudding, nuff said. The first two courses were also fantastic- the roasted beet + guyere tart followed by bristol's special pasta that has double the egg yolk for thickness. I went with the Beef Osso Bucco as I was feeling adventerous and the meat was delicious. Another girl at my table got the same and didn't love it but I was a fan. Absolutely would go back and taste some other things on the menu!
(4)
Michelle M.
The Bristol is my new favorite Bucktown restaurant. My first time in I ordered a special drink off menu that was delicious. The bartender gave me a sample of some of the ingredients so I could understand the individual flavors of the drink - how awesome is that? On my second trip I was happy to learn that this special drink was so popular that it is now on the menu as the Black Diamond. I would highly recommend the salads and the monkey bread. Mmmmm soft warm bread with dill butter. Delicious!
(5)
Joseph L.
2.8 stars. Monkey Bread tasted like a freshly made Brown-n-Serve instant bread (that's a good thing if you also like what reminds me of bread from childhood). The trout was good but i was not wowed by the flash fried kale garnish. The fish was tasty and the gnocci was solidly decent. The duck fat fries, pretty good. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing, I'll go back (eventually.)
(2)
Lynne J.
I love The Bristol and could eat here every single night! I love their Chicken, Monkey Bread and Duck Fries and their specials are amazing. This is my favorite restaurant in the city.
(5)
Elisa P.
I shall never again be late to a reservation. My first 10 minutes at the Bristol involved high stress, quick decision making and a less than pleasant waiter that was hustling us to put in an order, as the kitchen was about to close. But as I said, can't really blame the Bristol when we walked in at 9:50 on a Monday. Other than the first few flustered moments, my time at the Bristol was well enjoyed. It should be on everyone's list of restaurants to try. The monkey bread lasted about 5 minutes it was so delicious, this seemed to set the pace for the rest of the meal. I had my new favorite salad here- apple, herbs, watercress, manchego and hazelnuts, I believe. I will most defiantly try and replicate this at home, since all other green salads are now ruined for me. A Raviolo, seriously?! This singular form of ravioli was truly delectable. As you cut into the middle, egg yolk spilled out over the cheese and onto the brown butter sauce that this perfect piece of pasta was sitting on. As I have been reading, the brunch here is good as well, and since I am a sucker for breakfast, rest assured Bristol I shall see you again; and this time I promise to be on time for my reservation!
(4)
Michael E.
So I've tried to eat here before, but the place is just too happening to just wander in off the street....you should plan to go to this establishment, but eat early or late because standard hours may have a long wait and they don't take reservations. This was truly a gastronomical experience for me. Around 6pm about a 1/3 of the restaurant seating was still available. Seating puts you close to other tables, particularly along with wall, so at this time of the evening the conversations were tame from a volume perspective compared to what it is like when the place is at full capacity. The menu does have some seasonal items and was full of plenty of items I was just dying to try. To start we had, what I've come to call a unique Chicago food, duck fat fries.....the only other place I know that serves them is some little dive hot dog stand that is west of the city near the corn burbs, so I was excited to try these which were excellent. Another starter plate that caught our eye was "stuffed chicken wings?" Expecting to be disappointed with some fancy version of a Hooters special, I again wasn't disappointed. They were quite tasty. Lamb carpaccio was one of the seasonal specials which we ordered and split between us and the other was a skirt steak served with blue cheese raviolis. Personally.....I think just about every would be good if it was stuffed with blue cheese *sheepish grin*. Both of these dishes were complex in taste and texture and real treat to eat. I had desert envy - there, I said it....the nutter butter is a MUST try. Too good!!! Service and the server were excellent. Attentive in both food and drinks. Finally, valet service is only $7 which is a deal in Chicago where typical service of this sort is in the double digits.
(4)
Joseph F.
I love this place's atmosphere--toned down, but lively. Unlike other restaurants with dim lighting, the cool swanky music keeps it from feeling like a museum. The bartending staff is friendly, and the food is quality. The only downside is that the portions are pretty small, especially given the price, so you'll leave with your taste buds satisfied but your stomach not. You can throw vegetables at me for the fact that after I finished I went to the Popeye's down the street for some tenders, but hell I was still hungry and they were 1/10th the cost for the same amount of protein...
(4)
David R.
I'm having a hard time classifying my feelings about this joint. Annoyed? Disappointed? Betrayed? Aggressively indifferent? Hype [is greater than] reality (Eff you, Yelp, for disallowing basic symbols.) I thought based on reviews that this was a sort of junior Publican, but that is not at all the aesthetic (either decoratively or culinarily) which they are attempting. But that's not the reason that I didn't like it. The food simply wasn't any good. Monkey bread: It's a warm roll baked in segments, with salt brushed over it. How could this possibly deserve its reputation? It smelled great in that way that all warm bread does, and the dill butter is a nice touch, but this is far from rave-worthy. Duck pappardelle: Duck, green onions, wide floppy noodles...boring. It tasted fine, but nothing special. Bone marrow: I decided to be adventurous here, and it backfired. It didn't taste bad, but I'm not sure what the chef did to it. It was just bone marrow served inside the bones. With the consistency of greasy jelly, this stuff begs to be paired with something dry like toast....Oh, look, they gave me some toast. Neat. And some wine-flavored jam and some parsley. Now I can make four colorful little crostinis with all my adorable ingredients and pretend that this big oval plate of sophistication is worth $16 for eight moderately interesting but unenjoyable bites. Bleu cheese ravioli: ... It's ravioli with bleu cheese in it. Yawn. Chocolate pudding: Or whatever they called it (my crappy emergency laptop has no pdf reader so I can't look at the menu). This is a diminutive snifter of chocolate pudding with two house-made "Nutter Butters." So, it's my fault for not knowing what "Nutter Butters" are. But they were little peanut butter cookies, and I found them lacking; like most of the above--it's just a peanut butter cookie. I should have given my nutter butter to my friend because I derived no enjoyment from it. The pudding had big ol' crystals of sea salt in it. I understand the gustatory principle of salt-sweet combinations, but this was just gratuitous. The bites of pudding without salt were bland; the bites with salt were alarming and unpleasant. The beer: The Bristol didn't brew the stuff, but somebody on staff is selecting their offerings, so they get some of the blame. I didn't like either of my two drafts, although to be fair they offer plenteous imports and micro labels in bottle form. Go with one of those (if you go at all, which I am not recommending). The only thing saving them from two stars was the fact that our server unhesitatingly granted our request to have some bleu cheese ravioli without ordering the entire skirt steak dish. That's good service. Also, she never rushed us during the evening, as we were somewhat clumsy and irresolute in our ordering.
(3)
Eric Y.
I went here last weekend with a group of eight and I've heard so many good things about this place. I really wanted to like it.....but it just wasn't very good or meet up to my expectations. Just to get it out of the way, YES THEIR DUCK FAT FRIES were amazing!!!! As amazing as these fries were though. They just couldn't save the rest of the meal. I had both the goat sausage and the pawns. The goat sausage was pretty salty and I felt like there just wasn't enough goat favor in it. Wasn't a fan.... The pawns were better then the goat, but they were just ok....I've had better. Its cool that everything is sourced from local farms, but the food just doesn't do it for me. Next..... -Newbs-
(3)
jenny m.
I was really excited to try the Bristol. I like supporting restaurants that put a focus on using locally sourced ingredients and I had heard good things here & there. So I went in expecting to love the place, but left feeling a bit disappointed in the whole experience. First, we had a 930 reservation on a Friday night, but didn't get seated until about 45 minutes later. I can't help it, but it bothers me when popular restaurants can't manage reservations better. I can understand waiting a bit during peak times on peak days, but 45 minutes at 930 on a Friday? It just makes me annoyed from the get go. As soon as we were sat, our server came over and was kind of pushy about taking our order. It just felt like he wanted to get it in and then be done with us. Yes it's late, but we just got sat and need some time to look at the menu before ordering. Unfortunately that's pretty much what happened. Once we placed our order, we didn't see much of the server the rest of the time we were there. I definitely did not feel very taken care of. To be honest, I could have overlooked all that had the food blown me away. But it really just didn't. The monkey bread was really good...but it's also bread dipped in butter, it should be good. I enjoyed the prawns as well, but again, they were bathed in butter. For the entree, my friend and I split the fish special and we both had the same thought - the accompanying sauce was good...but the fish just tasted really "fishy". It just wasn't a fish dish either of us particularly enjoyed. Overall the experience & the food left me feeling underwhelmed. I will probably give Bristol another shot in the future, but on an off night when I won't have to wait and hopefully service will be better.
(3)
Ying Y.
Although the last 2 times I have been, the Bristol has not been as great as the first 4 times I've been, I still think they deserve 5 stars. Here's why: Service: The staff are all very friendly and accommodating. It is clear they really love the food that is put out by the kitchen and it shows in their gushing descriptions when asked for recommendations. That said, they also don't recommend everything on the menu, which is a relief. Food is typically timed well and dishes come out in a thoughtful order, which the server confirms with you before proceeding. Drinks: The specialty cocktails are delicious here. I don't like sweet drinks and these are perfect for me. I definitely prefer them over the Violet Hour. The beer list is extensive and, or so I've been told, very good. I'm not a beer drinker so I don't know. In the times when we have asked for recommendations on wine, they have been decent but not memorable. Food: The star of this place. The food here is AMAZING, though there have been times when it has been a tad too salty or oily for me (I find this to be true at a lot of Chicago restaurants so maybe they are just adjusting to the taste of their clientele?). I haven't had a bad dish here and I've tried almost everything on their normal menu. Truly memorable dishes I've had are: Shrimp ala Planxa (first time everyone at the table ate the shells and head and everything else since it was so good, second time was much too salty :( ), squid ink pasta, chicken with corn cake thing, truffle pig-stamped coin like pasta (even though you can't make out the pig at all), and this goat cheese (I think) "cheese cake". I also must add I don't really like desserts and HATE cheese cake, but this dish reminded me of a dessert I had at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, which I still consider the best thing I've ever eaten in my life.
(5)
Anjee J.
Absolutely hands down the worst brunch I ever had in my life. Wow. I'm pissed, and I'm just going to get straight to the point. The Bad: The coffee glazed donut. Sounds awesome, right? Except I could barely taste the coffee in the glaze and all I could taste in the donut itself was yeast. Ah, a sign of bad things to come... The potatoes. After seeing how meager my biscuits and gravy portion was (oh, and wait til I get to THAT), I immediately asked my server for an additional side of them as my boyfriend's looked amazing. I probably should've tasted one first. Completely flavorless and underwhelming. They had a great crunch, but that $4 would've still been far better spent on a pack of frozen hash browns. The ketchup... WAS it even ketchup? Because I'm pretty sure someone served us tomato paste by mistake. They're doing their customers a huge disservice by not just placing a damn bottle of Heinz on the table, especially because their potatoes seriously need it. The AWFUL: The #$%^ing biscuits and gravy were a JOKE. Ohmygod, where do I begin? I'm pretty sure I was served a single biscuit that was cut into two completely flat, square halves. It wasn't fluffy, it wasn't buttery, it wasn't even 3-dimensional! As for the gravy, guess what? It was watery and had ZERO flavor. Surprise! Was there even meat in it? I assume that's what the lumpy bits were, but I couldn't taste any. The poached eggs on top were a useless addition, as all they did was water down the flavor even further. They have some audacity charging $11 for this garbage, let alone serving it at all. To add insult to injury, when I told the manager/owner that I was dissatisfied, he had the nerve to say that "the weather" was responsible for the biscuits being flat. As for everything being severely undersalted? "That's why we have it on the table." *points* Uuuhhh, yeah, that wasn't condescending at all. I was pretty polite throughout the whole exchange but in retrospect, considering his unaccommodating attitude, I wish I had asked for it to be taken off the bill. Terrible. I reeeeally don't get the hype surrounding this place, but maybe the dinner is where it's at. Too bad I'll never be going back to find out.
(1)
Kevin K.
My wife and I ate at The Bristol after a day manning our booth at the National Restaurant Accosition Show at the McCormick Place. What a great way to end the day for two country kids from central Illinois. We have been to The Bristol a few times and have never yet been disappointed. The atmosphere, the service (Elliott was the perfect waiter!) and especially - the FOOD!! Fantastic! Every time! The Duch Fat Fries are to die for and the Monkey Bread is incredible. We shared the Roasted Chicken and it was supurb. For dessert, we ordered the Chocolate Cremeux (which was great), but they also brought us the Basque Cake, which has to join my short list of favorite desserts. Many thanks to Chef Pandel and his staff for a very memorable dining experience.
(5)
Michael M.
I liked it. Everything I ordered was very good. In reality, Bristol would get 3.5 stars if possible.However... This score isn't higher primarily because I didn't like the menu that much. The ingredients were redundant, and none of the dishes seemed particularly original. This was not one of those places where you feel like everything on the menu looks fantastic, and you can't decide. I also found our waiter to be a bit annoying. That said, the cassoulet was fantastic.
(3)
Christina G.
I don't know if it's fair to write a review now, but I did eat here once a couple of years ago and remember it being pretty good with awesome cocktails. However, of recent times, I have yet to return because it's almost impossible to make a reservation. Which is fine but my sister lives across the street and I was house-sitting a few weeks ago, so I invited two friends over and walked over at 7pm and put in my name, and was told 2 hour wait. Perfect. I was told I'd get a phone call when the table was ready. By 9:15, hadn't heard anything so we walked over, and were told maybe another 45 minutes. Not another 45 minutes, but maybe 45 minutes. The host would not commit to giving us a table! Normally this would have been fine, but not 2.5 hours after you said you would! Not cool! We could have looked elsewhere in the meantime if they had just been honest in the first place (i.e. "I'm sorry but we won't be able to accommodate walk-ins today."). Anyway, we weren't the only ones, so along with a few other people walked over to the recently opened Red Door, which was a pleasant surprise. As of now, never planning on trying to get a table here again.
This place is SO YUMMY!!! I went with a gal pal for a birthday celebration and it's a great place to share. The portions are just perfect, the server was helpful (and efficient) and the vibe was good. We ate: --skirt steak and blue cheese ravioli...I could pretty much eat that every day. It was done perfectly. --gnocchi...some of the best I've ever had, even compared to a lot of Italian joints. Perfect little pillows of dough. --the grilled flatbread...it was tasty, but just a little on the dry side and it could've used a little more toppings. Other than that, a perfect meal and experience!
(5)
Steve G.
Service is good. Friendly, accommodating, on top of everything, etc. The space and decor are fun. Don't get the chilaquiles at brunch. Mediocre in every way. The menu claims the dish has braised pork in it, but I found only three little dried-out, chewy (i.e., the opposite of braised) chunks of pork among a gelatinous mass of tortilla with an egg thrown on top. No effort put into the dish whatsoever. It was like yesterday's dinner scraps thrown together to take advantage of the brunch crowd. Extremely disappointing. My wife enjoyed her smoked-trout quiche, though her side of bacon was way, way overcooked. My mother-in-law liked her eggs Benedict, which I'm happy about because she insisted on treating us. I have to wonder if the Bristol went to huge efforts to make a name for itself when it first opened and then gave up once that name was developed. I suppose I'd go back once more to make sure, but yeah...weak first experience as far as the food went. Won't be back for brunch, at least.
(2)
Isla E.
I need to start going to restaurants when they open. You all get so excited about things, anyone is bound to be disappointed. Monkey bread, schmonkey bread. But my companions seemed to like everything; the pork entree was especially favored. I would go back, but I just think places like this need a large, interesting salad. Using every vegetable they have in the kitchen. It can't be that hard. I want a salad that makes other people wish they had ordered it. Rather than the looks of pity I normally get. There are still plenty of things to eat for those that aren't as carnivorous, although vegans may have some trouble. Roasted bone marrow tastes like unflavored gelatin, btw. The drinks were great, though, both boozy and non. They gave me an hourglass to time my tea steeping. And I'm so glad we stayed for dessert! Some kind of peanut butter chocolate thing and another cake with some creamy stuff or fruit or I really don't remember now. But it was definitely good.
(4)
Matt L.
Tell your motha, tell your brotha, tell your son, tell your fatha To finish off their meal with some quince panna cotta! Someone get Diddy on the phone. I need a record deal if I'm going to keep dropping hot rhymes like this.
(5)
Stella D.
three letters: DFF DUCK FAT FRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this was recommended to us by my husband's friend and they did not disappoint. The drinks were amazing, the food was amazing, the service was amazing. Its not pretentious, its not in the middle of the city and it does not have a Be-seen attitude to it. all good food, all amazing at great prices. do i wanna go back? HFY! (hell fucking yeah!)
(5)
Shannon H.
Enjoyed dinner on a double date here recently. Favorite cocktails were poire & elderflower (if you like sweet) and the moscow mule. Great atmosphere and service. Unique, tasty dishes that are good for sharing.
(4)
Kristin R.
So a few weeks ago, Matt L. and I were agonizing over where to go to dinner. We decided on the Bristol. I feel bad only giving it 3 stars but it is not the best place to come if you are practically a vegetarian, which I almost am. Some would say I'm picky, but I guess I just like a more traditional menu with more variety. But if you happen to be a foodie, this could just be the place for you! Firstly, the service here was phenomenal. Our waiter (his name I never knew) was incredibly knowledgeable about everything. From the drinks to the food, he was very patient with my questions, and recommended a great starter cocktail based on my personal inclinations toward spirits. He also put up with our indecisiveness while we scrutinized the menu to pick dishes we would both enjoy. The monkey bread was good and is a great starter dish. Nothing too strange about this. It came with an interesting dipping sauce and the primary flavor totally escapes me. I'm thinking dill? In any case, it was yummy. Then there came the bone marrow. I may be picky but I will pretty much try anything as long as there is no mayonnaise in it. The consistency got to me a bit. It comes in a bone and is quite jelly-like. I tried it, spread it over some toasted bread, and it basically tastes like butter. So if you can get over the fact that you're eating bone marrow, it isn't bad. I'm not a super sophisticated eater though so did not fully appreciate it, nor would I order bone marrow again. We also ordered this very interesting vegetarian pasta. I forget what is in it, I think he said there was lots of saffron. It almost tasted tart, sort of like a grapefruit, but it was actually really good. And this would be a dish I would for sure order again in the future. A nice vegetarian option for you non meat eaters. Lastly, OMIGOD the nutter butter is to die for. One of my favorite parts of this meal. It is a chocolate pudding dish but much thicker and denser than pudding. A very rich dessert so you could split it or ask for a glass of milk to wash it down, seriously. And it comes with two home made nutter butter like cookies that you can dip in the chocolate. It is making my mouth water just thinking about it! Oh and they had a great list of specialty cocktails. I ordered the Moscow Mule and loved it. In conclusion, take my 3 stars for what it's worth. I don't really eat meat. For all the vegetarians out there, this is NOT the place for you. I also do not have a sophisticated palate and am not what one would define as a "foodie". So while I've given it only 3 stars, I think anyone should give this restaurant a go!
(3)
chris c.
I am still of the opinion that this is one of the most under rated gems in the city. Prices are reasonable, the food always rocks and the drinks are always spot on. It has been doing what longman and eagle are trying to do for longer and they do it better. This place is just the bomb diggity.
(5)
Stuart E.
This place lives up to the hype, unlike some of other restaurants it competes with (cough--Longman & Eagle--cough). I instantly felt at easy when I walked in, melting into the booth and enjoying the rustic decor. The food was tremendous. Apple slaw, greens, and monkey bread to start--the slaw hit it out of the park in particular. I had the suckling pig special, with sugar snap peas and steel-cut oats. Amazing. The skin alone was enough to send me home to write this review (though it did take a week because I'm lazy). There were absolutely no complaints from our party. This place is worth a visit, or five.
(5)
Matthew S.
To say that I was excited about eating at The Bristol would be an understatement. Now I am excited to go back and try some other things. When we first arrived i explained to our server that my girlfriend is a vegetarian. She talked through the entire menu and explained the different options for her. We started off with the monkey bread which was really light and fluffy. My girlfriend started with the Apple Salad (Marinated Manchego and hazelnut) which she said kicked Panera's Apple salad in the ass. Which I thought was really cute. I had the Werp Farms breakfast radish with butter and sea salt. If you like radishes this is a must have and a really beautiful presentation. For our entrees, she had the Raviolo (Ricotta,egg yolk, brown butter) and I had the Roasted Half Chicken (dill spatzle, crunchy salad). We both loved our meals and I think that might have been the tastiest piece of chicken I have ever had. As great as this place is, they really don't rub it in your face. They are warm and welcoming and the food is enough to send you to group therapy meetings. When I come back I will be trying the Mussels (they are huge so bring someone to share them with) and the Crispy Pig tail. I am already planning to go back next Friday with my brother. O I almost forgot about the desert. We had a cranberry upside down cake and a hazelnut cream. I enjoyed that with a blood orange tea which was amazing. Buy the hype! This place is legit.
(5)
Becca H.
I went to The Bristol for the first time last night with some family. I live in Wicker Park, so I've been meaning to try it for a while now (so glad it's on OpenTable now!) I have to say that it definitely lived up to its hype. Sadly, I didn't try any of the drinks, but the cocktails looked delicious. But as far as the food goes... We started with the duckfat fries which were so good! Definitely on the greasy/ heavy side, but that's to be expected. We also split the pumpkin salad which was so good and refreshing. We also had the kale flatbread, which I also thought was excellent, good option for sharing. Bone marrow was good, but nothing special. Main course we split the chicken and the tuna. The chicken was FABULOUS! So so so great! The tuna was interesting. It was a HUGE portion. Half of our group loved it and the other half thought it was so-so. For desserts we split the pumpkin tart, which was good but nothing to go crazy over, and the apple cake. The apple cake may have been my favorite part of the meal, which was the over-all conclusion of the group I was with. The service was great! Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, gave us good tips for what to order and how much to order for our group (4 people). I'd definitely recommend this place! Great for a small group or a date. Definitely on the pricey side, so be ready to throw down some $$$.
(5)
Tamara W.
Awesome drinks! Great service! GO GO GO !
(5)
Linda Z.
Really great cocktails, fun atmosphere and tasty food. We had the farm green salad and the apple salad to start, both of which were dressed appropriately and gave the fresh kick we were looking for. The half chicken was well-seasoned and tender (and much better than what we had at Publican, in my opinion). Would love to return.
(4)
Suzanne S.
I went here for brunch with my husband, sister and infant, and we met two friends. We arrived a couple of minutes early and our table was not yet ready, instead of saying, it'll be 10 minutes, they made an effort to clear space at the bar for us to sit, and the bartender brought out waters and menus and took drink orders. I know this sounds like no big deal, but you had to be there to appreciate how smooth it was and how kind the host invited us into the restaurant. We were fine just hanging out in the foyer or street, but it was nice to have this level of graciousness. I always think brunch is the best meal of the day. Like all the potential for your day is there on the plate in front of you. Strong coffee, pleasant service, attentive staff, and damn good food. I had the house cured salmon and bagel, it was perfect. My husband did note his egg sandwich was a bit salty, but the breakfast potatoes made up for that. And the Cinnamon Roll. Light, sweet, but not grossly sugary. We also loved the donut. One of each was enough for five adults to share. This place has really put the gleam back into the word, "service". Can't wait to try it for dinner.
(5)
Marc L.
My girlfriend and I hit up this place for brunch because we had a card for ten dollars off. It seemed to be going well at first: the interior was nice, we were seated quickly near the open air front area which had a pleasant breeze, and my cappuccino was excellent. We were starving so we ordered the coffee-glazed donut to start. It was very fresh and had a super light texture, but I couldn't taste any coffee in the glaze. It was also very yeasty and not sweet enough. Then I had the fried egg sandwich with pork belly. I had high hopes for this sandwich, but it just didn't deliver. The first problem was that it was kind of hard to eat. Am I wrong in thinking it's not a good idea to serve an open face sandwich with a fried egg and sauce on top? I would have liked two pieces of bread instead of one thick slice on the bottom, just to make eating the thing easier, and less messy. I already look slobby enough when i haven't shaved in like a week, I don't need egg all up in my beard too.Then, I wasn't wowed by the flavor either. It was good, but it wasn't remarkable. I expected more from the pork belly, but it might as well have been a normal chunk of ham. The best part of the meal (aside from the coffee) was the breakfast potatoes, but even these had their flaws. I liked that they were crispy, but it was kind of like getting the bottom of a chip bag. There were a couple proper bits, but the rest was just crispy crumbs. Then there was the homemade ketchup, which was awful. It pretty much just tasted like tomato paste. All in all, this was a very dissapointing meal, especially for the prices they charge, though I must point out that our waitress was friendly and checked on us frequently, so at least it wasn't a total disaster.
(2)
Alison T.
We went here for the first time a few weeks ago. Very cool interior. We didn't have to wait long at all. They do send you upstairs for drinks if there is a wait... which is a little odd that they don't just use all of the space upstairs as a regular dining room. We got a bunch of different stuff to try, which is definitely the way to go. We got the duck fat fries, bone marrow, quail, gnocchi, and a couple other things I can't remember now. Everything was delicious. The price definitely gets up there since you get a bunch of different small-portion dishes, but a great place to try new things!
(4)
maria h.
I went there the other night with hopes of celebrating my friends birthday. Not only did it take 15 mins for us to simply get our cocktails, but there was a food in my hair and the manager had the gull to say he didn't know how it got there, everybody in the kitchen has really short hair.(suggesting it was mine) While waiting for the bathroom that is right across from the open doorway of the kitchen I saw two men with long hair. Bad customer service is suggesting it's my fault there's a hair buried under my $20 Halibut. Then they totally mishandled the birthday cake we had brought in. It was pretty much an overrated place for the price we paid. I expected better customer service from a place I was paying that much for.
(1)
annie c.
Finally made it here last Saturday after a previous attempt, which ended with me and my man having drinks and snacks but no meal b/c this place gets very crowded and they don't take reservations. This is a great spot for an early dinner, OR if you are in the mood to drink your face off with their awesome list of specialty drinks and have a few snacks with the hope of having a meal around 10 pm, go for it. I suggest the senior citizen hour! like 5:30 or 6. Ok, the food is great, service is slow. Cheese plate was wonderful, monkey bread and spicy olives all very very good. I had the apple salad and ravioli, be warned, it's one very large ravioli, but it was delicious. My companions had the pasta and pork ragu and the egg and pork belly sandwich, their reviews were favorable to say the least. The space is pretty unique, has a communal eating style feel about it. And I was impressed with the wines and the specialty drinks, did I mention that? Skip dessert and head down the street to another joint for dessert!
(4)
m c.
food is excellent, the communal tables are acceptable, decent wines by the glass and prices extremely reasonable. perfect neighborhood joint, despite the lack of reservations which are really annoying and just OK service (our server was not that knowledgeable about the menu, though acceptably pleasant). there are a lot of things i'd like to go back and try so this may become our new fave place.
(4)
attalie d.
love! want to go back asap. went on a friday at 7 with my boyfriend and we immediately were seated at the bar. I will definitely sit at the bar again...the service was amazing and we had a couple people keeping an eye on us that were extremely helpful. cocktails--perfect and worth the wait (that was really not that long). egg yolk ravioli--insane good and will not be able to return without ordering this again...not sure why anyone would complain about this, but I imagine there would be several other things we would disagree on...
(5)
Madelyn H.
we went to this place fairly early on a friday night so didn't have problems with the wait or with parking, but that kind of thing generally doesn't cause me to give a restaurant demerits. my fiance had been to this restaurant before, so he recommended that we share some snacks/salads/sides and then get our own medium/large dish. i'd definitely recommend this strategy because it was just the right amount of food and you still get to try lots of things. the food i had was great. started out with the monkey bread... loved it. what a fun food to bring back and in an interesting way. also had the lazy pierogi... this too was an unusual take on something standard. really tastey and sagey. then had the heirloom apple salad (which i don't really remember) and the duck fat french fries (which were delish). so i ordered the skate wing with root vegetables, and i also thought this was a great dish. we tried the cheesecake and nutter butters for dessert. i'm not a huge fan of cheesecake, but this was nice and light with great flavor. the little nutter butters were good, but they came with a cup of chocolate, and i felt like the ratio of chocolate to nutter butters was off. overall, had a really good experience at the bristol and am glad to have it in the neighborhood. good to eat: cheesecake, duck fat fries, lazy pierogi must try: monkey bread, skate wing
(4)
simon y.
chris pandel rocks. his pastas are amazing. the only thing is this place gets crowded and a little noisy. you also may have to share your table. but the food is worth it.
(5)
Alex D.
My boyfriend and I had a great dining experience at The Bristol. We arrived around 5ish on a Sunday. We were warmly greeted and seated right away. The restaurant filled up fairly quickly after that. The space is minimalist in design, but it had a nice and warm, inviting atmosphere. We felt right at home. Our server was very friendly and attentive...explained the menu and took our drink orders. We both had some great beer. As a small plates/sharing type of restaurant, you'd expect that dishes would come out fairly close together, but our orders were very well staggered. Each dish is small enough where you are left wanting more. We started off with the excellent Duck Fat Fries with the aioli and homemade ketchup. The stuffed chicken wings were tender and perfectly cooked. The next dish that came out was the monkey bread. It came out nice and hot and fluffy with a buttery dipping sauce. My recommendation is to twist some more salt into the sauce for more flavor. It made the dipping sauce thatmuch better. Our pick for our large plate was the sausage - Boudin Blanc. I'm not the biggest fan of sausage, but I actually enjoyed it. "Sooo Meaty!" - E! Talk Soup. The cabbage and the pasta went very well with the sausage. I highly recommend the cheesecake for dessert. It was paired very well with diced appley goodness. One thing about our dinner that really impressed me was that we were given a new set of silverware/plates after each course! Just this small act [which wasn't even necessary, once or twice would have been enough] made me feel great about dining at The Bristol. When one of us excused ourselves to use the restroom, the busser came by and proceeded to fold our napkins and place it back on the table. Very nice touch. [I do notice some similarities between The Bristol and The Publican, but since I had such a disappointing dining experience at The Publican...I won't be back.] All in all, a great time and we look forward to going back and trying out more dishes.
(5)
mary o.
went here on a very busy wed night. Between four of us and our hungry appetites we sampled most of the menu. Loved the radish salad which was basically a bunch of radishes, toast, butter and salt. So simple yet so good! who knew? Didnt try the duck fat fries but they were quickly devoured by my friends. Huge beer list, great cocktails and bustling scene. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
kari n.
this is a cool spot. Super friendly bartender and staff always add to that. We started at the bar which has an impressive beer list and unique cocktails (like the ginger puree, vodka, beer concoction I tried and enjoyed). Dinner included the duck fat fries (sinfully good), the heirloom apple salad (the cheese in this was great - there was a lot of this salad and it was quite tangy though, so a smaller portion would've been appropriate), and the roasted squash (I loved this, but I love veggies). I don't eat meat, and there are very few options on this menu that don't include pork in some manner, but I still had an enjoyable meal. The service was good and the atmosphere and crowd mean we'll go back.
(4)
Marilyn L.
Noone in our party of 8 was impressed. One had to go out for fresh air because it was so smoky and stuffy from the kitchen. The food was nothing to remember. The mussels were bland, the raviolio was one 3 inch piece as an entree! They sat other people at our table without even asking us, and told us they can do that since it is their restaurant, even though there were other open tables. Too many other good choices. Overpriced, and will not return.
(2)
bumpers k.
This place looks very appealing. The waitstaff is great, the menu is great, and the space is great. HOWEVER, the quality of the food and its prep is quite lacking. Of the six items we ordered, we liked zero. bland salad, aweful ravioli, weird undercooked sausage. The kitchen really needs some attention. Our table mates sent their food back, twice.
(2)
Joe S.
This is a great place. The beer list is stellar and the menu is without pretense. I had the Fried Pig Tail, Roasted Bone Marrow, Monkey Bread and Duck Fries. All was very good. The Pig Tail was succulent at times, dried beyond salvation in other parts and 100% gelatinous and full of porky goodness. It was a bit dry, to be honest, but I didn't let that entirely disappoint me. The slaw that it was served with was, I believe, daikon, chive, carrot, basil, cilantro etc. It was tropical in its influences and seemed out of place/season, especially in late-December Chicago. The dish begged for a little help from a sauce. The monkey bread was good, but nothing amazing. The Duck Fat fries were nicely done, albeit not screaming hot. I like fries to be still glistening with fat when they arrive, one of the perils of fried food vs. slow food-running. The bone marrow was pretty good. I think a little more bread would have been nice, but lovely accompaniments (pickled ramps? December?!) Sipped a Goose Island Juliet and Saison Dupont throughout the meal. Can't go wrong there. I would recommend this place to someone with a more curious palate. Not so far outside the box, but not run of the mill. Good job, Bristol!
(4)
Laura W.
I've been deliberating whether to send a note to the management, but thought I'd check yelp first to see if my experience matched anybody else's. It didn't, so I guess I won't. In a nutshell, the decibel level in this place is ear-splitting. I went on a Monday, mind you, and there were two parties there, but holy cow, that place needs some sound baffling material on the ceiling, walls, whatever because all I can say is ouch. Now to the service- excellent, perhaps bordering on the ebullient, but everybody was very nice and we received a thorough explanation of each dish. The food is a mixed bag, and having been to the Publican recently, the Bristol falls short in its efforts to do the organic, small dish, tripe stew-type thing. The wine list is delightful. The appetizers were not so hot. The burgers were amazing. The fries were soggy. The panna cotta was great. Overall worth trying, but wear ear plugs if the place is more than half full.
(3)
laurence h.
we've tried the bristol twice in the first two weeks and finally another great place in the neighborhood. after del toro and meritage closed (we ate at both at least once a week) we were worried that we'd have to start driving to dinner (scarey). after the disappointment of the food at "duchamp", we now have a new favorite and it 's even open late. haven't tried anything we didn't like but we really enjoyed the e.l.t. , the grilled shrimp and the mackerel caesar salad. the cocktails are lovely too. we'll be back every week , if we can get a table. PLEASE START TAKING RESERVATIONS !
(4)
Rudra B.
Excellent restaurant. If you're feeling like the publican minus the crowd and beer hall feel - this might be for you... Went there this past Saturday to celebrate a friends birthday. Everyone was friendly - from the host to the bartender who served us while we waited for our table to our excellent server who was knowledgeable and attentive without ever feeling suffocated. Okay - it should be a 5 star review. Our table ordered the duck fat fries (who could resist!), the monkey bread (a must!) to start. for entrees, I ordered the pig tail - which was roasted. to. perfection. Seriously, i cut it down the middle the meat just fell off the bone (a spine in this case - new for me...). It was excellent. Imagine something like chicken that tastes like bacon. With the pesto, spring onion and leeks I was in heaven! Thanks to our server, i had a lovely Pinot Noir to cut through the fat. An excellent pairing suggestion. My table mates had the roasted chicken and the flank steak - both looked wonderful. For dessert - we shared the Basque Cake (which was incredibly yummy) and the Creameaux (sp?) with parisian macaroon (delightful). I had a cappucino as well - it did not disappoint. It was a wonderful meal and we all enjoyed it thoroughly.
(5)
Camille P.
Everything here is perfectly prepared. It is exactly what it is intended. Interesting and creative dishes with perfect balance. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Aurore L.
I always hated Sundays, as long as I can remember. In France these are sad days.....everything is closed, and the only excitement is to go to church and then spend the afternoon eating the 43-course lunch before passing out on a nearby sofa. Thanksgiving every Sunday. Can you imagine? Here....well, there is football, trips to the in-laws, and work the next day. At least I can do retail therapy if I feel the need to. But since August, at least once a month, I am looking forward to last day of the week because of our Sunday Night Supper Club. And this month, guess what? - we stopped at The Bristol for an evening of yummy eating. The concept is pretty simple: each one of us chooses 2 or 3 dishes, and we share it all. Along with cocktails, wine and/or beer depending on the food and mood. That's my speed to kick off the week. That night we tried quite a few things on the menu but my favorite were: - the apple salad with marinated manchego and hazelnuts: fresh, fragrant, nice contrast of textures yet simple, it was a nice palate-cleanser. - bone marrow with shallots jam but then again - it's impossible to mess up. So so good though..... - raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter - a classic but perfectly executed - the pork shank, despite what I read the same week, was very good, meat falling off the bones. But really triggered the fifth star for me was the desserts. So many other restaurants don't pay any attention to the closing act of the meal, leaving it to chance and second thoughts that when it's stellar, it certainly deserves recognition. The nutter butters with the chocolate sabayon was as good as everyone said but the other two we shared - a warm apple cake with all the works and a deconstructed Snickers bar in a mason jar - were just as delicious, if not more. I have a sweet tooth....for sure. And I am glad when it's well taken care of. Sundays are definitely looking up. .
(5)
Elizabeth W.
Losing my mind writing my dissertation (but close to finishing..woohoo!) and desperately needed my "out" time, so hubs and I got out of hp last night to unwind in Wicker at this little gem of a restaurant. They don't take reservations but on a Friday night at 7:45ish we had no problem getting in with only a 15 min. wait. As soon as we were seated and surveyed the food and drink menus, my whole body relaxed into what turned out to be an absolutely stellar evening that (momentarily) lifted away my dissertation blues. Monkey bread is a definite must-have as are the apple salad with hazelnut and the market greens with a tarragon-buttermilk dressing that was so freakin' delicious I literally wanted to drink it. Ravolio with egg yolk was divine and the garganelli with a ground squid sauce (more squid, less sauce) was just what the doctor (no pun intended) ordered. The Ranson Gin Fizz and Pisco Sour have both made it onto one of those personal "best of" lists. Mmmmm Wanted to try to more of the cocktails but exercised restraint (so, so hard in situations like these) since I must continue being productive on the diss (yes, must write even on a Saturday..doesn't my life sound awesome?) and unfortunately I couldn't afford the hangover that would most certainly ensue =) For dessert had their version of cheesecake, which was a lot lighter and fluffier than your standard cc but still had the requisite graham cracker crust along with a few other oddities like a fruit roll up and crunchy fried herbs that made for an altogether happy and satisfied sweet tooth. Service was solid, not too intrusive or overbearing. Sometimes I felt like he was reading (verbatim) from the menu rather than offering fuller explanations of the dishes, but oh well. I can go more fine dining if I want a culinary lesson, right? Loved the decor, it's got the metal/wood/brick industrial-chic thing going on. Edison bulbs hanging, blackboard chalk menus, interesting artwork. A single-shelf, exposed brick, beautifully simple bar. Extremely hip space. Thanks for making me so happy, Bristol! Now I am re-charged and ready to get back to the dissertation...at least for now...
(5)
Thomas J.
Agree with the other reviews. Each has the "try this selection", the problem is you actually need to try it all. The menu changes and everything is made on spot from local resources. One of mine and my girlfriends first dates, but very much one of out favorites. The servers are very knowledgeable and understand their clients while explaining everything in depth. Menu options are very diverse and I have a hard time vocalizing what to try because everything is delicious. Positive and negative is the wait can go from an hour to 0 depending on when you hit. Bottom line, just eat there, you will understand.
(5)
Tim R.
Great meal well served in a lovely space. My wife and I got there just before 6 on a Sat night - early, but necessary if you don't want to wait. The tables are tight, but I think that is the point - Meet your neighbor and enjoy the community. Very complete wine list with a dozen+ by the glass. The duck fat fries are a hit, but more than the 2 of us needed. We shared a lot and glad we did. The Q7 Grassfed Strip Steak was perfectly done and flavorful, the Fazzoletti was perfectly prepared. For a starter we had the Apple Salad. Top it off with a wonderful waiter that was knowledgable, pleasant, not hovering and with a great sense of humor. We had a wonderful evening.
(5)
Rajiv H.
I'm really at 3.5 stars, but seeing as how that's not an option, I'll bump them up because they supported UNICEF for the Tap Project. You know how everyone is saying the duck fat fries are phenomenal? They're not lying. The Monkey Bread is also very good, though it's really just fresh, fluffy, delicious bread with some great dill butter on the side. Our meals ranged from okay to very good. I got the raviola which was described to me as a handmade ravioli with a liver like filling. It's cool, I like liver. The pasta was exceptional, but I would have liked more filling. Mom on the other hand was the winner of the night with the Roasted Half Chicken. Sounds so boring, yet, tastes so good. Huh. Who woulda thunk it. This really was one of the most tender and flavorful pieces of chicken I've had in quite some time. I'd go back to The Bristol. It's a cool, young, hipster kinda place, just like you'd expect in this part of Wicker Park. There's an upstairs with a bar to hangout at while you wait for your table (we waited about 45 minutes at 9:30 on a Saturday night), where you can order appetizers as well.
(4)
Sarah K.
My husband and I had one of the best meals we've had in a while at The Bristol last night. We had the roasted squash and pork loin tonnato starters, the cavatelli pasta and the hanger steak frites. All were absolutely delicious. The steak was a wee bit salty. The duck fat fries that came with our steak were the best fries I have ever had I think. The service was great too.
(5)
Amanda F.
I do not get the hype for this place. Yes it's an adorable space, and the vibe is quite chic, but the food is really gross. It's so fattening and oily, I literally felt greasy for 24/hrs afterwards. And yes I do admit & realize I eat rather unhealthy foods sometimes when I go out--tacos, burgers, etc. and I always enjoy them for the most part, but I've never felt so gross in my life after a meal. I get that this is the Midwest and people love their fatty foods, but frying every animal body part and calling it gourmet is simply disgusting. Finally, the names of the dishes were sickly sounding too. Fried bone marrow, fried goat tongue, pickled rabbit ears, etc etc, you get the point. No thanks.
(2)
Lauren P.
according to yelp, two stars equals 'meh. i've experienced better.' totally accurate in this case. i really wanted to love this place. 3 people in my group of close friends have birthdays within a month so we planned a big fancy dinner to celebrate. things started off ok. our reservation options were 6:30 and 10, so we went for 6:30, telling the hostess who took our reservation that one person in our party would be about 20 minutes late. (she was coming from work but since her work is literally down the block, we knew she'd be speedy.) the hostess was not happy, apparently they don't usually seat parties until everyone was there, but since we had an early reservation, a large group and promised to eat apps and drink cocktails until she arrive. they said it was fine. night of the dinner, we get there right on time and speak to the host who is in a little glass vestibule outside the main restaurant. we checked us in and ushered us through the door. as my friend was walking through the door to the eating area, a staff member inside rushes over and held up his hand in a traffic cop 'STOP' gesture. then literally flicked us back into the vestibule. WTF!?! oh i'm sorry are we not allowed in? the host went and talked to him, then we were allowed to walk to our seats. ok...that was weird. we sit and order apps and drinks. but before the waitress leaves, she asks about our missing friend. she'll be here soon we said. we order.... -duck fat fries? delish. dipping sauce. delish. really you can't go wrong. -monkey bread? yes. everyone says you should get it and they are not lying. unless you hate soft and crispy bread and tons of butter. in which case, you're a fool. -cheese board? meh. 3 cheeses with small slices that served maybe 2? at 20 bucks? come on. it really just made me miss the cheese board at Frasca. it was pathetic. -for my cocktail i had the violette collins which was good. like sour patch kids in alcohol form. as we're eating, a man comes over (who we later learned was the manager) and he tells us that we need to call our friend and have her hurry. we can't have an empty seat at our table and that we need to be done by 8:45. keep in mind it's like, 6:45, 6:50 maybe. you're going to pressure me to rush? and give me a two hour time frame? i think we'll be fine, dude. it was just so weird and unnecessary. and put us in a funk. not 2 minutes later, the waitress comes over again and asks where our friend is. geez! we were so happy they were making an exception for us and our late friend but hounding us the whole time? not cool. she gets there a little before 7 (apparently getting held up at the host checkpoint) and she orders drinks, we get another round and order entrees. the entrees were ok. my friend had a huge plate of pasta which was good but nothing special. i had scallops which were tasty but there were 5, on a bed of sauce and garnish. no vegetable or accenting sides. people were giving me their food when they saw the size of my plate. at one point the waiter came over with a glass of wine. 'shiraz?' he said placing it in front of my friend. 'no i had pinot noir,' she replied. 'oh yeah that's this' he said putting it in front of her. ok fine. she drank it and ordered a refill later. then when the bill came it had the shiraz on it, which was 3 bucks or so more per glass. we talked to the waitress who took our order. 'oh that's right you did order pinot noir, i remember. but you drank the shiraz?' she said, sounding like she was blaming my friend for not being able to tell the difference. really? she corrected the waiter and he went along with it. you made a mistake. gave her the wrong wine, then are going to fight us about it? just adjust the bill. all in all, it was an ok meal. some delicious dishes but nothing too outstanding or that i felt like i couldn't get somewhere else. but the service! geez. we felt nagged and rushed, the service was a little sloppy and more than once we felt like unwanted guests. all in all, a big old 'meh.'
(2)
Richard T.
I absolutely loved this place. Came here for dinner on a super cold weekday night so it wasn't all that busy and the wait was minimal. The service here was splendid and very kind. Our server was incredibly honest with suggestions about what and how much we should order and she was so. spot. on. I actually came here a few months ago so I can't remember exactly what I ordered, but I do know that it was all very flavorful and beautifully prepared. They also have a marvelous cocktail menu that I suggest you order from. Will I be back here again? Most definitely.
(5)
ryan w. v.
The Bristol .... Um, really, really good and I'm totally being for real, real. My friend and I went to this fine establishment last Wednesday evening. I arrived around 6:45pm and the place was already rather busy. I waited about 30 minutes for my friend to arrive and in that time became impressed with how fast tables would become available for the constant stream of people that kept arriving. Once my friend showed up, we were seated very quickly. Since Metromix was also there that evening filming for their show, I was able to see some of the house plates the Bristol decided to showcase. One of the dishes they brought out was the Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Ravioli. After looking at that plate, I was sold and knew that would be what I would order for dinner. Right, so we sit down and our waitress was super duper sweet. My friend and I were starving and decided to begin Round One with the Monkey Bread and the Grilled Flatbread (which came very highly recommended by the staff). Carbs are good! I enjoyed the Monkey Bread, but the Grilled Flatbread was to die for. It was crispy, gooey, cheesy goodness. You must try it when you visit. I promise you will be happy you did. Then we ordered drinks. The B has a variety of drinks that reminds me of the Violet Hour. I saw the Pink Lady on the menu and knew it was fate telling me what to order. My friend ordered the Blueberry something. Both drinks were gin based and full of flavor; the former, however, was slightly better. So, for Round Two we ordered: the Stuffed Chicken Wings and the Duck Fat Fries. The wings were unique. I can't say they were bad (because they are de-boned and then stuffed with Chorizo and anything with Chorizo is awesome), but I wish they had a spicier flavor. The quack-quack fries and house made Garlic Aioli were totally worth the bulging waistline. I wanted to lick the last few remaining contents of the aioli from the bowl with my tongue and finger, but thought it would be poor date-like etiquette and very uncouth and of me. Maybe next time... Okay... Round Three was the Grilled Skirt Steak. We chose this because my friend wanted the ravioli and I wanted the steak and this dish had both. Oh, and we split all of dishes we ordered so, no we are not heffers. By the time we finished dinner, we had tasted many items on the menu and were full enough to be completely satisfied. Although we decided to order off of the B's regular menu (which changes seasonally), there were many menu items on their "chalkboard" menu that change quite frequently. I saw some of the dishes when they came out to be filmed for Metromix and they looked good enough to eat. Also, my friend and I thought the price of our meal to be very reasonable. That was the good, now here is the bad. This space is fairly small and a little tight when they have a full house, which I can imagine is pretty much all of the time. Because of all of the people, my friend and I noticed it was very loud... always! I seriously didn't mind the noise too much, but if you are looking for a nice quiet place to eat, do not go to the B. My friend and I had to lean into the table all evening to hear each other and our waitress always had to lean down to take our order and answer our questions. Therefore, minus one star.
(4)
Eric B.
We really enjoyed our experience at the Bristol. Its The Publican's little brother - a smaller space, communal seating (both by design and by table placement - a long communal table in the center with closely spaced 2 and 4 seaters to the side), and a hefty selection of unusual cuts of meat. It has a rotating menu and provides a good option for the local adventurous carnivore. The food portions are very large, which I found surprising for a trendier restaurant in Bucktown. Had I known, I would have shown more restraint, as by the time we reached our main courses we were very full. We ordered the monkey bread, another app, and a cheese AND charcuterie plate. The bread was, as everyone here as already raved, amazing. Soft and pliant and made to be eaten by hand, it is kids food for adults. The samples of cheese and charcuterie were HUGE, and it took us a while to work though everything. By the time we did, we were ready to burst. So, by the time our entrees arrived - roast half chicken and duck confit - we were a bit worse for wear. We sampled our dishes, found them enjoyable, and had them boxed up for the following day. Dessert, at this point, was out of the question. What I enjoyed even more than the food was the drink menu. They feature a most unusual Manhattan, one made with smoked Maker's Mark, whereby the Maker's is poured into a sauce pan and placed in a smoker for a couple of hours. The BBQ flavor profile is undeniable - it had a smoky flavor that I've never encountered in a drink before. Its like you are drinking a Manhattan inside a Texas smokehouse 30 miles outside of Austin without the 105 degree heat. (When I ordered this Manhattan earlier this winter, though, the 105 degree heat would have been most welcome). The wine list is extensive, affordable, and heavy on off the beaten path varietals from the Old World. I was on the fence between two obscure wines from the South of France, and the waitress was very knowledgeable in steering me toward the earthiest of the two. I would definitely come back again, and show a little restraint on the appetizers to better enjoy our main courses and nab some dessert.
(4)
Kristina W.
I was so excited to have dinner here for a private event recently, but so incredibly disappointed with the food that it almost ruined my evening. It was $80 a person, and along with drinks, we were served salad, a main course, and dessert, but sadly I left completely starving because they hardly served us any food. Our table of 12 was served two medium sized salads, which was fine, although small. Then, they brought out another salad sized plate, which served as our dinner plate. We were given two platters of chicken, and each person got either small chicken wing or about 1/4 of a chicken breast. When we asked for more because there was hardly enough to go around, we were refused. To add insult to injury, my chicken was very undercooked and I had to eat around the center. I will not be coming back to The Bristol, which nearly ruined a very special night for me.
(1)
Rasmus P.
I have been wanting to go there for a while, as i heard good things and had the chance to taste food from there at one of the 'Outstanding in the field' events (look it up - its a brilliant concept!). Food was ok, but to be honest nothing spectacular. I would much rather go to Gilt Bar, HB Bistro or for that matter have a Pizza at Piece around the corner... The service was hmm... But what annoyed me was that we ordered a cotes du Rhone wine, which was corked (very much). This can of course happen, but the server didn't believe me which pissed me off! So been there, done that!
(3)
Amanda Z.
I had the most difficult time selecting a place to take my boyfriend for his birthday dinner. Well. No. The difficult part was keeping it a secret. I potentially have the world's biggest mouth when it comes to secrets. I finally decided on The Bristol after a glowing recommendation from one of my nearest and dearest and off we went to celebrate the birth of my favorite man. What truly sealed the deal was the lovely drink menu. He likes a Manhattan now and again, and I'm a sucker for a Moscow Mule. Both were on the menu. Both were ordered immediately. Marvelous. Props to the bartender for whipping the Mule up in a copper mug, it's proper bar ware. Fabu! The spicy home-brewed ginger beer and plethora of fresh lime did this drink nothing but justice. The man was pleased with his Manhattan as well. The apple salad was our starter, and was a most lovely summer dish. Fresh apples, manchengo cheese and hazelnuts guaranteed this was not your typical "side salad, ranch on the side." Lovely. And the monkey bread was worth the accolades. I mean, if you decide that you will go "carb free" for awhile and decide to go off the wagon, this puffy, airy bread is worth every inch-increasing carb. Trust me. (And pulling it apart is pretty fun too. What can I say, I'm easily amused.) We shared the whole fish for our entree, promised to serve 2-3, I believe, as we were feeling quite adventuresome and ready to show the surrounding tables that we could, in fact, pick those bones clean. While they weren't exactly clean, we did do quite well, thanks to the convenient scoring done by the chef. Service was perfection. Our bottle of wine, recommended by our server to accompany our fish, was whisked away and the moment our glasses bordered on "E", our server was back to refill with the bottle that was mysteriously chilling elsewhere from our table. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly, and accessible without being over-bearing. Splendid. For dessert, we shared the sour cherry clafoutis (which we learned was pronounced more like "clah-fou-TEE" if you're fancy), aptly described as a cross between a bread pudding and a pancake. Indeed it was, and topped with freshed whipped cream, it was a marvelous finish to a marvelous meal. Ambiance is lovely for a date, a low-key dinner with the girls, or an "impress the in-laws" type of meal. Warm, sexy and inviting, the Bristol is sure to impress all types. Including my boyfriend. But he is easily impressed. I mean, he IS dating moi. Birthday dinner A+!!!
(5)
Lea S.
frosted copper mugs for your moscow mule, duck fat fries with dreamy sauce, mini corn cobs with heavenly spices....are you drooling yet?? Seriously, just go here. You won't regret it.
(5)
Chrissy C.
hmmmmmmmm. i loved the duck fat fries and the cocktails were made to perfect (had the peach smash and the moscow mule). but, the chicken spaetzle was pretty dry. however the spaetzle itself was delicious! as was the "salad" which was really only a garnish (however, we were forewarned abt this by the waiter...). still, its a little sad when your garnish is better than the actual star of the plate. sexy ambiance. would come back just for inventive cocktails and those delicious duck fat fries! for $7 its totally worth it!!!
(4)
Beckee W.
Can't believe I call myself a Chicago foodie and I'm just eating here for the first time. Pretty weak of me... Either way, a former Chicago friend in town visiting from Maui asked me to dinner, and gave me my pick of the resto. She's been gone about 5 years and was hankering for some "dining" as she called it (mind you, she worked at avec and Blackbird, so expectations were high). I chose Bristol because I have heard and read all the great things, was ashamed that I had yet to eat there, and I knew we were eating early on a Wed so we'd get right in. She ordered the duck fat fries right off the bat, and they are yummy. I just tried Hot Dougs about a week ago, and I actually preferred the Bristol fries. Deee-lish. We each ordered a cocktail: mine was a poire elder-something and she had a moscow mule. Both wonderful and well crafted, however my two sip cocktail at $11 always gives me a little agita. On with the meal...said dining companion has some kind of allergy to milk solids (?) so we couldn't have cheese or anything with cream (which blows) so we ordered accordingly: the mackeral escobeche (eh. tasted like a herring to me and I don't like herring. this would not have been my choice, but meh. We also shared the tajarin which is the most delicious pasta I've had in a REALLY long time. made with 40 instead of 20 egg yolks and prepared with just some sage and brown butter it is silky and yummy and delicious. Highly recommend. We also sampled the shrimp a la plancha with anchovy butter...outrageously good and I could have licked the plate, and the barese sausage. The sausage was probably really good if you are majorly into sausage, but for me it was not the highest point. By far the High High High point of the meal was the dessert. My friend got the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters, and it was INSANE. I am a long standing sabayon fanatic, weird thing to be addicted to, but if I see truffle or a sabayon I'm automatically getting it...I actually ordered a basque cake (the most delicious amazing brick of dense moist, crumbly cakey insanity) on top of a champagne sabayon. Topped with strawberies and some balsamic reduction it was divine and the perfect end to a wonderfully delightful meal.
(4)
Mariana M.
This place is amazing. I'm not big on ordering chicken when I'm out to dinner, ever. But, I followed all the other Yelpers and got the chicken. IT. WAS. SO. GOOD. If you go to Bristol, get the chicken! DO IT. Here was our menu: Tempura Veggies: loved Ravioli: really good Duck fat fries: not my fave, but they were good The most amazing chicken in the world A lot of drinks
(5)
Donna C.
I really enjoyed Bristol. I live in the neighborhood but hadn't gone till this past week. We started by ordering drinks... loved the menu of interesting and classic cocktails. I had the edleflower and the moscow mule; my friend had the dark & stormy. All 3 were delish. For apps, we went with the olives, monkey bread, and the greens salad. these were all yummy--next time i want to try the duck fat fries! For our entrees, I opted for the short rib ravioli and my friend had the chicken. His chicken was perfectly cooked. my ravioli was very good but i'd try something different the next time i go. For dessert, we went with the basque cake... so moist! Overall the dinner was great. the atmosphere was intimate since there were just a few diners in that night. service was pleasant, although non existent the later half of the evening. I'll go back... yay.
(4)
Caroline C.
There are two major groups of people that partake in the Brunch tradition - good, God-fearing church folk and hung-over heathens too tired to wake up early on a Sunday morning for breakfast (we were the later). Both require subdued, tame food that does not offend delicate sensibilities or upset stomachs still trying to cope with gallons of vodka imbibed the night before (not that I would know....). As a result, brunch possesses neither the deliciously oilly and fatty qualities of breakfast fare nor the loud, bold flavors that food served for lunch can have. I have had many sad, disappointing brunches, and the Bristol was no exception. My Hangover Breakfast was mediocre, and hung-over me was not impressed with paying $11 for a micro-bowl filled with a handful of noodles and a medium sized slab of average pork belly. My only remedy? To continue drinking with a deliciously smoky bacon Manhattan. My boyfriend's chilaquiles were reminiscent in both taste and texture of mushy nachos left overnight in the refridgerator, and he barely touched his meal past the sunny side up egg. Our friends ordered much of the same thing, and all to the same effect. The most upsetting was the large chalkboard overlooking the room proclaiming goodies such as "rabbit pappardelle" and tauting me over what I could be indulging in a mere 3 hours later on any other day. We might be back to sample their dinner menu since we've heard good things, but brunch...... may we never meet ever, ever again.
(3)
Ashley W.
Two words: Duck Fat Fries They were amazing. I attended a party that had reserved the top floor. It was the perfect atmosphere for the event and the Duck Fat Fries were my favorite. The passed pork belly and flat bread pizza was also tasty. I thought the veggie plate was lacking in presentation but still enjoyed it very much!
(4)
Dusty K.
The Bristol is nothing short of a near perfect restaurant. The website alone would give any food porn lover a hard-on unlike anything they've experienced. While adding alcohol to any dinner can drastically increase the cost, the menu is reasonably priced for delicious seasonal fare. With my mouth drooling and ecstasy soon in sight, I entered the restaurant. My first pet peeve is the bouncer-like experience that you receive when entering the door. I felt like I was going to have to drop trow, get probed for weapons of mass destruction, and display a pass port to enter. That aside, I loved the food offerings. The appetizers ranged from good to great with the tastiest being the heirloom tomato tart. In season heirloom tomatoes are one of the tastiest things a person can eat. The duck fat fries were very good, lamb sausage okay as were the squash blossoms. The cheese platter alone was a great way to kick off our first course. At dinner our sharing went out the window and I ordered the hanger steak. This delicious cut is not typically found in local stores so I was anxious to try. The crust on the outside was pleasantly salty and crunchy revealing a perfectly red interior. The potatoes that came along for the ride were clearly deep fried and I really enjoyed all the crunching I was doing at dinner. I'm being picky here but I do have some minor complaints. The beer selection, though extensive, could have been done a little better. And it did upset me that after our group spent $480 we were asked if we could leave as we finished our after dinner drinks. If you haven't been to the Bristol, I would recommend a trip in the near future. This style of restaurant shows it's true colors during the warm summer months. The fresh food season in Chicago is slowly winding down in 2010. Make sure you get one last taste before old man winter has his way.
(5)
Mark S.
Can't say enough good things about the dinner we had a Bristol last night. This spot has it all from great food, warm/cozy environment and fantastic service. A note on the service, the bottle of wine we ordered was corked and the sommelier wouldn't serve it. He quickly got 2 replacements (the corked bottle was their last one of that wine). These were offered at the same price as the orginal bottle even though they were nicer and more expensive wines. I'm also a bit of stickler for stemware and these guys use good glasses. Each dish seemed better than the next...two standouts were the duck confit (perfectly crispy on the outside and meat that just fell to pieces) and the "fried bones" (little riblets in the most amazing sauce). These were so good that our friend ordered them for dessert. It was nice dining here on a Sunday night as it wasn't as busy and the quieter vibe was a perfect way to end the weekend.
(5)
Kate W.
"Go Kate, it's your birthday, we're going to party like it's your birthday, we're going to drink fancy cocktails and eat Monkey Bread like it's your birthday." So it was my birthday, and the bf scoured Yelp to find the perfect place, and did he ever. Walked in on a Wednesday before Christmas (yay holiday birthdays) thinking "how busy could it possibly be?" Busy, very busy. Luckily it was just the two of us and they offered us a seat at the bar, not wanting to wait we took them up on this. Maybe not as romantic as a table, but with quick service and proximity to booze, it was perfect for us. Took everyone's advice and ordered the monkey bread. Om nom nom nom, it's like a more wonderful fresh pretzel, and who would have thought there could be anything better than a fresh pretzel. I ordered a fancy cocktail with egg whites and gin in it, finished with a sprig of mint. Delish. I often fall victim to the boring drink order (gin and soda) but it was my birthday, and I'm going to get drunk like a lady. I ordered the pork and the bf ordered HEAD ON prawns. Such an adventurous eater! We both loved our meals, lots of everyday ingredients used in such fancy and new ways. "New American" dining at it's finest. Unlike Bristol Palin, The Bristol danced it's way into my heart, and I would vote for it anyday!
(5)
Matt T.
Eh...I'd rather spend my money at The Publican. My second time to The Bristol for brunch and both times I left feeling underwhelmed. The food was ok, the service was very good, the prices are what you'd expect from these newer spots that use local ingredients that try to make inventive dishes. The first time I went it was a few months after the opening and there was much hype...and there still is a lot of hype. Maybe it's just what I ate as some people in our group thought the food was tremendous, but my fiancee and I were left feeling like we could have cooked something better or gone to a favorite spot of ours and enjoyed the food more. I don't remember exactly what I had the first time - something with quail egg, we had some fries and monkey bread. The bread was really great but only served for dinner now. Today I started with a bloody mary...well, it was supposed to be. I swear a decent mix with pickles, slice of lime, an olive, some hot sauce makes a better bloody mary. The one at The Bristol was extremely bland and has a weird taste that a few of us noticed. I think it might have been coriander, but anyway, it was on the verge of terrible. As far as the food...the coffee glazed doughnuts fresh from the fryer were the best thing we ate. They really quite good. We also got some french toast for the table which was also tasty. The duck fat fries someone else ordered in our group was decent but nothing special. The house made ketchup was terrible and the aioli had a weird tangy taste. The biscuits and gravy I got for my brunch entree was awful - bland, a bit watery, with unappetizing sausage in the gravy, bland biscuits with two poached eggs. I was starving so I ate it all but I've had better biscuits and gravy at ihop - and I'm a foodie, not someone with a crappy restaurant pallet. I would like to try dinner here once because the menu looks decent, although nothing different than most of these somewhat newer spots, but I won't be rushing back.
(3)
Stephen B.
I really enjoyed my whole experience here. Everything was a bit salty, but I still really liked it.
(4)
Lauren G.
Eat and drink to your heart's content at The Bristol. Food is deliciously satiating without being too heavy. Great date night went like this: Cocktails: Moscow Mule for me and Sazerac for the gent Drinks for dinner: Malbec and Rouchbier Duck Fat Fries - who doesn't like these, seriously? Market Greens with Buttermilk Dressing - fresh Raviolo with handmade pasta, ricotta in brown butter - BEST thing we ate Stuffed Sucking Pig on green lentils - liked the crispy skin Cake Named Sue - wish it was a bit more chocolately Creme Brulee Cheescake - rocked this, better than actual cheesecake! All in total before tip for two was $110. Atmophere is a key and the dining room here is warm and inviting. Tables are close, but ambient noise is enough to save you from hearing the table next to you. Only complaint is that the servers were a little too attentive, checking in quite often and too soon after a course had arrived. Tried to take our plates away several times before we had finished everything. I felt like saying "my one bite of cake was good, now let me eat the rest damnit"!
(5)
Christine D.
One of the best roasted amish chickens I've ever had. The skin is perfectly crisp while the inside is tender and juicy. Service is on point, however on a recent visit for brunch, we weren't seated until about 45 mins after our reservation time. Not exactly Bristol's fault as people were just sitting at the table talking... but maybe they can plan more accordingly.
(4)
Matt M.
Fantastic atmosphere and very solid service. However, the food was simply okay - definitely not worth the price. The steak was pretty delicious and I'd definitely recommend that in the future but everything else was very mediocre. The duck fat french fries were delicious but I don't think I've ever had bad duck fat french fries anywhere ever so that's not exceptional. The tomato salad did not taste like fresh, local tomatoes - which, for $6 and the equivalent of 1 tomato, I'd expect in the Midwest this time of year. The capallini pasta was over zested with lemon and drenched in butter - a cheap trick to make anything taste delicious. We also had the longaniza - basically a kielbasa with spicy green beans. The beans were not particularly spicy and the sausage, while tasty, wasn't mind boggling in any way. Again, not worth the $12 they charged for it. One thing I should give them props for: The cocktail was really well prepared and they had the Revolution hibiscus beer on tap - that should probably be worth a 1/2 a star all on its own.
(3)
Mehran F.
Demoting to two stars. In all likelihood my last time there. Great server. Sweet lady. Brunch menu today felt limited again. Hair in the food did not help the matter. My guest was a doctor and not easily phased by such a thing. So the fact that our server apologized (more than necessary) and took the item out of the bill (not expected at all) was very kind, hence the two stars...else i would have settle it for one star. The ambiance gone down too. Not sexy on such a hot day to let fat ugly men with totally sleeveless shirts, going down their ugly hairy sweaty gross nipples in the restaurant....felt like i was at a rednecks-just-out-of-cubs-game stable. Coffee: was done so good. Thanks. I've loved la colombe since the day they opened their first shop in philly....and they did their coffee, right. Meals: hair aside, the taste was nothing to write home about. i got the biscuits, gravy, chicken...and the doctor got salad and i forgot what... The donuts stuff: we did not order but looked great. All in all we had a great time, and sincerely appreciate the good service.
(2)
Norm J.
I've been meaning to make it to The Bristol for awhile, so when my friends bought a condo a few blocks from the restaurant I was finally able to go. Me and three friends decided to share a couple of plates and then get our own entrees so we could sample as much of the menu as possible. Overall, nothing stood out to me that would make me want to come back to The Bristol. *Parker House Rolls - the top of the rolls were so good, but the rest of the roll was a little dry. *Duck Fat Fries - amazeballs!! Highlight of the meal. *Octopus - just OK. *Raviolo - definitely worth trying. *Prime Skirt Steak - good, but nothing special. *Frank and Beans - the bratwurst was delicious, but we weren't a fan of the beans. *Lemon Tart - really good. Recommend trying this dessert. * Blueberry Cobbler - too sweet for my liking. Felt like there were packs of sugar poured into this dish. *Basque Cake - can see why so many people have mentioned this dessert in their reviews. Good and enough for two to share.
(3)
Sylvia L.
Best item there - Amish Chicken 6/5. Like the Kobe Beef of Chickens. Some of the most tender and moist chicken that I've ever had. I had always figured well-raised meat would taste excellent, but have never had the opportunity. My parents raise spoiled little chickens in the backyard (they feed them sashimi-grade fish) and their eggs are always some of the most amazing, creamy things ever - which has always made me wonder how the chickens themselves taste. So thank you Bristol for fulfilling my curiosity without having my parents disown me for eating one of their precious little ones. Waygu tartare - 5/5. Melt in your mouth. With toasted bread that was firm but not too hard. Raviolo - 4/5. The pasta is very thick and there's a lot of brown sugar butter on the outside. Inside had a slightly overdone egg yolk (looks like it hit the stage of gelatinizing and the egg yolk didn't really run). Very good dish but it was a bit too rich - and I wish the pasta was a little less chewy and firm, and that the egg yolk ran :(. Duck fat fries - 3/5. Really good fries but just tasted like... really good fries. Cocktails: If you like boozy negronis and manhattans, I highly recommend the Vieux Cruex. Extremely well-balanced and not as "put hair on your chest" as the the silician manhattan, which is more smokey. Can't remember what my husband had - a beer and some other cocktail, but I also can't remember how they tasted. Oh and service was awesome. The waitress was spot on with her recommendations (I like to ask people what they prefer, since they usually have tried everything on the menu). She checked in often.
(5)
Steffy N.
This placed was good for brunch, a little overly hyped but still good. For a starter, we got the cinnamon roll and it was so sweet and delicious. Definitely one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had. The "Chilaquiles" wasn't too bad, it's a different taste for brunch. Along with the Chilaquiles, I got the "French press coffee" which was delicious!! My date got the French toast with a side of bacon and that was sweet and delicious. Really loved the strawberry cream that it came with. Overall, the environment of The Bristol is so nice and calm. Really enjoyed eating during the day with doors opened. Servers were so friendly and great about recommending what to order.
(4)
Allison J.
I've been looking forward to coming here for so long and was expecting a great meal. Unfortunately that's not what we experienced during our most recent brunch outing. We had reservations and were quickly seated. The decor and ambience is awesome with a big open door to the outside and exposed brick. After waiting for a good 10 minutes before anyone even greeted us at out table, we were able to order our drinks. From then on, our our server was completely absent. We watched group after groups around us get their meals and then their bills before we even received our appetizer. We could hear the tables next to us also complaining about service. Empty drinks and empty waters were ignored, time after time, until they were pointed out by us... By the time our Chicken 'N A Biscuit and Braised Pork Chilaquiles arrived, they were cold, almost to the point of being inedible... Clearly not how the were supposed to be served. The chilaquiles were too salty, but did have really great flavors. The chicken and biscuits were delicious but not worth all the other disappointments. I'm sorry Bristol, I had hoped for so much better but was met with such disappointments
(2)
Bao L.
I walked away feeling very impressed w/ The Bristol. We walked in w/ a group of 3 around 6 pm on a Friday sans reservation and were fortunate enough to get seated right away. It wasn't too crowded when we got there, but about 45 minutes later every seat in the house was taken (always a good sign). My friends and I really enjoyed the lively yet casual ambiance, which added to our great dining experience. The service here is great. We told our waitress that it was our first time here, and she explained to us that the food here is best when shared. She did a good job of checking in on us throughout the night. Also, our waters were never more than half empty, as the servers were constantly refilling them - I drink a ton of water, so this was great! Cocktails were very good. We had the High Tea, Caribbean Beets, and Moscow Mule and thoroughly enjoyed them. They were mixed very well and very tasty. The food was awesome. We had: -Duck fat fries: these were amazing! I'm going to quote my friend, who considers himself a french fry connoisseur, for the description of these fries, because I agree w/ him: "these fries are perfectly crispy and have a great crunch when you bite into 'em." The ketchup and the aioli were great accompaniments. -Salmon rillette: nice creamy texture and great flavor throughout. They give you a lot, so be sure to pile it high on your muffin! -Roasted chicken: definitely recommend this dish. The chicken was flavorful, tender, moist, and crispy. Don't forget the spaetzle underneath the chicken, which pairs w/ the chicken incredibly well. -Prime strip steak: this was a solid dish. I thought the braised beef jam was pretty good and was more of a standout than the steak itself. The 3 of us agreed that The Bristol is a great restaurant, from the food to the service to the environment. I heard brunch here is pretty good too, so I'll definitely have to come back to check it out
(4)
Darnell F.
This restaurant was one of our favourite meals while visiting Chicago. It was truly a wonderful foodie experience. The food was beautifully arranged and tasted as good as it looked. My favourite was dipping the monkey bread in the ravioli with browned butter. For dessert, both the basque cake and chocolate cremeux were heavenly and well worth the price. A visit to the Bristol wouldn't be complete without trying one of their unique cocktails. I especially enjoyed the Dark and Stormy. The Doff Your Hat was also delicious. Our server was friendly and really knowledgeable about the menu. Her descriptions made me want to order everything off the menu! It's a little pricey, but well worth it for the quality and original menu.
(4)
Morganne B.
This was a great place to share a dinner with friends after a day of getting sunburned on the lake this July 4th. We were able to make a 7:30 reservation about 30 min before, which surprised me. I had been here for brunch before, but our waiter suggested that for dinner we should get a bunch of plates to share... So we did. Probably went a little overboard but it was America's birthday so who cares. Started with the duck fat fries--for me, it could've been skipped, but they were good. Next was the country pate which was probably my favorite. Perfectly salty and served with fresh bread; I just wish they gave a bigger portion since we were sharing. The sweet fruity spread was maybe the best I've had with pate before. We also got the burrata which I also could have skipped but it was good. There was literally ONE small piece of ravioli in that dish... Also could've been skipped. Loved the roasted broccoli with tiny fried shallots. And the chicken was the perfect ending... So juicy. Wanted to try the walleye but we had a fish allergy in the group so maybe next time. The menu is very tiny and some of the dishes seem like confusing combinations but all around they were tasty. We finished with the lemon tart and a cobbler. Unfortunately you're gonna have to order a BUNCH of plates here unless you want to leave still hungry. But they are good plates nonetheless. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and large open window on a comfortable summer evening. Our server was kind and attentive as well. If I come back for dinner I'll definitely have to have a snack beforehand!
(3)
patrick h.
***Original review removed*** While I did not have the best experience at the Bristol on Mother's Day, I believe the concern shown by management proves that it was simply an unfortunate oversight. The food and drink were good and I will give the Bristol a second chance.
(3)
Monica G.
This is the place to go for birthdays. The wait staff signed a card for me AND sang over a complimentary dessert. What a lovely way to celebrate my 25th. It probably goes without saying that The food was the best I've ever head. We had 5 dishes split between 3 ppl and though the bill was hefty, the food was impeccable. I'll be taking everyone here for future birthdays.
(5)
Brooke O.
We found The Bristol on Yelp because it is close to the Bridal Shop we were going to for my sister to try on wedding dresses for the first time (tear). So we 3 ladies made a reservation the night before and made our way there. I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time - the place was packed and one man who walked in asking for a table was told to come back in 2 hours. We had to wait about 5 minutes for our table which was no problem. The feel of the restaurant is very Bucktown. Exposed brick coupled with industrial decor. Very cozy yet up to date. Now for the meal- oh my goodness! Multiple times throughout the meal we commented on how happy we were to stumble upon this place. Drinks:I started with a fresh squeezed orange juice, my sister ordered coffee that came in a french press and she said it was delicious, and our friend (another bridesmaid) ordered a cappuccino and a bloody mary (she may have had a bit too much to drink the night before - haha). The cappuccino was beautiful (picture included) and I ended up enjoying one at the end of the meal - so smooth with the perfect amount of froth. My sister ordered a bloody mary to go with her meal and a cute little beer back. They mentioned the that bloody was very spicy - too spicy for my sister but our friend really enjoyed it. Food: To start the meal we ordered the pastry platter with a taste of 3 pastries. Donuts, a cinnamon roll, and some sort of delicious apple tart thing. This was an amazing way to start the meal. All 3 were superb but the apple deal is what really won me over. For our main courses, my sister and I ordered the chicken and biscuits with gravy. It was really wonderful. The entire dish was very comforting and the bread and butter pickles on the top gave it a really fresh interesting flavor. Our friend ordered the eggs benedict and ate the entire thing - she's a small girl so that says volumes as to how much she enjoyed it. Overall we loved this place - it was a wonderful spot to fuel up for a day of dress shopping =)
(5)
Natalie C.
Came here for a friend's birthday last night - seven girls, although one was just there for drinks. The waitress was not the friendliest (she seemed a little harried, even though it wasn't that busy, but part of our party was pretty late, so perhaps that threw her off) - but she did take the time to explain the menu and the cocktail list. We started with a few rounds of cocktails - trying each other's drinks, all were really good. The menu is tapas style - and definitely on the small side, especially for the prices. But everything we ordered was really really good. We ended up ordering one apple salad with watercress and a little parm, two orders of roasted baby beets, two orders of the beef brisket, two orders of fries, an order of the monkey bread, three orders of the head on prawns, and two orders of the raviolo. One of the girls we were with actually knew the manager (they used to work together at Balena) so the kitchen ended up sending over two "gifts" - an order of the chicken and some additional pasta dish.. I'm not sure what it's called. My favorites were the apple salad (good portion and super refreshing), the baby beets (roasted to perfection with these happy little toasty bread things), the prawns (in some delicious buttery crack sauce), and surprisingly, the chicken (cooked absolutely perfectly, a solid portion over a bed of little sauted pasta/dough pieces to soak up the perfect chicken juices). I tried a looooot of different cocktails between what the group ordered, and my hands down favorite was the Poire and Elderflower - delicate, floral, very strong of the pear flavors, perfectly refreshing. I could have had many more of them. They sent us a plate of macarons as a birthday dessert as well, which was the perfect end to the meal. Overall a really good experience - although definitely on the pricier side for the amount of food you get - the meal ended up being just under $400 before tip (and that's with the comped chicken and second pasta dish). But we had a decent amount of food and a bunch of great cocktails. Would definitely recommend this spot for a nice date night or a small group to share a bunch of plates. Will be back!
(4)
Erica H.
This food is delicious! I had the tomato salad, squash, raviolo, the steak and the skate. Everything was so good. Can't believe I just discovered it!! The Raviolo is to die for!! The bald bartender is supernice-He made my favorite drink, st germaine and proseco perfect!!!
(5)
Lauren F.
At The Bristol, it really is nearly impossible to go wrong. I stopped in on a Saturday night with a couple girlfriends and their great cocktails, great wine, and shared plates made for a fantastic dinner. The Monkey Bread, Duck Fat Fries, Black Pepper Beef Brisket, and Raviolo were all delicious - the Raviolo was so good that as soon as we took our first bites we flagged down our server for a second order. The Basque Cake is not normally a dessert I would go for but we ordered it because it's a favorite here and now I know why. Order the Basque Cake-just do it. Love The Bristol and will definitely be back, great spot for a date or a night out with friends.
(5)
Flavia A.
The Bristol is a hip, fun restaurant with great staff who deliver well executed and tasty food in the style of New American -- or as I like to call it, gourmet comfort food. We ordered: -- Duck Fat Fries - delicious! addictive! -- Roasted Carrots - purple carrots! oh my! -- Mushroom Tart - really, really delicious creamy mushroom filling poured into a thick personal pie shell tin. The pastry threw me off a bit -- I was expecting a French style tart with very thin flaky crust. -- Roasted half chicken on top of dill spaetzle - the best dish of the evening. Solidly executed. Very juicy, and flavorful chicken meat complete with crispy skin. The spaetzle was fantastic with a nice creamy umami sauce. I couldn't get enough of this dish -- and apparently others feel the same way. It's the one consistent entree always on the menu. One fun thing about the dish is that it was topped with a crunchy salad. When we were there, that meant thin strips of green apple. But I took a bit and was surprised - I had to think for a minute because my eyes told me green apple, but my brains said it was something else. Turned out to be celery. A trick! I loved it! I enjoy being surprised and delighted by my food. -- Prime strip steak - this was pretty good. We ordered it medium rare, which is the chef's recommendation. The steak was good but I think it was cut at the wrong angle because it was slightly chewy. The sauce, though, a ramp sauce - I found to be delightful. -- And a bottle of pinot noir and a few orders of Scotch. Among the four of us, we were too full to order dessert! We ate every bite. My overall assessment is good execution. The food is tasty, on the salty side (but not too salty). The flavors are balanced but not complex. For a great meal, I recommend The Bristol. It's probably not innovative or highly creative, but it's good food in a great atmosphere. Beautiful restaurant and passionate staff who clearly love what they do. The Chef came out a couple times and he was so passionate about his work and talking with us. Bon appetit!
(4)
Alison s.
One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago!!! Every time we have visitors from out of town, we make it a point to stop in here. Everyone has loved it! House made limoncello, their raviolo, and the steak, will make you fall in love!!!
(5)
Jen D.
Awesome spot for brunch - they take reservations and have great food. I love the Bongo Room, but am rarely in the mood for that sort of a wait - so I really love places like this. I was able to make a reservation for 5 pretty last minute for a Saturday morning. Everything was great - service, food and drinks. Our server was very friendly and helpful for the 2 folks with more complicated needs (a vegan and a person with a lot of food allergies). A couple people had the egg strata, which was soooo good. Two of us also had the burger, which was awesome. The patty was juicy and delicious and the bun was perfect. The best part may have been the duck fat fries. Mmmmmm. We also enjoyed a range of cocktails - all were delicious. To manage expectations... The menu is heavier on savory than sweet, so if you want some sort of crazy stuffed french toast or something similar then you may want to head to more of a breakfast place. Atmosphere is nice and cozy, it's not quiet but it isn't one of those crazy bright loud breakfast/brunch joints. PS - This was my 2nd brunch visit and I've also been there for dinner, all consistent and good as this visit.
(4)
Rahul G.
Well, this place is clearly popular and my wife knows that too. But I didn't and we are glad we checked the place out. Great that it takes OpenTable reservations. We got a 10:45am Sunday morning res and we got there and it was packed! So glad we did that. The menu was my kind of menu. Between the chicken and biscuits, burger, and chilaquiles, I didn't know what to do. But I went with the chilaquiles and my wife went with chicken and biscuits. We also got the duck fat fries on the side. Everything was gone very quickly! So good. The chilaquiles only came with one piece of pork belly, so that was odd, but still delicious. Wasn't a fan of the salsa on the side, not a ton of flavor. The chicken and waffles were great, heavy, but yummy. I finished most of my wife's dish, no complaints here. And the fries were fries, perfect. Great price and great vibe. Would have gotten a Bloody Mary but decided to save some cash. Will do next time.
(5)
Ncashish ..
Travelling to Chicago and thought about eating amazing brunch. I was recommended to this place by multiple blogs as the best brunch in Chicago. You see the nber of people and the atmosphere it's amazing till the food comes out. Very limited choices and the food frankly not that good. Service was great but the food did not back the hype up
(3)
Jeffrey C.
The Bristol is a nice intersection of trendy casual plus readily available reservations plus moderately faux-affordable price point plus, most importantly, pretty dang good food. It seems to sit outside of the "best of" lists that run rampant across the Internets, but sits in a healthy cut below in the hall of very good. Ipso facto, the Mark Grace of Chicago restaurants. The best thing here is the raviolo. It's $14, best split amongst two people. Filled with ricotta and egg yolk and doused in brown butter, it's an exercise in utter gluttony and glorious umami. Break into the raviolo, divvy up piecemeal, and enjoy. The food menu itself is fairly sparse. While the main dishes are tasty, they aren't particularly inventive relative to other, similar styled restaurants. Both times, I've preferred the simple, yet flavorful, starters. You also can't go wrong with their monkey bread. Unlike the food, the cocktail menu is surprisingly robust, with just about every fifth of firewater available in a dapper mix. On my last visit, I took a pass at a personal favorite, the Vieux Carre, and came away impressed. Overall, The Bristol is a very solid offering for last-minute Open Tabling or walk-ins, with a casual, vibrant atmosphere and a solidly priced menu.
(4)
Karen C.
Party of 5. Celebrating a birthday. Food was awesome. They request you order everything all at once and they will pace it. The food started coming out one after another. We had to request they slow it down. We had to ask for drink refills. When we got our bill..... our bottle of wine ($68) was not on the bill. We told our waiter and he added the wine and never comped anything. Our bill was over $400. Just didn't set well with me. Train your waiters in customer service. Will think about returning.....
(3)
Mike M.
It seemed like The Bristol was one of the few popular brunch spots around the city that actually took online reservations. I made an 11:30 reservation on a Sunday morning and surprisingly there wasn't a huge crowd waiting out the door, especially since the place wasn't big. Our table wasn't ready yet, so they told us to sit at the bar and grab some coffee while they prepare our table. We ordered a coffee and they gave us a whole French press pot full. In the downstairs area, there was basically just 3 rows of seating: a few places at the bar, 2 or 3 bigger tables for groups, and then a row of 2-4 person tables along the wall. It wasn't a huge space, but it had that busy, energetic vibe throughout. After a bit, our table was ready and they moved us to a table by the front window. Food: A lot of the items on the menu seemed to have a creative, unique twist on traditional breakfast foods. We ordered a few different items to get a small taste of each. Cinnamon roll - I was expecting it to have a pillowy, soft dough with a super thick and rich icing on top, but it turned out to be the opposite, and I kinda liked it more that way. The icing was very light and had a thin and liquidy consistency. It wasn't overly sweet either. The cinnamon roll was a little firm as you cut through it but still had a soft center. Chicken n Biscuit - It was a little on the small side, but the flavor was definitely there. There were three chunks of chicken, two wedges of biscuit, and a few slices of pickles on top. At first glance, it didn't even look like chicken since it wasn't like a typical piece of fried chicken. It honestly looked more like a piece of french toast. The chicken was surprisingly juicy inside though and still had a good crunch even though there was no skin. Also, the biscuit wasn't like a normal dense, buttery biscuit. It almost seemed like it was lightened up on purpose to complement the other parts of the dish, and wasn't meant to stand on its own. It had a hard outer layer but then the inside was light and flakey. My only complaint would be that there could've been more gravy. I thought the gravy kind of took a backseat in terms of flavor, when it usually dominates in a traditional biscuits and gravy dish. Braised pork chilaquiles - This was probably the most average of the dishes we ordered. It seemed a little bland to me and felt like most of the dish was plain tortilla chips without too much meat or sauce. There was only one big chunk of pork, which was pretty tasty, and a fried egg on top, which is always a welcomed topping in my book. But other than that, we left most of it uneaten. Overall I enjoyed the brunch at The Bristol. I'd say it's closer to 3.5 stars for me. It had a bustling atmosphere and most of the food we ordered was both tasty and unique.
(4)
Jo S.
Great atmosphere and excellent service! A small place so tables are pretty close to each other. Pretty dark inside and the candles on the tables make the mood a bit more romantic. The menu is small but every dish is great. Wasn't as hungry so I had that Raviolo which was delicious (on the smaller side). Also had the Black Diamond cocktail.
(5)
Sanaz E.
My two girlfriends and I dined here for a sunday brunch and overall we liked this place but one dish was a major disappointment. First the good stuff.. The atmosphere is lovely. The weather was nice so the large window/doors were open. One friend had a coffee and she said it was delicious and robust. For an app we shared the cinnamon bun and it was moist, pillowy and gooey! Really good! For mains we got the chicken and biscuits and chilaquiles. C&B were so good! Chilaquiles not so much... If you're expecting the pieces of pork or pulled pork you're wrong. It's actually a piece of pork belly and apparently some pork is in the sauce. I've got to add that the sauce was hardly there. The dish was just really disjointed and not flavorful at all. I would recommend they either change the menu to say "pork belly" instead of braised pork, or they should have servers explain this point. Speaking of the server, our server (I think his name was Ryan V) was awesome about taking the dish back to the kitchen and allowing us to order something else, without charge. I ended up ordering the apple salad with links on the side and my friend got the eggs Benedict and both dishes were great. So overall I had a good experience here and I would possibly return. But I wouldn't order the chilaquiles again!
(3)
Elizabeth E.
I can't believe how much I really liked this place. I am generally surprised by the other reviews not giving more stars. I went on a Sunday night with my parents and boyfriend and we did not hold back. We ordered a lot and walked out extremely happy. The waiter instructed us to order everything at once and he would course it out - I would say things came out a little too quickly but not a huge complaint. We did order both the duck fat fries & the rolls, but had them accompany other items vs. just come out on their own (recco of the waiter) and it was perfect. Started with the Apple salad - this was nice and light, great to share between four of us. I insisted on the prawns and I actually think they were my favorite thing that we ordered. They came with their heads on, so if that freaks you out, steer clear - but I devoured them, eyes on and all! ;) Raviolo: this seems to be like the new cupcake which turned into the new donut, into the new cronut, into the new ramen. I feel like I am seeing raviolo at more and more restaurants. And the Raviolo at the bristol is not to be missed! This is where we inserted the Parker house rolls to scoop up all the yummy brown butter that oozed out. YUM CITY! Now even though you will be busy dipping those rolls into that brown butter, make sure to try the sauce that the rolls came with, this is like straight up butter - and it's better than regular butter. And it's awesome too. Then we had the chicken - really juicy and great. And then the steak, where we also had the duck fat fries - also delicious. Everything was outstanding. Will certainly go back!
(5)
Chrissy W.
Hello brunchy brunch of joy. Sharing a birthday with the BF's brother means celebratory dining. This year, we went for brunch at The Bristol. We started with the pastry platter (and our lovely server put a candle on it for the birthdays. It's surprisingly difficult to blow out a candle when you're busy staring at a giant cinnamon roll.) and it was delicious. The cinnamon roll was my fave, but the apple cake and the donut-like treat were also quite tasty. I also enjoyed a spicy bloody Mary that came with cubes of cheese and pate as a garnish. Om nom nom. For my main entree, I went with the quiche and was definitely not disappointed. It was a rough call between the quiche and chilequiles, but when someone in our party ordered them, I went the route of the quiche...which came with a really amazing and refreshing side salad of lettuce, radishes and fennel. The quiche was perfectly cooked without being dried out and the ingredients were fresh. I was impressed. The chilequiles? Also AMAZING. Our group also ordered the eggs Benedict, the openface egg sandwich and the duck confit burger. Everyone was super happy with their food, and I kept stealing the BFs duck fat fries, which were crispy and flavorful. Overall, awesome place.
(5)
Kyle P.
Have been twice in the last month and a total of about 5 times over the years. We took the whole porter clan here xmas eve and the manager was super accommodating when i called 45 mins before had asking to bring in a big group. Super fun layout and really nice staff. The food......best chicken ever.....ever.....and I liked the app brisket and drinks......come here
(5)
Kari E.
My husband and I have heard a lot about The Bristol -and decided to check it out, as it's close by. While it was worth the one-time experience, sadly we probably won't be back. Why? Well a few things: The waiter was great (very nice/friendly) but the service was really slow. From the time we sat down to when we ordered - it took nearly 20 mins to get a drink and 20 mins after that for the appetizer. The food was good - but nothing that rememberable. The atmosphere is nice, but the slow service along with "good" not "great" food, coupled with a bill of about $85/person (including 2 drinks each)... probably not worth a second visit.
(3)
Beth C.
I'm new to this neighborhood and slowly but surely I'm trying to pick my way through all the local spots. The Bristol was amazing. I went by myself and sat the bar for dinner. Next time, I plan to bring more people to share and try even more dishes. The bartender Shawn was great. He was very friendly and helped me settle on my selection. He's obviously a foodie himself and had great recommendations. I pretty much settled on the most popular items this first time around. I started with a cocktail (of course!) and tried the Poire and Elderflower which is listed as a "Bristol Classic". It was refreshing, sweet but not too sweet. A great start to a great meal. The Monkey Bread is just as yummy as everyone said. Soft, fresh bread balls that you dip in dill butter. I could go back and just eat two orders of this. No problem. The Duck Fat Fries are also a must have. They come with house made ketchup and garlic aioli. The aioli was my favorite part. When I had leftovers to pack up, I was super excited to see he had thrown in some more aioli for later. I also ordered the Raviolo. I might add that the fries also taste delicious dipped in the Raviolo's butter sauce. The atmosphere is great. The food was amazing. The service was friendly and knowledgeable.
(5)
Catie V.
AMAAAaAZING. Cocktails, dinner, service, vibes -- just perfect. I ordered the Moscow Mule to start -- loved it. The ginger was the perfect amount of spicy to balance the lime and definitely elevated the drink beyond your average moscow mule. We had the duck fat fries (brilliant), roasted carrots (i don't even like cooked carrots and LOVED these), marinated asparagus (perfectly cooked -- balance of flavors was incredible), burrata (didn't try this one), and I had the raviolo as my main course based on recommendations from Yelp. It was DELICIOUS but super rich -- there's a reason it's a small portion! I wouldn't have wanted more. But after the starters, I was perfectly full. We finished off with the Basque cake and rhubarb cobbler -- the cake was deifnitely better than the cobbler but both were good, if not a little more than we had stomach space left for.
(5)
Leslie B.
Awesome experience at The Bristol on a Friday night with some girlfriends. We were easily able to make a reservation for 4 at the beginning of the week. Upon arrival, we were seated immediately in their upstairs area which is really cozy. We immediately loved the ambiance. Our waitress came over to take drink orders. We all started with different cocktails and loved them all. The Bristol's cocktail menu is inventive and unique, don't skip on these when you visit! The eustis was my fave. To start, we went with the monkey bread and duck fat fries. The Bristol's menu is designed so that you basically cannot skip these items, and you shouldn't. They were both incredibly tasty and easy to share among four. From there, we picked many plates to share, so we could try as many items as possible. The black pepper brisket was a standout, as were the kielbasa stuffed mushrooms. Although we didn't really know what the cardoon graintee was, we were pleasantly surprised with the thoughtful flavors and sauces going on in there. Additionally, we ordered the pasta with rabbit that was rich and delicious. The only main we sampled was the half chicken. I almost never order chicken out, but convinced my dining companions that Yelp had told me this was a "must order." It was really delicious. Super flavorful, there's a reason this item remains on their menu season after season. Of course four ladies were going to order dessert. After reading an article that Grant Achatz's favorite dessert was The Bristol's basque cake, we had to order it to see what the fuss was all about. We also went with a dessert that our waitress described as "snickers on crack." And that's what it was. It tasted exactly like a Snickers...on crack. Which was a lot of awesomeness. Price point is high, but you're paying for quality, thoughtful dishes. All of the ingredients are from family farms and full of intricacies. Overall, a lovely dinner. I highly recommend going with friends and sharing some plates.
(5)
Bon C.
Food : 7, good taste, but expensive Service: 5, slow to respond Ambiance: 5, nothing special floor setup/comfort: 0, uncomfortable metal chairs, with height difference to the booth seats. Booths are set along the walls so you're forced to listen to conversations of tables on both sides of u. Booths(ladies seats)have comfortable, taller heights, with the view of the restaurant. Chairs(gents seats) are uncomfortable, low, and face a brick wall. It's a punishment. Wouldn't go back.
(1)
B K.
Big fan. Think it's much better than Girl and Goat, Publican, etc. Much easier to get reservation, service is fantastic, smaller but great ambiance and prices very reasonable. Love. It.
(5)
Risa T.
I realize there are many hip places especially in Wicker Park and Bucktown. It's super competitive and there are plenty of places that get rave reviews but don't deserve it. I had my wedding reception here in August 2015. Michelle was a delight to work with along with the team headed by Elliot. The farm raised chicken was the key dinner item and it was awesome. My husband and I have eaten fish, salads, and an amazing basque cake. They were super flexible, best service I ever had and no party is too small nor insignificant to them. I've never had their brunch. It looks good to me but I haven't gone yet for it. It's on the pricey end but in comparison to everything else in that neighborhood, it's average. I've had way worse service, food and atmosphere at places in the area for the same (if not more) price. I can't say anything wrong. Maybe I'll give another review after a brunch experience. Definitely a special occasion spot but maybe someday, it'll be a more regular experience. They are still in the neighborhood and it's really hard to keep a spot in Bucktown these days. The kids even loved the roasted broccoli served for the adults. That's not normal but something to smile about.
(5)
Benjamin G.
Totally knocked our socks off. My boyfriend and I went for Valentines day and LOVED it. Best meal I've had in a long time. Our waiter was friendly attentive and made us feel very welcomed and taken care of. The food was out of this world though. The leaks were incredible and the basque cake is a MUST TRY.
(5)
Adam K.
Truly fantastic. Sat on time. Great service. Our waiter was just outstanding. He was the right balance of present, while giving you space. Couldn't ask for more. The food was solid across the board. We had the duck fat fries (have to try), the monkey bread (tasty, but not worth $6), the peppered brisket (very good, if not a tad bit dry), the half chicken (more than enough for two. Crispy skin, great flavor. Yum!) and the raviolo (rich and decadent). For two people, we probably ordered one dish too many and didn't have room for dessert. The cocktails were top notch and reasonably price. Can't go wrong with the location either. It was a great time at a great place with great food.
(4)
Bobbie A.
Enjoyed the meal. The best fries - ever. A bit of grated lemon peel - love it. Concise menu seasonal very nice though they were out of fish and it was only 8:00 thought it was odd that happened since the menu is so small (we wouldn't tell if someone in the kitchen had to run to Whole Foods.) I'm thinking about the Basque cake dessert right now...
(4)
Stuart A.
The atmosphere is very appealing. Nice drink and wine list. The staff was attentive. Had the Parker house rolls, mushroom tart, carrots, beef tartare, both pastas, the chicken, Arctic char, the steak and all 3 desserts. It was very good but not great. The tartare, chicken and the machirone pasta were the best. Nobody liked the char because it was fishy. Maybe it wasn't fresh? The desserts were underwhelming but the cake was the best of the three. I'd be willing to give it a try for brunch but there are too many options in Chicago to go back for dinner.
(3)
Charlie C.
I have been here a few times, each of them I have been impressed. We always go for the Monkey bread, their duck fat fries, and some of their cocktails. The wait staff has always been very attentive, culinary creations have always been terrific, while the is what I would expect for a location with this vibe, its more than you want to pay for an average week night dinner. In my opinion. I have never felt over priced, however. You can fit in while wearing jeans and a trendy T, or a suit no tie. The place works. Go, have fun, drink up, and get the Monkey Bead already.
(4)
Kristin R.
Went here for dinner after the Chacon event in 2011 or so, after trying their version of Chacon. Was not disappointed. Bright ambience, great service, staff and food. I ordered a pork leg of some sort (it's no longer on the menu), but it was absolutely delicious. Not dry, with a tasty skin on the outside with yummy seasonings. They also had amazing cocktails. Great for either a girls night or date - went here on a girls night and it was just as fun as it would be if it were just for a date night. Tough to get to if getting there by transit but likely easy parking.
(4)
Yvonne B.
Grant Achatz said The Bristol is his favorite place to come for dessert in Chicago. He likes to get the Basque Cake: epicurious.com/articlesg… I had some time to kill around 6:30 on a Thursday before meeting a friend at a nearby bar so I thought I'd see what all the hype was about at The Bristol. The first thing they asked me was "Do you have a reservation?" I looked around the near-empty space and answered "No." "Then you can sit at the bar," they told me. Fine, I thought, I wanted to sit at the bar anyway. The next thing I noticed was that this was helluva boring bar. They had a TV that was turned off and the bar tender was taciturn. I don't know what he was doing but he didn't greet me and he took his sweet time (defined as several full minutes) before dutifully asking me if I wanted a drink. Per Mr. Achatz and Yelpers, I ordered the prawns, basque cake, and poire and elderflower cocktail. Although I'll readily admit that the textures of the food were a unique experience (mostly combinations of crunchy, crispy, soft, and gooey), I don't think I'd get any of that again because the flavors were pedestrian. The prawns were essentially cooked whole in garlic butter. Everything tastes good in garlic butter. I can cook something in garlic butter and it'll taste good. That said, the heads and shells (the server encouraged me to eat them also) were nice and crunchy but sometimes chewy and hard to get through. I compared them to stale potato chips. The cake and cocktail were both overly saccharine. The cake was wonderfully crunchy on top and moist yet fluffy texture inside. It came with a scoop of ice cream that failed to take the edge off of the sweetness. A patron at the bar next to me told me that the cake used to be better when they had a different pastry chef. That other chef used to make a cream sauce instead of a syrupy cherry sauce. I agree - a cream sauce would have been better for toning down that crushing sugariness. The sweetness in the cocktail overpowered any other flavors that would have made it more interesting. By the time I left, the host, server, and bar tender were reserving spots at the bar and dutifully policing innocent patrons who didn't know. The space of The Bristol - shabby chic, loft, locovore complete with tables made of reclaimed wood, mason jars, brick walls, and light-bulbs with visible filaments - made me think that the employees might be warm, inviting, and friendly. They're none of that. I was keenly aware of it considering I came alone to sit at an initially empty bar in a mostly empty restaurant where it was just me and the bartender and some unsullied (Game of Thrones reference) employee. Speaking of that, all of the bus boys and the bartender's assistant were Hispanic guys who silently removed and replaced my silverware. They were dressed in black tops whereas the servers and bartender were all white and wore white shirts. I did not like how the servers and bartender spoke in regular tones and the bus boys and assistant only whispered questions for direction. It was a very weird dynamic and not one that I liked. Perhaps what I observed was unusual but I can't imagine how that style of interaction would spontaneously be enacted across multiple people for my viewing pleasure.
(1)
Amy S.
This was an awesome spot for roomie night, woot woot! Aka, this place is great for sharing. They have an extensive wine list, which was in our favor. The entire menu is known for using every part of the animal, and it is super seasonal. Only 4-6 items are consistent and the rest are based on what is fresh! We tried the following: Monkey Bread - Simply delicious bread with a really creative dill butter. It was more saucy than butter, so we ate that up! Duck Fat Fries - We had to get this in tribute to Hot Dougs closing. Duck Fat Fries will never be the same! This was perfectly crunchy and you actually got that gamey flavor from the fries. There was some sort of cheese and cilantro on top, which made it even more delicious. This also came with an awesome and tangy homemade ketchup and garlic aioli. Head on Prawns - This was very interesting to say the least. They give it to you cut in half so it is easy to take out the meat and then the entire body/legs/head are edible if you need a little crunch. There were 6 of these, so it was definitely filling. There is also a sauce on the bottom, which we didn't notice until the last prawn so make sure to try it with the sauce. But all in all, this was very flavorful and I would try it again. Parisian Gnooci - This is really a fried gnocci, which I never had before. The flavors sort of resembled a samosa because of the green pea puree on the bottom and onions on top. I was looking forward to a traditional gnocci so I was a little let down, but this was a pretty good dish. Millers Farm Roasted Half Chicken - Usually people are like ehh never order the chicken because chicken is chicken! But this place has an amazing chicken! It is crispy and tender all at the same time. There is a delicious creamed corn/bean mixture underneath that is paired nicely with the chicken. Basque Cake - So this was funny, the cake was great but we do wish there were more berries around and in the cake. The ice cream tasted just like this Indian ice cream called Kulfi. We had to ask what kind of ice cream it was, and found out there is coconut and cardamom inside --- no wonder! =) Really filling and delicious, but I would ask for some extra cherry jam.
(4)
Didi D.
I loved the cozy atmosphere and the menu! We had Mother's Day reservations for Brunch $39, which was very reasonable considering all the food we were served. The ham and eggs benedict, Bellini & Bloody Mary was excellent!! The staff was wonderful and very friendly. Dirty dishes were removed promptly and drinks topped off right away. After our meal, one of the waiters braved the cold to hail a cab for us making sure our dining experience was one to remember. As first time visitors to Chicago and The Bristol it was, we will definitely dine here again!
(4)
Steph P.
I liked this place a lot. Usually with small plates we get almost everything and I end up leaving hungry, but The Bristol was different. Each plate was small enough to leave room to try more, but big enough to enjoy. The menu changes I think, but when I was there everything was great - a restaurant I'd highly recommend.
(5)
Melissa S.
We planned our June wedding here and could not have been happier! I started looking for a smaller venue last summer and found myself really attracted to the Bristol. Aside from a few prior very positive lunch and dinner experiences with them, I discovered that they have a second floor that they will rent exclusively for parties/weddings that we found a perfect fit for our needs. Every step of the planning with them was a fantastic experience! When I first met with Michelle Herndon last summer, I immediately got the impression that the group running this restaurant truly relish in providing great hospitality. Every question I had was met with enthusiasm and a true willingness to make every detail I could imagine possible. (Can you light the fireplace in June and crank the air- conditioning during our ceremony...? Sure!, Can I hang tree branches from your ceiling and string lights from them..? Sure!) In addition, they were extremely willing to work within our budget, and came up with a lot of suggestions for the dinner as well as our alcohol package to help us get the most for our money. Fast forward a year ahead and our wedding was amazing. The staff at the Bristol made everything look so beautiful and easy. Michelle Gnau took over the event planning and was just as lovely to work work with as the first. The final menu that was presented to us was thoughtful, seasonal, and delicious. They served the meal family style so that everyone could eat communally and enjoy all of the main course options! They also provided additional delicious food upon request. We received so many compliments on our menu and on the abundance to eat! In addition, for a very reasonable price their pastry chef made a gorgeous lemon and fresh strawberry preserve filled wedding cake with cream cheese frosting! Again, absolutely amazing and a refreshing change from traditional sugar sweet wedding cakes!! In addition to our great experience with planning (and eating!!), the staff did a lovely job setting up all of our decorations and lights! Since we wanted to save money by not hiring an actual florist to set up our table arrangements, the staff at the Bristol offered to make them for us! The finished product was perfect and honestly one less thing that I had to worry about the day of our wedding! We want to extend a huge thank you to the amazing staff at the Bristol. Their event coordinator Michellle is a gem to work with as well as our dinner coordinator Elliot. I honestly could not have picked someone more amazing out myself to manage the dining room! Elliot was prompt, friendly, and very quick to make any request come to life. In an industry where hospitality can be so lacking, Elliot was a fantastic reminder that there are still awesome, passionate people out there giving amazing service! There was not one single request that went unmet and we really appreciated him for that! Thank you again to the entire staff!!! If you thinking of planning a big event, definitely check these guys out! They will make everything perfect! - The *new* Elsen Family
(5)
Amanda P.
Monkey bread with dill heaven sauce. Yum yum FRIES ranked by many sources as some of the best in the city. I agree. BEST CHICKEN EVER. No really. Ever. (But seriously, will you please bottle that dill butter sauce and sell it to me, Bristol?)
(5)
Amanda R.
I've been going to the Bristol for years, but for some reason haven't written a review yet. At first it was a go-to place for dinner, but lately brunch is more likely (I got old. I moved. There's a kid.) You could order anything on their menu (any menu) and likely be happy. A few things stand out for me though. Although I often think of pork and butchering when I think of The Bristol, I truly love their pastas. The pappardelle is amazing- unctuous and satisfying in every way. And then there are the duck fat fries for starters. If you don't love them, you need to have your taste buds checked (though I would say that of all duck fat fries, truly). On the brunch menu. the hangover breakfast is not to be missed (though I prefer the old ramen they had ages ago). Again, it's the noodles. They are toothy and hearty and taste so freshly made, and I mean all of those things in the best way possible. As others have said, I don't think you can go wrong here. There's no reason for me to not give The Bristol 5 stars, other than that I'm stingy with my 5 stars, not knowing what else might be out there that could could one day beat The Bristol at its own game. That, and they took away the ramen on the brunch menu. I think it's been 2 or 3 years, but I'm still holding it against them. Brunch, dinner, or shared plates over drinks- I think you will enjoy your meal here. I'll throw this out there too: I've seen kids here. Everyone seems cool with it. However, I have never brought my son, and probably wouldn't. Walking around the large communal table and navigating the space of the restaurant is doable for guests and servers alike easily, but the space seems on a fine line where one random toddler or stroller could put a serious kink in the works.
(4)
Meredith K.
I finally got around to trying The Bristol in Bucktown after hearing how fabulous the food and wait staff have been for months. My boyfriend and I grabbed a drink at the bar upstairs while we waited for our table. The hostess shortly after grabbed us and took us to our table upstairs (I was hoping to eat downstairs but was pleasantly surprised with the seating upstairs and the light and airy feel with the breeze from the large open windows). Food: monkey bread is a must!! The dill butter sea salt has great flavor and a terrific dipping sauce for the bread but be careful don't fill up on carbs :) We split the market green salad and parisian gnocchi which were both tasty. I had the millers farm roasted half chicken as my entree and my boyfriend had a fish which is no longer on the menu. I loved the creative food ideas and mixing of flavors on the palate. Wait staff: extremely attentive, constantly filled water glasses and gave us new dishes and silverware as needed. I would definitely go back when the menu has changed for the winter!
(5)
Charlie B.
Long overdue review. I have only been once on my birthday a couple years back and again recently for dessert and a drink. But, this place is SO good and just my type of spot. Casual but just nice enough to feel like a night out. Great servers who know their stuff. But, the real star is the food. A shortish, changing menu that features hearty meats and upscale comfort foods. Every single thing manages to feel like something you should be eating all the time, but yet totally new. Just like Mom should have made! It's one of those spots where you should ask your server to help you pick and just trust them. I can't wait to find an excuse to return. And get the Basque cake. That's an order!
(5)
Stephen B.
Great place, I had wanted to go to the publican but could not get a reservation, I'm really glad that we could not get a reservation as this was great. As our excellent waiter suggested, we had a starter, small plate, pasta and entree. We had the parkerhouse rolls - fabulous, especially with the house made butter. We also had the salmon rillete, which was ok, almost too many flavors. Many reviews had commented on the raviolo, which was amazing, the soft egg yolk which oozes out when you cut into it does some amazing things. For our main we chose the half chicken. Perfectly done with some very tasty spatzen. For dessert we had the basque cake, we both had one but should have split one. Great service and great food
(4)
Carolyn L.
I came here for brunch with some girlfriends a little while ago. The food was still delicious although there was a little mixup with our chilaquiles (mine was lacking something but I can't recall what). The staff was super nice about it though and took it off our bill. And I'll still go back because the sweet breakfast bread that they're known for was sooooo good!
(5)
Tricia D.
I wanted to like it more. Perhaps brunch is the way to go. The main reason The Bristol gets 2 stars is because the food is rather lackluster for the price point charged. I've had better heirloom tomato salads ($12), and $14 was hefty for the pork loin small plate, which kind of just tasted like carved Oscar Mayer turkey amongst a bed of voluminous greens. I didn't care for it. The drink I ordered did pack a significant punch. The strong aromatics of the bev did translate to its strength! Service was punctual and fine for the most part, minus feeling like the waiter was trying to pressure us into ordering more drinks and dessert. Overall, meh.
(2)
Lauren F.
One of the best places I've been to! We came for brunch and the kitchen did not disappoint, wait staff were amazing too. We had the quiche, chicken 'n a biscuit, and the pastry board (cinnamon roll, kuchen, and the bomboloni). Cannot wait to go back for dinner!
(5)
Justin K.
Baked goods are excellent but the brunch entrees are so filling they're all you need. Ham n Eggs Benedict and Hangover Breakfast are my favorites. Bloody Mary is rich and thick and smoky, and begs for the beer back. Just get it. All the cocktails are really good.
(5)
Shereene M.
I had this place on my "brunch spot list" for a little while so was excited to try it. First off, easy to find..right off the highway and easy free parking can be found on the small streets within the neighborhood. It's super cute with an open front- I wish we sat there. We made reservations because I don't think you can get a table without one. We were seated right when we all were there and the service was great. Food I tried: duck fat fries- you will never want regular fries again!, chilaquiles- eh, not my favorite, open faced pork sandwich- very good, def a little fatty but it's pork belly, what can you expect! Overall, great experience. I would come back but there are just too many brunch spots to try!!
(4)
Emily W.
The Bristol was the lucky / unlucky venue of choice for our mildly drunk, definitely hungover, loud, cackling ladies' brunch. We ordered the pastry board - for $14, it comes with one piece of kuchen, two bomboloni, and one cinnamon roll. A little bit pricey, but you know how we are such delicate eaters. Plus, everything else on the menu is quite reasonably priced. I got the chicken 'n' a biscuit, which came with sweet pickles and sausage gravy. The chicken is tender and juicy, having been brined the night before. Maybe it is just me, though, but I prefer equal portions of chicken and biscuit, with plenty of gravy to sop up in every bite. This dish comes with one chicken thigh and a HUGE biscuit - there was 3X as much biscuit as chicken, and sadly not enough sausage gravy for me to finish it. I tried a bite of the hangover noodle soup and wish I had gotten that instead. The noodles have a great firm texture and tasted like they were homemade. Our service was a bit mixed. We had one waitress who was super cheerful and nice, and another (our main waitress) who was a bit curt. I'll admit we were not the most attentive group of people, but her interruptions were extra awkward for some reason.
(4)
Jen K.
I chose this restaurant for an office outing and everyone loved it, which makes me look good. So obviously, I'm happy about this location. All kidding aside, the atmosphere, staff and food are incredible. It's a great place to check out in Bucktown. It's a rustic American theme. They were able to sit our party of 10, with a reservation. The wait staff was very nice and helpful in our wine selection. We had several bottles of different reds and they were all delicious. I chose to stick with small plates instead of getting an entree. The beet salad was very good but one of my coworkers got the apple salad which was better. I then had the raviolio. I can't begin to say how amazing that dish was. You have to cut it right away so the yolk can break perfectly into the rest of the dish. I then had the sauerbraten duck leg. It was terrific. The only time I have sauerbraten, I make it with beef. Now that I know it tastes incredible with duck, I'm going to move towards that. To finish my meal, I had the basque cake with a nice bottle of champagne. The cake was really good but I tried the tiramisu and it was better. Seriously, everyone has to try The Bristol!
(5)
Kiki A.
So disappointed! The one star is for the atmosphere. Where has everyone's (Yelp Reviewers) taste buds spun off to. Came with a party of 4 and was seated promptly which was nice. We had a very friendly server as well. First off-everything that came out was cold!! From the appetizers, to ALL 4 mains, even the dessert! Everything that we tried, (3 appetizers, 4 different main dishes and 2 desserts) was lacking taste and was quite bland. Tried the carrots, and mushroom tart and the duck fat fries for an appetizer...I was expecting more from the carrots and the mushroom tart. The mains included the pasta (not the ravioli) which was sticky and lacked taste, my friends had the wall eye fish, which was a little rubbery, another had the pork-meh, and another had the steak, which-again-lacked taste and when things come out cold, it ruins everything. The dessert was another disappointment, the rhubarb was way tooooo sweet, almost inedible and the basque cake, very dry and not sure if I even went for seconds. (big shocker) Maybe I just stumbled on it on an off night, but I'm hesitant to try this place again. :(
(1)
Athene C.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars. My only knock on this restaurant would be the initial experience. We arrived at 8:01 for our 8:00 reservation and were told that our table had paid and they were waiting for them to leave. The tiny vestibule was full of people. Other reservations came in and the same line - paid and they're waiting for them to leave. By 8:20, we finally asked if we could wait at the bar. I don't understand how the hostess did not point us towards one of two bars in the first place! We were finally seated at 8:30. The food was tasty - duck fries, cardone gratinee, chicken, pumpkin cheesecake. Some was bland - beet salad and lake trout. Some a little salty - steak. The wine was good and the sommelier was helpful. The coffee was exceptional. Our server was attentive as was the rest of the wait staff. Overall a pleasant experience except for the first half hour. Would I go back? Maybe. Why a Bib? No idea.
(3)
Khloe K.
First off i really like the Bristol and have frequented it for dinner several times over the past few years and yes never wrote a review. So i feel kind of bad writing a not so positive review of my recent brunch experience. First off the service was good and this restaurant is always bustling during brunch however i guess i just ordered the wrong brunch items?! I was feeling mildly hungover that sunday morning and really needed some comforting sustenance and was craving broth and noodles. Well the Bristol happened to have what i thought i needed in the form if their Hangover Breakfast! How perfect was that. Its a pork broth ramen style noodle dish and just the perfect small portion. I love ramen and was disappointed by the broth which i appreciated was clean tasting but very one note in flavor almost bland and the noodles were really overcooked and almost mushy in texture. I think they were either made in house but it definately seemed like a fresh noodle that was way overcooked. I dont know why i didnt send the dish back, perhaps i didnt have the strength and gumption as i normally would to do that so i just sucked it up and ate as much of it as i could to give my body much needed calories and salt etc. the next item is their famous cinnamon roll. Ok this was the second time ive tried it and im not a fan. Perhaps if you like the roll to be slightly crusty and overcooked on the outside and somewhat dense on the inside thats fine but i prefer a soft, light airy cinnamon roll that soaks up all the cinnamony sweet icing. This one tasted kind of hard and dry but the icing was good. Go figure it just wasnt my morning! Oh the La Columbe french press coffee was really good. Light but complex.
(3)
Christopher M.
4.5 stars but I will round up to 5 stars. Overall they have a fantastic drink menu and very knowledgeable bartenders who even make their own liquers, which they are happy to share with you. On food we've had some 8 star dinners and some 2 star dinners, so obviously it can be inconsistent, but when they're on ...boy, they are on. We've been to brunch once and it was very good as well, the best part being the inventive brunch cocktails. 119/365
(5)
Michael H.
Stopped I'm for brunch. I had the ham and eggs Benedict with breakfast potatoes. Nice hangover cure at a reasonable price. She had the chilequiles which were forgettable. Not enough pulled pork in the mix. Duck fat fries were overrated and not as flavorful as other reviews suggested. We would have stayed for another Bloody Mary if not for our waiter's obvious desire to turn the table. Cramped quarters but comfortably decorated.
I don't know how anyone who cooks, travels, or eats out frequently would give this place 4-5 stars. There was zero flavor to their food, no size to their portions, and they screwed up comfort food. Who screws up comfort food? By far this is the most overrated restaurant I've been to in Chicago. Feel free to contact me for more information or if you have any doubts. Pork chilaquiles: so you charged me $12 for a small plate of very soggy, flavorless nachos that a 6-year old could assemble, and probably has, knowing Latin America? Thanks. Chicken and a biscuit: the chicken was the highlight but a little greasy, whereas the biscuit and gravy component was downright embarrassing. Who made this tasteless gravy, and who decided to put so little on such a dense, heavy biscuit? It was vicariously shameful. Again, $13 for this nonsense. If you're going to do comfort food, then DO comfort food. Breakfast pastries: delicious, but not why we came, and I have no evidence or reason to believe these were made in house. To summarize, this place is so overpriced for the portion size, and the flavors are nonexistent. It's also not cute to charge ~$14 for a brunch entree, at a bar, where the host is wearing jeans. The Bristol takes the cake for the most overrated restaurant in Chicago. I'm convinced it's catering to naive yuppies and people who just moved here from Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin and don't know any better.
(1)
Rebecca R.
So this review is only for brunch. It was outstanding!! Service was excellent. We were lucky enough to have Bryan with a Y ;) I now know why it's always busy on the weekends, however I still did not have to wait for a table for 2 at 11:30 on a Sunday. Started off with a Bloody Mary which was very good. Just enough spice, and a pickle (does also come with a chunk of ham & cheese for those who want to know).... Sold. I had the quiche of the day which was rapini and grana padano, rich and hearty and everything a quiche should be with a nice crust. Did not compare to my friends chicken & biscuit which is served topped with a thick sausage gravy... Requested extra. It was very good! Will definitely be back to try dinner!
(5)
Tim S.
Could there have been more salt on my dinner? Not unless I was a deer at a salt lick. Yuck
(1)
Bill W.
My wife and I dined here for her birthday on 12/6/14. We made a reservation for 7:30pm and arrived about 20 minutes early to have a drink at the bar before we were seated. She had a beer and I had a smokey manhattan that was excellent. While seated, I was looking over the bottles at the bar and noticed they had a few bottles of the hard to find Pappy van Winkle, most notably the 23 year Family Reserve. I was explaining how rare it is to my wife and the host/manager came over and pulled it off the bar and poured off an ounce for me to try, free of charge. He had noticed me talking about it and said they don't normally sell it, but let people who are interested in it, try it. Really nice start to the evening. We were seated about 7:40pm and the waitress brought over a birthday card for my wife that the staff had signed. Another nice touch. We ordered 4 small plates, the bread with chicken skin butter, the duck leg, the prawns, and the ravioli. All 4 were great. We split the chicken after reading the great reviews and it was worth it. The skin was crispy and the rest was full of flavor. The waitress talked us into the basque cake for dessert and that was great as well. We each had an additional drink with dinner and the bill with tip came to around $150, completely reasonable and we left happy and full.
(4)
Adam L.
The manager called me today to apologize for everything that happened, as well as the delay in response to my email. I expected nothing less from a establishment such as The Bristol. Stellar food and stellar service. These guys will treat you well and won't hesitate to make your time at their restaurant more enjoyable.
(5)
Stefanie A.
Amazing brunch! Entire menu looked good, but our server helped us choose some of his favorites. Our table split the apple salad with the manchego. So fresh and delicious. I had the breakfast hangover bowl and it did the trick exactly lol. It was phenomenal and I def recommend it! For dessert we all split the basque cake- one of the best desserts I've ever had. We saw the dinner menu and decided we are def coming back.
(5)
Talia G.
Hello Chef's Week, it's nice to meet you! I'm so glad we could become acquainted at a restaurant as wonderful as The Bristol. I came to the Bristol last night (Sunday) for the start of Chef's Week, and was not disappointed. For $44 I had 4 courses that left me satisfied, but not overly full. The first course was a little potato amuse bouche which was crunchy and tasty. For the second course, I ordered the tuna dish, which was a bit like a salad with chunks of tuna, a few unidentified veggies, and large croutons. Unique and delicious. For the main entree, I shared the lamb, scallops, and mushroom "gnocchi" with my friends. The gnocchi was more like a souffle, which I thought was exciting and fun. The scallops were served with a great cauliflower sauce-of-sorts, and the lamb was SO INSANELY TENDER. It was hands down my favorite, but everything was great. Finally, for dessert, I had a pear dessert layered with vanilla cream, a citrus curd, and lime ice cream. All the components were great except the curd at the bottom. It was quite bitter and off-putting. Fortunately, it was at the bottom so I could just avoid it and eat the rest. The chocolate tart that my friend got was extremely dense and rich. Delicious, just dense. Overall, a great meal. The ambiance is both sexy and classy, and all the servers were very nice. I'll definitely be back!
(4)
Mollyann R.
Best. Service. Ever! Hands down, best service ever! I mean it. Best freaking service I have ever experienced. Ok, now on to my story. My food tour group ordered the duck fat fries (duh), scallops, apple cake, and the homemade nutter butters served with chocolate sauce. The duck fat fries and the nutter butters were both exceptional. Both must haves. I loved the ambiance and the servers outfits. The servers were wearing dark jeans, white button down shirts, and green aprons. I loved the mixture of casual and dressy. To explain the exceptional service - our server was very attentive, professional, and informative. When someone would get up to go to the restroom, he would fold their napkin at their place. He also cleared the table of crumbs. The manager on duty stopped by our table not once, but twice. Our drinks were always filled so that we never went thirsty. We ordered more than we originally thought because we enjoyed this place so much. The server was a great server as well as a great salesman. Every restaurant should strive to be what The Bristol has accomplished. I will always sing my praises for this place. Bravo!
(5)
Bill S.
I attended a group dinner here on 1/9. Our table of six was encouraged to order approximately 12 plates to "share." Nowhere on the restaurant's website or menu does it indicate that the portion sizes would be small or this was some sort of tapas style restaurant. When we asked about ordering separately, we encountered some resistance from the waitress, who highly recommended we double the order of everything ("you'll need two ravioli" to share. Although the food was delicious, the portions were incredibly small for the price and the continued "used car salesman" attitude of our waitress did not help. Even though I was the last person to finish eating, she immediately brought over a desert menu for me to review even though I said I was full. After she came back and asked what I would be having (instead of "would you like anything?") she questioned my decision. It was honestly the most sales-driven dinner I have had in years. BTW, for those of you clicking "$$$" for the price, you should be clicking "$$$$", since the dinner was $100 per person. Between the aggressive wait staff and high price per portion I will not be returning here unless I absolutely had to.
food was decent but nothing to rave about. I enjoyed the smoked ham benedict that had a deliciously interesting mustard hollandaise sauce. my friends had the pork chilaquiles which hardly had any pork in it, chicken & biscuits which was good in flavor but was not cooked well, and the quiche. great service, family friendly and neatly decorated.
(4)
Paul d.
Okay, let's be honest, I was drawn to this place because of the duck fat fries. I left with much much more. Bristol does everything well, from the dimly lit comfortable decor to the service and ultimately the food. We ordered the following: Monkey Bread - nothing spectacular; really just bread with dill butter Duck Fat Fries - best in Chicago is still Hot Doug's but the homemade ketchup and garlic aioli more than made up for it. Rabbit Ravioli - good flavor and interesting; guess I couldn't really compare it with any other rabbit raviolis I've had. Roasted Half Chicken - advertised by the waitress as the best chicken in the city and it was delicious although maybe hyping it up may have detracted from the experience a little. Must try though. Basque Cake - very delicious. Like a personal size cake that was crispy on the outside but utterly moist in the inside. Must try. Overall, definitely a place I'd like to try again especially because they switch up menus often. Also they really need to bottle their hot sauce because it has to be one of the best I've ever tried.
(4)
jaili f.
We really wanted to love the restaurant. After looking at great reviews, I came with two cousins that were visiting from out-of-state. We ordered the duck fries, chilaquiles, smoked ham benedict and chicken and biscuit. The chilaquiles was bland, the smoked ham benedict was bland and the chicken and biscuit was bland and sweet. We asked for salt and both times it was not working. I don't think we touched more than a third of our food. The only saving grace was the duck fries. I can understand one dish off out of the three. But all three were off. Extremely disappointed.
(1)
J W.
Had brunch with a friend at 10:30AM on Sunday. Seated quickly, and service was friendly and efficient the entire meal. Decent (not great) Bloody Mary to start, as well as the emperor's genmaicha (excellent). Proceeded to down the Hangover Breakfast (ramen noodles in pork broth with aromatic vegetables), which was very good and satisfying. To be critical, the noodles were the weakest ingredient. Also had the duck fat fries on the side, which were excellent. Great experience.
(5)
Paul L.
I have never been at a restaurant - and my wife & I eat out 2-3 times a week - where I felt so taken advantage of and over charged. We went to the Bristol on Easter Sunday. We had made reservations 2 weeks ahead and on the evening before we were called and told they would be serving a Prix Fix menu for $29. Given it was less than 24 hours ahead we were stuck. When we got there were shocked to see that all we would receive is limited pastry board (read- cinnamon roll & doughnut hole) a mediocre entree (e.g., biscuit and gravy) and a cup of coffee or tea. Breakfast drinks were extra at $10 to $12. We received bad service throughout and left with a bill for the 4 of us with tip totaling $180! Under an ale carte menu the same meal would have been barely $100. Net/net we will never return and I would advise the same for others.
(1)
Erika M.
Just went here for brunch. Food was pretty good - I thoroughly enjoyed my "hang over soup" which was similar to a ramen, but my boyfriend said his burger was just okay. He compared it to something he would make at home. My problem is with the service we received. It took over 20 min to get ahold of a server and then another ten at least to get an iced tea. I understand if the place is busy, but this was now 30 minutes of sitting there without a drink. Kind of ridiculous. At this point I was starting to feel annoyed. The next problem was when I received my soup- the hangover breakfast. Everything looked good - but it was missing the pork belly that it said it came with. When I was able to get ahold of the waitress, she said, "I don't know if it was there before but I'll bring some pork belly for you." Was she actually accusing me of eating all of the meat and then requesting more? I thought this was kind of insane. It was just an awkward experience. I did enjoy the soup and the duck fat fries were delicious - however the service was not okay. Don't think I will be back- there are far more places in the area with just as good, if not better food and much better service.
(2)
Erika W.
I've been to the Bristol a few times, just went again this past week for my sister's birthday. The good - Nice atmosphere, albeit quite dark. Cozy and not too loud. We got a reservation without issue. Our server was excellent. She knew the menu very well, gave us lots of suggestions and advice. My sister has a couple of minor food allergies and our server identified right away which items contained even a bit of those foods. Food came out in a leisurely, timely manner (neither too slowly or quickly). Overall the food and drinks were tasty. Now the not so good - They have gotten rid of the monkey bread. We asked about it, apparently the chef is "going in a new direction." Okay, but removing the most talked about and popular item on your menu? (Also gone are the duck fat fries.) Our server sold us on the new bread they have, and while it was good, in the end it was really just bread, nothing super special, and we paid $6 for it. The menu is a bit strange. Our server suggested, for the 3 of us, about 4 starters and 2 entrees to share. But there are only 3 entree choices, none of which are vegetarian. (we all turned over our menu, looking for more entree choices. Oops.) My sister will eat fish, so we decided to get the one salmon entree and more starters. Everything was very good, but quite small. The raviolo is delicious - but for 3 of us it was really just one bite each. $22 for 3 bites is a bit steep I think. Same was true of the other dishes - very tiny and a bit inflated in price. I have no problem paying a good amount of money for good food, but found most of the dishes to be good, but not particularly memorable or worth the money. While the service was really good, I might think about returning between the removal of favorite menu items, as well as the prices. There are just so many restaurants in this town that can compete.
(3)
Layla R.
The Bristol has a great atmosphere and solid brunch fare. I enjoyed my Smoked Ham Benedict (although the potatoes were way too big and not my favorite). The cinnamon bun, however, probably the best I've ever had and the cocktails were delicious. It's definitely not a bargain though. Two entrees, a cinnamon bun, two cocktails, and 2 coffees will set you back almost $80 for two with tip, but I still recommend highly as we enjoyed everything we ordered.
(4)
Ashley B.
After driving and walking by it so often, I decided was time to give it a try. I went with three other people and we each kind of picked a dish and shared. Everything was pretty great. I had the trout, but my favorite had to have been my boyfriends ravioli. It was strange though, it was one giant, single ravioli. Delicious though. The wine list is also really impressive, and if you're not in the mood for wine, they have some pretty good cocktails. The only reason why it doesn't get five starts? I thought it was just kind of a more expensive version of Bin, but the food wasn't THAT mind-blowing. I want to come back and give it another chance and try the small plates.
(4)
Steve A.
The Bristol is an upscale restaurant that manages to avoid being too crowded and too noisy while still achieving a trendy vibe. The narrow, brick-lined space is lit sparingly, making it good choice for intimate conversation and romantic dinners. While the tables are fairly close, they are aligned in a way that doesn't seem invasive. There's a reason everyone talks about the duck fat fries. They're surprisingly un-greasy, perfectly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and nicely seasoned, served with a wonderful garlic aioli. We also really enjoyed the wagyu beef, which was just the right mix of meat and fat, charred yet still perfectly medium rare on the inside, and served with a delicious red pepper sauce. The trout and the tempura broccoli were just okay. Dishes are served family style, so go with people who enjoy sharing and tasting lots of different things. One member of our party had many allergies, and the chef marked up a menu for her, showing her what she could have and what he could modify. Very nice. The wine list is extensive, and prices are fair, although there are no bargains. Service was friendly, and the bus boys were particularly on the ball with plate removal and water refills. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the service was impressive. This is a very good restaurant, flirting with great. Definitely worth a visit.
(4)
Federico D.
What a great spot! This is the kind of place that keeps their food quality and service at the top for many years. I went here to meet friends from out of town. It wasn't just me, they really liked the whole experience. Service: Great Food: Great Ambiance: Great! One of my few favorite restaurants in Chicago!
(5)
Evelina L.
Just had brunch there on 08/14 for probably the 10th time, but this one was just above and beyond yumminess, so I decided to write about it! First of all - their coffee is the best in the neighborhood, just wish for a little larger cups! We ordered the french toast and the quiche, plus a side of the double deep fried/loved potatoes with a side of their home made ketchup. The quiche was the best that I have ever had, EVER. It was also the fluffiest and most flavorful, I cannot wait to go back next weekend and order it again! I am torn about wanting the same one (bacon, spinach, gruyere and onion) and trying another one... French toast with the bourbon syrup - fantastic as well! There is no crust in the toast, so every bite is deliciously soft and absorbs as much flavor from the syrup as possible... Cannot wait to go back! Bristol never disappoints!
(5)
Wendy Z.
came back again with high expectations but was slightly disappointing the second time around Started off with trying the much yelped about Monkey Bread - it's basically soft bread served with dill butter on the side..it came in a little pot and was almost too cute to eat! it was fluffy pieces of heaven....but things quickly went downhill after that. For entrees we ordered the Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu and Lamb Ribs (yes we love lamb) but much to our disappointment, neither lived up to expectations. The papardelle could have used probably an extra 10 minutes of cooking time..and I could barely taste any of the lamb. As for the lamb ribs it was way undercooked and therefore very tough to cut into pieces and equally hard to chew...definitely not the way to end the meal and by that time we were already too full for dessert. I don't recommend the lamb but will definitely come back for the monkey bread, duck fat fries, and the roast chicken that I had the first time i was here.
(3)
Ericka B.
Came here for brunch and for some reason, they didn't have a table for us until nearly an hour past our reservation time. Based on previous reviews, sounds like other people have had this problem as well, which is a frustrating. However, they brought us complimentary pastries while we waited...and then ended up comping our entire meal! Great customer service. They were able to turn around a bad situation, and we all walked out saying we would come back again thanks to their service. Foodwise, I got the Hangover Breakfast, which was delicious. The broth was flavorful and spicy. The pastries were also very good.
(4)
Emily C.
Loved coming here and sitting at the bar. Michael makes an amazing old fashioned and is very friendly. We loved the monkey bread and duck fat fries (yum!) and they were a good size to share with a couple people. Lately at cocktail bars I feel like the bar snacks are lacking / small - not here! We also recently came for brunch which was great as well! I tried the salmon rillettes which is good if you want something lighter, but it's not a lot of food. The burger was great and it came with the amazing fries. The bloody mary was good, but not the best ever. I added a little hot sauce to spice it up a bit. My husband LOVED his drink he tried - it was similar to a whiskey sour. Everyone around us was ordering the chilaquiles so I would try that the next time. Looked awesome. The service here is great and I love the neighborhood vibe. Everyone is really nice. When they found out we were going to NY, they all gave us ideas on bars to try. We will definitely be coming back frequently! 114/365
(5)
sharon a.
Delightful Easter brunch! Went sort of by default since our other choices were either booked or didn't take reservations. Not willing to take our chances waiting endlessly on Easter Sunday we booked a table at Bristol. Nothing second choice about it!! Service was delightful, complementary pastry sampler was fabulous, cocktails stellar, entrees delish!!! Even our vegetarian companion raved about his mushroom dish. Thanks Bristol for a wonderful experience.
(4)
H L.
I really don't understand why this place is so popular, the food is over priced and underwhelming. We had: Brussel sprouts - oily and salty Fries - nice and crunchy, but too salty. aioli was very good Porgy - ok flavor Squab tartine - once again over salty to the point where I couldn't even eat the frisee that came with it. Service was average, nobody came to our table for at least 5 minutes. The atmosphere was nice, except it was sooo loud you have to yell across the table to have a normal conversation. The tables are very close together so if you have a loud, obnoxious couple sitting at the next table, you're screwed. To top it off, the valet asked us to walk to our car across the street because he was too busy parking other cars, but still charged us. and he asked us to wait for him so he can quickly park another customer's car as we drove out of our parking spot. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Chicago has many many other great reasonably priced restaurants.
So I decided to have a date night with one of my best friends, checked out the restaurants in the area, this place had very good reviews, so we decided to try it out for ourselves. Let me say this was an excellent choice, the place was busy for a Sunday evening, and even though it is a bit small, it still felt very cozy. We started off with the duck fat fries, and oh my, they were heavenly, especially with the homemade sauces that came with it. I decided on the pork shank with lentils and my friend got the roasted chicken. Both were simply delicious. The pork was succulent and fell off the bone, and I tried my friends chicken, and the skin... It had so much flavor and crunch, the meat was juicy as well. Our server was quite attentive and was very knowledgeable when it came to asking the ingredients (I'd like to make this chicken at home... To bad I didn't get the recipe.) this was a great choice for a date with great food. I will be coming back.
(5)
Emann B.
Went for Sunday brunch. Excellent, excellent, excellent server! What an amazing person, really made my morning. I had a Moscow Mule to get things started (icy and refreshing), followed by the chilaquiles. So rich and filling, a hint of heat, and pork belly to boot! My friend's burger was declared juicy and flavorful. She didn't want the duck confit and asked for it on the side. Of course I devoured it. Doughnuts to top it off, fresh and warm, not too sweet. Must return!
(5)
Bonnie F.
We are very picky about where we eat when we go out. Restaurant Week gives us a chance to try places we haven't gone too. After perusing many menus we settled on the Bristol. They were offering an interesting tasting menu for $44. with wine pairing for $20. It was a taste sensation. We had Smoked Carrot Salad- amazing, Porchetta de Testa - excellent, Gnocchi With Wild Mushrooms - fabulous, White Fish with Parsnips, snail and red Wine Ragout -flavorful and Poached Pear Trifle. - so savory. We added wine pairing (4 pours) for $20. What a bargain. Service was very attentive even tough they were serving a full house. Ask to be seated on the main floor of the restaurant unless you like to be in a noisy crowd. Noise is a bit challenging if you are next to a group of loud talkers. But go any night and try a cocktail too
(5)
Zoelle F.
We had our wedding reception at The Bristol and it was absolutely amazing! The managers were incredible, addressing concerns promptly and with every reassurance that our wedding would be exactly how we wanted it. Our guests were blown away by the cocktails and the food. No one raves about chicken at a wedding, but they did at ours!!! The service was great and we couldn't have been happier with our event, and have made loyal Bristol customers out of some of our friends and family.
(5)
Mark W.
Amazing Monkey bread and and killer Moscow Mule! I enjoyed the dinner a lot better than the brunch. All in all a great spot.
(5)
Amy H.
I've been wanting to try out The Bristol for far too long. It really is worth it. We made a reservation for a Tuesday night and were seated promptly at 7. The ambience is great. I can see how it gets louder on the weekends, but it really is warm and inviting. Duck fat fries are a must. The garlic aioli and homemade ketchup were awesome. My friend and I split the raviolo, which was wonderfully rich with brown butter, ricotta, Parmesan, and egg yolk. We followed that with the pork porterhouse topped with onions and cherries. All the flavors really worked well together. Very good. Service was friendly and attentive. Bryan was great. Not pushy at all and he was very informative. Definitely want to go back... I could probably make this a 5 after a repeat performance.
(4)
Samuel M.
I've been meaning to try out The Bristol for a long time, and finally made it last week for dinner. The menu is full of interesting, share-able options, most of which rotate on a regular basis. Broccoli with oxtail marmalade ($14), which features pressed and seared broccoli topped by a slimy-yet-satisfying oxtail stew, is an interesting take on pot roast that allows the side vegetable to take center stage. Pasta a la chitarra with rapini pesto ($15) also showcases the bitter green admirably both in the sauce and in chunks in the pasta, and is rounded out nicely with sharp grated cheese and bright citrus. One pound pork porterhouse ($28) is cooked medium, with enough fat to stay tender but not so much to become unappetizing. Duck fat fries ($7) are awesome: crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, with great flavor that only comes from having been fried in animal fat. Service is great and atmosphere is cool. Pricing is a tad high for some options; as good as it tastes, paying $15 for a 4 oz serving of pasta is definitely steep. All in all, The Bristol offers well-executed gastropub food, but given the saturated nature of that niche, it definitely doesn't pull away from the crowd. I'd recommend it, but I'd recommend a few of its competitors first.
(4)
Monica D.
We were in town for a conference and were recommended to try The Bristol. Phenomenal food and great service by Bryan. He was super attentive to our dietary needs. We loved the roast chicken, brisket, and caramel bar. Fantastic experience!
(5)
KM Y.
I heard great things about The Bristol and my expectations were met. First, I love dinner in a dimly lit room with candlelight. The ambiance was chic and romantic. The tables are set very closely to one another, which typically annoys me, but they pull it off in a way so your table still feels very private and cozy. We started with the monkey bread, raviolo and the beef heart tar tar ... All three were beyond delicious. The tar tar might be the best I've had. Our main courses were the cod, chicken and hangar steak. The duck fat frites that came with the steak were out of this world. They were exceptionally savory and we couldn't stop picking at them throughout the entire meal. The cod was OK - nothing exceptional - and the hangar steak was a bit chewy, but had great flavor. When I come back (hopefully soon!), I may stay away from the mains and just order a number of the delicious starters.
(4)
Kate L.
Amazing. I loved every single thing I tried at the Bristol. The service was wonderful, very nice atmosphere, great cocktails. I went with a group of 7 so we got to try lots of different menu items, which I think is ideal. We were all extremely happy with our orders and the waiter was very helpful assisting us with portion size, which is always tricky with small plates. My absolute favorite was the roasted squash. I also really loved the prawns, raviolo & the duck fat fries. It definitely wasn't the healthiest meal I've ever eaten, but one of the best.
(5)
Neena P.
As a recent Bucktown transplant from the Fulton River District, I have really missed being a stone's throw away from some of the best dining destinations in the city. All this changed with one dinner at The Bristol. Maybe I was just starving, or maybe this was one of the best meals I'd ever had. The cauliflower and brussel sprouts were standouts. The pasta was delicious but probably overpriced for the portion. And as a semi-pescatarian, I thought the roasted chicken was actually really great. My only regret was not saving room for dessert. Cannot wait to go back!
(5)
Christine F.
I'm not going to rehash how awesome the Bristol is, because I've already done that. I've recently discovered that I am gluten intolerant and it's just something I have to avoid. The Bristol was AMAZING at accommodating me. Seriously. Our server Michelle was off the charts, I was given my own GLUTEN FREE menu and everything was delicious. Get the chicken. And the apple salad. And a cocktail. You will leave happy.
(5)
derek T.
Cool place, many layered flavors in the food - but not overly complex, great service.
(4)
Rachel W.
I wish I remembered more of this night, but the fabulous bartender got me pretty boozed up on the gin/chartreuse/etc. special cocktail of the night. Luckily, we had ordered most of the food before my 3rd cocktail. Duck fat fries - awesome Agnolotti w/mushrooms, artichokes, ricotta - okay, didn't love Mixed greens w/buttermilk - refreshing Fried cauliflower - my favorite dish Pricey, partly because the cocktails are $11, but the fare seemed a bit over too. Great ambiance, decor, and lighting fixtures. I'd definitely go back and it was a much improved experience from my previous one.
(4)
Downtown B.
We went last night. Expectations were moderate and we loved it. Service was casual and we never felt fushed for a Saturday night, we were there from 630 to 830. Note that every item was split by two people and this was more than enough food. First, the monkey bread is just a fun guilty pleasure. Highly recomeneded. The MB was followed by the the squash salad. It had flavors that I did not expect. Very hard to explain...spicy / peppery...crunchy....yummy. If you order it ask the waiter to desribe it, as it is hard to articulate...but it is very good and worth trying. The cavetelli was packed full of flavor. A small portion but just enough for us to split and enjoy. A little doughy, which we liked and cooked to perfection. The chicken was divine. Crunchy skin, offset by some melt in your mouth spatzel and well marinated crunchy salad. I would get it agin...any day of the week. Desert was the pinacle, which is abnormal for me. Their french press coffee was delightful but the showstopper was the basque cake. The cake came out piping hot. It was the perfect blend of everything - buttery, not too sweet, not too rich, packed with flavor...you, must, order, this cake. Mmm! We'll be back. Bravo!
(5)
Jessica B.
Came here for dinner. Didn't have huge expectations. But was very good! Looking forward to going back soon!
(4)
Luis L.
I very much enjoyed brunch at this restaurant. I did feel that everything that I had was in someway special. I had that chilaquiles and my friend had the eggs Benedict. I did try some of his as well. Between the two I have to see the eggs Benedict or better and flavor profile then Mexican tortilla dish. They were both excellent. We also did order to start the breakfast bread sampler. It came with something much like a beignet, Cinnamon roll, and german kuchen. I have to say that the bread Samper was not super impressive, but was still very good. Nothing was overly sweet or overly spiced. The coffee was also very good, it's prepared French press style. Unfortunately that day I had to go to work so I didn't have any of alcoholic cocktails that the offer for breakfast. I look forward to coming back soon and being even more impressed that I was on this occasion. I'm pretty sure this will be one of my favorite brunch spots in Chicago!
(4)
Frankie F.
Me and my better half went to Bristol on v day with some friends and were super excited to try this place. We started with the apple salad, monkey bread and duck fat fries. Right off the start service was good, the appetizer were amazing, but then came the main meal. My girlfriend ordered the "Raviolo" had an egg in it and looked good but very small portion. I on the other hand ordered the porter house pork chop with braised cabbage and pierogi. It was alright nothing that special I really just think they need to have some better flavors. My friend order the trout and his was under cooked. I'm not sure if this was just an off day but I was a little upset trying a place for the first time and having a bad food experience.
(4)
Luis M.
The Bristol is well worth a visit when in Chicago. It's a little off the beaten path but easy to find. The location has the benefit of keeping it from being too crowded, but it still has a very comfortable buzz. Service was, in my view, exceptional. Very friendly, knowledgable and prompt but not overbearing. After dinner, a friend joined us for a drink taking our party from 2 to 3 at a 2 top. Without a blink we were offered and moved to a four top, no sweat. We had the tasting menu with the paired wines. I have posted a copy of the menu. First, however, I had the Moscow Mule cocktail. It was perfectly prepared, right down to the chilled copper mug. The dinner was delicious, well balanced and prepared. The wagyu tongue was absolutely fantastic, fork tender, and I could have had a gallon of the broth. The only criticism of the meal was with desert. The pastry for the banana tart was too thick & bready, but the filling was great. Our feedback on the food was solicited and accepted graciously. We had the feeling that they really cared to hear our thoughts. I would certainly go back....often.
(5)
Eric V.
Not the perfect meal, but the makings of one are certainly there. The crisp, rich duck fat fries and bone marrow are two great ways to start the meal. The bone marrow is nicely roasted and served with grilled baguette slices, shallot jam, and fresh parsley. I will say the portion size is not as generous as I would've liked. The same dish at Gilt Bar gets you more marrow at the same exact price. Then again I'm a sucker for roasted bone marrow so no portion is really ever big enough. For my entree I went with one of their daily specials, a goat sausage with pommes robuchon. The sausage, seasoned with a unique combo of herbs and orange zest, was more lean and not as succulent as I would've liked, but the richness of the pommes puree helped balance things out. My wifey went with the fresh agnolotti. It's preparation and presentation with just a drizzle of balsamic was simple, yet elegant. No tomato sauce, no heavy cream sauce. Just the freshness of the pasta for you to enjoy. Dessert had its highs and lows, too. It's hard for me to knock any dessert with chocolate, but the chocolate sabayon, finished with a touch of sea salt and served with homemade nutter butters, was too heavy and rich. Between the sabayon and the cookies, you get rich with rich and nothing to cut through it. Maybe I'll ask for a cold glass of milk next time. On the other hand, my wife's orange creamsicle panna cotta was outstanding. The homemade marshmallows, fresh citrus segments, and pine nuts were a nice touch. The space has a great neighborhood feel with its exposed brick and chalkboard wall. Be forewarned, it's not the biggest space and they're constantly busy. I'd highly recommend reservations unless you don't mind communal table seating or bellying up to the bar.
(4)
Irene L.
Went to the Bristol with a group of seven - the waitress told us that everything was served family style - so rather than trying to find items that all seven of us would agree on, we ordered "one of everything," and, we were not disappointed. The starters, pasta, and mains were all delicious!
(4)
Erick N.
The Bristol is a nice option if you are looking for an upscale meal in a casual neighborhood setting. While the seating is rather close together (with some communal tables) the acoustics are surprisingly good and there is a cozy ambiance. The Bristol is an attractive venue with hardwood floors and tables and exposed brick walls. The menu features fresh food from local farms and is divided into four components: Snacks, Starters Medium Plates and Large Plates. There are some exotic dishes to choose from such as roasted bone marrow and crispy pig tail; no part of the animal goes untouched! This is a good venue for a couple of people or a small group to share multiple dishes. There is also a nice selection of cocktails created by their mixologist, several craft beers on tap and a nice wine list. This is a place to come hungry and thirsty! The Bristol now accepts reservations via Open Table which was a big factor in my decision to come here (in the past reservations were not accepted and there tended to be lengthy waits). I dined here with a friend and we kicked the evening off with cocktails and the famed duck fat fries. For my cocktail I opted for Knob Creek Bourbon mixed with Goose Island Root Beer. The duck fat fries come with a little tub of ketchup and a little tub of a garlic aioli dipping sauce; the portion was generous and they were quite good, but Sola's Parmesan truffle fries remain my favorite fries in Chicago. My friend and I split three other dishes including the roasted bone marrow with shallot jam (two thumbs up), a chitarra pasta dish (the best chow of the night; if this is on the menu do not pass it up) and a hanger steak with sweet potatoes and greens (also two thumbs up). The cuisine here reminded me of Purple Pig; while the menu is smaller, the food was a tad better and the ambiance significantly better. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable when we had questions, but appeared somewhat busy and was not quite as personable as I would have liked. We were rather full after our hanger steak and decided to pass on desert as nothing was appealing enough to warrant adding to our well satiated bellies. We did however order the French Press coffee as a finale and the coffee was excellent and accompanied by a very tasty and decadent chocolate cookie. I definitely enjoyed my dinner at Bristol and will return; this may be my go to spot for nose-to-tail cuisine (while Girl & the Goat is a step up, it is considerably more difficult to score a reservation for unless planning months in advance). There is ample street parking (or one can valet for $9). The final tab before tax and tip came to $96 which included three cocktails, one beer, four food items and the coffee. This is a great deal for a venue of this caliber and The Bristol definitely is deserving of their Bib Gourmand status.
(4)
Jack F.
Pretty good food. The monkey bread was my favorite. And that corn? OH MAN THE CORN! The chicken was really good.
(5)
Colleen C.
Oh, swoon. This place is worth the wait. Even worth the 18 months it took me to finally make it. Worth sitting a bit too cozy with other people. Worth not being able to make reservations. Worth a trek to a somewhat desolate stretch of Damen. Worth the chilly winter draft. Worth the somewhat bad acoustics. The Bristol is worth it. Drink me... Cocktails: Moscow Mule (ginger heaven), Sparkling Batida (a bit too sweet, not quite enough sparkle, but still suave), Sazarac...glass of wine. Coffee with sweet little cookies. Oh, I drank a lot. I loved a lot. The Moscow Mule is a must. Rivals that of Sepia... Start me... Monkey Bread: Holy lord, this bread melts in your mouth and is served with a butter dipping sauce. It's ridiculous. It's required. Do it. Who can say no to condensed carbohydrates bubbled in a little dish, with butter sauce!? No one. Mixed Green Salads w/ beautiful whole radish shavings: the judger of salads gives it a thumbs up. I agreed. If he finishes it, chances are..a winner. Main line me... Me: Crispy Half Chicken: excellent, tender. Him: Tried for stew, but unfortunately...the one item they were out of (happens with this type of place), so he opted for pasta with egg and parmesan. We ended up splitting...mine won :) Lucky him! Sweet on you... Quince and apple tart with homemade vanilla cream: HEAVEN. Heavy chocolate mousse with nutter butters: Sublime. Nutter butters plain would've made me so happy, but you give me this pudding/mousse type chocolate deviancy dip...well, now. Step aside tart. *The Bristol is the boyfriend you've always wanted...rugged and hot, popular, thoughtful, local, understated, a bit off the beaten path, authentic, legitimate...a little organic, a little bit swine, a sexy little mash-up, indeed. Yes, a bit masculine, but certainly good food is appreciated by all...as are phenomenal cocktails, wine and beer lists, and a mission to create inventive food from scratch, each and every time. $9 valet. 50 Damen bus. Blue Line Damen is a bit of a trek... street parking possible, but not guaranteed. *this draws a strong parallel to my date, just saying.
(5)
Michelle S.
SQUEEEE. Seriously, we had an amazing time tonight! I was so impressed with the meticulous guest records they kept (they knew my boyfriend knew the chef two years ago, and brought it up to me) and that really set us up for a killer night. Our server, Jolene, should immediately be given a hug and a handshake. What an amazing lady! Her recommendations for everything from food to beverage was spot on (maybe it helped that we ordered one of everything...). This was the second time I've been in, and it'll happen way more often now. Pro tip- you can't buy dranks for the kitchen from the restaurant, so run over to the liquor store and get them a case of beer. THEY ARE WORTH IT! THAT FOOD, MY LORD. Off to food coma now.
(5)
Keith A.
Expectation is a big thing. We all have them in either positive or negative ways. For me, there was a ton of expectation going to the Bristol. I've heard from many that I trust that this is a great place to go for for food and wine. With a winemaker in town that my friend knew, this was the destination to be at and live up to the expectations I had for it. Seeing as how the 5* can be seen, there's no slow roll for me. I'll just get into it, I was first around 4* but the more I reflected on the dinner and everything that stood out, it became too obvious how I really felt about here. Since there was a group of us, we made sure to order a whole bunch of stuff and treat it like small plates. It turned into a hit parade of most the menu. We started off with the fries and the monkey bread. The fries were flat out awesome. There was a garlic aioli with it that was just as good as the fries. A friend and I took care of the monkey bread in short order. I then moved onto a salad (which I don't fully remember what was in it) and bone marrow. The marrow was as tasty as you'd expect. The raviolo was up next. This was pretty big and was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The roasted chicken was the final order that I remember. And it was some of the best chicken I've had in a while. I really don't know how else to convey how good it was. There is no way they could be this great on the food alone. The service was tremendous. Our waitress was always helpful and never rushed us at all, even on a friday night. What is crazy is that my lofty expectations were actually surpassed. I can't wait to go back
(5)
S B.
Smoked carrot salad w sumac spiced yogurt & cumin scented crispy kale. You've NEVER eaten anything like this before. *swoon*
(5)
Summer F.
It was good, we had a nice sunny table, the waiter was friendly, they had etch a sketch to play with. Since the menu rotates, I suppose it can be hit or miss, we went for brunch, and I wanted eggs, like an omelette of some sort, but that really wasnt an option. I had the quiche, which unfortunately was only ok, I would describe the texture as "watery". It wasnt bad, I ate it all, but I expected something better. The pancakes at our table were good, but I am not sure what made them better than an ordinary cheaper restaurant's pancakes.
(3)
Baky S.
Great food, awesome atmosphere, and fantastic service!!! Love the fact that it's right in my neighborhood... Highly recommended!!!
(4)
Kristina J.
Amazing brunch! Started with some delicious cake thingy and all of our main dishes were out of sight. My bloody Mary rocked too.
(5)
Jacob W.
Boring, overpriced, mediocre new American. Wanted to like this place so much cos it's in my hood and I had heard good things, but after two disappointing visits, I don't see any reason to go back. My most recent visit was very recent, and the whole menu was so take-it-or-leave-it. Place seems to be cutting corners hard these days, the charcuterie board was a huge rip off and tasted so not fresh, same with the entrees and pastas. The service blows too.
(2)
Jon D.
I had dinner at the Bristol last night and it was truly a dining experience to remember!!! The service was prompt and attentive; as we tasted every new dish that arrived, our waitress asked how we liked it. The food concept of local farm-to-table is very well executed and the ambience is very convivial with a dash of modern chic. I highly recommend this culinary experience and can't wait to return.
(4)
Tom D.
Food was undercooked and over seasoned, blaring overhead music actually included commercial (pop for the paid version of Pandora already), along with wildly incompetent waiters. Check out the obscure "not recommended reviews" of this place and you will see this experience was not unique. On the plus side busboys were very polite and they served good bread.
(1)
Rhoda G.
To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed with my meal here. I came here for Chicago Chef Week, so I was excited to check this place out. First we got drinks - I got a Moscow Mule while my dining partner got a glass of white wine, which he said was good. My Moscow Mule was fantastic. We were first served with a snack of boiled peanuts, which was okay. Nothing earth shattering. Our next course was the shaved pig's head salad. This was my favorite dish of the evening. I loved the dressing on top. For the main entree, I was torn between pot au feu-beef tongue and brisket or the pan roasted skate. I decided to get the skate, but while I was eating it, I realized that should of gotten the beef tongue. The skate was cooked perfectly but I didn't realize how bony it was and I wasn't a fan of parsnip puree. It did come with bone marrow, but the portion was small. Next came our dessert of mascarpone cheesecake, which I thought was really good. It came in a small mason jar, so I liked the presentation. Despite my meal being just okay, the service was fantastic and attentive. I definitely want to come back here to try their regular menu, but the Chef menu was just three stars.
(3)
Bill G.
I went here once for a date. The food and drinks are decent but nothing more. Really interesting sounding menu, but the dish never lives up to its description. For a place that charges this much I would definitely expect better execution.
(2)
Rachel W.
Went here for our anniversary - the staff had signed a card for us and we got a delish free dessert! Pricey night, but worth it. Fantastic food and drinks. Great wait staff and environment. Risotto, Chorizo - yum! Great evening.
(5)
Caroline B.
We were really looking forward to spending New Years Eve at the Bristol. None of us had ever been and we had heard mostly great things. We ended up having a great time, and I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed by all of the four courses of our New Years Eve pre fixe menu. Some dishes lacked flavor,others were under cooked (risotto) some were just bad. They were also out of the monkey bread side dish, which they are supposedly known for. Menu items that had been announced weeks earlier were also raised in price. We were not impressed by the food and were very disappointed that there was not any sort of acknowledgment that it was New Years Eve. No champagne toast (only Champagne was $100/bottle!), no count down, nothing! Servers were clearly trying to rush us out at the end, and the courses had come out at an extremely uneven pace. We waited 30 min between one course, and the others came out right on top of each other. I will not go back or recommend this place to others.
(1)
Dave J.
I've been here at least half a dozen times and I'm just as pleased every time I leave. The food is imaginative and the menu is constantly changing. The cocktails are thoughtfully crafted, as are the beer and wine menus. This, all in a casual and comfortable setting that manages a contemporary bistro feel while avoiding the gimmicky trappings of so many of their contemporaries. With how easy it is to get a reservation here, I feel like The Bristol is bordering on hidden gem. Do yourself a favor and get to The Bristol.
My wife and I came here for Restaurant Week and we're very happy we did. This is a really great restaurant. My wife ordered the five course prix fixe menu, which was a bargain considering the amount of food they served and the quality. I ordered a couple of things that looked really good off the menu. Pricey? Sure. But the quality of the food certainly merits spending a few extra bucks. The restaurant was really busy, but the service was great. They seemed very pleased that we arrived early for our Saturday night reservation and we got a nice table near the window at the front of the restaurant. Our waiter was friendly and quite enthusiastic about the menu. You'd think with all the positive comments, I'd give the place five stars, unabashedly. No, sorry. Can't quite do it. One of the dishes I ordered were the pierogis. They arrived at the table OVER done...burned on the edges. I don't know if this was intentional, the chef's way of adding "texture" or "flavor" to the dish, but whatever it was, it missed the mark. They weren't inedible, they tasted okay, but because the other courses were spot-on perfect, the 'rogies with the third degree burns were disappointing and I'm taking away a star just for that. Roasted bone marrow, beef osso bucco, monkey bread, pasta...all were fantastic. Great place to go out and celebrate. We'll be back, but I think I'll get my pierogies from a traditional Polish restaurant instead of here. Street parking can be challenging on weekends, and parking on the nearby sidestreets without a permit is NOT recommended. Plan on spending a couple of hours here, especially if you have a big appetite and want to try many courses.
(4)
D Mike K.
The Bristol may be the quintessential 2012 Chicago Restaurant. I have been driving past it for a couple of years, always thinking that it was probably decent, but just some place to eat bone marrow or something. But after a fantastic dinner last week, I will definitely be back. Maybe not soon, because it is a little expensive and I would probably rate it as 4.5 stars if I could. But a "quinessential" restaurant represents what is happening across the entire region. And Chicago dining can be expensive. But The Bristol represents all of the good farm to table food, and great cooking that is happening right now. And they do it in great fashion, with very well prepared dishes. And, they were one of the first in town to start this trend. A lot of the previous reviews mention many of our highlights. The Monkey Bread, Amish Chicken, Pappardelle Pasta with beef and pork bolognese were all outstanding. We also had the apple salad and the red kuri squash. Both were excellent autumn starters. Our Dark and Stormy drinks($11) and single glasses($14) of wine really drove the price up, but were great choices. Enjoy, but save 2 seats at the community table for us!
(5)
Carol K.
Bristol- I had to take you down a smidge for my recent brunch experience. I love that you now take reservations as our table was ready on a recent Sunday and coffee was in my cup almost before I sat down. But the food was really just "so so". I ordered my favorite, Eggs Benedict. While the eggs were perfectly poached- the muffin was soggy and the ham on it was cold. So cold, in fact, that the entire thing was not hot when it was served. It took me a while to figure out what the culprit was but it clearly was cold shaved ham on the under toasted muffin. Too bad as it looked quite good, was tasty (albeit cold) and comes served with a huge mound of spicy breakfast potatoes all for around $11. My friend's entree looked better. He had the braised pork chilaquiles, that came with salsa verde, cilantro, lime, and a fried egg. He didn't leave even a forkful which should tell you just how tasty it was! The coffee was hot and quick to be replenished, the juices were fresh and the service, was friendly and quick, starting with the guy at the front door who warmly welcomed me and showed me to my seat and ended with our server thanking us with a smile. But if you are like me in the mornings- the biggest issue here is the noise level. I have no problem with it at night, but as the place reached capacity, so did the noise level! I was happy to finally step out onto the street so that we could talk without yelling at each other. So go early, as when the place was half full- it was the perfect breakfast experience. But once 11am rolls around? Better bring ear plugs as you will probably need them!
(3)
Leon W.
Should I go? No, especially if you're a vegetarian whose gnocchi main would only clock in around $15 (the average price for a pasta dish here.)
(5)
g z.
I can't believe it took us three years to get to the Bristol when we only live two blocks away. My BIG mistake.... My girlfriend and I went on Thursday night for her birthday. I think it was probably one of the best dining experiences we have had since moving to Chicago three years ago. We tried two appetizers, a pasta, bread, two entrees and desert. Each dish was amazing. The ravioli with the egg inside was incredible, my steak dish was to die for, the chocolate and nutter butter desert was perfect. Great wine list, great atmosphere, etc. etc. Our server was Megan who was informative, had a great personality, lots of fun and was very knowledgable about the menu. All of her recommendations were spot on. I can see myself becoming a regular here-even if it is just to grab a bottle of wine and a couple appetizers at the bar. Five stars all the way around.
(5)
Mike L.
Overall a very disappointing dinner. Tried 7ish dishes between four people, and none of them stood out or were memorable. Only good part were the drinks.
The Bristol has long been in my bookmarks and I finally got a chance to check it out and I must say that I was very pleased. I came here on my birthday and since it was a random Tuesday night, got lucky, did not have to wait for a table at all. Ordered the monkey bread while we perused the menu. Served hot with a side of dill butter--fantastic. Apple salad with manchego and hazelnuts--fresh and delicious. Bone marrow and jam--good but not exceptional. The gnudi (very similar to gnocchi) was good but kind of bland and too dough-y, the only thing that saved it was the tomato sauce (phenomenally fresh and tasty). The beef cheeks was my favorite--well cooked and flavorful. Chocolate cake for dessert was rich and good. Great beer selection--loved that they have my absolute favorite beer (Left Hand milk stout) and some seasonal beers like pumpkin. This place is adorable (rustic, cozy, romantic) and good for a date but not a first date because it gets loud and tables are very close together and there's communal seating. Get here early to get a table, they don't take reservations. Food is a bit overpriced in my opinion. Service was good but we felt rushed. That's the only thing that kind of ruined it for me, our server was a little over-zealous and cleared plates the second I had taken food off of it, kept coming over every three minutes, brought the check and kept pacing back and forth to see when he could come get it. The restaurant was half empty so it wasn't like there was anyone waiting for a table, he needed to take a huge chill pill and let us enjoy our dinner, instead I felt like I was at a fast food checkout and not a sit-down meal. But despite that, I would dine here again.
(4)
Lauren P.
I used to live just a few blocks from The Bristol and ate these duck fat fries way too often...now I make it a point to come and eat my favorites whenever I am in town: apple salad, monkey bread, roasted half chicken and duck fat fries - all of course paired with a moscow mule in a copper cup. Last week I was slightly disappointed by the waiter attempting to oversell our party of three way too much food - and that they seemed to have squeezed the tables extra close together to fit more tables that it is now nearly impossible to get inside to the bench. Bristol - don't try to squeeze more margin from your customers and lose your charm...
(4)
Jaclyn B.
I can't believe this place has such great reviews! We chose it for our dinner party of 7 because of the great reviews, and were very disappointed. 1)We had a reservation for 9:30, and weren't seated until 10. Ok, they're busy. I get it. But not the best way to start out when you're absolutely starving. 2)They were out of the appetizer that we were all looking forward to. 3) We asked if we could split the bill 3 ways (not all separate check because that can be annoying to servers). Our server essentially had a fit. She didn't actually answer our question, she just got very upset, rolled her eyes and huffed away. I was so offended! It was very awkward and rude, and I wanted to get up and leave that instant. 4) We ordered the arctic char, the sirloin tips, and the 1/2 chicken. All of which were very bland! My friend didn't even finish her $24 entree because it was so tasteless. 5) 2 stars because the duck fat fries were tasty. They still tasted good the next day. Maybe the good reviews are because the brunch is good. I'm not sure. I certainly will never be going back to this place though.
(2)
Bethany L.
Boyfriend and I took on the exciting challenge of hitting three Restaurant Week restaurants in three nights. Bristol was the first. The service was absolutely impeccable; our waitress was patient as we pored over the drink menu and checked in with us (unobtrusively) on every course. But the food. Mmm, the food. The first course was a pumpkin bread panzanella with mozzarella, speck, and pear. It wasn't my favorite course, but the pumpkin bread panzanella was pretty inventive. Second course was homemade celery root agnolotti - amazing. The pasta was soft and perfect, and the celery root gave it a very nice fresh taste at the end. Third course was the pork loin. The crust on it was suuuuper salty, but still very good. The lazy pierogies (basically deconstructed pierogies) were quite good. And dessert - chocolate beer cake made with breakfast stout. Just fantastic! The cocktail list was also great and really unique. Definitely recommended.
(4)
Rob J.
Farm to table. Blah blah. Food was just ok. Though we did have a table by the window which was open in the summer- nice to watch the passerby.
(3)
Monica R.
I've been to the Bristol probably around 5 or 6 times now. Every time I've been there (minus one incredibly busy night) has been a treat. The menu is constantly changing, but I can distinctly remember a few items that any food lover must try: Bone Marrow Duck Fat Fries (seriously, though, get these) Beef Tartare Monkey Bread (small appetizer, but worth it) I highly recommend to any first timers that they go on a weeknight, probably Monday or Tuesday. This place is magnificent, but the weekends tend to get a little too crowded and rushed.
(4)
Emily B.
My husband and I aren't going on vacation this year; so, we took a day to go into the city and explore new places. After a lot of angst about the decision, we started with brunch at The Bristol. When we walked in, we were off to a rocky start. Their AC was on the fritz (luckily there was a fan blowing directly at us) and various toddlers were screaming. (Why bring your small child to a nice brunch?) However, they recovered nicely and after making a trip to their bathroom (it has the best AC in the restaurant) my body temperature cooled down. To start, we ordered the Bloody Mary Breakfast. The bloody marys were delicious. Just the right balance of spice, tomato and salt. It came with a cheese, meat and pickled veggie board. That was just ok. I'll be honest, the head cheese wasn't appealing. After that we moved on to the braised pork chilaquiles. It was a lot of spice but not much flavor. After we finished our meal we heard the waitress tell another table not to order them. Wish we had gotten that tip. For dessert we split the cinnamon roll. It was delicious and tasted a lot like carmel corn. Overall I am glad we went. I just wish we had ordered better for the main meal. Maybe we will make Sunday brunch in the city a regular thing so we can try more places.
(4)
Mona E.
A cozy setting with rustic wooden tables and bare light bulbs casting a warm glow on the restaurant. They had the windows open to take advantage of one of the last few warm nights. This would be a great date place. Going for an early or late dinner is a good idea since Bristol does not take reservations and has limited seating that is intimately close to the table next to you! On to the food... Monkey Bread - excellent while you are deciding on your entrees. Right out of the oven and paired with a fresh dill butter sauce. Apple Salad - nice crunch from the apples and hazelnuts and the manchego cheese was a good pairing. Bone Marrow - the shallot jam was good but the bone marrow is not the best I've had. I wouldn't recommend this dish. Gnudi - the tomatoes in this dish were so fresh it was almost worth it just for that but the rest of the dish was bland. Pass. Beef Cheeks - very tasty but the presentation of this dish could use some work....you'll see what I mean if you order it. Highly recommend it! Chocolate layer cake - good but not spectacular. Definitely worth a trip here!
(4)
Janet L.
Very dark at the restaurant for dinner but nice atmosphere overall. We went with a group of 8 for restaurant week and our server Jolene was so helpful and accommodating. I had the gnocchi with wild mushrooms and also tried the trout which was excellent. Great cocktails as well, would definitely come back.
(4)
Natalie L.
We had a fantastic holiday brunch here with friends. Some of the highlights were ... the bloodies (hubby was a big fan); the doughnuts (apple butter, need I say more?); and the chilaquiles (tons of flavor). Service was spot on. Really the loved the space. We have brunch winner!!
(5)
Lauren A.
My sister and I stopped by the The Bristol last night to check it out after seeing it listed on the 11 top wine lists in the city - I was pleasantly surprised to find EVERYTHING to be amazing. From the atmosphere, decor, noise level, drink selection, staff and food - there wasn't one thing that wasn't stand out. We had a FANTASTIC time, sitting at the bar and chatting it up with Dave (the awesome bartender) and trying some amazing duck fat fries and roasted chicken. It's a perfect neighborhood gem that these two South Side girls will definitely drive northwest again to patronize.
Hard to score - food and service were at the 5 star level but very noisy. It was hard to hear and carry on conversations. The food is worth a visit. Just don't choose this place for meaningful discourse with your dining partners. (Isn't this part of a fine dining experience?) But the food : a flatbread with anchovies and kale was exquisite - tasting much better than the description might suggest. A whitefish brandade was excellent - I' don't think I could find a brandade in the DC area. Entrees included some fine agnoletti, seared whitefish, and a faux cassoulet with slab bacon and sausage. It's such an interesting menu. Drinking is attractive - nice cocktail menu (really good sazeracs!) and a strong selection of beers and wines by the glass. I wish we had this restaurant in DC - but it's not a choice for table conversation.
(4)
Rachel G.
I've been here three times and can honestly say each time has been delicious. The service is impeccable, the ambience is lovely, and the food, the FOOD!!!!! This time around there were 4 of us so we got to taste many more plates than my previous experiences. We started with the beef tartare, lemonfish crudo, the fried pig's head, and the roasted corn. Each were equally delicious in their own way, but I highly recommend the roasted corn. We each were able to have 2 to 3 pieces and it was definitely everyone's favorite starter. I don't know what sauce it was in but I could've bathed in it. Seriously. Next we had the ricotta gnocchi and the cavatelli. Both very good and were gone in a matter of minutes. Finally, we each had our own entree, 2 chose the trout and I had the half chicken, and my fiance' had the potee polonaise. The half chicken melted in my mouth, it was tender and juicy and cooked to perfection. I tried the trout which was perfectly flaky and delish. The polonaise was good, but not my cup of tea, due to the fact that one of the elements is tongue. We also had the duck fat fries to split, they were literally gone in under 5 minutes, that is how good they are! Finally for dessert we enjoyed the salted caramel and banana tart. Amazing. Just good food. Bottom line is if you want a casual, cozy restaurant with great service and amazing food, come here. It's not pretentious at all, just great food made by people who want your experience to be fabulous.
(5)
Andrew A.
Went here recently on a Friday night. The food was very good, we shared the pork loin appetizer, raviolo, monkey bread, and chicken and spaetzle entree. The chicken is fantastic. The cocktails were expensive but pretty good. The only negative was the service. Our waiter was doing his best but they were very understaffed and it took a long time for the food to come and for him to periodically check in on us. Food was brought by other staff so if there was an issue it was hard to get his attention. I will go back, but probably on a weeknight when it is not so packed.
(4)
Rachel S.
Yes, another update. Here's the deal. A few weeks ago, my SO and I walked over to Bristol for dinner like we've done thousands of times before, heretofore unencumbered. We were met in the teensy vestibule by a podium and a computer. Lo! What witchcraft is this! Also a host. He inquired of us the status of our reservation. We were all, Say What? And he was all, "yeah, we do that now." So yeah. Bristol takes reservations now. Bully. I guess that's good for some, maybe, but for neighborhood folks like us who like to saunter down and wait at the bar (or the bar around the corner) to have dinner, that's a no go these days. Wait times suck, but if it means that you'll get to eat, then I'll take it. Now, no reservation, no food. It seems so very fascist. Perhaps I exaggerate, but Bristol was our favorite neighborhood gem. We went this past Saturday, but that's only because we were hungry at 5 and OpenTable magically had a rez open for 5:30pm. All this being said, the food is as always crazy delicious. I just feel like I've been rejected by the management. That's all.
(3)
Rema M.
Fantastic, charming and delicious! First, the place is a manageable size. Way smaller than the giant Chicago establishments in River North. This definitely adds to the charm of the place. Second, the food was impeccable. The stars on the menu denote customer favorites and the specials were fantastic. Third, the sommelier did a fantastic job suggesting a great wine to accompany our meal. Overall, great experience and I would definitely go back!
(5)
Gabriela R.
Bristol Brunch... Pretty decent contemporary American food. Coffee served is awesome. Duck fat fries were excellent. I also had the Egg sandwich which I liked. Tho, chilaquiles came out too salty for me. Other than that space is quite tiny and service is Excellent :) BTW .. main entrance is on the SECOND door on the right! hehe
(4)
Armand K.
Oh Bristol, if only your food was as good as your cocktails. Beautiful dining room, attentive servers, and a really chill atmosphere. Add great cocktails, and you have a solid foundation for a top-notch restaurant. Then the food comes out, and you're perplexed as to why the place is packed. Before I continue on to the food, be sure to request the downstairs dining room when making a reservation, since the second floor is not nearly as well put together and looks more like a half-planned wedding reception space than a restaurant. While waiting for our table we started with a round of cocktails: Vieux Carre -Bourbon and Cognac cocktail, nice alternative to an old fashioned Dark & Stormy (x2) -Classic preparation finished with a molasses drip Moscow Mule -Classic preparation Upon being seated, we ordered their famous Monkey Bread to nibble on. Can't say it was anything special. As much as I dislike chain restaurants, I would have much preferred an order of bread and cinnamon butter from Texas Roadhouse. Appetizers: Carrot Salad -Salty and lacking in overall substance Lemonfish Crudo -Cantaloupe wrapped with lemonfish, made us really miss the traditional preparation Roasted Corn -Surprised to see this is off the menu already, perhaps the most well received dish of the evening Wagyu Tartare -Good, but not great Entres: Chitarra Pasta -The sweetness of the sauce brought back nostalgia of Chef Boyardee in the worst of ways Ricotta Gnocchi -Rich cream sauce paired with fresh gnocchi, definitely a winner Roasted Chicken -Presented as the best chicken in Chicago, it was delicious but mainly because it was being compared with other dishes from this kitchen Fried Pig's Tail -Glad to see this is off the menu, it was too aggressively fatty to be liked by many. The skin was delicious, texture resembling a chicharones, but it was difficult to stomach anything beyond that Dessert: Basque Cake -This is the reason I'm giving a two star rating instead of one, ask for this by name, even if it's not on the menu Two stars for great cocktails (thank you Dave Willhite) a few good dishes, and a very satisfying dessert.
(2)
Rebecca D.
This place hit the mark in every way!! Amazing food, great service and fun atmosphere. It's one if the best meals I've ever had and will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Jeffrey M.
So I finally return to the Bristol. The place where for me it all began. In January of 2011 I read an article in GQ written by a man named Anthony Bourdain. At the time I had never heard of him. The name of the article was top ten new restaurants in the country, and at number three was The Bristol. That meal at the Bristol changed my life. I had the scotched olives, the suckling pig, and for dessert bread pudding in a mason jar. I followed dinner up with my first sazarac. For a while there I became a regular. Then by chance I figured out just who that Anthony Bourdain character was, discovered the Michelin guide to Chicago, and set off on one hell of a culinary adventure. A year and a half later, having eaten and drank to excess in just about every famous restaurant in the city, I returned to the Bristol to find it much the way I left it...amazing. Recently I stopped in and had the smoked chicken hearts to start. If that sounds scary to you, trust me it's time to expand your horizons. I followed that up with the smoked brisket, and finished with a dessert called...damn I can't remember...must be all those delicious daquiris. The meal was so good and my nostalgia running so high I returned two days later. More daquiris, but this time I started with the mackerel, followed it with the arctic char, and finished with a beer float made from three floyd's mushy p and some awesome gelato...maybe black dog...again those damned daquiris.
(4)
Jessica S.
My boyfriend and I took my mother here last Friday for her birthday, and all left saying we had just had one of the best meals of our lives. From the dark, sexy yet energetic ambiance to the mouth watering small plate selections, the Bristol has it going on. The menu is always changing but you must try one of their staples, the half chicken, I have never had chicken so moist and succulent yet crispy. It was to die for. Try one of their signature drinks as well to wash down a fantastic meal. I am in love and cant wait to come back!
(5)
Robert G.
We bought the Bloody Mary plate. We both agreed that the Bloody Mary's were the worst that we have been served. They come with pony sized Miller High Life's so that's better. The menagerie of meats, cheeses and pickled items that came with the Blood Mary plate were delightful. I ordered the Quiche and she ordered the Chilequiles. The Chilequiles was really really good and the Quiche had great cheese mixed within.
(3)
cathy c.
I just don't think it gets much better than this in Chicago. Warm, inviting atmosphere. Super efficient, friendly and knowledgeable service. And the food, wow. Always fresh, innovative and delicious (we are fans of the monkey bread, the roast chicken, the basque cake and the seasonal items...tonight - bay scallops that were to-die-for and delicious jerk monkfish with fried green tomatoes). There are so many great restaurants in Chicago but I just keep coming back to the Bristol. It never disappoints.
(5)
Bill E.
Went here with some chef friends a few months ago and I am still thinking about the bone marrow with shallot jam. We also had the duck fat fries with the garlic aioli which was rich, but perfect for the fries. For our second course we split the raviolo and the scallop dish and the steak. Everything from this course was great. The raviolo was the winner for all of us though. For dessert we split the house made nutter butters, apple basque cake and the panna cotta. My buddy had eaten here before a few times and said the basque cake was his favorite dessert anywhere, it was rich and amazing. The panna cotta was a typical panna cotta we ordered it because my buddy had never had it before. Service was good, we brought a bottle of wine and so there was a corkage fee, but that was fine by us.
(4)
Amanda W.
Adorable atmosphere. Amazing beer, wine and cocktail list. A friend and I originally came in planning to get wine or beer but decided on cocktails since they sounded so good. Got the moscow mule and a dark and stormy (I'm a sucker for ginger). Wow. Great idea! The food was also delicious. Duck fat fries?! YES! Great date place. Not too fancy but not too laid back. Can't wait to go back... just need to find a date.
(5)
Casey F.
Went here last weekend with the hubby. We'd brunched here before but never gone for dinner. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation - my husband called on Monday for a Saturday reservation and all that was available was 6pm. The people that walked in ahead of us didn't have a reservation and were told the wait was several hours. Best to plan ahead. Our experience was awesome. Had a few glasses of red wine, and there was a good selection by the glass. We got 2 appetizers - a pumpkin panzanella with homemade pumpkin bread, and my favorite, blue cheese over brioche toast with a port reduction. AMAZING. We also got one medium plate and one large plate. The medium plate was these braised goat dumplings that were fabulous. Large plate was a bone-in pork chop with a side of roman gnocchi, which is more like polenta. Soo good. Dessert was the Basque Cake, which our server said was a cake that had a layer of cream baked in the middle which creates the sugary crust to it. I'd never come here again without ordering it. Our service was great and pretty quick. Only reason for not giving 5 stars is I try and reserve them for life changing dining experiences that I dream of going back to. This was not quite that but overall it was amazing.
(4)
Alex D.
Two very different restaurants here depending if you go for brunch or dinner. For brunch, they serve some great staples, with a bit of flair. Really enjoy the eggs Benedict, the cinnamon roll, bagel with smoked salmon and a couple dishes using pork belly, which are great if you can spare the fat calories. For dinner, this is the best place to go if you are adventurous, or just want to dare a bunch of people in your group to eat something they have never tried before. Bone marrow, chicken hearts, ravioli with veal kidneys, pig tail, tripe are some of the options... Definitely not the place if you have a very picky eater in your group, but I really enjoy the creativity with ingredient use. Best way to experience the Bristol is sharing plates. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. For both brunch and dinner you can walk in with usually a fairly short wait. If the wait is long they have a room upstairs where you can chill and have some drinks and appetizers.
(4)
Phill C.
I saw bone marrow on the menu and I was already hooked. Buttery roasted bone marrow and sweet shallot jam, spread on some small pieces of toasted bread... oh man is that delicious! The last piece I took was piled high with the remaining marrow and some jam, which was a flavor explosion in my mouth. The duck fat fries were also really good. From reading the other reviews, I'll be sure to order the monkey bread next time. The roasted half chicken was de-li-cious. The chicken was super tender, had a nice salty crust, and went well with the spatzle. I also tried the duck paparedelle, which had wide pasta noodles served with some duck ragu. The noodles were really good, as well as the tender pieces of duck and the tasty duck heart. I only wished there was more, as all their pasta dishes are on the small side. Our server was very friendly and warned me about the portions, but I ordered away. They also have a small selection of craft beers on tap, along with cocktails and wine. If you're looking for some great beer, I recommend the Lagunitas pilsner. Good food and drank... what more could you want?
(5)
Ariel B.
The biggest downside of this is the place is the noise. We had reservations but decided to sit at the bar. The service was great and our bartender/server was a lot of fun. He gave us great recommendations for both food and drink. For dessert he made us some espresso martinis. So yummy. We really enjoyed ourselves and I would totally go back. I would stick to a weeknight when it's not so busy and loud.
(4)
Kristen H.
A great brunch spot with a twist of flare in the menu selection. Our group thoroughly enjoyed the cocktails - Poire & elderflower and the moscow mule. For nosh, my sister enjoyed the benedict which was amazing as it had shaved smoked ham which was so much better than the huge slab you usually get. My roommate enjoyed the chilaquiles which had a pang of spice, but great flavors. I myself devoured a fried egg sandwich - not your typical as it was an open-faced sandwich with pork belly - damn good! The potatoes are awesome too - crunchy pieces that are spiced and not your typical boring breakfast potatoes. The only small disappointment, I had a reservation for 11:30 and we didn't get seated till well after noon. I understand it's busy, but a better system needs to get rocking. They did make up for it by bringing the table the donuts and a cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll was one of the best I've ever had. Can't wait to try this spot for dinner!
(4)
Kate W.
A simple yet elegant space, a paragon of service. The food: unique, fresh, and plated in a rustic, quaint way. A friend and I went on a Thursday and, while it was hopping (particularly as we were leaving at 10pm), we never felt crowded or rushed. It was a bit loud, but actually that worked to our benefit as we felt it kept our conversation private. Regarding all the communal table comments, management has pulled those out. I was particularly pleased that the restaurant called after I made a reservation via open table. They checked in with regards to food allergies and preferences and then provided customized menus for our meal. From the host to the bus boy, we were treated as honored guests. All-in-all, a pleasurable way to part with your money.
(5)
Tom R.
I read about The Bristol in Chicago Eater's 38 Essential Restaurants article ( bit.ly/Zmsalu ) and decided that I should give it a shot. We went at 8pm on a Wednesday and were surprised to see that the restaurant was, for the most part, empty. We were quickly seated next to the window and immediately ordered two insanely delicious bourbon cocktails upon the suggestion of our server. We started with the fried bones (duck necks and pork spare ribs) and a cold pork salad. Neither of which blew us away by any means and the amount of cartilage and grizzle on the duck neck was relatively off-putting. The spare ribs had a great crispness from the fryer and fell off the bone upon picking them up. From there, we moved onto the raviolo filled with egg yolk and covered with brown butter. This was, without a doubt, the highlight of the night. I wanted to live inside that raviolo. Our next and final course was the hanger steak with The Bristol's "famous" duck fat fries. The fries themselves were relatively tasteless and came with a garlic aioli that had hardened on the top. The steak was cooked very well but was cold by the time it made it to our table and there wasn't nearly enough of the maitre d' butter. If you're looking for value this isn't the place. $130 for an average dinner is steep by my standards and I'd rather spend my money at Hopleaf, Frontier, Girl and the Goat or anyone else serving similar cuisine.
(3)
Tony B.
It's so rare when a place has the best of any dish I've ever tasted. It would be pretty crazy if a place had 2 of the best things I've ever had, but the Bristol actually has 3 of the best dishes I've ever had, making it off the charts in the number of stars I'd give it. Roast Chicken- sounds pretty ordinary, roast chicken, but when cooked to perfection, it's an amazing thing-the best I've ever had. The skin is always very crispy, the bird juicy and tender with the perfect compliments. A dill spaetzle that's buttery and delicious and a crunchy salad consisting of apple, radish, celery, and parsley leaves that makes for a great pallette cleanser. Apple Basque Cake- I'm not a dessert person. But, everytime I go to the Bristol, I always save room for dessert. During the fall and winter, they serve this cake that's crunchy on the outside, and doughy/ buttery on the inside...it's the most amazing texture. It's served with apple confit, cider sabayon, and candied walnuts. It's alwaus baked to order and is ridiculously good. The best dessert I've ever had. Raviolo- this is becoming the best pasta I've ever had. It's a single, oversized ravioli stuffed with cheese, spinach, and and egg yolk. It's finished in a lemon brown butter, but when it's cut. the egg yolk comes oozing out and adds so much richness. It's gone in 3-4 amazing bites. These 3 dishes put me in a food coma every time I go to the Bristol. But it's so worth it. They also have some amazing snacks: duck fat fries in garlic aioli or pull-apart money bread with dill butter. These are always amazing as well. The food is amazing, but the service not only matches the food, but exceeds it. Servers, hosts, all support staff is extremely accomodating and welcoming. They are also extremely perceptive of their customers- they know when a guest has waited too long for something and proactively solve the problem. Like many busy restaurants, I've waited a long time to be seated one night or a long time for food the other, but they do a great job recognizing when a customer has waited too long and fix the problem without the customer having to ask. THat is the difference between good service and outstanding service, which is why the Bristol will always be a place that I will go back to. Glad I live within walking distance!
(5)
Abby O.
This place is amazing!! Have been here probably more than 5 times and each time it's just spectacular. One night tops them all however when we tried to walk in and they quoted us at 30 minutes then offered us any drink on the house while we waited. When the time was longer than anticipated, not only did we get a second round on the house, but when we were seated we ended up getting a free pasta dish AND a dessert because they felt badly that there was a couple impinging on our space. Not once did we ask for anything, but they were more than gracious. I would recommend this restaurant highly to anyone coming to the city for a nice, relaxed atmosphere with exceptional service and food. Favs: monkey bread, pork chop (when available)
(5)
Sonia L.
The Bristol has one of the best ambience's in Chicago. I love the modern rustic feel, with the wooden tables, the incandescent lights, with the glass doors, and stainless steel fixtures. Very cozy and comfortable. The food however, is just okay. It's going for a local farm type of menu, but most of the items we got were over-sweetened. We started with the cheese board and the deep fried giardiniera. Both were average to good. The main dishes we ordered were the papardelle and the trout. Trout was delicious, and would have been more delicious if they did not over do it with the sweet corn salsa on top of it. The beer selection is good. The Bristol is worth a try but I was a bit disappointed after my meal.
(3)
Erika K.
Modern American cooking with a nose-to-tail approach is the focus at Bucktown's The Bristol. Each dish is crafted with locally-sourced ingredients and everything is made in-house. While some dishes at The Bristol are more impressive than others, it's clearly a high-quality dining experience. Read the whole review at thebuckwheater.com/the-b…
(4)
Devon S.
Great atmosphere and service. Unique take on some staple dishes. Good place for dates and small group dinners.
(5)
Carrie S.
During a week of birthday and St. Patrick's Day fun, a bunch of us came here for a celebratory dinner. I'm so glad that I did because it was one of the best meals I've had. Once we got there, they asked about our cocktail desires. Thank you for thinking of my cocktail needs when I walk through the door. I had a poire & elderflower. Oh, it's the perfect cocktail for me: smooth, sweet, and with a punch of flavor. My husband had a smoked sicilian manhattan. Wow, that drink really packs a punch of flavor. Not my cocktail of choice, but definitely appealed to my guy. At our table, we ordered a bunch of small plates before our entrees. We had monkey bread, duck fat fries, a cheese board, scotch olives, and some hummus. One side of our table demolished the fries. Fries cooked in duck fat won me over especially with the garlic aoili. Who cares about the rest of the dinner, it was all I wanted to eat. The other small plates were good. I liked the monkey bread. They're perfect little puffs of bread lightly salted. For dinner, I had the roasted chicken while my husband had steak. Our friends had the ravioli which was prepared with goat cheese that day and fish prepared Italian style with a red sauce. Our friend loved the red sauce approach to fish which typically pairs with white sauces. My chicken was delicious, perfectly roasted. Just so comforting on a cold March day. My husband's steak was delicious too. All in all, our entrees were delicious. We followed up dinner with some dessert. We enjoyed a chocolate mousse with nutter butters. The chocolate was rich and silky. We also ordered a few other desserts. For me, my Bristol experience was amazing. The food is simple, inventive, and delicious. The Bristol ranks as one of my most favorite dining experiences where the food is so simple, uncomplicated, and delicious.
(5)
Linda SingaSong S.
lonnnnggg overdue, but I went to the Bristol for my birthday last year w/my gf & my other pal who is a chef/professor. Intimate style of dining. Fresh ingredients and produce meticulously and lovingly chosen from local fresh farms. Menu changes on a daily basis due to the ingredients they buy for the day or week. My friends recognized our lovely female server. Her warm, sunny presence made us feel right at home. She never rushed us through the courses, and made sure every dish met our needs. We noshed on veggie flatbread and duck fat fries. My pals told me to pass on the monkey bread. They were unimpressed from their last visit. What I LOVEd: *roasted half chicken - dill spaetzle, crunchy salad - meat was so tender. Light salad complements the poultry very well *crispy pig's tail (look in pic attached) -thing was the size of my head..and then some - extra extra crispy on the ouside, and all you needed was a fork to dish out the braised meat. -fatty, succulent. Need I say more? :) I missed out on their hand crafted cocktails so I'll be back soon!
(4)
Tera D.
Ok, so 3 stars sounds low, but I don't mean to say it's a bad place or anything. It just didn't wow me the way similarly priced and themed restaurants have. We went at 6:30 on the Friday of Labor Day weekend and were seated immediately, but had we waited the typical 1-2 hours, I don't know if it's worth it. We ordered 3 appetizers, 1 pasta, and 1 entree, and split everything, which I highly recommend. What I don't recommend is the "monkey bread", which is just you paying $6 for plain old bread that mist restaurants give you for free. The other thing we really didn't like was a mini ravioli dish with pistachios and honey. It left a really gross, bitter taste in your mouth and we could only handle a few bites each. On the strong side, their signature chicken dish was, in fact, really good, although the dark meat was far superior to the white. We ordered it with the seasonal corn preparation, which was amazing, so get that while it lasts. Also, the drink list was fun, and I loved my Moscow Mule. If I go back, I'd consider just doing a drink and one dish at the bar.
(3)
Sahar M.
I went to this place only for brunch couple of times and really liked it. Try biscuits and gravy , Pancakes with glazed peach and coconut, and potatoes ( they are fried in duck fat) delicious.
(4)
Teri T.
been here dozens of times .. SOLID ..delicious food , great vibe and wonderful drinks.. love it .. if they have the fried bones go for it . the place transports me from my life to a mini vacation
(5)
Gary D.
We've eaten here many times, and sorry I haven't taken the time to write a review. One of our favorite places in Chicago. Best chicken in town as far as I'm concerned. We've had great food and service, and they consistently perform at a high level. The one time we had an issue with their food, their response at fixing the issue was superb. Highly recommend this as a go to restaurant.
(5)
Kristin M.
I was really excited about dinner, but was overall pretty disappointed. Cocktails at the bar were very good. We sampled the Sazerac (very strong and smoky) and Violette Collins (light and refreshing). Service was good. When I requested something less sweet with gin, the bartender made a concoction that was really unique. I wish I could remember what it was... Here's what we ate: Yum -melon salad (surprisingly, this was the best dish of the night) -roasted half chicken (everyone keeps recommending it, and for good reason. It was juicy and delicious. The skin, which I normally don't like, was REALLY good) Good, not great -duck fat fries (everyone at the table liked them, but they seemed like just regular fresh cut fries, I didn't notice any duck richness) -mussels (served as part of the seafood sausage, which my friend seemed to enjoy) -pea agnolotti (basically ravioli filled with pea puree, with prosciutto on top. The ravioli was pretty bland, the prosciutto was overpoweringly salty) -desserts - creme brulee and chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters (both were pretty standard desserts, not Top Chef Desserts worthy) Meh -monkey bread (it was just a hunk of fresh bread, nothing special. The dill butter was good, but nothing special) Bad -friend chicken skin (not a hit with our table, they're served room temperature and just tasted like day old leftovers) I didn't try the ravioli (which is one giant ravioli) or gnocchi, but our friends seemed happy with them, but were not raving. I just don't get the hype with this place. It's been compared to The Publican, but doesn't come close to measuring up.
(2)
Jack F.
The Bristol, located on the northern bookend of Bucktown, is a satisfying experience where Chef Chris Pandel puts out perfectly executed small plates, pastas, and meat centered entrees. You will no doubt leave The Bristol satisfyingly full, guaranteed. If you tell this to the restaurant, (as I did) they will smile and tell you that they're glad they've done their job. And they have. They've done more. They will have provided you with great service, outstanding food, and most importantly, a wonderful experience.To start, get the monkey bread - luscious, buttery knobs of bread topped with sea salt and served with a dill butter. This dish, listed under the restaurant's "snacks" portion of the menu, has unsurprisingly been a mainstay ever since day one. Aside from this, there are only a few more dishes that are permanently on the menu. The roasted half chicken has a perfectly crisped exterior, while the inside remains moist and flavorful. The seasonal portion of Pandel's menu is constantly changing. I went there twice in one month and the menu was largely different the second time than it was the first time. Past stunners have included impeccably fresh radishes, served with European butter, grey sea salt, and sourdough bread. There has also been beef short rib tortellini, with a tomato fondue sauce. A stellar drinks program makes up for the occasional miss on some of the small plates. The bartender, Dave, is a pure genius. I have previously enjoyed a vanilla bean mojito*, an orange soda with baking spices and cardamom, and a vanilla mint huckleberry soda. If you still have room for dessert, try the Basque cake. It is made fresh to order and is out of this world. What could be better than a warm vanilla cake, with a crispy exterior, served with apple confit, candied cinnamon walnuts, and a cider sabayon? Finally, wash this all down with an espresso made with beans from Chicago based La Colombe. Overall, The Bristol, albeit a tad pricey, is a wonderful experience not to be missed. I give The Bristol 4 Stars out of 4 for astounding food, drinks, and absolutely stellar service. *Due to the fact that I am 14, the mojito was virgin, just in case anyone was worried...
(5)
maurice s.
This review is for brunch only. There was a good crowd but no line at a prime weekend time in great weather, so this is definitely a good place to consider if you can't get into your first choice. The space is nice in a minimalist kind of way, but they really jam you in there. Not technically communal tables, but very nearly so. Also, it's all hard surfaces, so it's loud as hell. The makeup of the crowd is exactly what you'd expect given the location. Lox/bagel and egg/pork belly sandwich were both solid. The bagel plating was the trendy cutting board thing, which is annoying because there's no lip on the board to catch the crumbs so a bunch of them inevitably fall onto your lap, no matter how carefully you eat. Also, the board is almost as wide as a 2-top table, so they end up placing it on top of your utensils. Prices were fairly reasonable for what you get. My only serious gripe is that both of our drinks were awful. For example, I ordered a bloody mary, but it was undrinkable as it was all pulp and seeds, like they made the juice fresh in a blender but didn't strain it at all. At first, I thought it was just a few seeds, but I eventually gave up after spitting out 3 of them. After it sat on the table for awhile, you could see dozens of seeds pooling in the bottom of the glass. When I asked the waitress about it, she says, "Oh, it's supposed to be that way." It's supposed to be undrinkable? Despite a couple of other offputting comments along these lines, the service generally was very good.
(3)
Belle P.
This is our go-to spot - be it for date nights, out-of-town guests or special occasions. The food is always delicious, fresh and well-prepared. I love that there's at least one dish centered around a unique ingredient. The cocktail menu is a perfect complement, with a mix of seasonal drinks and year-round favorites. Everyone is incredibly pleasant, helpful and knowledgable. Honestly, after eating there at least a dozen times, you might think that we would have had one bad night - but we haven't!
(5)
Gary C.
Chris Pandel, master assassin. The man kills everything he touches. It took me a long time to get to The Bristol, and to be honest, I have no idea why. My fiancee and I dined at The Bristol after a meeting one evening, and we actually made a reservation on OpenTable in anticipation of it being busy...but we forgot it was the middle of the week. I do, however, suggest making saving a table on weekends when this place bumps harder than a low-rider. Pandel draws inspiration from the Mediterranean region, but it's not like you're getting hummus, shawarma, or kifta. The man delivers fresh, local ingredients from his ever-changing menu. On this particular evening, we ordered monkey bread (wtheck is monkey bread??!), duck fat fries (gives Doug's a run for his money), roasted bone marrow (plentiful, fatty, and oh so delicious...if it tickles your fancy), roasted half chicken (daaaaaamn good...even as left overs), and a special ravioli, and let me just say that the man knows his pasta. But please please please, take this word of advice and save room for dessert!! Amanda Rockman is seriously a freakin' rock star. Two words: basque cake......with poached apple, cider sabayon, and cinnamon walnuts. Okay, many more than two. But for cereals, dessert. Do it. The Bristol team is awesome, and their service team rocks. My hat goes off to CP and the Rockstar, and I hope to see them again.
(5)
Krsna V.
On a beautiful Saturday evening I call my manslave/ backup husband, LOLycakes... Me: I see you survived last night's debauchery at the gay bar LOL: oh, it was a gay bar? No wonder there weren't any women around and my vodka cran tasted like vodka and seamen. Me: You are disgusting. Anyway, I am tired of your gay ass. Tell me, oh harbinger of latest restaurant knowledge, where can four impeccably dressed people have dinner tonight? Some place that has great food, excellent cocktails, and a beautiful crowd. LOL: you mean besides my pants? Me: shut your trap and answer my question. No, I am not going to any place were the clientele are dressed in jeans and t-shirts, no matter how good the food is. This is a celebratory dinner with out of town guests, we need an "adult" space. LOL: You can go to Bristol, it is my favorite restaurant in the city. Me: Alright, I will imprison you for a week if the Bristol doesn't deliver. We were greeted with an hour wait. No biggie, because there is an upstairs bar area where we can sit and have cocktails/ small plates. We arrived around 8:30pm, it is kinda early for Saturday night dinner anyway. We went upstairs to sample the cocktails that my manslave was raving about. The cocktails lived up to the hype. The velvet fizz, front porch punch, Moscow mule, Cuc-cai, and the Old Fashioned were all stellar. We forgave the bad service at the bar because of the quality of cocktails. The scotch olives were good, but the chicken liver mousse was pretty lackluster. The duck fat fries saved the day. Poor service at the bar was unwarranted. At one point, our birthday girl felt like the server would snap back on her for just asking a question about a cocktail ingredient. The husband was uncomfortable with our server as well. She was a little too trigger happy and easily excitable. Not to mention she forgot my drink order. It's okay, it is Saturday night, they are busy... NOT! There were only two other groups upstairs, besides the two people at the bar. It was half dead for a Saturday evening. I thought this place was popular, no? After an hour our table was ready and we went downstairs. Let's just say we felt out of place with the crowd and leave it at that. We might as well have arrived in our jeans and t-shirts/ hoodies. Oh well, moving on... The salads: field greens salad was quite sizable and fresh. The apple salad with hazelnuts was mediocre. Eh, it's a salad. Whatever. Let's get to the next courses. The sardines were quite delectable. The husband's squid ink pasta was spectacular, followed by my prawns a la plancha. Whole prawns cut lengthwise in half and grilled with fresh tarragon. Simply delightful. Our friend's pork shank brought down the quality of food, it was not worthy of more than a few bites. It wasn't bad, it was just "plain". Kind of a let down after the pasta and prawns. Of course we had to get the nutter butters because my manslave kept texting me throughout dinner to get them. I am not a fan of peanut butter, I let the others revel in its deliciousness. I ordered the fromage blanc cake for myself - a light, airy cheesecake served with figs and honey. Unusually light for a cheesecake (more like a mousse cake), it was a winner. The rest of the dining party enjoyed their nutter butters. I took a bite of the chocolate sabayon and it was quite delightful. Service downstairs was better than upstairs. Overall, it was a good experience, even though service was spotty at times. My manslave earned his keep by recommending Bristol. He gets to be free for a few days now.
(4)
Marta B.
the best is the roasted chicken with spetzle....yum!
(4)
Gina M.
Very good! Small place so make reservations! Food was excellent we had: Appetizer - squash/kale salad, cheese plate, some other apple/pear salad - all delicious!! Pasta - we got the raviolo and the lemon/pesto - both phenomenal! Entree - the steak and the salmon (first time I've ever had salmon and I thought it was good! so that's saying something, steak was good but average) No dessert but their Moscow Mules are an awesome drink! Very attentive and knowledgable wait staff! Don't be fooled by the location or the area - it's a definite must-try!
(4)
Nicole C.
A friend and I arrived pretty early (6-7pm) on a Sunday evening and there was no wait whatsoever. Don't get me wrong -- this food is definitely worth waiting for, but it was nice to get right in and have a nice, private table for two near the window. Between the two of us, we shared (see photos): - Scotch olives, pork sausge, lemon - Cold heirloom tomato soup - Sweet corn, honey butter, cilantro, queso - Whole wheat pasta with ricotta and veal bacon - Half chicken, sweet corn diablo, corn bread - Chocolate sabayon, nutter butters I wasn't a huge fan of the pasta dish. It was a little bland -- as if it needed to be seasoned. I'd prefer it with prosciutto to add a little more salt.....but I'd prefer everything with prosciutto. :) Everything else was AMAZING. My favorites: sweet corn, chicken, and nutter butters. The Bristol is at the top of my list of Chicago restaurants. On top of the food being out-of-this-world, we had a very knowledgeable and professional server. She was very helpful in recommending dishes and helping us plan for an accurate amount of food. I thought the price was extremely reasonable. For all of the items listed below + two sodas + two double espressos, we walked out $100 poorer, which included the tip!
(5)
William L.
Wow. I had real high hopes for The Bristol and they delivered in every respect. I arrived a little early for dinner so I was able to hand off my coat, peruse the menu, and chat with the staff while enjoying a draught Matilda. Once seated, I ordered the short-rib ravioli with capers, lemon, and proscuitto while my friend had the striped bass. The bass looked great and the ravioli was outstanding. The short-rib filling was very tender, the pasta perfectly al dente, and the proscuitto was nice and crisp. We were a little too full to try the dessert, but I'll certainly be back for dinner or even a weekend cocktail hour.
(5)
Ashley M.
Sooooo good. My husband and I had the monkey bread, the cheese plate, raviolo, the steak, and toffee cake. It was all divine! We each had a cocktail-he had the sarsaparilla and I had I think the starry night. Both were very good unique beverages (nice pour). The staff was very attentive and polite. It was a very good experience!
(5)
Alison C.
My partner and I had the most amazing dinner here last night. Pro tips: sit at the bar, get the smoked carrot salad and the pork shank. I won't be hungry until June.
(5)
Liz A.
We came her for valentines day because it is #1 on the eater 38 chicago, and I've been wanting to see why. Overall, the food was very good, but I was not as impressed as I have been with other eater recommendations, so I'm kind of surprised they've maintained the #1 spot for as long as they have... Most of the food was hit or miss for me. The monkey bread starter was definitely a hit; the dill butter was excellent. I'd definitely recommend ordering this when you first sit down. My drink was also a hit; the poire and elderflower is one of the only cocktails I've ever seen with white grape juice as the main ingredient, and I loved it! We ordered a pasta to split; the actual pappardelle was excellent, but when I saw goat sugo on the menu, I was expecting it to live up to the flavors of another restaurant in Chicago, but this did not-- it was very gamey tasting. The mains were also somewhat of a miss; I think they were specific to the valentines menu, and overall they did not have any special or unique flavors. They were prepared very well, but I just wasn't blown away by them. My main complaint was the seating; very,very over-crowded. Our table for two was a couple inches from the next table for two, and the entire table had to be moved for either of us on the wall side to get up-- not a great valentines setting.
(4)
Irene H.
My friend got us 6:45PM reservations on a lovely Wednesday evening. Some of us, including myself, were running late, but it wasn't an issue. We occupied the end of the communal table. And as someone who hates driving in the city, I was happy to find valet parking ($9). The valet had my car pulled out front when we got the check. I appreciate the efficiency. I wanted to try the poire and elderflower cocktail, but was warned that it was the sweetest drink on the menu. Ick! I went with the moscow mule instead. It was ok. My friend's front porch punch was way too sweet. Exciting cocktail menu, but I'm not a fan of the execution. On to the food. The 5 of us are not voracious eaters. The standout dishes were the bone marrow and half chicken. I also loved the garganelli. - We started with the monkey bread, which came with in a cute baby Staub pot. and with a side of dill butter. It was ok. As a major dill lover, it wasn't dilly enough for me. - The bone marrow with shallot jam was a crowd favorite and they gave us extra toast gratis. I loved this. - The duck fat fries were ok. I think my friends loved it because I barely got a bite in. The garlic aioli was a big hit. - The homemade garganelli was yummy. The ragu bianco was light. This is a dish I could eat over and over again. - I was a big fan of the half chicken, which came prettily perched on top of sweet corn diablo and a side of corn bread. The skin was crispy and meat was moist. We saved our dessert stomach space for cocktails at the Exchange.
(3)
Jonathan B.
I really enjoyed my dinner here. First and foremost the service was fantastic. Chairs pulled out, water always refilled, a gracious, informative server who was assisted by several others to provide fill drink orders quickly. I usually don't care for custom cocktails, but there peach drink was so fresh tasting and served with a big ice cube. The server's wine recommendation was a nice Syrah/Grenache blend that paired nicely with the meal. The sopressata and peach appetizer was real star, as was the pea bruschetta. Both the ravioli and cavatelli pasta dishes were great, and the mains, the pork and chicken, were both well-excecuted. The only slight miss was the pork appetizer. The ambiance was lively, and had the perfect music volume. I'd highly recommend this to friends.
(5)
Zo O.
I found the most amazing parking spot! ...made miso happy :) Shared the monkey bread and duck fat fries while I got the chitarra(basically spaghetti) with vine ripened tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, dante, and my friend got a type of sausage with a bunch of fresh, fresh veggies. We both enjoyed our meal, for sure, but we weren't blown away by the monkey bread, which we both heard many, many, many great things about. We were pretty happy with everything. Food, service, and ambiance was on point. Nothing to complain bout :)
(4)
Anna V.
Went balls out on dinner here, because why not? Ordered a ton for the hell of it and our waiter just looked at us like, ok, at least it wasn't the entire menu. Overall, it was really solid, just not 5-star unreal kind of solid. It's got a neighborhoody vibe and is virtually unfindable on Damen (just past the I-94E entrance) unless you are planning to go and looking for it. I scored parking right in the front and was lucky. Otherwise, this place is a total pain in the ass to get to from virtually anywhere other than Bucktown. The Moscow Mule is so well done here. The way it should be, in a copper cup that will make your hands smell like dirty metal. They aren't too strong and don't do much damage in terms of alcohol content but they are spicy and tasty and I refused to be generous with sharing it. Food is really solid, but it comes out in a strange order. I get the concept behind the menu being different sizes as it goes down the list, but they don't actually serve things IN that order, so the purpose is confusing. Monkey bread with dill butter was an easy thing to demolish. The duck fat fries, the apple manchego salad, and the lardon mushroom flatbread were also really solid (the flatbread is more like a crisp, not at all like a pizza crust). My friend and I shared everything, including the entree size hangar steak (they cook their meat the temperature they're supposed to). 2 snacks, 2 starters, and 1 entree was probably the right combo for 2 people who like food. But this CAKE. We didn't have super high expectations when we found out a) no vanilla bean ice cream (SERIOUSLY?) and b) the first crack at it was kind of stiff and worrisome. We feared stale dry crappy cake. I overheard the waiter saying that this pastry chef was apparently on Top Chef Just Desserts so I was like... wtf, how can this cake be stale? But then we tasted it. We went absolutely primitive on this cake. Tore that sht apart. The fluffy cake + cider sabayon + sweet walnuts = perfectly sweet, dense, not at all dry, vanilla-saucy creamy dessert. Did not need the ice cream we thought it did. Get reservations or you will be disappointed - small shop, and they really don't take walk-ins. Bottom line: really good, just not omgwtf. I am spoiled having gone to the (RIDICULOUS A+++) Au Cheval the night before, so maybe this is a biased review. I will go there again for prix fixe in Chef's Week and I'm glad I tried it, but it's such a PITA to get to and the atmosphere is so deliberately minimalist that I don't feel like I need to go back asap. Still a good place to go and experience if you're looking to try something new, especially on a weeknight.
(4)
Yvonne Y.
Sunday brunch review. Miraculously, only a 5 minute wait for a table for 4 at 11am (it was daylight savings spring forward day). Bloody Mary was amazing. Egg sandwich with pork belly looked really yummy but the potatoes just looked too burnt. Chilaquiles with pork was disappointing. It's flavorful but there was hardly any pork in it. You don't get to order how the fried eggs are done. They're all well done. I'd go back and try the hangover dish (noodle soup).
(4)
Brian L.
I went here for the first time last night. Even on a packed Friday night, a table for four only took about 30 minutes. The ambiance in this place is nice, rather "dim" lighting, but not so dark you can't see your food. The decor is unassuming and not intimidating, and I found the wait staff really friendly and accommodating. Chris Pandel is the head chef here, and I've heard a lot about him. The food he sends out of the kitchen is amazing. I love trying new food, so I had to go for the bone marrow starter... freakin delicious! People rave about the duck fat fries here too, but I have yet to try them. My starter was veal and was also quite amazing. The portions are appropriate and you get a good value for what you pay. I hope that Pandel continues to work on his dishes and eventually get awarded a Michelin star, he's almost there! I look forward to the next time I dine here.
(5)
Sam M.
Yes, very good. Pricey, but that's the going rate for places like this in Bucktown/Wicker Park/Logan Square, etc. The Roasted Chicken was amazing and the Apple Salad is a 'must' as well.
(4)
Elana L.
I love this place. I am a chef and highly critical of the food that I eat. I know how things are supposed to taste. Needless to say this place hits it right every time. Believe the hype. I usually try to eat at different places all the time. I usually don't visit the same place 2 in six months. I was here 3 times in 6 months. I love it.
(5)
XO K.
One thing that certainly helps garner this restaurant a 4 star review is value. That and creativity, really. Though the menu is fairly limited (5 options for the main course) the portions are decent in size and not exorbitant in price, particularly for a Bucktown/Wicker Park address. I started with a "Viex Carre", a nice bourbon-based cocktail with cognac and dueling bitters (It's a N'awlins drink, so you gotta have Peychaud's bitters in it) and a quality vermouth. My wife had something with pear vodka and St. Germaine and grapefruit which was also delicious. So far, so good. For starters, we had pork skins and an apple-based salad, both of which were wonderful and a great way to begin our meal. We then each enjoyed our main dishes, she the Salmon with fiddleheads and I the tri tip steak which came with a delicious herb butter and roasted cauliflower. My steak was just a little bit on the tough side, but delicious. It might have been cooked for an extra minute or two to make it a bit more tender, but I would always prefer slightly undercooked than overcooked. Dessert for her was their version of "Nutty Buddy" cookies with a chocolate sabayon (fancy pudding) and I had Tiramisu liqueur, both of which were absolutely delicious. For whatever reason, I wasn't exactly blown away, but everything was very good and I am quite stingy with 5 star reviews. Given the check and the number of items we ate and drank and the quality of each, I feel this place offers a good value.
Went here with a friend on the recommendation of my son who lives in the area. We loved it. Great food and reall nice ambiance
(5)
Ivanka B.
I really truly love a restaurant that forces me outside my comfort zone and entices adventurous course selection. Only at the Bristol do I try things like bone marrow (my first encounter ever was here in October 2010) and smoked chicken hearts. Duck fat fries and garlic aioli? Let's just the homemade ketchup was briefly sampled before a war broke out over the aioli. Not that the ketchup wasn't tasty - I did get a hint of horseradish in there - very nice, but the garlicky mayo combo is one thing my mother and I (unfortunately) agree on! The pear and elderflower cocktail is now my favorite drink ever - it took every ounce of self-control to not down the whole snazzy glass in one gulp. Bone marrow slathered on crispy bread paired beautifully with the shallot jam and managed to make my bites of smoked chicken hearts more bearable. I mean the mushrooms and pain perdu and jus were delicious and I really wanted to love those organs but I think I overdid it with the adventure, By the third bite I just couldn't anymore :-( and so continues my love/hate relationship with organ meats! One thing that never, ever disappoints here are the amazing desserts - so well thought out, so delectable. This time it was the creamy chocolate sabayon with sea salt and olive oil that I scooped up eagerly with home-made nutter butters. Last time it was some other mouthwatering goodness that included a honeycomb! Beautiful and delicious! Thank you Bristol for expanding my horizons!
(5)
Kevin S.
Wow. I ate here last night. A group of 10 of us and we shared almost everything on the menu (2/3 of the starters and all the pasta/mains). Ambiance- First walking into the place you notice it's a little tight, but a very hip feel to it. Very dimly lit. It'd be great for a date or a small group. Cocktails- Some great craft cocktails. The smoked manhattan was excellent. They had a "peach smash" cocktail that was a special and delicious. At a certain point my buddy just started telling the server to bring him something new, and every single one was awesome. There was one with mezcal we particularly liked. Food- A smaller menu and everything looked so good, we had at least half of it. There were a few show stoppers, most of the rest were excellent, and only one or two dishes which were good but a little disappointing (note: probably mostly because everything else was so good, by the time we got to these, it was hard to live up to that level) The Best- Raviolo- Wow, I had dreams about this. One giant ravioli. Such a rich butter sauce that melts in your mouth. This was definitely the consensus show stealer. We even ordered a third one. Tip- Get some monkey bread and dip in the sauce. You're going to want to finish every last bit of that sauce. Pork Porterhouse- Huge, cooked amazingly, and the driad cherries really set this dish off. Duck Fat Fries- Could not stop eating these. Arctic Char- Really enjoyed this. Peas were excellent and fresh. Charcuterie Board- They know what they are doing on the charcuterie. The pork rillete with apricot jam was particularly good. Peaches and Soppressata - Oh man, I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week straight. Heirloom Tomato Salad- Fresh, light, delicious Slightly Underwhelmed (Still good, but I wouldn't get these if you're only getting a dish or two)- Hanger Steak- Steak was good with a nice crust, but the dish just didn't come together as well as everything else. Half Chicken- We had 2 orders of these. The one I had the breast was definitely a little dry. The other one I tried and the breast was a lot better, but the dish wasn't as great as it could have been. Apple Salad- Not that it was bad, but the other salads we tried were better. Service- This was noticeably awesome. Our server really knew everything well, and they were great about switching in new side plates since we were sharing. The dishwashers probably hated it, but we probably went through 4 sideplates/silverware combos each (and this was offered without us asking after having had a few plates- most of us would have been pretty painless and just reused the same plate). Trying all this stuff for 10 people with an average of probably 4 cocktails each came out to $100 + tip per person. You could definitely do it cheaper. If I were going with a date, I'd recommend 2 starters and 2 pasta/mains to split, and at that rate you're probably looking at about $70 + drinks. (and it would be a great place for a date) Get your butt to this place quickly.
(5)
Caroline M.
I don't know about you, but I hate waiting in line for brunch. Hate. It. I don't mind having a wait at dinner, but in the morning I am in desperate need of food and coffee!! So I will share my little secret with you: no wait at 10:30am for Sunday brunch. Clearly we have a winner when they offer: Bread Pudding French Toast. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, it was freakin' phenomenal. I was 100% content savoring every bite of this masterpiece. It had a crisp exterior and a soft, moist center. My friend got the eggs benedict which came with some pretty fantastic potatoes. Obviously we aren't afraid of carbs, so we shared a cinnamon roll, too. Honestly, it wasn't very good. And it wasn't warmed up, which kinda just seemed lazy. Service was very good and our beverages were constantly being topped off. Don't forget about the Bristol next time your stumped about where to go for a (no wait!!) Sunday brunch.
(5)
Stephanie L.
Hello Lover...NOM, NOM, NOM...I think I am in love with food. So got here and there was a waiter...shocker. So we headed up stairs for some swanky lounge cocktails. YUMMY! I heart St Germaine liquor basically in anything. Then our seats were ready at the bar...I actually really liked sitting at the bar. Its some communal seating and some regular seating. We asked for some recommendations and here is what we ended up with Market Greens Salad with buttermilk dressing....perfect and there was little radishes in it that gave it a little crunch Goat Carpaccio...heaven in my mouth. My favorite dish. The only complaint was that there wasnt more. It had cheese, meat, etc. So good. It was a special.... Duck Fat Fries...my belly was saying NOM, NOM, NOM. My thighs were saying NO, NO, NO...alas, my belly won, per usual. PHENOMENAL. Sounds disgusting, but great. Raviolo-cheese, butter, egg and pasta...how can you go wrong. It melted in your mouth. Service was right on top of it...actually almost too much in the beginning. We got bombarded by our apps in the beginning, it felt like they were trying to rush us, but then the entree took awhile so that was ok. Price point-right on point. Totally reasonable, I thought. People watching...great. spot.
Why add another review to the many glowing ones? Because they guys are so damn nice at the bar that I had to give a shout out. I loved the low pretense, efficient but precise service, and well-edited menu. I hits the sweet spot so many places struggle to find. We just ate apps--a phenomenal squid special, smoked mackerel (and I have not had mackerel in about 30 years), and then worked our way expertly through their drink menu (great cocktails and beer and wine). I can accept their menu may be hit or miss, based on the other reviews, but that was hardly my experience. I'd definitely try this place again and again.
(5)
Chelsea F.
I've been to the Bristol a few times and I didn't feel my first experience really warranted a review because it was so ordinary. However, I went again last night and felt the experience was good enough to write about. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the seating here. I hate community style seating. I just want to enjoy my meal with whoever I'm with and not worry about the people around me. However, this shouldn't stop anybody from going here. I have had the Monkey Bread a few times and I'd say it's worth getting. The duck fries aren't amazing but worth trying. I like their home made ketchup, it actually tastes more like a marinara than a ketchup. The garlic aioli sauce it comes with is VERY garlicy so be warned! We also had the roasted corn starter and it was so delicious. It tasted like it was on the grill with some sort of sauce that tasted sweet and buttery. I loved it! This was my favorite part of the meal. Also got a dessert with salted caramel, bananas, and mascarpone cheese. So Yum! Lastly, the service was great too. I loved how my server was super enthusiastic every time she brought over dish. Monkey bread!! Duck Confit Fries! It was adorable and I really appreciated it.
(4)
Carissa R.
We were very excited and proud to have The Bristol host our rehearsal dinner, which was on a Saturday night. Michelle, the event coordinator at Bristol, was AMAZING to work with! We developed a menu and I gave her my thoughts on a look/feel, and she executed everything flawlessly! The food was fantastic for our party of almost 50, and we were overall very pleased with our experience. The team even gave us a little "thank you" gift for having our event there! Everyone we worked with/interacted with at Bristol was fantastic! We will ABSOLUTELY have another event there in the future!
(5)
Julie A.
A solid and delicious meal. Great atmosphere. We had the monkey bread to start, which was really delicious--warm, soft and salty. We had two of the pastas for dinner (my husband had the raviolo and I had the cavatelli without the bacon). Both were clearly made with fresh pasta and herbs. My only complaint was the size of the portions. My husband could have eaten two of his portion, and for the price, they were very small. The wine was great, although I spotted one of our favorite wines on the wine list that we buy at Binny's for $14.99. They were charging $54!! I know markups are big, but jeez. As I said, overall very good, but a bit overpriced.
(4)
S W.
I attended a large work dinner with a set menu. I did get to try more dishes than I usually would, and wasn't blown away by the food. It was good but not great.
(3)
jackie m.
Eh, I was hoping for better. We had the apple salad, monkey bread, cheese platter, the barley & cavatelli pasta. I was not overly impressed with any of them. Something in the apple salad tasted weird...it wasn't the apples, hazelnuts, or lettuce, so I don't know what it was. I think there might have been cheese (it was soft) in it & something harder that resembled the cheese & I think it was that thing that was just awful. I was really interested in the ravioli, but when I asked how many come in it, our server told us one. So, let me get this straight...it's $14 for 1 piece of ravioli? The cavatelli has left a lingering taste in my mouth that I'm not the biggest fan of. The monkey bread is also not your traditional sweet monkey bread. It's regular bread in the shape of monkey bread. Not stellar food...so bummed. Our server was attentive & perfectly fine.
(3)
Josh C.
My wife and I have probably gone to The Bristol more than any other restaurant in town. Sometimes we choose The Bristol because we just want a nice night out. Sometimes we are entertaining out-of-town guests. The overall experience here is always great! We love the food. We love the atmosphere. The music is exactly what I want to hear while I'm out. Even though we gravitate to dishes we had before, we are always excited by whatever is new. We usually order family style so we can try as many different things as possible. I usually choose about half of my order and ask my server for his/her recommendations. They have an excellent wine and beer list. I usually start with a Negroni or whiskey drink and then switch over to wine or beer. I always leave room for a cappuccino and dessert. This place is a lot of fun and serves some of the best food and drink Chicago has to offer!
(5)
Alexis E.
Went here for dinner on a Saturday night with some friends. It was a beautiful summer evening and their front garage door was open which made it really nice to enjoy the summer weather. Definitely recommend making reservations in advance or you will wait 1+ hour for a table. Or table wasn't quite ready when we arrived, so we were directed upstairs to their stand alone bar for some cocktails. My friend had the daquiri which she loved, I had the poire & elderflower cocktail which was amazing, & my other friend had a cabernet. Our table was ready in less than 5 minutes do we headed back downstairs. We ordered several appetizers, all of which were great. They have a seasonal menu, so it changes constantly. Definitely recommend the savory monkey bread and the arugula salad with fresh sliced peaches, almonds, soppressatta, & feta. We also ordered fresh radishes with a feta dip and it was ok. We shared the Arctic char & porterhouse for our entrees. Both were good, the steak was a bit tough though. For dessert we ordered this little round buttery cake with peaches & caramel on top. Amazing! We devoured it. Overall, service was impeccable. Bathrooms were clean, staff was well trained & friendly. Food was so fresh. Would def go back again, try some new stuff like the duck fat fries, which I hear are amazing!
(4)
Cristina T.
I've passed by the Bristol several times and always wondered about it, so when I was invited to a dinner with drink pairings I was excited to finally go. We almost tried everything on the menu, so I think I have a pretty good idea of what Chris Pandel can do in the kitchen.Here is what we ordered: Starters -Duck Fat Fries: Nothing is bad with duck fat and these were no exception. The garlic aioli and tomato paste sauces were the perfect accompaniment to these delicious bites. -Monkey Bread:Pretty good and comes hot out of the oven, but not as spectacular as everyone raves about. I love the little pot it is served it. -Scotch Olives: I cannot stop thinking about these. What is not to love about olives covered in pork and fried? You need to try these. -Apple salad: Crisp and fresh, the hazelnuts were a pleasant surprise to this lightly dressed salad. Pasta -Chitarra alla carbonara: Topped with an egg yolk and loaded with ham, this was a rich but delicious dish. Pasta was cooked perfectly. -Tagilatelle w/ anchovy, garlic, pernod & breadcrumbs: Other people at the table were not big fans of this one, so I think you need to like anchovy flavors to really appreciate this pasta. -Ravioli: Coolest pasta ever. Just one single ravioli that when cut into, just oozes goodness. The ricotta was fresh and creamy and the pasta dough was perfect. A "must try". Entrees -Roasted 1/2 chicken w/ dill spaetzle: One of the best chicken preparations I have had in a restaurant. The chicken was flavorful and incredibly moist. The spaetzle was tender. Great dish. -Beef top sirloin: As of late I have stopped ordering beef in restaurants, but this dish may have changed my mind. The beef was high quality and cooked perfectly to retain its flavor and texture. It was topped with a cauliflower and green garlic sauce that was the perfect compliment. Sides -Brussel sprouts: These will convert you to being a sprout lover as they are deep fried. Try them. -Roasted beets: Flavorful and topped with a creamy sauce. Desserts -Basque cake: Pastry chef is known for this dessert, and for good reason. A little cake that is perfectly cooked and injected with a cream. Its soft in the middle and tastes like brown sugar goodness. If you only order one dessert, this has to be it. The compote on top is delicious too. -Carrot cake: Very good, but not my favorite. The carrot puree on the plate was an interesting touch. -Lemon Tart: I'm not sure I like the combination of lemon and basil but this was a great flavor combination for the adventurous. Drinks -Moscow Mule: Served in a copper mug, its light and refreshing -Spring Gimlet: Very similar to the mule, except made with gin. -Dark & Stormy:The rum and lime juice are a great pairing with the molasses. Might have been the best drink we tried. As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my time tasting my way through the Bristol menu.I cannot wait to come back and try the menu again as it changes for seasonal ingredients.
(5)
Margaret B.
I have been to the Bristol probably 15 times, and it has been amazing each and every time I have been there. The menu changes so there is always something new to try. I have had amazing charcuterie, sardines, and smoked mackerel, and I like all of the pasta dishes. Recently, I has a carrot salad with a light yogurt dressing that was sight. I will admit,that as much as I try the new dishes, I am basically obsessed with the Bristol's chicken with spatzel. It is hands down the best chicken dish I have ever had: the outside is crispy, the inside is tender, and the spatzel is perfect. It also has a small apple salad that adds crunch and freshness. For desert, the basque cake can't be beat. They have a great cocktail list, but I usually go the wine route so I can't speak to it really.
(5)
Jessica G.
We've had some bad restaurant week experiences in the past. The husband actually swore off RW dinners after the last one. I've heard great things about The Bristol so I decided, even though it was RW, I would give it a go. I'm very glad I did! The service was fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. Items came out in a very timely fashion and with a smile. Keep in mind that the main seating area is communal, in case you don't prefer to share your table with people you don't know. The food itself was really good. The RW menu for 2012 was pretty fantastic - a beet and gruyere tart to start, though some members of our party thought there could be more gruyere involved. The crust of the tart was a nice, flaky biscuit. My favorite was the second course, the tajarin in butter with some herbs... Holy cats - go there now and eat this immediately. It is extremely rich and flavorful and quite honestly the best pasta I have ever seen. I don't normally go for pasta in a restaurant but if I ever saw this again, I would order and devour it straight away. Amazing. The next course was osso bucco. We had a bit of inconsistency on this one among the four of us at the table. One of us had the perfectly tender, pulled with a fork, meat, while mine was that tender in some places. The other two at our table remarked that theirs was a bit on the tougher side. Overall, great flavor, though, and the marrow was incredibly well-received. Last was dessert. Excellent olive oil cake and the panna cotta was lovely. The gelee on top needed a few minutes to warm up and get to a better consistency but overall, it was very tasty. In addition to the RW menu, we ordered the monkey bread, the scotch olives and the fried broccoli. The monkey bread is so much better than what you can make at home with your own tube rolls - so flaky and much tastier. The scotch olives were rather unexpected - I didn't think I would like them but they turned out to be really tasty. Last was the fried broccoli - a bit heavy with oil at the end but I really, really liked the flavor of it. Oh - and we ordered the French press coffee to share. Each coffee cup came with a tiny little fudge-y cookie that was soft and sort of gushy and just melted in the mouth. Next time, I will want that cookie with my tajarin... just a thought... It was really a wonderful dinner. Just a couple things that weren't quite perfect but it is somewhere that I recommend and somewhere I will go back to. If you're reading this for RW 2012 and you can get the tajarin still, go there now and give it a go. Worth the price of admission for just that alone!
(4)
Morgan M.
Went here for NYE and it was my favorite dinner since we've moved to Chicago! We arrived early and had a drink at the lovely bar. It was great because I don't drink and they offered to do a virgin Moscow Mule for me and I LOVED it! When we got to our table it was the perfect spot by the window....close to our neighbors but totally fine. The reason I loved this place was because it wasn't what you would expect and there were different flavors and menu items. It was a prix fixe which is fine with us, preferred in fact, but everything we had was outstanding. We also ordered the "snacks" as well which were definitely worth it. My ribeye steak was better than I've had in a very long time and the chicken liver mouse plate was fantastic. We were stuffed but finished our desserts because they were out of this world. Overall, I loved this place we we will certainly be returning. I think this time we will check them out for brunch.
Perfect Brunch!!! The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. The Cinnamon roll was perfect...sweet but not too heavy. The hash was great, especially with the side of potatoes. Definitely have to come back to try other items on the menu!!! Also to have more of that cinnamon roll :-)
(4)
Minna A.
I came here as a recommendation from my good friend, Sam V. wOOOOeeeeEE!!! It was great! Although, I am so disappointed at myself for not having ordered the monkey bread... so.. sad.. OH WELL, this just means I'm going to have to make another visit here :) We started upstairs with some frilly cocktails and the duck fat fries. Y.U.M. I love that there's an upstairs lounge to keep you warm and toasty while you wait for your table. The wait was not bad at all, we were seated just a few minutes after we received our drinks. The hostess helped us close out our upstairs tab and carry all of our food downstairs, where our awesome waiter took over! We ordered the lamb sausage and escrole, the white asparagus tortellini and a massive BBQ platter. I was really surprised, but the bbq was awesome! NOT at all like what I was expecting from this place (we were all drooling over the apple butter on the jalapeno cornbread and the delicious goat brisket!) All in all, the Bristol was awesome, and don't ever doubt recommendations from Sam V.!!!
(5)
Susan C.
I went to the Bristol for the first time a few days ago and had a marvelous time. While it's on the expensive end, the quality of food and level of service provided made it worthwhile. (I don't understand when people give places less stars solely due to the fact that they are expensive - if you didn't like the prices, why did you eat there!?) First, the waiter was extremely knowledgeable of every menu item. He suggested that we could share many plates or go for the large items are stand-alone entrees. We chose to share 3 items. 1) We had the Whole Wheat Flatbread with kale and anchovies (and also some creme fraiche). I was surprised that it was generously sized for a appetizer. the creaminess of the creme fraiche balanced the saltiness of the anchovies nicely. Twas a good carby appetizer. And I'm a girl that loves her carbs. 2) We had potato gnocchi next -(not on their online menu) which was pure melt-in-your-mouth bliss. I wish I could remember more of it except I think I may have gone to heaven in the form of creamy little pasta balls. Again, see carb comment above. 3) Finally - we shared the Roasted Half Chicken. It was slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, could you ask for better? We had their homemade peanut butter cookies and chocolate mousse for dessert because we couldn't stop eating. And if you are a fan of Dark and Stormys (Dark Rum and Ginger Beer) - they have a great one.
(5)
A H.
Wow! What a great place for dinner. A friend and I went last night, and I'm still thinking about it! I figured a rave review was in order. The service was excellent. Everyone was genuinely kind, helpful and knowledgeable. It wasn't intrusive or rushed at all. Honestly, it was some of the best service I've had in Chicago. The food was fantastic! I highly recommend starting with the monkeybread. It was pretty much perfect with large flecks of salt on the outside, buttery softness on the inside, and dill butter for dipping. We also ordered the roasted ramps which were fresh and delicious. I loved the wheat berries and buttermilk ranch dressing that went with it. Great flavor! For the main course, I had the nettle pappardelle with goat ragu. Oh, wow. Very, very nice. The real winner? Dessert! Roasted banana semifreddo with honeycomb and golden syrup! We both loved it! The honeycomb was such a sweet, crunchy treat to accompany the creamy semifreddo. Yum. I will be back for dinner, but can't wait to try brunch too.
Girlfriend and I found this on yelp when planning our trip 2 months ago and we're glad we made reservations for Sunday Brunch on our last day there. Even though I was not hungover, I ordered the hangover breakfast which is, noodles, pork belly, spicy serrano, poached egg. I enjoyed it very much, although I wish it was more spicy. I also had two bloody mary's, which were nicely made as well. She ordered the fried egg sandwich which has, pork belly, mornay sauce, and a side of breakfast potatoes. She didn't enjoy the the potatoes but I did, so of course i gobbled them up. She noticed the chartucerie assortment next to us and ordered a side of the aged cheddar as well, which was very nice.
(4)
Louise P.
I wish I could give The Bristol more than one star for my experience there, but I can't. I wanted to like it, I really did! But, and my three dining companions agreed, we were sorely disappointed with our dinner and service. We had 10:30 reservations at The Bristol on New Years, and they published their prix-fixe menu weeks ahead of the occasion. To break it down: Pros: - A great ambiance. - The octopus and raviolini dishes were excellent. (Some of my fellow diners thought the latter was too sweet, but I thought it was delicious.) - Really good duck fat fries. (Probably one of the best things we ate.) - All diners were given a sugar cake to take home (A nice touch, I thought, although not enough to save the experience.) Now, to the cons: - A changed menu. As I mentioned, the menu was set in advance. Yet, upon arrival, 3-4 of the dishes had been changed or removed. This was discouraging, as we eagerly discussed the menu in the days prior and pinpointed favorites. I was going to order the duck confit (on the original menu), but its replacement, a braised duck leg, did not look nearly as appetizing. - Pacing of service! Our first three dishes "to share" were all delivered within a span of 10 minutes. I had barely touched the previous dish before it was being swept away and replaced with a new one. Then, service came to a screeching halt and we had to wait 20-30 minutes between the final 3 courses. - Service, overall. My husband and our friends were dismayed at how the waitstaff delivered the dishes. That is, without even an introduction of what we were eating or drinking, and without any sort of kindness. Yes, we were dining late, but it was New Years Eve! Wouldn't the staff anticipate diners at this hour, all of whom had reservations?! - Out of monkeybread. On such a busy evening? Surely this could have been averted. - The food! Except for what I listed above, the food was not as exciting or filling as we'd expected. Chilled carrots with creme fraiche? Good, but not substantial. The trout? Not very flavorful. I could go on, but I'll spare the reader. Last but not least, we agreed the worst offense was no acknowledgment of New Years. Seriously. No passed champagne, no 'Happy New Years, thanks for joining us!' from the staff, nothing. Upon realizing that no champagne would be had at the hand of The Bristol, we searched through the wine list for their champagne offerings, to order something for ourselves. Unfortunately, not a bottle could be had for less than $100, and none of the selections were served by the glass. I didn't think it was expecting a lot, to have a glass of champagne on New Years, but apparently it is.
(1)
Melissa Z.
Was super excited to try this place, but left less than impressed. Had the salmon rilette, the country pate, and a pasta with beef tip and tomato sauce ( forgot the name). Everything tasted great. The portion for the appetizers were twice as much as the pasta dish. We were disappointed by the portion of the pasta ( 5 pieces of tiny stuffed pasta things that were too dry and hard). Three probably fit onto one spoon. This was rather disappointing after the waiters made it a point to tell us the portions were for sharing. Service was attentive, atmosphere was cozy. Might go back and give it a second shot.
(3)
F. P.
The Bristol was a recommended by a foodie friend and while it takes some time to get to Bucktown from Downtown, it is so worth it! Even though we arrived in time for our 9pm resos, we had to wait for half an hour (at a nearby dive bar recommended by the host). Fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared in unique ways, the restaurant could have fit perfectly with those back in San Francisco. For starters, the duck fat fries with the amazing aioli and housemade ketchup were amazing. Less impressive was the monkey bread with dill butter and sea salt (oddly enough, the butter was not salty enough and the bread itself was just so-so). The bone marrow was fine but I felt like I've had better versions of this dish elsewhere. The entrees, which we shared family style, were more of a hit. The menu changes often and there were some standouts when we were there. The cassoulet was rich and flavorful. The pig tail entree melted in your mouth (although it was quite fatty). I wasn't as excited about the smoked trout. Impressive beer selection and our server was quite detailed and knowledgable. Definitely would recommend this to others.
(4)
Caitlin S.
great atmosphere, cocktails, service and food. I will definitely be back. Although I don't remember exactly what we ordered, I do remember that we tried the monkey bread (very good), we got a cheese plate, a pasta dish (the only thing I did not like) and two main courses. I think it was a clam pasta and for some reason I thought it had a hot dog-esque taste to it. I shouldn't have said anything to my boyfriend because he liked it until I made that claim. After that, he couldn't get it out of his head either - - oops. Other than that, we thought everything was great! Since I don't remember exactly what we ordered, I really just wish to yelp about the service at The Bristol. Our waiter was so great. He was friendly and quick. We were very impressed when he came back with our second round of drinks (after we ordered our main courses and finished our pasta & appetizers). He asked if we were ready for the kitchen to start cooking our meat or if we wanted to hang out for a bit before they got it started. We definitely wanted to let the food settle and enjoy our drinks & each-others company, so we were very pleased to have been given that option. ya gotta love a restaurant where you can take in the atmosphere, chat it up with your date or party, and sip cocktails without feeling rushed to eat Yay Bristol !
(4)
Gina G.
Should you eat here ? Yes, yes, and yes ! My husband and I ate here for the first time last night. We got to a little bit of a late start, and didn't get there until roughly 10:40. The last seating is at 11, but there were still a good amount of people dining. The staff was very welcoming which is sometimes not the case when you come to eat near closing time. Plus, they didn't rush us through dinner at all, which was awesome ! We had the apple salad (best salad I've ever eaten) and the monkey bread to start. We shared the prawn and the chicken as the main course, both of which were delightful. I am not usually one to order chicken at a restaurant, but read that it was awesome, and it did not disappoint. The gravy it was served with was so good I would've eaten cardboard dipped in it. We finished with French press coffee and an apple dessert (can't remember the name) which was pretty awesome and would've been AMAZING if it had been hot. It was reminiscent of Mastro's butter cake (best dessert I've ever eaten) but topped with candied apples and nuts. Delightful ! We will definitely return to try some of the other menu items !!
(5)
Todd B.
Really, really wanted to love The Bristol. And maybe that's what led to this 2-star review: expectations were sky-high for this place, and reality brought me and my party back to earth with a thud. Saturday night was my first experience after a few lighthearted attempts to get in on earlier occasions. We had guests in town, and my GF and I promised them a meal they'd remember. We arrived a few minutes early and sat at the bar, where we were summarily ignored for 5-10 minutes (it was crowded, but not super-packed). After finally placing a drink order, we were told our table was ready. Unfortunately we were at one of the "community" tables. Now I'm not anti-community table on principle, but if you're going to have them, at least make them large enough that you're not elbowing the random person sitting next to you. Service was brisk and rather inattentive. Again, it was a busy night, but not crazy packed and the server could have spent a bit more time with us explaining the menu and pointing out highlights. The whole thing just felt rushed - like they wanted to get us in and out as soon as possible. We ordered the monkey bread, duck fat fries, smoked chicken hearts (there were like 2 of them in the whole app), and for entrees the char, brisket and the wagyu beef. All were ostensibly "good", but none served up that "holy sh*t" moment you're hoping for when dining in such a well-received establishment (both beef dishes were extremely fatty - like almost inedibly fatty). The char was a nice piece of fish, but somewhat bland and unexciting. Again, maybe it was the expectations, and maybe they had an off-night. All I know is that our entire group went in with heightened anticipation, and came out underwhelmed, maybe even a bit disappointed. It took a few years to get into this place, and I know for sure I won't be rushing back.
(2)
Ashley A.
Yay! You Co-Yelpers were right again! We didn't have reservations but our party of 4 were seated within 10 minutes as the host pledged. The tables are gorgeous, rustic wood and our server was attentive. Since there are so many reviews I'll do a quick Report Card (in no particular order) Monkey Bread (A-), apple salad (A+), duck fat fries (A), spiced olives (B-), Beer Cheese spread (B+), shrimp tagliarini (B-), Cauliflower Ravioli with capers (A), homemade nutter butters (A+) It is a little loud but I wonder what the party room would be like. Somebody I know is turning 30 this year...hmmm
(5)
Sharon M.
I had the liberty to dine there with one of my friends who is a frequent flyer at the Bristol. So here's the rundown of what we were able to devour: Roast bone marrow, shallot jam, toast (My fav........homemade shallot jam....scrumptious!!) Tuna Collar Nicoise Salad (penty for two people) Raviolo with ricotta and egg yolk ( yummy to my tummy) My overall experience was positive and I am lookng forward to going back for brunch!!!
(4)
Neal P.
Some of the best service I've had since I ate at the French Laundry. The staff takes food extremely seriously, they care about their eaters, and go out of their way to please. We had the apple salad, squash, mixed greens, and "fried bones" - incredible braised, fried ribs that have to be tasted to believe. Second course was the raviolini - a buttery mix of savory sweet, crunchy and soft textures. Finished out with the trout, and the juicy, enormous rib eye. I think a little bit more could have been done with the trout but overall it was delicious. Cocktails were magnificent. On par with any Michelin star restaurant I've been to, but laid back and accessible.
(5)
Nick B.
Four of us dined here and we had: Smoked Mackerel, Wagyu Beef, Monkey Bread, Fries, Chard, Polenta, Gnocchi, sampling of cocktails and a few desserts. The food was on average really great. The beef tartare was amazing. It had a really bright, ceviche-like flavor from the kimchi and lime. The mackerel was amazing. It came with ginger potatoes that matched it perfectly. The duck fat fries rank among the best fries I've ever had. Finally, the last really notable thing was the basque cake. I shared it with a friend and we just laughed through the whole thing because it was so good. It was essentially a strawberry shortcake, but with richer and more complex flavors due to the basil, the salty cake and the strawberry gelato-ish side. The polenta was good but kind of one-note. It was however, a really good value for the quantity. Same with the monkey bread. Also, a personal pet-peeve of mine is when restaurants don't brew fresh iced tea. The Bristol serves a bottle of Repubilc of Tea darjeeling. Bottled tea has a bit of citric acid to preserve it which means it never tastes fresh. And the price, $5, is insane. The Bristol and our server handled my dining partner's gluten free needs perfectly, and there was even a separate menu for her to order from. We sat at a window table which was not communal. The communal tables are OK but more annoyingly cramped than anything else. Whenever I see these things, it looks like a way to squeeze more revenue out of limited floor space, insidiously disguised as a "dining trend" that people actually want. Since we did not sit there, though, I am just abstractly complaining. Our table for four was awesome!
(5)
Claire Y.
Places like the Bristol makes me want to move to Bucktown. Really. It was truly a unique and fun dining experience. We really enjoyed everything we ordered: the monkey bread, roasted bone marrow (my fav), raviolo (sooo rich!), and the pig's heart with polenta. Their menu is most certainly adventurous and flavorful. They only offer 3 things for dessert, and we chose the chocolate sabayon with the nutter butters and it was HEAVENLY. The chocolate sabayon was like melted nutella but a hundred times better. We had to try very hard to abstain from licking the shot glass it came in. No reservations, so not the easiest to get a table right away on weekend nights. But you'll most likely wait less for seating at the communal table. Inherent to the communal set-up, the noise level is pretty high and, therefore, won't serve well as a first date spot.
(4)
Tom L.
As the menu says you need to ask the server for menu details as much of the ingredients are left off the menu description. My poached cod was loaded with shaved garlic (not quite my thing). Also the server described the upcoming experience as a small plate extravaganza and you should order as such, we did not having a starter, then a salad and our mains. They all came out cold to lukewarm, poached cod, hanger steak (which is a sin) and a cold Chitarra pasta. My suggest they were short on staff or can't manage their kitchen to cook and serve three mains at once. Like the old Head and Shoulders commercial... you only get one chance to make a first impression.
(3)
Jennifer S.
How this place only has 4 stars, I do not understand. I've been twice. Once for the BF's birthday, and another just for fun. Believe me when I say, this does not have to be a celebration spot. The only downside, no reservations. The upside, an awesome lounge upstairs to catch a drink and a small bite before dinner. I work in the restaurant industry, so I know better than to go somewhere that doesn't take reservations on a weekend, so I have only had to wait no more than a hour, or shall I say two drinks. The chalkboard menu is amazing and smart. I dig a one page menu. Keeping it simple. I read an article recently that they added some sound deafening wall treatments, but I have always said, if you are going with good company, you shouldn't worry about the people next to you. But good for The Bristol to answering their guests complaints. The cocktails are both inventive and tasty. The wine list looks great, but I've never made it that far. The menu changes so often that the only sad part would be the next time you come back, the dish you loved so much last time probably won't be there again. On my first visit there was a table of 4 next to us that ordered the entire menu, smart thinking. It's small enough to do so, but big enough for a group to try everything. Go with a group or your favorite counterpart and take it all in, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Anna P.
After a place has been reviewed so many hundreds of times, it's hard to really come up with a saucy new concept for your yelp review. So I shall not bore ye with details. Let me just say, the staff members here are truly outstanding fellows. (And tis really a fellow's kind of place--don't think I saw one woman working there. The place feels like the world's most elegant cavernous medieval man-cave.) We sat at the bar on a busy Saturday evening, and while the serving staff cleaned glasses, dropped glasses, swept up shards of glass, bustled, and hustled, they chatted amiably with us. The duck fat fries were delicious. No lies. With lemon, parmesan and pepper, the fries really enter a new realm of fry-hood; a platonic ideal of fry-hood. Weirdly for me, I got the quail. QUAIL. I was a vegetarian for 6 years until I got lazy a few months ago, and thought I would enjoy this tender little bird. It had some memorably rich and fruity flavors, but tasted a little underdone, which is maybe how you cook quail; I don't know about these things. The small burger was a bloody, medium rare treat. But all the nicely done food woulda mattered naught without our nice server man. He wasn't condescending, and increasingly, my restaurant experiences are determined by how little the server expects I know about food. This guy didn't assume my ignorance. Thanks, man-cave server.
(4)
Jason Z.
WOW! Nothing short of AMAZING! The quail was the best white meat I ever chewed off of bone...I felt like a ravage dog who never experienced a meat bone. The Raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter was indescribable to taste...amazing flavors bursting in my mouth. Nutter butter was the perfect tasty combo of chocolate and peanut flavors. As a disclaimer, between my GF and I, we had two small apps (monkey bread & fried olives), the ravioli pasta, quail entree, and one dessert...we were very satisfied; however, if you are more shrek-like and don't understand portion control, you may not like the smaller portions for the money.
(5)
Neal C.
I have this bad habit of sometimes saving the perfect bite of food on the side of my plate so I can savor the perfect final moment of a dish, but I've recently begun to curb this habit in an effort to just enjoy my food and not overthink . . . That philosophical statement is just a fancy lead up to my discovery that a visit to the Bristol was similarly overdue. Everything was great n' tasty n' special to this place. Monkeybread . . . fluffy, buttery, herby and good for sharing Charred Summer Squash . . . nice smokiness, perfect touch of mint and almond in a somewhat oily but delicious sauce Raviollloooooooooo!!! The description of "raviolo, ricotta, egg yolk, brown butter" wouldn't have normally caught my eye but I had seen some chatter on Yelp about it and thank you to everyone who made this recommendation. It instantly made the list of most pleasurable dishes I've eaten in a while. There was some acidity to the brown butter sauce that manages to balance everything in a truly beautiful and memorable way . . . this dish will haunt my dreams until a return visit to satisfy my new craving. Merguez sausage - Tasty all around with beans and a crunchy green with a name I can't remember. This dish was a well-rounded and satisfying meal in itself. Outside of the food, our cocktails were very good but a bit pricey at $10 a pop. I guess thats kinda standard for this level of cocktail and the care put into them definitely showed. All told, a meal like this for $30 a person with a fancy drink? Sold!!! I've had too many meals go by that are way pricier than this with much lower level of satisfaction in the end. Wasn't sure how I would take to communal seating but I found out I was a fan when our table-mates offered us some of their duck fries (YES!) and we're now friends for life as far as I'm concerned. Don't put this one off for a special occasion or "the right time". I did for too long, but I'll be back much sooner . . .
(5)
Dan M.
Excellent establishment (for dinner) on the corner of Damen and Webster. Would recommend more for a date night or a table for 4. All of the items came out in a reasonable time frame and we're hot and fresh. Service was excellent and very patient if needed or hustled when called for. I haven't been in awhile but came away very satisfied.
(5)
Brad C.
If the turnout at 10PM on Friday was any indication, The Bristol is--as oft-mentioned--a nice alternative to the things-get-hectic vibe at Avec: only three tables were occupied, and the place was quiet and welcoming. The food, while not quite at Avec's (or, for that matter, Mado's) level, was promising. We had a nice Heirloom Apple Salad to start with some groovy parts (Manchego, especially), though the dish could use a bit more of the Miner's lettuce to balance out the equation. The bone marrow dish features some pretty clever conceits with its use of a full-on parsley salad instead of chopped herbs and an accompanying red wine shallot jam to provide textural contrast and cut the richness, but the marrow itself was somewhat marred--as marrow sometimes can be--by its quick congealing. I realized I'm a fan of marrow dishes where the bone is cut on a bias, a la Blue Duck Tavern in DC and Minetta Tavern in NYC--anyone know where in Chicago they are served this way? We also had a halibut dish that was perfectly fine but boring, save for the cattails; should have ordered the snails dish, I think. But the brown butter raviolo, originality be damned, was stellar, of course.
(3)
Andrew V.
The Bristol is OK. Its better than OK. But something left me from saying wow. Can't put my finger on it though since it seems to be firing on all cylinders. Lets start with waiting for a table. Plenty of room upstairs to do so, have a drink, and have some appetizers. I was curious about the scotch olives as I suspected they were something similar to olives all'Ascolana, but with a pork sausage stuffing instead of chicken livers. These were pretty good, but did not blow me away. On to the duck fat fries. These were really good. On par with those found elsewhere around town. I did not care for the house-made ketchup though. Something was off about it. But I'm not big on ketchup in the first place so no big loss. The cocktails, as mentioned by others on here looked inventive. I had wine however so can not comment further. Moved downstairs shortly thereafter for the main event. Apple salad - good. I'd get it again. Beef tongue crostini - very very good. Three sizable pieces with very rich flavor. Not quite as rich as bone marrow, but one could get another small plate and make this the centerpiece. My neighbors seemed a bit put off by the choice though. Their loss. Then the pompano for two. This was one big honkin' fish. Served whole, smiling up at me ready to get in my belly. Damn. This was exceptional. Simple preparation accentuated how tender and flavorful it was. Did I mention this was one large fish? Might have been enough to feed three people. Maybe if I hadn't had all of that beef tongue I could have put it away. The atmosphere was inviting, upscale yet casual. And all of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. We were told to order everything up front, which wasn't a problem but would discourage me for coming back to have one of those long marathon dinners, unlike say Avec which I find very conducive for that. So why only three stars? I'm not sure. I suppose something intangible just didn't move me since everything seemed to be in order and done well. Maybe I was expecting a little more charcuterie. Or maybe a few more choices since they did seem to run out of a number of items. Or larger beer and wine selection. Can't put my finger on it. Recommended, but it didn't leave me as excited to return as Avec or the Publican.
(3)
Kara G.
Ah. Maze. ING. The Bristol was recommended to us by our neighbor, Dana D. She has excellent taste so I took her advice to heart. Last night Scuba Steve and I were looking for a place to get a Friday night dinner. We were pretty uninspired, but sushi sounded good at that moment, so we headed over to Coast. The wait was over an hour, so we though maybe we would pop down the street to either Duchamp or The Bristol to see if we could get in there sooner. For some reason we decided to try The Bristol first, and we were sooooooo glad we did! We chose to sit at the bar, however we were told for appetizers and drinks you can go upstairs, but all seating downstairs served the full menu, which is what we wanted. The staff there is incredibly friendly, informative, and even put up with my million questions. Their drink menu is very inventive, so I decided to give the Moscow Mule a whirl, and it has now become one of my new fave drinks...top 3 fave drinks of all time, to be exact. YES, it is THAT GOOD! I was intrigued by the Ginger Beer that they put in it, so I asked for a sample and they gave me half a bottle to try! They were very helpful in guiding us through the menu as well...there are items on the menu that are mainstays, and there are items that rotate, so we decided to do one mainstay app and two of the rotations, and for our entrees we picked rotations. We chose the apple salad, which came out first - it was perfect. Light and sweet, with some arugula to spice things up a bit. Next, we were served the braised rabbit legs. A quick note: carnivores will LOVE this place. The legs were perfectly done, meat falling off the bone as it should, and flavored in such a way that you could taste the game without it tasting gamey. Last for the apps, and some of you may want to hold your stomachs, we had the bone marrow. It's served right in the bone, with a shallot jelly and toast to accompany it. It's gelatinous, and DELICIOUS. I wasn't sure if Scuba Steve would be game to try it, but he was, and he was thrilled with the selection! We joked about various family members being either grossed-out by it or intrigued by it...I would get it again and again! Our entrees consisted of roasted goat and chicken with spaetzle. Dana D has been telling me to "go to The Bristol and get the chicken!!!!!!" for a month or so, so of course, I HAD to get the chicken! :) The goat selection was us being adventurous, and we were rewarded for our selection! Goat was served somewhat rare, and the chicken was juicy perfection. I'm salivating right now just thinking about it!!!! Their desserts looked amazing as well, but we were so full we just couldn't have another bit of anything, so next time we'll do 2 apps so we can get dessert! It was also really cool to sit at the bar, not only because of the close proximity to the bar tenders and therefore proximity to drinks, but also just to watch them in action. They really are master mixologists, not like you see at some bars with all the flare and craziness...but in the sense that they are craftsmen, carefully crafting the perfect beverage. The Moscow Mule is also served in a really cool copper mug. Can't wait to go back and sample more of their fantastic carnivore-friendly culinary creations (say THAT 10 times fast!).
(5)
Kelly A.
Oh Bristol. I've been agonizing about how many stars to give you because there were both 5 star and 1 star elements to our meal. I almost wish I could opt out of that part of the review because to give you 4 stars would seem like ignoring the parts of our meal that irked me, but 2 ignores the fact that there were some items that were oh so tasty. I think the bottom line is this, the cocktails here are spectacular and well crafted (the smoked sicilian manhattan and ransom fizz my date and I ordered were both memorable and worth returning for). If you like good mixology and drinks that feel like a throwback, you will appreciate these. The food menu definitely has some gems - I loved the bone marrow (though I learned from dining with my bf that if you're not normally a bone marrow fan, it won't win you over), the fries were crispy and decadent, and the baba ganoush was a great way to balance out some of the heavier items in our order. But it also definitely has some misses. The pork trotter entree was basically a heavy, carby-fat bomb. Pork trotters are naturally fatty, but this version was over the top. Basically it tasted like breaded and deep fried pork fat on a bun with aioli (more fat) and only a bit of arugula for contrast. Don't get me wrong, rich and decadent is generally my thing, but this was rich to the point of just tasting like fat. The fact that it came with a side of duck fat fries, also didn't help. I think this is generally a really heavy menu overall, which is fine if you're ordering just a few bar snacks or small plates to share among a big group, but it's hard if you're a table of 2 people trying to turn it into dinner. We wanted to try as many of the recommended items as we could, but the most memorable/recommended things were all pretty heavy and using them to create a meal was just too much. It didn't help that some of the lighter items on the menu, also tended to be things that are less exciting (like a panzanella) and that as a cook, I could quite frankly make at home. I think places like Green Zebra are proof that vegetables don't have to be boring and I would have loved some lighter but more interesting options to contrast with the heavier ones. The service was inconsistent. On one hand, our server was fabulous. She was friendly and attentive and even brought me some club soda and an extra cloth napkin when I idiotically got grease from my bone marrow all over me. Yet, at the same time, she was not very helpful when it came to navigating the menu. Despite making it clear we had never been there before and wanted recommendations about crafting a good meal and ordering an appropriate amount of food, we ended up with WAY too much. We were told that the amount of food was small enough that we'd have room for desserts when in reality we were pretty stuffed after the 3 small plates. I honestly don't think the small plates are that small, to me they were more like large appetizer portions. At a place like Green Zebra (also small plates) I'd order 3 things per person and walk away just barely full, here a similar # would be excessive. I think the problem is that because they insist you order everything at once it makes it harder to gauge your hunger level and portion size and adjust accordingly. I also would have appreciated her letting us know that the trotters came with fries because we would definitely NOT have also ordered fries as a small plate. That's way too much fries for two people. It's possible that since it was a daily special she didn't know either, but the least she could have done was commented on this when it came out and offered us a different side. Overall, I love the philosophy of this place (local produce, meats, and cheeses), the vibe, the cocktails, and the contents of the menu. I just think there is inconsistency in the quality of what is offered and that more lighter dishes (and exciting ones, not just plain salads) are needed if they want people to craft an entire dinner out of the menu. I walked away feeling like a I got a ton of food for my $120 (for two, plus tip) but wasn't as satisfied as I have been at other places that served me less. I think our meal was best summed up by a text my boyfriend sent me before bedtime, "I can't move with all that duck fat sloshing around."
(3)
Frank W.
There was a bit of a wait when we got here, but we had a great old time sitting up at the bar waiting. After all, the drinks and the appetizers are the stars here. I guess the duck fat fries have a pretty big rep, and it was well-earned. They were really quite great. The beer cheese was also good. Once we moved downstairs to our table, I sucked the marrow out of life or at least a few bones...Then I spread it on some bread. Why isn't that part of the cliche? Anwho, it was good, but too rich for my blood..har har. It also wasn't worth the horrified reaction of one of my friends when she'd heard that was how I spent my time in Chicago. Oh well. Had the burger as well. Wow, I ate a lot here! It was a solid "gourmet" hamburger, but mine are better at home. All in all, a great time at the Bristol despite the wait.
(4)
Cris S.
I'm sure some of the food is great, and indeed the duck fat fries are to die for. But the rest of what we ordered were so-so, and pretty damn expensive considering it was only potato gnocchi, and the serving was not even enough to fill one person halfway. Nice swanky place, though.
(3)
Wendy B.
It was OK - the portions are small and a tad overpriced. Everything tasted fine, though the menu is not terribly imaginative. I don't really get all of the hype. The service was excellent. Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to return.
(3)
Guy L.
We came in for Chef's week and the menu didn't appeal to us at first. Too 'exotic' for my taste. We were going to leave and one of the staff convinced is to stay and cater to us. Great service and personal touch. The food ended up being very good (chicken was amazing) and the ambiance is good too. Would definitely recommend.
(5)
Deb L.
We were only in Chicago for a few days and wanted to try The Frontera Grill - but alas - Rick Bayless' restaurant is closed Monday! So, a chef friend recommended The Bristol. Imagine our surprise, when hello! STAR SIGHTING!! - Rick Bayless showed up to dine - with his not super epicurean daughter and I believe his wife. Imagine that?! And here I was in Chicago - away from my normal star-studded Hollywood haunt! The flavors at The Bristol are bright, everything is served family style to share, but the portions are really not meant for more than two, maybe three. There was four in my party. My cucumber (cuc gui) cocktail was good, but a little more spa-watery and a little less inventive than the one I had at Graham Elliot the night before. The highlight of our menu was probably the bone marrow spread - nice and unctuous with a kicky marmalade and refreshing greens to accompany. The quail was just okay, nothing to sing about, though there was some interesting herbiness to the dishes like the pappardelle. The restaurant is relaxed and not loud or hectic. Overall, the plates were small but good - though I did walk away thinking about where to go get a late-night snack. Not sure this would be my first stop when back in Chicago.
(4)
Amy J.
My fiance and I decided to try the Bristol on Sun. night before Memorial Day. We got there around 8:00 just before it became packed and snagged a seat at the bar. It has a very warm and cozy almost an "up North" but still Urban feel to it. However I have to say I'm so over (well was never into) the communal table. WHY is everyone doing that? Oh well, that's why we grabbed the bar. We had yummy cocktails mine was a little too sweet but still fun, the elderflower and vodka something or other. Then we did the market green salad with a delicious tarragon dressing- I'm obsessed with tarragon lately and it was a great way to start the meal. We then went for the flat bread- more like a cracker but really good with a mild gooey cheese, carmelized onions and thick bacon. YUM! Then the duck fat fries- wow quite possibly the best...fries...ever and I would consider myself a french fry connoisseur :) Then for the medium dishes we did the snails which were very good, not too buttery, just very springy tasting. We wanted to try something a little adventerous so went with the pork heart. I really wanted to love it, I did love the flavors but couldnt get past the very chewy texture. However it looked beautiful and tasted really delicious- think that's just my opinion on eating heart. Yikes.
(4)
Grace L.
As a non meat-eater, I was glad to find a few veg-friendly options available without having to obnoxiously ask for substitutions. Our server was very good at highlighting all the vegetarian dishes to me. Lots of clean, simple and fresh flavors. Tarragon and fennel in the salad. Dill in the monkey bread dip. Mint and feta in the pappardelle (which had an amazing buttery and almost silky texture). Overall, it was an extremely palatable experience and makes me want to go home and preen my herb garden. About $70 for two people, including drinks, appetizer, salad, two entrees, dessert and coffee. Not bad!
(4)
Lisa M.
We went for brunch on a Saturday morning. My husband had the pancakes with ricotta and absolutely loved it! He talked about how good it was hours later. I had the biscuits with gravy. It was really good and totally different than anywhere else! Near the end, I got a sausage patty and I could taste some heat, but this wasn't present earlier. I enjoyed this, then tried some of their hot sauce which they had just put out a little earlier. Wow---what a kick! We will definitely return and maybe----maybe-- try something different. If not, we'll get the stuff we loved before. Also, the service was excellent , and we didn't have to compete with loud music to have a conversation. I would love to come back here for dinner as well, as the menu sounds great. This place is terrific!!!!!!
(5)
Karen N.
Went on a Thursday night at 6 p.m. Grandma hours, I know. We got a table easily. However, by 7 p.m., the place really started to fill up. I am definitely a fan of the bone marrow dish and the nutter butter with chocolate sabayon dessert.
(4)
Andrew W.
I went to the Bristol last night not knowing what to expect. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She had great knowledge of the menu and was able to describe the dishes very well. The menu was somewhat small but we had no trouble finding items to try. We really liked the Monkey Bread and the Steak. The Celery Root pasta dish was excellent. The Anchovy Flatbread was just okay.
(4)
Helena B.
American Macro Lager, eh? Sounds fancy. ...until you read that it is actually just a euphemism for Miller High Life. Though I refrained from imbibing said Macro brew, its disconnect between hype and substance pretty accurately sums up my overall impression of The Bristol. The beer menu - despite the abovementioned gaffe - was actually pretty decent. Dinner Companion and I had 4 different beers between us, each of which respectably "Micro" in terms of the brewery from whence it came. Time to order food. Before we start, our server informs us that they've already run out of a couple items. I understand that they order everything fresh, but being out of something by 7PM (well before the evening dining rush) seems a little... unprepared. The highlight of my dinner was something that wasn't actually on the menu, per se (Not *THAT*! Get your minds out of the gutter! Sheesh!). One entree was skirt steak with bleu cheese ravioli. The ravioli was intriguing, but neither of us wanted the skirt steak. No worries - they brought us a dish of just the ravioli (and only charged us $5!). Dessert. A chocolate mousse-y concoction and homemade nutter butters to share. Dining Companion is oddly demure in his first spoonful. Not I! I dig in full force. Oh sweet, chocolate-y... SALT...? Hrm... WHAT? Apparently, the top of the mousse-y thing was covered with sea salt. Yeah, I don't get it, either.... Blehhhh.... Thank goodness for the yummy nutter butters to clear my palate.
(3)
Shannon R.
Hard to review this place because I really enjoyed The Bristol in some respects. I'd have to give credit mostly though, to the company I was with. The restaurant's vibe is very cool and the service was good - informative, but not overbearing. I really enjoyed the cocktails I had. However, The Bristol helped me discover that charcuterie and bone marrow just aren't up my alley. And it was quite an expensive lesson I learned. Glad I tried it out, but I don't foresee any repeat visits in my future.
(2)
Brian W.
I love this place. I have probably eaten here at least 10 times, and I have never been disappointed. The food is fantastic. Great cocktails, lots of wine and beer to choose from, nice ambience, excellent service.
(5)
Allyson R.
Alright, I admit it; I was sucked in because of their recent publicity from Top Chef: Just Desserts. My brunch pal and I were incredibly pleased! The restaurant itself is very cute if not a tad bit bijou. I can overlook the space issue because our breakfast was delish. We both did a brunch cocktail and coffee. The staff was super attentive and I could barely drink down my cup before they would materialize to offer more. Try the scones and lemon curd; very well done! We tried the quiche and the biscuits and gravy. Everything was super tasty. I'd love to come back for dinner and will definitely return for another brunch experience.
(4)
Jennifer L.
I remember two things about this place: 1) They have St Germaine, and they have bubbly. This meant that I could order my favorite cocktail - the French 77. 2) The descriptions of the found sounded much better than the food actually tasted. For instance, my husband ordered some sort of chocolate dessert that had a nice topping, but once the topping was gone, he was left with custard that tasted exactly like a Jello pudding cup. But then, it's a new place. Maybe it'll improve. I haven't totally written them off yet.
(2)
Stephanie M.
We took some out of town guests to Bristol for dinner. We had dined with Bristol once before, for a birthday celebration. Our experience, both times, were enjoyable all around. A few of us arrived earlier than some of our guests. The host took our name and suggested we wait in the nice, comfortable loungelocated just upstairs from the restaurant. The bartender and the server (more like a bar-tending host, if that makes sense) made amazing suggestions. I could tell that they were knowledgeable on the cocktails and drinks they served as well as the liqueur that made up the cocktails. They were gracious hosts. For a light, not too sweet, cocktail I had a Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Grapefruit drink that was incredibly refreshing. I forget the name. When the other members of our group arrived, the downstairs host called the staff in the lounge to inform us of their arrival. Once our guests arrived, we moved to the dining room. If you have not been to or are not aware of the dining room at the Bristol, they have a few larger tables setup down the center of the restaurant and smaller tables around the perimeter. It is possible that more than one party may be seated at the large table. We never felt as though the parties seated next to us, were distracting or intruding. It was more comfortable than one may think. We ordered several appetizers. Mozzarella sticks, Buffalo Wings, Fried Calamari....no... not here! We had the Spiced Olives, Bone Marrow, Two orders of their famous Monkey bread, a cheese board, Flatbread and Duck Fat Fries. Did I mention that there were seven people in our party. The appetizer portions are perfect and enough for each person to sample. The flavors were amazing. At this point, I believe we were all very satisfied, but we pushed ourselves to order more because our guests wanted to sample the entrees. We sampled the Raviolo, the half chicken and the beef sausage. Extremely enjoyable. We finished off our dinners with their homemade Nutterbutters with Chocolate Sabayon. I enjoyed the nutterbutters more than the chocolate sabayon, but they compliment one another. Our server and bus staff were fantastic. They quickly refilled drinks and replaced our plates and flatware when appropriate. We never felt rushed. They allowed for us to take our time, enjoy our meals and each others company. Our guests were impressed and felt the experience overall was both relaxing and enjoyable.
(5)
Philip B.
Went on Saturday night with the gf, and with the excepted wait enjoyed some wine and beer cheese upstairs. The vibe was comfortable, and the drinks/bar snack tasty. There were plenty of people without feeling overly crowded. The wait was for dinner was just under an hour, which I was happy about after being quoted between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes. As we sat down the folks next to us had the nutter butter dessert, which looked great and they did rave about. Obviously I had to have some as well so we made sure not to be completely full by dessert. We ordered the buttered ramps, gnocchi, and soft shell crab. I enjoyed all, especially the crab. The gf liked the gnocchi the best. Then we got the nutter butter which was icing on the cake. Really I would be satisfied having three of them and calling it a meal. Ha :) Overall, it was great to taste the fresh ingredients, which is the concept around here. It is pricey so probably keep it to a nice Saturday night out or a special occasion. But I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)
Mill V.
I love this fucking place. DUCK FAT FRIES. OMFG they are good. They kick Hot Doug's wimpy fries ass. Couldn't make up mind ordering, love gigantic blackboard. Our lovely waitress let us try cattail since we couldn't make up our minds. I got goat crappciao. It was dynomite. The salad with it, was it wheat berries and almonds I think? Well the texture of it was amazing. With the goat ...YUM! My friend got the apple salad which was just as good! Apple salad that's good? YUP! My friend got the pork belly sammie, and I stared at with envy. I got Pasta Carbonara with ramps. It was overly salted and peppered, other than that is was ok. Sorry, my Pasta Carbonara can kick it's ass. But everything else was steller. I would go back in a flash. Like now, seriously.
(4)
Becca M.
They have a pretty decent brunch. Tried the hangover breakfast, it was very different from anything I've ever had. If you like to try new things, this is for you, its made of noodles, some kind of sausage, topped with an egg and a great sause. However, if you're REALLY hungover, I can see this making your day a little more painful. Very cute set-up inside, have not yet tried dinner here, but would deff be worth a try!
(3)
Cynthia L.
Totally utterly tasty! Go now. Don't even finish reading my review before you head over there. They don't take reservations. But we decided to try our luck tonight. We had great success and snagged two seats at the bar. I love sitting at the bar. Maybe that makes me weird. I'm not really comfortable at communal tables yet lately they seem to be all the rage - Grocery Bistro, Urbanbelly, Publican and now Bristol. Every dish was tasty! I can't believe it but it was all tasty. We had the scotch olives stuffed with pork sausage. What could be wrong with that? Love it. Next we had joey's soppresata! Super yummy, homemade, not fatty, and very very meaty! The spice was perfect - a little tingle on the tongue but not overpowering. The ricata salata and roasted peaches accentuated the soppresata. Next was the bone marrow. TO DIE FOR...literally. Love it and they cut the bone marrow lengthwise for you so you can get every last morsel of its goodness. It comes with a shallot jam and pickeled beans/parsley. Both were great additions to the salty, creamy texture of the bone marrow. We also ordered the raviolo - be prepared that egg yolk gently oozes out of this ENORMOUS ravioli. It's heaven!! Brown butter, egg yolk, ricotta and some herb....so tasty! I died and went to heaven tonight. Lastly we ended with chocolate sabayon with HOMEMADE nutter butters. The nutter butters were absolutely decadent and when dipped into the sabayon....AHHHHHHH I see the light and I'm walking towards it. Seriously, it's on out-of-body experience. Steve was our mixologist and I had the Koi Pond and the White Peach. Both were stiff and tasty! Amazing! Great job Steve! There are two negatives to this place - first they ran out of their snails by the time we got there - BOO. The second is that my husband thinks that there is not a big enough selection for dinner. But I tried to tell him that it's gastropub fare not your standard steak and potatoes fare. Love it here. Will return. Absolutely tasty.
(5)
cassie r.
Pleasantly, blissfully full. That's how I left The Bristol last night - a tribute to a night of amazing food. The mostly rave reviews of fellow Yelpers convinced me to try this place, and I'm glad I did. We got there about 6 p.m. on Sunday night, and got right in (great time to go, apparently). Their drink list is pretty decent, I ended up ordering a phenomenal Finland Porter that made a great pairing to my meal. We started with the monkey bread and I'm glad we did - yum! I could certainly pass on the dill sauce though - just a tad bland for me. A little bit of butter and salt is all you need for such fan-frickin-tastic bread. We then tried the cheese board - a perfect pairing of bleu cheese, ricotta and some sort of parmesany cheese, with crackers and dates. A good amount for two people to share. I then had the quail, roasted potatoes and hints of maple flavoring (I'm guessing butter) - it wasn't fall-off-your-chair great, but not bad. The end of the meal was the highlight - I can't remember the name of the dessert I ordered, but I do remember it was pumpkin flavored custardy goodness. Paired with a 10 year tawny port and I was in heaven. In addition, the service was prompt and the waitress was well versed in how the food was prepared. This place has definitely earned it's place on my my list of favorite Chicago restaurants.
(4)
Kyle L.
My girlfriend and I were trying to have dinner at Duchamp, but they were having a gathering of 10K runners, so we walked up the street a block, and strolled on into The Bristol. We arrived at 7:15pm, so I was surprised that they could seat us. Our initial impression is that it was a "warm" place with wooden tables, and metal chairs. Unfortunantly, we got put at one of the "communal" tables, but spent the majority of the evening alone, before they started to get busier. I wasn't a big fan of having to engage in conversation with some strangers, but what the heck......it was only for the latter part of the experience. They shook spectacular martini's (dirty), with ice on top, just like I like it. And my girlfriend ordered a cucumber drink (Cuc-Cai) that was fantastic. She claims it is her favorite drink. Our food was nothing short of spectactular. The Cheese Board was a bit pricey (16), for the simplicity of it, but it still was well prepared and presented. The Snails were amazing....I couldn't quite put my finger on the green sauce they use, so I asked, and come to find out it's some type of leaf (HIllet?) that gives it, it's color. And the best for last...we ordered the Rotisserie Chicken. Chicken is not something you can normally 'spice it up" and make it fancy, but this was by far some of the best chicken I've ever had. I thought the waiter was a bit 'quick', and "brash", but I guess that comes with the quick pace there. Although if I were to suggest anything, I'd say that they need to '86' the communal tables. It felt cluttered. All in all, this was a great place, and a wonderful dining experience.
(4)
Malcolm L.
If good intentions were everything The Bristol would win the highest praise. The concept is bold and intriguing; their commitment is beyond question, and they have complete buy-in from the staff. The problem is that, after such a big build-up, the results are less than earthshaking. The concept is on-site butchery of whole animals. The object is to attain the freshest, best quality cuts of meat. The charcuterie promises to be without parallel. Along with the freshest vegetables from local farms, you are looking at a terrific platform from which to build stunning meals, mind-bogglingly fresh and delicious, promising the subtleties and nuances that only the freshest ingredients can impart. Thus, there is a blackboard menu that changes daily depending on whatever they happen to be hewing at the moment, along with a regular menu that touts the house favorites. Our waiter told us enthusiastically about a lamb that had just arrived. Yet a quick perusal of the blackboard menu revealed only a single high priced lamb dish. Where was the rest of the lamb? I asked. The waiter was evasive. Okay. So we ordered fried crispy sardines with spicy green tomatoes to start with. It came with fried lemons, which were not mentioned on the menu. But okay. The fried lemons had almost no flavor. There were like fried pieces of flavored breading. The sardines, on the other hand, had plenty of flavor. Too much, in fact. The powerful fish flavor overwhelmed the breading, making it superfluous. The spicy green tomatoes also struck with a burst of zesty flavor but one totally unrelated to the sardines. This was a poorly thought out dish. The roast sweetbreads with cranberry mustard sunchoke and candied pistachios took a run at the edgy dish of the moment, a daring interplay of sweetbreads with actual sweets, accomplished to perfection at Schwa, but here not nearly enough to make you sit up and take notice. The pull apart monkey bread with dill butter and sea salt was fun, the kind of thing that Applebees is looking to add to their menu, but inadequate as a signature dish at a restaurant as ambitious as the Bristol. The parmesan crusted sausage with wilted greens was decent, but nothing remarkable. For all of the potential inherent in The Bristol's daring concept, the execution was less than expected. If the patrons aren't completely sold, the staff certainly is. Our waiters not only sung the praises of the restaurant but did so theatrically and repeatedly, using every opportunity to whip us into a froth about what was about to land in front of us. Notice that I say "waiters" in the plural as we were virtually accosted by three different servers who kept interrupting our conversation to make sure we were enjoying what we were eating. I can only imagine what kind of histrionics would've ensued had I said what I was thinking: that I could get something very like, but better, at Hot Chocolate. I kept mum. I am always a bit harder on restaurants that excite me and fall short. Had I been expecting much less and gotten what they served me at The Bristol I would be praising them to the rafters. But I was expecting much more and their waitstaff only reinforced my lofty expectations with their hand wringing and gushing, leading me to the conclusion that The Bristol does not live up to its own hype.
(3)
Kelsey K.
We came here for a birthday. It was good, but not the best in the city for the price. I would definitely go back, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to head there. Although, I did really like way that they wrote on the walls with chalk. That's really cool and I super dig it.
(4)
Nick S.
Went here recently for a first date since neither of us had been before and it was in between our neighborhoods. Wow. We had dinner at the bar and opted not to sit in the communal tables in the center - the sound carries and during peak times you have to lean in to hear each other to carry a conversation at times, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how everything is going. I can only imagine what it would be like sitting at the tables in middle. The goat sausage was excellent and even the spring salad that came with it. Portions were a little small for what some may expect but I wasn't completely starving and it was the perfect amount. Great Lakes Burning River on tap and a selection of wine for those who are inclined. The bill was close to $100 for an appetizer, two entrees, and 3-4 glasses of wine and 3-4 beers. We may have had more drinks but I can't remember. The location is easy enough to catch a cab or you could even walk to a nearby pub to close out the evening.
(5)
Sunny R.
I've been meaning to try The Bristol since first hearing the hype, and when I finally did last weekend it did not disappoint. The space is beautiful, the food is innovative and delicious, and the service is worth signing into Yelp to sing their praise. Go now! Enjoy the experience and order the chicken.
(5)
Alex F.
So happy this place is close. Great food? Check! Great service? Check! Great drinks? Check! Love the tables and decor too. Check and check! What more could a girl ask for!
(4)
Christine D.
I loved my first meal here so much I had my wedding reception here. The food, drinks, and service were all incredible. I can not get enough of the monkeybread with the dill butter emulsion. All of the cocktails are made with love. I could not get enough of the pierogis at our reception. The menu changes with the seasons as it should. YUM.
(5)
Car M.
Every time I come here I love it more. When I first visited, I had to look at the menu for a few minutes before I could recognize anything I wanted to try... this is a good thing. They have daring combinations that dazzle your mouth. 50% of the menu changes daily depending on what's in season. It is all perfectly prepared. If they have the mussels on the menu when you go, get it! Make sure you don't miss the raviolo or the nutter butters with chocolate for dessert. It's a great date place and a great place to catch up with good friends.
(5)
Aly W.
All around a wonderful experience! Service was amazing from the moment we walked in. Host was gracious and everyone greeted us as we were seated. Our server couldn't have been more helpful, knowledgeable, or considerate. The food was fantastic as well - highly recommend the chicken and wagyu tartare. Atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. You won't be disappointed!
(5)
Janette W.
A friend sent me a list of restaurant suggestions to check out and as soon as I looked at the Bristol's menu I knew I wanted in. Fast forward to Thursday night and it's packed inside. But it was only a short wait before our party of three was seated. First things first, I loved the feel of this place. It felt like my house only more romantically lit, louder and obviously filled with better food. We ordered: The E.L.T.- eel glazed with balsamic served tempura-style. I normally feel meh about eel but I really enjoyed this dish. prawns with anchovy butter-- a good choice but when they served all the plates at once, this one got cold too fast. Cheese board- great selection cavatelli- can't ever go wrong with something to soak up the wine ravioli-- came as one massive ravioli which was a little jarring but amazing taste pork porterhouse-- a standout dish! The serving was massive and so good I wanted to take it out to the bar in my purse and nibble on it all night long. The cherry sauce that it came with really was amazing. monkey bread- it's bread. The wine selection was affordable and plentiful. I found the sommelier really, really nice and not pretentious at all. I was a BIG fan of our waiter and the best part of the meal may have been the house made limoncello!
(4)
Kristin M.
I'd be wiling to try The Bristol again, but only if I happen to be in the area and am just wanting drinks. The food was just so-so, the lighting was so dim we had to use the light from our phones to read the menu, and we were seated almost 30 mins. past our 8:30pm reservation. We sat in the upstairs area and had a drink at the upstairs bar while we waited. The cocktails are solid, though I would probably go to The Violet Hour instead for a more comfy ambiance, given the comparable prices. We tried the duck fat fries (nothing super unique), the leek vinaigrette salad (not really worth it in my opinion), the American cheese board (pretty large hunks of cheese but nothing that different), and the pork porterhouse (huge portion of meat). This is one of those 'sharing' places, so that's encouraged, and the portion sizes are fairly generous for the starters and mains. Our server was friendly, though it was a different staff member who brought out our dishes each time. She seemed very rushed and hurried through the descriptions of each dish. I wanted to ask again what cheese was on the board, as I missed the first one, but she already turned and walked away before I could say anything. Would have been nice if the explanations of the dishes weren't so brusque and left time for us to ask questions. We felt pretty hurried and were happy to leave when we got the check.
(2)
Alice H.
Driven by this place a bunch of times, and I always thought this place was bar food so I passed it up. Boy, was I missing out! My brother introduced me to the place, and it is sooo good! For starters, we had the monkey bread with dill butter and head on prawns. I love that the monkey bread comes apart in perfectly sized pieces for dipping into that yummy melted butter. I never thought that dill would be the perfect complement to a bread, but it tastes so good. The head on prawns are juicy, crunchy and flavorful. Loved munching on these! For the final course, we had a couple of the new summer items, but what really stood out was the chicken. The skin was crispy and the chicken was moist. It sat a bed of yummy spaetzle. I literally thought about this chicken the whole following week, and made a point to make dinner reservations here again the following week. I really like that everything can be shared. I thought everything was really reasonably priced for what you got. All in alll, the atmosphere is classic and cool with wood paneling and nicely designed light bulbs that hang from the ceiling. I really enjoyed the whole experience! I can't wait to try the duck fat fries the next time I go.
(5)
Rachel B.
Stopped in for Restaurant Week, but opted out of the featured menu. Their regular menu looked much more appetizing. Service was great. I am a martini snob and was perplexed when the waiter told me they didn't have Tanqueray- he recommend another gin and I was (uncharacteristically) pleased with the substitution. Everything he subsequently recommended was delicious, and the only disappointments were items we chose on our own. Point is- the staff knows their shit, so take heed! The run-down: - "bones": not sure what other reviews were griping about, ours were delicious! Nicely seasoned, crispy like a good pan fried steak, and the lime really set off the flavor of the dish. Out favorite, along with the.... - beef heart tartar: my girlfriend dislikes tartar because she finds it too fatty and tough, but I talked her into this and she was forever thankful. Absolutely delicious- tender and melt-in-your mouth. Moral of the story: unless you have your heart set on something particular, trust your server and take recommendations. You won't regret it!
(4)
Katie V.
Let me say first off that the food was good. And our server was a sweetie. But the restaurant/server were in the weeds to an extent that was unacceptable tonight. Even for a Saturday night. And this is coming from a veteran host and server. We had a reservation for 8:30 pm. We were seated at 9:05. The hostess was fairly graceful in handling this, but nothing was offered to us while we waited. Then from 9:05 to 9:30, we sat at our table with water. We didn't get to place a drink order until 9:30, an hour after our reservation. That to me is simply absurd. By 9:30, I expected to be eating, not just ordering my first cocktail. First cocktail arrived at 9:45. We didn't actually start eating till after 10. I was starving and grumpy -- can you blame me? The pacing of the meal, once it finally started, was fine - a bit slow, but fine for a busy Saturday night. But the fact that we waited an entire hour before even being able to order, much less receive, a drink, is ridiculous. Nothing was taken off our bill, nothing was sent out as an apology for the fact that we waited 30 minutes for our reserved table, and even worse, almost another 30 before anyone took our drink order. Come on, guys. Comp a friggin' dessert at least. So regardless of how tasty the food was, I don't plan to ever return. There are too many other spots in Chicago worth my time and money. I had an 8:30 res, I thought I would be finishing my meal around 10-10:30 (we were a deuce, not a big party). Instead I found myself exhaustedly paying for a $200 meal (with tip) close to midnight. Not okay.
(2)
Trina J.
Small plates, Big flavor. Not sure how they are able to pull it off but they have created some great dishes using the farm to table concept. Maybe it's the concept, or the pairings or the variety. I would like to think it is a combination of all of those things coupled with the dark, chic feel. If you have poor vision, you'll feel at ease because even those with 20/20 have trouble reading because it is pretty dark. Guess that makes this a good place to take a not so attractive date OR your girlfriend when you do not want her to see the guilt in your eyes from last night's tryst and the passion marks on your neck to prove it. (Remember those? ... It's a good thing people have moved away from popping blood vessels on one another). I dined with a group of six. A week night dinner that led to 3 hours of great food and lots of conversation. The cocktails played a part in that. After all, there are very few people who are fun and interesting when sober. If they are and you are able to make this assessment when you are not liquored up, consider yourself lucky and either handcuff yourself to them or marry them. Or take/invite them to this place because it's a spot filled with cool kind of people. No lames allowed. Out of 11 items, there were only 2 that I would pass on. Here's the recap: Charred Broccoli Salad - 5 stars Peaches and Soppressata - 7 stars Duck Fat Fries - 4 stars Monkey Bread - 4 stars Smoked Carrot Salad - 2.5 stars Cavatelli - 6 stars Boneless Chicken Wings - 5 stars Ricotta Cheesecake Brulee - 4 stars Root Beer Float - 2 stars Basque Cake - 4 stars Homemade nutter butters (Some peanut butter tasting cookie with chocolate dipping sauce) - 4.5 stars All of this food for only $165. You can't beat that with a bat. If they left a few items off the check by mistake, who cares! That's what some Christians call a blessing. Let's cross our fingers and hope you get the hook up/free food/blessing too. ... But bring a few extra dollars just in case they put my Cavetelli on your bill.
(4)
Geoffery H.
This place is in my neighborhood and my Wife and I love it, we take all of our family that comes in town here. We have a hard time going anywhere else on because we know we will get great food consistently. I really like the seating it is pretty close to the table next to you but we have had conversations with people sitting by us that were very enjoyable, it is a good crowd that the place attracts.
(5)
Matt W.
Amazing food and phenomenal service. The wagyu tartare as an appetizer was a highlight. And the half chicken was incredible--don't avoid it thinking you can get chicken anywhere, this dish is on another level. And the service was top notch. Extremely helpful staff at all positions. Great experience.
(5)
Joy H.
Wonderful experience
(4)
Jen Z.
By far my favorite brunch place in Chicago. Had the chicken and biscuits with a French pressed coffee and everything was perfect. The service, food and experience stood out in such a positive way. The tables are a bit close together but our group got to talking and it was never an issue. Love this place.
(5)
Eric Y.
Went here for brunch. The place is small and the entryway is super tight and it's very awkward if you're going in and someone's coming out. Oops, sorry, excuse me, watch your toes! On a cold April Saturday at noon the place is about 1/2 full. My brunch companion was a bit late but I was seated anyhow. There's one room with a bar on one side. It has a hipster vibe and a pretty young crowd. It's pretty loud. For brunch there is a smallish menu with some twists on brunch standards. I had the chilaquiles which was nicely textured and came with a slab of pork belly. It was tasty but could have benefitted from something green - maybe some avocado? My friend had the strata which was nicely crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. It was pleasantly cheesy and was served with a salad. It's a nice light choice. We looked around and others had the chicken and biscuit which appeared hefty and the smoked ham benedict that looked pretty standard. Overall the main issue here was the slow service. I waited quite a long time to be asked about coffee, and our food took longer than it should have to arrive.
(3)
Elizabeth H.
This is a great, nicer neighborhood restaurant. We shared several dishes amongst the table, including the roasted chicken (the spaetzle was incredible, and the chicken so moist!), the pierogis, duck fat fries and a mushroom vegetarian dish. The vegetarian dish was a little lackluster - I'm all for healthy vegetable-centered dishes, but this seemed overpriced for the literal plate of cooked mushrooms and kale. The best dish of the night was the smoked carrot salad. The beautiful ribbons of various colored carrots along with the crispy kale on top of the hearty barley base was perfect - I was sad I didn't order one all for myself! The rest of the food was solid if only a hair too salty. I'd definitely return to try more of the menu.
(4)
Kevin C.
My dining experience was summed up in a simple sentence: great company and cocktails, crappy steak. Unfortunate the entree had to end the night with a whomp, whomp feeling. The former dishes forecast a great ending. Seated promptly for our reservation, drinks were ordered, which came out after a little wait. A wait where you start making snotty comments. But our server was on top of the menu, dishes to share, how many to order, and provided insight on the whisky drink I was looking for. Spot on. The eats: heirloom tomato salad; ok start off with something light, creamy cheese, farm fresh tomatoes head-on prawns; seafood and butter duck fat fries; need I say more? hanger steak; dry, near over cooked, chewy Let me explain on the hanger steak. I am aware this isn't a prime cut of beef and isn't the most tender. The addition of sunflower seed romesco, green onion fregula, and charred onions certainly helped the cause. I expected more for for the price ($26) because it left me wondering why a. better cut of meat wouldn't have been used b. we were brought out a complimentary broccoli salad, hmm. Boneless chicken wings and the arctic char were 86'd on a Friday night. Two items I would have definitely argued for ordering. A bit of a bummer. Overall its a great spot for an intimate night out. Not sure it was enough for me to strongly recommend heading back for another round.
(4)
Ed J.
So the bf is now the husband, Vday dinner here yesterday which was a fantastic surprise since this place was the first bday surprise i had for him 5 yrs ago. Anyway, still love the food, love the service,love the ambiance. Had the: monkey bread-still delicious 5/5 scallops-5/5 beef wellington-5/5-delicious rare bottom line, it was great. sorry this was sitting in my drafts for a bit.GO!
(5)
Steve P.
I salivate just thinking about their menu. Bristol doesn't fit every budget but when it does it's worth every penny.
My husband and I went here for the first time last night, and several times during our meal one of us looked at the other and asked, "Why haven't we been here sooner?" Everything was impeccable. Every single dish we tried -- from the addictive monkey bread to the perfectly prepared pasta -- was so delicious and so lovingly prepared. The servers were incredibly nice and attentive, without being intrusive. The ambience was warm and inviting. The cocktails, the wine, even the spotless bathroom -- not one thing disappointed. And I would happily inhale the basque cake every day for the next month.
(5)
Kristen D.
Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious. All the raves are true - especially the Raviolo. We had a lot of different dishes that we tried, and I'd say that my second favorite behind the Raviolo was the Heirloom Tomato Salad. The reason that I would not return is because I am not a huge fan of getting a ton of plates to share that each cost about the amount of what an entree would cost at many other (not as nice) restaurants. I was more worried about people getting an ample amount to taste the dish while still filling up just a little bit. By the end of dinner, we ended up with a hefty check between only 4 of us, and I still could have gone and eaten a burger somewhere. Delicious, but not quite my style. And definitely do not come here with a group of hungry people unless it's pay day.
(3)
Erika R.
Service and atmosphere was pretty stuffy but duck fat fries were delish. Pricey drinks but that's too be expected downtown.
(2)
Taylor B.
This place has not stopped getting awards since opening day. Precise balance of service & shareable plates. I would order too much rather than too little--trust me, it's worth it. Enjoy & order a shot of malort :)
(5)
Andy T.
The pork roast with lentils was delicious The americano cocktail was not what I expected - it tasted more like a pisco sour versus a drink with any kind of americano flavour Overall a positive experience and great atmosphere. Though I thought the metal chairs were quite uncomfortable
(4)
Corey F.
Nicely picked beer selection....ordered the tempura avocado, paired well with the harissa dipping sause.. the cucumber panzanella with blue fish conserva worked well, very fresh.. the raviolo was a stand out to me. Finished with the chorizo entree... nor as good as expected but edilble... the restaurant has a great vibe and was really digging the scene at 9pm on a Sunday night.
(4)
Zimin M.
Loved the deco and atmosphere. Food was good but nothing exciting on the menu. Overpriced experience
(3)
Pascal M.
Tore dis' place da' fuuuuuug' up for my birthday last year! Straight from the farm ingredients and utilizing every aspect of the animal is their game. Damn, think they even used the cow's soul as a garnishment on one of my eyebrow raising cocktails. This said, the menu is ever changing, all while keeping some staples on or tweaking them a touch with that freshness. Therefore, always giving you a reason to go back, semi-daily... I cant recall everything we ordered. 10-12 people basically ordered the entire menu, twice. Highlights were the monkey bread (our server Eliot was spot on by telling us to dip it in the butter sauce of the ravioli, sheyyyyyyit!), salads that were fresher than a newborns ass, awesome small plates, drawl' changing worth pastas, and some large format plates that are great to share and really show case some great ingredients Come thirsty bustas'. Bristol's crew knows how to throw down. You don't like their drinks, then you should go back to your blue balls and vodka. Didn't have any beer, since I'm employed by a craft beer bar, but I was also impressed by their selection. Lotta' great stuff could be paired will with their thoughtful and balanced food. My boy Eliot even hit me with some house made malort at the end I think. I asked em' for somethin' rough, and he came through. Hell, the whole place came through. Can't wait to come back. Especially for brunch!
(5)
E S.
I really wanted to super LOVE this place because the reviews are awesome and the ambiance was close to perfect. However I don't think the food was really anything special, which is why I'm giving it just 3 stars. It was definitely "a-ok" and I would want to try them for dinner again, but I probably wouldn't go back for brunch anytime soon. My husband and I split the cinnamon roll, which was the only delicious item that we tried and I would want again. For our entrees, my husband got the chilaquiles and I got the quiche. The quiche was really watery and the flavor wasn't that great. I much prefer the breakfast quiche at GT Fish and Oyster. My husband's chilaquiles were also sub-par. They just didn't taste good, and his dish also came out quite some time AFTER my dish came out, and the dishes of our companions. So by the time I ate my dish, it was cold (because we were waiting on him to receive his dish before we all started eating). Like I said, the ambiance was really cool. Very relaxed, cheerful, unpretentious and cozy. But the food wasn't great enough to make me go back anytime soon.
(3)
S N.
Pros: High quality food and great atmosphere. Cons: smaller menu, higher price I found the ambiance to be fantastic, and bartender to be friendly and professional. Had an issue with our server pushing us to order more than we wanted to run up the bill and is the only reason that I originally gave them 3 stars. After writing my review, I was contacted immediately by management, who inquired about how they can rectify the situation. The management's prompt and courteous response to our problem proved to me that they care very much about their customer's satisfaction. I will definitely return and recommend to friends.
(4)
Jim M.
Great place. Inventive and delicious. The decor is what you would expect for a modern themed restaurant and they had these great metal chairs that glided across the floor when you wanted to get up. As for the food, everything we ordered was wonderful, except for the eel which was okay, but in comparison to everything else not up to par. The peach salad was very tasty, and new to me. And the prawns were absolutely delicious. For an entree I ordered the Atlantic char and that was phenomenal. Possibly the best fish I have ever had. I tried the cavatelli pasta that my friend ordered and also found it to be tremendous. The only thing that stops me from giving this place 5 stars is the fact that I was still a bit hungry after the meal. I know, I know it is kind of a nit-picky complaint considering the type of place we were in but... still. All in all great place though, excellent spot.
(4)
William B.
We had an excellent brunch here -- good coffee, good mix of sweet (rhubarb-glazed donut, whole-wheat pancake) and savory (crispy fries; modest burger with smoked gouda and duck confit). My only real complaint about the food would be that it's pretty much what you would expect from an excellent brunch restaurant. However, there were two things about the Bristol that are definitely *not* standard for my experience, however much I wish they were. 1, they take reservations (and via OpenTable, no less!); 2, the bill for four, after tax, was only $70. For that, I am forgiving.
(4)
Colleen P.
We didn't know what to expect, but made reservations on Open Table for our 2nd anniversary. Not only did they put us in a cozy quiet table, but they had an anniversary card there that had been signed by the entire staff. Such a nice touch that created a sweet atmosphere from the beginning. Our server was lovely, and the food was exquisite. We started with the monkey bread and dill butter (YUM) and the fried brussels sprouts (some of the best I've ever had) and then the raviolo with ricotta and spinach covered in a delectable lemon-brown butter sauce -- we were licking the spoon. For our main, we had the chorizo/pork skin/green bean dish and it was delicious. Finally, the dessert was the caramel bar with nougat ice cream, and we were NOT disappointed. All in all the ambiance is great, the service was delightful and the food was a pleasant taste experience one dish after another. We will be back for sure!
(5)
Kim B.
Good food but the prices are a little too high, in my opinion. Each plate is meant for sharing but if you have more than 2 people dining there's only enough for each person to have one bite. They also recommend ordering 1-2 plates per person which adds up very quickly. Best dishes of the night included the monkey bread, duck fat fries, roasted chicken, chitarra and basque cake. Not-so-great dishes were the snap peas and tartare. We also tried the raviolo, and chocolate cremeux with nutter butters. I'm not sure if I would come back just because the bill for our dinner for 3 was a little too high considering we weren't blown away by the food.
(3)
Matt S.
Just ate dinner with 2 friends at The Bristol and we loved it. It was a snowy night and they have valet parking which helped-we wait awhile but it was worth it. The decor is very simple and it's a little dark inside, but it's a cool building. We sat downstairs but were told that there was an upstairs, we didn't go see it. Everything is meant to be shared and so our server was extremely helpful in telling us what to get. Her suggestions were 4 starters, 2 pastas and 2 mains. We decided on 4 starters, 3 pastas and 2 mains. They had some good cocktails, beers and wines to choose from. One person in our party got Reisling and her fiance got the Dark & Stormy and Moscow Mule (liked both), my wife got the Poire & Elderflower and Dark & Stormy (loved the Poire & Elderflower, I tried it and it was great) and I got 3 Alpha Kings which was on draught. For our dishes: Starters Duck Fat Fries-excellent with the homemade ketchup and garlic aioli Carrot Salad-really good and the kale chips were fantastic Glazed Cauliflower-great flavor and even though I hate cauliflower it was great Prawns-weakest of the starters and i wouldn't do it again, they were difficult to eat Pastas Agnolotti-could really taste the celery, but overall good-probably wouln't repeat Raviolo-amazing, just an amazing flavor and I would highly recommend it Pappardelle-fantastic flavor and would highly recommend it Mains Sauteed Mushrooms-dish has a chickpea fritter which actually felt like tofu as you ate it, really good and was blown away because I was skeptical at first Roasted Half Chicken-based on our servers recommendation, really good and lived up to it's billing Dessert Basque Cake-We split it with the 4 of us...it was good but not the best dessert I have ever had, I think we would try something else All in the bill ran about $240 minus tip for 4 people....thought it was worth every penny and we'll be back in the future
Seeing the great reviews, I was hoping for a high-class treat. The reality? Meh. Let's start with atmosphere. We sat upstairs, which looks lovely with exposed brick and faux wood laminate flooring on the walls and steel chairs. All of the hard surfaces make it an excellent echo chamber, and while I had to strain to hear my date, we could catch every word out of the braying donkey woman at the table behind us. The low lighting made the menu difficult to read. But the server was helpful and recommended the number and sizes of plates, and assured us that, if we ordered everything at once, the kitchen would pace the meal for us. We got the monkey bread, and it was warm and soft with nice dill butter, and tasted JUST LIKE the Brown & Serve rolls my aunt insists on making every family holiday- exceptionally soft, textureless, and flavorless. I'm easily bribed by carbs, but I was expecting something a little less Straight From My Grocer's Freezer. Next up was the smoked carrot with sumac yogurt. The smoke flavor was unsubtle, as if the three precious curls of carrot (for $15, one carrot must be stretched to make at least 5 dishes) had been dipped in Liquid Smoke (tm). The sumac yogurt was a mere smear on the plate, and difficult to find (see above re: lighting), further unbalancing the dish as it was a mystery treasure hunt to get all of the aspects together into one bite. Next up: aged ribeye. This was absolutely lovely. Very tender, nice flavor to the sauce. It's what got them the second star in this review. We ordered trout as the main course. It took nearly a half-hour after the small beef plate (a half-hour of Braying Donkey Woman getting into her cups). The side was a small wedge of grilled butter lettuce, which had all the flavor and sogginess of grilled water. The clincher- after that long wait, the trout was horribly undercooked. Due to the terrible lighting, we found out when we took a nauseating, squelching bite of warm, raw fish. It was a disappointing end to a disappointing evening. We opted to not continue with the rest of the meal. I don't mind paying a premium for excellent food and service, but this was neither. It smacked of pretension, like the chef is trying too hard to be New and Different, while also trying too hard to Look Casual About Everything. I wish them success, but they're not for me.
(2)
Gabrielle A.
Wow. My boss and his wife took me and my husband here for dinner one night and it was an unexpected surprise. I've seen this place plenty of times but never been until last month. This place was incredible. The atmosphere is intimate and classy. These is a elegant rustic vibe, dim lighting, beautiful wood tables and lights. The place is small, but it is apart of its charm. The bathroom is nice and clean. My husband has a peanut allergy so we are cautious when trying new places but our waitress was a pro. Excellent service, I wish I knew the young girls name I would give her a shout out, but she was on top of it. We practically ordered the whole menu because you can eat family style there and at times I didn't even know what I was eating but it was all fantastic. I'm taking my parents here this week while they are in town! Five stars!!
(5)
Natalie T.
This place was a huge bummer. I gave it two stars because we had an awesome, attentive server that was really knowledgeable of the different menu items. He was great at checking in on us even when the place with packed. Also, I really liked the overall ambiance of the restaurant. Dark, cozy, and comfortable. I gave it only two stars because the food and drinks were extremely underwhelming. We ordered the Smoked Carrot Salad, which was honestly my favorite mediocre thing we ate, and "Fried Bones" for starters. The "Fried Bones" was just like eating a chicken wing from any other wing joint. Nothing special or interesting. For one of our main dishes we ordered the Potato Pierogis. The potato filling had no flavor at all and it tasted like they had just sat in a tub of greasy butter for a while before arriving at our table. Our other main dish was the Pork Shank, which was described as having this awesome glaze and sounded delicious on the menu. When it arrived, it was really dry on the inside, and again, lacked any memorable flavor. Overall, I was really disappointed with my meal and felt sad when I saw the bill. I won't be going back to The Bristol, especially since there are so many other fantastic places to eat in Chicago.
(2)
Melissah L.
I REALLY wanted to give this place 5-stars... the food is definitely prepared with the freshest ingredients, the ambiance is wonderful and the service is top-notch, but I think I may have ordered the wrong food or something because something was missing this morning! My boyfriend and I ordered the pork chilaquiles, duck fat fries, biscuits and gravy and doughnuts-- and we found that the chilaquiles and duck fat fries were way too salty. My boyfriend actually mentioned something about feeling his heart racing because of all the salt in our food. My biscuits and gravy were wonderful and the donuts had that perfect doughtnutty texture, but I think next time (there will be a next time, of course) I will try something more traditional for breakfast.
(3)
Karolina M.
Good, drinks, atmosphere, and service were great. Exactly what a romantic/chill night out should be.
(5)
Angelito B.
We had reservation at 11:00 and arrived on time. There were open tables available but we had to wait 35 minutes (at 11:35) to be seated because others (who were not there yet even at 11:45) had reservation. Been to more exclusive and highly rated restaurants but never had this experience. When i made reservation and my party arrived, the table would be waiting because they made sure that a table would be ready for my party. Why reserve a table when even walk-ins may be seated ahead of you? It would have been fine if the food was great but it was NOT. It is ordinary and I would say nothing to boast about. Potatoes were too salty and burnt. Will not go back at all. Wasted my time going.
(1)
Susie L.
You know.. I was really surprised by this place. Walked 10 mins over on a snowy Wed night and it was packed - always a good sign. It's a smaller, cozy restaurant. We ordered the smoked carrot salad, scallops (the bf), the half chicken, porgy, and everything was amazing. The spaetzle on the chicken was different, and very tasty. The duck fat fries at all the tables around us also looked great. I also had the smoked sicilian manhattan cocktail.. very strong! and very good! Great for couples and smaller groups.
(5)
Stephanie W.
We went to the Bristol during restaurant week and did their tasting menu with wine parings. It was great. We really enjoyed the quiet but comfortable and modern interior, dark and intimate. The highlights of the menu were the Smoked Carrot Salad, the Leek Salad, and the Pear Trifle (AMAZING). The wine parings were also excellent and paired beautifully with the food. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and wines, I enjoyed her descriptions and our dining experience with her. The only thing preventing me from #fivestarring is that they were pretty stingy on the wine pours, for a relatively high wine cost. That being said - the wines were so good, we just bought another glass - just wished it wouldn't have been so pricey for what we usually drink with dinner.
(4)
Oenophile X.
What an amazing spot.. Loved the entire experience here. Monkey Bread served warm with a silky smooth dill butter to dip. The flavors compliment each other wonderfully. We moved on to the sausage stuffed olives.. Crispy salty and savory..perfect way to start. The shrimp were done perfectly so tender and sweet. The star for me was the large ravioli.. It was a large pouch cooked to perfection, the bonus was a lightly poached egg inside that oozed its way all over the dish to add addition fat and richness...Utter perfection. The service was attentive and extremely sweet and patient. Wine service was perfect. They even wiped down the entire table for us between courses.. The glass selection list is inventive and fun.. Many pairing options available. All in all a perfect evening..
(5)
Grace S.
Two words: Monkey Bread. I can't say it was love at first bite because I thought it had kind of a weird taste to it, but once I tried it again, I became obsessed. It has a very distinct flavor, which is probably what turned me off at first, but I'm so glad I took another bite because it is seriously so delicious. You can tell it's freshly baked because it's so soft and warm. Plus the bottom is perfectly buttery... You know how muffin tops are the best part of a muffin? I felt like the buttery bottom was the best part about the monkey bread. I didn't care so much for the dip; I thought the bread itself was more than good enough. I really liked the duck fat fries too; they had a lot of flavor. I tried some of the steak and lamb shank but always went back to my beloved monkey bread. My heart broke a little when I finished it. Everything else paled in comparison. Other people may not share my love for it though. The drink I got was the Black Diamond (it was the only cocktail on the menu I could pronounce so I thought I'd go for it). It tasted alright (nothing spectacular), but I thought it was really strong, so I guess I got my money's worth. As for the atmosphere of the place, the restaurant had a romantic feel to it (think cozy, candlelit dinner), but a lot of the people in there seemed like groups of friends just getting together for dinner and drinks. One thing I didn't like about the whole candlelit dinner vibe was that it was hard to read my menu since it was so dark in there. Another complaint is that our food took a really long time to come out; supposedly one of the dishes got messed up and needed to be perfected. But that's okay, because for monkey bread, I would wait forever.
(4)
Jason B.
Biscuits and gravy, donuts and pancakes - all amazing things you can have for brunch! The service was impeccable, great coffee and the cocktails were not too shabby as well. When we had to change our reservation to add one more person it also wasn't a problem. Will go again :)
(5)
Lytle W.
An example of what good management is. We waited 40 minutes past our reservation time to be seated, due to the prior party lingering at the table. Once we were seated, the manager came over immediately to let us know he had appetizers on the way and vowed to make sure we had a great experience. He handled it like a pro and was lovely. The duck fat fries and the garlic aoli were superb. He came back to check on us after we ordered. My husband and I agreed that this is what Gilt Bar service used to be, back when they cared about the quality of your experience. We look forward to making the Bristol part of our rotation. They earned our business with professional and courteous service, not to mention great food. Don't hesitate to check them out!
(5)
Linda M.
Thoroughly enjoyable visit to The Bristol, once again. Impeccable service, great atmosphere, great menu and stunning food. Extensive wine selection, would highly recommend a visit. A member of our party was lactose intolerant, waitress was very knowledgeable on dishes, made some recommendations and asked the chef to omit lactose products. Very impressed. Great wine choice given by maitre di.
(5)
Luke S.
Pig Butt? Why did I order Pig Butt?!?! I thought I was brave and would be able to enjoy it, but I found it to have a bizarre taste and be extremely fatty. That was my fault for ordering it though. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their dishes. Both the prawns and chicken were excellent and the raviolo was good, but small. We also ordered the duck fat fries that were worth every penny of the $7. The cheese board was somewhat shocking in price at $19, especially when it showed up at our table with extremely small portions of cheese. The cheese was excellent though! Our server was knew every ingredient on the menu and was helpful, but would disappear for long periods of time. Overall I really liked the place and I want to give it another shot, but I was really turned off by the Pig Butt/Tail. We didn't get desert and that was probably a big mistake. We will be back to try non pig tail food and the desert.
(3)
Joel O.
We ordered five items for the table. The fries were amazing. The gnocchi was really tasty. However, the steak dish was blah and the trout was a bit fishy. Staff was excellent. Little spendy... Overall I liked.
(4)
Rebecca N.
I was unfortunately disappointed with the Bristol. The drinkS, service and atmosphere were all fabulous; however, the food came up short which was surprising after loving Balena. We started with the monkey bread, but I found it to be nothing special. The asparagus was nicely cooked, but again it left something to be desired. The wagyu beef tartare was the highlight of the meal. Lots of flavor, good texture and nice bread to eat with. The arctic char was far too salty. Ravioli: the brown butter sauce and egg yolk was a unique combination. I wanted to enjoy it very badly. However, the pasta was too doughy and salty and the ricotta inside was way too heavy. The waiter said it was heavy, but it was almost inedible. I'm not sure if we ordered wrong or it was just an off day, but I will not be coming back anytime soon to the Bristol.
(2)
Bo Y.
The hangover breakfast (noodle with beef tongue, pork broth, egg...) is very tasty. they poured "rosetta" pattern on the top of latte. nice.
This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. To start, they have INCREDIBLE cocktails that are consistent every time. Try the Moscow Mule! It's the first and best one I've ever tried. The food is seasonal, local and delicious. I love the head on prawns with brown butter, the apple-fennel-manchego salad with hazelnuts (they started this combo and now every restaurant has it on their menu) and the chicken is amazing. The service is wonderful. For brunch or dinner, I love this place!
(5)
Tiffany L.
The Bristol is one of my neighborhood favorites. I loved this place even more since they started taking reservations. Brunch is a must here. I love the Chilaquiles here and the Hangover breakfast. The dinner menu changes often but I'm confident in saying that you'd probably like anything you order. Let me tell you about one of my favorite memories here. One night, our server told us they were serving tuna collar. We immediately had to order it. What restaurant would dare serve this cut of the fish? If you go to an old school Japanese restaurant, you'll often see yellowtail (hamachi) collar, which looks like a normal dish because yellowtail is not that large of a fish. (BTW grilled yellowtail collar is amazing, and I highly recommend you try it if you've never before). However, if you actually know how large a whole tuna is, you can imagine how large the collar is. The sight is not for the faint of heart. Props to the chef for having the audacity to put it on my menu for the night. Writing this review makes me want to make a brunch visit tomorrow. Hellooooo OpenTable!
(4)
Kevin K.
Halibut, ravioli, and prawns were excellent. Steak was awful. Rubber. It was so tough my girlfriend couldn't chew it, and she had to spit it out. It was our last dish and they asked if something was wrong with it. ( because we didn't eat any of it) Yes, it's so tough we couldn't eat it. Oh sorry he replied. Got the bill. Still got charged $32 for the steak. Why ask if there is something wrong if you don't care? Disappointing because I'm now to stubborn to return.
(3)
Elina S.
Okay, I have to note that I did not have the most complete experience here but the experience that I did have here was pretty awesome and here is why. -Came in on a Saturday night around 7:30pm and they quoted us a 2 hour wait so I decided that I will carry out since we just wanted dessert. -The host/hostess were very nice and had my order ready very quickly, which is always a plus. -I had time to check out the decor which was very trendy, wooden tables, entire brick wall, cool lights, dark interior, very girl and the goat meets gilt bar. I definitely liked the atmosphere. -Now onto what we ordered, the $10 homemade Nutter Butters with chocolate sabanyan mousse. OH EM GEE! I died and woke up in heaven. It came with 4 nutter butters and what looked like not enough mousse, but for the 4 of them, it was, I licked the two go box clean since it was one of the best, most freshest, melt in your mouth, finger lickin, amazing desserts. -Just that dessert alone was enough for me to come back there and order more of it. I have to say that the menu doesn't really intrigue me, duck fat fries, eh. But that is just my personal opinion and the prices aren't too little either so I doubt I would come for dinner. But yes for the chocolate mousse and nutter butters times ten!!
(4)
Raymond S.
I've avoided the Bristol during my brunch crawl because I just didn't trust the hype. Despite it being close to the expressway, parking being available, and in a cool neighborhood the menu just didn't seem varied and interesting enough. But I bit down and gave it a chance and I'm very glad I did. For one, the service is awesome. The food came promptly, the servers checked in at the right times, and water was refilled frequently. Definitely the best service we've experienced so far. The food was awesome. Like I stated earlier the menu isn't varied at all. But we all order something different and everything was executed perfectly. I guess I would rather have fewer intricate items than many decent dishes. I ordered vanilla french toast. It was custard-like; almost like bread pudding which was unexpected and tasty. The table also ordered chilaquiles with pork belly, and Bristol was the only place which did pork belly correctly. We also ordered the sausage, biscuit and gravy dish along with ham eggs benedict. All were great and even more astonishing, serving sizes were huge. For the first time EVER I struggled finishing everything. You see my pictures? I never met a meal I couldn't finish. We went at 11am on Saturday and the restaurant was half full. So if you don't want to wait an hour for generic brunch, DEFINITELY check out the Bristol.
(5)
Amanda K.
Went there during restaurant week but ended up ordering off the regular dinner menu. Nice ambiance; courteous staff; tight quarters. My friend and I had the seedling apple salad (great mix of flavors); raviolo (delicious but for $14 I was hoping for more than one); the special pierogies (substantial portion but more like empanadas); and the millers farm roasted half chicken (what I would go back for). I'm not sure why this is the only main course without a star - it was the best part of our meal. The chicken was tender and juicy and the spaetzle was amazing.
(4)
Lolo D.
Great wine list. Great seasonal menu (heavy on the seafood recently). Great service. The tables get pushed a little close together, which is a peeve of mine--I dislike being able to hear the conversation next to me clearer than my own dining companion's, but such is city dining. The only thing I'd recommend is to decide the size of your order on your hunger, not necessarily the server's rec--we got the chicken, bread, and brussels sprouts (2 diners), and it was a little too much. I loved both the bread and the brussels sprouts, so it's difficult to say what I'd skip ordering, but there you go.
(4)
Betty C.
We went last Saturday night. We had a 6:30 pm reservation and the place was not yet full. When we left at 8:30 pm or so it was so crowded it was hard to get through the vestibule. Really can't say enough positives about this place, it meets almost all of the criteria for an excellent evening. The ambiance is nice, the service is really fabulous, the food is top notch in flavor, presentation and creativity. We started out with the required monkey bread with dill and butter dipping sauce - the bread was very light and so was the bright green sauce but it still had good flavor. The appetizer serving of fried bones (pork) was crispy, had a hint of Chinese five spice flavor and came with small thin slices of a very hot pepper which really accentuated the taste. This could be ordered as an entree portion for one if sharing other sides. The apple salad had very fresh and crisp apples, a light flavor dressing, marinated cheese and I believe hazelnuts. The duck fat fries were as good as everyone else states in their reviews. The homemade ketchup was nothing spectacular and the aïoli was good but not remarkable - just OK. The squash filled pasta (agnolotti) was tender and had a very good seasoning profile that reminded you of winter - nutmeg and brown butter - with shavings of cheese on top. The desserts were amazing and this comes from a person who never orders dessert so she can eat more of the savory stuff. The chocolate cremeux was a warm hockey puck of creamy, dark chocolate with a scoop of creamy ice cream and a caramel "wafer" that was like a thin piece of air. The popcorn sundae was made special for us and not available right now (one of our party had a big birthday) and it did not disappoint. Crispy, lighty coated caramel popcorn discs with a fresh corn kernel ice cream and a hint of fresh lime zest. The winner for me however was the Basque cake. It was a warm, buttery vanilla cake (round individually baked serving) that had a chewy, almost caramel like exterior that had enough salt to taste slightly savory - in the delicious butter type of way. It was served with ice cream as well. It was so good I had to slap the table. That dish could make me a dessert eater. The only negative was the valet parking - they were completely out of control. Took almost 20 minutes to get our car. They need to fix that fast. Maybe they were new at the job - they seemed liked they had no clue how to do it quickly that's for sure.
(5)
Rachael K.
I'm from New York, and have high standards for my brunch places...this was the best brunch I've ever had! First of all, our waiter, Paul, was entertaining while not overly in our faces. He was genuinely kind and made us feel welcomed. He also recommended a few places we could go to after brunch. We both had Bloody Mary's which came with bacon wrapped blue cheese an an olive, plus a glass I your house of beer. They were exquisite. We did halfsies on the Smoked Gouda Burger with duck fat fries and the Braised Pork Chillequiles. The burger was honestly the best I've ever had, cooked perfectly and the toppings were perfect, and the fries were delicious. The tortilla chips in the Chillequiles were perfectly crispy while still soaked in deliciousness and the braised pork was awesome mixed into that. I would highly recommend this place, I rarely give 5's and wasn't expecting to have such a fantastic brunch in Chicago considering brunch on NY is huge.
(5)
Laura B.
Everything we had was amazing. Fries, halibut collar, raviolo (unbelievable) and the chicken. They even had Michael's favorite beer that many places do not have. Great service & ambiance. Definitely coming back.
(5)
Jessica A.
We frequent the Bristol for dinner and brunch and love it for both, but the real reason for this review is something I do not see mentioned frequently on this page, which is its private event services. We had our wedding reception here in September and the entire experience, from planning to the night of, was fantastic. Our contact, Michelle H., was a dream to work with--very quick to respond to emails and reliable. Perhaps most importantly, we felt as though she was on our side throughout the planning process-- on more than one occasion, we were ready to drop additional $$ on, say, an upgraded bar and she let us know a more cost effective way to accomplish what we wanted. The night of, she and Michelle G (our other contact) were there making sure everything was working smoothly. Despite not being a traditional "wedding venue," the Bristol also worked seamlessly with our multiple vendors to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Finally, one of the main things we heard after (and during) the reception was, "I have NEVER had food this good at a wedding!" Considering the food was our #1 reason for choosing The Bristol, it was wonderful to have the food be just as outstanding when served for a large group (with normal service running downstairs on a weekend!). Would absolutely recommend.
(5)
Mark S.
A great experience! The waiter gave my group great recommendations to put together a multi course meal and it was perfect! I highly recommend!
We were really, really disappointed. We went for restaurant week, so we got to try a wide selection from the menu. This was the first time I've ever gone to a restaurant and simply not liked the food. The carrot salad was simply inedible. But it didn't stop at the food. All of the service was extremely rushed. Our waiter pushed us through the ordering process and seemed incredibly inconvenienced when we asked questions. This was hands down the worst restaurant we've experienced of this 'caliber' and we won't be back. There are tons of other restaurants of this level that are far better in every way and I encourage you to go to one of them instead of having a disappointing night here.
(2)
Stefanie N.
Great brunch spot in bucktown. While I ordered the 'hangover breakfast' entree expecting it would alleviate the actual hangover I had, I was kind of disappointed in the dish. The noodles were undercooked and the whole dish seems like it was a sad attempt of a ramen fusion dish. Went with a large party and it seemed like everyone else enjoyed their dishes along with their moscow mules. Perhaps I ordered the wrong dish so will definitely give this place another try.
Tucked away in a small corner of Bucktown is this cute little restaurant-with-a-bar. I went here after a yelp event to check out the place. We sat at the bar, since even on a Monday they had no space- make a reservation! The place is cosy, lots of wood, with dark walls and dark wood at the bar. I thought it was cool that there was a chalk menu on the walls, like in a number of German restaurants. We just had snacks, the duck fat fries and the monkey bread. Both are really good, I would recommend the fries for sure. The place seems to have a number of European dishes, and doesn't mollycoddle people who dont know ingredients/processes by mentioning La Mancha and pain perdu. I would come here for date night.
(4)
Angelina K.
Amazing restaurant . Came here for a restaurant week in 2014. Was very happy with the service and incredible restaurant week menu . Loved the smoked carrot salad , and chocolate dessert, great menu . Very friendly staff, very accommodating . Also black diamond cocktail = incredible ! Would go back anytime ! Thank you
(5)
Cristie F.
After a plethora of rave reviews from friends, I knew that I needed to try The Bristol. I did. And sadly, I wasn't overly impressed. The food was good, but it didn't knock my socks off. I expected a variety of mouth-gasms and only got about half-way there. It was somewhat of a let down. For a party of 4, here's what we ordered. Yes, it was a lot...but most of it was definitely eaten! //scotch olives, pork sausage, lemon //monkey bread pull apart, dill butter, sea salt //duck fat fries, house ketchup, garlic aioli //charcuterie board //cheese platter //market greens, tarragon-buttermilk dressing //apple salad, marinated manchego, hazelnut //whole wheat flatbread, pork lardons, caramelized onion //roasted beets, creme fraiche, mint, pistachios //fried brussell sprouts //tagliatelle pasta dish//grouper//hanger steak About a month ago, I had a recent change in my life - I became a vegetarian. So sadly, I found there wasn't too many veggie-friendly options on the menu other than carbs (duck fat fries and monkey bread - YUM) or salads. However, the staff was more than accommodating to my vegetarian needs. I opted for the tagliatelle homemade pasta. It was definitely tasty - but a little bland for my liking. However, you can't go wrong with homemade noodles - ever. I tried a few bites of the other dishes as well ((well - with the exception of the grouper, hanger steak, and charcuterie board)). Everything else just struck me as A-OK. One of my friends said it best - "The first few bites taste really great - but after that, it's just okay. It's not mind blowing like flavorings of Girl & the Goat or Publican." My sentiments exactly. I was however, a huge fan of their cocktails. I had the poire & elderberry martini, as well as a dark & stormy. Those two drinks knocked my socks off....de-mothafuckin-delish!!! Both incredibly different, and both equally fabulous. And let's not forget their perfectly squared ice cubes - I don't even know how that was possible! The service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and very accommodating to our needs. The atmosphere lacked a little too. The Bristol is very small. It's also big on communal seating. It's really not my favorite, but you make do. Would I return for a second go-around? Sure I would. It's not like I didn't enjoy it, but it wouldn't be my first preference when coming in from the burbs for a night out. I had just hoped for so much more - especially for the $370 tab for 4 people. Eek.
(3)
Dana Z.
I'm a little late in writing this review, but I needed to get this out there! My friends and I (8 of us in total) made a reservation for 10:30 the morning of the Bucktown 5K. We knew with our party size we would need a reservation no matter where we went. The Bristol opens at 10am, but wouldn't let us make our reservation until 10:30. Our group shows up in full at 10:30 on the dot. We were told things were running a little behind so it would be 10 mins. They had offered free mimosas with your race bibs so many people were taking advantage (and had come in right at 10am without a reservation). They promised to get us our mimosas while we waited (on the stairs in a tiny, dark hallway). Well only 2 mimosas made their way out. We kept checking on the status of our table. We were constantly told 5 more minutes and "we're really sorry". "We got really busy because of the Bucktown 5K". We obviously knew this because 1. we ran the race and 2. we made a reservation to avoid this. 45 minutes later, my friend is standing outside calling other restaurants as we began to believe we'd never be seated. The manager came out and asked that we don't call another place. He promised a table was opening up and finally it did! After seating us, the manager made sure to sent out complimentary pastries as well as a round of drinks to apologize. We were obviously annoyed but pleased that the manager acknowledged their mistake. Our entire group eats to our hearts' delight. The food was absolutely amazing. Everyone in our group cleaned our plates. We felt significantly better after eating great food and getting a little attention. We asked for the check and the manager COMPED our entire bill for the ENTIRE group!!! This was obviously totally unexpected and not necessary. The manager came over and profusely apologized for their major screw up. I sat down to our reservation bound to tell everyone I knew about our experience, but I didn't anticipate it to be a good one! They owned up to their mistake, we all had a great time and ate great food. I had to knock off one star for the wait even though they made it up to us.
(4)
Kari S.
The food and cocktails at the Bristol are amazing! Their menu is constantly changing and everything is great.
(5)
Ashley K.
The Bristol has probably the best smelling cocktails in the city. I recommend the Black Diamond + the Cider in the Rye. They're super bright and delicious. From a design perspective, the interior is gorgeous. The food was on point. You can share everything. We had the trout as our main dish and were really impressed! I'm not sure why I waited so long to come here, but I will absolutely be back.
(5)
Alan E.
Great atmosphere. Nice people. Good wine. Food very tasty. There were six of us. We had an 8:30 reservation. We wanted 7:30. We arrived at 7 expecting to be at the bar for a long time. They sat us in twenty minutes. Just great all around!
(5)
Lindsay W.
Great brunch and good ambiance - make sure to make a reso, otherwise there will be quite a wait if you go on the Saturday or Sunday.
(5)
Vic C.
Great food and flavors. The appetizers (monkey bread, prawns, fries ) main entrees (halibut, trout, chicken and pork shoulder) were delicious. Reasonably priced and great atmosphere as well. Definitely would be a good date spot but also can accommodate larger groups.
(4)
Rose N.
There was a lot to like about The Bristol but I think the my expectations may have been too high. That being said the drinks alone are with the return. I have tried to imitate them at home unsuccessfully, but please ask the waiter if they are more "girly" drinks as it is hard to tell from the menu, my husband kept getting the "girly" ones by accident....For food I recommend the chx and monkey break.
(4)
noel c.
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. friendly service. delicious meal. simple/modern decor. great lighting. local food. I had a delicious experience from start to finish during my visit to the Bristol. Here's what went down the ole shoot at our table: *dark and stormy (yummy bits of ginger) *monkey bread (with dill butter) *half chicken (this was unexpectedly my favorite dish) *apple+manchego salad *fluke with avocado crema (very, very good) *la fin du monde *grand marnier and we also got that pb+j dessert which I did not like at all. (everything else was so delicious that i give them a free pass on that). My gf liked it.
(5)
Liz C.
The Bristol is a damn good dinner spot. I've gone for brunch and wasn't blown away, but their dinner service is mighty fine. While some dishes stood out more than others, overall the experience was great. We were able to get two seats at the bar last minute. The bartender, I think David was his name, whipped us up one of the best cocktails I have ever had. We told him what we like: spicy, refreshing, and mezcal. He seriously nailed it. We ordered the duck fat fries, which everyone raved about, but we thought they were just fine. I did find the housemade ketchup to be really tasty though. Otherwise, I'd probably skip those next time. We also ordered the prawns and the halibut, which were both good. That said, we both liked the prawns more. For mains, we ordered the risotto and chicken and both were amazing. The chicken is a MUST. Honestly, probably some of the best chicken I have ever had. The risotto was also perfectly done. Of course we saved room for dessert and got the infamous basque cake...and it definitely met and exceeded expectations. The Bristol is a great dinner spot, with awesome cocktails and food. Can't wait to go back. Definitely must order the chicken and basque cake.
(5)
Chris H.
Great spot. Every dish was spot on and full of flavor. My main recommendation would be to not plan on sharing the raviollo. Its just too good.
(5)
Nadia J.
Second time at this lovely little spot in Wicker Park, first time back in a few years. Made an easy reservation on open table for 2 on a Friday and were greeted by two cheerful hosts and seated immediately. Once seated it took a bit for our waiter to come around-- understandable though because it was so busy. He was knowledgeable about the drink menu and helpful in answering questions. Once we ordered food came out pretty quick. Our food: Heirloom tomato salad with olives and sweet sausage: amazing. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and dressed and whatever the cheese was with them was perfect. Dish seemed light on any sort of sausage though! We both didn't/couldn't find it in the bowl. Duck fat fries: delish. Not much more to say here! Prawns with tarragon: alright. Not really what I'd expected I guess. The dish was rather sweet (maybe that was the tarragon) and the prawns were significantly smaller than I'd expected them to be. I think of prawns as very large shrimp, but these were marginally bigger than shrimp size. Broccoli salad with pickled egg: eek. Not a hit with me, though my date liked it alright. Overly salted, and heavy heavy heavy on the anchovy. And I *like* anchovy. Entree--hangar steak: as mentioned before they were super busy. I'm assuming that's why the steak was so tough? Perhaps it sat? Came out barely warm and was super chewy. What you'd expect from a cheap steak at the grocery store, not a $26 entree. Overall a great spot for a date night or gathering with a few friends. Not sure we'd go back, but it's worth a try if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)
Leslie H.
Great service. Great food. Great atmosphere. It was voted by GQ as one of the sexiest restaurants in 2010. The decor has a combination of steel and wood. It has this very industrial yet comfy type of feel. I can see someone from Restoration Hardware decorating this place. We came here for brunch and it was delicious. One thing for sure, don't skip on the desserts! The basque cake was just ridiculously good. In fact, it was amazing.
(5)
Kathleen C.
Bristol...what's the deal? I've been thrilled with everything here for many visits, but the last two left a little to be desired. First of all, during one visit, we ate at the bar, and it was clear that the manager (?), head host (?), someone was not pleased with one of the waitresses. They were arguing in the back and I have no idea what was going on, but I personally don't think that they should let diners see the fights...plus, I often find that feedback given in private vs a room full of people seems to go farther. The waitress/server took it well considering (ie, she looked mad when arguing, but when she went back to her tables, she was bright and cheery - so yay for her). This is the only time this has ever happened there, but I was so shocked... That same day, they ran out of a few brunch items (I didn't think I got there that late...), so I was sort of disappointed, but the food was still tasty. I visited again recently (also for brunch) and was terribly disappointed with the service. We ordered brunch and after what seemed like forever, we were served...with the wrong food...Whoops. Our server came back and assured us that we'd get served quickly after that and she was sorry for the mistake. So, we waited...and waited...and waited. When the food finally showed up, we didn't really get a 'sorry' or anything remotely indicating we had waited forever to eat, and we had asked for the bill early as we were in a rush...and that took longer than anticipated as well. The food was good when it showed up, but we were in such a hurry, we had to scarf it down and run out of there. This was disappointing since service here is typically so spot on...it could have been a bad day, but for somewhere so particular about providing good service, it was even more disappointing than usual.
(3)
Laura K.
The service was not good, and the food did not make up for the bad service. We made a reservation for 4 people, and had to wait over 30 minutes for our table outside in the cold. When we finally ordered, we were starved. We got the cinnamon rolls and donuts. Both were good, and much better than any of the main dishes. I got the benedict, and it was cold. The eggs were overcooked, and overall I was just VERY disappointed. My husband got the burger which was good, but SMALL. Portions overall were small, and prices do not reflect this. I would not go back for brunch.
(3)
John S.
Great flavors and ideas and service, TOO FRGGIN DARK, couldn't see a single food color, presentation was wasted, maybe I'll try lunch someday so I can see iif the carrot salad is orange and the crispy kale Is green
(3)
Andrea F.
They have a drink with vodka, St. Germain and elderberry that I want to marry- it was so good!
(4)
Meaghan V.
Made a reservation and our party of 4 was seated within 15 minutes of our reservation time during a busy Sunday brunch. I tried the pancakes and the quiche - both were great! I ordered a Bloody Mary when we were first seated but it didn't show up until I was finished with my main course. The server said they ran out of mix.
(3)
Kelly S.
What moved the needle to four stars at Bristol was service. And about 3 bottles of wine. But who's counting? Met some friends there after Pitchfork, covered in grime and grass and hipster fumes and bee-lined to their oasis of a bathroom. I wanted to lie on the tile floor and take a nap -- it was that cool in there. But alas, social norms stopping me from ridiculous actions, as they usually do, I went out to hang at the bar for a bit with some Torrontes and my dining companions. We were seated by the huge window in front, light streaming in the narrow restaurant, giddy with a second glass and the good company of great friends. And then we proceeded to order a ton of things off the menu. The monkey bread, duck fat fries, the meatballs, the sausage special, the carbonara and various and sundry other items that I dont remember. And i suppose that's kind of the issue. The one thing that sticks out in my head is the carbonara in its creamy salty goodness - but the other dishes i found relatively unremarkable. Though I do need to shout out to the homemade catsup (holla!) for the fries. But the aforementioned service was fantastic, including charging my phone at the bar with nary a 900 number being called, and the life saving bathroom. It was overall quite enjoyable - a great date night restaurant. I'm not sure I'd wait an hour for a table at this spot but it's a nice, intimate restaurant that sources locally and has the perfect amount of chichifoofoo. If you know what I mean.
(4)
Jacqueline O.
Came here for Restaurant Week 2015 ready to love it, but was entirely disappointed. The portions were small and over salted, and our waitress was minimally attentive. I had the gnocchi, which was really a small circle of fried potato topped with mushrooms. Tasted fine, but the portion size was laughable. I don't appreciate when vegetarian dishes are tiny... We need the sustenance. :) My friend had the salmon and couldn't even finish the modest portion because of the saltiness. Maybe the traditional menu would have been better, but given that Restaurant Week was my first exposure to The Bristol, I will not be back.
(2)
Dana D.
Having passed by the Bristol several times and wanting to check it out, I finally made dinner plans. I'm so glad I did! The ambiance of the restaurant is quaint and elegant, and the lighting is warm and inviting...perfect for a romantic evening or dinner with friends. The menu features several unique and creative options with a focus on farm-supported ingredients. Though it was tough to decide, we settled on: peaches & soppressata, (marcona almonds, pickled onions, arugula, whipped ricotta); grilled zucchini, (marcona almonds, smoked paprika, queso fresco); duck fat fries, (with house ketchup, garlic aioli); and last but not least the e.l.t., (balsamic glazed eel, crispy wantons, heirloom tomatoes). While everything was amazing, the e.l.t. was to die for - we loved it so much we ordered a second round of it! The manager Charles and our server could not have been more accommodating. They helped us pair the perfect wine with our dishes, and Charles was able to offer a back story to each of the wine selections. I felt well taken care of, and everything was superb. I can't say enough about this dining experience; I'm looking forward to returning again!
(5)
Mike W.
Everything was great! Getting drinks takes a minimum of 30 minutes per drink-- I don't know why Oh and it's really dark- I saw many a person using the tea lights on the table to see their menu's. Reminds you a Maude's type ambiance.
(5)
Sophia L.
Kitchen must have had an off night because the food was just okay. Service was friendly and worth 4 stars. We chatted a bit and after 2 minutes, our server brought me a drink that was off the menu and just what I was looking for. Food; - Charred Broccoli Salad was lukewarm and a bit mushy. I liked the flavor but the textural and food temperature threw me off. - Duck fat fries were solid with a great homemade ketchup and garlic aioli. - Cavatelli had just the right amount of pesto, slightly nutty bitter in a good way, and was a perfect al dente. - Grilled zucchini was fresh, hot, and just as I imaged. - Crispy tripe was odd. It didn't quite have that crunch on the outside before you bit into the slightly chewy trip. Make sure you take every bite with the pickled onions or else it's too oily. Dinner was not as expected and so we skipped the dessert. Tip -- this is a slow dining establishment. Great for conversation and I loved how they never rushed us. But it definitely took too long for our drinks to arrive (mine arrived with our first dishes) and between courses.
(3)
todd s.
Brunch Food: average at best. "House" bacon was limp, paper thin, and had less flavor than turkey bacon. Chilaquiles were passable if your looking for a single-note spicy bowl of mush. Ambience: louder than average. Tables so close you literally rub elbows with other diners. Even the very thin person in the next table could not exit without their ass dragging across the table on the way out. Service: fine but quite aggressive to clear plates and turn tables.
(1)
Mary Y.
This to me is real fine dining Chicago-style. The restaurant is a bit narrow so I would definitely call ahead and make reservations. My girlfriend who's a major foodie did all the ordering and I just sat back and enjoyed the food. The room to me just looks like one long table. You're kind of squished next to people but I didn't mind all that much. We started off with duck fat fries. You can never go wrong with french fries! One entree was the roasted bone marrow which I have never eaten before. Bone marrow just sounds weird, right? But, It was really good. I'm a pasta person, so I'd have to say the ravioli was the best. It's one big round ravioli with some kind of sauce. You can definitely cut it into 4 different pieces and share. They have a diverse beer & cocktail menu. I ordered the poire & elderflower drink which was really fruity & fresh. Will come back again. BTW, one of the chefs of this restaurant is competing in BravoTV's Top Chef!
(4)
Abby S.
The Bristol is incredible. Our drinks, the Dark and Stormy and the Moscow Mule, were strong and really delicious. The restaurant takes drinks seriously, and I recommend taking advantage of the extensive and well-though menu. Our waitress suggested that we order 5 total dishes: Three small plates, a pasta, and a main. This was the perfect amount for the two of us on a date, but you could probably get away with one fewer small plate for two. We had the duck fat fries, which were as delicious as they sound, the apple salad, which was the perfect combination of sweet and tart, and the sturgeon, which was really nicely done with seasonal squash. We chose the rabbit ravioli and it was our favorite of everything we tried. It's three large ravioli (our waitress told us the pastas were about 5 oz each, so we expected it to be small) and a delicious sauce with large chunks of meat. Absolutely order this while it's still in season. We also tried the pork porterhouse which was perfectly cooked, and came with "lazy pierogis" that I loved. For dessert, we ordered the basque cake at the suggestion of our waitress and it lived up to her hype. It's perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and cake-y on the inside. It's incredible and a must-order. After checking in to the restaurant on Foursquare with a "Date night!" tag, our waitress mentioned to us that she had heard it was date night. It was a cute touch that was made even better when she brought out the chocolate cremeux with homemade nutter butters "so we could try it." They were wonderful. Our Bristol experience was absolutely perfect - the restaurant wasn't crowded on a Tuesday night and we felt taken care of by everyone there. The food is exceptional and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
(5)
Colleen B.
My husband and I were married at the Bristol on 9/21/2013 - just a week and a half ago. We've been before for brunch and we knew the food and service were fantastic. It was the first and only venue we seriously considered for our wedding and easily the best choice we could have made for our event. Everyone we worked with - especially Michelle the event coordinator - was so warm and excited and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. The food was excellent - we got so many compliments. The upstairs private event space has a very modern but warm and cozy feel. There's a separate bar, two bathrooms and an area to set up a little dance floor. It's gorgeous, believe me. If you're planning a small to medium sized event and quality of food and service are the number one priority, check out the Bristol.
(5)
Daniel C.
Let me start off by saying that the food was excellent. The reason for two stars is the service. My friend and I sat at the bar tonight (2/3/14) and we were not ready to order the first time our bartender asked us for our order. We then we had to wait about another half hour until he asked again. When we finished our entree we were still nibbling on our full order off duck fat fries which we barely even touched. When he took our empty entree plates he immediately threw out the fries without asking if we wanted to take them to go or even asking if we were done with them. When I mentioned I was still eating the fries he said something along the lines of I should have asked for a box etc... Terrible service but excellent food.
(2)
Mary Beth K.
A good glass of wine, warm atmosphere and some tasty bacon. Those are the three things I remember most. Their drink menu is large and lovely. Many good wines to choose from. I love the fact that they buy whole animals from local sources. Thumbs up to sustainable, local, well designed restaurants (nod to their graphic design from a graphic designer). It is a little loud. But what can you expect with exposed brick and spirited conversations? We went a little earlier so it wasn't bad. Servers were friendly and well informed. Street parking is pretty easy too. Nice, easy dinner without a lot of fuss.
(4)
Jessica M.
The Bristol could have been wonderful for me, but, it wasn't. Our party of four stopped in for dinner at about 6pm on a Friday night. I was expecting a long wait, but we were seated right away. This place is really warm, cozy and rustic/modern. I felt right at home. Annnd then our waiter came over. He should have been selling used cars. He made us all want to set ourselves on fire and jump out of the window. He ended every sentence with a condescending "oookay". Totally fake, totally annoying. So Bristol's food is served tapas style, but really it's not tapas. The portions are bigger and are clearly not designed to serve a party of four. They call it tapas style because each item takes a different amount of time to prepare, so they just bring out whichever comes first and then you are forced, really, to share. For instance, a few of the dishes we ordered, only had 3 pieces of meat, etc. This posed a problem when sharing with four people. Seriously, THESE DISHES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE SHARED WITH MORE THAN 3 PEOPLE. It would have been nice if our cheesy waiter would have advised us, oookay. The food was really good, though, I wanted more of it. More than one bite of the goat with the yogurt sauce and barley, more than one bite of that delectable ravioli filled with a beautifully runny egg yolk. The stuffed olives were terrible. Monkey bread, c'mon, of course it was great. When the dessert menus arrived, we all became savages and ordered our own desserts. We had to make it very clear that we were not f-ing sharing. We settled our bill (expensive) and proceeded to chat a bit. We got the stink eye several times from our waiter. Clearly we needed to get the hell out of there. There were lots of people waiting for a table. We left hungry. And the moral of the story is: come here for a cozy date.
(3)
Meredith T.
Dined here with two other couples during the first snowstorm of the season. Still busy despite the weather. The plates are all meant to be shared and I believe we sampled EVERYTHING but two dishes on the menu. Some of my favorites were the raviolo, roasted half chicken, and the bone marrow. I enjoyed two different drinks(multiples of each) and they were OUTSTANDING - the smoked sicilian manhattan and the moscow mule. I would go back and eat in a heartbeat but will definitely be back to try more cocktails!
(4)
Tal C.
Went here for Restaurant Week with a few girlfriends and loved it. We each got 2 cocktails, all of which were delicious. We all got the Restaurant Week deal, which included a roasted beet and gruyere tart, their special pasta (made with double the egg yolk), a beef dish, and a dessert. The group consensus that the first two courses and the dessert were amazing, and the entree was just so so. In the future, we'll definitely come back for cocktails and small plates. It's a bit pricey, but we left very full and very happy. Definitely recommend it for the food, service, and cozy atmosphere.
(4)
Eric S.
Stumbled into this place while visiting a friend who lives a block away from it. Great staff, clean, nice looking place. Great busboys, clean restroom. Food: Get the monkey bread, and the Dill-infused butter was revelatory. Appetizer: crab/foie gras thing: eh, looks good, tastes ok. Pasta dishes: very small portions Entree: I got the half chicken and spatzle. Salty as heck, not so flavorful and actually kind of raw near the bone. I ate up thru the cooked part and left the rest. Nice start, will try again perhaps.
(3)
Melissa H.
I was afraid. Afraid that after you'd treated me so well that our second date would be a let down. More than that, I'd told all my friends how wonderful you were - and now, they were meeting you for the first time and I was nervous. I wanted them to like you, I wanted you to make a good impression. After all - I am in love. And if your friends don't like your love interest, it's all downhill from there. Yet, dear sweet Bristol; you did not disappoint. You lived up to all my expectations. My friends thought you were fabulous. I became even more smitten. I realize you probably don't feel the same way about me; but that's okay. You have to spread your love around. I'm not going to try and keep you all to myself (as much as I would love to!), you are simply too wonderful to keep a secret any longer. I look forward to many more rendezvous Bristol. You have a permanent place in my heart,
(5)
Jenna M.
These steps are the key to my success at The Bristol: 1. Go on a regular night that isn't a big occassion or important date. Just you and your sig o, good friend, whomever. Go early or late (not 7-8:30, when everyone wants to eat dinner). 2. Sit at the bar. This makes it more casual and puts the whole experience into perspective. Oh, and helps you avoid the communal dining thing if you are not a fan (and as a chronic eavesdropper, I'm not-it's too distracting). 3. Order an awesome drink or beer. Take a look at the menu like you could take it or leave it. 4. Let the waiter explain the specials and ask for recommendations. Order these recommendations. Oh, and the monkey bread too, because come on, you are gonna order the warm salty bread with dill butter. 5. Chill and have a good time. This isn't Everest. It's more like going to a restaurant where your friend is the chef and he/she sends out some food for you while you're having some drinks. My waiters have always paced things well, but being good with irregular pacing and sharing helps, for sure. As for price, yeah, it isn't free, but again, it isn't Everest. Last time there I split the scotch olives, monkey bread, whelks and manti with my boyfriend. All excellent, the last two strict recommendations. Oh, and all of this is moot anyway b/c I learned about Chouffe Houblon off a bartender's recommendation here and that alone is worth 5 stars. Go! Drink it now!
(5)
Allyson C.
I pretty much loved everything about The Bristol. From the service (attentive & helpful) to the atmosphere (loud & crowded with great lighting) to the wine list and beer list (extensive & detailed like you wouldn't believe - I seriously read it for 15 straight minutes). Then of course there was the food. No one in my group had been there before so we decided to try a lot of different things. I loved everything I tried, which included monkey bread, flatbread with onions and bacon, skate wing w/pine nuts and root veggies, skirt steak w/blue cheese ravioli, lazy pierogis, duck fat fries w/homemade ketchup & garlic aioli, and for dessert the chocolate sabalyon w/homemade nutter butters. It was one of those times when every new thing you taste is better than the thing before which you previously thought couldn't be topped. The brunch menu looks amazing too. I definitely plan to go back to try it soon.
(5)
Christine J.
This place is another one of those super popular hip restaurants that are small and don't take reservations. I was very impressed at how they handle the waits. We went upstairs first where they serve a limited menu and there are lots of tables. We ordered drinks and some snacks while waiting for our table. I was quite pleased with the food. They were all small plates, so we shared everything. Portion sizes were good, choices were attractive. Definitely get the basque cake for dessert, which is their signature dessert. I would've given this place four stars except for two things... First, the main courses were disappointing. They were way too salty and a low light after some amazing small plate courses. Our bass was overcooked too. Second, they overcharge for mocktails. When their alcoholic options are $11, there is no reason why a non-alcoholic drink should be $8. Total ripoff. Even Violet Hour, which throws in some house-made premium ingredients, only charges $5 for a mocktail. I would go to this place again, but I'd avoid the main courses and stick with water.
(3)
Susan L.
Went here with both sets of parents to celebrate a new job. The long and short of it is that you should go for the drinks and the neat food. The plates are a weird portion size--bigger than tapas but not really enough to eat for a meal. So we had to order a lot. This makes your bill uber expensive. [Also, I realized that my parents don't like sharing, so don't bring non-sharing people here]. The food itself is pretty great, though. And the drinks are so fantastic. The MAJOR downer is that the place is so darn noisy! I know other reviews commented on this, but it's seriously WORSE than Mia Franchesca! How is that possible!?!?!?! I won't be back until I read reviews on Yelp that say something about fixing the noise. Oh, and the artwork is seriously depressing. Like silhouettes of empty houses in horror films depressing.
(3)
Slu S.
Looking for a place that would suit a number of different diner types, I picked The Bristol for a small reunion. I called ahead and spoke with someone there and worked out that if we showed up early enough, they'd work us in for a table of 8. I left my name with the guy. I walked in and let them know that we were all there and he pointed at a table of 8 and said that he had already seated my party. Only they weren't my party. Someone had done the old looky loo on the sheet and used my name. We were sent upstairs to wait for a table. After an hour of sazeracs, we were seated. The menu was a little small (in terms of variation), but I really enjoyed my Raviolo. It was covered with a sage and brown butter sauce and stuffed with ricotta. I moved on with the bone marrow and toasts which was good, but not quite as well done, literally and culinarily, as I had hoped. In addition, the dish needed lemon as marrow is pretty rich on its own. I tried my wife's duck fat fries which were awesome and her burger was good. However her burger's construction wasn't good enough to maintain bun on burger contact beyond the first bite. Seems as if it sat around awhile before it came out. I am not in a big hurry to get back to the Bristol. I appreciate them trying to work us in, but it was a lot of running around for something less than awesome.
(3)
Ang R.
I've been avoiding fennel since September 1998. That's not a joke. Tonight, I ate fennel, and I liked it. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Bristol for this very reason. The fennel was part of the market salad, and when it came to the table, I saw it immediately. But I decided that the salad smelled so appetizing, that I'd eat it all (including giant leafy herbs). And I did. And I freaking enjoyed the salad. I enjoyed it so much, I'd go back and get it in a heartbeat. (I'm guessing that it won't always have fennel--hence the market aspect, but who cares? It'll be covered in lovely dressing no matter the veggies.) I had the burger for my main meal, and it was very nice. I don't have burgers of this quality very often, so I could be wrong, but it tasted pretty darn yummy. The duck fat fries and aioli were also delectable. As were the pickled white carrots (and pickled onion on the burger). I liked my meal very, very much, and I'll definitely enjoy coming back to the Bristol.
(5)
Kristin C.
Even though my trip here was so 2008, I thought a review of The Bristol would be a good way to kick off 2009. I am hoping to be hipper, and more with it this year so here goes. . . My brother and sister-in-law kindly took Mike and I here to celebrate out engagement - i was stoked to see what the buzz was about (and also to see how they transformed the former Il Covo into a hip spot with a wait and a cozy - hey are you sitting on my lap? dining style. I dug the decor, I did. For drinks, I went for a few Moscow Mules - oh sweet delicious. I highly recommend - I would have tried something else, but those mules sure were so tasty, I couldn't lay off. On to the grub, Bristol does the small share plate it's-like-tapas-but-it's-not-Spanish thing. I like that since it means tasting lots of dishes. We ordered monkey bread with an eggy ravioli dish that was really good. The fries were fairly good as were everything with snausage. I stayed away from the fishy stuff since I don't play that but those who did, seemed to like everything. Grade? A on Drinks, B on food and atmosphere. I would go back again to try out some new selections and to tie on a few mules!
(4)
Jill W.
Went on NYE with a fixed menu, so I can't comment on much. Appetizers -- very light and perfect portions for appetizers. Pork shoulder sausage was great, tuna with greens & beets were ok. (how excited can you get about beets?) Entree -- Had a pistachio stuffed sausage with veal on a polenta cake. The polenta was perfect and probably my favorite part of the meal. Dessert -- was a mix of several small desserts that reminded me of cookies/cakes your aunts bring over for xmas dinner. Nothing to write home about.
(4)
Joel G.
Outstanding. Conclusion: One of my new favorite restaurants in Chicago. Service: 5-stars Food: 5-stars Atmosphere: 5-stars For those who want more detail, feel free to read: My girlfriend took me here for my birthday dinner last night and I was truly impressed. The restaurant reminds me of some of the places I ate in Napa. Some of the menu items change daily based on freshness and availability, specials are written on chalk on giant boards, and the atmosphere is fun, upbeat and inviting. Drinks ordered: Cocktails: Get some. We got three. My drink had vodka and ginger and was served in a copper mug. Nice touch, nice drink, but I REALLY loved my girlfriends. Hers was served in a martini glass with two grapes separated by a curled orange peel. It had elderberry liquor, vodka and some other goodies - we had two of these and they were fantastic! Food ordered: 1) Shaved pumpkin salad: Initially hesitant, but the 2 guys next to us overhead we were talking about this and raved, so we ordered it. Good idea. The salad was delicious and different. I'm interested in trying other salads next time, but this was a nice start. Salad was shaved raw pumpkin, frisee, pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts. 2) Charcuterie plate: Standouts were the lamb liver mouse, the house made pickled celery, pickled cucumbers, house made mustard, house made ham... hmmm.... I'm naming the whole plate! 3) Raviolo: Large ravioli with ricotta, spinach and a poached egg in brown butter. Was a bit hesitant at first, but this was amazing. I would order this again. 4) Faux cassoulet: House made duck sausage, hen confit, beans, pork belly and some chicken hearts (they taste like chicken - relax). This was the only dish I was so-so on - my girlfriend and I both appreciated the dish, it was the duck sausage I wasn't crazy about. The sausage was very rich, and just not to my personal taste - the table next to us loved the sausage though. The pork belly in the cassoulet was fantastic though! I could have eaten a bowl of that! Beans were well seasoned, and the sauce was delicious - a blended mixture of garlic confit, parsley and hen stock. This was put to good use for bread dipping! 5) Basque cake: Outstanding. Per the two gentlemen at the adjacent table, this was their favorite dessert in the city. While perhaps not my FAVORITE dessert in the city (too tough to name a #1), this cake was outstanding and certainly up there for ratings. Dense and soft at the same time, the secret is that it's made with pastry cream! Cinnamon walnuts dotted with poached chunks of apples topped off the treat. Our neighboring table let us try their chocolate sabayon nutterbutters* and they were good too, but not nearly as good as the cake IMHO (In My Humble Opinion). *Tables are somewhat close which leads to people eyeing what neighboring tables are eating. This comparison of different food at tables led us to make new friends the night we went - which led to a lady at one of our adjacent tables breaking off a bit of nutterbutter with chocolate sabayon and offering us a taste.
(5)
Andrea C.
I'm glad I tried it, but not sure it is worth it. First the good: 1. Monkey Bread - absolutely awesome, especially the dill butter. 2. Duck Fat Fries - duck fat, need I say more 3. Good Drink Selection 4. Creative and fresh dishes The Not so Good: 1. Way too loud, not a place you can have a conversation between two couples. 2. Seats jammed together too tightly like sardines 3. Portions are delicious but tiny. My husband had the burger and it was kind of a joke. 4. Food didn't really justify the prices 5. We left still hungry and yearning for more.
(3)
Dustin W.
The Bristol hosted the Goose Island and Zagat present Sour Night as a closing party for the National Restaurant Association conference. I am a new purveyor of sour ale, so this was a definite must and at only $40 a ticket for beer and small plate food, a clear no-brainer for me. The event was held upstairs and featured 5 amazing new sours from GI, Juliet, Lolita, Madame Rose, Amara, and Mae. The first three are available for consumption at a few local craft drinking spots, the latter 2 were firsts for nearly everyone I spoke with at the event. Amara is a funkier offering compared to the rest and is fermented from Brettanomyces lambicus. I enjoyed this variation a lot, especially after hovering over the sweet Michigan cherry spiked Madame Rose for awhile. My unexpected come-from-behind favorite last night may have been the Mae however, boasting Georgia peaches and Brett. claussenii, this saison style farmhouse ale is aged in white wine barrels to attain an unmistakably unique taste. I found myself returning frequently for one last sip. Those that attended were clearly in the know when it comes to beer, and a few local beer celebs were easily spotted in the quaint, cozy room. Several GI employees and brewers showed up and were extremely eager to share their experiences and answer questions. I learned even more about the creation of these beautiful brews and the fortunate mishap that came to be Dominique. The food was very tasty and paired well with most of the beers. Each beer had two food pairings and it kept coming until the last beer was poured. The standouts for me included the fois gras, mini cheese spoon,and chorizo. I wish I paid attention to the names of the dishes, but I was more interested in consuming and sampling sours. I am definitely intrigued to come back for a full dinner experience in the dining room. I heard through the hopvine that GI shelled out over 10K for the event, recouped 4K at best and took the 6K hit for this amazing celebration of sour. Thanks GI and Bristol for making this unique pouring event perfecto!
(5)
Olive G.
This review is for brunch only. The bloody mary was great. Had a little kick to it - just the way i like it. I did ask for spicy. I had the duck and potato skillet - which was very good. My only complaint is that i asked for a poached egg on top and it was overcooked. I like it nice and runny. I also had a little bite of the braised pork chilaquiles - they were great. Definitely will return for dinner. The menu looks interesting.
(4)
Anne P.
Monkey bread = amazing; duck fat fries = amazing; nutter butter and sabayon dessert = amazing; quail = amazing; darn good burger (tried my companion's); but bone marrow = THE. BOMB. seriously. My companion wasn't as impressed, perhaps, but man. Ultimate comfort food for me, evidently. The waiter gave excellent recommendations, and we were glad we took each one: so, fantastic service. Great chalkboard thing going on, great menu with some humor attached ("the cook county department of health would like to inform you that consuming raw or uncooked foods may, in fact, end your life"), happy that they support (and inform us that they support) local farms, etc. Well-done overall, really. Overall, really freaking fantastic experience. Spendy, but goddamn. Worth it. I left very impressed.
(5)
Elyse C.
I was laughing as I walked out of the Bristol with some friends this morning because it sucked so much. It was hilarious that we went there and had a horrible waitress who was just as pissed off to be there as we were by the end of brunch. It was hilarious that the burger I ordered for 11 dollars was mediocre and that they skimped us on the fries. It was not funny when my bloody mary tasted like tomatoes and water though. I think the Bristol itself woke up with a hangover and was treating everyone like cr*p and half-a**ing their dishes. It gets 2 stars because the bathroom looked sweet and I liked the atmosphere. I have not completely given up on this place because I think their dinner menu is a lot stronger and they have an solid craft beer menu. So I will be back for dinner and I hope they have their game faces on next time. Avoid brunch. I was probably laughing as I exited because I was so embarrassed that I had talked this place up to my friends for so long and the food, drinks, prices, and service were so horrible, wtf Bristol, making me look bad.
(2)
Kevin D.
Both brunch and dinner have been great, but I find the menu to be much more consistent for dinner. The monkey bread is a must and the seafood options and sides have always been unique. Service is good and efficient and they have generally been very accommodation to our table's needs. It's a nice neighborhood spot!
(4)
E W.
Get the burger. Eat it and your life will be happier! I went on a weekend night with a girlfriend. We were told that the wait would be over an hour and then they sat us right away in front of the window at a private table. I'm not a huge fan of the communal table...because it gets pretty noisy. But the food was amazing!
(5)
julie p.
Alcohol success, food failure. Come to drink, go somewhere else to eat. The Bristol has a little problem with its menu. It doesn't say anything. Imagine our surprise when "Olives, pork sausage, lemon" came to the table as breaded and fried olives stuffed with pork sausage and lemon. "Smoky fritters" didn't say what kind of fritters they were, so we had to ask, and the "Bristol burger, cheddar, pickle" came with a surprise side of duck fat fries. The menu artistry shouldn't result in complete failure to actually describe the dish, people. All the portions are disappointingly small, the prices are exorbitant for what you get, and the food really isn't that great, so honestly, next time we'll be eating somewhere else before coming here to drink.
(2)
Elizabeth H.
Raviolo, sweetbreads, bone marrow, ramps, veal carpaccio. In that order. Trust me, that was about 1/3 of what we ordered. We started out with a incredibly refreshing moscow mule and then had the waitress select a beer flight to go with our meal. Genius. Avoid the prawns and the strip pastas (especially the one with the artichokes) and be sure to get advice from the waitstaff. They know whats up with the food, and even more so with beer. Can't wait to try brunch!
(5)
wesley w.
Sure liked this joint. Duck fat fries, marrow bones, and chewing on amazing pork tail? fat heaven. Wish I could afford to eat here every day.
(4)
Matt D.
Came to this place on a Saturday or Sunday for a late brunch around 2:30. We lucked out and found an unbelievable parking spot right in front that would've made Costanza proud. The roomies and George were seated in a nice spot by the window with a great view of our parking spot. I wasn't too hungry, because I'd refrained from getting stoned in the car. I got one of their specialty drinks. It was nine-ish dollars and too girly looking for most men. Luckily I'm hardly mannish so I didn't mind the strawberry at the bottom of my pinkish colored martini glass. The drink was strong and not cosmopolitan-like so I was happy. If I were taking notes when I enjoyed it 3 weeks ago I could probably give you the exact title of the drink. Let's call it "Pink Rio", even though I just made that up. George got the $19 bloody breakfast which included a skewer of meats, cheeses, and pickled veggies, a 7 oz. bottle of high life and a nicely spiced bloody mary. He said the skewer had a cube of some of the best pate (imagine a symbol over the e) he'd ever had encamped within the other foreign sounding meats and cheeses. He's a well trained chef so I have faith in his judgment. I ate the anchovy of his skewer and I could still taste it when I woke up the next morning. Serves me right for trying to be culinarily fearless in the midst of trained experts. My entree might have been duck related with a Mexican tint, but then again that might have been my roomies dish. If I'd only taken notes to better serve the yelp reader. I will say my food was around ten bucks, small portioned, but moderately tasty. The service was great, I forget her name but she was hot, as was another of the girls walking around helping with the coffee, so kudos to the hiring screener. I'll be back to this place for more, maybe I'll even bring a pen and a pad.
(3)
Lois A.
It's hard to add to the bazillion good things that have already been said about this place. It was excellent. I was floored by how friendly the staff were and that definitely added to our wonderful experience. TRY A MOSCOW MULE!! They said that the specialty drinks take longer to prepare but I swear it was done before I could bat an eye. Served in a copper mug and so perfect with vodka and ginger beer and lime. I could have had several. We loved everything we tried, the monkey bread with dill dip, the olive plate. Yum. We ordered burgers and they were outstanding. Cooked to perfection! Duck fat fries....so good. I can't wait to come back and try a bunch of other things. This restaurant does everything right. I wasn't sure it would live up to all the hype but it did.... and then some.
(5)
Jennifer P.
This place has a nice environment. I had the pan friend chicken which was delish...I typically do not order chicken at restaurants but this one had a great description. My boyfriend ordered the hanger steak and this one was a little more odd in flavor so I would stay away. Over all a good experience and hear their brunch was worth experiencing.
(3)
Carrie W.
Excellent cocktails, yummy organic/sustainable/local food, knowledgeable staff, but so loud on a Friday night at 9:30 that you can't holler across the table and be heard by your dining companion. Which you try, but that just adds to the tidal wave cacophony of sound. We jetted before ordering a main course just so we could go somewhere and talk. I will definitely go back but they should consider some sort of acoustic treatment in there. The upstairs waiting area was way more chill but has a limited menu; it's a great place for a snack and cocktail on your way to other things.
(4)
Moe f.
Tried the Bristol again for brunch. As a lover of the Bloody Mary, had to try the infamous $17 Bloody. Wife got it too and 2nd ordered only cost $6. It was good and came with a giant skewer of sausage, cheese, pickles, peppers, etc. I'd ask for no anchovies next time. On to the entrees. We both ordered the Chilaquiles with braised pork. It was one of the best I've ever had. It was also the smallest Chilaquiles I've ever had. The serving dish was like an appetizer bowl and not piled high. So I had to savor every bite and found myself leaving incredibly hungry. Chilaquiles are supposed to be huge! All in all, a $45 brunch(w/o tip) and I left hungry. So as much as I liked the food, too small. Can't wait to not go back unless someone else is buying.
(3)
David L.
Decor: sleek wood tables and a cool chalkboard with the specials of the day. loud joint as the room echos Food: duck fat fries - decent and good size portion pumpkin seasonal salad - something aobut the dressing and the bitter greens made it not very appetizing roasted bone marrow - best part of the meal..lots of marrow and very decadent tried another pasta dish and it was very bland and too simple Drinks: good selection of beers and the specialty drinks are tastey..especially the poire & elderflower overall i would have given it 3 stars but for the portion and the hype of the place it did not meet my expectations
(2)
Cat B.
Went here a few weeks ago with three of my friends for our second annual girls holiday dinner. They don't take reservations and even showing up around 7 on a Friday night cost us over an hour wait. Fortunately, the upstairs bar area is set up to fit lots of people waiting. The bar and the drinks are wannabe Violet hour drinks. It takes 10 minutes to make a martini because they have to cut fresh lemon rind and take one drop here and two drops here of 8 different ingredients. SERIOUSLY?? That may be alright if you have 6 bartenders, but when you have 2 it is kind of a nuisance. You end up waiting a while to get a drink at the bar. So you have to wait too long while you are waiting too long... I did not have the drinks (I think I saw a sigh of relief on the bartenders face when he went from making 4 different martinis in a row to pouring me a glass of sav blanc), but I am sure they are good and interesting. We finally made it downstairs where we were seated at the large communal table in the middle. That is fine, but it was really loud in there and we found that we couldn't have much conversation over the large table. The food is served as shared plates. That was okay, but a bit cumbersome trying to pass plates across the table with all the plates, glasses, etc. I might have preferred just having my own plate. The food...that was the best part. Everything was really good. We even had a woman with us who had some specific dietary requests and they were able to accommodate and still make her dish tasty. I would recommend it. It is fun. I hope that the hype can die down and they can streamline the experience. This might be a place to try on an off night as opposed to a Friday/Saturday.
(4)
Johnny T.
It doesn't need another review, but someone has to be #300. I had a pretty great experience. Things started out somewhat rocky, as I got here at 6:30 and there was already an hour wait. I was a little dubious as to the veracity of such a claim (SAT -- holla!), but I ran into some folks at 6 Degrees who corroborated the claim. Actually, they were told and hour and a half. So, after 58 minutes of waiting, I got a call that a seat was ready. At the bar. I was almost ready to leave. Granted, I did ask for first available but I don't really enjoy sitting at bars to eat dinner. It feels...incomplete. Making matters even worse, I noticed that some tables were available, but people had been waiting even longer than an hour for them. Supposedly. I got a little cross-eyed crazy, when the party I'd met at 6 Degrees sauntered in 15 minutes after me and sat at a table. There were *prior* requests for a table? Oy. Sensing a Hulk-like meltdown, my buddy encouraged me to keep drinking and chill out. We were here for good food and better drinks. I said, "okay," but crossed my fingers. I was ready to flip. And then I met Debbi. If you sit at the bar at The Bristol, ASK FOR HER. She, single-handedly, saved the evening. Yes, the food was as good as has been detailed (Monkey Bread, Flat Bread, Duck Fat Fries, Radish, Pate, Sardines) but Debbi is a master mixologist. She hit me with whiskey, bourbon and a rum drink she made up on the fly with, like, six ingredients. She's friendly, knowledgeable of food AND drink and is a great person to talk to make you feel at ease in your experience. She got me even more sauced, but she also calmed me way down. As you might know from reading my reviews, once the rage fuse is lit, hide the knives and pray that the storm is over soon. Debbi turned me into...who's Dora's nice brother...Diego? Is that right? She turned me into someone fit for a 4-year old's consumption. I was happy, sweet and well-behaved. That takes a LOT. Debbi is a genius. Come to the Bristol. If it's just you (and a friend), sit at the bar. Ask for Debbi. Your belly and your drink palate will be psyched. You're welcome.
(4)
Robyn T.
My recent dinner at The Bristol was one of the better dining experiences I've had. Our server was attentive and passionate about explaining the entrees and beverages. The food itself was stunning. The simplistic decor lent itself well for a focus on the food. I can't stop crowing to anyone who will listen about how wonderful The Bedford is. Do you know what most people's response is? "Oh I know, it's one of my favorite restaurants!" I highly recommend starting off with one of their many cocktails. Check out those beautifully square ice cubes while you're at it. No detail here is an accident. Nothing goes unnoticed. I was addicted to the monkey bread with it's addictive buttery sauce. With each bite of fluffy dough bite I thought that the sauce tasted more and more like a smooth clarified butter I'd dip my succulent lobster in. THIS is the way to eat bread and butter. Salads were hearty and for 3 people two salads were perfect and added some greenery to the dinner. If you're going to put chicken on the menu you know it's got to be good. No disappointments here in fact this roasted half chicken was succulent, moist, savory and unforgettable. I wanted to take my entree home but was honestly scared that the taste would be altered when I tried to reheat the dish. Instead I managed to finish the entire plate myself (with bites from my two other dining companions). You might think there'd be no room for coffee or dessert, but there's always room for sweets after a decadent meal, especially when The Bristol's pastry chef, Amanda Rockman, has appeared on "Top Chef: Just Desserts". Her signature cake was exceptional, especially when accompanied by a small french press of La Columbe coffee. I would recommend The Bristol for an evening out with friends, or a dinner date with your sweetheart. Just know that there are some communal dining tables and regardless of where you're sitting you'll be near your neighbors. Take advantage of this by looking at what your compatriots have ordered. Talk to them and figure out what they think of a dish. The Bristol prides itself on its locally sourced ingredients, and you'll feel like you're part of that community once you dine here.
(5)
Troy B.
Went here last night with friends. We shared a round of appetizers. The duck fat fries and the pork tonatto were my favorites. For my entree I had the prawns. They were perfectly done in the shell an had a great grilled flavor. The others had the roast chicken, which was nicely flavored and the pork loin, which also got high marks. We split the four deserts and my favorite was the pistachio cremeux served with a giant macaroon. I liked the chocolate sabayon as well. Cocktails were excellent Service was very attentive but not in your face. Our server was very informative and helpful with suggestions. Restaurant decor and ambience were perfect. This was my first time here and I will be going back!
(4)
Milly P.
I've been to the Bristol twice, and they don't disappoint! First of all, they have phenomenal cocktails! You can't go wrong with violet & elderflower! Their starters are probably their strongest point. Their monkey bread is phenomenal. Their apple salad with hazelnuts was very good. Duck fat fries... SO GOOD! I had a pasta dish with truffles which was also very satisfying. For our entrees we had the bass dish and prawns. My friend enjoyed her fish very much but I thought my prawns were a little salty. All in all, this is a great place to go for very satisfying food. The restaurant is a little small and gets packed very quickly! Please note, they don't take reservations!
(4)
Bre F.
Came here for Brunch this past Sunday and I was not disappointed! Myself and two friends strolled in around 12:30 and were given a table right away. There were maybe 4 other groups there while we ate, not crowded at all. The Bristol Bellini was amazing! It was a rhubarb bellini, and oh my goodness I've found a new favorite flavor in rhubarb! On friend ordered the bacon manhattan and it actually came with a piece of candied bacon. The food came out super fast and piping hot! I love that because I know it was made right when I ordered. Now, I can only comment on what I ate during brunch. I do not remember what my friends got, but I do know they both liked their meals. I LOVED mine. I got the french toast, which came with a bourbon creme and a small amount of some really great maple syrup. I'm on my way to becoming a french toast connoisseur, and let me tell you, this was probably the best french toast I have had in my lifetime. I usually need a fair amount of syrup (at least more than was given to me) and very quickly discovered I really did not need it as much as I thought I would. They do something that gives each slice a crust on the outside that seals in the warmth. And the bread they use tastes heavenly. All in all, I loved my experience here. The staff was friendly and not too intrusive, perfect for a relaxed brunch experience.
(5)
Brady D.
Monkey bread was awesome, the can of Chef Boyardee I ordered was not. I've heard the food is great so maybe this was a one time thing? Service was good but you sit on top of each other and unless you talk in your concert voice - you can't have much of relaxing experience. My date liked her salad and the wine/beer was fine.
(2)
Casey R.
Amazing restaurant! Drinks were great and the food was phenomenal, waiter we had was a bit snobby and rude. I feel like I know a lot about food, he felt the need to make us feel stupid. Shame. Otherwise a great restaurant!
(3)
Kelly P.
Went here for sunday brunch last weekend and had the following; Doughnut (I think it was maple that day) = awesome Bacon Manhattan = truly awesome - changed my life Chilaquiles = awesome Hangover Breakfast = awesome Nice space, service was pretty good given how busy it was. Over all it was a wonderful experience and I would totally go back!
(5)
Gabrielle S.
Great beer...amazing food, delicious tuna tartar in a huge portion, homemade pasta was out of this world, and every single thing we ate had mad flavor! Duck fat frites....is there anything better?!! Service awesome.
(5)
Dennis J.
I don't know what happened last time, but I was underwhelmed after our first visit. My wife enjoyed it and suggested we give it another crack. I'm so very glad we did. We went the Sunday before Memorial Day and they had a BBQ pre fixe going. The pulled goat was amazing, the cornbread was among the best I've ever had and the greens and beans were very good. The most amazing part of that menu was definitely the rhubarb and sour cream pie. I don't like pie that much. This pie, however, redefined the category and its potential for me though. It was that good. All that for just $25! We started with the "bits and pieces" (cracklings/chiccharon/etc.) that were better than the ones I've had at Publican and the duck fat fries (which were great last time too). My wife got the ramp fettuccine which was a nice complement to the some of the heavier dishes we got. What a meal! I'm going to have to chalk up my original review to carb induced madness.
(5)
P S.
We rolled in late, it's true. We were the last table in the joint and while we didn't feel the least bit pressured to eat and get out, and our server gave us the exact same attention as he would have had we been there at 7:30, the kitchen I felt must have wanted to get out of there and quick. The hanger steak was luke warm when it hit the table, cold by the time we got to it and tough as leather (though not uncommon, hanger is a tough cut). Loved the pasta with escargot. The shrimps were delicious but stuck in their little shells like gum on the bottom of a shoe. The crackers that came with the dates and cheese were just this side of stale... I don't know. I loved Bristol for brunch and would absolutely go back for that, but I think it's coming off my dinner go-to list. Unfortunately. Even if I do have a sentimental attachment to the downstairs mens' loo. ; )
(2)
Clif P.
The Bristol was hit and miss for me. The food was good, I enjoyed it. It doesn't exactly measure up to similar restaurants in the city, but good nonetheless. The drinks, while tasty, were rather expensive. $11 for a cocktail is just insane. I'm a big believer in fair prices for alcohol, and the Bristol just doesn't fit that belief. Overall I liked it but would only come back if I drink before/after.
(3)
Margaret S.
There are so many amazing restaurants in Chicago--Bristol was not one of them for me. It was a genuinely miserable dining experience. My date and I were seated along the wall in the corner. We were seated right next to another couple (less than a foot away)--the other woman's arm kept hitting mine. They were having a very loud conversation--but in general, the restaurant was very loud and stressful. Something about the acoustics in the place just amplified the noise. The waiter was overwhelmed I think by the packed house. He took our drink order and then took 30 minutes to bring the drinks; the apps took a similarly long period of time. The entree, as you will see below, was not worth the very long wait. These items were not brought by him--they were brought by runners. He never came back to check to see if everything was alright. We did not see him again until it was time to order dessert. And he could see that we were pretty unhappy with our experience. To his credit, he tried to make it right then by giving us dessert--which was only ok but I appreciate the last-ditch effort. This was the only reason I did not give this place 1-start. My steak--which I ordered medium-rare--was bloody and mostly gristle. I truly do not remember any of the apps we ordered because they were unmemorable. I do know that for the same price, I could have gone to neighboring restaurants and had a better evening.
(2)
Mel C.
I finally had the chance to check out Bristol & I must say- Holy Duck Fat Fries! Normally, I am not a person to rant and rave about french fries, but these are MONEY! The home-made ketchup & garlic aioli sauce were a perfect compliment to this appetizer. Aside from my fry-gasm, I really liked the feel of the place. Dimly lit, wooden tables and open windows created a great environment for conversation. Bristol was packed by 8pm, and they don't take reservations- so I would recommend getting there beforehand if you don't want to sit at the bar. Overall, I really liked this place. Nice staff too :)
(4)
Candice R.
My friends and I decided to make Bristol our first stop on the Sunday Funday train. We started with the bloody mary breakfast, and a round of marys. The breakfast was ok, but I was disappointed by the cheese selection and abundance of pickled veggies. I don't like pickled veggies, so of course I wasn't gaga over it. Our food was good, we had the chilaquiles, pork sandwich and a boring breakfast platter (me). They were out of the housemade sausage, so I was given a tasty made by someone else sausage. The service was lackluster, as two of us were sitting with a drink for too long. We ended with a sticky cinnamon roll, and it needed more sticky, or more cinnamon, something. It was good, I'm glad I tried it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get back there.
(3)
Julie B.
Delicious, delicious and did I mention DELICIOUS!!! I have always heard good things about this unassuming restaurant but was pleasantly surprised when on a Friday night, we were able to walk in (party of 4), sit down and just enjoy ourselves completely! We ordered a few of their specialty drinks and beer, then tried their flatbread (probably wouldn't order it again), pork ribs, scotch olives - the ribs and olives were perfect! We decided to split a couple of the entrees: The Veal Meatballs with Polenta was the best meal. If I had to go to prison, this would be my last meal! Then we split the beef sausage - flavorful and well done.
(4)
Jeff R.
One of my last meals in town before my big trip was at The Bristol, and we couldn't have picked a better spot. I am very cautious about giving out 5/5s, but this qualified. The meal was a catch up with friends Geoff and Ashley, and since they live in the neighborhood The Bristol was an easy choice. I really liked the feeling when you entered the room. It's relatively small, but the brick walls and chalkboard gives you a local and friendly feeling. Our server and service all night was first rate, supplying us with detailed explanations and suggestions on request. Even though there is a high demand for tables, we were never rushed through our meal and casually dined for a solid two hours. The menu is approachable and not overly complex. There are 3 distinct sections, with the majority in the starter section, 4 choices of pasta, and 5 choices for large plates. Over half of the selections are "daily specials" and I image the menu has high turnover. Our only suggestion would be to reduce the number of starters and increase the number or large plates. Pricing is very reasonable with starters ranging from $4-$12, $14 pastas and entrees $18-21. Our entire bill for 4 people with drinks and dessert was around $150; great value in my opinion. All of this praise and I haven't even mentioned the food yet. We ordered 3 starters, 4 entrees, 2 desserts and cocktails. Everything was delicious and it was obvious to taste the effort and precision that went into each dish. I started the evening with one of their handmade cocktails, a traditional pisco sour. I'm not a pisco sour expert, but it tasted great and went down fast. We were in a starch mood that Monday evening by evidence of our starter selections. We went with monkey bread, flatbread and fries. The monkey bread was a more flavorful way to serve "bread." It is served pull apart style with sea salt and dill butter. Tasty. The duck fat fries were great, made even better by the garlic aioli. The house made ketchup was interesting, almost a cross between marinara sauce and Tabasco. Well cooked and well seasoned. My favorite was the flatbread, actually served on very thin, oven roasted flat bread as opposed to other places that just call pizza "flatbread." It came topped with bacon and melted sweet onion, some of my favorite cooking ingredients. The group made a nice variety of selections for the main course. Geoff and I stayed with the pastas (gnocchi and pappardelle), while Erica and Ashley ordered the halibut and hanger steak respectively. My pappardelle tasted fresh and delicious in a bolognese and basil sauce. The portion wasn't huge, as I could have ordered two or three more because I love good pasta. I had a bite of Geoff's gnocchi and that was all I needed to know how good all the food was at Bristol (not that there was any doubt at this point). It was a different kind of gnocchi than I had ever tasted; it was similar to fresh mozzarella and melted in your mouth. The accompanied veal also exploded with flavor and seasonings, a very nice dish. I also stole a bite of Erica's halibut (loved the fish, didn't like the too strong herb garnish) and a piece of Ashley's hanger steak (under cooked for my liking but I heard no complaints from that side of the table). The pastas stole the night, but everyone agreed the food was excellent. We couldn't leave without trying some desserts. There are only 4 on the menu, so we split the difference and ordered a sweet chocolate sabayon with home made nutter butters, and a savory banana bread trifle. Since dessert is my least favorite part of a meal I didn't mind that they were the weakest part of our meal. We all loved the nutter butters dipped in a very rich chocolate mouse, and the trifle was served in a glass jar with banana bread and creme fraiche all mixed together. An interesting presentation and not overly sweet (we were warned), but tasty none the less. I am very glad to experience this wonderful restaurant and hope more follow after me. There are many times when hype and reviews do not do justice to the product served, but this an occasions where I wasn't let down and add my praise to the long list before me. The formula of serving great food (and cocktails) at reasonable prices in a welcoming environment seems obvious, but few restaurants execute this formula as well as The Bristol.
(5)
Sara I.
Let me start by saying I hate going to restaurants more than once (I feel there's too much going on in this city to be double dipping) and I have been to Bristol twice, soon to be "thrice," within 4 months. The menu is smaller compared to some restaurants, but considering everything is amazing, I'm glad it's not pages long. It's very all-natural and "farm to table" focused which I appreciate. Bristol produces very crafty combinations. At my last visit I had goat meet filled dumplings, bone marrow, roasted chicken (which was better than any I've had in a restaurant) with dill spatzel, duck fat fries, and savory monkey bread. I really recommend dining with an adventurous group since some of the ingredients my scare the narrow-minded "American" eater; but the portions aren't huge so it's definitely a place for sharing. Very fun atmosphere!
(5)
A D.
We love it here. My wife and I have been on several occasions, most times with our young daughter but also with friends. Each experience is terrific. The food is excellent, the wine list nice, and their mixed drinks are very good. I highly recommend it. Yes, it can be noisy, but that's part of the fun. What's especially great about this place is how accommodating they are. My wife has several food allergies, and the Bristol handles this better than just about any other restaurant in the city. She gets her own printed menu listing what she is able to have, and they keep a file on her allergies in their computer. And her meals are always excellent. I'm very glad we found them.
(5)
Heather C.
Showed up around 8pm on a Tuesday night sans reservation, sans wait (granted it was a balmy 21 degrees outside, so that may have had something to do with it). The decor is exposed brick + soft lighting. We drank delicious wines by the glass (all under $10 bucks thankyouverymuch!) and devoured the duck fat french fries, sunchoke salad, ravioli with egg and brown sugar and cod. All were to die for. Total bill was $45/each -- a steal for 2 glasses of wine/person 1 app/person and 1 entree/person. I will def be coming back. My only complaint is that the two-top tables are thiiiisclose to each other, causing me to listen to my neighbors more than my friend across the table. They have an amazing big group table, which would be great for a birthday dinner, bachelorette dinner, etc etc.
(4)
Brian B.
Went here on a double date this weekend. Very attentive staff, great flow to the place, excellent beer selection, mostly delicious food. We decided to do an experiment and order the entire specials section and then see how we felt. Charcuterie and Cheese were phenomenal. The Liver Mousse was divine, the Mortadella was sweet and savory all at once, the pate was great and the Jasper Hill was a delicious cheese that reminded me of my time at Irving St Kitchen. In hindsight, it was our fault, we should have forgone the salads - nothing to write home about - and the prawns and instead ordered a pasta to share. Highlights were the Chicken hearts which I'd never experienced before, Tripe, Mackeral, Tartare, and the Fried Grardinere, Crudo. Disappointments: Both salads and the prawns, plus the lack of Duck Fat Fries even though we ordered them and asked about them part of the way through the meal. Kind of strange. In the end, I'd like to come back to experience the wonderful ambience again, peruse through the beer selection, grab a couple of starters and maybe split a couple pastas/entrees.
(4)
Amanda S.
Went there at 5:30 on a Friday evening, sat at the bar, and had a thoroughly enjoyable meal. Not the best meal I've ever eaten, but in my survey of fine Chicago eating establishments, I will put this on my "would like to go again" list. Roasted Bone Marrow w/ Shallot Jam and Bitter Greens - Fantastic Easily my favorite part of the meal, which is interesting because before my plate came, I was a marrow virgin. I'm now a total convert, and frankly, I felt a little sorry for the people around me with their boring monkeybread or fries. It actually wasn't as rich or mouth-coatingly fatty as I had worried it would be, just meaty and buttery and wonderful. Especially with that jam. I didn't bother with the greens since I was enjoying those flavors immensely. I even used the last remaining toast piece to mop up the juices on the plate - it was that good. Raviolo with Browned Butter and Egg Yolk - Good I love browned butter, but both it and the egg got a little lost. The raviolo's filling was a citrusy ricotta with fresh thyme which pretty much overpowered the whole dish. Plus, I think it was dressed with additional lemon juice. I only remember one bite in which I could taste that nutty, earthy flavor of the browned butter. It was still tasty, and I cleaned my plate, just not what I was expecting. Cheesecake Panna Cotta - Ok A good panna cotta has a very distinct texture, creamy like a custard or flan, but lighter in mouthfeel and a slightly firmer texture. This was close, but not quite there, and my guess was that it was due to the cheesecake twist - wasn't as smooth as it should be. Granted, as a pastry chef, I tend to be a little on the picky side (tsk'd a little at the 4-item dessert menu having two sabayons). The graham cracker crust was fine, but the rose petal meringues were virtually tasteless paired with the acidity of the "cheesecake". And I just don't understand the point of fried fresh mint.
(4)
Tabitha H.
The food was delish and innovative and I loved it. Scotch olives? Oh yes. And weird, but my favorite part of the wonderful suckling pig dish was the lentils. Because they were that good. But caveat boozer: our food was surprising affordable and we were full after about $40 worth of food. But our bill was $100. They serve their stout beer in small snifters. Which isn't wrong. But their snifters are about 8 ounces. The beers are 9 dollars. You do the math. Not. Cool.
(4)
Laurence K.
I must say the cocktails and food have always been good here. This is my 4th visit and it all comes together well
(4)
Susan F.
This place is fab. Yes, that is the adjective I just used. If you have frequented here once, twice, three times the lady, you'd agree too. After reading countless reviews of The Bristol, I came over on a Sunday night. Not too crowded, just the right amount of hungry people awaiting the unique menu and great service. First off, the space is small but neutral and sleek. I would love to have a private party here--might do some research on that later... The menu changes apparently, but I've heard that the salads and monkey bread are classic staples on this menu. They organize their menu by entree size--very smart. Presentation and service is great. I had the spinach salad which had a lot of great flavors. It was actually surprising how a small salad could really leave me satisfied--there a joke in there somewhere, but I won't go there (it would be distasteful ;) Like I said before, apparently the monkey bread is phenomenal and brunch is just great all around. I will update my review if I get a chance to try anything else out. Knowing me, I'm sure I'll get the chance.
(5)
Billy W.
Really nice all-around. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived so the host graciously sat us at the bar to have a cocktail while we waited. Love their cocktail list, and they were delicious. Our server Ryan was on top of everything, really friendly and knowledgeable. I had a headache and while it's apparently illegal to give drugs to their patrons (I get it), he really did try to make it happen. Duck-fat fries put Hot Doug's to absolute shame, especially with the home made ketchup and garlic aioli. We also had the asparagus with hollandaise, a linguine clam dish, and the trout. The plates were slow to come out, but it's no bother. The price is the only thing that keeps this place from 5 stars, because it's not quite worth the amount we spent, but I still really enjoyed it.
(4)
Ria C.
Went here for brunch last weekend anticipating a steller meal since GQ named this one of the best brunch spots in the US for 2009. Boooo, you guys lied! The whole experience was just lackluster. Bloody Mary-So citrusy and lacked flavor and kick. For $9 I almost cried. Fried Egg Sandwich-The Pork Bellly lacked flavor and spice. The sandwich lacked mornay sauce, which was more like country gravy. Best part of the meal was the crispy potatoes which I could eat every day for breakfast...mmm...but if you go to a snazzy brunch place and all you can remember are the potatoes, something's amiss. Braised Pork Chilaquiles-Eh...just ok. Bits of pork intertwined with tortillas and egg. Nothing worth remembering. Not returning.
(2)
Art A.
What a fantastic brunch! Joe and I hit it up on Sunday morning and had a lovely brunch. I got the fried egg sandwich, which was pretty good (but it was only luke warm) and Joe had the eggs benedict, which were to-die-for good! We started with the baked good- a must- oh-my-god! Can't wait to be back.. and go for dinner!
(4)
shivi d.
home made bloody mix was really good and really spicy. I got it without alcohol and it was perfect. best biscuits and gravy in the city. the sausage and gravy are very peppery and spicy so be warned in case you don't like spicy food. I, on the other hand, cleaned the plate.
(4)
Sarah A.
The good: the ambiance, the service, the drinks, the raviolo, THE MONKEY BREAD!! The bad: The chicken was super salty, and not very good. The verdict: I will definitely be coming back
(4)
Christine K.
The Duck Fat Fries. Yes. Very possibly the best fries I've ever eaten, and I've eaten my weight in fries many times over. I love fries and every time I have a hankering for some, Bristol is the first place that comes to mind. They are served with homemade ketchup and garlic aioli, both of which are fabulous. The food there is great. The monkey bread is light and fluffy. The bone marrow is rich and creamy; I really like that they serve it split open so you get extract every succulent morsel. The menu seems like it's always changing, but the quality of the dishes is always very high. The only complaint I have is that the second time I went, the pasta seemed a bit undercooked. I'm not sure what went wrong. They were probably trying not to overcook the pasta, but it came out tough and chewy. (Two different pasta dishes were ordered that night and they both came out the same way.) I'm sure it was just a fluke because when I went there previously, the pasta was perfectly cooked. Overall, a great place to eat. I highly recommend it!
(4)
Steve W.
This place is good, but not great. I told my friend last time that it's a place that looks a lot better than it is. First of all, I really like the decor. It's the cool Chicago chalk wall with long, unfinished wooden tables and long comfortable chairs. If you've seen The Kids Are Alright - terrible movie - imagine Mark Ruffalo's restaurant. Well, minus the perfect Californian weather and a patio. So maybe only vaguely like it. I love the daily printed menus, and the servers (and host) are anything if not eager and incredibly friendly. The cocktails are tasty - there's a bar area up stairs you can wait at. The food, though, is not that exciting. The problem, I feel, may be with the expectation created for the customer. The food is, in reality, simply prepared. It's well-prepared and tasty, but it's just not that exciting. In terms of appetizers, the monkey bread is fluffy and tasty - though the sauce is take it or leave it. The duck fat fries are good but seem like they could use a tiny bit more salt - and this is from someone that undersalts everything. The pasta dishes are very good. It took me until I hit college to realize that pasta was about the quality of the pasta rather than the sauce, and their preparations are a perefct example. The chicken is really perfectly created. I, like most, have a tendency to ignore chicken because, frankly, it's probably the protein I eat 70% of the time. But their chicken reminds you that there's a difference between a dry hunk of chicken breast you get on a salad for lunch and a perfectly roasted bird. If you did a power rankings of Chicago New American places, Bristol would sail below Avec, the Publican, and Longman and Eagle. It feels like a more accessible version of those restaurants.
(3)
Steve W.
A hip spot to enjoy life's delicious moments! The Bristol is ahead of the curve, doing what many restaurants will be doing in a few years. The scratch bar and extensive beer list open up a new dimension to your meal, since not all of us want a bud light with dinner every night. The atmosphere here is casually classy, with a dining room bathed in soft, neutral tones, and long wooden tables. Expect a little noise, since the dining room is fairly modest in size, and always filled with happy diners. The Food: Everything I have had here has been excecuted masterfully. I recently dined here with a group of 7, and we ordered just about everything on the menu. The highlights of our meal: Monkey Bread - Not sweet, savory with a little sea salt, love, and affection. Bone Marrow - My first time trying this, and I was very pleased. It is a rich, comforting spread. Enjoy with some onion, micro greens, and toast points. Duck Fat Fries - Rich, crisp, mouthwatering fries cooked in duck fat. They do not taste like duck, just the best fries you've ever eaten. House Made Papperdelle - This lovely pasta was served with a wild boar ragu and some fresh Ricotta. The pillowy cloud of Ricotta blended beautifully with the ragu, providing just the right amount of salt. Try something new, or stick with what you know. The Bristol is an accessible and reasonable way to enjoy perfectly executed , modern American food from passionate, intelligent chefs.
(5)
Matthew L.
Duck fat fries were incredible...could have just eaten them as my entree. However, if I had, I would have missed the incredible roast chicken entree. Corkage is $15/bottle.
(4)
April W.
I have been reading and hearing about this place for some time now and decided to finally give it a try. We decided to go last night to celebrate some birthdays. Perfect place for a small get together. We pretty much had everything on the menu. For starters we had the duck fat fries which were AMAZING. The scotch olives were something so different and my father kept insisting my mother and I learn how to make them because he loved them so much. Needless to say after the first two orders on monkey bread, we ordered 2 more. Dill butter was a nice and different flavor. We also tried the marrow appetizer that came with toast points and a jelly. While I am not a fan of this type of food I could appreciate the flavor and decadence of this dish. My mother, on the other hand, LOVES marrow and really enjoyed this dish. We also had the chicory salad and the apple salad. Both were good, the ONLY thing I can say is that one was a little tiny bit salty, the chicory, I personally love salty things, so it was ok for me but others thought it to be just a teeney tiny touch too salty. We also had 2 pastas, the raviolo which now when I think about my mouth literally waters and the fresh pappradelle with the veal ragu. After having this one my father ordered another. For dinner we shared a 48 0z beef that came with lettuce wraps and fried onions, so so so so good and the meat was perfectly cooked. We also ordered 2 chicken dishes that had a dill spaetzle that was to die for. Dessert we had a chocolate something or other, french press coffee that they send out with a cute egg timer to know when to press it and we also ordered a huckleberry cornbread dish. All were amazing. The atmosphere was welcoming and comfortable and not pretentious considering the food was something you would have in the most snooty type places. UNBELIEVEABLY great. I forgot to mention the moscow mule cocktails we had that they actually served in a copper mug. This impressed my dad to no end , because he used to run a restaurant where they did this and you never see this anymore, The server was amazing, helpful, knowledgeable and attentive, The ONLY complaint I would have is that they would take our plates away right after we finished when I wanted to lick the plate clean by dragging my monkey bread across it! But maybe it was better they took it away because this was slightly disgusting on my part, its just that the sauces were sooooo good! This place was amazing, go as soon as you can before you wont be able to get in the door!
(5)
Theresa K.
The Bristol is delicious. Although some meal options were standard others were off the charts! I highly recommend the monkey bread appetizer, the ravioli and the basque cake. Ridiculously delicious. My dinner companion and I didn't care much for the apple salad, our drinks and the fries. The service is good and knowledgeable. And the ambiance is simple and classic. Which is refreshing since most American restaurants can be a bit overbearing. I would recommend this place if you're willing to fork over $50/person for a nice dinner. We left the place stuffed and had to walk off the full feeling in our tummies!
(4)
Orack B.
Went back as planned and was thoroughly disappointed...again! This place is like The Publican's bastard, unwanted child that doesn't realize he's retarded because everyone around him is an ignorant trend-rider that's programmed to love retards. A simple price-to-portion ratio renders this place comical. The food on the other hand is just straight TREND. Monkey Bread - Salty bread. Pretty, pretty, pretty mind-shattering! Duck Fat Fries - Wow! Homemade ketchup too. Gee Whiz. Bone Marrow - Ohhhh, so edgy and head-to-tail! I mean come on. Why does The Bristol have to try so hard to be hip, farm-to-table, head-to-tail, etc.? Because Chicago Magazine hypes them as the second coming of the-next-best-thing. Fuck this place. I am never going back. I will go to The Publican any day over this bastard!
(2)
Doris D.
I am fully prepared to get jumped by my fellow Yelp peeps. I say: Bring It. So the Britsol, oh that famous Bristol...the famous Bristol is......soo TOTALLY OVERHYPED!!!!! (Gasp!) First up... look at this...we have a BISCUIT OUT OF THE OVEN!!! EARTH SHATTERING!! Come on Monkey Bread, work your magic, be warm and salty... Omigod.... it is so good...but what is this?... wait for it...it's.....BREAD!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! And the Duck Fat Fries, another popular staple of this restaurant. You are good, definitely good. But what's with the sweet salsa-textured homemade ketchup?? Just give me the Heinz if this is what you are going to serve. Wait, are these Greek fries??!! Guess what else we had?? CHORIZO!!! Come on Shake and Bake...insert chorizo comment here... Soooo....our dinner consisted of bread, chorizo and french fries!!! The table next to us had Nutter Butters. Oooh, YES vending machine food! $81 later we realized...man we are so hip.
(3)
Alissa G.
Went here for a birthday dinner and the majority of items were really great. Tasty and interesting - different than usual fare. The Boude, Chicken and cheese board were easy favorites..the pasta was OK. The cocktails were excellent as was our waiter. Def give it a try!
(4)
Misse D.
When the Bristol first opened, I came for dinner only to find out that there was a 2.5 hour wait. Then, a few months ago, I attended a fashion event in the upstairs space. While I had a great time, I wasn't necessarily blown away. Third time is a charm, deeries. I had a Fantastic brunch experience! I came here on a slow Sunday morning with my sister-in-law and husband. Immediately, I adored the warm and cozy atmosphere. My SIL requested the cheese plate, even though it wasn't on the menu. Our very accommodating waitress was able to get it for us. That is some great service! Everyone's dishes were tasty and delicious. I had some morning cocktails to cheer me up. I cannot wait to go back, hopefully this time for dinner.
(5)
Jack C.
The Bristol has taken their eye of the ball for brunch...focusing too much on the new place and thus...SERVICE and FOOD has changed for the worse--no longer recommended.
(3)
Matt M.
A haiku: Go here with a group And you can order and eat an entire pig
(4)
Kevin G.
Date night with my girlfriend brought us to The Bristol on a pleasant summer weeknight. We arrived immediately got a great seat at the open window. Score! Drinks I ordered the Smoked Sicilian Manhattan. It was decent, but overall I felt the drink menu was overpriced. When a single beer reaches the price for a six pack of an entire beer the restaurant is just gouging you. My gf had some fruity cocktail which was nice with seasonal fruit - nice touch. Appetizers Duck Fat Fries - Probably the highlight of the meal. Perfectly fried, great mayonaisse and ketchup (which my girlfriend and I both typically despise). Fried Pig Ears and Chicken Skin - Ordered this for the novelty of having Pig ears...four dollars. Unfortunately ALL they did was fry them and throw some ranch on the side. I would rather pay a few more dollars and see something done with these. As they were they just tasted like a fryer. Beans - Tasty beans of somesort. Not outstanding but tasty. Mains Veal Meatballs with Polenta & Pomodoro - I was really excited about these when I ordered them. My enthusiasm quickly faded as I found them to basically taste like salt covered in salt. Even the polenta did little to balance out whatever was going on in this disaster of a dish. I guess this is not atypical of what happens when you take a good cut of meat and grind it into a meatball. Quail with Cucumber - Girlfriend ordered this. Good portion size, great presentation, tasty. Second best dish I tried here. Overall Impression: Very good restaurant with a lot of fun flavors. My guess is sticking with the regular menu items is a safer bet than trying specials (could be wrong). That said I appreciate a restaurant that is always trying new things - but you have to DELIVER on your mains. Meatballs shouldn't taste like salt. I'll return - but would recommend Hot Chocolate to someone visiting the area. -Kevin
(3)
Sam F.
How the Bristol gets a few one & two star reviews is beyond me! I believe I've been there five times and it's never been short of excellent. I absolutely love the half chicken... Juicy and flavorful, and definitely best when eaten with it's crispy skin. Also, the raviolo is not to be missed! When you get it, cut it in half and mush out the insides... Then whisk them together with brown butter on the plate to make a delicious thick and creamy sauce. Trust me, this dish alone is worth going to the Bristol for. Sooooo good!!!
(5)
John P.
The Bristol may have had a bad night when we dined there tonight. Upon entering, the decibel level was incredibly high. Forget trying to carry on a conversation at normal levels here. Yikes! Zero sound absorbing materials anywhere. Having a romantic getaway? Forget it! First date? Forget it! Best bet for communication - text each other across the table. :-( The waiter appeared hurried and was almost "pushy" to get us ordering. We waited 48 minutes between the three starters that arrived together and the main course. Two, polite "signals" later, our tiny meals were served. The burger arrived over cooked, the other three dinners were meager at best. Much of the food seemed to be heavy on the salt, so beware! Overall, skip this place and spend your hard earned cash at a place that puts some value into the meal & doesn't "drop the ball."
Delivery : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : Yes Smoking : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Dave H.
Went to The Bristol with my family in December while I was home over the holidays and the whole experience from the drinks, food, service, and ambiance was so stellar I 'm writing my first ever Yelp review. Was the best overall restaurant experience I had in 2011 and I'm a fairly avid restaurant goer. I live in San Francisco and this really reminds me of the food scene there and my favorites like Bar Tartine and Zuni Cafe. I recommend getting a few things from each section of the menu, snacks, starters, medium, and large and sharing all the courses. I'm assuming the menu changes all the time but here are the highlights from our meal: +drinks: sazerac - the absinthe and sugar cube cut the normal harshness of sipping burbon and it adds a unique flavor. reminds me of barcelona +snacks: duck fat fries +starters: apple salad - this was on every table in the place and for good reason +medium: raviolo +large: roast chicken - some of the most perfectly done, moist chicken I've ever had. spatzle was excellent as well. +desert: the basque cake is the best desert I've had in a long, long time. Also, our waiter was excellent -- friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive without being suffocating and schmoozy.
(5)Colleen A.
Bristol has a great set-up. They don't take reservations but the upstairs bar area is very open and nice and they let you know when to close out your tab when your table is almost ready. The duck fat fries were glorious. The restaurant is very intimate - but not with your own party. It's a tiny place and you sit at communal tables so you sit by other people, but it's not so loud that you can't hear your own party. Service was amazing and the food was very good. The monkey bread was good, but in my opinion, bread should be free, but the butter was incredible. The prawns were my favorite dish by far. I also recommend the hangar steak. The raviolo that everyone else has written about was good, but has to be shared. It's just too rich to eat bite-after-bite on your own. Prices seemed cheaper than expected, but it's also because the portion sizes aren't huge. Great wine list. Overall a great experience for a more expensive night out.
(4)Colt E.
The Bristol is one of my favorites. From the food to the drinks to the servers, you really can't go wrong. I love a place that lets you sit upstairs and have great cocktails or beers while you wait for a table. Their Moscow Mule is outstanding. After your drinks, you head downstairs for a meal that can't be beat and doesn't kill your wallet. We found their bone marrow course to be especially impressive. Can't wait to go back.
(5)carolyn e.
Oh dear, sweet Bristol...you failed me this time. From among the thousands of amazing Chicago restaurants I chose YOU! What for you ask? I chose YOU for both entertaining and filling the beleaguered bellies of two wearily traveling friends of mine visiting our great city for the weekend. And how did you fail me? Please...do let me tell... +++ The wait was 3 hours! Two in the party arrived at 7:40PM on a Saturday evening, two in the party arrived at 8:10PM and two more arrived shortly thereafter. The original head-count was five, but changed to six upon the inclusion of a friend of a friend. Upon sharing this information with the host at 8:10PM, he proceeded to make us feel badly about the addition of one more guest and how it had really screwed with his plans of organizing the guests at the tables. Instead of an hour wait, he said this would add 30 more minutes to the wait (OH! Shew! what's 30 more minutes?). So, we headed upstairs to the bar to wait it out and enjoy some signature cocktails. Three...(count them)...THREE HOURS LATER...we all had spent hundreds at the bar and were drunk and STARVING and feeling forlornly forgotten. The exquisitely talented bartender (ehem! cocktail artist, I meant) upstairs even felt so badly for us that he ventured downstairs to inquire about our extended wait! So, after finally being seated at a table... +++ The waitress proceeded to ask us multiple times if we needed more beverages after I stated twice that we were good on drinks! Ok, this probably doesn't sound too bad, per se, but you must consider that we had just spent three hours drinking beverages-only and being forgotten by the restaurant-part of the operation. To compound the annoyance I felt with the waitress continuing to ask if we needed MORE beverages, she then abruptly told me that she saw that I already HAD a cocktail and was continuing to ask us if we needed drinks because others may need drinks. Fine. Good. Whatever. But we NEEDED FOOD and my out-of-towners were entirely drunk and restless at this point, so I thought that response from the waitress actually quite rude. +++ The "Large Plates" at The Bristol don't have any more food on them than the small plates, but rather are just presented on larger plates...lol! This became quite a conversation topic for the group of six starving people who had just spent $20+ per "Large Plate", only to be served up another stomach-starvingly small portion on a plate that was comically large enough in diameter to warrant 4 more portions of the dish. Outside of our particularly lengthy evening of being neglected by the foodservice side of The Bristol, the cocktail artist at the upstairs bar (forgive me fine cocktail artist...but I forget your name. Instead, I will describe you via your dashing good looks -- balding, thickly-rimmed glasses, salt n' peppa gotee) he served us well, and made the experience worth repeating. The list of cocktails hand-written in chalk above the bar include both classics and a number of cocktails created by this fine bartender. He really knows what he's doing...so I suggest your asking for his suggestion on a cocktail or being sure to try one of his personal creations. All cocktails, like all food items at The Bristol, change seasonally and/or daily, which makes them even that much more delightful!
(2)Michelle C.
I just adored the Spinach Raviolo!! Perfect portion sizes and many fun flavors to explore!! The monkey bread and olives were great apps for the table to share. There's a rather long wait if you don't go early but worth it!! The owner and is wife were very accomodating and welcoming.
(4)Jessica B.
Went here for my birthday brunch and it was DELICIOUS. OMG. I cannot wait to go back for dinner. I had the Eggs Benedict (my brunch staple) with country ham and mustard hollandaise. It was amazing. Flat out. I always order eggs benedict but this was above and beyond what I expected. The breakfast potatoes were really great too and there weren't too many of them to make it feel like a "filler." My dad had the fried egg sandwich which he liked (even thought the pork belly was a little dry) and my stepmom had the malted waffles, which she liked too. The bloody mary was good but tasted a little grainy. I brought the blueberry crumble home but from a few bites, it's delicious too. The setting and decor is great, very minimal, modern with a comfortable feel. My only complaint was that the host was a little rude when we asked to be seated in a booth (there were two available) rather than at communal seating. He made a rude remark, which was unnecessary but not a deal breaker. I would definitely still go back, as long as the attitude is adjusted :)
(4)Leigh K.
I am just repeating what others have said. There are some things here that owned and other things that lost. The price of your meal can add up, so it's definitely recommended to go with friends so you can order a bunch of things. I went with a fairly large group fairly soon after the Bristol opened, so I was able to do this. The duck fat fries were excellent. The monkey bread was not so much. I fully intended on sharing the thing that looked best to me on the menu that looked delicious to me, but when the raviolo came out and it was rather small for $11, I hogged it all. Definitely get this, but plan to eat it all by yourself. Since the big thing here was cocktails, I tried one. After the waiter who I ordered it from asked what I thought I said it was okay and he offered to get me something else which I declined. Then I figured I would try something else. I got it and it was okay. Other drinks I tried were better, but still...this place is not the Violet Hour. After the experience I kind of just wished I'd gone there, where all the food I have had is lip-smackingly good. I may go back to the Bristol again because the daily specials are always changing.
(3)Mike T.
Went there for brunch on a Sunday. Good food, but nothing to write home about. Very small portions. Would I go back? Probably yes.
(3)Sandra W.
The service: was great. 2 of my friends and I went in at around 8:30pm for dinner. The place was fairly small, but we got sat immediately. The waitress was extremely nice and accomodating. After we ordered, the food came very quickly. The food: I was not as pleased with the menu as I had hoped. The entre was overpriced for very small portion. The angolotti was very good and the raviolo was amazing. But it was definitely over priced. The Appetizer: DELICIOUS. Monkey Bread - great! Spicy Olives stuffed with sausage - SO good! and the best was the Duck Fat Fries with the Aioli sauce was sooooo gooood. The Drinks: I had a watermelon (I forgot what it was called) martini and it was really fresh and homemade and my friend had a lemon martini and he said it was also very good. Overall, I was satisfied but I just thought it was a tid bit overpriced.
(4)paulette b.
The atmosphere was nice (a little loud) and not hard to get a table on a sunday night. Drinks were the best part of the meal: "Hucklemary" cocktail that included both huckleberries and rosemary in a vodka cocktail. Delicious! And then a wonderful Belgian beer I've never heard of... hommel something - it was listed as an IPA but was quite fruity and delicious. I would come back here for drinks. As for food, my hamburger was only OK. The patty was definitely pre-made and overworked (how does a beef patty ever become a square shape??) which made it too chewy. Fries were good! But the portions were small for the price ($10). Not really worth a trip, but nice for drinks if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)Hugh B.
Although I was there on just the second night, The Bristol was firing on all cylinders. This looks like it could be a great neighborhood spot. The room is pretty -- not much different than Il Covo, although sans the wood-burning oven in the back. There are many banquette tables plus a communal table in the middle. The management and service are warm and inviting. Very eager to please. Food was excellent. We started with monkey bread, which was FANTASTIC. A small pan of bread, fresh from the oven, served with some sort of green sauce. The bread was piping hot and buttery rich. Entrees -- I had salmon, my friend had a burger with duck-fat fries. I had a side of late summer succotash. Everything was totally tasty. For dessert we shared a peanut butter wafer dipped in chocolate sabayon. I couldn't cram it in fast enough. Service was spot on the entire evening. I'm a fan already.
(5)Temi C.
It was our first time at the Bristol. Even before I got there, I knew I was going to order the fried egg sandwich w/pork belly. As I waited for the bf to show up, I was getting anxious fearing that they would sell out of it. I love brunch. My bf loves brunch. We usually order 2 different dishes and share, but the duck skillet was not on the menu. I ordered the fried egg sandwich w/pork belly and told the bf to get his own. Good call. He quickly devoured his and looked over at my plate. I must like the fellow enough bc I shared more of mine. The runny egg was so good over the thick pork belly. We also tried a side of the house maple sausage which I'd definitely get again. I love how each table has its own Peugeot salt and pepper mills. Attire ranged from fabulous sundresses to the more casual and everyone seemed to fit in. It was a bit noisy, but I still think it's a super cute date spot or fun place to dine with friends. I can't wait to try dinner!
(4)J D.
We've been here twice now and it's a solid addition to the neighborhood. Bonus points for being a well oiled machine only the third night open and more points maintaining the same level of service and food several weeks later. A bit reminiscent of Avec in terms of communal seating, I've decided I'm totally over eating with strangers sitting rightnexttome. it's no longer charming. Love the blackboard idea, most of the stuff up is more interesting than the regular menu. Service is great, the waiters are attentive though those specialty cocktails take FOREVER to make. Sure they're delish but seriously. On to the food: fritters, yummy! ELT, I can't belive i've never though of this myself. A minor criticism on the ELT, the bread is a tad too buttery. I'm usually not one to complain about fat, but it made for a greasy sandwich and didn't add much. Also, when it's available, the pork chops, a must try. It's probably a true 3.5 (the food is good but still a tad inconsistent and all those little plates add up, so the value is not truly there) but I'll be back! Also, we haven't had to wait yet but whenever we walk by (usually on weeknights), it's packed, so be warned!
(4)matt b.
Liked it, has a nice atmosphere, albeit a bit cramped. Decent wine list, and less markup than comparable places. Lots of small dishes, perfect for 2-person-splitting. Liked the "grouper nuggets", cheese selection (double cream cow's milk, came with pickled cherries. yum.) and the fried green tomatoes. .then. I ate this disgusting mussel. sick. SICK. follow that with grilled head-on prawns, over-cooked to that soft anti-al dente texture, strange color... bad aroma. Not a fan. and follow that with the relish plate. Potted salmon is indeed a bad idea, don't second guess yourself. Mussels remained on the bill, and pretty pricey for our level of satisfaction, but sitting around eating (potentially) delicious seasonal snacks is tempting enough for a second visit.
(3)Rob L.
I've been anticipating this place for quite some time. I know plenty of people who love this place so the bar was raised quite high for me. Walking in, the staff is friendly and welcoming. Looking around the room, it is a slight cramped feeling in there but not to the point you feel everyone is on top of you. I spotted my friend whose husband was parking the car, it was a bit of a goodbye dinner. They were leaving at the end of next month, so this was a chance to get together one more time to break bread. They loved this place and rave about it all the time, so as we perused the menu they pointed out things they have had they loved and things they have never had. Apparently the menu rotates quite a bit, always enjoy the revolving and evolving list of dishes. As we perused the menu I ordered a Cable Car. A spiced Caribbean rum that had they day been even warmer, it still would be just refreshing. Hints of vanilla and citrus, balanced and tempered though out and with a cinnamon and sugar rimmed glass, just made me feel a little more indulgent of a drink. Of course I had a second one. We did a round of three courses with about two to three dishes each. Ever the one to be tempted, we had their flat bread, which I was slightly disappointed in, the flavors of cheese and caramelized onions were delicious, I just felt the actual flat bread could have been a little thicker and heartier rather than a very thin and crispy cracker like consistency. The duck fat fries were really pretty good, the aioli was tasty, but not amazing. Moving on to the next round, I had to switch it up to another drink, (those Cable Cars were going down a little too fast), so the sarsaparilla got a shot. Well, more like there were more than a shot of Buffalo Trace whiskey along with Goose Island root beer. Tasty, but a heartier drink and there for a sipper. We also got one of the pork dishes. Thinly sliced pork, (which to most people would look at and say raw bacon, but lord it was tasty pork fat), with a shallot creamy dressing, arugula and shaved manchego cheese. Really a great fat laden dish that I had a hard time resisting not to lick the board. A really well balanced dish with a lot of things playing off of each other, keeping each other in check, a well played dish. We did got their pappardelle with rabbit. Yes, Thumper. And he, (or she), was really quite good. The sauce was seasoned well with green olives which gave it a good briny saltiness to it but the tomatoes gave it a good balance to it. The rabbit was well done, not too gamey and very tender. For our mains we did the roasted chicken with spatzle and their soft shelled crabs. The chicken was done perfectly, crispy skin, tender meat, seasoned just right and the spatzle was a perfect texture complement. The soft shell crab was done with more Asian flavors of soy and more of a tougher green, but it all came together really well. The crab was not over done, the portions were good to share and I was fairly happy with it all. Oh, then dessert. You can't celebrate a departure with out dessert can you? Oh my goodness gracious it was all lovely. from the nutter butters and the chocolate sabayon, (if you love chocolate, you will love it), so rich, deep in flavors and well... chocolate yumminess. The orange vanilla truffles were good, just not my favorite taste combination. We certainly enjoyed everything we had, the food was good to great on pretty much every level. The drinks were of Violet Hour level good, (oh and that Shaddock was pretty amazing too), the prices weren't on the outrageous level, but I would say this is a place I would want to come to if I was sharing dishes with someone or a small group of people. I know plenty of people who would want to have their own dish, but the dishes here lend themselves to share as well as enjoyed. Glad I got to enjoy this place with some good friends.
(4)Amy Elizabeth S.
I loved the Bristol. It has a nice comfy warm atmosphere that is perfect for a cold winter day. Jamie K and I split a bunch of the food, so I felt like I got a great idea of what their menu has to offer and it was all delicious. The service/bartenders/owners were about as friendly as they come too. A few things: 1. It appears that they have European seating, which I am a fan of if I know who I am with, and if I want to socialize with others. Otherwise, I would just sit at the bar. 2. The drink menu is cool as heck. I got my Moscow Mule in a tin (or something other element) cup. The wine was great too. 3. I wish there were more green things on the menu. I like balancing my starches and proteins with something green besides a salad. Honestly though... every time someone tells me that they going to the Bristol for dinner, I want to ask if I can tag-along.
(4)Karen L.
I would give this restaurant a 3.5. This place was "the place to be" since it is new and hip. Tried to go here one other time and the wait was over 1 hour! Luckily this time went a little bit earlier and maybe now it is not so popular, so got in right away! One thing is this place is tiny so make sure to go there early or at an odd time. I believe they have communal seating, which I am not that into, but we got lucky and got our own table. What I did like about this place: the small dishes, or snacks, so you can try different things. I tried the grilled flatbread (pretty good, but nothing that special), the monkey bread (ditto), and the duck fat fries (really tasty at first, with a yummy dipping sauce, but then just really greasy.) For the entree I tried the steak with gorgonzola ravioli. And, for dessert, the pistachio and pear tart. Overall, everything was decent, but I wasn't blown away. I think I enjoyed more the tasting of everything and the different types of things I got to try. Everything tasted good, but I just wasn't as impressed as I thought I would be. They did have a good girly cocktail, which now I cannot remember the name of. I am definitely glad I got to try it but don't know if I would necessarily go back.
(3)Saneel R.
The Bristol is a great place to spend an entire night. It's a long wait for a table, but the upstairs holding area has enough "bar" about it without being a bar that it's worth sipping the unique cocktails they offer for an hour (Lebowski fans, they have "sarsaparilla") before you eat. The food is a collection of small plates that encourage sampling, most relying heavily on cheese or pig. I'd skip the duck fat fries (plain) and grilled octopus (too smoky), but definitely do the flatbread and raviolo. Chocolate Sabayon w/ nutter butters for dessert might be worth the trip alone. The service was friendly and knowledgeable and the ambiance is upbeat and friendly...just don't plan on having a completely private conversation.
(4)Chelsea M.
This place was the highlight of my recent trip to Chicago. I just can't say enough about the yummy food! Highly recommend the duck fat fries, monkey bread and raviolo. We had a big group so we ordered one of every dessert on the menu and all of those were great too! Nice atmosphere also! Definitely on my itinerary for any future trips to Chi-town!
(5)Brent D.
I finally made it back to give Bristol a fair shake. My previous stop was after a long day of drinking wine and I was probably not a very good patron, or worse, the kind of person that you would dread sitting next to at a communal table. In any case, I have been wanting to return to give the place a try with a clear head. We met up with some friends and began to try a bunch of the items. The flatbread was delicious. The monkey bread is like crack as were the duck fat french fries. All in all, I really enjoy the communal and tapas-like nature of the restaurant. In addition to the great food, they have a fantastic beer menu, complete with descriptions that would help even the most novice beer drinker.
(4)Jerry M.
Great beer, creative good food, and excellent, knowledgable bartenders. Classic cocktails!
(4)Noah C.
We loved the 1/2 chicken, probably the best we ever had. The trout was awesome too. Don't forget the fries- they're uniquely cooked in duck fat! The staff was friendly and professional. All the food comes from local organic farms.
(5)Annie R.
Am i alone in thinking this place is overrated? I like the concept but am just not as psyched about the execution.
(3)Sara A.
was NOT impressed. went here over memorial day weekend with a group of 5. communal table seating-- not the best-- but ehh okay, i can deal. the food was horrible. could have made the beef brisket and cornbread myself. for as much as we were spending, not worth it. i had the softshell crab- did not taste cooked properly the only good thing at the restaraunt were the cocktails. come here for drinks, but thats it!
(1)Susan H.
Now that I have a kid, I only go out to nicer restaurants a few times a year, so I agonized for days about my birthday dinner and finally chose The Bristol. The drinks were fantastic, the bone marrow was a great start, and the dessert (especially the Basque cake) was some of the best I've had anywhere. But everything in between was not so good. First, the portion sizes are all over the place--the "medium" bone marrow was waaay too much, and the flatbread "starter" was enormous! (not to mention bland and just not very tasty) We ordered one starter and 3 medium plates, which our server said was "kind of light". Not true! It was way too much food. But that was okay because the quail was virtually inedible. I had to swallow it with water like a pill. And the accompanying cornbread and slaw were so lackluster I didn't want to waste the stomach space by eating them. The gnocchi with goat belly were gummy and overwhelmed with mint, which was a big turn off for us. We've eaten at several similarly priced restaurants in Chicago, and I have to say, we've enjoyed them all except this one. I'm sorry, Bristol, I don't think we'll be back.
(2)Laura H.
Another boring small plates concept restaurant. Been there, done that, had better. And the doormen with ear piecies were a little pretentious for the family style neighborhood eatery this place wants to be. As for the food, eh, it was fine, but nothing special. The flat bread had good toppings but it was dragged down by the burned tortilla shell-like crust. It was more like pizza on a chip, but bland. The salads were a cute attempt to be creative but both missed by being too over the top so they came out a little flat. The ravioli "entree" is about the size of your hand, and bland and boring at that. Don't bother. The goat was very good, but the potato cake underneath again, came up bland, and the corn salsa was the only thing left to compliment the meat, but of course they skimpped on that so I may have gotten a few bites before it was gone. The chicken entree was a winner. Moist and delicious. Finally, they got something right. Too bad it was something as simple as chicken. Dessert: Go for the Nutter Butters. They're homemade. Melt in your mouth. Delicious.
(3)Lauren R.
My husband & I tried this place & really liked it. The portions are perfect as we both don't like an overload of food but I will say that the prices were kind of expensive for the amount of food given. The food was very savory. My husband had the stuffed chicken - it was unreal. I had homemade pasta with a meat sauce which was excellent. I would definitely recommend this place but probably won't be back anytime soon due to the prices.
(4)Russ B.
Ive been here twice now. The first experience was good. However my most recent was so good that I felt compelled to write. It started very poorly having to wait an hour for our reservation for a party of 4. We kindly suggested to the host that given the extended wait, we thought it would be appropriate for our first round of drinks to be comp'd. The host said he couldn't comp our drinks which nearly sparked our rage. But, fortunately, the manager overheard and quickly took over. His apology was very sincere and I could see he was slightly embarrassed at both our wait time and the hosts handling of the situation. The manager mentioned that it was policy not to comp drinks, however he told us that our entire food order would be on the house, and encouraged us to order as much as we wanted. Awesome! His sincerity saved a disaster and the free meal was icing on the cake. We certainly did our best to pay him back in drink orders though. Oh, and the food was great as usual. The standouts were the gnocchi and cavatapi. All in all, I hope they don't make a habit of the wait times, but everything else was outstanding.
(5)Shonda D.
Nice and eclectic space. We only had drinks, but the menu definitely peaked our interest and we will be heading back. Their bar is also very nice and inviting, which is always appealing.
(4)Sheila K.
This place was our backup place for a group of three girls to go to, because we couldn't be relied upon to actually settle on a time to meet until the day of. And so the normally negative aspect of no reservations was the main reason why we chose this place. Ironic, I know. On a Friday night, the wait can be substantial if you don't arrive pre-7pm and last Friday we waited half hour but it wasn't so bad. We had duck fat fries while we were upstairs (the bar, a.k.a. the waiting area), and they were good, but I wouldn't write home about it. The Monkey Bread, on the other hand, is so simple yet so fabulous. That little dish comes out so hot, you know it's straight from the oven, and that buttery dipping sauce is so very good. We ended up getting two of those in the end. It was that good. The grilled skirt steak wasn't bad and those blue cheese raviolis on the side were awesome. We also tried the apple salad, which was nicely done; some average-ish pierogi's; the bristol burger which was pretty good (note that this dish comes with the duck fat fries). And after all of that, we didn't leave enough room for dessert. The wines by the glass were decent. And the food was definitely solidly good. I will definitely be back.
(4)Stefan R.
Mega hooba!
(5)Joel S.
My wife and I ate dinner here last night. Absolutely perfect from the cocktail to the service to the ambiance to the menu to the fact that it was a short walk back to ray's bucktown bed and breakfast where we were staying.
(5)Emily S.
Went here on Saturday night for dinner. We went early because we had other plans for the night. Luckily we did because they tried to seat us at one of those long shared tables. I was not to thrilled about that, so lucily there was room to get our own table. The decor has a very calm feeling. I love the wood tables. It actually smelled like a steam room or sauna. Our service was pretty good. He was very knowledgeable but definitely had too many tables and we had to wait a little for things. The food was delicious. I enjoyed the way the menu was set up so you can try a variety of items and not have an overwhelming amount of food. I know they change the menu up like everyday so we tried all the specials. I was not disappointed with any of them. The seafood dishes were amazing. Highly recommend this place. Its good for a large group if you want to sit at one of the big tables in the middle of the room and order a little of everything!
(4)Jaime J.
This place definitely over delivered based on my expectations and I will be going back again soon. I only gave them three stars because one thing I was excited about (the monkey bread) was not as good as I was expecting and the crowd in there was annoying. I can't blame the restaurant for the behavior of the other other customers except that we were at a communal table and the "beer hall" feel is not my favorite. On the upside the cheese plate was delicious and I was very impressed with the wine and beer list. Our server knowledgable and friendly and a number of things on the menu looked interesting so I will have to check it out for dinner one day soon.
(3)Nathan S.
Outstanding! Superlative beer list (on draught, and in small/medium/large format), remarkable yet unpretentious service, and food quality that I felt warranted higher prices than the very fair prices being charged. Love the commitment to in-house production wherever possible.
(5)Reva M.
We've been wanting to try this place forever, but I was a little nervous given all the bad reviews recently. But, we decided to go for it this weekend and are so glad we did! With the no reservations policy, we got there early - around 6:30 - and were seated right away. There were plenty of seats open though, and it didn't start getting really busy until closer to 8. Anyway, the atmosphere is great - the menu is small, but has enough variety to have something for everyone. We had a big lunch so decided to go relatively light. We split a pasta dish on special - homemade linguine with smoked trout and the lightest dressing of cream sauce (pasta was cooked perfectly, so delicious) - and the chicken. The chicken was phenomenal. I generally try to avoid ordering chicken when dining out, but was convinced by all the yelp reviews that it was the way to go - plus, my husband was in the mood for it. It was delicious - so moist, amazing sauce & came with this yummy dill spaetzel & apple slaw. We also had the basque cake for dessert - again on the advice of fellow yelpers. It was really good - super rich, so we each only ate about 1/4 of it each - but really tasty & definitely had a unique flavor. Minus 1 star for the food being just slightly over-salted...not enough to kill it, but just enough to notice - and also for the "interesting" service. Not sure what other word to use to describe our server... he was a little manic and kept trying to upsell us (he said that "4-6 dishes for 2 people was what they recommended" - we were totally full with 2 & a dessert) - and we kept hearing it at other tables too: "Would you like dessert?" "No, just coffee." He brings the coffee: "So, did you change your mind about dessert??" "Um, no... fine with just the coffee." This was continuous throughout the night! Whenever anyone did order anything, he also liked to tell us how many minutes it would be: "I need to take care of a few things first, so it'll be about 10 mins. for your coffee because I'm going to make it myself." Another table puts their order in: "I'm really busy right now, so it'll be about 5-6 minutes for your drinks, okay?" We know your busy... it's a Sat. night. You don't need to keep reiterating it, and we're not expecting our food/drinks to appear instantaneously! So, he was a trip. Also, the tables are pretty close together, but that seems to be everywhere these days. Overall though - great spot - definitely recommend!
(4)Lauren H.
I loved how this restaurant was nicely decorated and felt cozy. The food was quite tasty and different from other foods I've tasted but at least I could say I've been to this place. The service is really good and one of our friends knew the chef and so we got to taste a few complimentary dishes which was good!
(4)Grey T.
I like the Bristol. The food, the drinks, and the service are great. I have tried many things there, and all were wonderful. They use seasonings and flavors that are somewhat uncmmon (i.e., a lot of dishes utilize tarragon) or that I would not think I would like (some dishes utilize anchovies in the sauce), but they are always delicious. Among my favorites are the market green salad, the apple salad, the tempura broccoli, and the head-on prawns. Also, everone MUST get the basque cake. It does not necessarily sound like much in the description on the menu, but I got it at my server's recommendation and it was phenomenal! The cake is fresh baked, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and is just perfectly sugary sweet without being too much for people like me that aren't necessarily huge dessert junkies. SO GOOD. I think you get to learn a lot about a restaurant when you happen to be there when they seem to be having a bad night. This seemed to be the case when I was there this past Friday. Nothing horrific - just seemed like the kitchen was pretty backed up - it took a while for people to get their food, and the reservation times were running a bit behind. I totally get it - everyone has an off day. Sometimes10 people call in. It happens. But I tend to get surly when it is happening and nobody at the restaurant seems to care. This was NOT at all the case at the Bristol - they handed it beautifully. My monkey bread ran behind; so they comped it. My reservation ran late, so I was given a free glass of sparkling wine as soon as I sat. The servers were all clearly checking on orders and doing their best to keep everyone happy. In my opinion, this is exactly how one should handle a problematic night. I left totally happy. FYI, lest anyone think that I am suggesting that the service at the Bristol is bad, I am certainly not. Their service is usually great - I was just really impressed by how well they handled the unavoidable bad night.
(4)Garrett G.
When I think of my top 5 places in the city this always makes the list. The beer selection is great and they have a unique (and delicious) food menu. I have never had to wait long and the waitstaff knows what they are doing. I am not a huge fan of how close together some of the seating is but a glass of wine or beer later and I tend to not let it get to me.
(5)Jessica B.
This is the best brunch i've had since moving to Chicago. The eggs are absolutely, without a doubt, THE BEST. They are so fluffy. They even have my favorite tea, bottled, which is a huge bonus. The brunch was a little pricey, but well worth it. I ordered the waffle with candied walnuts and i cant even describe how amazing it was. I would highly, highly recommend this place. The decor is trendy, but classic. I have yet to come here for dinner or drinks, but im sure i will soon....
(5)Kate H.
Fantastic environment, great beer selection, and inventive cocktails. I really enjoyed how warm and inviting this place is. And the staff is helpful when it comes to the beer menu. However, the food is a little off par for the more chill aspects of the rest of the space. It's beautifully plated, but not served in a format that makes it copasetic for sharing (they insist that the small plates should be shared so that everyone gets a full culinary "experience). In fact, I would skip the small plates altogether. The real-standouts were the large plates, but even moreso, the desserts. The chocolate sabayon was out of this world. I would swim through shark-infested waters to a remote dessert island if it housed a lifetime supply of chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters.
(4)Dav S.
If I lived in Chicago, this would be my dining date spot, but since I don't, I'll have to stay with EOS in SF. For a Monday night, this place was crowded and loud. Although I love brick walls, I'm not too keen of it when it comes to sound. Our waitress was phenomenal. Very knowledgeable and helpful. The atmosphere was simple with the menu written on the blackboard. Service was great with the owners coming over to make sure our food was fine. As for food, I thought it was A-OK. It was definitely a hit & miss. We began with the fries, the squash, the goat brain ravioli and bone marrow. I'll skip the goat brain ravioli because it was too salty. The skate was fried so I tasted more of the bread as opposed to the skate. I was thinking of something to Redd's skate in Napa but disappointed. I've learned expectations only lead to disappointments. The farfalle with wild boar was nothing spectacular. Overall, I'll still return to this place and try other things on their menu.
(3)Elizabeth T.
This place is nothing short of phenominal. By the end of our meal, we were debating which meal was better--the one we had that night or the one we ate at Spiaggia in February for almost 4 times as much. Each dish we received was very obviously, VERY well thought out, every piece complimenting the rest to perfection. We ordered the goat loin carpaccio which is served with a hint of almond, goat cheese and grapes. who knew raw goat could possibly taste like this? We had the flatbread with bacon that had this smokey, homemade, thick-sliced goodness to it. The duck fat fries. (Need I say more?) Of the "apps" the monkey bread was the only thing I disliked--a bit heavy and i wasn't a fan of the dipping sauce, but my friend loved it. For entrees we had the Bristol burger, which is nothing like I have ever tasted anywhere else. It has this incredible smokey taste, and was perfectly cooked with a red center. The half-roasted chicken exploded with flavor in your mouth and then MELTED. My God. We also got the Hallibut, which was good, perfectly cooked, but lacked the punch of flavor that the burger and the chicken had. they have a huge drink list, and I'd have to recomend the elderberry concoction. Delish and dangerous. We will be back. We had a great time, the service was superb and the atmosphere welcoming and fun. Best of the all, though, the food was out of this world good!
(5)Terri M.
I had a really enjoyable New Year's Eve dinner here. The description of their prix fixe dinner in the Reader was what attracted me. It was definitely a well-thought out, sophisticated menu for a very reasonable price. And it included items that were actually appealing to us, which is not always the case with prix fixe menus. The entire experience was very easy and convenient. I was able to get reservations for the 6:00 seating even though I called the day before. When we arrived we were seated right away and the service was friendly and efficient. The food was delicious and the beverages list impressive. If I were rating only the food and service I might award five stars. The only real drawback was the loudness of the dining room (which was otherwise comfortable and well decorated). We could hear the very loud table in the corner, which was slightly distracting and which made it difficult to fully enjoy our meal. Also, parking is impossible so one would have to rely on valet parking if driving in from another part of the city. the cost of the valet, though, was reasonable: $7.
(4)Blake M.
One of my friends recommended Bristol to me as a good place to go for alternative contemporary American food. When I walked in, I the atmosphere was very welcoming. The seating is somewhat tight, but getting a table on a Tuesday night was not a problem. I was amazed at how diverse the selection of food on the menu was. The basic menu has about 20 items, but there is always an extensive and changing special menu on the chalkboard. My friend and I split an acorn squash appetizer, which was grilled with a creamy cheese. This isn't something I would normally order, but it was extremely well prepared. For my entree, I had the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli, which was a great pairing. My friend had the salmon with jasmine rice, raisins and citrus top. Again, it was a great combination. Their drink menu is quite impressive. I enjoy getting premium beers, and Bristol has more than their fair share at very reasonable prices. Goose Island Matilda on tap for $7 and Thomas Hardy's Ale (2005) for $11. They even make their own nutter butters, served with a thick chocolate Sabayon. Overall, I was quite impressed with the food, drinks, and atmosphere. Our waiter was a little bit odd, but very friendly and helpful. I will definitely be adding this to my regular rotation. One piece of advice: I could tell based on how busy it was on a Tuesday that it will be tough to get a table on the weekends, and they do not take reservations. It is definitely a good idea to head there in off-peak hours for a quick table.
(5)Saba A.
BRUNCH must! Dinner Reviews--- not as great so schedule brunch! Immediately you are given the best service! As I was waiting for my friend (Please make reservations!) I was encouraged to go to the bar and the host pulled up a bar seat and told me to sit and enjoy a drink. There isn't much standing room but the A+ service made it even more exciting to dine at Bristol. I love supporting any restaurants that use local and fresh food and loved the chicken in a biscuit. I know the chilaquiles is a popular hit as well as the cinnamon roll - so that will be for next time! But I loved the big mug that my generous amount of cappuccino was served in. This place is perfect for a smaller group too and a great way to begin a Sunday morning! Here is a brunch menu: thebristolchicago.com/wo… I will return if I am in Wicker Park again. It's located in the 'quiet' part of Wicker Park - so it was nice to go off the beaten path a little bit!
(5)Mark P.
We thoroughly enjoyed The Bristol. It's the first time I went there and it will be a restaurant I recommend to people. The service was phenomenal, high end service without the high end attitude. Our server was great explaining things on the menu that we were unfamiliar with (kampachi-some kind of yellowtail fish, ramp- wild onions, something di testa- pigs's head...uh, yes, pig's head). Outside of explaining the menu, our server was not hesitant to tell us what he really loved on the menu. Beverages: We got a number of different beers. They have Weihenstephan on tap! That's the oldest brewery in the world and it's amazing. We also got a huge bottle of Hitachino- a Japanese white ale. App: Grilled Flatbread with homemade bacon and melted sweet onion. This was fantastic. The onions tasted so sweet and the bacon/pancetta was really good. Entrees: Ramp Carbonara with homemade Linguini noodles. Best Carbonara sauce I've ever had. It came out with a slightly cooked egg on top. You are supposed to break the yolk and have the hot noodles cook the egg and turn it into the carbonara sauce. This is how its' been done in Italy for centuries. I will remember this pasta dish for a loooong time. Homemade bacon (again), homemade noodles, it also had a strong peppery taste to it. Entree 2: Grilled Skirt Steak with blue cheese Ravioli. When you think of skirt steak, you think of mexican food- steak tacos. Usually the meat is cooked well done and very thin. I don't know how they did it, but The Bristol cooks brought out a very plump, medium rare skirt steak. I've never seen skirt steak cooked like this and it was fantastic. Combined with the mini blue cheese raviolis, it was a great dish. Desert: Cheesecake with carmelized apples. A very very light cheesecake. Not the best, but it was pretty good. Definitely a good finish to the meal. One more thing and it's not a complaint, but an observation that I think people should be aware of. The portions are small, well, smaller than you are used to. I'd say they are "just enough" if you end up getting a 3 course meal, which they want you to do. This isn't a place where you get one big entree as your entire meal. You should get a couple apps, one or two entrees, and a desert. It's a place where they want you to try the entire menu if you can and hopefully over time, you will.
(4)M M.
I've been here a few times... food and service is always outstanding. Approach is small portions that are meant to be shared. Can be on the pricey side but is worth it every once in a while.
(5)Jen J.
Friends of mine gave my husband and I a bunch of their $10 off cards for 52 restaurants in Chicago--unfortunately, they are about to expire at the end of this year. My friends just had a baby so they haven't had the time to eat out much so they hoped we could make use of them. I picked a few places I'd been to and a few I'd heard of but not tried. The Bristol was one of the latter. From the web site I learned that they don't take reservations, so my husband and I decided to go early to hopefully ensure that we would not have to wait. We arrived after having to park several blocks away (not willing to spend $10 on valet in Bucktown) a little after 6pm on a Saturday. The restaurant was not full, but there definitely many tables well into their meals (they open at 5pm). We were seated right by the window at a small two-top, which was ok because there was a space heater behind us. I do wish they had done a bit of weather sealing though around their floor to ceiling windows. The seating is quite cozy; tables are a bit close together. I enjoyed the mix of modern art, heavy wood tables and metal chairs, but I wish this place had a bit more room to move around. The music was a kind of dance version of jazz--something my brother-in-law would play in the background at dinner parties. You could tell that music was playing, but it was not too loud so as to drown out conversation. The crowd was very white, not surprising for the neighborhood, largely younger, though several tables seemed to be entertaining parents or in-laws. Surprisingly, at 7:30pm there were several tables opening up. There seemed to be some sort of bar with a waiting room upstairs, but we didn't get to see it. The Bristol also does a complementary coat check. We both started with one of their $11 cocktails. I with the Violette Collins (sweet, subtle, refreshing) and my husband with a Sazerac (strong, slightly sweet from the absinthe). We started with the vaunted Monkey Bread ($5), which pulls apart and is topped with flakes of the trendy sea salt (which one of my science teacher co-workers--I'm a history teacher--told me that sea salt is actually less nutritious than processed salt and contains more sodium--so much for healthy trends). The bread was warm, soft, salty and tasted almost like there was a buttery cheese in the dough and the dill dipping sauce made it really pop. Dill is such a strong, spring-like flavor and it tasted great with the bread. We also had the Market Greens ($7) salad which has butter lettuce, sliced radishes, fennel, dill and a tarragon-buttermilk dressing. Again, we enjoyed how fresh, simple and flavorful this simple salad was. Very good and not overpriced for salad. For our meal, we got new drinks. My husband loves porters and stouts so he tried a pricey ($15) Swedish porter which he thoroughly enjoyed and I had a glass of the Aglianico ($9). They have an extensive by the bottle wine list, but all of their wines by the glass (at least the reds) were only $8 or $9, which I appreciated. For our entrees, my husband had the Half Roasted Chicken, dill spatzle with a crunchy salad of apple, celery and herbs ($18). I have to say, I tried the chicken and it was good, but the best pieces were the ones with skin because the roasting flavors had not really permeated the meat. The spatzle, however, was really special! It was so tasty, I could have eaten it as a stand alone side and I only had one bite! I had the Fazzoletti with duck sausage, rapini and parmesan ($15). To be honest, I feel like I'm a sausage with rapini and pasta expert because it's been such a trendy dish in the last few years, so I like to try it at places because I love the combination. (I will say that the version of the dish with orecchietti pasta at Anteprima in Andersonville is the best I've had in the city.) The pasta was nice and tender; the sauce spicy but not too rich. I wish the rapini had not been cooked as soft, but all and all, it hit the spot. I cleaned my plate. The pastas are touted as medium size plates, larger than the apps, but smaller than the entrees. They had some kind of 30 oz beef on the menu for upwards of $59! Clearly, we did not have room for that. For dessert, I had a glass of tawny port and my husband an excellent espresso (they must use good beans) and we shared their Ricotta Cheesecake Brulee topped with fruit tart pieces and sort of compoted cranberries. I have to say, the fruit tart pieces (much like a holiday fruit cake) needed to go away. They added nothing to the dessert. The tartness of the cranberries though with the subtle sweetness of the cheesey pudding was fantastic. The hardened sugar added that brulee touch. Not as good as the blueberry, brown sugar, ricotta & granola dessert at Girl & the Goat, but very good nonetheless. All in all, we enjoyed our experience though we broke the bank (total bill $121 w/ tax, before tip & discount) and that $10 off didn't feel like much.
(4)Amanda Z.
there is a reason everyone raves about The Bristol...they are worth all the hype. last night, i had one of the best meals of my entire LIFE! their ecclectic menu comprised of dishes I've never heard of, thought about, or tried before, pushes you to be more adventurous than you may be. my bf and i embraced the challenge and ordered things that we don't ordinarily "like." i don't like olives: i sure did like the breaded Scotch Olives served w/some sort of creamy dip. my bf doesn't like dill: he sure did like the Monkey Bread w/dill butter and sea salt. thanks to all the Yelpers for raving about this wonderful bread...it was everything y'all made it out to be...and more! i loved it! neither of us have tried Quail before, nor did we ever want to: we both loved the quail dish. it was seasoned and roasted like a cornish hen and stuffed with some goodness, served atop something akin to sauerkraut (but chunkier). the flavors blended so nicely with one another, and we just could not get over how much we now like quail! this next extra special dish is one we both knew we would love from the description...Raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter. when it came out looking like a flan, i was confused, then realized, this is one huge pasta shell. i can't even adequatly describe how wonderful this dish was...the flavors really burst in my mouth. i literally cried out "oh my God!" after my first bite, then a few mins later when my bf tried it, he had the same reaction! it really does just shock you how flavorful, creamy and zesty it is. dessert: Nutter Butters w/a light chocolate mousse. perfect portion, perfect way to end a perfectly delicious and delightful meal. again, shout out to all the Yelpers who rave about this dessert...spot on! service: perfectly attentive, helpful staff. always there but never noticable. we felt welcome, our food came out quickly, our plates were cleared after we took the last bite, our water glasses never got half empty. Overall, this is the BEST restaurant I have been to in Chicago and one of the most joyous meals I have ever had the pleasure to experience. I'm so lucky and happy my bf took me there to indulge in an intimate, memorable foodie paradise! We can't wait to go back!
(5)Nikki S.
Quick and sweet: This place has, hands down, the best customer service that I've seen in a smaller restaurant. We arrived and our table wasn't quite ready, we were fine to wait in the vestibule, but they graciously ushered us to the bar to sit, set up waters, and during the meal took multiple small but meaningful steps during the meal (hold a napkin as a splash guard during coffee service and changing out plates and utensils between dishes.) The one star off is that I wasn't a huge fan of my breakfast selection (shrimp and grits) but everyone else really enjoyed their meal. My hats off to the staff for an enjoyable brunch.
(4)Carrie F.
Add The Bristol to the list of Chicago restaurant's serving offal and calling themselves "inventive" and "unique." I myself am not an offal fan, but I am a fan of The Bristol for it's non-organ offerings. We had the buttery Monkey Bread which was delicious, the lively apple salad which was perfect, and the crispy chicken which was super moist. We also liked the Carbonara. The cocktails were excellent, although they could have been larger :-)
(4)Chris B.
Any place where the owner/chef (I'm assuming that's who it was) comes by and asks how you're enjoying the food is a good place in my book. Sit at the bar, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, and enjoy the food!
(5)Max M.
I went to the bristol early on a friday night (7p.m.) and only had to wait about 5 minutes for a nice table. The person at the door was extremely friendly (One of the 2 owners I believe). A good first impression can't be beat. I went with Amanda and Zak. The 3 of us had a nice table right near the large open window/doors at the front of the restaurant. The atmosphere is cool. Nice wood tables. A large chalk board at the back displaying the specials. We had a few drink before had. The Bristol has a small but unique list of special cocktails. I had a Moscow Mule and a Dark and Stormy. The Moscow Mule was great: Ginger Beer, Lime juice and some Russian liquor (I'm guessing Vodka) It was served in a copper mug and was amazing. The Dark and Stormy was good but not as good. It had Ginger Beer, molasses, rum and a few other items. It just wasn't as crisp following the mule. But I'd give both a second chance. Zak just had Republic of tea iced tea, which was fine. And Amanda had 2 of the same drink. Something with Elderflower which was really tasty. Good enough that she had 2. (I'd tell you the name but you have to download the menu as a PDF,Booooo. And the drinks aren't on that PDF). All of the cocktails were great. On to the food: We started with the Duck Fat Fries. They were really good but what sealed the deal was the Garlic Aioli (Or was it Garlic Mayo). Regardless of what it was called it was amazing. We literally scraped the dish clean. There was home made ketchup as well. Which was good but stood no chance against the garlic. Next we shared a Raviolo. A larger Ravioli filled with Ricotta cheese and a runny egg, sitting in browned butter. Amanda and Zak almost fell out of their chairs they enjoyed it so much. I also really like it but I didn't have to excuse my self and change my underwear from the pure pleasure of the pasta. For the main course Zak and I both had the soft shell crab. It was flavored very well but the crab its self just wasn't that great. Perhaps it was just that I don't have much experience with softshell but it didn't seem very soft. Still tasty but I wish I had tried something else. Amanda had the Cavateli. She described it as one of the best pasta dishes she's ever had. Great Flavor perfectly prepared etc. The food was all delicious. But as other have said, for the price the portions are pretty small. But the food is good enough to be worth paying extra to try. I would definitely go back and try some of the other delicious conctions the folks at the Bristol have cooked up. I would definitely recommend checking it out when you have a little money to spend.
(4)Jason B.
What always set The Bristol apart from similar restaurants was that they didn't accept reservations - you could have an amazing Saturday night dinner without having to plan weeks in advance. Unfortunately, they now require reservations, so ordinary citizens will now be relegated to Wednesday evenings. It's a shame - as far as the food goes, this was my favorite restaurant in the city.
(3)R S.
Happiness. I started with the Moscow Mule - it's made so well here. The duck fat fries - yummmmy. Definitely order these. It's a pretty solid basket - for 2 of us girls there was still quite a bit leftover. The apple salad is lovely - nothing extraordinary, but I liked it's lightness and flavor. The chicken was great. Located in Bucktown. Thoroughly enjoyed both experiences here, and I'll be sure to return again.
(4)Carmelita T.
Definitely a repeat performer -- for food, atmosphere, price point, overall experience. If I could give 4.5 stars I would -- it deserves more than 4 stars implies. LOVE/HEART/PLUS: The monkey bread -- it's a pull-apart bread, so it conveniently breaks off into little chunks (no awkward squishing of the poorly sliced loaf while the table watches and wonders if the bread is smushed beyond saving!). The coded wine and beer list -- how great that you can drink well and support local business or biodynamic vineyards? The heirloom apple salad -- mortadella cheese and the perfect amount of dressing. The cheese plate -- loved the Ohio cheddar and appalachia. i used to sniff at cheddars...no more! EH/SHRUG/CHECKMARK: The papardelle pasta -- I love fresh al dente pasta...this was a little tougher, somewhere between al dente and a rubber band. Good flavor, just not great texture. The white wine temperature -- not cold enough. After a few sips, it was was close to room temp. Overall - I'd definitely recommend. Great quality, fresh, and good price point. And if slightly warmish white wine is the worst thing, I'll happily drop an ice cube into my glass. Pass the monkey bread!
(4)Sara P.
I came here on a weekend night right at opening with my boyfriend to split some appetizers. We got the monkey bread, which I absolutely loved. It was warm, fresh, flavorful, and the perfect balance between crunchy and soft. Plus, the little salt pieces on top: heavenly! I loved the dill butter too. I'd get 3 of them at once and eat that for my meal! You can get duck fat fries at a lot of places these days, but I have never had bread like this. Ever. We also got the bone marrow since neither of us had tried it before. The presentation makes you very aware that you're eating, well, bone marrow. The marrow itself was not something that I wanted to keep eating after the bread and side salad were gone. But the combination of the toast, the marrow, the salad, and the herbs was great! I probably wouldn't order it again, but I was glad I tried it. We got the nutter butters, which were yummy! Great beer selection, and service was perfect.
(4)Jennifer H.
I've been to the Bristol in two ways, once for brunch and once to host a private party in their amazing party room upstairs. I was very impressed by the cocktails and food at our brunch, which was why we chose them for our party. The craft cocktails are tasty and worth trying, and the package we got for our party included four featured cocktail options, plus beer and wine, as well as whatever liquor people wanted to order on their own. Everyone raved about the drinks and selection. For food we got a variety of passed appetizers, plus some finger foods and cheese/charcuterie platter. All of their food is chosen by the season and availability, so while that makes it harder to plan your menu, it makes the food more unique. We got tons of compliments on the food and cheese/meat selections! Michelle, who worked with me to plan my event, was flexible to my needs of vegetarian options and changing the menu options, and I was able to drop off my decorations and music and they set it all up for me since I couldn't be there beforehand. She also helped coordinate the deliveries and all the details. All the staff and bartenders were great during the event!!! Everyone helped to make our day great. For what we got, the price was reasonable and the room is terrific and was just right for our needs. I recommend booking their party room for your event (no fee for the room, just a food and beverage minimum which is much lower than some places I checked), and enjoy the food and drink!
(5)Jane R.
My boyfriend and i went to the bristol last night for their Valentines three-course dinner for $39. that did not include drinks, tax, or tip. i had a glass of wine, he had one beer and with 20% tip, the meal ended up costing $120. let me tell you what we got for that $120: a near empty stomach. we're both skinny as hell too...so it's not like our appetites are that demanding! we were served as a first course: beet salad (about 5 tablespoons worth), burrata cheese and caviar (tasty but no crackers or bread. what the hell? have you ever heard of such a thing? they expected us to just spoon the cheese in our mouths) and calamari salad (delicious, but again, about 5 tablespoons). the main entree: we both got chestnut ravioli. again, it was so minimal. i'd say probably 10 pieces total. delicious but not quite a full meal. dessert: 5 homemade truffles. delicious. needless to say, we went home totally dissatisfied and cooked pt 2 of our dinners. if this is the best they can do, i don't think i'm interested in going back again. i think the $120 we spent would've been better invested at Lula, which is more delicious and has better portions for the money.
(2)Matt W.
World class and one of the best meals I've ever had. We went on a Saturday night and they do not take reservation so it normally will be a long wait. However, since there were only two of us, we only had to wait 1/2 an hour for two seats at the bar. While we were waiting, we went to the lounge they had upstairs. The lounge is nice and has various beer wine and cocktails. The cocktails were the real deal and a lot of work went into making them. We sat at the bar for dinner and I don't know if our waiter was the owner or someone with an ownership interest in the restaurant, but he was great. He knew everything about each dish and explained his recommendations in great detail. Service was very prompt. The food was absolutely fantastic. The plates are meant to share, which I always enjoy. We started off with their take on monkey bread. It was a bit like a parker house roll, with a side of dill butter, served in a cast iron crock. We also had the scotch olives, which were olives, stuffed with chorizo, breaded and deep fried. We kept going with mussles, stuffed buffalo wings, octopus and finished with a cheesecake and caramel apple dessert. If you don't want to wait for a table, you should probably go on a weekday night.
(5)Emily C.
Went out for apps and drinks, the food was very tasty, the drinks were AMAZING! I had a brandy based drink, and it was insanely good. The waitress came around just the right amount of times (not in your face, but not MIA) and the price was reasonable. I will def be back again!
(4)Kelsey N.
This is hands down one of my favorite places to go on a Thursday or Friday night in Chicago. Not only is the Moscow Mule cocktail one of the best drinks I have ever had, but the food is outstanding. There is a waiter there, Caiden who is so helpful in suggesting what to order...I think that asking the waitstaff here suggestions is key to having a great meal. You will find that the menu is very unique and some of the things on there are items I never would have imagined trying in the past. But honestly I don't think I have tried one thing that I haven't absolutely loved. Brunch here is also delicious. Highly recommended!
(5)Amy W.
Really enjoyed dinner here last weekend. Had a Smoked Sicilian Manhattan to drink, ordered the cheeseboard for the table, and chose the ramp fettuccine carbonara for my entree. The drink was good but a pretty standard manhattan. The house-brandied cherry was a nice touch. Cheeseboard was great; the homemade semolina cookies, cashew clusters and apricot chutney really stood out. The ramp fettuccine was very good as well; the handmade pasta was tasty and cooked perfectly. My friends all ordered pasta dishes also and everyone seemed happy. The homemade sasparilla caramel on the way out was a sweet little touch. Service was very knowledgeable and friendly (and just a tad pushy.) Not sure the meal would be worth waiting multiple hours for, but if the timing was right I would definitely go back!
(4)dan s.
damn, forgot I used to not like this place times have changed for brunch - try the pork chilaquiles for lunch - the Quail of course the menu is subject to change my bad Bristol
(5)Foodie S.
Best dining experience in a long time! Pricey but well worth it. Staff are very polite and helpful.
(5)Jen H.
I can walk to the Bristol, which is a plus, given their EXTENSIVE beer and wine list. Take advantage- although the dinner menu changes constantly, the appetizers are consistently savory and delicious- my husband and I enjoy ordering several apps and drinks. My personal faves so far-- the monkey bread, fries and cheese plate. A great way to try what the Bristol is all about is to try to the very affordable brunch. Most items run in the $10 and under range. I tried the pork belly and fried egg sandwich which came with a large side of the best fried potatoes in town. They brew Intelligentsia coffee which is also a huge plus. Get there earlier...they open at 10.
(5)Rosa L.
I would never recommend this place to anyone! I am not a picky eater and I like most things, but this food was awful, and I am surprised by the ratings. We went here with an "a la card." Started with the ravioli- way too salty and too much butter. The only flavor was salt and butter, and over seasoned ricotta. And the runny egg does nothing for it. Entree was the white fish with lentils- again, way too salty and too much mustard flavor. There are so many awesome restaurants to try and this is the first time I feel like we wasted $60 on food. Nothing but regrets!
(1)Jennifer D.
Amazing. My boyfriend's coworker recommended this place, and all I can keep saying to him is THANK YOU! Our waiter explained the menu perfectly and helped us select a couple pairings. We started with the Scotch Olives with Pork Sausage n' Lemon (described well as Olive Poppers), Monkey Bread, and the Italian Broccoli (Rabe?) with Duck Egg and Croutons. Then on to the Grilled Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Ravioli and the Lamb free form lasagna. We were stuffed by dinners end with no room for dessert. Amazing place and could rival restaurants in San Francisco. Yes, I eat in SF a lot and I love this place. So sorry I missed the brunch here, but had to learn how cold the wind could get coming off the lake while watching soccer. Can't wait to come back here in the summer and try some new treats. It was suggested to get here by 6:30pm on a Thursday, great recommendation, no wait and we loved every bite. Will be back!
(5)K J.
Seems to be a great place for groups, as there were several large groups there, but it was just two of us last night. Reminded me of some NYC restaurants in that you can barely hear your dining companion speaking, but the conversation next to you comes through loud and clear. The waitstaff was charming (and they don't hire the ugly either). Per our waiter's suggestion, we enjoyed the special wild boar risotto (YUM!!!), the apple salad (the manchego in this was perfect), and the steak with blue cheese ravioli. I'm a huge fan of seasonal specials, and there are plenty to choose from. I'm sad that I was too full for the duck fat fries, as I view those to be among the most perfect foods invented. But that just gives me something to look forward to when I go back.
(4)Jenna C.
Two words:Bacon Manhattan. Give me a strip of bacon hovering above my bourbon and you have one happy lady, infuse that bourbon with bacon and serve it to me in the morning and I've fallen in love. The food was lovely as well. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get the potatoes. I haven't been here for dinner yet but I plan on it.
(5)EV G.
I had brunch here and I will definitely be back. I am very persnickety about my poached eggs and I have to say, they know how to perfectly poach an egg. The eggs benedict comes with a mustard hollandaise that makes this dish devine. The chilaquiles was very good too. Was very loud as others have said, but the food more than made up for that.
(4)lee k.
We have been twice so far. For what we ordered, the value was quite reasonable - I did think that the wine pour was a bit stingy (but one time I didn't like the wine I picked, so maybe that was for the best!) The food is tasty, though a bit over-salted. I liked the variety on the menu, and thought the wine/spirits/beer list was broad enough that I could easily find a few things I was interested in. It did seem really loud at times, and I'm not sure if that was a few people shouting or if it's how the room sounds. We had a really hard time hearing each other and the wait staff at times. I hope it stays good, since we're right around the corner!!
(4)Melanie B.
I've had The Bristol on my list for a long time, and we finally made it over there last Sunday. To drink, I had the poire & elderflower cocktail, which was sweet and refreshing without being cloying. We started with the monkey bread, and it lasted throughout the rest of the courses, which was nice. I don't love dill, but it wasn't too much in the bread or the butter to dip it in. With that, we had the apple salad with marinated manchego, hazelnuts, fennel, and a green I can't recall, all tossed in a creamy dressing. Crisp, slightly bitter, bright. Up next was the pot au feu, which was not my favorite but was really done well (his pick). We finished with the raviolo; egg yolk ravioli is kind of my new obsession -- watching that orange spread across the plate is so fun -- and this was a great one, with ricotta and brown butter mixing into one decadent sauce (perfect for using the rest of that monkey bread, too). Yum. We knew we had to save room for the dessert, and I lobbied for the banana semifreddo. It was beyond delicious, with fried honeycomb and drizzled honey topping a financier that hid a pool of caramel. I can't stop thinking about it. I think I'd like to go back and try the marrow and some more of the smaller plates (and the duck fat fries), but this was a great way to start.
(4)Nick S.
I went here for Sunday brunch and seriously had one of the most delicious brunches in a long time. It's a pretty small place so you'll often find yourself waiting to be seated but it's located on a busy street with a lot of boutiques so you're always welcome to leave you name and number and they'll call you while you're exploring the area. Pork has been done justice at The Bristol. Pork belly is one of my favorite cuts of pork and they do not skimp on the belly! Fried egg sandwich is delicious and if you can, ask for the grain mustard hollandaise sauce. I had the chilaquiles which were pretty good considering I wasn't at a mexican eatery. You'll want to order extra salsa rojo though... Fennel turkey sausages were very juicy and its casing gave it a really pleasant snap. The service is good and the ambiance is very easy. The chef is really into seasonal and local ingredients to the menu is always changing.
(4)Brian M.
I'm not sure what I can say that hasn't been in said in the 500+ reviews for Bristol but there is just so much to love. You walk in to a quaint and cozy restaurant with welcoming staff and sit amoung decor that is modern yet homey. Start with what was quite possibly the best drink I've ever had by their master mixologist (Moscow Mule) you will not be disappointed. Going through the menu, everything sounds so good and I love that it's sourced from local farms, we tried a few dishes and were blown away by all of them. The monkey bread and scotch olives were both awesome! I wanted to try the bone marrow but my better half was too afraid. Next time I'll do it no matter what. I definitely recommend getting a pasta dish, you can taste the pasta is fresh and homemade there, it's amazing. We also split a huge pork chop, it was seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection, and it just melted in our mouthes. I can't wait to be back. This was one of the best meals I have ever had.
(5)Inga M.
What more can I say, 5 stars all the way. This place is stellar from the moment you step through the door. The food is solid, clean, complex yet elegant in it's simplicity. The service is friendly and knowledgeable. If you're on the search for great food, this is the place!
(5)Michelle R.
Really great, well thought out, delicious food here. Cool ambiance and great service too.
(5)Jim M.
Do you like a 2.5 hour wait time for dinner? Overpriced Beer? Slow Service? Pretentious Hipster Crowd? Then The Bristol is for you.
(1)Dina I.
One of my favorite restaurants in the city. I've been here at least 10 times and it's in my top 3!
(5)Jims L.
The juiciest chicken and worst dessert, clafoutis, I've ever had.
(4)Evan T.
Best dessert I've ever had... Basque cake!!!! Get it! Sea trout was amazing too!
(4)alison k.
After being recommended by my folks, the boyfriend and i tried it out on a saturday night, around 10:30 pm. The joint was jumpin'! We waited about 10 minutes upstairs, where it was much more relaxed, at the bar, and ordered some drinks - super friendly bartenders. I ordered something that involved carrot and orange vodka and an egg - it tasted like a naughty orange julius! bravo! we were offered two seats at the bar downstairs, which we prefered over the weird family style tables - which is fine... if you're not smooshed up against another couple or big party. but we ordered off the full menu at the bar. i got the monkey bread and a giant delicious and rich raviolo to dip my rich and buttery monkey bread in... mind you this was supposed to be a light meal at 11pm... that was quickly out the window when i saw the menu. the boyfriend ordered the bone marrow, which is not my thing, but he enjoyed it like a puppy, licking each morsel out of the center of the bone. he also had some serious beers - which were so nicely described by the bartender/waiters - im not a beer person, but things were described unpretentiously and i was impressed w/ that. all the staff was super friendly - the vibe was fantastic and we cannot wait to go back when its light out and enjoy the rest of the menu without feeling like we ate a brick at midnight! many thumbs up for the bristol! what a neighborhood treat!
(5)Brie Y.
For the first time I have been to Bristol, the food was amazing, the wait to get seated on a Friday night not so much. Waited upstairs for about 2 hours, half the time without a chair, then was able to sneak to the bar and watch the bartender make all the special drinks which was very interesting. We then were seated downstairs, had an amazing meal and definitely would return again.
(4)Kyle K.
The food, in general, was excellent. I was part of a group of 4, we went on a Friday night, so things were busy. We started with a bunch of appetizers including the cheese platter - nothing special, and apple salad, highly recommend. We also split the fish and the chicken - both great, and hanger steak- soso. What I found disappointing was the wait staff. Our server seemed very disinterested in us when taking our order (was looking around the room) and then missed an order for the duck fat fries. No big deal, we then asked for them when we realized they weren't coming out (before dinner was served), thinking they'd come with the meal. Twenty minutes later, we were served the main entrees, and still nothing. We were finishing our main courses and still had about a third of the fish left when the waiter went to take it away. I stated we weren't done and he rolled his eyes as he set it down, no big deal. Then, he came by when the plate was clearly empty and asked if we were done enjoying the dish. Honestly, there is no need to be a sarcastic ass, clearly the plate is empty and therefore we're done. When all the plates were cleared, he came by and quickly dropped off the fries. Really? First of all, I don't know why it would take over 40 minutes for an order of fries. Secondly, why would anyone want to eat these essentially as a dessert. The waiter then gave us a hard time when we sent them back. I understand things can be busy, and I certainly had the feeling that they were trying to rush us through. Overall, I'll chalk up the experience to a bad server on a busy night and will likely try Bristol again.
(3)A-train R.
I went to the Bristol for their Valentines Weekend special. From their fixed menu i chose the Lamb and my gf had the chicken. The starters were okay. We had oysters, and 2 salads. One of the salads was to lemony; so much so that I couldn't eat it. The other was okay and unique but I couldn't tell you what it was exactly. For the entree, the lamb was very well prepared and served in a crepes style which was different, but really the meat itself was so good. The chicken was served with chicken sausage and it was very good also. The dessert was awesome. It was a chocolate cake served with white chocolate on top and berries on the side. My gf said she felt like she was in heaven for a few minutes. The service was very good and the servers knew what they were serving. Every dish was explained to us very well and the beer and wine selection is lengthy. The Bristol is very cozy and comfortable. I wish I would've asked to see a regular menu just to check out the regular prices. I would go back just to try out different dishes because although I wasn't impressed with the starters I definitely realized that their entrees and desserts are very good and almost flawless. Unfortunately for now, I cant quite give the Bristol 5 stars because I wasn't feeling the starters and after all that food I'm not very full. But I can tell this place certainly has potential for 5 stars; its definitely worth trying out.
(3)Kimberly G.
Loved the menu, diverse yet adventurous. Portions were very small, especially for a sharing place. Don't get the monkey bread fascination, it was just a small pot of warm bread, not bad, not anything else either. Duck fat fries were delicious, raviolotto (sp?!) was the best thing I had, too bad I had to share it. Tried bone marrow for the first time, not a fan, the texture reminded me of gelatinous butter and it just tasted like pure fat. Not bad but wouldnt get it again. The quail was delicious but again, way too small to share. The pasta with the rabbit was good too but a little dry. Cocktails were good. Altogether I thought it was a great dining experience, the food was very good, not fantastic and I'd definitely go back again if only for the menu variety.
(4)Eric V.
Stumbled upon this place at about 9:00 Saturday night. The place was pretty busy but the bar was open and available for full food service. The seating is very communal and the ambiance quite cozy. The menu seemed well thought out and the drink menu was very unique. I ordered the trout with wax beans and my wife had a pasta dish with so called heirloom tomato's. While they were tasty each were surprisingly small proportionally. The pasta dish was about 3/4 cup of pasta tossed in some cheese with about 6 halved plum tomato's. Just a bit disappointing considering it's potential.
(3)bonnie b.
This is definitely the best new neighborhood restaurant to open in a long time. The staff is super friendly, the menu changes frequently and the drink list is huge! As a vegi- there isn't a whole lot on the menu that i can eat, but everything I've had has been fantastic. If you're going on a weekend go early, it's communal seating and they don't take reservations.
(4)Jesse C.
Competent cooking, solid ingredients
(3)Marta P.
This was my second visit to Bristol, I like it but I don't love it. There are some other restaurants that are in the same category but I like better. We came here with a group of 6, which I think is ideal if you want to sample a bunch of different dishes. Here is what we ordered: Flat bread: I loved this dish and wish we would have gotten more than one piece. Fries: these were okay, I've had better duck fat fries, but I would still recommend this dish if you like duck fat fries. Both the mixed green salad and apple salad. I LOVE the tarragon dressing on the greens salad. And usually not a fan of the apples in my salad, but the walnuts gave it great flavor. Monkey bread: I liked this dish, but if you are coming here with a smaller group and don't want to get two breads, I would opt for the flat bread instead, more flavor. Entrees: Trout: I loved this dish, I love fish in general, but some non fish eaters at my table also liked this dish. Not too fishy and perfectly cooked. Kielbasa: It was tender and the little potato chips served with it were amazing. Chicken: I cant say I order chicken at restaurants too often, but other people dining with us really wanted to try it. It was awesome, the bone and skin on the chicken gave it great flavor and it was really moist. The pasta dish with feta: I liked this and would also get it if I came with a larger party so you can taste it rather than eating it as your own entree. .... and the marrow, which we decided to order after we ate our meal, just to try it since it sounded like something my dog would eat. I didn't try any, but was told it had a weird consistency. Took it home for the dog. I did find it weird that we were sent to another bar to get a drink rather than drinking their while waiting for our table. I know this makes it more comfortable for the diners that are at the restaurant, but still a weird business practice. And our service was good after the wine guy got involved. He made some good suggestions at reasonable prices. I think your experience here will really depend on what is on the menu that night. Overall a good place to eat. But not sure if I would go back for the third time.
(4)Kimberly F.
Made my way over here with friends after a Cubs game one night. The decor and ambiance were really nice. We ended up ordering the monkey bread and flatbread appetizers along with the roasted half chicken and pasta dinners. The flatbread and chicken were absolutely delicious, while the monkey bread and pasta were just okay (I found them to be bland). Chicken is probably my favorite thing to eat- so in my opinion, the chicken dish is what makes this a 4 star review. I'd definitely return for dinner.
(4)Taylor S.
Was looking for a good place to go for a weekday date and decided on this place.... great choice! Love the ambiance and really interesting menu if you are ready to step outside the box. I conquer with the consensus - the duck fat fries are amazing! I had the striped bass with rye dumplings and sauer kraut - genuinely in the top tier of dishes that I've ever had! My boyfriend had the fried trotter sandwich - also delicious... very rich. While we skipped out on the cocktail menu, they looked good and I heard good things. On top of all of that, it's pretty reasonably priced compared to many restaurants of this quality. It's definitely making my list for solid dinner spots!
(4)Wendy H.
I had a fantastic time dining at Bristol. I might have been so impressed due to our less-than-stellar dinner a few nights earlier, but none-the-less was very impressed. We were greeted immediately, told we would wait about half an hour for a table and advised to go to the upstairs bar for a pre dinner cocktail. The cocktail list was very creative and fun to read through. The cocktails themselves, hand crafted and extraordinary. So much so that I convinced friends of mine, when they were dining in the area, to stop in for after dinner drinks and then spent the rest of the evening fantasizing about what they might order. Our server was informative, efficient and more than happy to guide us to plates we might enjoy. I was super impressed with his knowledge of the menu, both food and wine, and with his ability to help us pair. On to the food. I was happy with what we ordered, though some dishes made me happier than others. The heirloom apple salad was delicious and full of surprises, the parmesan crusted chicken sausage over beluga lentils....was an acquired taste and the ricotta ravioli with egg and brown butter had a flavor that made me angry I had never tried the combination before. I loved that they could list the farms they sourced their food from and really seemed committed to their concept. Their beverage lists were thoughtfully constructed which I alway appreciate and they really delivered on the food end as well. The reason for four stars: with as popular as the restaurant and bar seem to be, it would be a good idea for them to keep the upstairs bar open all week long. It's such a nice detail.
(4)Janis W.
We will surely return. We ordered 4 of the small plates, 5 yummy drinks, one salmon entree, 2 desserts and 2 double espressos. I should've asked for the salmon medium because it was too rare in the middle, otherwise everything was good. The sauces were good enough to drink from a cup. We got alot for $104 plus tip. My friend did comment on how measly the wine pour was, so we didn't order wine.
(4)Meghan O.
I have had few meals as terrific as the one I had at Bristol. I was with 3 other people and we shared our meals. The choices were unique and seasonal and the pace of serving was perfect. The table favorites were the flatbread and raviolo. A terrific meal.
(5)Ben W.
The drinks are a little expensive and you will drop some serious change in this place, but the Half Chicken I had was the best I've ever had! It was accompanied by wonderful corn bread and sweet corn seasoned with cilantro and bacon! Wow. If you have some extra money laying around, go to the Bristol.
(5)Erin C.
This place is AMAZING!!! Love, love, love! Have been here twice so far and have had great experiences both times. Duck fat fries are a must and I also always get the chicken... it seriously melts in your mouth. I would also try one of their special cocktails... delicious! The only dislike I have is that the place is small. The 2 person tables are very close to each other.
(5)caroline e.
MMMM....the bone marrow was RIDICULOUS. So was the Raviolo. Everything else was delicious, but not quite as memorable as those two dishes were. And like others have mentioned, the bill can easily get out of hand at this place, so be careful when ordering. Can't wait to go back.
(4)Mike M.
I'd rate it higher if I actually hadn't left before ordering. Long story short, we were so excited to go there last week to celebrate a great week...and ended up leaving to go to Avec, and SO glad we did. Sat down, and the appetizers looked good, but the entrees were all over the place. I found the menu to be quite unfocused. The server came by and told us he'd like us to order all at once because they "tend to run out of things." What? Anyway...he then told us he was running short on the hangar steak and if we wanted one we had to tell him right away so he could reserve it for us. We said, "yes, please save us one and we'll look over the wine list, we were thinking a big California Cab." He comes back and told us "well, while we were talking we must've sold out, so we don't have it anymore." That was the only red meat dish on the menu. Doesn't this place pride itself on local, nose-to-tail cooking? I was STARVING, so we attempted to order some monkey bread and fried brussel sprouts while we decided and again, the server refused to let us do that, because "they like to take the whole order at once and send it out as it's ready." again, WHAT? So we weren't allowed to order any food until we had decided on everything. Mind you it's Sunday evening at 7:15pm. I was so perturbed, we both looked at each other and said, "let's go to Avec." On our way out, I asked for our coats and the host asked if anything was wrong and if it was "something he said." I said, "well no, it's just that I'm starving, and I'm no impressed with your entree selection and just wanted to order some apps while we looked over the wines and decided on our entree." Again, even the host, who AT THIS POINT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO REMEDY THE SITUATION AND GET US TO SIT BACK DOWN AND ORDER FROM THEM AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT, said that "yes, we do like our guests to order all at once for the kitchen's sake." Whatever. That was total bunk and the WORST customer service I have yet to receive in a restaurant to date. I'm so glad we went to Avec, the food is amazing, the service is terrific, and it's always a welcome environment where the guest can have a terrific dining experience. Sorry Bristol, but you had the chance to fix that dining experience, and now I...and anyone I meet will learn about the many reasons NOT to dine there. Get it together.
(1)Melissa N.
To officially conclude Chicago Restaurant Week 2012, we brunched it up at the Bristol! We were seated right away which was unexpected but always nice. I ordered the Bacon Manhattan which was a manhattan with bacon soaked burbon and a piece of candied bacon on top sweetened with maple syrup. While I was hoping for more salty to balance out the sweet, it was still a nice drink to experience. We started by sharing the citrus glazed doughnut with lemon curd. Holy Yum, Batman! Delish is the only word I can get out before drooling all over the table. Jeff and I both opted for the chilequiles which is a fav of ours. This version had pork belly and an over easy egg on top along with the tortillas, lime, cilantro. It had some nice heat to it which enhanced not overpowered the dish. The people next to us ordered duck fat fries which looked like heaven on a plate, trust me, I'm a french fry expert. It was nicely priced and the perfect way to round up our week.
(4)Heidi A.
It's Thursday nite...8pm...where can you go for dinner if you haven't made reservations? The Bristol! Upon arriving...we were told that it may be a 45 minute wait, but if you want to leave your cell number they'll call you when your table is ready (so you can walk around, shop, have a cocktail). We chose to wait there and ordered some cocktails from the bar...the Cuc Cai cocktail is a deadly, but delicious drink. The hubby ordered something with ginger in it that he loved. Luckily a table opened up within 15-20 minutes. We were seated and put our order in...upon the suggestion of others we ordered the monkey bread. Everything was delicious (I had quail, he had halibut). There are some larger commune tables so you may be sitting elbow to elbow with strangers. It does have a tendency to get really loud with all the conversation...so not the place to go for a quiet romantic dinner. We'll definitely be back to sample some of the other dishes!
(4)Katie T.
I really enjoyed this place. When you walk in you are enclosed in a glass box. You get to talk to the host in a quiet environment! You don't have to yell your name six times before they realize you're saying "Katie". I was waiting for a friend to show so I was directed to go upstairs and wait at the bar, if I was so inclined. The bar is small but stocked. I tried a new beer that came from the oldest brewery in the world. The bartenders are fun to watch make cocktails. The lady next to me had a glass with a thin slice of pear in it. It looked so good. The staff was very helpful and the service was great! For dinner we started with the duck fat fries and monkey bread. I have never had either (embarrassing). The fries were great and the aioli was delicious. The monkey bread was so cute and comforting. We also tried the apple pear salad and it was so fresh and the dressing was drinkable. We had one of the pastas for our main dish. It was rich and perfect for a cold night. Now for dessert... I'm sure you've heard this a million times... Nutter Butters. These nutters are homemade and served with a chocolate pudding for dipping. mmmmm. The restaurant itself is aesthetically pleasing. There is a lot of wood and everything looks so clean. There is a chalk board on the wall that lets you know where everything came from. It's basically a list of local farms and drawings of which animal/produce came from that farm. I will definitely be back!
(5)Wendy H.
I've been wanting to try this for a long time. So many people have raved about it, I REALLY wanted to love it. It was OK. 5 stars for the staff, especially Charles who took our reservation and greeted us--friendly, helpful, welcoming. The apple salad was fabulous. Monkey bread (which sounded soooo good) was a little dry, not like wonderfully fresh bread (but the dill dipping sauce was great and the tiny cast iron french oven they serve it in is adorable). The entrees weren't bad, just not exciting. I thought the raviolo was too lemony for my taste. And the chicken, which many have raved about, well, it tasted just like chicken! Don't get me wrong, the Bristol wasn't bad. But in a town with so many great restaurants to choose from, it just wasn't that special or memorable, like I was hoping it would be. I will give it another try sometime, if the opportunity comes up, but wouldn't go out of my way to do so.
(3)Jonathan C.
The food wasn't great, food was not cooked well. I gave 3 star cause the service was good and maybe the chef had an off night. I will try again because other have told me good things.
(3)Michelle A.
Went to the Bristol for my birthday on a Tuesday night. Not crowded, then again it was 10 degrees outside. I wanted to love this place and the food but to be honest, it just didn't blow me away. This is what we ate: Flatbread - decent, but not out of this world Apple Salad - again good, but nothing I haven't had Short Rib Ravioli with capers and lemon - way too heavy on the lemon. You could have have mushed beans inside the ravioli I wouldn't have known because all I could taste was lemon Pork Loin and Belly - The belly was excellent. Pork lion was good but again nothing I haven't had Basque Cake - This was exceptional and was my favorite item of the evening Ricotta Cheesecake - Again this rocked it. I was dissapointed to say my favorite part of the evening was the dessert. This wasn't a bad place by any means, I just didn't think it was worth all o the hype.
(3)Cadillac M.
Well, what can't I say about bristol. Was super pumped to eat here, heard good things from some chef buddies in the industry, so when my roomate's dad came to town I recommended Bristol on a whim. We didn't make a reservation for our party of 4, rather jus walked in and were seated immediately...nice. our server was a stout chubby gentleman who stumbled over his words and recommended that we share all our dishes, later we found out why. We were given the dinner menu and from the looks of things I was pretty excited, however the server keeped saying they were a head to tail restaurant, who utilizes all parts of the animal. Stocks don't count man. Where is the head? Where is the tail? In the stock and natural jus??? Jackass. After we ordered draft beers from the I think 6 they had on the dinner menu...our server then brought us their extensive bottled beer list....??? Jackass. We ordered the pate and and duck fat fries to start...both delicious. Traditional pate was smooth and perfectly seasoned...well done. Duck fat fries??? An infant can't fuck those up...delicious. from there we moved onto the butter taragon head on prawns...delicious...but portion size for the price was B.S., seriously...prawns and compound butter consisting of tarragon and anchovy...for $16...3 prawns. Bogus. Then we had the sausage...again portion size for the $14 price tag was bullshit...rapini and one 5" house made sausage...with the presentation on this dish as well as the prawns we learned why we were encouraged to share...because if someone ordered these dishes for themselves they would be chapped. Our stout server highly recommended the whole roasted red snapper, which we ordered as well as a pasta dish containing saffron that was under cooked and so bland I can't remember a thing about it...besides..being an Italian chef as I am, how undercooked the pasta was...crunchy dude. No bueno. Red snapper dish...$36. Wow. Like a 10 oz fish, with the bones and all...after we picked apart the fish and dug the pin bones out of our mouths, we were all left a bit dissatisfied and HUNGRY. pork jus served with the snapper was delicious, as well as THE KIMCHI!!! BEST PART OF THE MEAL. seriously...nice job on the seasonal kimchi. Won't return. Won't recommend. I think chef pandel needs to spend a little more time babysitting his baby. Went for hot dogs afterwards...they we phenomenal.
(2)Lola Chelsea B.
Delicious. Just tasty. I was ambivalent about trying this place - I kept going to DuChamps because of the outside Garden - and boy have I been missing out! This place is friendly, warm - a good place for a couple or a group. They treat you like a King (or Princess)- they explain everything on the menu to you - without making you feel like a three year old and the food rocks. We had the sheet pasta with Testa(don't ask - just eat) bone marrow (the boys loved it!)and burgers. I just started eating meat a year ago - and this place makes me really happy that I did. Mostly everything meat wise is organic. Great beer selection. Nothing here is cheap. It's worth the splurge. This is a great place to bring out of towners for its unpretentious atmosphere. enjoy and yes I am writing this from a very pleasant duck fry coma.
(5)Natala M.
This place was awesome -- they have nailed the "Farm to Table" cuisine with style, great drinks and good food. We had drinks upstairs - the drinks are creative and tasty. I had some type of blood orange champagne thingy. Delicious. We then had dinner downstairs. We were seated at one of the t "farm style" tables and it was a lot of fun. If you go, and they have them still, definitely try the breakfast radishes. So simple - and so very very good. We also had a mixed green salad - perfectly executed - and then I had the halibut and my friend had the burger. Yep, the one that comes with the duck-fat fries. All of it was delicious - and the portions are nicely sized. You can purchase all the food for the table or individually. I highly recommend this place - it was fun and the atmosphere was trendy and not overdone.
(5)Ruth G.
The food is tasty, i will agree... Delicious, or out of this world it is not. The duck fat fries, were just pretty good fries. I had the duck confit and it was solid, but nothing I would crave for in the future. The chocolate sabayon & homemade nutter butters were were good.. not amazing.
(3)Carter G.
I read Cindy D's review and overall I have to agree with her. I ate at the Bristol with a good friend of mine two weeks back. What was so ironic was the way my friend described the restaurant was-- high end food at an affordable price. If your looking for high end food at an affordable price then GO TO Province in the West Loop. We tried all sorts of things Monkeybread - Good (although overpriced) Duck fries - They're french fries and while they are good, if you must eat here you can get french fries at your local hot dog spot. This is another way the Bristol gets you to "pad" the bill Raviolo w/Riccotta Egg--- my friend enjoyed this dish...It's very rich Half chicken - While Cindy didn't like this dish...I thought it was the best part of the meal. Prawns -good Pasta dish w/ duck (I forgot the fancy name) - it was good, but there are much better dishes for the price elsewhere. If you looking to impress a date take her or him to Le Bouchon. The Bristol is trendy and if that's what your looking for then by all means try this place, but if I had to choose between here and Province...Province has you covered for both trendy and great food.
(2)Shayna S.
The quick run-down: Good concept, bad execution. Phenomenal beer list, good atmosphere, unexperienced wait staff, creative ideas for dishes made with an unskilled hand. My experience: We ordered three dishes with pork in each and still left hungry. An appetizer of "country ham" turned out to be more like German ham. The ham was good, but in no was was representative of country ham, which is salt-cured and is one of my guilty pleasures. It was served with vinaigrette-dressed frisee, sunchoke slices, pomegranate seeds, and a sunchoke puree. The sunchoke puree tasted as if it had liverwurst in it and was in dire need of crostini -- something to cut the fat. All the ingredients were good on their own, but together were an amalgam of crap that did not make a successful dish. It was as if, in the kitchen while the chef was creating this concoction, he decided to add superfluous ingredients to try to save this dish. The slivered sunchokes he thought would add some needed texture, but alas, they did not; they were slivered too thin. Maybe he was trying too hard with the liver pate in the sunchoke spread. It would've made a fabulous hummus, but it tasted too much like meat...with all the accolades this place has gotten, I was surprised the chef couldn't pull this off. Also unnerving was the fact that our server called the frisee in our dish arugula. Good thing I didn't need an education from her. Mussels, which were fantastic, came with guanciale (pork cheek) which looked like bacon but was sweeter and was the highlight of the meal. Mussels were cooked perfectly with great balance of flavor in the pot liquor. A perfect amount of chilies, coriander seeds, and confit of orange peel in the bottom of the bowl. Just wish I had more bread for sopping it all up. Next course was pork tenderloin wrapped in house-cured bacon. The bacon was so thin it didn't impart any flavor into the lean tenderloin. It's a shame to put so much effort into making house-cured bacon and having it be so ineffective in application. On the other hand, the pork was cooked a perfect medium. The loin came with a couple caramelized onions. A few potatoes or a little swiss chard would've been a nice touch, but was nowhere to be found. We'd ordered three dishes with pork in them, and left the place unsatisfied. The blackboard menu is supposed to be sustainable, but nothing can be sustained if the restaurant doesn't stay in business. Cocktails and beer selection were some of the best in the city. I had a mix of Greg Goose au Poire, white grape juice, and fresh lemon sour, plus a couple brews from Two Brothers. Drinks were fabulous. I also liked the exposed light bulbs. Too bad this place didn't live up to expectations; I could've become a regular.
(2)John F.
Was just there again last night, and YES, it really is that good!
(5)Jennifer S.
We loved eating at the Bristol. Great Menu and we enjoyed everything we ordered in our big group. The drinks were awesome too! Also liked that it was very low, key and casual at the same time. We went with a group of friends and took our 2 year old for dinner - arrived 5pm on a Saturday and was easy to get a table - not a place that many kids probably go to, but it worked out fine for us - I don't think we ended up being too much of a bother to the others around us.
(5)Blah B.
I'm in love..really I am; I savored and enjoyed every single bite!! Sooooooo the wait was long, 2 hrs to be exact, but thankfully we had such an experienced mixologist who made us amazing drinks but also kept us entertained as we watched him so passionately make every single drink! Once our table was ready we were starving literally:) OK I'm going to start off by saying...you must and I mean " U MUST" order the monkey bread w/dill! It was DELICIOUS! On to all the other delicious dishes: 1)Pan Roasted Skate Wing, Sauce Saor, Root Vegetables (breaded to perfection) 2)Grilled Mackerel Caesar, Romaine, Croutons (the salad was light dressing was great) 3)Steamed Mussels, Hard Cider, Crème Fraiche, Tarragon ( they were very tasty and the dipping bread was good) 4)Grilled Skirt Steak, Blue Cheese Ravioli (this one was a huge hit) 5)Duck Fat Fries, House Ketchup, Garlic Aioli (delish) 6)Heirloom Apple Salad (amazing) 7) Pear tart with pistachios for dessert ( was excellent) 8) cappuccino ( one of the few that I've had that I truly enjoyed) The service was def. @ par with the food and the ambiance of the restaurant. I personally loved the decor. I've been raving about this place and I can't wait to come back for dinner and to try their Brunch:)
(5)Missy M.
The Bristol is officially one of my Chicago faves! Had a great experience here. Maybe it was luck, but even though they do not take reservations, and I had prepared myself for at least an hour wait, my friend and I were seated right away, window table. Great start! Every course was delicious, but the roast half chicken was probably the best I've ever had. Oh, and don't forget to order the Monkey Bread!! Love love love!!!
(5)James W.
My wife and I had a great meal on Saturday. We dined at the bar before the rush started (6:30 pm). We started with the olives, flat bread (bacon & carmelized onions), spinach salad. My wife ordered the halibut and I had the burger. The food was wonderful and the service was great. This restaurant and Avec are two of my favorites in the city.
(4)Nichole D.
monkey balls, deep fried brussel sprouts and pappardell with braised port, turnip and prune...oh and chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters!! ever thing was amazing and locally grown! beautiful and simple restaurant that lets the food speak for itself...loved it!
(5)Julie G.
Definitely my favorite restaurant in the city at the moment. Delicious old school drinks and fabulous, innovative menu that mixes regular favorites with rotating specials. Very high quality food and excellent wait staff. Plus the owner is on Facebook, and when I became a fan of the restaurant, he friended me and totally recognized me the next time I went there. Pretty nice touch. Favorite drink is the Dark and Stormy, and yes, the Duck Fat Fries are as good as everyone says!
(5)Zach T.
Believe the Hype. I went to Bristol by myself as my a la card was expiring. I was greeted right away and sat at the bar by choice. I was a bit scared by the menu. Not so much because I am afraid to try new things, but wasn't really in the mood for anything in particular. I had the same issue with the beer list... It's huge. Like 6 beers on tap and 70+ bottled. So, I opted for a Moscow Mule. My first. As expertly prepared as any cocktail I've ever had (including at violet hour). And strong and Spicy. The housemade ginger syrup was aptly the selling point. I decided to go for some of the Yelp recommendations, and being teh tarte flambe fan I am, I went down for the bacon flatbread. there's not much "bread" to this flatbread. It's like a divine cracker topped with carmelized onions and bacon chunks. Outstanding. The duck fat fries were as good as they were purported to be. At that point I decided to cut my losses... almost. I went down for the sabayon with nutter butters. Man am I glad I did. During the dessert one of the owners (Philip, I think) came over and introduced himself and asked about my dinner. I wish I'd thought then to suggest that they have a "Chef's sampler" or "Chef's suggestion" plate. The reason is that they had 4 kinds of heart on the menu that night. I would have tried them all, but I was not brave enough to order an entire beef heart. It'd be great if they also had an "Offal Experience" plate so you could try the marrow and the oxtail and the like. I'll be going back, emboldened.
(5)Bridget B.
Ok, start with the Grey Goose Poire cocktail...best drink I've had in ages!!! It has a proper name, but after indulging with 2 of them, I forgot what it's called. The food was amazing. We were 2 girls having dinner before going out for the night. We shared the Monkey Bread, Flatbread with crispy bacon and caramelized onions, the Beer Cheese with homemade saltines and the Cheeseburger. No complaints about anything we ate. I personally love that they are smaller portions, because there are sooo many things on the menu, you really want to try everything. They do not take reservations, but we went at 6:30 on a Saturday and were seated right away...my advice would be to get there early if you don't want to wait, but if you do have to wait, do so at the bar and enjoy any of their homemade cocktail concoctions, or choose something from the seriously expansive wine or beer list. Our service was really great, too...our waitress was extremely knowledgeable. This spot is well worth the wait and well worth checking out.
(5)Raytus C.
Right off 94 on Damen. Great service. Publican like spot. Very nice wine. Started with duck fries and bone marrow. Duck fries were good, but nothing out of this world. Bone marrow was undercooked. Went on to the saltiest prawns I have ever had. Almost inedible. Sausage plate with a fried egg that was nothing remarkable. Plates are a few dollars less than an entree at other restaurants, with about half the food - so the value for a dollar was very low. Super loud by the time we left. Will not return.
(2)Amanda F.
Went to the bristol on Friday night for dinner. We used the foodie app to get a reservation .... They normally don't take them so that was decent. We had a party of 4 and were able to score one of the individual tables. A key point for me because I am totally over the communal dining thing. Our server was really helpful and made great recommendations for beers and wines. Everyone was really happy with his recommendations. Went with small plates, (a pattern in the restaurants I choose), cheese and dessert. Pork loin and arugula was really flavorful...salty pork with the peppery arugula and pickled green beans. We also had the Monkey bread and duck fat fries - both are mentioned as favorites on other yelp reviews and although they were good i am not sure I'd order either again. They were really heavy and not so unique/interesting that I'd pick them over other things. The special pyramind ravioli was rich and unique. Also had a flatbread with onions and cheese that was very creamy. Dessert was a chocolate hazelnut truffle. It was bite sized, which was perfect after everything else we ate! The one thing I will say is that the portions are definitely large on the medium plates (and even on some of the small). We had a group of 4 but could easily have shared them with 6.
(3)Joe B.
This is my favorite restaurant in Chicago. If I have to drive 45 min into the city, this is the place I want to eat. LOVE IT!!!
(5)Mary F.
If I could give this place 2.5 stars I would. The beer list is excellent, so 3 will do. The restaurant was very busy, but we would given the beer list and shown a place to stand immediately. We were seated within a reasonable amount of time. I thought our server was very nice - delightful really. Unfortunately, the food was so-so. We had an apple salad that was great. The gnocchi was dry, and just did not taste good. The skirt steak was over cooked. We got a cheese plate that was brought by a food runner - so no explanation. But we soon discovered it was not needed there were 2 kinds of cheese - 2 large slices each - cheddar and parm. Lame. Overall the experience just wasn't worth the price.
(3)Mindy C.
The pig tail was delicious. Really great effort to do farm to table. Drinks are fancy - the right kind of fancy... delicious, unique and memorable. Good value for the quality of the food.
(5)David A.
A friend invited me out to eat dinner and the selection for the evening was The Bristol. when i arrived the ambiance was great, simple rustic yet modern woody furniture with retro metal chairs. our waitress for the evening was Erin, she was Great, very charming attentive, informative and very Vibrant. we started with apple salad with marinated manchego, and hazelnut. Delicious! great with the glass of Malbec wine. the second item was roast bone marrow, shallot jam, and toast. WOW! explains enough for that starter. the finally was head on prawns a la plancha in anchovy butter, tarragon, this was just OK, and the Salmon with lentils and dates, was tasty and subtle.
(4)Laura H.
Still love the Bristol, just not as impressed these days by the service, something in there has changed.
(3)Ryan B.
This is a brunch review (hopefully a dinner review will be coming very, very soon!). Like most of you, I'd heard great things about dinner at The Bristol, but I hadn't really considered it for brunch. But, on my birthday weekend, I wanted to forgo our usually sunny, casual brunch favorites and soak in a cocktail, some dark wood and just a different vibe. Inspiration to try The Bristol struck like lightning, and man, am I glad it did. I had a super gin cocktail, shared a seriously delicious cinnamon roll, and ordered a really really good entree. But the potatoes - that's where it's at. The best breakfast potatoes I've ever had. Ever. It tastes like they've been roasted, tossed in chili oil, and then crisped up on the outside to starchy spicy crunchy perfection. I dream about those potatoes, and everything else was certainly yummy enough to share the same plate. (I forgot to hit 'post' on this! This review is about four weeks old, and I'm still dreaming abut those potatoes.)
(4)katie g.
For a new american restaurant this place is amazing. It has a garage door that opens on beautiful Chicago days... the menu is constantly changing (allowing for perfect excuses to keep coming back) and the food is INCREDIBLE. I took my father in law here and could not have been more pleased. We had the Duck Fat fries... (yummmmm) amazing! A Raviolo... amazing. Monkey bread.. it was alright. the drinks were personalized and unique, not to mention delish. The service was attentive and very helpful. The food was top notch. rumor has it, Bristol has a killer Sunday Brunch... look forward to my return.
(5)Bess R.
Went tonight for my sis's b-day, and it was quite tasty. We had Monkey Bread (yum), Duck Fries (double yum), Melon salad w/feta and olives (triple yum), Burger (you get the picture), and a Salmon dish. Everything was awesome and the service was excellent.
(4)Heather C.
First of all, I know everyone loves this place, but I will say, if you are not a huge lover of meat, STAY AWAY! Went for breakfast, host was hesitant to give us seat by window that was open, I'm not a fan of sitting right next to the other tables, but I won't skip a good restaurant for that reason. Options are very limited due to the changing menu, only 2 non pork options were offered. I went with the corned beef hash, it was dry, overly smoke flavored and the portions were ridiculously tiny for the price. The bloody marys, which were 9 dollars (!!!!) were way too citrusy and lacked flavor. Still, I had two to drown out the bad food. If you like pork, I guess you might like this place. If not, skip it.
(1)Sarah C.
Thank god I got in now....this place is going to be impossible to get into after another month! There's something that I noticed so strongly at Bristol that I haven't seen at many Chicago restaurants-- a SUPERB front of house hostess. I don't even want to call Shelby a hostess-- she is expertly planning the floor's moves, or at least gives the impression that she is. The staff here is clearly loving their fifteen minutes in Chicago foodie fame and if they keep up their high quality service, they won't have to worry about fading away. When we walked in at 8pm on a Saturday, we were told that it'd be 1.5 hour wait. Shelby made sure to keep checking in on us and let us know that if we could get the rest of our party to the restaurant, she had a 4-top waiting for us. AWESOME! We found out that since the wait times do end up getting crazy, people aren't answering their phones once their table comes up. Enter us! 40 minute wait. While we waited, we did cocktails-- Pisco Sour and Poire and Elderberry. Both were YUMMY and lovingly made. Great presentation on both- egg white was perfectly frothy on the Pisco and the elderberries as a garnish on the other were great. Once seated, we were sadly informed that since there had been a limited quantity on the pork entree specials, they were sold out. :( Booo-- no pork belly that I'd been craving. But there were tons of choices left. We ended up splitting the flatbread, the duck fat fries, and the fried green tomatoes for appetizers. The flatbread wasn't anything amazing, but the other two were delightful! The housemade ketchup was an especially nice touch-- it's such an easy thing to make and yet so few places do it right. The fried green tomatoes were crisp and hot, the spicy aioli was nicely plated as well. At this point, it was time for another cocktail- Pink Lady for my boyfriend (ha...) and a Moscow mule for me. The Pink Lady was good-- not my kind of drink but good. The Mule....mmmmmmmmule. Homemade ginger beer (which I adore) made into a gimlet-style cocktail. Tart and spicy...and it came in a frosty copper mug. Totally adorable. Entrees: parmesan crusted sausage (made in house!), mussels, the prawns, and skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli. The sausage was apparently excellent as were the mussels-- AND HUGE portion on them to boot. The skirt steak was perfectly cooked and the ravioli were rich without being leaden. The prawns, my dish, I was sort of disappointed in. The portion was VERY small-- 5 medium-sized prawns-- and there wasn't a lot to it. Basically a few prawns in a VERY yummy sauce. I give them points on the flavor and the meal itself, but honestly, I expected a little something more. The desserts were excellent-- cheesecake with caramel apple and the chocolate sabayon with HOMEMADE NUTTER BUTTERS!!! My boyfriend finally spit this gem out, "If I were a chef who could make these, I would never leave the house". The nutter butters were awesome and the sabayon was good. I wish there'd been some more saltiness to the sabayon, but it was good nonetheless. The coffee (Lavazza) was good, but nothing special. Hate to keep rambling on, but when we finally get a good place with great buzz like Bristol, I want to make sure I've covered every angle for people looking to check it out. Recommendations: arrive early, be patient and hang out near the bar if you get waitlisted, enjoy a good cocktail or five...it's a good night out.
(4)Melissa P.
I love this place. I've been here three times. Once for brunch, which might have been the best meal I've had here yet. Everything I've had here is really good including the drinks. Also, the decor of the place is amazing.
(5)Jaime E.
the bristol is quite loud. in spite of this, they have won me over with the following menu items: Raviolo, Ricotta, Egg Yolk, Brown Butter (which we drank, when we rant out of bread) Monkey Bread Pull Apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt (the dill butter was also polished off, long after the bread disappeared) (with a spoon) Bristol Burger, Cheddar, Pickles (w/ Duck Fat Fries, Garlic Aioli) mc got the half chicken with spaetzle and mushrooms-- which he doesn't usually eat, but he cleaned the plate! He also didn't share a morsel, which is a pretty good sign. I was really impressed by the dill butter, the lemon zest on the duck fat fries and the really nice waitstaff. Also we got there on a Thursday at around 8:30 and had our choice of table or bar, which was nice. i was really unimpressed with the aforementioned loudness. i'm unsure what inspired them to charge the same amount of money for both the monkey bread and the Goose Island Root Beer. but this is a gifthorse. next time i go, i'll probably just drink the dill butter with my menu items and ask for some water. if i need it.
(4)Dory O.
The Bristol is Fabulous. We went there on a Wednesday night around 8pm and were able to get a seat right away. I felt welcomed as soon as I walked in the door. I ordered the Dark and Stormy cocktail and I thought it was pretty darn good. It was VERY gingery, but I love ginger so I was okay with it. We started with the zampone, which we found out was a pigs leg and the bone was taken out and stuffed with sausage and it had some mustard on the side.. YUM. Then we had some gnudi (large gnocci) with a some type of beef sauce .. YUM again. We also shared the chicken and it was delicious. So, for the 2 of us, the bill came to $80. This included my $10 cocktail, 3 beers, and our 3 dishes. Really...the food and service were excellent. The only reason I gave the Bristol 4 stars is because I thought the portions were a bit small.
(4)Corey B.
You really can have it all. I have been to the Bristol for a casual dinner, post dinner cocktails, just dessert, to hang at the bar (up or down), for a special occasion and a hang over brunch. No matter what our tastes for the evening, the staff is super friendly and helpful, the drinks and food NEVER disappoint and I always have a great time. Yes, there are times I wait 2.5 hours for a table, but the time always flies by thanks to the amazing staff that stays upbeat and doesn't let your glass go dry.
(5)Michael S.
Dear God, Bristol--you have everything I could ever ask for. Amazing food and great service combine for an overall outstanding performance. The interior is inviting, unless you're over an hour deep in the line, but great for groups. Being busy on Monday and Tuesday nights is a sure testament to the greatness of the restaurant. Everything on the menu is a must, but if I had to pick a few, the first would be the beef tendon salad. Don't be intimidated. I've had beef tendons before in Pho, and never enjoyed them, but the Bristol turned me around. Order this for a surprise, and commit yourself to a first bite--the rest will fall in place. Number two is the split, head on prawns--very serious stuff. The prawns are piled up into a magnificent tower of decadence. Charcuterie lovers will be at home with their outstanding, in-house platter as well. Come hungry, and order well. I wouldn't worry about the monkey bread, because at the end of the day it's just [good] bread. To get a guaranteed seat, come in early when they open at 530, or late around 9 (they close at 12).
(5)Liza M.
Great drinks & great food! We had to wait about an hour for a table, but we did have a party of 7 on a Friday night, so it's understandable. After going to a bar down the street, we came back & stood smooshed in the doorway browsing the drinks menu for awhile. We finally sat down to eat at about 11, late night dinner! If I were really hungry that might have been a problem. Thumbs up for the cocktails - I ordered the Pink Lady - egg white & cream with gin? and fruit? I don't know but it was good. We passed around our drinks so I can tell you the winner - the Moscow Mule. Ginger beer, vodka and lime, served in a lovely little copper mug. Also great was the sparkling sangria. We ordered a lot of appetizers, the best was the fritters with a delicious sauce of...something tasty. Also the monkey bread was great, again I don't know what that is but it's good. It's bread. Made from monkeys. So it was a little pricey but worth it for the atmosphere, friendly servers, delicious drinks and food. The only food I didn't like was the cheese platter, and I was also disappointed that the chorizo & chicken wings dish was out. So I'll have to go back to try it! Overall I highly recommend this place.
(4)David k.
I love this restaurant! I just celebrated my 6 month anniversary with my fiance here. It's a quaint, romantic little neighborhood spot with a European feel. Crowded, but not too, we were seating right away without a reservation. We had a very friendly and helpful waitress who advised us on good wine choices. The food is listed as "snacks, small plates, medium, and large entrees". We ordered the Oysters Rockefeller, which were very fresh and delicious. The monkey bread was tasty, but a little forgettable. The cheeseboard was the highlight of our meal. Served with perfectly paired accompaniments (honeycomb, brandied pineapple, fig jam) and crostini, the whole experience was delightful. We ordered the Basque cake with candied walnuts for dessert, which was amazing. The cake managed to be rich in flavor without being too heavy. It was a perfect evening at The Bristol, and we will most definitely be returning.
(5)Brian S.
When I die I would like to be buried face down in a casket full of monkey bread and nutter butter chocolate fondue from The Bristol.
(4)Sara S.
when you go - and you should - order a sazerac and a raviolo. if you need more. order it again. and if you are still hungry, order the octopus, muscles, or the skirt steak. our server was delightful and made sure we all had enough homemade nutter butters to dip in chocolate pudding at the end of the night. it was nothing short of blissful. and if you are in love with a beer and meat man - he'll find a nice home here.
(4)Susan H.
I am a huge fan of breakfast. HUGE! My sister, the foodie, and my friend, Rachel, the personal chef all went there a few weekends ago to have brunch. Rachel had been there before and her only complaint was that the eggs were overcooked. We went around noon on Sunday and had no problem getting a table. I had the biscuits and gravy. It was supposed to come with basted eggs but they were nice enough to substitute egg whites. The biscuits were amazing but the gravy was a tad salty. My sister had the eggs benedict. Her eggs were quite overcooked but she enjoyed the rest of the meal. Rachel had the fried egg sandwich made with pork belly and we all agreed it was great. I would definitely go back again.
(3)Ndamukong S.
Disappointing. The owner sat us and, per his recommendation, we had the monkey bread, melon salad, bone marrow, and a (forgettable) pasta dish. The monkey bread was a bit dry and cold in the center. It was particularly disappointing because that was one of their "signature" dishes. The pasta was finished with an orange zest, and the orange zest was so strong that it dominated the entire dish and it was all you tasted during and after each bite. The dessert was equally unimpressive. This was unfortunate given Pastry Chef Amanda Rockman's current success on Top Chef. All in all, it was most disappointing because it was so highly regarded and there are so many other high quality new American spots (Gilt, Publican, Girl and the Goat) in the city.
(3)Margaret M.
I really enjoyed The Bristol. I came with a girlfriend visting from from Costa Rica! When I first arrived and was told the wait was over an hour I was extremely disappointed. They don't accept reservations which was also frustrating but I was determined to eat there. I went upstairs and was pleasantly surprised. I did not mind waiting the hour because I had a great time at the bar! They had a wonderful selection of Greek wines which I really enjoyed. Once we were seated the party began. They sat us in our own little table so we didn't get a chance to experience the communal dining, which was OK with me. I The food is all small, tapas like...so you can order a good variety. I really enjoyed the portion sizes. I'm not the kind of person who goes out and wants to leave a restaurant stuffed....yuck. What we ordered: The Monkey Bread and the dill sauce was delicious. A really fun dish to share. We also ordered the duck fat fries which are always a treat! We than ordered the Ravioli with ricotta and egg. It was so decadent and flavorful. A really treat for your mouth! I could have ordered another one! We ended our meal with the Nutter Butter dessert a perfect ending to this delicious meal. The whole meal made me feel almost nostalgic. It brought me back to a different time...maybe it was the monkey bread and nutter butters (they remind me of my youth). Overall,the service was pretty good....our server was attentive but kind of the nervous type so he made me feel a little edgy. The menu is fun and diverse so you won't be bored! The only complaint I had was it was really loud. It's definitely not the place to take a first date. But it is the kind of place you would take a friend visiting from NYC! Thanks again Bristol for a fab meal and I will return maybe for brunch!
(4)Ceal P.
went in on a lovely summer friday evening, the dining room is loud and bustling which is great if that's what you're looking for -- definitely not ideal for a quiet romantic dinner. we sat at the bar which worked out great for 2. menu is written on the far wall. wasn't too sure about the food prior to eating here with mixed reviews around, but i was pleasantly suprised highlights included: - apple salad with delicious manchego (?) -- definitely not a healthy salad, but not necessarly the point - their signature raviolo in brown butter sauce -- very rich but rightfully so, delicious! - the bone marrow was phenomenal if you're into offal and unique dishes as such -- nice complimentary mustard and a small salad - soft shell crab was a special i believe -- never really had an italian version with tomato sauce -- crabs were FRESH and sauce was light and complimentary overall a fantastic experience. just recently moved into the neighborhood and really enjoying what i'm discovering. -
(5)shelly p.
I had been pushing to go to this place for a while b/c this place has recieved some good buzz, but I don't think I'll be returning any time soon. I went with a large group which was a mistake b/c you will never get seated. They make you wait upstairs where you can get drinks and nibble on cheese. We waited almost 2 hours and I it took 15+ minutes for our drinks to arrive each time. When they seated us (communal tables), our waiter was nice and we ordered his suggestions. I can tell they take their time in preparing their foods, but I don't think it's worth the price. The squash dish was bland and the duck sausage was just 1 piece of duck sausage for $16. The steak dish, raviolo and perogis were good, but nothing extraordinary. If you want to check the place out, just go for a drink and snack on the scottish olives and duck fat fries.
(2)Seann G.
Great room, solid service, outstanding food. Couldn't pick one thing wrong with this place. Well chosen wine and beer list. Fresh, simple food and reasonably priced. A must if you're in Chicago.
(5)Tu'ens N.
very good - lots of fresh herbs in every dish. tonight's specials included sardines which were the best dish I had. lots of good beers. the menu pretty much has every possible catch-phrase and trendy dish you can possibly imagine, but it is still all well done and tasty, and the place is very comfortable and lively. the duck fat fries have an interesting citrus element, which we determined to be bits of lemon rind mixed in with the cheese on top. not sure if thats correct but it was the first time i tasted citrus on fries, a good twist.
(4)Stacy W.
My husband and I met another couple for dinner here, excited for a new Bucktown restaurant. The monkey bread and the smoked fritters were excellent and highly recommended. The drinks were also excellent. As for our entrees, the portion size left something to be desired. The flavors of the food were great (two of us had the salmon, one had the skate, and one had the raviolo), but we were disappointed that there wasn't more on our plates. Another negative was due to the spacing in the restaurant. The four of us were seated at a 12-person dining room table with other people, right next to us. Plus, we were constantly getting jostled by the servers passing behind us. All in all, we will probably be back, but only for the appetizers and drinks.
(3)Jordan B.
We went for a friend's birthday last week after his girlfriend and I pondered several different options. Since his only request for a place was to eat something that he's never had before, the Bristol's interesting and daily changing menu seemed to be a good fit (i.e. bone marrow spread). Fantastic! We ordered two of every dish, so that all six of us could have a taste. Apple Salad, Marinated Manchego, Hazelnuts: Light, fresh, good base to the subsequent dishes. Simplistic enough for me to make at home, though not sure what vinaigrette was in the salad. Raviolo, Ricotta, Egg Yolk, Brown Butter: Nothing mind blowing, but a tasty take on ravioli. Our waiter said this was a staple for most diners. Roasted Bone Marrow, Ramp Pickle, Parsley, Shallot Jam: The main reason we wanted to try the place. I was taken back at the presentation (since it's served in a beef femur), but it definitely exceeded expectations. Spreads like butter, with a complex taste. The jam and pickle was necessary, otherwise may be too rich. Only could have one serving but worth it. Duck Fat Fries, House Ketchup, Garlic Aioli: ....Ate all the remaining french fry crumbles, embarrassing but necessary. Monkey Bread Pull Apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt: Took a while for this item to come out to the table, but delicious. Just came out of the oven and buttery as I'd hoped. On top of a huge selection of wine and beer, great place to meet friends and try some new food experimentation. Recently rated by GQ as the 9th most delicious new restaurants in US. Great find, would go again to try their updated season and daily menu items.
(4)Sarah E.
We went to The Bristol for the first time for brunch last weekend. I have to say that it was bad timing (am I a bad daughter to forget mother's day? I do have the excuse that my mom doesn't live in Chicago lol). The restaurant was jammed so we ate at the bar (and paid mother's day fixed menu prices). The food was very good. We enjoyed the eggs benedict and the chilaquilles which were both fantastic. Would definitely return. Fixed priced menu was expensive though ($20 p.p. for brunch).
(4)Kelsey M.
wow. this place delivers upscale food in an inviting and casual atmosphere. whether you're an amateur foodie with an adventurous palette or a delicacy connoisseur, the bristol will fit the bill. we started with the sausage stuffed olives and cocktails upstairs while we waited for our table. yes, you heard right, they have a space upstairs dedicated to drinks and appetizers while waiting for your table. this alone is deserving of 5 stars. i had the cuc-cai cocktail. it was life changing. cucumbers and grey goose la poire? don't question, just drink. moving on downstairs we ordered a variety of plates which were all outstanding. flatbread, monkey bread, goat liver sausage (a unique blend of sausage flavors with a spreadable pate texture), bone marrow and duck fat fries, followed up by the nutter butters for desert. not one complaint from anyone at our table. lastly, the service matches the impressive menu. attentive and knowledgeable. this place is well deserving of all the highmarks!
(5)Minh T.
What attracted me to the Bristol were the duck fat fries and the roasted bone marrow. Both were indeed delicious, but what really made me want to come back was the raviolo with an egg yolk in the middle. Incredible! Staff was friendly and not at all pretentious.
(5)Susan L.
We had a lovely time last night at a table that opened up into the sidewalk. I was impressed by their large selection of bottled beer and select house-made cocktails but we opted for the food (guess we were that hungry). We had the porchetta and roasted bone marrow to start. The porchetta was good - tho may have tasted better WITH something instead of on its own. Like bread and cheese? The roasted bone marrow was by far my favorite. It had a nice buttery consistency but also had a nice balance of savory and sweet. For our main entrée, we shared the tagliolini with laughing bird shrimp - which was perfect, considering the noodles were light and airy (suppose it was made with more egg than I expected). We finished off our meal with the blueberry pana cotta, a refreshing finale which tasted like melted blueberry ice cream. I have to admit, it was surprising to enjoy a lovely $4 dessert - every place nowadays charges $8 and up! The Bristol is a great place to meet up with friends and catch up. You can tell from their communal tables and menu layout that their dishes are meant to be shared.
(4)Akash P.
Pretty good but I really wasn't blown away by any of my food here. The waitstaff walked by us a few times (and right by us, the place is packed tight) until I handed him a receipt he dropped. The flatbread was decent but I've had much better. They had one of my favorite affordable wines on the list, Gladiator Cycles Pinot Noir. But I drink that weekly.
(3)Haute H.
I started out annoyed with this place because I went 15 minutes before open and they would not let us in to wait at the bar and it was chilly outside. Not good hospitality a mon avis since there is quite a choice in restaurants(especially during the recession). Never turn biz away. So once we were allowed in they redeemed themselves. Ate at the bar and the service was attentive and knowledgeable and the food was exquisite. My companion loved the burger and I had the chicken which was the perfect balance of crispy and juicy but not like fried chicken of course. Go for brunch too but don't go early!
(4)Allison B.
Went here with no expectations. Was completely blown away with the ambiance, amazingly delicious small plates, and the wonderful service. The entire experience was fantastic and I can't wait to go back. My favorite were the olives...yum. If you are looking for a nice evening, visit here....
(5)Amy S.
Yum to the quail egg big ravioli in the amazing buttery sauce. We ended up ordering the monkey bread cause we could not let the sauce go to waste. So gooood. We also ordered a pork sausage which was solid. The sauces that accompanied it were interesting to try. It''s one of those dishes that you order to try but would rather try something else when you go back the second time. Service was great and our waitress suggested a really great wine (oahi?) to go with our meal.
(4)Greg R.
So here's the deal, this review really should be like 4.5 stars because I wasn't thrilled with the Chilaquiles, they were just good but not great, but on the other hand there's NO WAY The Bristol should only have a 3.5 star rating so I took it upon myself to help the average up a little bit. I love The Bristol for brunch just as much as I do for dinner because they have interesting food or take something common and make it interesting and plus if you're adventurous with your drink choices they have some really cool options for brunch. (Yeah I know all my brunch reviews have extensive comments about the drinks) T and I were waiting for A,so we thought well shit... might as well order a couple of drinks and something to start with, so we did. I started with a Bacon Manhattan, I know what you might be thinking.... a cocktail with bacon? Well not exactly, they have bacon infused Dewars, which all by itself should spark some interest, right? They take that add some maple syrup and bitters. I like bacon, I like syrup and I like Scotch, so I thought why not. It's not something that you're going to have several of, but definitely something worth trying. It has this sweet taste from the syrup, but a muted smokyness from the bacon, good drink. Then I tried a Peruvian Sunrise, which was a totally different type of drink. You could taste the Elderflower but it wasn't too sweet and it had a nice touch of citrus from the blood oranges that were added as a garnish. And then when you're done you can try to get the slices of the oranges out from beneath the ice with your knife if you happen to get a little bored at the table. I didn't try T's Bloody Mary, but she said it was good. Getting back to the food that we started on waiting for A....We got biscuits and gravy and each of them had a poach egg on top. T was a little weary of the egg screwing up the biscuits and gravy but it worked out rather well. The eggs were poached just right so you got some of the yolk to fall down the biscuit you were eating and the gravy was flavorful with the right about of spice, all making for a great bite each time. Then A finally showed up, so we ordered the stuff we really came for. I had the Chilaquiles and I was a little disappointed. They didn't have quite enough sauce in it and it could have really used two eggs instead of one. Also not quite spicy enough and I thought it could have used more cilantro too. It would have been nice to have more contrast between the heat of spice and the coolness of the cilantro. However the braised pork that was with the dish was really well done, just the right amount of saltyness in the crunchy pieces of the braised pork. T got the egg sandwich with porkbelly that sounded really good to me, but apparently she wasn't so into the porkbelly. I think either you're a fan of it or not. I thought it was good, so maybe that's just a different of preference. I also really liked the breakfast potatoes, but my brunch didn't come with any, so I kept picking them from T's plate. A ended up ordering a bunch of sides to make a traditional eggs, bacon, toast breakfast...sure its a little boring but everything was cooked well. Almost forgot to mention the side of sausage was awesome and by the looks of it was also homemade. I highly recommend The Bristol for both brunch and dinner, but read the dinner review to make sure you are going to the type of dinner you are expecting.
(5)Meredith J.
I give this 3 stars because I am really in the middle since I love some aspects and am not a fan of others. In many ways, it deserves a 4. What I don't like and what compelled me to review: 1. The owner is a jerk. I called about hosting a private party there. I just wanted to find out the details. He was rude and insulting and treated me like I was stupid. I was nothing but nice and simply calling to inquire about the upstairs lounge area. I was encouraged to call by one of his servers, which he promptly berated on the phone for giving me misinformation and kept mentioning that HE was the owner. When he told me he wouldn't host a brunch event, I said (trying to be nice) "Wow, you guys are missing out. So many people are looking for places to host brunch events and your place would be perfect. Oh well, I am disappointed (because I like your restaurant)..." He then proceeded to ask me what I didn't understand about them not doing it and was so rude I couldn't get off the phone fast enough. If I had felt like continuing the conversation, I would have said that what he didn't understand was that I was willing to pay him $600-700 if he would just give us a long table during regular brunch hours. How hard is that? The restaurant is already open and serving food. I don't see the issue. He is not someone I would want to plan an event with, and they seem totally inflexible about their minimums and strict hourly requirements. Also, their prices for events are silly. 2. Brunch is good. Not awesome, many of the dishes are a little boring, but it's usually easy to get a table. That being said, if they have the popover on the menu, you must go in. It's excellent. 3. The appetizers at dinner are fantastic. Plan your dinner around the apps. My advice is to order a bunch and have them coourse them out for you so the whole table can share. They are stellar. This is the experience that will make you walk away thinking about your meal a couple days later. Definitely get the sardines on toast if on the menu. 4. Entrees are blah. After amazing appetizers and middle courses, they just don't stand up. The hanger steak is just OK and the chicken is fine. 5. They are really nice about BYO wine if you bring a nice bottle. They are very accomodating to the winos that want wine that is beyond what they offer on their list. I don't even think they charge corkage. They know you're not being cheap, they can appreciate a great food-wine experience. (also, always share a little with your server. They are really knowledgeable and appreciative.) 6. Service is always good and the servers are knowledgeable. They always provide a pleasurable experience. Go and enjoy. Just don't call and talk to the owner. However, the rest of the staff is lovely, so just deal with them.
(3)Meredith F.
Beautiful ambience. The restaurant is very warm and cozy. They make great use of their limited space. I'm confused by the menu and the offering of eating 'family style'. The portions are too small to consider them family style. Maybe 'family style' means tasting a bite off of everyone's plate? The food was okay. Several items monkey bread and duck fat fries were good but they won't get me back. Nice wine selection by the glass.
(2)Joe S.
we only had the bar food upstairs. we sat in the corner and then moved. so did the next couple that sat there. it was funny.
(3)Justin R.
Crap. This review is late because I forgot to write it when we ate there. Oh well. Here goes. The Bristol is Awesome... And that is an awesome with a great big giant capital A. It was so great to see such a mixture of classic and traditional dishes that have almost completely disappeared from American dining. Dishes using parts of animals that most would no longer eat, such as pig's head meat, are sprinkled throughout the menu. And cool snacks like the scotch olives were delicious. I will go back and write a more thorough review soon, but until then know that The Bristol is one of my favorite new restaurants in Chicago. Go. Open your palate. And don't forget to try some of their wonderful classic cocktails.
(4)Janette L.
Come here more for the drinks than the food. Still for some great creative drinks and small bites this is a decent place to go. It can get very loud and hard to hear if you are going with a date. I enjoyed the frites but as another reviewer said the homemade ketchup was slightly bland. Monkey bread and fritters were all ok but nothing that I would need to go back for. I wish I could even tell you what I ordered for a main but sadly it was nothing too memorable. Service was great and we went pretty late on a Friday and the wait was not too bad (less than 1hr!)
(2)mike s.
I have been several times... food depends on what you order. For the most part it has been fantastic, with a couple of mediocre dishes here and there. Great drinks and service. I want to try their brunch.
(4)Erin R.
Great spot! Came on a sort of triple date if you will. I like how the seating is communal very different. The service was excellent. We ordered a ton of small plates and each had a meal. The olives that are wrapped (i think) were amazing. I had the chicken for dinner and thought it was very flavorful. My fiance had the burger which was equally as good and had a nice bite to it from the sauce. Fries were fabulous. A fun spot to come with friends to chill out and enjoy some good food.
(4)Natalie P.
My whole experience is here was perfect. Good service, love the atmosphere and the food was perfection. Really fresh ingredients and the monkey bread is amazing. All the food was really good and I can't wait to go back. My only complaint..we ordered the radish w/ butter starter, and while it was delicious, it was hard to cut a whole radish (it arrives as a whole radish) sitting down on a wobbly cutting board. But again it was tasty so I didn't care too much. Can't wait to go back! Great wine selection too.
(4)michael k.
Had a excellent dinner at the bristol a few weeks back, The decor was relaxing and the food was great, I had the roasted bone marrow with the duck fat fries, Very good... The beer list was extensive making for a very enjoyable night out.
(4)LVNV F.
The Bristol has a lot going for it. The bar and the room is very pleasant, especially with the windows open. The service was great, probably helped by us arriving at 6.15 on a weekday (which allowed us to secure an excellent two top). The drinks were top notch; a classic daiquiri made me rethink my views on this libation, and the cucumber drink was terrific, if you have a love for cucumbers. The food was more uneven than I would have expected. The Apple Salad was terrific; many different tastes and textures made it interesting throughout. The much touted Monkey bread? Well, the presentation couldn't be beat....a small iron pot of pull apart bread, but the bread itself was, in a word, bland. And I bow to no one in my love of carbs. The cheeseburger was a mixed hit: I liked it much better than my dining companion. I also agree that the duck fat fries and the garlic aoili were terrific. The chocolate saboyon and nutter butters were good: I liked the sea salt in the chocolate but I think my friend could have passed on it. On the whole, although the portions were not massive, I thought that they were more than adequate, and the prices very fair. I wish we had had some more "hits" but I would consider going again nonetheless.
(3)Alia K.
Yum Yum Yum! This place is GOOD! There's communal tables in the middle so we decided to go with the theme and order family style. There were 5 hungry women and were perfectly full with 4 small plate/appetizers and 3 entrees topped off with 2 desserts. While all the appetizers and desserts were all great, the actual entrees did leave a bit to be desired. I would pass on both the gnocchi and white fish next time. Definitely check this place out though.
(3)Candice O.
This was the most rich and decadent meal I have had in a long time. We ordered the apple salad, monkey bread and duck fat fries to start. The only thing that wasn't over the top yummy was the fries, and thats because I'm not really into fries. I then got the raviolo. I see lots of complaints about the egg being runny, but its a poached egg. What do you think its going to do? So rich and delicious. I want it again. My husband ordered the burger, which was prepared the way he wanted it and he seemed to enjoy it. The waitress helped me pick two different wines, and the Moscofilero was a perfect combo with my raviolo. All in all, one of my favorite meals in Chicago so far.
(5)Jung K.
Just got back from a fabulous and lovely dinner at the Bristol. The stars aligned and everything seemed to work out perfectly. I had heard about long waits, but we were seated at the bar as soon as we walked in. The place was packed, though, so we really lucked out. We were seated at the end of the bar near the bartender, which ended up being an excellent location, as he provided lots of helpful commentary and chatter (really made the dinner!). My husband got the Moscow Mule, which he enjoyed, and we both loved the copper cup it was served in. We started with the delices de bourbogne, an excellent and very flavorful appetizer of crostini, crushed fava beans, and a buttery smooth cheese. Fava beans are so under-rated! We then got the monkey bread and raviolo, paired together as suggested by the bartender. Sopping up the raviolo with the monkey bread was delicious, and I also liked the dipping sauce the bread came with. I saw someone complain about the runniness of the egg in the raviolo, but I think it only added to the richness of the dish. The only mistake we might have made, though, was ordering too many rich, pungent dishes together to begin with. I felt a little heavy after that. We then split the quail, which was absolutely delicious. The simpleness of the sauce and the light greens it came with, as well as the small bits of nectarine, made it a refreshing entree to end with. I can't remember what it was called, but I got what was essentially a chocolate pudding and house-made nutter butters for dessert. It was a perfect blend of sweet and salty. The sea salt topping the pudding and the saltiness from the nutter butters was a perfect combo. Though some might complain that the portions were small, I think it was the perfect amount for the quality and price. Total bill, with 4 dishes, a soda, two cocktails, and dessert was $80. Not bad for an excellent meal, stellar service, and a great night out.
(5)Jane R.
For my boyfriends birthday dinner, he chose for me and his other friend to go to The Bristol for dinner. He said he had heard a lot about it and so as usual, we were all expecting a lot. And mmm it sure was good! We sat down in the middle of the room on a crowded Monday night, and wanting so badly to not be one of those people complaining about the noise and needing a hearing aid, we sat down and tried our best to hear what eachother was saying. Yes it was hard with the store-front windows wide open, and the groups of people practically sitting on top of us. But, to me, that's all part of the experience. After receiving a bottle of wine from a friend we saw a few tables away, we knew the night would be great. We were a little worried when the waitress told us that they prefer to put in the whole order for the table (apps, entrees) all at once, so the food comes out fresh and as soon as it's ready. I quiver at the sound of not being able to order as I go, but we went along with it. It turned out great with everything come out at the right time. The bone marrow was delicious, just cooked right with that heavy butter feeling to it as I spread it across the perfectly toasted bread. We then had the apple salad, which was a great size and dang were those apples fresh and delicious! We then shared the scotch-olives which were olives wrapped in sausage and then deep fried. This was my appetizer choice, as I am an olive lover, and yet this was the only thing I was disappointed with. It tasted like straight up sausage off a pizza, with not even a hint of olive to it. We decided to go big or go home and get 3 entrees, even though the server told us they are big enough to share. The ravioli I could easily eat every night. It's only one big ravioli but when the plate hit the dark wood table, the aroma made my mouth salivate. The brown butter is so perfect accompanying the egg yolk and ricotta cheese. Next was the pork heart, ordered by my boyfriend the adventurous one. It was a "chalkboard special" so we figured it had to be good. Ehh about our expectations. It came piled up with a corn and pork heart broth under it which was delicious, but the meat itself was a bit too chewy and don't be surprised by this, but yeah there was actually TOO MUCH MEAT!Even for 3 people each having a few slices, it was just piled on there like they were trying to get rid of it. The chicken was good, although we were totally stuffed and couldn't eat another bite. It easily was one of the moistest chicken I have ever had. For dessert I don't need to say much except: Go for the Chocolate Sabayon and house-made nutter butters. Overall the food was delicious, the service was good. The only problem me and my guests were complaining about was how pushy not only the servers, but the managers were about getting us to buy another bottle of wine or any kind of drink. We must of been asked 6 times about seeing the wine list by about 4 different people. But, luckily the food and ambiance saved it. We will definitely be going back to the Bristol sometime soon.
(4)Cassandre P.
I should preface this by saying that I heard lukewarm things about the Bristol so my expectations were probably fairly low. But regardless, I really enjoyed my meal here. We arrived around 6:45 on a Tuesday so there were only 10 or so couples already seated in the restaurant. We were lucky enough to snag the cozy table next to the blackboard in the back. After we were seated I realized that we were basically sitting right next to the specials "wall" and had the same minor anxiety attack I get when I have to sit front-row in the movie theater. A minute later our server came over with the regular menu AND a printout of the specials board. We decided to order the smokey fritters, monkey bread, goat mixed grill special, mussels, and sausage. I was starving and tend to turn into a raging bitch when I get hungry so thankfully for my dinner guest they brought out the fritters and monkey bread fairly soon after ordering. The fritters were flavorful and fluffy and went perfectly with the mustard dipping sauce. I had heard great things about the monkey bread and don't get me wrong, it was good, but nothing that exciting. It was basically just baked bread with dill butter. The goat was DELICIOUS and came with the rib, loin chop, and belly so we got to try a little of each. I also appreciated the servers explanation before we ordered it as to why it was a small portion but so pricey. The mussels and sausage were just OK but really the goat dish made up for their mediocrity. The goat dish definitely made our bill a little high but with the exception of that, the meal was very reasonable and I will definitely return.
(4)Cy C.
Last week, ate here again...and if I can make it...this Monday :) I have to say, the Bristol really has evolved to something incredible since it first opened. This time around we (as always) ordered most of the menu. The monkey bread was delicious and I'm happy to see that they started sprinkling salt on top. Two things I always get ...well, I guess three are the monkey bread, raviolo and the head on prawns. The raviolo is really something spectacular - the brown butter, yolk, cheese.... The prawns are my favourite dish though - I never see head on prawns at restaurants (i think they hold the most flavor) and the way these are presented are in a way where the diner doesn't really have to get their hands dirty. Bone marrow was straight up simplistically delicious. The porchetta was freaking awesome - it's like they cooked it in magic juice. Again, service was beyond fantastic as were my cocktails. They were so well balanced I had like 3 (and I usually don't drink cocktails). Thank you Bristol for your consistent service, food and cocktails. Also, I really like the shout out to the local farms on the boards.
(5)mary b.
They dont take reservations so we had to wait over an hour upstairs in the lounge area for out table. No problem had some drinks and waited since the place was packed. Communal style tables so that was fun. Different. We had the monkey bread to start off with, pretty good, nothing special, pretty much garlic, parlesy infused rolls with melted butter to dip in. Shared the salmon and mussels, salmon was niceley done. Mussels nothing to write home about. I guess pork is there big speciality but we didnt have any pork products. will probably be back there considering it is half a block away from where I live.
(3)Josh B.
Went to this place the other night. It was fantastic. The owners are super nice and very knowledgeable about their business. Took a leap of faith and had the ginger cocktail, it was super yummy. The food was very good, consistent with the description. The dessert was the peanut butter chocolate thing (sorry can't remember the name) it was a wonderful combo. A little heavy on the meat for my tastes, so if you are vegi it may be tough to find something to eat. My only complaint was that the server was a bit on the quick draw. He cam to the table and zoomed away just as fast, in some cases before we could tell him what we needed. All in all a very good experience and would go back for sure.
(4)Joanna E.
Bristol sets out to be accessible and fresh and succeeds splendidly. The staff really knows their (fill in the blank). While waiting at the bar, the bartender knew every person who walked in--they'd describe a certain feeling that they were vaguely looking for from a drink and be presented with something that seemed to perfectly satisfy. Their Sazerac was by far the best that I've had in this city yet. A Moscow Mule housed in a little copper cup was biting fresh. And twice throughout the evening, we wanted some sort of clean, well-matched beer with the courses (admitting that my limited scope was not match for their awesomely vast beer list) and left it to our waitress' more than capable hands. Post Alaska adventure, I have been looking for a match for the Glacier Brewhouse Ale Cheddar Pot. And so, I absolutely fell over myself flagging our waitress as quickly as I could, and yet. Yet. Starting with the Half Acre Beercheese just felt like a stretch. Three bites in and and only after a detailed explanation from our sparkly-eyed waitress did I begin to understand what all was going on. The blue cheese, cheddar cheese and half acre seemed to fight against each other and unfortunately the saltines and slaw couldn't help to pacify the situation. But please let's move on to bigger and better things. Scottish olives? Fabulous- lemon creme fresh balanced perfectly against the salty tang of lightly breaded green olives. Bone Marrow spread? Rivaled that of St. John (the king of 'Nose to Tail charcuterie") according he who was there last April. And Halibut? As one who fished her own halibut in Alaska, it was fresh, perfectly sauteed in lardon on a bed of french green and wax beans. Delightful. The end of the meal brought what felt like the end of a perfect 7th grade school lunch: chocolate pudding and nutter butters-- grown up style. Pudding drizzled with sharp olive oil and grey sea salt, lightly sprinkled. Nutter butters with just enough salt to crunch through the rich, syrupy pudding. Nice work Bristol.
(4)Molly M.
My husband and I are long-time fans of this place as it is right in our neighborhood. Always impressed with the creative food and the world-class service. But last weekend, my parents hosted my brothers rehearsal dinner in the event space on the second floor. I cannot say enough about the experience. Phil, one of the owners who handles events, was thorough and helpful all along the way while we were planning. It was easy and I felt every detail was taken care of. And then the event - WHOA! My parents and all 30 of our guests were blown away by the atmosphere, the service and the amazing food. Among many wonderful items we had the roasted chicken and a pasta dish that everyone raved about. I was told more than once it was the best rehearsal dinner anyone had been to. I highly recommend the Bristol for any special event.
(5)Samantha H.
The Bristol is (so far...) my favorite restaurant in Chicago. Saturday was my second visit to the restaurant and I cannot wait to go back. I would give an itemized report of what we ordered, but their menu changes daily and all but two items we ate were their "specials." The Bristol doesn't take reservations, so get ready to wait when you arrive. Although waiting for 45 minutes for a table isn't my favorite thing to do on a Saturday night, Bristol makes the experience very pleasurable with an upstairs lounge/bar area for those waiting. You can sit at a cozy table, booth, or bar stool and order appetizers and beverages while you wait. When your table is ready you don't have to strain to hear your name shouted across the lively hum of patrons, a hostess comes over to your table to settle your bill and escort you to your table. While the restaurant itself is small, I never once felt crowded or uncomfortable. Our server did an excellent job of making us feel as though we were her only table. She was incredibly attentive and knowledgeable. When you visit, you MUST try the duck fat fries, they are unreal. I tried the monkey bread for the first time on this visit, and it was top notch as well. If you are looking for a dining experience you must visit The Bristol!
(5)Rita W.
The Bristol delivers one of the most solid meals I have had where I like almost everything from start to beginning. I went here with one of my favorite couples who actually live across the street from The Bristol, they talk so much about this place, I knew I had to check it out with them. For appetizers, we shared the duck fat fries, the monkey bread, and the apple salad. The duck fat fries came out hot and fresh, the garlic alioli and the homemade ketchup were great condiments for the fries. I loved the apple salad, the crunchy hazelnuts and manchego cheese were the perfect touches to the mix of tangy apples and cabbage shreds. I wasn't too impressed with the monkey bread itself but that dill butter dip, I thought I had gone to butter heaven, it was creamy and yet not too thick and light enough to make you think for a spilt second that it is something healthier than butter. I had the ravilo for my entree. WOW. I wasn't expecting one huge ravilio, and was a little worried I would not be full afterwards, but this ravilio is so decadent and rich, that it is the perfect amount. It is literally one huge ravilio with a poached egg inside and when you break into it, the egg yolks combines with the sweet butter sauce on the dish and its a happy marriage of rich flavors in your mouth. I was amazed by how good this was! My friends ordered the half chicken and the pig tail. The chicken was moist and tender and I was amazed by how tender it was. The pig tail..well let's just say it was interesting, but I am not sure I would recommend wasting your time on it. The flavor of the pork is good but it is really fatty so its hard to eat an entire entree of it. Plus it just doesn't look appetizing after a while. For dessert we shared the chocolate sabayon. It was ok, nothing impressive. What was impressive were the homemade nutter butters! Without the nutter butters, it would have been a pretty big flop. I was a little nervous about the portion sizes after the waitress told us the portions would be smaller, but the food is pretty rich so the portion sizes end up being the right size so you don't feel like you overate. Although we ordered so much food, I still left feeling like I overate. The prices are actually not that bad, for going with two other people and getting a drink, sharing three appetizers, three entrees, and one dessert, my bill ended up being $41. That is not bad at all considering how much food we got! I would definitely come here again!
(4)Lakshmi R.
What can I say that hasn't been said? My one main criticism: I get that it doesn't bill itself as a vegetarian restaurant, but this is America, not Germany, guys. Vegetarians exist! In large numbers! So I think it's a little scandalous when a restaurant of this caliber offers exactly 1 vegetarian dish (the pasta), and it's not even a main course. I noticed that there was a vegetarian among the party at our neighboring table, and that she was having difficulty finding something to eat. We had checked the menu in advance and so knew what to expect (my boyfriend eats fish, it was his birthday, etc etc). But it seems clear overall that The Bristol really needs to step up in that department. Otherwise, the food is great. Staff is great. Location is great. We arrived at 6pm on a Friday night and got a seat immediately, but the restaurant filled up shortly thereafter - so plan accordingly! My boyfriend loved his cod entree and I enjoyed my pasta dish, which consisted of one, gigantic raviolo stuffed with ricotta and sitting in a mini sea of browned butter. Actually, it was a little too rich even for me, and I actually felt a little nauseous by the time I finished it. Yums, nevertheless. The monkey bread is yummy. And the Dark & Stormy cocktail? With shredded bits of ginger floating in the drink, I tell you, it was divine. Like the Basque Cake we inhaled for dessert.
(4)Jedd J.
Expectations were high, but The Bristol disappoints. We arrived at 8pm Friday night. The upstairs lounge was nearly full; luckily we were able to find a table for four. At capacity the staff should not have been overwhelmed, but my sazerac finally arrived after a 25 minute wait. We ordered the breakfast radish, butter, and sea salt. It was really good, but there was no cooking or combining in the creation of this appetizer; the jury was still out. After 2+ hours we were finally led to a table downstairs to order dinner. The grilled flatbread with bacon and melted sweet onion was flavorless and mushy. D The apple salad, marinated manchego, and hazelnuts looked like cole slaw and tasted like raw onion. F Minus. The sturgeon wasn't right either. Too much butter, and whatever seasoning they used didn't work. D The wine also left us wishing we'd gone somewhere else. We didn't finish anything and quickly left, never to return.
(1)Sao-Mai N.
I came here with my parents who are from out of town. Like most Chicago restaurants, Bristol is one of those small restaurants that can accommodate a few people. However, the atmosphere is lovely and the staff are excellent. The cocktails are beautifully crafted and quite tasty. I ordered the Dark and Stormy, and the hint of ginger was just right where it's not too overwhelming. The menu is a little heavy from first glance. So we split the bone marrow, which was very tasty and my favorite, the apple salad. I ordered the veal with sweetbread and a poached egg. Everything was delicious and the portions were just right. I love breaking into a poached egg. However, I found the rest of my dish extremely salty. It may have just been my dish and I'm willing to go back and give this place another go around. Cheers!
(4)ak w.
First of all, the atmosphere is fun, the service fantastic and attentive. Duck fat fries and money bread spectacular. The changing sustainable menu is a good start. Our entrees were so incredibly salty, they were inedible. I had the roasted chicken and hubby had the pork and his dish was rare (kinda gross for pork). The dessert menu was extremely "deconstructed" (think carrot cake without the cake -- pile of carrots, pile of raisins, etc.). The people at the table next to us had the pasta and steak and that looked really good, but again, can't comment on the sodium level of their food. My fingers are so swollen today I can't get my wedding ring off.... Go for the starters, go for the atmosphere, go with friends, go for drinks.....beware of the entrees.......
(2)Amanda T.
They had a tv show that featured the fact that they served a stuffed chicken wing that looked spectacular and guess what, they don't serve it anymore because it's too hard to make. Sooooooo dumb. I saw chicken hearts and I forgave them. I excitedly ordered a toasted brioche with mushrooms and chicken hearts. What can I say, I'm an offal girl. The dish came out and dude, there were NO hearts. I swear, not one! I never complain and really thought about if it was worth the risk of spit in my food but, I was pissed. Did they think that I would not notice? I mentioned to the waiter who first tried to talk me into the mushrooms being the hearts I am from a family that grew up on tongue, liver, chicken feet and anything else people toss out. The waiter did bring out two ramekins of hearts. I forgave once again and enjoyed the rest of my dinner.
(3)Danny O.
Top to bottom, start to finish perfect time here at the Bristol. (I'm not good at detailed reviews, but I'll share some highlights... Black IPA brewed in colloboration with Goose Island Poire and Elderflower cocktail Roasted bone marrow beef tongue ravioli diver scallops beef short rib Basque cake (STOLE THE SHOW!!!) Our party had quite a few other dishes, and all of them were fantastic. The things listed above were OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. As far as service goes, we went on a Monday evening, so the place was busy, but not too crazy. Our server was extremely friendly, knowledgeable AND informative. And most importanly, very unpretentious. I can't wait to get back in this place! It will definitely not be my last visit. Very well deserved of their Bib Gourmand designation. Keep up the good work folks!
(5)Brook E.
We had brunch here this past weekend. Everything from the Bloody Marys to the potatoes were GREAT. The ketchup tasted even tasted homemade. At first, I was disappointed to look at the menu and realize that the only vegetarian offerings were sweet breakfasts, as I'm usually more of a savory type of gal. All of those misgivings were completely wiped away through, once I received these fluffy pancake delicacies smothered in a not too sweet banana topping and maple syrup. Everyone at the table loved their food. I honestly don't think that you could have ordered something bad off of that menu. Service was great with one exception: they cleared plates even though one of us was still eating (it was half empty, so no reason to rush us). What a stupid way to end what was otherwise a great meal. I'll be back to try dinner though, the menu looked awesome.
(5)Brooke L.
Went here with a group of girlfriends for a girls' night out dinner. We requested a table downstairs but since we were a large group (6), they said they could only accomodate us in the upstairs which turned out to be quaint and intimate as well. I guess we weren't really prepared for it being a shared-dishes restaurant and a lot of the menu didn't appeal to us outside the pastas, duck fat fries, and monkey bread. That being said we decided to forego sharing dishes and each ordered our own pasta and split two orders each of the duck fat dries and monkey bread. I ordered the raviolo which turned out to just be one giant raviolo. It was delicious but lacking substance compared to everyone else's well-portioned pastas. The best things of the night was the duck fat fries for sure. They have an extensive wine list and a sommelier to assist in selection. Overall it was a interesting and tasteful experience, but not one I'd need to repeat.
(3)Michael N.
Food was very good (above average), but nothing made it stand out. Great ambiance. Service was very slow, which is fine if that's what you're in the mood for, but we were on a schedule (Dexter started at 8) so we were not thrilled with the timeliness of the service. Great beer list and very polite staff though.
(3)Jennifer L.
Great ambiance, great food, great service. I heard great things about this neighborhood joint and was certainly not disappointed. Definitely get a few dishes to share as the portions are moderately sized.
(4)Kevin M.
My wife and I had dinner here on Sat 8/6. We had a couple dishes that were really good and a couple that were OK. The reason I'm giving it 4 stars and going back is the service. Solid, but one thing stood out - The busser asked if he could wrap up teh remainder of a smoked trout fettucine for my wife and when she declined he probed if she liked it. She said it was OK. He apologized. The waiter then came over and apologized genuinely for us not liking it while we protested that it really was fine. Then he took it off the bill. I'd go back to Bristol in a heartbeat.
(4)Davida T.
First visit to The Bristol - great atmosphere and cocktails. Most of our meal (smoked mackerel, duck fat fries, gnocchi) was delicious. Steak ordered medium rare came out all but raw (we love medium rare to rare - this was cold and purple). Server didn't check back... The most disappointing aspect of this meal was the wine. After tasting a sample of a delicious wine, I ordered a glass. What I was served was the dregs of an old bottle. I decided not to complain, but the last mouthful, full of sediment, left a bad taste in my mouth about the whole experience. Will never be back...
(1)Kristen W.
I liked The Bristol itself, great atmosphere, cozy, warm, modern. Finally a restaurant who gets the importance of proper lighting! Kudos on that. The booze: decent beer selection, points for having beer on tap and a good bottle selection. There are larger bottles to share. Mixed drinks look great, love the vintage selection. Food- everything was quite salty. We had the pastrami (yes we knew this would be salty ), the monkey bread- wayyy tooo salty, and the sardines- again all salty items but man alive did my blood pressure take a beating. I'm fine with small plates but sometimes a small plate can seem ludicrous for the price. And the waiter was a bit too in our face. I wish it had been a little more laid back and I wish I had liked the food better. I feel like we paid the price of a full meal for about 1/10th the actual food, and believe me I HATE large portions so it's not that I wanted to stuff myself. Judging from the rest of the reviews I'm sure this place will do fine despite my whining.
(3)Chillie D.
Life has to be savored. Food is made to live life better. When it comes to flavors that are robust, ubiquitous, and unfettered by complicated sauces, the Bristol restaurant does not disappoint. The Bristol boasts exquisite Mediterranean cuisine, which is usually divided into three culinary regions: North African (especially Morocco), eastern Mediterranean (Egypt, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey), and southern European (Italy, France, Spain). RECOMMENDATIONS: For starters, we shared these: Apple salad, marinated manchego with hazelnut (luscious and nicely put together) Pork Meatballs, Creamy Polenta, Pomodoro Sauce (outstanding) Razor Clams A la Plancha con salsa verde y olive oil (exquisitely delectable) (Note: a la plancha means grilled on a metal plate) For our MAIN ENTREES, we ordered: Hand Rolled Cavatelli, Cotechino, Broccoli Rabe (note: cotechino is a freshly made Italian pork sausage which can be garlicky in taste and is very popular in northern Italy); Seared Red Snapper, Fregola, Chiles, Aromatic Broth (note: fregola is a tiny beaded pasta that has a unique nutty flavor and is similar to couscous); Hanger Steak, Bulgur Wheat, Grapes, Pine Nuts, Yogurt (note: bulgur wheat is a natural whole grain food which has no chemicals; it is low in fat and high in carbs); Garganelli, Braised Kale, Lemon Butter (note: Garganelli is an Italian pasta from the Emilia-Romagna region. It is small tubes of pasta that resembles penne pasta). SERVICE: We all agreed that the service is worth 5-stars, 8 thumbs up and a quadruple high-five! Our Server was extremely knowledgeable, attentive and friendly. High props to our Server! We went with another couple, who were in town over Thanksgiving, and we decided to try The Bristol because my niece gave it high praises! We're glad that we took her recommendation. Plan to spend any where from $20 to $35 per person (excluding wine, beer or dessert). In other words, be prepared to spend more than $30 per person. Their wine and beer selections are excellent. We will go back again for a special occasion (anniversary, birthday, promotion, graduation, etc.).
(4)Eric M.
I liked the Bristol. My brother and I got there at six on a Tuesday night, so there was no wait (I love dining early for that reason). One of his coworkers recommended it. The place is warm and inviting, lots of wood (only complaint there is that the tables are too thick, leaving too little room between my legs and the top). The drinks were well-crafted, the wine was nicely selected. The food was quite good. I had some asparagus special that I did really enjoy and was nicely prepared. My brother had their roast chicken, which the server billed as teh best roast chicken you'll ever have. Sorry - that's overbilling it. It's a capable roast chicken, that's not out of place at the Bristol, but it's far from the best roast chicken I've ever tried. I make better roast chicken at home - moister, with better skin. I think the poulet grand mere at Bistro Zinc is also a consistently excellent roast chicken, if you're looking for one in a restaurant. We started with the monkey bread - really awesome bread! We also had some sort of sliced meat on light greens dish, which was very nice. And we split a raviolo and the marrow. The flavors on everything were delicious, although maybe one more slice of bread with the marrow would have been good. The server was very friendly and prompt and good at anticipating things. So why four stars instead of five? I'm not sure. It was very good, but it just didn't appeal to me as much as my favorite places do. I'd easily eat here again, it just didn't break into the level of my favorite places.
(4)Lin H.
cherry glazed donuts: moist, fluffy, and love the whipped cream on the side. shrimp and grits:....... not impress at all, bit blend, and the shrimp taste like the frozen shrimp you could get from jewel. salmon Benedict and the side potato: potato was not great for the eyes, but it def taste more than a million bucks. crispy and flavorful. overall not bad for a Sunday brunch
(3)Lauren D.
Another great find in Bucktown! Went here on a Wednesday night and it was pretty crowded, but have no complaints about service -- the staff is efficient and accommodating and helpful with the menu. I wanted to try one of their hand-crafted cocktails, but the menu says "please allow for a few minutes" and I didn't want to allow for anything seeing as I needed some vodka into my system STAT. So, I didn't, but I hear they're great and if they are anything like the food, they should be phenomenal. I tried and loved the duck fat fries, the apple salad and the chicken. All the food I saw going to the other tables looked incredibly tasty. I will definitely visit Bristol again and probably order at least 2 servings of the duck fat fries. (What exactly are they?)
(4)Rob H.
Dined at the Bristol for the first time with my girlfriend and a friend. Cocktails: I had an awesome Dark and Stormy (definitely recommend it if you like ginger) and a not-so-great Pomelo Fizz (tasted more like grapefruit pith than grapefruit flesh -- too bitter for me.) My fellow diners' choices were all very tasty as well (a Loretto Jam, a Pisco Sour & a Poire & Elderflower). The thing I really liked about these cocktails was that strong without being overpowering, and super flavorful, so they were perfect to sip with a meal and enjoy at a relaxed pace (which helps ease the pain of $11/drink). Starters: Duck fat fries, the monkey bread, and a California burrata (soft cheese). All were excellent, though it did end up being a bit of a carb overload since the cheese was served with toasted bread. Moved on to beef tongue raviolo split three ways, which was also pretty good. Picking one to recommend, I'd go for the duck fat fries -- even though you can get fries anywhere, these were very satisfying. Mains: Loved my short rib with a blood orange bbq sauce; enjoyed the gf's quail. Friend seemed to like his prawns as well. Dessert: Was underwhelming. We had a chocolate sponge cake with beets and I would rather have just enjoyed the beets as part of an amuse or a beet salad. We also had something that was like chocolate pudding with housemade nutter butter cookies, which was good but not fabulous. Service: Very nice when I called to check if they were open and what the wait was like, and a good waitress. It was a slow night which may have helped, so I don't have any "long wait" commentary to share -- that's well addressed in other reviews here. Value: A bit expensive since we ended up spending $80/person for a meal and two drinks each, but they were REALLY good drinks, and we did enjoy several courses. Overall: great cocktails, good food, don't bother with dessert.
(4)Cindy D.
Wow - I'm really really shocked people like this place. Went here with my husband, sister, and her boyfriend. Got the following.. Monkeybread - Great!!! It comes in tear away pieces with a lovely butter dill dip. Duck fries - OK, nothing orgamic - fatty fries Rock fish - Good, but the lentils was a wierd contrast. I loved the sausage that came with it, but that's about it Half chicken - Gross - salty, a bit dry, and not that much different that fried chicken Prawns - SALTY, once again overseasoned and a bit overcooked. Pasta dish with duck (I forgot the fancy name) - my fav dish, because I love fresh pasta. Overall, drinks and dinner was $190 for four people and we weren't full. Would not go again!
(2)Matthew L.
This could be the best food I have ever tasted in Chicago. Duck Fat Fries were delicious, bone marrow was also awesome, and the staff was so knowledgeable that we even started pairing wines with our meal. The ambiance is wonderful, aside from the uncomfortable chairs. But you will quickly lose yourself in the meal and service. Their knowledgeable staff helps make the experience memorable with aiding in food experience. If you like food, both fancy and home-style, save up the money and make a trip.
(5)Daniel S.
Consider this review for brunch only...dinner appears much better. The coffee was good at brunch but you get cups in 6 oz portions. The cinnamon roll glaze is not traditional glaze but more of a cheesecake blend without any mention of this on the menu. The entrees were fine but not great- not recommended spot for brunch.
(2)Ryan M.
Came here for brunch on a rainy dreary Sunday AM hungover and looking for any help I could get. Bristol brought the goods...started off with a strong white russian (lil on the pricey side) and tasty coffee to try to get the day going. Needless to say they had homeade hot sauce on the table, which was a mind blower and the surprise I was looking for. Ordered the chilaquiles and the table shared the duck fat fries WOW both were a taste explosion...that ketchup with the fries was dank and I hate ketchup. Did some scouting on the beer menu and was blown away also...Founders Breakfast Stout on Tap is 5 stars in my book (although also a bit pricey $9 for a snifter). Table really dug all the food we got... the chilaquiles, duck fat fries, eggs benedict (girlfriend kept raving about), egg sandwich, and hangover breakfast were all talked about post meal. Minus the hangover a kick ass meal.
(5)Anthony A.
Here are the highlights: cool spot, fun drinks, awesome appetizers, and knowledgeable staff. The monkey bread, flat bread, and duck fat fries appetizers are outstanding. And the ravioli with egg yolk is definite must order. For drinks, try a pisco sour. I lived in South America for quite some time and this is one of the best I've had in the states. They do it up right. Sadly, our entrees were a bit lacking. Shared the pork belly and chicken entrees. I'm a pork/bacon expert and really wanted to like this. The pork belly per se wasn't too bad, but it was served on this "pretzel bread" which 1) sadly didn't taste like pretzel bread and 2) was way too heavy for the dish. Was very disappointed in the entrees. Especially at this price point. I would be willing to give them another chance, when they change their menu up. In the mean time, I would come here for fun drinks and good appetizers, but would stay away from the entrees.
(3)Char Y.
No wait on Tuesday night! We walked right in and were seated right away. The waiter was helpful & bossy, but very information. We ordered duck fat fries - ok flat bread - wow bone marrow - done the right way & super yum lamb sausage - yum wow for the food, but not the price. However, they do have an HUGE selection of beer and wine. Too bad I don't drink.
(3)Kim A.
I love this place. The staff is incredibly friendly and receptive, the food is well thought out and deliberate, and... the beer selection. You can get good food in Chicago, for sure, but Bristol is a package deal. It's always packed, and easy to see why. Defiantly a great place for a group, or even to bring a date. I normally don't like sitting at a bar to eat, but it's nice to meet other people, and to chat with the staff as well. Indelibly recommended.
(5)Ela G.
to gorge: an act of eating greedily and to excess. I am guilty. No one could come near my stealthy fork skills as I quickly snatched up every last morsel. Bristol, yet again, made me very happy, but very soon after sick to my stomach full and in regret, but for those of you that have more will power, read on, give it a go. Salads: Market Greens, Apple Salad - recommend both Mediums: there were 2 special pastas - the celery root ravioli and the gnocchi. Both to die for, amazing, lick the plate. Larges: chicken, oh chicken. Never has this chicken dish so rocked my belief system that ordering chicken at a restaurant is stupid. This chicken makes me want to order chicken everywhere I go, yet none still compare. Crispy skin, perfectly cooked, and spatzle, can we TALK about spatzle??! I wanted to use it as a verb, like SPATZLE this all over my body this chicken is delicious. Pork porterhouse and trout were also excellent. Desserts: Basque cake, chocolate panna cotta, and fromage blanc - amazing but I most highly recommend the fromage blanc - a not too sweet slightly savory rich type of panna cotta that will blow your mind. All in all I had an amazing evening at The Bristol. Although I acknowledge I am not the most adventurous foodie (pig tail, tuna collar, bone marrow are all staples here yet I steered clear), there truly is something for everyone. Oh and my Moscow mule cocktail, with house-made ginger beer served in an icy cold copper mug? Key to my heart.
(5)Lauren H.
I came to the Bristol for a friend's birthday on a Saturday night. I had to think before writing the review, because it was a mixed bag. We started with drinks, which were served at different times even though we ordered together. I had the Koi Pond, with tequila, ginger ale, and some other ingredients and it was nice and smooth. We split all our dishes and had the following: -Monkey Bread with dill butter and sea salt: this was my favorite dish of the night, especially when it was still piping hot. -Grilled Flatbread with bacon and melted sweet onion was also very good. -Half Acre Beer Cheese with slaw and crackers--it wasn't bad, but to me it tasted like cheese out of a tub you can get at the grocery store. Not restaurant quality in my opinion. I did like the crackers though. -Duck fat fries-these were good as was the garlic aoli they were served with. -Porchetta-all we could taste was the salt, which overpowered the meat. Not a good choice at all and we even advised the server as to the issue. -Ravioli-this was deliciously rich and tasty, but it was one (albeit big) ravioli. I thought the portion for the price was a bit meager. We ripped through two of these easily. -Bone Marrow--I didn't taste this but the others in my party didn't seem that impressed. Not that it was bad, it just was nothing special. I did like the shallot jam it was served with. -Bristol Burger--someone in our party had this, and luckily we hadn't intended on splitting it because it was the size of a slider. So again, I thought it a meager portion for the price. -Chocolate saboyon with nutter butters--the saboyon tasted like pudding, good but nothing extraordinary, but I liked the homemade nutter butters (especially when dipped in the pudding). But once again, small portion (shotglass of saboyon with two cookies). More like 3.5 stars, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt.
(4)MEdlinda C.
This place is to die for! I don't normally give 5 stars, but when the food is spot-on, and the service is in the A-game, why hold back with the stars? E and I arrived at 10 pm and the restaurant was still bustling (escape from cabin fever in full force here). The hostess greeted us with the drinks menu and made us feel comfortable while waiting in the foyer. Given E and I were both fighting off hunger pangs at this point, the drinks were a godsend - I started with the poire & elderflower drink, which was sweet and refreshing, with top notes of white grape and berries. E got the apple cider, which was rich and sweet with caramelly notes. Warmed and gently buzzed from the liquor, we started on our dinner. Flatbread, bone marrow, apple salad and duck fries to start. My fav. of these were the bone marrow and the apple salad. The bone marrow is rich, and velvety, but more fat than marrow - which I wasn't used to. Regardless, delicious served with jam and micro arugula-type vegetables. The apple salad had shaved fennel (divine!) with a touch of pecorino cheese - the colors on this salad are as bright and beautiful as its taste. For our entree, we shared the flank steak (I was seduced by the bone marrow "dumplings"). The flank steak was perfectly cooked med-rare, with delicate sweet cioppolini onions and dumplings. The dumplings weren't at all like the Asian-style dumplings I (naturally) envisioned, but more like a small marrow cake. I gobbled them down all the same. Yum!! More drinks followed: dark and stormy, pisco sour, violette, and some other drink I understandably can't recall now. All in all, a highly pleasant night of fine dining, well-executed drinks, and wonderful service. What more can a girl ask for on ANY night in the city?
(5)M B.
I thought this was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life, everything was incredible! First the best cocktail, the Gin Fizz was delicious, kind of tasted like a creamy lemon meringue pie but still a very light drink. Appetizers: duck fat fries (they were a little unsalted but I assume they do that intentionally so you first taste the delicious duck fat then season to your palate as not everyone likes salt), cheese plate (the cheddar cheese and candied cashews were amazing! the blue cheese was a little too intense for a cheese plate though) and finally the bone marrow (sooo fatty and creamy!) Entrees: The roasted half chicken was sooo juicy and flavorful, the skin was crispy and perfectly seasoned and the fried pig's tail was incredibly juicy, tender and succulent. The service was also very attentive, polite and nice. Between the friendly staff, great ambiance and decor and of course the food, I feel extremely confident in giving The Bristol 5 stars!
(5)Lala S.
Run! Don't walk...better yet, steal your neighbor's Ferrari and get there quick! Absolutely delicious. Duck Fat Fries?!?!?! What more could you ask for (maybe MK's truffle cream to dip the fries in--then I could die happy)? Food is superb here. Their brunch is awesome as well. I recommend the Fried Egg Sandwich. The sandwich has a generous portion of pork belly--mmmm mmmm mmm. The Eggs Benedict is yummy and the hollandaise sauce that accompanies it is even better. I would also recommend their DUCK SAUSAGE skillet. Need I say more? You won't be disappointed here. The price is just right. The food is on point. I crave it every Sunday morning and when I get there wish that I had waited for dinner. Maybe next time I'll just go for brunch, hide in the bathroom, and reappear for dinner service (just a thought).
(5)Restaurant Vigilant E.
The Bristol is one of my favorite restaurants in the city. It is a small establishment, with wood floors and exposed brick...trendy lighting and is always pretty full. If you go on a weekenight, I have never had an issue getting a table for two people...weekends though, I have heard - and don't doubt that you could wait for several hours. The draw here is the food - American Tapas is what I like to call it - not because it is Spanish (it isn't), but because so many dishes are inexpensive and small....so you can order a lot of things and share them. The menu changes very frequently, but is always full of unusual, culinary creations. The pull apart monkey bread is amazing!!! The duck fat fries are nice once in a while. I had a wing of skate here once (as an entrée) and it was out of this world. Oddly enough, their Heirloom Apple salad with hazel nuts and manchego is absolutely shocking - I am not a salad person, and the thought of any sort of a fruit salad to me is gross...but this is awesome!!! Can't say enough good things... The pork belly sandwich and pork belly chilequiles (part of their brunch fare) is likewise very good and memorable. The only item I have ever had there that didn't really impress me were the scotch olives...they were just ok. This is a GREAT date place, though it can get a little noisy. It is also good for the culinarians who are adventurous (roasted bone marrow anyone?)...but just about everyone should be able to find something they like here.
(5)Kris R.
im willing to give the bristol another try. i went there for brunch and was very underwhelmed. every sunday i eat brunch with my family and i had been on a biscuits n gravy kick. of all the places i went in the past few wks, i hadn't gotten a dish that i was completely satisfied with. i was looking forward to the bristols - it was not very good. at all. biscuits were dry and there wasn't enough gravy! the egg didn't belong. it was awkward. whatever my sister ordered was just ok (i can't remember what it was). again, underwhelmed. i've come here for drinks once (no food) and just sat at the bar. the bartender was nice. i think i need to come back and try the duck fat fries like everyone says. but is it overdone? next time, next time.
(3)Jani L.
Fantastic service and fun waitstaff. Our waiter explained the specials and specialty cocktails in great detail. The Bristol has an extensive beer selection but don't miss the cocktail made with the house smoked Makers Mark, it's awesome. The food is delicious too and the cheese plate with honeycomb is so good. If you have ever been to Husk in SC, the Bristol is a mini version of that right here in Chicago- local, farm fresh and awesome. Can't wait to go back.
(5)Maggie B.
I went for brunch on Sunday and everything was great. We went around 10:30 with a party of seven and were seated right away. We shared the cinnamon roll and coffee glazed donut and both were excellent. I ordered two eggs with breakfast potatoes and they were delicious too. The eggs were different than others places in a good way. I'm not exactly sure what they do to them. I also ordered the french press coffee and it had a great strong flavor. I will definitely go back there.
(4)Doug C.
Three words ... Duck Fat Fries Go, eat, and you will enjoy
(4)Megan G.
ROASTED BONE MARROW. What other restaurant in Chicago can you order that menu item??? So I tried The Bristol last night with a friend who had been there before. She loved it and her recommendation didn't disappoint. Let me set the scene: dimly lit, large wooden communal tables, small bar, modern trappings, very responsive host right away as we walked in...there was a 45 minute wait for a table so we opted to sit at the bar so we could hear each other speak. My friend chose the Cue-Cai cocktail, made with fresh cucumbers, and Grey Goose Poire. I didn't drink, but she said it was refreshing and fantastic. We started with the monkey bread. It comes in a small crock, golden brown and sprinkled with sea salt. Has a pretzel-like quality, but a lighter texture. It comes with a dill-butter sauce for dipping. That sauce, man...mmmm. I wanted to drink it! Not overly herb-ey and not greasy. Delicious. We then split the market greens salad with buttermilk-tarragon dressing. There was a bit of butter lettuce and mixed greens with thinly sliced radishes, shallots, mint and tarragon. The dressing was light and the flavor of tarragon was perfect. Not too overpowering of a licorice flavor. It was a nice, light break in the meal. After that we again split the pan roasted halibut, which was perfectly cooked. It came in a light lemon cream white wine sauce, with baby grape tomatoes and yellow squash. The squash was so fresh you could snap into it. Onto the star of the meal: the roasted bone marrow. Now, I have never had it before, but have seen it eaten and let me tell you, it does not look appetizing at all. It is just this gelatinous, greasy mass inside a huge hoof. Served with crispy toast, parsley and shallot jam, it's hardly a meal, am I wrong? Yes, I was totally wrong. I was full after eating the dish and I didn't even eat the full portion. I dont know what I was expecting, but this was amazing in it's soft, salty, fatty, perfectly greasy deliciousness. Imagine cutting yourself a piece of the most perfectly cooked steak you have ever eaten (we all have one, mine is from Manny's in Minneapolis)...now imagine you took that flavor and combined it with just the right amount of marbley fat and let it melt in your mouth. That meltiness...that's bone marrow. Spread over thick, crusty toast combined with the vinegar of the shallot jam and there were literally fireworks exploding over my head as I chewed. It's too much for one sitting though, too rich. I would only eat something like this a few times a year, but it's worth it to get past those precarious food notions you have and just TRY IT. To finish up a great meal we split the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butter cookies. Decadent. You gotta dip 'em. And we managed to eat that much and that elegantly, plus another glass of wine all for $75-$80! The Bristol is doing it. Go do it, too! UPDATE: Wow, after re-reading this I realize I sound like a total caveman with a huge monster leg of meat and that is A-OK with me.
(4)Nancy V.
The Bristol has great ambiance and decor. The cocktails were innovative and delicious! It is definitely a place where you should probably have no more than 4 in your group considering that it's a pretty small restaurant. This is somewhere you would go to share the dishes with your group since the plates are fairly small and the food can be slightly decadent. The ingredients are all local and fresh and there was nothing that I particularly disliked but there was also nothing that completely wow'ed me either. Love it: Monkey bread and duck fat fries Loathe it: Steamed Pake
(3)Garrett C.
I've lived down the street for ages and never knew this place existed. It was -hiding-. Like a delicious ninja about to pounce on my tastebuds. There was a short wait for Sunday brunch, so we sat at the bar (plenty of seats there) and started the day with a drink. My drink's name escapes me, but it had vodka and ginger and was very refreshing. 'Twas served in a tin cup that reminded me of camping trips. Once we were sat, three of us shared a rather large cinnamon roll, which looked, smelled, and tasted delicious. I ordered their Bristol Brew (by Intelligensia) coffee, since the availability of good coffee is a rare and treasured event for me. My entree was eggs benedict over ham with hash browns. The hashes were perfectly browned and seasoned excellently. The eggs benedict were awesome too, though anything with Hollandaise sauce is guaranteed to be a brunch hit. My only complaint, and perhaps this isn't entirely fair, is that the meal reminded me a lot of Feast, a local brunch favorite of mine. Their menu offerings, the feel of the restaurant, everything kept giving me Feast-ja-vu. Perhaps at some point, every hipster-y brunch place starts feeling the same?
(4)Marc D.
Besides life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness another self-evident truth is that bacon makes everything better. Since I am not an investment banker or lawyer, I never order Manhattans. However, for brunch The Bristol offers a "Bacon Manhattan" and truth be told, I enjoyed it. Plus I had a piece of bacon to nosh on. Sounds kinda redneck, tasted kinda awesome. You will certainly earn respect at your table with one of these! Enough about that. How about everything else? People claim it's the small things that matter and the Bristol delivers in spades. I returned from the restroom to a folded napkin. My water glass was never empty as the table service was seamless and unobtrusive. It also speaks volumes that the manager (possibly the owner, I don't know) was on the floor helping bus tables, fill water, etc. Teamwork = a well oiled machine at The Bristol. These were the small things, now onto the big. The Bristol has great food, great service, and especially good value for the money. Our server Amelia took excellent care of us, offered honest recommendations and knew the menu well enough for us to make confident decisions. I ordered the Braised Pork Chilaquiles as did a friend, my wife ordered the Eggs Benedict and our other friend ordered the Biscuits and Gravy. All superb. The Chilaquiles had cilantro and lime so I was in heaven. The hollandaise sauce on my wife's plate was a light, honey-flavored sauce that was far removed from your typical goop. The biscuits and gravy light, fluffy, sweet and delicious without being a soupy mess. Total bill for the group of four: $82 pre-tip. Take away the two drinks and we're talking $62 for the food / coffee tab. For awesome food, that's an awesome price. Go to The Bristol. Now. The clean modern Alpine-inspired decor will invite you in and you'll be happy you stayed. Some tables are communal and some people don't like that. Whatever. We live in a cold, insular society so I say we need more communal dining. Bravo Bristol.
(5)Lisa R.
My husband and I save our money, and every once and a while we enjoy going out for a budgeted splurge. We'd heard rave things about our neighborhood bistro, so we went to check it out. I was impressed at the friendlyness of the hostess, who seated us right away without a reservation. Then we waited... and waited... for the one server who was working to take our order. She finally came, and I was so hungry at this point that I didn't even ask about the cocktail I ordered, and I just word vomited my order. My husband loved his manhattan, but my drink was too sweet for my taste. My server didn't ask about my cocktail either. Ah well... let's get to the food part. We ordered the monkey bread... It was delicious. 'Nuff said. Then the chitara came.. We were both kinda meh about it. I only ate about two bites. I had high hopes for the steak... The server told us that the chef recommends ordering it medium, so that's how we ordered it. When we received our steak, there was no heat coming off of it. It wasn't bloody, but it wasn't medium either- at least not how I've ever seen medium. That's all well and good, but my steak was luke warm, if that. I left feeling a little robbed and disappointed.
(2)Scott H.
Good food, but not as great as described by others. Yeah, it's full of porky goodness, and the menu is inventive, using lots of local products. But I've got to say, I was a bit let down by the service and the space itself. I didn't get the communal vibe they were trying to achieve with the big family style tables. Instead I felt cramped and on top of the diners next to us. (Don't get me wrong, I love family style places, but this one didn't sit well with me). Regardless of my measly 3 star review, give this place a try if you haven't been there before. As others have noted, the monkey bread, apple/manchego salad, and chicken are excellent.
(3)Brian C.
Excellent menu, great for sharing with friends, delicious cocktails! Visited The Bristol on a recent trip to Chicago. I read a little on this place a little before we came here, by recommendation of a friend, and was already on a mission to try their Honey Mead... but that would have to wait until the end of the meal... more on that in a sec. When we walked in, I knew this place was going to be special... the long family-style wood tables and chalkboards on the walls promoting their partnerships with local farmers set the perfect setting for a cozy dinner with our good friends. We started with cocktails, which were delicious. I had some concoction of absinthe and whiskey, which was suprisingly good. The dinner menu was eclectic, and there seemed to be something for everyone. The portions are smaller, so we opted to try a bunch of different things and just share everything. The monkey bread with the dill butter was amazing. We also tried the Pig's Head, the Duck Confit, Bolognese, and half chicken... all of which were delicious. Finally came the dessert, which was a delicious chocolate mousse type thing with homemade nutter butters... it went perfectly with my honey mead, which was sweet and satisfying - everything i hoped for and more. Overall, a great dinner on a Sunday night with friends.
(4)Brad B.
This review covers two visits to The Bristol, you've been warned. Neither time that I've been here, have I actually sat at a table and had a proper meal. Once upstairs at the bar, once downstairs at the bar. Both times, brilliant. Let me say that again. BRILLIANT. The cocktails are fab-tastic, the bartenders witty and engaging - the first time I went, my date and I spoke to the bartenders almost as much as each other. We ate radishes, then cheeses and finished with desert - all the while working our way through the cocktail board to our right as if it were a 'to-do' list. The second time, with a business associate it was cocktails, then escargot followed by a lovely whitefish with a tomato sauce and finally, deserts. The flavor combinations that come out of the bar and the kitchen are amazing....its a must if you're a foodie in Chicago.
(5)Sean S.
We went to Bristol last night because we couldn't get into Girl and the Goat and it was highly recommended. I have to say huuuge let down. The beers were WARM, and the waiter blamed it on the warm glass when I asked for a glass of ice to cool it down. The service was very slow and the tables are inches apart. We ordered salad, an app, fries and 2 entrees and it took 2 hours to get our food and it was the same temp as the beer. Drinks were slow and on top of the poor service the only thing hot was the waiters breath (not so fresh).... the atmosphere and place was very cool, but we were just really disappointed. The highlight of the night was the couple next to us worked at Girl and the Goat and actually called and made us a reservation on the spot. Very nice thing to do.
(1)Jason N.
I can't see why this restaurant currently has an average rating of 4 stars. Maybe I'm getting older and my wife, who is really into food trends says that this menu, heavily skewed towards pork related items, that are presented in otherwise overly creative forms, is the current food trend. So perhaps, my one star may not be fair to this restaurant. My wife and I got to the Bristol at around 8:30, told there was a 45 minute wait, which we were fine with. We went upstairs to the bar where we waited 10 minutes just to order our drinks and another 20 minutes to receive them. We both ordered the Pear Vodka and Elderflower cocktails, which were very fragrant and tasted excellent. We were finally seated. We couldn't decide on what to order, so we decided on The apple salad, which was decent, the duck fat fries, a flat bread, and the egg and bacon sandwich. The egg and bacon sandwich was disgusting and was nothing how it sounded. The bacon was about 1/2 inch thick, mostly fat which was covered with a mayonaisse type of substance, and the egg on top of that was miniscule egg. All for 10 bucks. I can't even say it was remotely worth it. In the end, the best thing about this place, was what we made fun of in the beginning...the drinks.
(1)Matthew C.
This rating might be slightly low, as it probably deserves 3.5 stars. The roasted half chicken was phenomenal. Perfectly cooked, and served with some delicious little goodies. For dessert, the basque cake was outstanding. GFs favorite dessert in Chicago, better than anything at Hot Chocolate, she said. The duck fat fries were...fries. I didn't see what all the big fuss about them was. Same goes with the Monkey Bread. Both were just meh.
(3)Liz H.
I wish there was an option for NO STARS. This experience was unpleasant from the time i called to make a reservation and the snobby women on the other end of the phone informed me they do not take reservations, which is understandable but i didn't need the side of arrogance with the answer. Our waiter might have been the RUDEST person i have ever met in my entire life. He was impatient and explained everything we asked about as fast as he possible could. And when a women i was with asked him to repeat something he started the sentence with "like i said before..." I mean really??? What happened to the customer comes first. He then arrogantly explained the rest of the menu. I really couldn't believe the way he was speaking to my table. The fact that we didn't know what goat sago was seemed to be absolutely appalling to him. We finished our drinks and left. I understand being a fine dining trendy restaurant but you can also be polite and friendly at the same time. I will do my best to tell everyone about my experience at this place.
(1)Katie H.
Summary: It wasn't bad, but I doubt I'll be back. The details: There were some major hits and misses here and overall, I just don't think it was worth the price. It wasn't really expensive (about $60 for dinner for 2, not incl. drinks), but I could get much better food for the price elswhere. The monkey bread was delish (it's warm bread with butter and sea salt - it would take some real talent to screw it up). The ravioli (one big ravioli for $12) was amazing and gone in a second. The duck fat fries, beer cheese spread with crackers and the flatbread were all . . fine, And not very memorable. The marrow (albeit, my first) was flavorless and the porcetto was downright crap. It had no taste other than salt, and for 4 super thin slices they had the nerve to charge somthing like $10. Are you kidding me? When we told the server we didn't like it, her response: oh. One person at out table also had the world's smallest $10 burger.
(3)Mike C.
Really good food with a great vibe. Kinda hard to get a seat but once you're there, it's nice. I heard the service upstairs wasn't so great but we luckily ended up downstairs for dinner. Monkey bread is awesome, so was the flatbread. Prawns were good, though I wish they weren't split the way they do it, made it harder for me to unshell it. That or maybe I have feet for hands and have no touch. Boar's belly is awesome, as usual wild boar proves to be the truest pork of pork. Good beer selection as well.
(4)Jim S.
Very solid food...great ambiance...witty staff. The food is certainly unique, but in a good way. They do a great brunch now which is as good...if not better than the dinners.
(4)Gaige G.
Exceptional food. If you're a foodie, not to be missed. So far this and HB are my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Menu is sophisticated and super high quality. Drinks are fantastic, great natural materials used in furnishings, nice atmosphere - fine food focused.
(5)Joyee L.
I had a very mixed experience eating at this restaurant. First thing to note is that it is EXTREMELY loud and crowded in this restaurant. I guess you could go here on a first date, but only if you want to spend your dinner shouting across the table, squeezing past neighboring diners to get up to go to the bathroom, and having your conversation overhead. I went on a very crowded Friday night around 6:00pm with my boyfriend, but was seated right away. However, I can't say the same for the next 100 people who came in after us. They were forced to stand in the very cramped 'foyer' of the restaurant, adding to sea of people in the space. The meal started with the owner of the restaurant explaining the concept of the restaurant to us. He seemed generally excited about the food, but also seemed a bit pretentious too. There were 3 menus. 1. Drink Menu, 2. Regular Menu on a Single Sheet of Paper and 3. Chalkboard Menu on the Wall. Menu on the Wall seemed like a cool concept. Too bad we were all the way across the room, and I couldn't read about half the things on it. Luckily, my boyfriend figured out that everything on Menu 3 was basically the same as the stuff on Menu 2. Food was all pretty exceptional: 1. Fried Green Tomatoes - A+ 2. Grilled Flatbread - A+ 3. Stuffed Chicken Wings - definitely a misnomer, but delicious nonetheless Then it was here in the meal when we waited 45 minutes for our entree to arrive. During these 45 minutes, nobody came to check on us. We finally had to get up and physically grab the owner of the restaurant to ask him to check on our entrees, because he was so busy running around. 4. Grilled Skirt Steak - Very tasty, but the portion was way too small, which didn't satisfy me especially after the 45 intermission between courses. 5. Roasted Half Chicken - very bland and boring, especially compared to all the other big flavors had hitherto experienced. Then we were comped some desserts because of our dining mishap. 6. Pistachio Tart - meh. I usually love pistachios, but this cake was dry and flavorless. 7. Some other dessert - which was apparently was very forgettable. Apparently, reading some of the other reviews, we picked the wrong two desserts to have to end our meal. Service was fine, but the bussers were almost too insistent on their water filling. I probably will go back here at some point, but as the other reviewers before me have said. Go on an off-peak night.
(3)Michelle H.
B is for basic foods prepared as exceedingly average fare R is for righteous - as in self - as in the host I is for interesting interior S is for strenuous street parking T is for duck fat fries (mmmm...good)(had to get that in there somewhere) O is for "Oh no you didn't try to seat us at the table near the door after we waited upstairs for 95 minutes!!" L is for the blue video police light flashing into the restaurant every 10 seconds when a car drives by too fast. wine list by the glass - worth exploring for the price oh - and - get a coat rack up stairs!
(2)Kate Z.
I can think of very few places where I could be this excited about a place after waiting for two hours to eat at it. The service was unpretentious and caring - the food was inventive and artfully unadorned. I'm impressed with the Bristol ethic and execution. Very few things are worth it like a dinner with seven at the Bristol.
(4)Margot F.
Among the many hip small plates eateries in Chicago, the Bristol the most disappointing. The wine prices were astronomically high. The menu items sound great, but we found they were not as good as similar dishes at other establishments. Specifically the pappardelle was too chewy and the meat was nearly non-existent. The service was pathetic. We waited very long between ordering our drinks, receiving our drinks, and being asked for our order (I would say we were there 30+ minutes before being asked if we were ready to order or if we had questions on the menu). Our server returned only once after that (about 20 minutes after our first drink was empty and with only one plate left to arrive). He returned again after our plates had been cleared to ask if we wanted dessert. At that point we hadn't been served the only large plate we ordered (which was trout and very delicious). He looked confused and when we mentioned we hadn't received the fish and he left the table in a hurry. The server returned a few minutes later mumbling something about being confused and the fish would be just a few minutes longer. 20+ minutes later the fish arrived (our wine was gone again at this point). Again, did we want dessert? No, we'd been there for 2 hours already and just wanted to get the heck out. The server did not apologize for or even acknowledge his mistake with the fish. This was the worst service I had at nicer restaurant in Chicago. Management-- if you read these, I suggest you discuss with the pudgy male server who worked the evening of MLK day with how to handle what to do when you forget to put in one of the orders at a table and it will take 20 minutes to prepare.
(1)Kristin W.
I've been wanting to go here since it opened. I went on Friday and it did not disappoint. We called right after our movie at Kerasotes Webster (totally walkable) and they said an hour to an hour and a half. Most of our party didn't want to wait that long but we convinced them to give it a go. By the time we got there (they don't take reservations) they told us 30 minutes to an hour. We went to nearby Danny's for a drink and came back after 30 for another 20 minute wait. We hung out at the long table by the door and got some drinks from the bar. Even though the place was crowded it was easy to manage at the bar and we got our drinks (even fancy cocktails) right away. The drinks were really, really good. They definitely rival The Violet Hour and are $9 instead of $12. There is also tons of wine and beer options. I got the Sparkling Sangria and it was great. The Pink Lady is also super good and so was the Moscow Mule. Delish. For food we shared the Smokey Fritters, the Duck Fat Frites, the Cheese Plate, and the Monkey Bread. All were good. The fries came with housemade ketchup that was really sweet and yum and the Monkey Bread was tasty too. I don't like stinky cheeses and the cheese plate kind of stunk up the place, but my husband really loved it. I can't wait to try more food! So much was crossed off the board by 11pm. For dinner I go the egg sandwich which was amazing. It says it comes with bacon, but its really like a thick piece of pork belly or something. Its so tender and not like bacon at all. I loved that egg sandwich. It was great. I also got to try the heirloom apple salad and the cheeseburger. Both were really good. The food was great, the drinks were great, and the service was outstanding (not at all snobby- super nice). The place is expensive, but not crazily so. I really liked it. Best of all - the kitchen is open until 1am!
(4)Debbie S.
Hubby and I left the baby at home and went here for date night a few weeks back. We were not disappointed. I started off with a Moscow Mule cocktail...highly recommended if Ginger is your thing. It's even served in a copper cup. I felt like I was back in the 1920s...either that, or one of the members of Oliver Twist's gang looking for food. And on to the food...Hubby and I split the Monkey Bread and the Duck Fat Fries and we also had a special veggie snack that isn't on the regular menu. For our mains, we split the Brisket and the half chicken. The chicken was the highlight of the evening. I normally don't order chicken at restaurants...but this one was worth it. Moist and delicious, I could have continued to eat it all night. For dessert, Hubby and I split the chocolate cremeaux with nutter butters. Yum although we both agreed that we couldn't have each eaten our own plateful (and I love dessert!) Service was great -- our server was adept at recommending dishes and cocktails and explaining the dishes well. Our food came out quickly and when we arrived, we were seated immediately. All in all -- a great experience at the Bristol. I'm planning on going back to try the brunch.
(4)Kathy W.
This place was awesome! I went only about a week after it opened and everything was running like they'd been open for years. Our main course meals were going to be slightly delayed (about a 15 minute wait from appetizers to main course) and the waiter actually came over and told us that it was going to be a slight wait. I haven't had someone pay that close of attention to exactly what was happening in a long time, and usually I'm eating at a much more established restaurant! Our group started with a few appetizers. The monkey bread was very tasty with a great butter/pesto type sauce. The duck fat fries were amazing, perfectly crispy with an aioli sauce and homemade ketchup on the side. Plus we had a succotash type dish that was really different with a variety of vegetables but very flavorful. For the main course I had the prawns with an excellent butter sauce. A friend had the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli which looked delicious. All of the portions were actually normal sized. You leave satisfied but not over stuffed, which is refreshing for a restaurant to not completely over serve you. To finish off the meal we had a pistachio tart. I'm not a big pistachio fan but it wasn't bad, and my friend (who is a pistachio fan) gobbled the rest raving about how good it was. The seating was a little interesting for larger groups, there were 6 of us. Any party over 4 is sat at the community tables, that is fairly wide, so conversation across the table for a large group can be a little challenging, but we managed fine. Overall it was a great experience and I would highly recommend it. The service was excellent and the food was creative, mixing complementary flavors to bring out the best in all the foods.
(5)Eva V.
Totally overhyped. Ok service, food is too focused on being gimmicky. There's just so many other reliably good places (and many of these literally blocks away - Mado, Takashi, Le Bouchon, Taxim) that the Bristol just isn't worth the opportunity cost. On paper the menu reads like it has a ton of potential, but when you get the food, most of it is forgettable. Dill monkey bread: Good pretty much only because it's straight out of the oven (What bread isn't good fresh from the oven??). After all the mention the bread had gotten in food publications, I was expecting way more. Scotch olives: ok. After all the hype they'd gotten, I was expecting way more. Raviolo: This was excellent. Pretty clearly a Schwa knock-off, though. Quail with grains, yogurt & other stuff: Tiny and over-priced. $18 bucks for something the size of maybe a chicken breast. Not really remarkable in any other way. The biggest disappointment was dessert. We got the "our take on nutter butter" thing. There are so many ways you can take a nutter butter and interpret it to taste better than it does out of the carton: play with the salty/sweet flavors; mix up the textures (salty peanut butter mousse with a crispy, paper-thin wafer, for example?) But instead, the Bristol bakes some shortbread, slathers it with peanut butter, servers it with a one-dimensional, too sweet chocolate sauce/runny mousse and calls it a day. So frustrating. Literally the first time I've been in a restaurant at Brisol price levels and did not finish the dessert - one bite was just way too much, and not in a good way.
(2)David W.
Pork is the new steak. Beer is the new wine. Bristol is my new Volo. Most dishes are sharing size. Some are seasonal. Order a bunch, go down the beer list. Good stuff. Place is loud, if you have to wait, there's a bar upstairs. The cocktails are made with precision.
(4)jamie k.
I've been here twice in less than a week. Whoops! It's really really good. It can be compared to many restaurants that have opened recently...such as, Mado, Mano, Avec, Bluebird I think all these restaurants have it right. Utilizing local food sources and using whole animals, simple seasonal small plates, amazing beer and wine list - I see no problem in multiple unique restaurants having any of these characteristics. First time we went we had the smoky fritters, monkey bread, relish tray, mussels, cheese, and a great Portuguese red wine. We had to go back because there was more we wanted to try, and eat again. More smokey fritters and mussels and Portuguese red wine...along with the trout (so perfectly prepared), ceaser salad with mackerel, spicy olives, Japanese sweet potato gratin. There was not one thing I wouldn't eat again in a second. It's a perfect addition to the neighborhood. The interior is yes, a bit loud, a bit tight, and maybe a bit smoky (mmm...fritters) - but it's festive that way! I've only been there with one other person, we sat at the bar the first time and at a small table the second. To be honest, the big table in the middle doesn't appeal to me, I know I'd get a little overwhelmed in that situation. Highly recommended!
(5)Michael F.
Solid place to bring a date. All of the ambiance and excitement of a trendy gastropub with a safe menu for unadventurous eaters. The hippest and glitziest way to eat rotisserie chicken, fries and have a few beers. Beer menu is outstanding, prices are tolerable. Service is excellent -don't let their unassuming attire fool you. Servers are vigilant about beer pours, regularly dropping by to top off the glass with a rich head. Plates, napkins and chairs are all treated as in more pretentious settings.
(4)Eddy C.
My friends and I had dinner at The Bristol on its opening Friday night, which was also their 4th day in business. With any new restaurant, there's always an inherent give & take. The Bristol was no different, as they did a lot of things well but also showed that they still had some kinks to work out. On the plus side, service at The Bristol was top notch. Everyone from the hostess was very friendly, courteous and professional. While we were waiting, we chatted with the hostess Shelby, who also happened to be the wife of one of the owners, and she gave us the lowdown on the restaurant and how they really wanted to use organic, sustainable ingredients. Cool stuff. Our server was also terrific; his knowledge and enthusiasm when describing the dishes made everything sound amazing. Food at the The Bristol was unique, with a gastropub feel to it where the expectation is everything is shared. I personally thought the small plates were better than the large plates, though I had no complaints about anything we ordered. Highlights of our meal included the chorizo stuffed chicken wings, the relish plate with a salmon spread, beer cheese and beets, and the pork rilette. The beer/wine/cocktails selection was also exceptional. I highly recommend the cocktails -- the Poire & Edelflower was excellent. So what about these kinks? Two specific things. One: they ran out of sweetbreads, which was disappointing considering it was only 10:30 PM and they said their kitchen was open until 1 AM. To their credit, they did apologize and recommend and lamb's liver dish as a replacement. Two, we had to wait a good 1.5 hours before we could sit down. This was due to the fact that they don't take reservations and they don't open up the upstairs area except for private parties. We asked Shelby if that would change in the future and she said it might not. Point being: given the size of the downstairs area and the fact that they don't take reservations, you may have to wait awhile if you go on a busy night. Kinks aside, I really enjoyed my meal at The Bristol. While I'm sad that Il Covo went away, I think The Bristol is a terrific place that I will definitely return to in the future.
(4)around town e.
This restaurant did not fall short. Nothing but phenomenal restaurant design,service and food. Tomato tart and smoked mackerel to start. Chicken for main was perfect. Blueberry ginger pie for dessert. And muddled peach cocktail was incredible.
(5)Scott H.
I had read all about Bristol and because I sort of know the main chef mainly thru my folks, I had to check it out. To be honest I was disappointed. For some reason I pictured the place as more of a bar that happened to have great drinks and way above avg bar food. Instead it was like many other new restaurants with avg food and avg decor. I think had I not had any connection to the Chef, I would have rated it higher. I set the bar too high on this one... The service was great, thought the place was noiser than most places even with communal like seating. We enjoyed the monkey bread, fritters and frites, as well as some others but nothing has warranted a return trip. Bristol could have been great, instead it was just good. SJwinter08
(2)Nick H.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago at the moment. Why? 1. The food is great. I haven't eaten or drank anything that i didn't like. 2. The food is about as good as you're going to find in terms of local-ness/sustainability/humanely raised/etc, while still being very tasty and affordable. They do their own butchering on site, and seem to take these issues very seriously. My one major complalnt: Brunch is quite affordable and straightforward, but dinner can easily get out of hand. Their dinner plates aren't clearly separated between small and large plates, but rather move on a continuum from small plates at the top of the menu to large at the bottom. How many items does it take to make a meal? When do you stop ordering? It can be pretty disorienting and doesn't lend itself to a clear plan going in. Last time we were ordering progressively and at the end got a plate big enough to be a full meal for one. Didn't expect that.
(5)Naomi L.
I believe this place may be the next hottest restaurant in town. I can't fault it ...the swordfish is so moist, the chicken was as top notch as Craft..in NYC. The service was 5 star. the booze endless and creative. they are upscale, artisinal and affordable, get in fast...there will be a LINE.
(5)S S.
Eh. This place isn't terrible, but I honestly expected better. The biggest disappointment was the upstairs bar where they offer you to wait...an experience which let the whole dinner down. The Bristol Lounge is bare bones and all you're given to tide you over is a drink list and a few appetizer choices. This wouldn't have been a problem but even though the menu gives various "preparation times" for certain cocktails, it took us 30 mins for 1 Sazerac, which came out after we had finished our appetizers and about 5 minutes before we were called to our table. There is a good chance the bartender flew down to New Orleans and back to get the drink. Had the lounge been remotely busy I would have had more understanding but it was mostly empty with 3/4 of the staff pretty rude. This nonchalance towards time was again reflected downstairs in the restaurant where we were immediately asked to "order everything together" and note that things come out when they're ready, so "sharing and small plates are encouraged." I'm all for chef eccentricities but that concept really only works when people like and eat the same things...oh and when they aren't starving. Point? If you're in for a long night, like unique food, are open to sampling and time is on your side, you might like this place. The atmosphere is loud and possibly upbeat but make sure to eat something before the wait. And order a beer along with your cocktail...you'll need something to tide you over.
(2)Christy Q.
Ahhhh-mazzzz-ing! FANTASTIC! LOVED IT! I will be back! These guys are doin it right, from the decor to the staff to the food- they hit the nail on the head, for sure! I came by on Tuesday evening for a GNO (Girls Night Out). Boy oh boy am I glad we decided to come here! The decor is very minimalist, in my opinion. And I like that. It looked clean and chic. The space isn't huge. There are two large, long tables running down the middle of the space for larger groups. There are smaller tables along the perimeter and of couse you can also sit at the bar. First thing you need to know is this is very much small plates. So if you want a GIANT entree just for yourself, you might be disapointed. But to be honest, how one could be disapointed here is beyond me. Being small plates it's great for someone like me who is always indecisive about what to order. Do I want the crab legs or the pasta? Not an issue here. Come for a hot date or with a group. Either way you won't be disapointed. I can't even recall everything we had because we ordered SO much food- well that and we went through 2 bottles of wine. We started with a cheese board with the most FANTASTIC gorgonzola cheese on the planet. (Gorgonzola picante, Lombardy, Italy). The cheese tasted more like a really really creamy blue cheese. It was simply decadant! I coulda and woulda just licked it right off an ice cream cone if it were socially acceptable! That cheese (served with some sort of pear and mustard seed chutney) made me smarter. I know it did. I'll let that sink in for a moment... We also ordered the duck fat fries. Best damn fries ever. Why haven't more restaurants started to serve these things? OH MY GOd were they good. And the garlic aioli they were served with was so good I was licking it off my fingers with gusto. (It must be pleasant sitting across from me during feeding time, er, dinner time). We also got a pumpkin seed salad which was delish and oh so seasonal! Not to mention a pretty array of autumn colors! Then there were the 2 orders of this Chitarra pasta (due to it's size and shape it's also called guitar string pasta, according to our awesome waiter). The noodles almost tasted like they had been prepared in chicken broth. It was delish (thus the 2nd order). We also got the halibut which was fantastic! It was just the right amount of crisp on the outside and succulant meat on the inside. Then we ordered the flatbread with bacon and sweet onion. WOW. That was simply sinful! I think it lasted on our table for a max of 2 minutes. We inhaled our food. It didn't hurt that our waiter, Jeff, was completly knowledgable about the menu. He was honest and recommended dishes he thought we might like based on how hungry we were and which dishes we'd had and enjoyed (which really was everything). I predict good things for this restaurant. The menu is ever changing (like... daily, weekly changes). They change depending on season, and also depending on what they are seeing at local farmers markets and other local establishments. Be sure to keep your eyes on the chalkboard for all the delectable specials. If you haven't been yet, you'd better get in soon before everyone in the world reads my review and the line stretches out the door. Trust me, I wouldn't lie about food. I might tell you that dress doesn't make you look fat (even when it does), but I wouldn't lie about food!
(5)Jeff Y.
The decor is rather spartan, but the food and drink more than makes up for it. The menu really pushes the envelope when it comes to eating local and seasonal ingredients. The cocktails are all tasty and made with quality ingredients. Also boasts an extensive beer menu heavy on the European imports. 5-star service. Wait staff were all attentive and knowledgeable. The seating is tight (the table next to me was practically in my lap ... but a few drinks later I didn't care). Highly recommended: any of the pastas on the menu, the scotch olives (fried olives stuffed with pork sausage), duck fat fries, and bone marrow. One loser: the seared walleye. Kinda fishy, bland and not all that great. One tip: try to get there before 8:00. It can get pretty crowded.
(5)Jake C.
Believe the hype. Went here about three-four months ago with my wife (I've been meaning to catch up on my yelp review for a loooong time). We sat at the bar a little bit before the dinner rush on a Saturday early evening. The staff were excellent beer advisers, walking us through some excellent options. I wish I could remember all of the dishes we had - there were scotch eggs, pizza bread, a ravioli dish and one more. Hell, the menu changes a lot anyway I suspect. Point is, we had mad success just showing up shortly after opening. By the time we left it started to get crowded, and we walked off with nice buzz and full stomachs. The menu was great for ordering several dishes large and small for sharing. Good for date with someone you love, or for you single folks someone you are trying to love.
(5)Sam K.
Duck fat fries is to die for. The waiting staff is friendly and prompt. Loved the chicken. It's definitely worth a visit
(4)Nicolas H.
This one's a no-brainer. The service was outstanding and the food was just as good. We shared everything which included: Monkey bread, flatbread, duck fat fries, halibut, ravioli. The drinks were great (the cucumber concoction was quite refreshing) and they kept em coming. The only issue I have is the noise level, but I guess that's to be expected when the place is that crowded...
(5)T B.
Hands down, one of my favorite restaurants in the city! I have eaten there several times, and every time the experience and the food is fantastic! Consistency is the word! They use local farms, which I love, and everything is always fresh. I never thought an "apple salad" would be so amazing! I mean I like apples, but the salad is really fresh and very tasty! My favorite thing on the menu is the Raviolo. It is an orgasmic experience in a bowl! No joke! And you have to get the yummy Monkey bread, made just for you, to sop up all the gooeynes is the bowl. OMG! The decor is understated, but modern in a really good way, they let the food do the talking, not the decor. The service is always spot on and might I recommend the Eldeflower cocktail to top off your meal, you won't be dissapointed. I work in the neighborhood and recommend the Bristol to everyone and have had nothig but thank you's thrown back my way! If you haven't gone yet, go, what are you waiting for? You will love it!
(5)Jason m.
Restaurant week, spectacular.
(5)Anisha A.
They don't take reservations, so probably was a mistake showing up on a Friday night. Still, they quoted us only a 45 minute wait. But couldn't kill time at the bar- something about being too crowded and fire codes, blah blah. So literally got shooed away though were assured they'd call when our table was ready. 79 minutes later and after a few drinks at Charleston's around the corner, still no call. So we went back. They had forgotten about our whole deal but were able to quickly scrounge up a table. The entire staff seemed to be flustered and panic-ridden- the type that would especially benefit from sprinkling their cereal with Xanax. Sat in the booth which was positioned at a much lower and unsettling height compared to my friend across from me. Wish I had a yellow pages to sit on to keep me at a more appropriate level. The menu had curious drink and food options, in a good way. Enjoyed the vodka gimlet-ginger beer concoction. Dishes were above average, though not worth the wait. We had the flatbread, skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli and tail-on head-on prawns (best of the three). Like a bodybuilder, all were glazed with a nice sheen of oil. We were still ravenous and wanted to order more. And would have if our waitress had been more accessible.
(3)Jeremy B.
Great experience. Had the gnocci and raviolio. 2 drinks. Tip. $70. Not an every weekend place for me but this IS 5 star dining, no doubt about it.
(5)M. M.
Came here for cocktails and ended up sharing 3 plates of food! I did something that I have never, ever dreamed I would do... I bought the same dish - twice! It was the squash from the "snacks" menu. The major plus for their menu is also (at times) it's biggest minus, as they profess to have an o-so-seasonal selection of *fresh* ingredients - the food is constantly switching up. The staff was kind and attentive and the price:portion ratio was pleasantly surprising.
(4)Jeff S.
My girlfriend and I had wanted to go for Brunch after having a few drinks in the upper lounge, and we finally got a chance to enjoy a Sunday morning there. Definitely one of the newer spaces that has the potential of really taking off... Service and Space: From the moment we arrived, the staff was friendly and inviting. The seating is a bit snug, but very comfortable. Our waitress was attentive and friendly. She kept the coffee coming, and made a fantastic recommendation for my side biscuit (A chipotle butter...YUM) All in all, the service was fantastic for the setting. 5 stars. Food: YUM! Who doesn't like Pork Belly? It was amazing. I had the Eggs Benedict, and my girlfriend had the breakfast sandwich. I'm a bit of a Eggs Benedict snob, so I always fear ordering them at a new restaurant. They were so amazing. Probably the best I've had in the city. All the ingredients are fresh, local products, and it shows in the wonderful flavors. We are looking forward to checking out the dinner fare soon. If it's anything like the breakfast, we'll walk away happy and full. :)
(5)Hilary T.
Delicious and fun atmosphere for a festive girls night out. The Stellenbosch white wine was crisp and the perfect recommendation from the bartender while we waited for our 3rd person to arrive (they don't take reservations and won't seat you until your entire party is there.) But luckily, we went earlier (7:15pm on a Wednesday) and were able to get a table against the wall. While we were seated closely to other tables, we weren't on one of the two large communal tables which look like fun too! We enjoyed the duck-fat fries, the flatbread (we love anything with bacon), the halibut but most of all, loved the apple and celery root salad- highly recommend (the dressing is amazing). The duck fat fries were heavenly! Will definitely be going back- the atmosphere and wait staff are welcoming! Loved it!
(4)Lizzie R.
When I first arrived I was confused with the menu but the staff was incredibly helpful. I recommend going with a group maybe 6 or more because of the community tables. They do have tables for two four tops. I highly recommend making a reservation they seem to be busy even on a sunday night! The only downside was I left still a bit hungry..the portions are small but very very delicious!
(4)Lindsay D.
Hearing that sometimes people wait an hour for a table, I was happy to walk into Bristol on the early side and snag any table I wanted. Their cocktail specials looked great, but it was more of a wine night for me. I defintely want to go back though and try some of their signatures. Right off the bat, everything looked good. I always have bigger eyes than my stomach, so this was a toughy to choose just a couple to try without having to be rolled home. We ordered the famous monkey bread with a green dill dipping sauce, the apple salad, and their special salad with pumpkin croutons and cocoa infused cheese. Very different salads with distinct flavors. The monkey bread was warm, salty and buttery. Doesnt get much better than that. And DILL??? Wonderful. Not overpowering at all, just a hint always sneaked through. We split the half roasted chicken and it was SO incredibly, (yes I HATE this word, but such a describer) MOIST. Tender, juicy, flavorful....perfect choice. Along with our split entree, we had to get the duck fat fries; there are no words to describe hot greasy duck fat fries with mayo dipping sauce, a true gem. Thanks, Bristol! You now have another fan indeed.
(5)Marissa D.
this place is so good. service is very friendly from the moment you walk in the door. great beer list and a solid choice of wines - i really liked the chenin blanc and wow do they give you a good pour! so for food, we tried the duck fat fries, the monkey bread, the raviolo, the mini burger, the apple salad, and 2 of the other pastas. the only things that weren't a hit were the 2 other pastas that we ordered...one had fava beans or something like that and i actually enjoyed it but no one else did. the other had sweet breads, which i thought were crispy croutons (before i tasted them)...i didn't like that pasta but everyone else did. the only thing that annoyed me a little was when we, towards the end of our meal, decided to order the mini burger to split and also said that we would like a few more fries. so we were brought another order of the fries and the burger, which COMES with fries. it would have been nice if the waiter had let us know about that fact - we probably didn't need 2 more orders of fries. nonetheless, i took one for the team and ate them. so...all that being said...i will definitely be back and can see the bristol being an easy destination for me and george when we're in the mood to go out.
(4)Kimberly S.
First, and most importantly, I have to say that my expectations were set extremely high for The Bristol, as I have an acquaintance who nearly lives at this place and raves about it on a daily basis. Also, if you read through the rest of the reviews here, The Bristol seems to do a very good job? Apparently, in our particular case, we just were very unlucky. Primarily, my main focus when dining out is the food. Not an unreasonable expectation. At The Bristol, as everyone is aware, you are required to wait for quite a while. During this time, we ordered the duck fat fries and scotch olives. Throughout most of the reviews here, everyone raves of the duck fat fries! I was expecting "duck fat fries." What I got was "lemon zest." To quote Joel Robuchon "I think it is perhaps harder to do something simple than sophisticated." Can I please have 'duck fat fries?' I understand duck fat can get a little rich, and your desire to cut that richness with the zest of lemon, is in fact a noble intention, but your hand on my fries was just a bit heavy. Rather than send them back, because I am a very laid back diner who complains little, I ate them out of hunger due to the long wait. Next, scotch olives. Sounds yummy, right? I thought so too! Salt! My favorite! Any opportunity I get for Scotch eggs in the city, I jump! When I thought of a lovely salty olive instead, I was so excited! What disappointed me about this gastro delight, was the little salty olive was the pimento green olive from a jar. After the disappointing appetizers during our more than 1 hour wait to be seated, we decided the food wasn't good enough to warrant staying for our meal. It is unfortunate, as I will say again, I have an acquaintance who considers himself quite the foodie, and nearly lives here! Perhaps my palette is a bit more sophisticated than his? I don't know? However, the staff is very friendly and accommodating, albeit very slow.
(1)Sarah B.
I had a truly lovely dinner here as I was preparing to leave Chi-town and go home to Madison. It was a memorable final meal-the duck fries were superb, the halibut was perfection and I LOVED their apple salad. Service and server were top notch, as was my delicious Cue Cai cocktail. The only quibble I had was with the monkey bread, which I found to be a little on the bland side. Otherwise, a fantastic meal. I will definitely be back to try their brunch!
(4)Shannon K.
Had a fantastic dinner here - our waiter was knowledgable, our food was delicious, every new small dish was just large enough to get your fill while still leaving room for other tasty options.
(4)Andy R.
with little experience i endorse bristol thusly: have scotch olives
(3)Stephen G.
Not a 5 only because of the no reservation policy. Great food. Well thought out, reasonably priced wines. Comfortable place with friendly people.
(4)Brian R.
We dined at the Bristol a couple of days ago and we enjoyed the experience. I had the smokey manhattan which sort of set the tone for my evening. Very masculine drink. Not my usual, but very well done. We had several appetizers including the much raved about Duck Fat Fries. I thought they were sort of bland. They were fine fries, but nothing to shout about. I thought the Scotch Olives were the appetizer to really rave about. Olives stuffed with sausage, then surrounded in sausage and deep fried. A truly indulgent delight. We also had the flatbread with bacon which was also delicious. I had the chacuterie plate for dinner which went excellently with my drink and was excellent. There was a good variety of meats and the homemade mustard was the perfect accompaniment. My wife had the chicken which she said was very tasty. Our waitress was very attentive and had excellent suggestions and the atmosphere was very welcoming. I will definitely be heading back to check out some of the rest of the menu.
(4)Ams T.
Honestly, the reason I first chose this place was because they had valet. Turns out that it's more than easy to find parking on Sunday night in Bucktown. With no reservation, we waited about 15 minutes. In that time, the extremely friendly & accommodating host made sure to take our drink orders, which were hand delivered (and made from scratch?) by the bartender. I got the sparkling sangria; tart but delicious. For appetizers, we ordered the 'monkey bread' and the 'duck fat fries.' The monkey bread was doughy deliciousness, I was in heaven (as long as you like dill). Nothing remained of the duck fat fries, after my 2 companions scarfed them down. Food made in fat normally turns me off, but these were perfectly crisp, with great dipping sauce. I ordered the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli. The steak was perfectly cooked and oh-so-tender. Ravioli a perfect compliment. My friends ordered salmon (great reviews, though at times too lemony, can't vouch as I'm allergic) and the swordfish (on the chalkboard, unbelievably tasty). Our waitress was very attentive, but left us alone the perfect amount. Her timing was impeccable. If only I still lived in Chicago, I'd be a frequent visitor!
(4)m. s.
it says a lot about a restaurant when it is packed on a 0-degree monday evening. i really enjoyed the food and ambiance here. i started with a pink lady cocktail. i believe it had house-made grenadine and egg whites in it. anyway, it was great. i shared the monkey bread, duck fat fries, and parmesan-crusted sausage. all were delicious and had great sauces/accompaniments. my companion had the bone marrow, which he thoroughly enjoyed. we shared the amazing chocolate/nutter butter dessert. the portions were not huge but, as the menu is tapas-inspired, they were not all intended to be meals in and of themselves. kudos for the ever-changing menu and rich variety. i tend to be an unadventurous eater, and there was an abundance of choices for me as well as for my anthony bourdain-like companion.
(5)a w.
Amazing staff that are warm, professional and attentive. It was difficult to choose as everything looked delicious. I had the apple salad and trout, both which were exactly what I was looking for.....fresh, delicious, not too complicated and not too boring. Will be back.
(5)Andrew E.
The Bristol is a great place for anyone looking to enjoy a local fare menu and artisanal cocktails in a hip, cozy, communal atmosphere. Though the cocktail menu is smaller than specialty bars, almost everything they make is really, really good. The food is outstanding, though the main dishes were a little rich. My favorite drink so far is the Ranson Gin Fizz, which you may or may not find on the menu when you go since everything is rotating. In terms of food, it is worth going to The Bristol just for the monkey bread, apple salad, and market greens salad. I was blown away. Main dishes we tried were garganelli with an octopus sauce and a ravioli. I enjoyed the garganelli, especially the fresh hand-made pasta, but it wasn't as good as the salads. The ravioli was too rich. I'm not always a fan of communal seating but I really enjoyed the setup at The Bristol. Tables along the wall are individual but close. Communal tables are in the center. The intimacy of the setting jives well with the approach to food and drink. All in all, this place definitely lives up to its reputation. You are sure to find an outstanding dish on the menu, and the cocktail program is inventive enough to come back just for that.
(5)David K.
Finally there's a good (and apparently successful) restaurant in this space!! We've been going about once/week since it opened. The food is quite good although some things are oversalted - especially salads. The communal tables bring up the energy level. The chalkboard menu always has something new and interesting. Great selection of beers and wines by the glass. Waiting to see what they do with the upper level ...
(5)Trevor W.
I downloaded the Yelp app specifically to review this restaurant. These folks are on point, and you should totally eat here. I had a late brunch on a Saturday and want to make it a regular thing, cause damn. Just be sure to make a reservation! This is a small restaurant that is clearly in high demand. 1.) The hosts are on their game and easily have one of the most thankless jobs, next to the bussers. 2.) We were seated about 20 minutes after our reservation because the table we were meant to be seated at had paid but decided to have a leisurely chat despite the fact that it was a weekend brunch at max capacity. 3.) But who cares? We got to spend more time at the bar enjoying the delicious beer selection and French press coffee! 4.) They still have us a free cinnamon roll the size of my face. I ordered another one to take home. It's so flipping good. 5.) Couldn't decide between the Chilequiles or the Hangover breakfast (a slam dunk of a Thai/Korean noodle dish with a broth so delicious I'm convinced it can cure cancer), so I got both. Ha! The former was fabulous, and the only thing that kept the latter from being my favorite thing in life was the surprising lack of noodles compared to the amount of broth. But who cares? So flavorful and delicious. They even brought me a special container to take the rest of the broth home and I drank it all before I even made it back.
(5)Chris C.
Absolutely love this place. Great food and great atmosphere! The Bristol is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago by far. Dinner and Baruch are amazing. I would suggest the Ham Benedict... Amazing!
(5)Holli R.
Absolutely silly menu trying to be something that just missed the mark of foodie into the sublime of a waste of money. Great ambience.
(2)maya s.
If I could give this place a zero, I would. It's highly over rated. I like that all their meats and produce are local. But, that is the only thing I like about it. I took my fiance there tonight for his birthday. It's family style seating which I hate. Luckily, we were able to get two seats at the bar instead. We ordered a salad which sounded quite delicious. Sadly, the entire salad was covered in fresh parsley which the menu did not detail. Fresh parsley is a poor man's herb. If you are relying on this for flavor, you clearly need a new head chef. After spitting out my salad twice into the napkin, I eagerly hoped that my entree (the one vegetarian option on the menu) would be delicious. Sadly, this was not the case. It was a stuffed noodle dish. The main flavor was again.... ding ding ding.... PARSLEY. Again, the details on the menu did not indicate that this was one of the main seasonings. After 2 bites, I just couldn't do it. Our bartender dave make a great moscow mule and did listen to why I was disappointed with the dish when he finally came over to ask. He offered to have the kitchen make something else. But, with one vegetarian dish on the menu and 2 dishes having been gross, I was not willing to take him up on his offer. He "took the dish off the menu" but seriously, what does that do?! I just wasted an hour plus, am now depressed I decided to give this over rated place a shot and I am still hungry. Taking the dish off the menu doesn't do anything to make the customer happy. They should at least offer me a free cocktail to make up for my pain and suffering for having to sit there for so long. Ugh. Luckily, my partner enjoyed his pig tail entree. The portion was big and he will have left overs. I would never go back here again and am more than happy to spread the word about how disappointing it is. The cocktails were good. But, this isn't the type of place you go for a night cap. It's crowded, it's loud and the seats are uncomfortable. If only I could get those wasted hours back and have a decent meal. And when all was said and done, my bill was $80!
(1)kathy w.
Delicious! We went with the waitress' suggestions, and she was spot on...the duck fat fries, the raviolo (yum!), the apple salad, and the halibut. She forgot to mention the monkey bread which we ordered as a savory dessert...imagine a dill soft pretzel, complete with salt, with an extreme dill butter. Fantastic! If I had to change a thing, I would skip the entrees and order all smaller plates. The halibut was good, but (by far) the least impressive of the things that we ordered. I'm anxious to go back. Fair portions, attentive waitstaff, dim lighting...I might just sit at the bar and eat alone.
(4)Jane N.
THIS PLACE TERRIBLE! First the food is terrible --- secondly, the service is terrible. everyone that works there thinks they are soo cool and have a snotty attitude towards everyone as if they are so great. Stay away - not worth the money at ALL!
(1)k E.
I have to say, I have read so many write ups of the burger at the Bristol. So, we went to have a burger, right? Guess what, they haven't had one on the menu for at least six months. So, already disappointed, we peruse the menu and ask our server for her recommendations. We followed her advice - smoked trout (good) duck fat fries (good) sturgeon (eh) and pig's tail (OMG). Several employees raved about the pig's tail. Having never tried one, we figured "When in Rome..." so we ordered it. To say it was off-putting is the least of it. Picture a long, skinny thing with a pointy end - cut through the skin to reveal big white globs of fat with a couple shreds of meat. Served with cauliflower which was nearly indiscernable among the white fat globs. Sorry, but pig's tail should not be served anywhere - even if this was a good preparation (I don't know as it was my first experience with this entree) , it was nasty nasty nasty.
(3)Jordan V.
the eggs benedict is sinful.
(5)Anthony Z.
Drinks are very good...Dark and stormy was very tasty and savory, and the Hucklemary was like tasting the holidays from a martini glass, with a little sprig of aromatic rosemary floating on top. Environment is attractive, but the shrieking Trixies got very annoying after a while. I must say that I have had some of the best food of the past year tonight, at this restaurant. In reading the other reviews, I believe this is highly dependent upon what you order. Started with the fritters, squash, and bone marrow. They were uniformly excellent. Fritters were piping hot and matched with a very complementary sauce. Acorn squash slices had a creamy texture and yummy carmelization. The marrow fat spread on the robust toast slices was everything that it should be. Skate and white boudin sausage were the entrees. Boudin was excellent, served with sauerkraut and tiny dumplings....really perfectly matched and balanced dish. Skate wing was very well cooked, but the sauce was overly acidic. Nutter butter dessert was a hit, and tiny taste of Meyer lemon panna cotta was very nice. Can't wait to go back. Valet is 7 bucks. Server Michael was perfect; friendly and most knowledgeable.
(5)Molly L.
I love this place! Sometimes when I check out a new restaurant in Chicago I have fears that it will be completely empty but Bristol was packed to the brim on a Thursday night. While we ordered a bottle of wine it was difficult for me to stop drinking their moscow mule cocktail. It sounds weird but it was very refreshing and surprisingly strong. Throughout the course of the evening we tried many of the small plates but the ones that stick out a day later were the boar bolognese, monkey bread, and skirt steak. After 4 dishes, a salad, 3 cocktails, and a bottle of wine our tab was only ~$122. I think for the quality of the food and wine it is a steal. It has a great atmosphere with exposed brick walls, some communal tables, and quite flattering lighting. I have nothing but good things to say (it is a bit loud if that bothers you) and can't wait to drag each and every one of my friends so I can try everything.
(4)Jaclyn C.
Bristol has everything I look for in a great restaurant...amazing food, creative drinks, fresh local ingredients, changing menu and good service. I know some people are open to communal tables but I happen to like them and the feel of a small intimate restaurant. I have been to Bristol 3 times. The first time when it was brand new and the word hadn't really gotten around cause there was absolutely no wait on a Saturday night. The wait is better now but still, definitely a wait. Musts are monkey bread and duck fat fries. I love the changing menu and everything I have ever gotten has been wonderful. Last time I had their version of roasted chicken and it was probably the best and most juiciest roasted chicken I have ever had. They had a cucumber drink on the menu which is my weakness and it was so damn good, I am still trying to replicate it. I have taken friends from out of town there on 2 occasions and they are still raving about it. I can't wait to go back cause I know no matter what is on the menu, I am always talking about it for days after.
(5)Derek S.
i was there for the opening with a friend who knows more about food and wine than i ever will, and we both were very impressed across the board.
(4)missallfun H.
yummy! a bit loud, love the wine taste pours, and that buttermilk dressing!
(4)Kc H.
After the first time I went here, I was pretty certain I'd be back. After the second time I went here, I was sure it had become my favorite place to go as often as is humanly possible. Fucking ever. This place has to be the most incredible bar/restaurant I've been to since the advent of my young adult life. The service is attentive and unpretentious. The manager/ host/ co-owner/ owner are all amazingly nice. I have never once been disappointed with anything I've had on the menu and the cocktails, wine and beer selections are all fantastic. The raviolo, the sturgeon, the beer cheese, the salads etc. are all super and one could easily fill up on snacks and drinks upstairs without ever making it to dinner. The wonderful bar aficionados upstairs make this both an attractive and delightful option. Pricing is very reasonable for the immense quality and precision that you get with both food and beverages. I am so thrilled that a place like the Bristol exists and look forward to making it a part of my regular dining experiences (if it could be any more so than it already is). Uber double yum outstanding deliciousness!
(5)Karis F.
best eggs benedict ever. i cannot get over the fact that there isn't a line down Damen to get in here for brunch. the food is amazing. the service is friendly and prompt. the prices are incredibly reasonable. besides the eggs benedict, i love the biscuits and gravy and the breakfast potatoes are to die for.
(4)Kevin H.
execution
(5)Katie M.
The bartender makes fabulous drinks. TRUST ME. Food - I recommend the monkey bread, the bone marrow, and the mussels. Don't bother trying the desserts.
(4)bob j.
excellent brunch & dinner menu's. the staff is friendly and good at what they do. The food is great everything ive tried has been very good.
(5)Miss O.
i came here after a recommendation from a friend. i'm not sure what the hype is about. i ordered the elderflower cocktail which was excellent. very very good. got the monkey bread that everyone raved so much about. it really wasn't that great. i mean maybe as a substitute to table bread but not as something you actually purchase - lacked a lot of flavor really. we also got the stuffed chicken wings - which were okay. nothing to die for. i liked the slight hint of blue cheese so it didn't overwhelm the chicken. and i ended with the duck sugo. once again - it was good. but not amazing. i will have to say that the service was very good - as good as the elderflower cocktail. this is a casual dinning place - shared tables, etc. great place to hop into for dinner. the food lacked a bit but the ambiance, drinks and service were excellent. i would go back for that - rather than the food.
(4)Britta M.
I had plans for the evening on Damen, and was searching for restaurants within walking distance and stumbled upon this little place. I was really excited to eat here, and upon arrival I was very pleased with the atmosphere. For starters we ordered the duck fat fries, which have salt, garlic, and lemon zest sprinkled on top. They were absolutely divine. You MUST order them to avoid adding a major life regret to your track record. And we also ordered the monkey break. It has sea salt and a really unique tasting butter sauce for it and we ended up loving that as well. In summary, order appetizers. They rocked. They're pretty generous portions for about $6-$9 too. For dinner we ordered the Parisian gnocchi and brown sugar ravioli. We really didn't like either of these at all. They were both honestly pretty bland and we hardly touched them. $15 for one circle ravioli seemed a bit pricey as well. I ordered a glass of wine for $12 that they about 1/3 filled the glass for.. it was a solid red wine, but it felt really cheap having them pour so little in the glass. The main dishes really killed this place for us and I don't think the starters are enough to bring us back again for dinner, hence the 3 stars.
(3)Trevor M.
Fried chicken and biscuits are a must. Service was okay and the A/C was broken which made the place kinda hot. Willing to look past that to give it another try because the food was really good
(4)Elle M.
This Sunday was my second brunch at The Bristol, and its consistent deliciousness compels me to write about it. Honestly the cinnamon bun did it. The bellinis with fresh peach juice were perfect, the chilaquiles were eggy and spicy and porky (and perfect for my hangover). But the cinnamon bun- oh the warm, gooey, heaven that was the cinnamon bun. It made me happy, my friends. Happy in the way that only a cinnamon bun can. Yes, I took the lion's share of the "split" with my father. No, I don't feel guilty, and hell yes I'd do it again! Actually next time I'd just order my own. Someday I'll actually come here for dinner. Till then, another stellar Sunday, guys.
(5)Andrea R.
Stand outs- monkey bread, pasta (we tried the chitarra, but they all looked amazing) basque cake dessert & the cocktails. All you need to know. Also tried the cucumber & tempura avacado starters & the trout main and they were good but not memorable like the above.
(4)Fuudcritic C.
excellent! service, food & atmosphere. we ordered a bunch of stuff and shared and must say, everything is excellent! what to order: appz: basque cake entrée: basque cake dessert: basque cake
(4)Oliver K.
After our bad experience, we were contacted by the restaurant manager, who asked us to give the restaurant another shot for our custom. Our experience was completely different - every detail was taken care of and we had a great evening. Starting with the seats - we were situated downstairs at the bar in the great atmosphere. Dave took care of all our drinks orders and food. The food was flavorsome and tasty, the drinks (moscow mules) were great too - everything we had was awesome. We left the restaurant 180 degree from our last visit. Thanks for asking us to come back. We definitely kept Bristol on on our regular "go to" list from our great experience.
(5)S N.
I have been wanting to eat here since I moved here from NYC a few months ago, and so I finally used the excuse of a friend's visit to make it happen... I could not get a res at the right time for our post-dinner plans, but I called ahead to ask about wait times, and they offered to hold two seats at the bar for us, which already put me in the mood to love them. The food more than matched that lovely customer service. Monkey bread - holy cow. Please order this. Also, their house made pasta was divine. We had it in a chitarra style with fennel and other lovely touches: I want to eat this exact dish every day and never stop... The heirloom melon salad was fresh and bright and full of flavor. The trout exceeded expectations. Go here. And eat all of the things. You will be very very happy.
(5)Karen M.
6/20/2015 - Attended my cousin's wedding. It was so elegant! We dined on the 2nd floor, which was exclusive to just our party. The wait staff was fabulous, attentive! The food was absolutely wonderful, four course meal, well done. I would definitely have to say I would recommend this venue. They were even friendly to the children. The environment felt warm and welcoming too.
(5)Lauren K.
Cute place, good food, better cocktail. We came here for Saturday brunch because the Chicago Magazine highly recommended it. I started with the Poire & Elderflower cocktail (yes, at 10:30am - whatever!) and it was FANTASTIC. The brunch items our table ordered were the ham benedict (very good), chicken n a biscuit (ok) and pancakes (ok). The menu is very pork product heavy so one of our guests was kind of limited and a little disappointed in the pancakes, I think (just nothing super special). I might come back for the cocktails and to see what dinner is like.
(3)Zach J.
I have been here 4 times now. Most recently, last night. In the four times, I have had some of the worst service and some of the best service. I have been served really mediocre food and incredibly outstanding food. The good thing is that the poor service and mediocre food was just one out of the four times. I will take that as an outlier. The other three times, the food could not have been prepared better and the waitstaff more helpful. The wine list is impeccable and the servers are very knowledgeable about it - full of reccommendations. The waiter helped our group decide how many rounds to get, apps, pastas, mains, etc. Last night the halibut was delicious - and the flat iron steak was cooked perfectly. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant to anyone and chalk that one experience up to a bad night.
(4)Shayna Y.
I struggled with the rating for this restaurant, but landed on a 3. Although the restaurant has many redeeming qualities, the simplicity/lack of distinctiveness of my main entrée held it back to a 3. Starting with all of the amazing things this restaurant has to offer...The ambiance is romantic and cozy with low lights, exposed brick, and old fashioned light bulbs. Our server was fantastic - he was spot on with all of his recommendations on wine and appetizers. When asked what he would recommend, he didn't hesitate and provided definitive answers (and wasn't focused on the most expensive menu options). The restaurant seamlessly accommodated our allergy concerns - gluten and peanuts. Each of us were given a menu that only listed the dishes we could eat - which was a grand majority with slight modifications. For appetizers, we got the "glazed cauliflower, lemon confit, mint, tahini, anchovy" and "head-on prawns a la plancha, anchovy butter, tarragon." The cauliflower was light, unique, and delicious. The mini tahini sauce added great flavor. The prawns also had great flavor; however, I am not a fan of dishes still served with the "head-on." The did make it easy to eat by cutting the prawns in half and providing a small fork for the meat. For dinner, I got the gluten free version of the "millers farm roasted half chicken." Now I know chicken can be somewhat boring, but since the waiter had been spot on with the other recommendations, I took his word for this. The chicken did not have a lot of flavor and it was not as moist/fall off the bone as I was expecting. If I went back I would order something different - the tilefish w/ pine nuts looked delicious. We passed on dessert since we were stuffed. I think this place is definitely worth going to - especially if you are looking for a date spot.
(3)Ell K.
Perfect spot for a date night! My boyfriend and I went here for dinner last year and had an amazing time. It's been a while since I've been there so I don't remember the names of all the plates we tried or if they are even still on the menu. I can say that we tried the duck fat fries(amazing!), a salad, a pasta dish, a steak plate, and a dessert similar to creme brûlée. While I love going to restaurants like this, I always worry because my boyfriend has an abnormally huge appetite, which usually results in him still being hungry or spending an obscene amount of money on small plates. This was not the case at The Bristol. We were able to order 4-5 plates and leave completely satisfied. I definitely plan on going back with the nicer weather coming in!
(5)Kori E.
Yummy - we came here for dinner last Thursday and everything was so great. We started with the tempura avocado and it was so light and tasty - i really liked the tangy dipping sauce. We next ordered the charcuterie board, and we both really enjoyed that. The chorizo was a standout for the both of us. The board had an ample amount of meat and spreads. It was perfect for two people. Lastly, we split the roasted chicken and it's just SO good. You receive half of a chicken and its roasted to perfection. Crispy on the outside and juicy when you slice into it. Lastly, we enjoyed the caramel bar. Great topping to an excellent meal! Our waitress was great as well. The Bristol is always a consistently great dining spot!
(5)Amar M.
Did not live up to the hype at all. Friends and I celebrated a friends birthday here and everyone in our group was underwhelmed. The monkey bread and the duck fat fries were both great, but nothing special and nothing that one couldn't get at another place. Sausage stuffed olives were quite tasty. None of us were satisfied with our mains. The chorizo entree consisted of overly salted chorizo/nettle patties and a salad dressed with way too much vinegar. Sour salt lick status. The pork loin slices on the salad were tasteless on their own; adding meat for the sake of texture is no bueno. Friends all complained that their food was salty while being flavorless at the same time. The raviolo, which I had heard good things about, was unevenly cooked, bummer. Had heard great things about dessert as well, but none of us felt like sticking around. Worse than the entrees was the service. Our server was pushy and condescending...I get that it's Bucktown, and that he owns hipster glasses and a whole lot of brylcreem, but come on. Come here for great drinks and starters...the only redeeming factors of the night. Save your money and skip dinner here. Tons of other options out there!
(2)Mandy F.
I came here on a Friday night with two friends. The restaurant is the decor that everyone loves- dark wood with leather. It's a small restaurant and it was very dark at dinner time. We sat about 3 inches from the tables next to us, and the noise level was moderate. We tried a bunch of cocktails- Eustis, American in Barbados, Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule were all delicious! It took a little while for the drinks to come out after ordering. The menu is shared plates, and seasonal, which I love. We ordered a number of starters for the three of us- brisket, market salad, smoked trout, chicken dumplings. Of these, the dumplings were the standout. The trout wasn't great, kind of like tuna-fish which I wasn't expecting. For entrees, we shared pierogis, raviolo and steak. Raviolo was amazing- buttery and lemony, and just a heart-attack waiting to happen. The steak was a little cold and chewy, though the seasoning was good. Living in Chicago makes it really easy to differentiate a good steak from a not so good steak. For dessert we had the tutti frutti spumoni and the caramel bar. The caramel bar was amazing. The service was REALLY slow. Our waiter was super nice, and apologetic. He kindly gave us one of the appetizers on the house, and brought out an extra dessert. We weren't terribly bothered by the slow service, but we were eating until nearly 11 PM, so it was nice that they acknowledged this. The meal was pretty pricey, but a tasty night for our small group.
(4)Jordan P.
On a Sunday around noon, my buddy and I decided to get our day started with a bite from Bristol, no intentions beyond that. She, a fanatic for all things duck fat (or really, duck-related), had been eyeing their duck fat fries for a bit. And, when the opportunity to dip crispy fries into mayo-disguised-as-aioli, who am I to say no? For $5, this portion was generous, and came served with a side of housemade ketchup (which was a little thick for my liking) and tossed with herbs (which were right up my alley). But, honestly, these were the type of fries that would've been a-okay even without dipping sauce, the kind that have you licking your fingers and contemplating licking the plate clean of any niblets. She was also craving something a little heavier, but wasn't prepared for the whole Eggs Benedict dish. Instead, she asked for a slightly-undressed Benedict (so scandalous!) without the ham. Poached eggs on an English muffin with hollandaise. This ran her $7, slightly less than with the ham and potatoes (which normally run $11), and it was nice that they were able to accommodate her desires. I couldn't resist the Moscow Mule on the menu, so I guess this day wasn't entirely booze free. This Mule was made with American Harvest Vodka, fresh lime juice, and Barritt's Ginger Beer, and served in what looked like an adorable tin or copper mug, this cocktail was refreshing, light, and chock-full of ginger taste. I'm into that. I'm real into that. I'd go back to The Bristol in a heartbeat, and next time for more than just duck fat and liquor. Though that's still pretty fantastic.
(5)Anna G.
It had been a while since my last visit to The Bristol, but I realized why I remembered it so fondly. Staff was friendly and attentive as always and the atmosphere was great too. The food was as delicious as ever. We had the monkey bread, which is a great example of why I could never leave carbs, and tartare as starters. The tartare portion is quite large. Then we had the risotto...so good! I'm not really big on lamb or risotto, but it was great. For our entree we ordered the chorizo and pork loin, very good and sizable portion as well. We went home with leftovers as it was definitely too much food (but in a good way!). The only reason I'm knocking down a star is because of the drink. I had the poire & elderflower and while the taste was good, it was just too too sweet for me.
(4)Chinwe O.
I decided to visit The Bristol for brunch. 5 girlfriends and I went on a Sunday around 130 pm. The one reason I chose this restaurant for brunch was the fact that you can make a reservation. Amazing right?!? Service is always wonderful here. I had the braised pork chilaquiles (fantastic) and the cinnamon roll (must try) Great place for dinner but brunch is definitely worth a try Cheers!
(4)leyla a.
i loved this place. I MEAN LOVED IT. I F'IN LOVED IT! I walked in the door and I was a little turned off by the communal seating, it made me feel anxious at first. Then, I stepped up to the bar and the nice man with weird, hand tattoos made me feel super at ease. He rolled with my humor, which isn't easy because I come off as condescending and rude but I am just kidding. He totally picked up on my dry, angry humor and gave it RIGHT back to me without missing a beat. Gotta love it. We only had to wait a minute or so and then we were seated. We shared the Market Salad with buttermild dressing - mixed greens, tarragon, fennel, radishes and mint leaves. I love mint leaves in a salad. Though I didn't want the Monkey Bread, I am SO HAPPY I ate this bread - it was like winning the carb lottery. I ordered the Raviolo, even though I had no idea what this was, and...it was SO F'IN GOOD I WANTED TO STAND UP AND SHOUT FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS. Honestly, I would've ordered a second entree if they hadn't sold out of this dish. I wouldn't even let my date try it because I did not want to relinquish a single fork-ful. It was one giant ravioli with a poached egg on the inside (perfectly cooked) on a bed or ricotta cheese and brown butter. My date had the roast chicken with mustard and crunchy salad, shredded salary and radishes in a chicken broth. The chicken had crispy skin. We finished with a strawberry pannacota....That could make a grown man cry. Very reasonably priced and so good. I will be back and back and back.
(5)Mel A.
I ordered the $45 strip loin and it was wayyyy too salty and fatty. For that money I expected to be blown away by it. Would not recommend. The starters were okay, and the drinks were good, but all in all this place isn't worth the money. Service was poor too, as there was some back up in the kitchen and our food took over an hour. Meh. I'd recommend the drinks and that's about it.
(2)Jessie H.
This review is for their bar area upstairs: Back in the windy city, and I had to take my friends here to have some drinks and of course... duck fat fries. I truly love duck fat. It has a special place in my heart. The service was some of the best I've ever had. I forget her name, but our server was incredibly nice, friendly and helpful. Monkey bread was not on the bar menu, but she asked the kitchen if it would be alright if she brought some over to us - and they did! Apparently the menu is different upstairs from the main menu downstairs. Duck fat fries were still amazing, the monkey bread was completely devoured, and the pickled olives were to die for. And beer, who doesn't like beer?
(5)Janel J.
I came with my family over Thanksgiving weekend. Being the ambitious and perpetually hungry bunch we are, we ordered a very thorough sampling of the menu. ..An embarrassingly thorough sampling. That we very thoroughly collectively inhaled. Highly pleased, no disappointments. I've also been eyeing the brunch menu for a while......just sayin', if you're ever hungry on a Sunday morning.
(5)Stacey A.
I hate change. I hate being used to one specific thing and having it CHANGE COMPLETELY in the span of a few minutes and then having to DEAL WITH IT and learn how to cope with something that is COMPLETELY FOREIGN. So, as you might imagine, it kind of messes with my head when someone who is important to me moves away. I get needy and weird and get a sort of complex about making the absolute most of the time I have left with a person and try to fill that time with as many good memories as I can. It was with this complex in mind that I took my friend out to dinner at The Bristol before he moved to Seattle. I chose The Bristol because when my friend eats anything that involves a bone, he will suck all the marrow from that bone and alternate between saying "IT'S SO GOOD" and making gross little slurpy "MMNMNMNMNMNMNMN" sounds. The Bristol has marrow on its menu - and I figured it would be better than sucking on the bone from a chicken leg. And it was. It really really was. And so was everything else we ordered - and we ordered a LOT of things. Like, enough things for six people. When we were done ordering, our server said to us, "You guys know you've ordered a ridiculous amount of food, right?" And we shrugged it off because we're adults and we know how to eat large amounts of food and pace ourselves and so on. But as it turns out, if you order enough food for six people for just TWO people, you will get really really full. Start with the apple salad with the hazelnuts and the manchego cheese. It's perfect. Then have the marrow - which looks like boogers, but tastes like heaven and comes with shallot jam. Just close your eyes and eat it. If you've got a lot of people with you - get the cheese & meat boards. Everything on the meat board will be weird looking - and then it'll get described to you and it will sound gross - but shut up and eat it anyway. Close your eyes if you have to because you're a little baby and you can't handle head cheese. Get the prawns. Eat their weird delicious little heads and scoop them out of their little shells with that weird tiny fork you use when you eat prawns. If it's on the menu that day - get the salad with the rabbit and the poached egg. Yes, I said salad and rabbit. Together. With egg. Put some pepper on it and coat everything with poached egg yolk and stuff your fat face and be happy. Order fancy cocktails. Browse the extensive beer/wine list. Eat enough food for six people and make noises afterward to indicate that you are uncomfortably full. Continue to make these noises all the way home. And stay. Stay in Chicago. Don't move away. I'll get a complex and I can't afford that many more nice restaurants.
(4)Mike B.
Went for Sunday Brunch. Was crowded but got right in with our reservation. Highlights of the meal were the doughnut appetizer, the chilaquiles entree, and the bottle of green hot sauce on every table (Never got an answer on what that was). That bottle of hot sauce definitely improved my hangover breakfast (their take on pho) as well as our bloody marys. While good, I didn't find the Bristol to stand out as a brunch place. Service was okay (pleasant but inattentive and the kitchen had an issue with timing--our doughnut took a while to come out and was immediately followed by our entrees so the table got really crowded and we couldn't enjoy each aspect of our meal as much). I also found the entrees to be relatively small for what you pay (although I have no doubt of their quality). I will be back to try dinner but I'll keep sticking closer to home for brunch.
(3)Angie M.
You know those Sunday mornings where you're craving a bad-ass brunch, but it's raining, it's like 10am and you're in absolutely no mood to wait for an hour at Toast? Skip the lines at Toast and walk a block over to The Bristol. You won't be sorry, I promise! After being quoted a 45 minute wait at Toast at 9:45am today, my friends and I were like, "Forget it," and strolled on down to The Bristol. Even though they weren't open, the kind manager-type guy told us to come on in out of the rain and hang out at the bar and have a cup of coffee until breakfast service started at 10. Like a few orphaned puppies being beckoned in from the rain, we scampered in, grabbed a cup of Lavazza coffee and patiently waited for service to start. The menu? Amazingly upscale, yet accessible. If your tastes are simple, go for the two eggs, bacon or sausage and potatoes or step it up a notch and try the Duck and Potato skillet or the Fried Egg Sandwich with pork belly. The Bristol supports local farms (they display their selected farms on a huge chalkboard in the dining room), so you know you're getting super-fresh and healthy food. P.S. That pork belly fried egg sandwich was one of the best things I've eaten in a really long time. The service is absolutely, completely and utterly ON POINT at The Bristol. Besides being let in and served before the place even opened, our server was so gracious, knowledgeable and adorable. She gave us great suggestions, didn't rush us one bit and even had a sense of humor when she caught me spewing some profanities while telling a story. Gotta keep brunch lively, eh? The coffee refills were blindingly fast, so fast my coffee seriously never even cooled off before it was refilled. That is attentive brunch service. Finally, the prices were way more reasonable than expected. Most breakfasts (except the full Bristol brekkie, which included a Bloody and a High Life) hovered right around the $8-10 price point, which I thought was a great value for the upscale nature of the menu. So if you're over the waits at other Bucktown brunch joints, why not switch it up and head to The Bristol? Because while Toast's chicken sausage is good, it's not hour-long-wait good.
(5)Vern R.
Was actually trying to go to Girl & the Goat but they were booked and this was a related restaurant, menu looked good so gave it a go. First off, walking up, thought it was cool how the front of the restaurant opens up into the street. Not like there's a lot to look at, the area was pretty dead when we went but I like the concept. Normally not a cocktail w/ dinner as I find them too sweet and usually just go w/ a beer or wine, but saw reviews of their Moscow Mule and had to try it. Glad I did as it was delicious and refreshing on such a warm night. Wine list was nice, had a lot from Napa/Sonoma and CA Central Coast which I thought was cool. Did the bone marrow, duck fat fries and pull apart bread as apps. All good, that dill butter they serve w/ the bread is really good. I love homemade pasta and usually order it when it's on the menu, but since I was sharing we also got the half chicken. Possibly the best chicken I've ever had, even better than fried chicken. The skin was just super crispy and flavorful and the meat really moist and tender. I would probably go again just for that. The tagliatelle, was ok. The pasta was good, but the flavor overall wasn't what I was looking for. Finally had the apple cake thing for dessert and it was worth the food coma. It's like a light, super moist pound cake, not too sweet. Service was excellent, our waiter was really nice and really helpful in explaining the menu and suggesting popular items.
(4)Matt J.
Went to The Bristol the other night with a good friend that I eat out alot with. We had both been to The Bristol before with mixed results, but decided that we needed to go back and check it out again. We got to the restaurant just as it was opening up for dinner service, which was great, as we were able to score two prime seats in the middle of the bar where we could be assured of getting quick service to tasty elixirs. We started things off with some cocktails and orders of the roasted Brussels sprouts, duck fat fries, and the apple salad. All of these were quite good, although the sprouts seemed a tad overdone for my taste. For our entrees, I had the pappardelle and my friend had the trout special. We both were very happy with our orders and neither of us seems overly anxious to share with the other. Lastly, we enjoyed the basque cake and a couple of la louisiane cocktails for dessert, which was an exceptional finish to a very fine meal. After this meal, I think my previous dinner that was not so successful was probably more my fault in poor ordering rather that actual performance, so I plan on being back soon and listening carefully to the bartender's suggestions of what to order.
(4)Colleen O.
The pigs tail! The PIGS TAIL! THE PIGS TAIL!! You must order the scrumptious, supple pigs tail! It has changed my life. It it weren't so crass, I would have sucked that tail for all of the delicious meat table side. It was a symphony of lushes meats and crispy skin, fat like butter. And they do take reservations now!
(5)Laura S.
The Bristol just made my family's "Best Of" list. I loved it so much, in fact, that I'm considering assessing my other five-star reviews to determine if they are truly on this level. I visited last Sunday with my mother and sister in celebration of my graduation from my Master's program. While I *almost* want to detract a star for not allowing reservations, because I truly hate this trend, it just wouldn't be fair to the incredible experience (plus the fact that we sat down right away). Have a Drink on Me: Hands down the best I've had in Chicago, clearly made with care. My mum and I savoured each sip of our poire and elderflower concoctions, and my sister raved about her violette collins. I'm not a fan of gin, but I conceded that the drink was spectacular. Start Me Up: As many before me have said, we swooooooned over the monkey bread! The duck fat fries were a touch underwhelming: the ones on top tasted like they were doused in lemon juice, but those underneath were far, far yummier. The bone marrow with a lovely shallot jam was a first for me and my sister, and did not disappoint. The Main Event: We chose two specials: a homemade pasta with artichokes and the most incredible goat bacon, and an arborio-crusted whitefish with lentils. The former was a bit small for sharing, but the latter more than made up for it, and I'd absolutely order both again. Pour Some Sugar On Me: Oh me oh my, the desserts. Perfection. My mum ordered the pistachio cremeux, which came with the largest macaron I've ever encountered. True to form, my sister chose the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butter cookies, and refused to leave behind the 1.5 cookies and several tablespoons of chocolate that she couldn't finish at the restaurant. And I almost fell out of my chair upon first bite of my basque cake. I suspect it was made by angels. The Bristol was good enough to make me wonder if I should eat out far less frequently, save up my pennies, and only patronize establishments of this quality. If this isn't a ringing endorsement, I don't know what is.
(5)Justin N.
One of the worst brunch experiences I have had. Now granted the space and decor is really nice and I in my mind enhanced the dining experience, but frankly that does not excuse bad food. The staff did not serve our coffee and the service was mediocre. I ordered the hangover breakfast. They indicated that they made their own noddles, which I'm fine with, but I don't believe they know how to cook them. It was not al dente. Lastly, the broth had too much salt. I'm sure their dinner is fine, but the brunch was uneventful. I didn't have the heart to tell the hostess my experience,so thanks for bearing my online rant.
(1)Julie Z.
After spending about an hour searching on Yelp for a brunch place, I decided on The Bristol and I'm happy I did. My fellow diner had been here for dinner and based on his rave reviews I figured their brunch must be legit and it was. Bloody Marys + 7 oz High Life - check! Meat + cheese + pickled items- Check! for the meat + cheese. The pickled business was not very good. Fried egg sandwich w pork belly - Check! Duck Fat fries - Check Check Check!!!! I could have eaten an entire plate of these. Mmmmm The Bristol reminds me of a few restaurants in Amsterdam. Great ambiance with pleasant and non-intrusive servers. I can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)Billy L.
Saturdays and Sundays, check their excellent brunnnccchhh mmmeeeennnnuuuuuuuuuuuuu! DONUTS.. drool~ .. DUCK DISH
(5)Holly J.
At one point in time (a mere four months ago) I was a somewhat avid "Yelper". I gave gleaming reviews and once in a great while a negative review would slip through the cracks. I had ceased production of witty banter and reccomendation however when I re-joined the service industry. Yelp can be such a fickle lover. There are those that hate long wait times, those that think seating is uncomfortable and those that think if you don't get a gratis loaf of bread and a slab of butter, the a place isn't worth your time. I think that's all absurd and was somewhat remiss to ever Yelp again. And then came The Bristol. We dined last night for Chef's week and each component of our visit was fairly superb. Four courses and two drinks well worth the $130 price tag. No sticker shock here. Service was nice. Not over the top and efficient in nature (we had everything we needed at all points of service and never felt that he lingered too long or rushed us through). The food (as follows) was delectable: To begin, we got peanuts seasoned with lardon bacon. A nice little snack and something I'm glad I don't have sitting around the house for I'd eat them all without hesitation in moments. After, I chose to have the egg/bread pudding and leek dish. It was a very enojyable accompaniment of flavor and the dish had an amazing asthetic. For the main course I chose skate wing with potato and parsnip puree and some balsamic greens. Accompanied with a tiny marrow bone. Again, the course was nice. I really enjoyed the skate wing, something I'd never tried before but so tender and not overly aquatic in taste (i.e. not from the Gordon's Fisherman, I've never trusted that dude). The highlight of the evening came in a small jam jar, lid flipped open. It was desert and it was cheesecake heaven topped with spiced breadcrumbs, apple, raisin and other delicious effects. Booze drinks are also stellar and the wine list is on point. I ordered a Gruner to take me through my meal and we chose two craft cocktails to begin (The Dark and Stormy and the Poire and Elderflower). Both were amazing. Thank you Bristol. Thank you service industry. And Yelp...I'm still uncertain of your merits however when I dine at an enjoyable place I'll make sure to rave. I'll save the rants for other forum.
(5)Bharat W.
Had high expectations of this place but everything here was average and nothing was extraordinary. We had the croquettes, the prawns, egg yolk and cheese raviolo, the roasted half chicken, as well as the monkey bread and olives for appetizer. The chicken was the best dish here which is sad. It was cooked perfectly with a nice crispy exterior and a nice tender taste inside. The drinks were also just okay. If you are looking for a good gastro pub, try Frontier on 1072 N Milwaukee instead which blows this place out of the water! On dessert side the nutter butter is also not too bad but the highlight was the blueberry cake. My 'Moscow mule' drink was lacking balance and structure. It felt like a combination of things that didn't fully come together. I hear good things about the bone marrow which I did not try but even if I did, the disappointment on the rest of the meal doesn't justify dining here. Once again not too bad of a place but in this economy your $55 are better spent elsewhere.
(2)Lindsey W.
This place was great! I started out the night with a moscow mule, served in a copper cup and super refreshing, I had 2 of them...but that was my limit. They were very strong and the ginger beer can get a little sweet after two. A definite must though...you have to at least give it a whirl. We then started off the meal with the monkey bread, it was golden and delicious and the dill butter was amazing! Next we moved onto the Apple salad, it had the perfect blend of cheese, sweet apples and a light vinagarette...loved it! Next we had the very large raviolo...I still can't figure out how this lucious pasta can hold a runny egg yoke and be cooked just perfectly. The brown butter sauce was a nice compliment to the creamy ricotta cheese as well. We finished the night off with the homemade nutter butters. I know some people think it is lame but they were delicious! Whatever is in the chocolate is amazing and I could eat that by the spoonful...which I may have done at the restaurant! All in all a delicious meal and it was enough food for 2 people to share.
(4)Dallas F.
Its been a while since Ive written a review and that's mainly because nothing has struck my fancy enough to write. That was until my recent dinner at The Bristol. Let me take a moment to walk you through my meal... Since I was with a group I had the opportunity to try several things from the menu. Let's start with the small plates, shall we? Holy duck fat fries! My taste buds are still haunted by memory of their deliciousness. Make sure to order them when dining at the Bristol. Think of me, and know that I am jealous of you. The Lazy Pierogi and Heirloom Apple Salad are also great dishes. The medium plates I tried were A-Ok too. I thought I wouldnt like the Raviolo, but it was actually pretty good. I could have done without the Goat Brain Ravioli, but hey you live and you learn and I can say I tried it. I did not regret the Large prawns in anchovy butter! The prawns were huge and could have filled me alone! After I was done eating everyone else's food I ordered the Chicken entree for myself. It was great I'm sure, but not terribly memorable. I do know it was seasoned well and very moist. The spatzle on the side was great though! The owner came out and asked how everything was and he couldn't have been nicer! It was a lovely meal and Id definitely recommend the Bristol.
(4)Luan N.
One thing I liked about the Bristol was that there were a lot of light and refreshing items on the menu. However, I felt the items did not quite have the technique and sophistication as Avec. After dining at the Bristol, I didn't ask any of the dishes, "Where have you been all my life?" FYI I tried the monkey bread, flatbread, raviolo, tenderloin, and skate wing. The raviolo, as Amish S put it was a child sized portion. I think the Raviolo would be just right for someone that just had a gastric bypass. I think the tastiest out these dishes were the raviolo and skate wing. However, it would not affect my psyche if I was told I could not dine here again.
(3)Bart T.
Just went here for brunch with some friends and it was great. First, get the duck fat fries and get it to start. I ordered it but it came later than my meal so I didn't get around to it until late so I had barely any room for it, which was a shame. They were crispy and went well with the garlic aioli. We also ordered the cinnamon roll and the donuts, which came first. I would have liked to eaten them at the end (I always like to finish meals with something sweet). I hate to say it but the donuts were ok - I honestly think I prefer Krispy Kreme :). The cinnamon roll was excellent though. I wish I would have eaten more of it. I had the fried egg sandwich with pork belly and mornay sauce and breakfast potatoes. This was excellent. There was more pork belly than I was expecting and the plate looked like there was a ton of food but I was able to finish most of it and still not feel like I over-ate (which I sometimes feel like after breakfast or brunch). The egg was done sunnyside up and cooked perfectly and the pork belly was fantastic. The breakfast potatoes were breakfast potatoes, nothing exactly special about it but good nonetheless (I mean, who can mess up breakfast potatoes)? Oh, and if you're wondering what mornay sauce is (which nobody at our table seemed to know), it's some sort of cheese sauce and it worked very well with the sandwich (which, I should mention, is an open-faced sandwich). Finally, a note about the drinks - the bloody mary here is ok. Not enough stuff with the bloody mary (just one olive and a lime) and not peppery enough. It was very bland. I also ordered the bacon manhattan and the candied bacon was very nice and the manhattan was pretty good also. It was stronger than I expected and I might have gotten a little buzz from it :).
(4)Mary H.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Chicago, which says a LOT considering how many options exist in this foodie city. After coming here once a few years ago for a friend's birthday, my girlfriends and I have returned to The Bristol every single time there is something special to celebrate. They have wonderful standbys (we consistently get the monkey bread, duck fat fries and chicken), but switch up menu items enough that you feel like you can try something new during each visit. The cocktail list is fantastic as well--I personally recommend the Poire & Elderflower. And how can you possibly review the Bristol without talking about their Basque cake. Holy balls, you guys...I had what was basically religious experience the first time I had this cake ("It tastes like HOME!"). The Bristol may be my favorite restaurant in Chicago, but the Basque cake is my favorite dessert of all time, no contest. Friendly staff, addictive food, innovative menu....thank god it's pricey, or I'd weigh a metric ton.
(5)Justin K.
Amazing food (everything was amazing), amazing service, and massive portion sizes for a restaurant like this. I actually had left overs which was a pleasant surprise.
(5)Marcy B.
Haven't been for brunch, but have heard it's great. Have been three times for dinner. One of the best roast chickens in Chicago. Chicken can be boring and dry. Not here. It's delicious. We have sent many friends and they all agree. Also love the pork chop. It's enormous and very flavorful. They have a great wine list and the staff is very helpful. One of our favorites.
(5)Matthew K.
I cannot complain about the food at all. With fine ingredients and quality execution, its hard to go wrong and the Bristol does not. The Mrs. and I shared a number of menu items and none were lacking. A flatbread with bacon, carmelized onion, and a rich goat cheese was very good. Duck fat fries were extremely tasty. The monkey bread was buttery, light, and fluffy-- though the dill butter tasted a little bland considering it was butter loaded with dill (it was also one of the more overpriced items). Ravioli with mushrooms and brown butter was also very fine, and the grilled prawns were delicious. My wife enjoyed her cocktail very much and an adequate beer selection provided me with a nice pairing to the meal. Atmosphere is nice even if you're slightly cramped. Service was fine and aside from the monkey bread, prices were fairly reasonable. I probably won't put it on a "must do" restaurant list, but its certainly a good restaurant that I would be happy to dine at again.
(4)Amanda B.
LOVED the bristol! Went here with some girlfriends for restaurant week and although its a little out of my usual price range... I would definitely go back. I don't usually start a review raving about the service but I think in this case it is merited. Our waiter was awesome!! He was helpful choosing drinks and entrees, he was attentive, he was funny and he could take a joke- loved it. He also made some special accommodations for my friends who were intimidated by the idea of bone marrow as part of their dinner (it was weird but delicious, by the way) In terms of food and drink this place was fantastic. We each got 2 rounds of cocktails and everything I tasted was unique and yummy. Definitely recommend their twist on a tom collins. As far as food, the dessert was probably the highlight of my meal so I'll start there- gingerbread pudding, nuff said. The first two courses were also fantastic- the roasted beet + guyere tart followed by bristol's special pasta that has double the egg yolk for thickness. I went with the Beef Osso Bucco as I was feeling adventerous and the meat was delicious. Another girl at my table got the same and didn't love it but I was a fan. Absolutely would go back and taste some other things on the menu!
(4)Michelle M.
The Bristol is my new favorite Bucktown restaurant. My first time in I ordered a special drink off menu that was delicious. The bartender gave me a sample of some of the ingredients so I could understand the individual flavors of the drink - how awesome is that? On my second trip I was happy to learn that this special drink was so popular that it is now on the menu as the Black Diamond. I would highly recommend the salads and the monkey bread. Mmmmm soft warm bread with dill butter. Delicious!
(5)Joseph L.
2.8 stars. Monkey Bread tasted like a freshly made Brown-n-Serve instant bread (that's a good thing if you also like what reminds me of bread from childhood). The trout was good but i was not wowed by the flash fried kale garnish. The fish was tasty and the gnocci was solidly decent. The duck fat fries, pretty good. Maybe I ordered the wrong thing, I'll go back (eventually.)
(2)Lynne J.
I love The Bristol and could eat here every single night! I love their Chicken, Monkey Bread and Duck Fries and their specials are amazing. This is my favorite restaurant in the city.
(5)Elisa P.
I shall never again be late to a reservation. My first 10 minutes at the Bristol involved high stress, quick decision making and a less than pleasant waiter that was hustling us to put in an order, as the kitchen was about to close. But as I said, can't really blame the Bristol when we walked in at 9:50 on a Monday. Other than the first few flustered moments, my time at the Bristol was well enjoyed. It should be on everyone's list of restaurants to try. The monkey bread lasted about 5 minutes it was so delicious, this seemed to set the pace for the rest of the meal. I had my new favorite salad here- apple, herbs, watercress, manchego and hazelnuts, I believe. I will most defiantly try and replicate this at home, since all other green salads are now ruined for me. A Raviolo, seriously?! This singular form of ravioli was truly delectable. As you cut into the middle, egg yolk spilled out over the cheese and onto the brown butter sauce that this perfect piece of pasta was sitting on. As I have been reading, the brunch here is good as well, and since I am a sucker for breakfast, rest assured Bristol I shall see you again; and this time I promise to be on time for my reservation!
(4)Michael E.
So I've tried to eat here before, but the place is just too happening to just wander in off the street....you should plan to go to this establishment, but eat early or late because standard hours may have a long wait and they don't take reservations. This was truly a gastronomical experience for me. Around 6pm about a 1/3 of the restaurant seating was still available. Seating puts you close to other tables, particularly along with wall, so at this time of the evening the conversations were tame from a volume perspective compared to what it is like when the place is at full capacity. The menu does have some seasonal items and was full of plenty of items I was just dying to try. To start we had, what I've come to call a unique Chicago food, duck fat fries.....the only other place I know that serves them is some little dive hot dog stand that is west of the city near the corn burbs, so I was excited to try these which were excellent. Another starter plate that caught our eye was "stuffed chicken wings?" Expecting to be disappointed with some fancy version of a Hooters special, I again wasn't disappointed. They were quite tasty. Lamb carpaccio was one of the seasonal specials which we ordered and split between us and the other was a skirt steak served with blue cheese raviolis. Personally.....I think just about every would be good if it was stuffed with blue cheese *sheepish grin*. Both of these dishes were complex in taste and texture and real treat to eat. I had desert envy - there, I said it....the nutter butter is a MUST try. Too good!!! Service and the server were excellent. Attentive in both food and drinks. Finally, valet service is only $7 which is a deal in Chicago where typical service of this sort is in the double digits.
(4)Joseph F.
I love this place's atmosphere--toned down, but lively. Unlike other restaurants with dim lighting, the cool swanky music keeps it from feeling like a museum. The bartending staff is friendly, and the food is quality. The only downside is that the portions are pretty small, especially given the price, so you'll leave with your taste buds satisfied but your stomach not. You can throw vegetables at me for the fact that after I finished I went to the Popeye's down the street for some tenders, but hell I was still hungry and they were 1/10th the cost for the same amount of protein...
(4)David R.
I'm having a hard time classifying my feelings about this joint. Annoyed? Disappointed? Betrayed? Aggressively indifferent? Hype [is greater than] reality (Eff you, Yelp, for disallowing basic symbols.) I thought based on reviews that this was a sort of junior Publican, but that is not at all the aesthetic (either decoratively or culinarily) which they are attempting. But that's not the reason that I didn't like it. The food simply wasn't any good. Monkey bread: It's a warm roll baked in segments, with salt brushed over it. How could this possibly deserve its reputation? It smelled great in that way that all warm bread does, and the dill butter is a nice touch, but this is far from rave-worthy. Duck pappardelle: Duck, green onions, wide floppy noodles...boring. It tasted fine, but nothing special. Bone marrow: I decided to be adventurous here, and it backfired. It didn't taste bad, but I'm not sure what the chef did to it. It was just bone marrow served inside the bones. With the consistency of greasy jelly, this stuff begs to be paired with something dry like toast....Oh, look, they gave me some toast. Neat. And some wine-flavored jam and some parsley. Now I can make four colorful little crostinis with all my adorable ingredients and pretend that this big oval plate of sophistication is worth $16 for eight moderately interesting but unenjoyable bites. Bleu cheese ravioli: ... It's ravioli with bleu cheese in it. Yawn. Chocolate pudding: Or whatever they called it (my crappy emergency laptop has no pdf reader so I can't look at the menu). This is a diminutive snifter of chocolate pudding with two house-made "Nutter Butters." So, it's my fault for not knowing what "Nutter Butters" are. But they were little peanut butter cookies, and I found them lacking; like most of the above--it's just a peanut butter cookie. I should have given my nutter butter to my friend because I derived no enjoyment from it. The pudding had big ol' crystals of sea salt in it. I understand the gustatory principle of salt-sweet combinations, but this was just gratuitous. The bites of pudding without salt were bland; the bites with salt were alarming and unpleasant. The beer: The Bristol didn't brew the stuff, but somebody on staff is selecting their offerings, so they get some of the blame. I didn't like either of my two drafts, although to be fair they offer plenteous imports and micro labels in bottle form. Go with one of those (if you go at all, which I am not recommending). The only thing saving them from two stars was the fact that our server unhesitatingly granted our request to have some bleu cheese ravioli without ordering the entire skirt steak dish. That's good service. Also, she never rushed us during the evening, as we were somewhat clumsy and irresolute in our ordering.
(3)Eric Y.
I went here last weekend with a group of eight and I've heard so many good things about this place. I really wanted to like it.....but it just wasn't very good or meet up to my expectations. Just to get it out of the way, YES THEIR DUCK FAT FRIES were amazing!!!! As amazing as these fries were though. They just couldn't save the rest of the meal. I had both the goat sausage and the pawns. The goat sausage was pretty salty and I felt like there just wasn't enough goat favor in it. Wasn't a fan.... The pawns were better then the goat, but they were just ok....I've had better. Its cool that everything is sourced from local farms, but the food just doesn't do it for me. Next..... -Newbs-
(3)jenny m.
I was really excited to try the Bristol. I like supporting restaurants that put a focus on using locally sourced ingredients and I had heard good things here & there. So I went in expecting to love the place, but left feeling a bit disappointed in the whole experience. First, we had a 930 reservation on a Friday night, but didn't get seated until about 45 minutes later. I can't help it, but it bothers me when popular restaurants can't manage reservations better. I can understand waiting a bit during peak times on peak days, but 45 minutes at 930 on a Friday? It just makes me annoyed from the get go. As soon as we were sat, our server came over and was kind of pushy about taking our order. It just felt like he wanted to get it in and then be done with us. Yes it's late, but we just got sat and need some time to look at the menu before ordering. Unfortunately that's pretty much what happened. Once we placed our order, we didn't see much of the server the rest of the time we were there. I definitely did not feel very taken care of. To be honest, I could have overlooked all that had the food blown me away. But it really just didn't. The monkey bread was really good...but it's also bread dipped in butter, it should be good. I enjoyed the prawns as well, but again, they were bathed in butter. For the entree, my friend and I split the fish special and we both had the same thought - the accompanying sauce was good...but the fish just tasted really "fishy". It just wasn't a fish dish either of us particularly enjoyed. Overall the experience & the food left me feeling underwhelmed. I will probably give Bristol another shot in the future, but on an off night when I won't have to wait and hopefully service will be better.
(3)Ying Y.
Although the last 2 times I have been, the Bristol has not been as great as the first 4 times I've been, I still think they deserve 5 stars. Here's why: Service: The staff are all very friendly and accommodating. It is clear they really love the food that is put out by the kitchen and it shows in their gushing descriptions when asked for recommendations. That said, they also don't recommend everything on the menu, which is a relief. Food is typically timed well and dishes come out in a thoughtful order, which the server confirms with you before proceeding. Drinks: The specialty cocktails are delicious here. I don't like sweet drinks and these are perfect for me. I definitely prefer them over the Violet Hour. The beer list is extensive and, or so I've been told, very good. I'm not a beer drinker so I don't know. In the times when we have asked for recommendations on wine, they have been decent but not memorable. Food: The star of this place. The food here is AMAZING, though there have been times when it has been a tad too salty or oily for me (I find this to be true at a lot of Chicago restaurants so maybe they are just adjusting to the taste of their clientele?). I haven't had a bad dish here and I've tried almost everything on their normal menu. Truly memorable dishes I've had are: Shrimp ala Planxa (first time everyone at the table ate the shells and head and everything else since it was so good, second time was much too salty :( ), squid ink pasta, chicken with corn cake thing, truffle pig-stamped coin like pasta (even though you can't make out the pig at all), and this goat cheese (I think) "cheese cake". I also must add I don't really like desserts and HATE cheese cake, but this dish reminded me of a dessert I had at L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, which I still consider the best thing I've ever eaten in my life.
(5)Anjee J.
Absolutely hands down the worst brunch I ever had in my life. Wow. I'm pissed, and I'm just going to get straight to the point. The Bad: The coffee glazed donut. Sounds awesome, right? Except I could barely taste the coffee in the glaze and all I could taste in the donut itself was yeast. Ah, a sign of bad things to come... The potatoes. After seeing how meager my biscuits and gravy portion was (oh, and wait til I get to THAT), I immediately asked my server for an additional side of them as my boyfriend's looked amazing. I probably should've tasted one first. Completely flavorless and underwhelming. They had a great crunch, but that $4 would've still been far better spent on a pack of frozen hash browns. The ketchup... WAS it even ketchup? Because I'm pretty sure someone served us tomato paste by mistake. They're doing their customers a huge disservice by not just placing a damn bottle of Heinz on the table, especially because their potatoes seriously need it. The AWFUL: The #$%^ing biscuits and gravy were a JOKE. Ohmygod, where do I begin? I'm pretty sure I was served a single biscuit that was cut into two completely flat, square halves. It wasn't fluffy, it wasn't buttery, it wasn't even 3-dimensional! As for the gravy, guess what? It was watery and had ZERO flavor. Surprise! Was there even meat in it? I assume that's what the lumpy bits were, but I couldn't taste any. The poached eggs on top were a useless addition, as all they did was water down the flavor even further. They have some audacity charging $11 for this garbage, let alone serving it at all. To add insult to injury, when I told the manager/owner that I was dissatisfied, he had the nerve to say that "the weather" was responsible for the biscuits being flat. As for everything being severely undersalted? "That's why we have it on the table." *points* Uuuhhh, yeah, that wasn't condescending at all. I was pretty polite throughout the whole exchange but in retrospect, considering his unaccommodating attitude, I wish I had asked for it to be taken off the bill. Terrible. I reeeeally don't get the hype surrounding this place, but maybe the dinner is where it's at. Too bad I'll never be going back to find out.
(1)Kevin K.
My wife and I ate at The Bristol after a day manning our booth at the National Restaurant Accosition Show at the McCormick Place. What a great way to end the day for two country kids from central Illinois. We have been to The Bristol a few times and have never yet been disappointed. The atmosphere, the service (Elliott was the perfect waiter!) and especially - the FOOD!! Fantastic! Every time! The Duch Fat Fries are to die for and the Monkey Bread is incredible. We shared the Roasted Chicken and it was supurb. For dessert, we ordered the Chocolate Cremeux (which was great), but they also brought us the Basque Cake, which has to join my short list of favorite desserts. Many thanks to Chef Pandel and his staff for a very memorable dining experience.
(5)Michael M.
I liked it. Everything I ordered was very good. In reality, Bristol would get 3.5 stars if possible.However... This score isn't higher primarily because I didn't like the menu that much. The ingredients were redundant, and none of the dishes seemed particularly original. This was not one of those places where you feel like everything on the menu looks fantastic, and you can't decide. I also found our waiter to be a bit annoying. That said, the cassoulet was fantastic.
(3)Christina G.
I don't know if it's fair to write a review now, but I did eat here once a couple of years ago and remember it being pretty good with awesome cocktails. However, of recent times, I have yet to return because it's almost impossible to make a reservation. Which is fine but my sister lives across the street and I was house-sitting a few weeks ago, so I invited two friends over and walked over at 7pm and put in my name, and was told 2 hour wait. Perfect. I was told I'd get a phone call when the table was ready. By 9:15, hadn't heard anything so we walked over, and were told maybe another 45 minutes. Not another 45 minutes, but maybe 45 minutes. The host would not commit to giving us a table! Normally this would have been fine, but not 2.5 hours after you said you would! Not cool! We could have looked elsewhere in the meantime if they had just been honest in the first place (i.e. "I'm sorry but we won't be able to accommodate walk-ins today."). Anyway, we weren't the only ones, so along with a few other people walked over to the recently opened Red Door, which was a pleasant surprise. As of now, never planning on trying to get a table here again.
(1)Stephanie G.
So, I had been to the Bristol two times prior to last night, and my fiancé and I enjoyed it so much that we considered having our wedding reception there. We ended up choosing a different venue, but we try to make it to the Bristol whenever we get the chance, and we recommend it to everyone we know. I had been meaning to write a review for this restaurant, but I was compelled to do so after my experience this weekend. When I dined here the two other times, I was a meat-eater. I thought their dishes were amazing and the drinks were even more delicious. The mixologist, Dave, is a super talented guy. My fiancé and I sit at the bar just so we're able to talk to him directly and have him make some off-menu drinks, which he has always been more than happy to do. I've made some changes to my diet and no longer eat meat or dairy. Looking at the menu, I realized that there was nothing I could eat. So I called the day before our reservation to ask if they can cater to my diet. The manager, Jason, was EXTREMELY friendly about it. I guess they make special menus for people with dietary restrictions. He told me some of the options and noted on our reservation that I was vegan, so I didn't have to have that awkward moment in front of everyone to ask for a special menu--they just brought it to the table. The vegan options were great--I had the shaved squash salad for a starter, which everyone at the table really liked, and the mushroom barley risotto for my entree. Now, I did cheat a little because the Basque cake is worth it. I limited myself to one bite, which was not enough--you'd know that if you've tried it. It's the most amazing butter cake with a delicious fruit compote and candied walnuts. Our table also got the risotto cheesecake brûlée, and that was a hit. I loved this place before, and now love it even more after they were so accommodating to my diet. It's definitely one of my top three restaurants in Chicago.
(5)Anna E.
This place is SO YUMMY!!! I went with a gal pal for a birthday celebration and it's a great place to share. The portions are just perfect, the server was helpful (and efficient) and the vibe was good. We ate: --skirt steak and blue cheese ravioli...I could pretty much eat that every day. It was done perfectly. --gnocchi...some of the best I've ever had, even compared to a lot of Italian joints. Perfect little pillows of dough. --the grilled flatbread...it was tasty, but just a little on the dry side and it could've used a little more toppings. Other than that, a perfect meal and experience!
(5)Steve G.
Service is good. Friendly, accommodating, on top of everything, etc. The space and decor are fun. Don't get the chilaquiles at brunch. Mediocre in every way. The menu claims the dish has braised pork in it, but I found only three little dried-out, chewy (i.e., the opposite of braised) chunks of pork among a gelatinous mass of tortilla with an egg thrown on top. No effort put into the dish whatsoever. It was like yesterday's dinner scraps thrown together to take advantage of the brunch crowd. Extremely disappointing. My wife enjoyed her smoked-trout quiche, though her side of bacon was way, way overcooked. My mother-in-law liked her eggs Benedict, which I'm happy about because she insisted on treating us. I have to wonder if the Bristol went to huge efforts to make a name for itself when it first opened and then gave up once that name was developed. I suppose I'd go back once more to make sure, but yeah...weak first experience as far as the food went. Won't be back for brunch, at least.
(2)Isla E.
I need to start going to restaurants when they open. You all get so excited about things, anyone is bound to be disappointed. Monkey bread, schmonkey bread. But my companions seemed to like everything; the pork entree was especially favored. I would go back, but I just think places like this need a large, interesting salad. Using every vegetable they have in the kitchen. It can't be that hard. I want a salad that makes other people wish they had ordered it. Rather than the looks of pity I normally get. There are still plenty of things to eat for those that aren't as carnivorous, although vegans may have some trouble. Roasted bone marrow tastes like unflavored gelatin, btw. The drinks were great, though, both boozy and non. They gave me an hourglass to time my tea steeping. And I'm so glad we stayed for dessert! Some kind of peanut butter chocolate thing and another cake with some creamy stuff or fruit or I really don't remember now. But it was definitely good.
(4)Matt L.
Tell your motha, tell your brotha, tell your son, tell your fatha To finish off their meal with some quince panna cotta! Someone get Diddy on the phone. I need a record deal if I'm going to keep dropping hot rhymes like this.
(5)Stella D.
three letters: DFF DUCK FAT FRIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this was recommended to us by my husband's friend and they did not disappoint. The drinks were amazing, the food was amazing, the service was amazing. Its not pretentious, its not in the middle of the city and it does not have a Be-seen attitude to it. all good food, all amazing at great prices. do i wanna go back? HFY! (hell fucking yeah!)
(5)Shannon H.
Enjoyed dinner on a double date here recently. Favorite cocktails were poire & elderflower (if you like sweet) and the moscow mule. Great atmosphere and service. Unique, tasty dishes that are good for sharing.
(4)Kristin R.
So a few weeks ago, Matt L. and I were agonizing over where to go to dinner. We decided on the Bristol. I feel bad only giving it 3 stars but it is not the best place to come if you are practically a vegetarian, which I almost am. Some would say I'm picky, but I guess I just like a more traditional menu with more variety. But if you happen to be a foodie, this could just be the place for you! Firstly, the service here was phenomenal. Our waiter (his name I never knew) was incredibly knowledgeable about everything. From the drinks to the food, he was very patient with my questions, and recommended a great starter cocktail based on my personal inclinations toward spirits. He also put up with our indecisiveness while we scrutinized the menu to pick dishes we would both enjoy. The monkey bread was good and is a great starter dish. Nothing too strange about this. It came with an interesting dipping sauce and the primary flavor totally escapes me. I'm thinking dill? In any case, it was yummy. Then there came the bone marrow. I may be picky but I will pretty much try anything as long as there is no mayonnaise in it. The consistency got to me a bit. It comes in a bone and is quite jelly-like. I tried it, spread it over some toasted bread, and it basically tastes like butter. So if you can get over the fact that you're eating bone marrow, it isn't bad. I'm not a super sophisticated eater though so did not fully appreciate it, nor would I order bone marrow again. We also ordered this very interesting vegetarian pasta. I forget what is in it, I think he said there was lots of saffron. It almost tasted tart, sort of like a grapefruit, but it was actually really good. And this would be a dish I would for sure order again in the future. A nice vegetarian option for you non meat eaters. Lastly, OMIGOD the nutter butter is to die for. One of my favorite parts of this meal. It is a chocolate pudding dish but much thicker and denser than pudding. A very rich dessert so you could split it or ask for a glass of milk to wash it down, seriously. And it comes with two home made nutter butter like cookies that you can dip in the chocolate. It is making my mouth water just thinking about it! Oh and they had a great list of specialty cocktails. I ordered the Moscow Mule and loved it. In conclusion, take my 3 stars for what it's worth. I don't really eat meat. For all the vegetarians out there, this is NOT the place for you. I also do not have a sophisticated palate and am not what one would define as a "foodie". So while I've given it only 3 stars, I think anyone should give this restaurant a go!
(3)chris c.
I am still of the opinion that this is one of the most under rated gems in the city. Prices are reasonable, the food always rocks and the drinks are always spot on. It has been doing what longman and eagle are trying to do for longer and they do it better. This place is just the bomb diggity.
(5)Stuart E.
This place lives up to the hype, unlike some of other restaurants it competes with (cough--Longman & Eagle--cough). I instantly felt at easy when I walked in, melting into the booth and enjoying the rustic decor. The food was tremendous. Apple slaw, greens, and monkey bread to start--the slaw hit it out of the park in particular. I had the suckling pig special, with sugar snap peas and steel-cut oats. Amazing. The skin alone was enough to send me home to write this review (though it did take a week because I'm lazy). There were absolutely no complaints from our party. This place is worth a visit, or five.
(5)Matthew S.
To say that I was excited about eating at The Bristol would be an understatement. Now I am excited to go back and try some other things. When we first arrived i explained to our server that my girlfriend is a vegetarian. She talked through the entire menu and explained the different options for her. We started off with the monkey bread which was really light and fluffy. My girlfriend started with the Apple Salad (Marinated Manchego and hazelnut) which she said kicked Panera's Apple salad in the ass. Which I thought was really cute. I had the Werp Farms breakfast radish with butter and sea salt. If you like radishes this is a must have and a really beautiful presentation. For our entrees, she had the Raviolo (Ricotta,egg yolk, brown butter) and I had the Roasted Half Chicken (dill spatzle, crunchy salad). We both loved our meals and I think that might have been the tastiest piece of chicken I have ever had. As great as this place is, they really don't rub it in your face. They are warm and welcoming and the food is enough to send you to group therapy meetings. When I come back I will be trying the Mussels (they are huge so bring someone to share them with) and the Crispy Pig tail. I am already planning to go back next Friday with my brother. O I almost forgot about the desert. We had a cranberry upside down cake and a hazelnut cream. I enjoyed that with a blood orange tea which was amazing. Buy the hype! This place is legit.
(5)Becca H.
I went to The Bristol for the first time last night with some family. I live in Wicker Park, so I've been meaning to try it for a while now (so glad it's on OpenTable now!) I have to say that it definitely lived up to its hype. Sadly, I didn't try any of the drinks, but the cocktails looked delicious. But as far as the food goes... We started with the duckfat fries which were so good! Definitely on the greasy/ heavy side, but that's to be expected. We also split the pumpkin salad which was so good and refreshing. We also had the kale flatbread, which I also thought was excellent, good option for sharing. Bone marrow was good, but nothing special. Main course we split the chicken and the tuna. The chicken was FABULOUS! So so so great! The tuna was interesting. It was a HUGE portion. Half of our group loved it and the other half thought it was so-so. For desserts we split the pumpkin tart, which was good but nothing to go crazy over, and the apple cake. The apple cake may have been my favorite part of the meal, which was the over-all conclusion of the group I was with. The service was great! Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, gave us good tips for what to order and how much to order for our group (4 people). I'd definitely recommend this place! Great for a small group or a date. Definitely on the pricey side, so be ready to throw down some $$$.
(5)Tamara W.
Awesome drinks! Great service! GO GO GO !
(5)Linda Z.
Really great cocktails, fun atmosphere and tasty food. We had the farm green salad and the apple salad to start, both of which were dressed appropriately and gave the fresh kick we were looking for. The half chicken was well-seasoned and tender (and much better than what we had at Publican, in my opinion). Would love to return.
(4)Suzanne S.
I went here for brunch with my husband, sister and infant, and we met two friends. We arrived a couple of minutes early and our table was not yet ready, instead of saying, it'll be 10 minutes, they made an effort to clear space at the bar for us to sit, and the bartender brought out waters and menus and took drink orders. I know this sounds like no big deal, but you had to be there to appreciate how smooth it was and how kind the host invited us into the restaurant. We were fine just hanging out in the foyer or street, but it was nice to have this level of graciousness. I always think brunch is the best meal of the day. Like all the potential for your day is there on the plate in front of you. Strong coffee, pleasant service, attentive staff, and damn good food. I had the house cured salmon and bagel, it was perfect. My husband did note his egg sandwich was a bit salty, but the breakfast potatoes made up for that. And the Cinnamon Roll. Light, sweet, but not grossly sugary. We also loved the donut. One of each was enough for five adults to share. This place has really put the gleam back into the word, "service". Can't wait to try it for dinner.
(5)Marc L.
My girlfriend and I hit up this place for brunch because we had a card for ten dollars off. It seemed to be going well at first: the interior was nice, we were seated quickly near the open air front area which had a pleasant breeze, and my cappuccino was excellent. We were starving so we ordered the coffee-glazed donut to start. It was very fresh and had a super light texture, but I couldn't taste any coffee in the glaze. It was also very yeasty and not sweet enough. Then I had the fried egg sandwich with pork belly. I had high hopes for this sandwich, but it just didn't deliver. The first problem was that it was kind of hard to eat. Am I wrong in thinking it's not a good idea to serve an open face sandwich with a fried egg and sauce on top? I would have liked two pieces of bread instead of one thick slice on the bottom, just to make eating the thing easier, and less messy. I already look slobby enough when i haven't shaved in like a week, I don't need egg all up in my beard too.Then, I wasn't wowed by the flavor either. It was good, but it wasn't remarkable. I expected more from the pork belly, but it might as well have been a normal chunk of ham. The best part of the meal (aside from the coffee) was the breakfast potatoes, but even these had their flaws. I liked that they were crispy, but it was kind of like getting the bottom of a chip bag. There were a couple proper bits, but the rest was just crispy crumbs. Then there was the homemade ketchup, which was awful. It pretty much just tasted like tomato paste. All in all, this was a very dissapointing meal, especially for the prices they charge, though I must point out that our waitress was friendly and checked on us frequently, so at least it wasn't a total disaster.
(2)Alison T.
We went here for the first time a few weeks ago. Very cool interior. We didn't have to wait long at all. They do send you upstairs for drinks if there is a wait... which is a little odd that they don't just use all of the space upstairs as a regular dining room. We got a bunch of different stuff to try, which is definitely the way to go. We got the duck fat fries, bone marrow, quail, gnocchi, and a couple other things I can't remember now. Everything was delicious. The price definitely gets up there since you get a bunch of different small-portion dishes, but a great place to try new things!
(4)maria h.
I went there the other night with hopes of celebrating my friends birthday. Not only did it take 15 mins for us to simply get our cocktails, but there was a food in my hair and the manager had the gull to say he didn't know how it got there, everybody in the kitchen has really short hair.(suggesting it was mine) While waiting for the bathroom that is right across from the open doorway of the kitchen I saw two men with long hair. Bad customer service is suggesting it's my fault there's a hair buried under my $20 Halibut. Then they totally mishandled the birthday cake we had brought in. It was pretty much an overrated place for the price we paid. I expected better customer service from a place I was paying that much for.
(1)annie c.
Finally made it here last Saturday after a previous attempt, which ended with me and my man having drinks and snacks but no meal b/c this place gets very crowded and they don't take reservations. This is a great spot for an early dinner, OR if you are in the mood to drink your face off with their awesome list of specialty drinks and have a few snacks with the hope of having a meal around 10 pm, go for it. I suggest the senior citizen hour! like 5:30 or 6. Ok, the food is great, service is slow. Cheese plate was wonderful, monkey bread and spicy olives all very very good. I had the apple salad and ravioli, be warned, it's one very large ravioli, but it was delicious. My companions had the pasta and pork ragu and the egg and pork belly sandwich, their reviews were favorable to say the least. The space is pretty unique, has a communal eating style feel about it. And I was impressed with the wines and the specialty drinks, did I mention that? Skip dessert and head down the street to another joint for dessert!
(4)m c.
food is excellent, the communal tables are acceptable, decent wines by the glass and prices extremely reasonable. perfect neighborhood joint, despite the lack of reservations which are really annoying and just OK service (our server was not that knowledgeable about the menu, though acceptably pleasant). there are a lot of things i'd like to go back and try so this may become our new fave place.
(4)attalie d.
love! want to go back asap. went on a friday at 7 with my boyfriend and we immediately were seated at the bar. I will definitely sit at the bar again...the service was amazing and we had a couple people keeping an eye on us that were extremely helpful. cocktails--perfect and worth the wait (that was really not that long). egg yolk ravioli--insane good and will not be able to return without ordering this again...not sure why anyone would complain about this, but I imagine there would be several other things we would disagree on...
(5)Madelyn H.
we went to this place fairly early on a friday night so didn't have problems with the wait or with parking, but that kind of thing generally doesn't cause me to give a restaurant demerits. my fiance had been to this restaurant before, so he recommended that we share some snacks/salads/sides and then get our own medium/large dish. i'd definitely recommend this strategy because it was just the right amount of food and you still get to try lots of things. the food i had was great. started out with the monkey bread... loved it. what a fun food to bring back and in an interesting way. also had the lazy pierogi... this too was an unusual take on something standard. really tastey and sagey. then had the heirloom apple salad (which i don't really remember) and the duck fat french fries (which were delish). so i ordered the skate wing with root vegetables, and i also thought this was a great dish. we tried the cheesecake and nutter butters for dessert. i'm not a huge fan of cheesecake, but this was nice and light with great flavor. the little nutter butters were good, but they came with a cup of chocolate, and i felt like the ratio of chocolate to nutter butters was off. overall, had a really good experience at the bristol and am glad to have it in the neighborhood. good to eat: cheesecake, duck fat fries, lazy pierogi must try: monkey bread, skate wing
(4)simon y.
chris pandel rocks. his pastas are amazing. the only thing is this place gets crowded and a little noisy. you also may have to share your table. but the food is worth it.
(5)Alex D.
My boyfriend and I had a great dining experience at The Bristol. We arrived around 5ish on a Sunday. We were warmly greeted and seated right away. The restaurant filled up fairly quickly after that. The space is minimalist in design, but it had a nice and warm, inviting atmosphere. We felt right at home. Our server was very friendly and attentive...explained the menu and took our drink orders. We both had some great beer. As a small plates/sharing type of restaurant, you'd expect that dishes would come out fairly close together, but our orders were very well staggered. Each dish is small enough where you are left wanting more. We started off with the excellent Duck Fat Fries with the aioli and homemade ketchup. The stuffed chicken wings were tender and perfectly cooked. The next dish that came out was the monkey bread. It came out nice and hot and fluffy with a buttery dipping sauce. My recommendation is to twist some more salt into the sauce for more flavor. It made the dipping sauce thatmuch better. Our pick for our large plate was the sausage - Boudin Blanc. I'm not the biggest fan of sausage, but I actually enjoyed it. "Sooo Meaty!" - E! Talk Soup. The cabbage and the pasta went very well with the sausage. I highly recommend the cheesecake for dessert. It was paired very well with diced appley goodness. One thing about our dinner that really impressed me was that we were given a new set of silverware/plates after each course! Just this small act [which wasn't even necessary, once or twice would have been enough] made me feel great about dining at The Bristol. When one of us excused ourselves to use the restroom, the busser came by and proceeded to fold our napkins and place it back on the table. Very nice touch. [I do notice some similarities between The Bristol and The Publican, but since I had such a disappointing dining experience at The Publican...I won't be back.] All in all, a great time and we look forward to going back and trying out more dishes.
(5)mary o.
went here on a very busy wed night. Between four of us and our hungry appetites we sampled most of the menu. Loved the radish salad which was basically a bunch of radishes, toast, butter and salt. So simple yet so good! who knew? Didnt try the duck fat fries but they were quickly devoured by my friends. Huge beer list, great cocktails and bustling scene. Can't wait to go back!
(5)kari n.
this is a cool spot. Super friendly bartender and staff always add to that. We started at the bar which has an impressive beer list and unique cocktails (like the ginger puree, vodka, beer concoction I tried and enjoyed). Dinner included the duck fat fries (sinfully good), the heirloom apple salad (the cheese in this was great - there was a lot of this salad and it was quite tangy though, so a smaller portion would've been appropriate), and the roasted squash (I loved this, but I love veggies). I don't eat meat, and there are very few options on this menu that don't include pork in some manner, but I still had an enjoyable meal. The service was good and the atmosphere and crowd mean we'll go back.
(4)Marilyn L.
Noone in our party of 8 was impressed. One had to go out for fresh air because it was so smoky and stuffy from the kitchen. The food was nothing to remember. The mussels were bland, the raviolio was one 3 inch piece as an entree! They sat other people at our table without even asking us, and told us they can do that since it is their restaurant, even though there were other open tables. Too many other good choices. Overpriced, and will not return.
(2)bumpers k.
This place looks very appealing. The waitstaff is great, the menu is great, and the space is great. HOWEVER, the quality of the food and its prep is quite lacking. Of the six items we ordered, we liked zero. bland salad, aweful ravioli, weird undercooked sausage. The kitchen really needs some attention. Our table mates sent their food back, twice.
(2)Joe S.
This is a great place. The beer list is stellar and the menu is without pretense. I had the Fried Pig Tail, Roasted Bone Marrow, Monkey Bread and Duck Fries. All was very good. The Pig Tail was succulent at times, dried beyond salvation in other parts and 100% gelatinous and full of porky goodness. It was a bit dry, to be honest, but I didn't let that entirely disappoint me. The slaw that it was served with was, I believe, daikon, chive, carrot, basil, cilantro etc. It was tropical in its influences and seemed out of place/season, especially in late-December Chicago. The dish begged for a little help from a sauce. The monkey bread was good, but nothing amazing. The Duck Fat fries were nicely done, albeit not screaming hot. I like fries to be still glistening with fat when they arrive, one of the perils of fried food vs. slow food-running. The bone marrow was pretty good. I think a little more bread would have been nice, but lovely accompaniments (pickled ramps? December?!) Sipped a Goose Island Juliet and Saison Dupont throughout the meal. Can't go wrong there. I would recommend this place to someone with a more curious palate. Not so far outside the box, but not run of the mill. Good job, Bristol!
(4)Laura W.
I've been deliberating whether to send a note to the management, but thought I'd check yelp first to see if my experience matched anybody else's. It didn't, so I guess I won't. In a nutshell, the decibel level in this place is ear-splitting. I went on a Monday, mind you, and there were two parties there, but holy cow, that place needs some sound baffling material on the ceiling, walls, whatever because all I can say is ouch. Now to the service- excellent, perhaps bordering on the ebullient, but everybody was very nice and we received a thorough explanation of each dish. The food is a mixed bag, and having been to the Publican recently, the Bristol falls short in its efforts to do the organic, small dish, tripe stew-type thing. The wine list is delightful. The appetizers were not so hot. The burgers were amazing. The fries were soggy. The panna cotta was great. Overall worth trying, but wear ear plugs if the place is more than half full.
(3)laurence h.
we've tried the bristol twice in the first two weeks and finally another great place in the neighborhood. after del toro and meritage closed (we ate at both at least once a week) we were worried that we'd have to start driving to dinner (scarey). after the disappointment of the food at "duchamp", we now have a new favorite and it 's even open late. haven't tried anything we didn't like but we really enjoyed the e.l.t. , the grilled shrimp and the mackerel caesar salad. the cocktails are lovely too. we'll be back every week , if we can get a table. PLEASE START TAKING RESERVATIONS !
(4)Rudra B.
Excellent restaurant. If you're feeling like the publican minus the crowd and beer hall feel - this might be for you... Went there this past Saturday to celebrate a friends birthday. Everyone was friendly - from the host to the bartender who served us while we waited for our table to our excellent server who was knowledgeable and attentive without ever feeling suffocated. Okay - it should be a 5 star review. Our table ordered the duck fat fries (who could resist!), the monkey bread (a must!) to start. for entrees, I ordered the pig tail - which was roasted. to. perfection. Seriously, i cut it down the middle the meat just fell off the bone (a spine in this case - new for me...). It was excellent. Imagine something like chicken that tastes like bacon. With the pesto, spring onion and leeks I was in heaven! Thanks to our server, i had a lovely Pinot Noir to cut through the fat. An excellent pairing suggestion. My table mates had the roasted chicken and the flank steak - both looked wonderful. For dessert - we shared the Basque Cake (which was incredibly yummy) and the Creameaux (sp?) with parisian macaroon (delightful). I had a cappucino as well - it did not disappoint. It was a wonderful meal and we all enjoyed it thoroughly.
(5)Camille P.
Everything here is perfectly prepared. It is exactly what it is intended. Interesting and creative dishes with perfect balance. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Aurore L.
I always hated Sundays, as long as I can remember. In France these are sad days.....everything is closed, and the only excitement is to go to church and then spend the afternoon eating the 43-course lunch before passing out on a nearby sofa. Thanksgiving every Sunday. Can you imagine? Here....well, there is football, trips to the in-laws, and work the next day. At least I can do retail therapy if I feel the need to. But since August, at least once a month, I am looking forward to last day of the week because of our Sunday Night Supper Club. And this month, guess what? - we stopped at The Bristol for an evening of yummy eating. The concept is pretty simple: each one of us chooses 2 or 3 dishes, and we share it all. Along with cocktails, wine and/or beer depending on the food and mood. That's my speed to kick off the week. That night we tried quite a few things on the menu but my favorite were: - the apple salad with marinated manchego and hazelnuts: fresh, fragrant, nice contrast of textures yet simple, it was a nice palate-cleanser. - bone marrow with shallots jam but then again - it's impossible to mess up. So so good though..... - raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter - a classic but perfectly executed - the pork shank, despite what I read the same week, was very good, meat falling off the bones. But really triggered the fifth star for me was the desserts. So many other restaurants don't pay any attention to the closing act of the meal, leaving it to chance and second thoughts that when it's stellar, it certainly deserves recognition. The nutter butters with the chocolate sabayon was as good as everyone said but the other two we shared - a warm apple cake with all the works and a deconstructed Snickers bar in a mason jar - were just as delicious, if not more. I have a sweet tooth....for sure. And I am glad when it's well taken care of. Sundays are definitely looking up. .
(5)Elizabeth W.
Losing my mind writing my dissertation (but close to finishing..woohoo!) and desperately needed my "out" time, so hubs and I got out of hp last night to unwind in Wicker at this little gem of a restaurant. They don't take reservations but on a Friday night at 7:45ish we had no problem getting in with only a 15 min. wait. As soon as we were seated and surveyed the food and drink menus, my whole body relaxed into what turned out to be an absolutely stellar evening that (momentarily) lifted away my dissertation blues. Monkey bread is a definite must-have as are the apple salad with hazelnut and the market greens with a tarragon-buttermilk dressing that was so freakin' delicious I literally wanted to drink it. Ravolio with egg yolk was divine and the garganelli with a ground squid sauce (more squid, less sauce) was just what the doctor (no pun intended) ordered. The Ranson Gin Fizz and Pisco Sour have both made it onto one of those personal "best of" lists. Mmmmm Wanted to try to more of the cocktails but exercised restraint (so, so hard in situations like these) since I must continue being productive on the diss (yes, must write even on a Saturday..doesn't my life sound awesome?) and unfortunately I couldn't afford the hangover that would most certainly ensue =) For dessert had their version of cheesecake, which was a lot lighter and fluffier than your standard cc but still had the requisite graham cracker crust along with a few other oddities like a fruit roll up and crunchy fried herbs that made for an altogether happy and satisfied sweet tooth. Service was solid, not too intrusive or overbearing. Sometimes I felt like he was reading (verbatim) from the menu rather than offering fuller explanations of the dishes, but oh well. I can go more fine dining if I want a culinary lesson, right? Loved the decor, it's got the metal/wood/brick industrial-chic thing going on. Edison bulbs hanging, blackboard chalk menus, interesting artwork. A single-shelf, exposed brick, beautifully simple bar. Extremely hip space. Thanks for making me so happy, Bristol! Now I am re-charged and ready to get back to the dissertation...at least for now...
(5)Thomas J.
Agree with the other reviews. Each has the "try this selection", the problem is you actually need to try it all. The menu changes and everything is made on spot from local resources. One of mine and my girlfriends first dates, but very much one of out favorites. The servers are very knowledgeable and understand their clients while explaining everything in depth. Menu options are very diverse and I have a hard time vocalizing what to try because everything is delicious. Positive and negative is the wait can go from an hour to 0 depending on when you hit. Bottom line, just eat there, you will understand.
(5)Tim R.
Great meal well served in a lovely space. My wife and I got there just before 6 on a Sat night - early, but necessary if you don't want to wait. The tables are tight, but I think that is the point - Meet your neighbor and enjoy the community. Very complete wine list with a dozen+ by the glass. The duck fat fries are a hit, but more than the 2 of us needed. We shared a lot and glad we did. The Q7 Grassfed Strip Steak was perfectly done and flavorful, the Fazzoletti was perfectly prepared. For a starter we had the Apple Salad. Top it off with a wonderful waiter that was knowledgable, pleasant, not hovering and with a great sense of humor. We had a wonderful evening.
(5)Rajiv H.
I'm really at 3.5 stars, but seeing as how that's not an option, I'll bump them up because they supported UNICEF for the Tap Project. You know how everyone is saying the duck fat fries are phenomenal? They're not lying. The Monkey Bread is also very good, though it's really just fresh, fluffy, delicious bread with some great dill butter on the side. Our meals ranged from okay to very good. I got the raviola which was described to me as a handmade ravioli with a liver like filling. It's cool, I like liver. The pasta was exceptional, but I would have liked more filling. Mom on the other hand was the winner of the night with the Roasted Half Chicken. Sounds so boring, yet, tastes so good. Huh. Who woulda thunk it. This really was one of the most tender and flavorful pieces of chicken I've had in quite some time. I'd go back to The Bristol. It's a cool, young, hipster kinda place, just like you'd expect in this part of Wicker Park. There's an upstairs with a bar to hangout at while you wait for your table (we waited about 45 minutes at 9:30 on a Saturday night), where you can order appetizers as well.
(4)Sarah K.
My husband and I had one of the best meals we've had in a while at The Bristol last night. We had the roasted squash and pork loin tonnato starters, the cavatelli pasta and the hanger steak frites. All were absolutely delicious. The steak was a wee bit salty. The duck fat fries that came with our steak were the best fries I have ever had I think. The service was great too.
(5)Amanda F.
I do not get the hype for this place. Yes it's an adorable space, and the vibe is quite chic, but the food is really gross. It's so fattening and oily, I literally felt greasy for 24/hrs afterwards. And yes I do admit & realize I eat rather unhealthy foods sometimes when I go out--tacos, burgers, etc. and I always enjoy them for the most part, but I've never felt so gross in my life after a meal. I get that this is the Midwest and people love their fatty foods, but frying every animal body part and calling it gourmet is simply disgusting. Finally, the names of the dishes were sickly sounding too. Fried bone marrow, fried goat tongue, pickled rabbit ears, etc etc, you get the point. No thanks.
(2)Lauren P.
according to yelp, two stars equals 'meh. i've experienced better.' totally accurate in this case. i really wanted to love this place. 3 people in my group of close friends have birthdays within a month so we planned a big fancy dinner to celebrate. things started off ok. our reservation options were 6:30 and 10, so we went for 6:30, telling the hostess who took our reservation that one person in our party would be about 20 minutes late. (she was coming from work but since her work is literally down the block, we knew she'd be speedy.) the hostess was not happy, apparently they don't usually seat parties until everyone was there, but since we had an early reservation, a large group and promised to eat apps and drink cocktails until she arrive. they said it was fine. night of the dinner, we get there right on time and speak to the host who is in a little glass vestibule outside the main restaurant. we checked us in and ushered us through the door. as my friend was walking through the door to the eating area, a staff member inside rushes over and held up his hand in a traffic cop 'STOP' gesture. then literally flicked us back into the vestibule. WTF!?! oh i'm sorry are we not allowed in? the host went and talked to him, then we were allowed to walk to our seats. ok...that was weird. we sit and order apps and drinks. but before the waitress leaves, she asks about our missing friend. she'll be here soon we said. we order.... -duck fat fries? delish. dipping sauce. delish. really you can't go wrong. -monkey bread? yes. everyone says you should get it and they are not lying. unless you hate soft and crispy bread and tons of butter. in which case, you're a fool. -cheese board? meh. 3 cheeses with small slices that served maybe 2? at 20 bucks? come on. it really just made me miss the cheese board at Frasca. it was pathetic. -for my cocktail i had the violette collins which was good. like sour patch kids in alcohol form. as we're eating, a man comes over (who we later learned was the manager) and he tells us that we need to call our friend and have her hurry. we can't have an empty seat at our table and that we need to be done by 8:45. keep in mind it's like, 6:45, 6:50 maybe. you're going to pressure me to rush? and give me a two hour time frame? i think we'll be fine, dude. it was just so weird and unnecessary. and put us in a funk. not 2 minutes later, the waitress comes over again and asks where our friend is. geez! we were so happy they were making an exception for us and our late friend but hounding us the whole time? not cool. she gets there a little before 7 (apparently getting held up at the host checkpoint) and she orders drinks, we get another round and order entrees. the entrees were ok. my friend had a huge plate of pasta which was good but nothing special. i had scallops which were tasty but there were 5, on a bed of sauce and garnish. no vegetable or accenting sides. people were giving me their food when they saw the size of my plate. at one point the waiter came over with a glass of wine. 'shiraz?' he said placing it in front of my friend. 'no i had pinot noir,' she replied. 'oh yeah that's this' he said putting it in front of her. ok fine. she drank it and ordered a refill later. then when the bill came it had the shiraz on it, which was 3 bucks or so more per glass. we talked to the waitress who took our order. 'oh that's right you did order pinot noir, i remember. but you drank the shiraz?' she said, sounding like she was blaming my friend for not being able to tell the difference. really? she corrected the waiter and he went along with it. you made a mistake. gave her the wrong wine, then are going to fight us about it? just adjust the bill. all in all, it was an ok meal. some delicious dishes but nothing too outstanding or that i felt like i couldn't get somewhere else. but the service! geez. we felt nagged and rushed, the service was a little sloppy and more than once we felt like unwanted guests. all in all, a big old 'meh.'
(2)Richard T.
I absolutely loved this place. Came here for dinner on a super cold weekday night so it wasn't all that busy and the wait was minimal. The service here was splendid and very kind. Our server was incredibly honest with suggestions about what and how much we should order and she was so. spot. on. I actually came here a few months ago so I can't remember exactly what I ordered, but I do know that it was all very flavorful and beautifully prepared. They also have a marvelous cocktail menu that I suggest you order from. Will I be back here again? Most definitely.
(5)ryan w. v.
The Bristol .... Um, really, really good and I'm totally being for real, real. My friend and I went to this fine establishment last Wednesday evening. I arrived around 6:45pm and the place was already rather busy. I waited about 30 minutes for my friend to arrive and in that time became impressed with how fast tables would become available for the constant stream of people that kept arriving. Once my friend showed up, we were seated very quickly. Since Metromix was also there that evening filming for their show, I was able to see some of the house plates the Bristol decided to showcase. One of the dishes they brought out was the Skirt Steak with Blue Cheese Ravioli. After looking at that plate, I was sold and knew that would be what I would order for dinner. Right, so we sit down and our waitress was super duper sweet. My friend and I were starving and decided to begin Round One with the Monkey Bread and the Grilled Flatbread (which came very highly recommended by the staff). Carbs are good! I enjoyed the Monkey Bread, but the Grilled Flatbread was to die for. It was crispy, gooey, cheesy goodness. You must try it when you visit. I promise you will be happy you did. Then we ordered drinks. The B has a variety of drinks that reminds me of the Violet Hour. I saw the Pink Lady on the menu and knew it was fate telling me what to order. My friend ordered the Blueberry something. Both drinks were gin based and full of flavor; the former, however, was slightly better. So, for Round Two we ordered: the Stuffed Chicken Wings and the Duck Fat Fries. The wings were unique. I can't say they were bad (because they are de-boned and then stuffed with Chorizo and anything with Chorizo is awesome), but I wish they had a spicier flavor. The quack-quack fries and house made Garlic Aioli were totally worth the bulging waistline. I wanted to lick the last few remaining contents of the aioli from the bowl with my tongue and finger, but thought it would be poor date-like etiquette and very uncouth and of me. Maybe next time... Okay... Round Three was the Grilled Skirt Steak. We chose this because my friend wanted the ravioli and I wanted the steak and this dish had both. Oh, and we split all of dishes we ordered so, no we are not heffers. By the time we finished dinner, we had tasted many items on the menu and were full enough to be completely satisfied. Although we decided to order off of the B's regular menu (which changes seasonally), there were many menu items on their "chalkboard" menu that change quite frequently. I saw some of the dishes when they came out to be filmed for Metromix and they looked good enough to eat. Also, my friend and I thought the price of our meal to be very reasonable. That was the good, now here is the bad. This space is fairly small and a little tight when they have a full house, which I can imagine is pretty much all of the time. Because of all of the people, my friend and I noticed it was very loud... always! I seriously didn't mind the noise too much, but if you are looking for a nice quiet place to eat, do not go to the B. My friend and I had to lean into the table all evening to hear each other and our waitress always had to lean down to take our order and answer our questions. Therefore, minus one star.
(4)Eric B.
We really enjoyed our experience at the Bristol. Its The Publican's little brother - a smaller space, communal seating (both by design and by table placement - a long communal table in the center with closely spaced 2 and 4 seaters to the side), and a hefty selection of unusual cuts of meat. It has a rotating menu and provides a good option for the local adventurous carnivore. The food portions are very large, which I found surprising for a trendier restaurant in Bucktown. Had I known, I would have shown more restraint, as by the time we reached our main courses we were very full. We ordered the monkey bread, another app, and a cheese AND charcuterie plate. The bread was, as everyone here as already raved, amazing. Soft and pliant and made to be eaten by hand, it is kids food for adults. The samples of cheese and charcuterie were HUGE, and it took us a while to work though everything. By the time we did, we were ready to burst. So, by the time our entrees arrived - roast half chicken and duck confit - we were a bit worse for wear. We sampled our dishes, found them enjoyable, and had them boxed up for the following day. Dessert, at this point, was out of the question. What I enjoyed even more than the food was the drink menu. They feature a most unusual Manhattan, one made with smoked Maker's Mark, whereby the Maker's is poured into a sauce pan and placed in a smoker for a couple of hours. The BBQ flavor profile is undeniable - it had a smoky flavor that I've never encountered in a drink before. Its like you are drinking a Manhattan inside a Texas smokehouse 30 miles outside of Austin without the 105 degree heat. (When I ordered this Manhattan earlier this winter, though, the 105 degree heat would have been most welcome). The wine list is extensive, affordable, and heavy on off the beaten path varietals from the Old World. I was on the fence between two obscure wines from the South of France, and the waitress was very knowledgeable in steering me toward the earthiest of the two. I would definitely come back again, and show a little restraint on the appetizers to better enjoy our main courses and nab some dessert.
(4)Kristina W.
I was so excited to have dinner here for a private event recently, but so incredibly disappointed with the food that it almost ruined my evening. It was $80 a person, and along with drinks, we were served salad, a main course, and dessert, but sadly I left completely starving because they hardly served us any food. Our table of 12 was served two medium sized salads, which was fine, although small. Then, they brought out another salad sized plate, which served as our dinner plate. We were given two platters of chicken, and each person got either small chicken wing or about 1/4 of a chicken breast. When we asked for more because there was hardly enough to go around, we were refused. To add insult to injury, my chicken was very undercooked and I had to eat around the center. I will not be coming back to The Bristol, which nearly ruined a very special night for me.
(1)Rasmus P.
I have been wanting to go there for a while, as i heard good things and had the chance to taste food from there at one of the 'Outstanding in the field' events (look it up - its a brilliant concept!). Food was ok, but to be honest nothing spectacular. I would much rather go to Gilt Bar, HB Bistro or for that matter have a Pizza at Piece around the corner... The service was hmm... But what annoyed me was that we ordered a cotes du Rhone wine, which was corked (very much). This can of course happen, but the server didn't believe me which pissed me off! So been there, done that!
(3)Amanda Z.
I had the most difficult time selecting a place to take my boyfriend for his birthday dinner. Well. No. The difficult part was keeping it a secret. I potentially have the world's biggest mouth when it comes to secrets. I finally decided on The Bristol after a glowing recommendation from one of my nearest and dearest and off we went to celebrate the birth of my favorite man. What truly sealed the deal was the lovely drink menu. He likes a Manhattan now and again, and I'm a sucker for a Moscow Mule. Both were on the menu. Both were ordered immediately. Marvelous. Props to the bartender for whipping the Mule up in a copper mug, it's proper bar ware. Fabu! The spicy home-brewed ginger beer and plethora of fresh lime did this drink nothing but justice. The man was pleased with his Manhattan as well. The apple salad was our starter, and was a most lovely summer dish. Fresh apples, manchengo cheese and hazelnuts guaranteed this was not your typical "side salad, ranch on the side." Lovely. And the monkey bread was worth the accolades. I mean, if you decide that you will go "carb free" for awhile and decide to go off the wagon, this puffy, airy bread is worth every inch-increasing carb. Trust me. (And pulling it apart is pretty fun too. What can I say, I'm easily amused.) We shared the whole fish for our entree, promised to serve 2-3, I believe, as we were feeling quite adventuresome and ready to show the surrounding tables that we could, in fact, pick those bones clean. While they weren't exactly clean, we did do quite well, thanks to the convenient scoring done by the chef. Service was perfection. Our bottle of wine, recommended by our server to accompany our fish, was whisked away and the moment our glasses bordered on "E", our server was back to refill with the bottle that was mysteriously chilling elsewhere from our table. Our server was knowledgeable, friendly, and accessible without being over-bearing. Splendid. For dessert, we shared the sour cherry clafoutis (which we learned was pronounced more like "clah-fou-TEE" if you're fancy), aptly described as a cross between a bread pudding and a pancake. Indeed it was, and topped with freshed whipped cream, it was a marvelous finish to a marvelous meal. Ambiance is lovely for a date, a low-key dinner with the girls, or an "impress the in-laws" type of meal. Warm, sexy and inviting, the Bristol is sure to impress all types. Including my boyfriend. But he is easily impressed. I mean, he IS dating moi. Birthday dinner A+!!!
(5)Lea S.
frosted copper mugs for your moscow mule, duck fat fries with dreamy sauce, mini corn cobs with heavenly spices....are you drooling yet?? Seriously, just go here. You won't regret it.
(5)Chrissy C.
hmmmmmmmm. i loved the duck fat fries and the cocktails were made to perfect (had the peach smash and the moscow mule). but, the chicken spaetzle was pretty dry. however the spaetzle itself was delicious! as was the "salad" which was really only a garnish (however, we were forewarned abt this by the waiter...). still, its a little sad when your garnish is better than the actual star of the plate. sexy ambiance. would come back just for inventive cocktails and those delicious duck fat fries! for $7 its totally worth it!!!
(4)Beckee W.
Can't believe I call myself a Chicago foodie and I'm just eating here for the first time. Pretty weak of me... Either way, a former Chicago friend in town visiting from Maui asked me to dinner, and gave me my pick of the resto. She's been gone about 5 years and was hankering for some "dining" as she called it (mind you, she worked at avec and Blackbird, so expectations were high). I chose Bristol because I have heard and read all the great things, was ashamed that I had yet to eat there, and I knew we were eating early on a Wed so we'd get right in. She ordered the duck fat fries right off the bat, and they are yummy. I just tried Hot Dougs about a week ago, and I actually preferred the Bristol fries. Deee-lish. We each ordered a cocktail: mine was a poire elder-something and she had a moscow mule. Both wonderful and well crafted, however my two sip cocktail at $11 always gives me a little agita. On with the meal...said dining companion has some kind of allergy to milk solids (?) so we couldn't have cheese or anything with cream (which blows) so we ordered accordingly: the mackeral escobeche (eh. tasted like a herring to me and I don't like herring. this would not have been my choice, but meh. We also shared the tajarin which is the most delicious pasta I've had in a REALLY long time. made with 40 instead of 20 egg yolks and prepared with just some sage and brown butter it is silky and yummy and delicious. Highly recommend. We also sampled the shrimp a la plancha with anchovy butter...outrageously good and I could have licked the plate, and the barese sausage. The sausage was probably really good if you are majorly into sausage, but for me it was not the highest point. By far the High High High point of the meal was the dessert. My friend got the chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters, and it was INSANE. I am a long standing sabayon fanatic, weird thing to be addicted to, but if I see truffle or a sabayon I'm automatically getting it...I actually ordered a basque cake (the most delicious amazing brick of dense moist, crumbly cakey insanity) on top of a champagne sabayon. Topped with strawberies and some balsamic reduction it was divine and the perfect end to a wonderfully delightful meal.
(4)Mariana M.
This place is amazing. I'm not big on ordering chicken when I'm out to dinner, ever. But, I followed all the other Yelpers and got the chicken. IT. WAS. SO. GOOD. If you go to Bristol, get the chicken! DO IT. Here was our menu: Tempura Veggies: loved Ravioli: really good Duck fat fries: not my fave, but they were good The most amazing chicken in the world A lot of drinks
(5)Donna C.
I really enjoyed Bristol. I live in the neighborhood but hadn't gone till this past week. We started by ordering drinks... loved the menu of interesting and classic cocktails. I had the edleflower and the moscow mule; my friend had the dark & stormy. All 3 were delish. For apps, we went with the olives, monkey bread, and the greens salad. these were all yummy--next time i want to try the duck fat fries! For our entrees, I opted for the short rib ravioli and my friend had the chicken. His chicken was perfectly cooked. my ravioli was very good but i'd try something different the next time i go. For dessert, we went with the basque cake... so moist! Overall the dinner was great. the atmosphere was intimate since there were just a few diners in that night. service was pleasant, although non existent the later half of the evening. I'll go back... yay.
(4)Caroline C.
There are two major groups of people that partake in the Brunch tradition - good, God-fearing church folk and hung-over heathens too tired to wake up early on a Sunday morning for breakfast (we were the later). Both require subdued, tame food that does not offend delicate sensibilities or upset stomachs still trying to cope with gallons of vodka imbibed the night before (not that I would know....). As a result, brunch possesses neither the deliciously oilly and fatty qualities of breakfast fare nor the loud, bold flavors that food served for lunch can have. I have had many sad, disappointing brunches, and the Bristol was no exception. My Hangover Breakfast was mediocre, and hung-over me was not impressed with paying $11 for a micro-bowl filled with a handful of noodles and a medium sized slab of average pork belly. My only remedy? To continue drinking with a deliciously smoky bacon Manhattan. My boyfriend's chilaquiles were reminiscent in both taste and texture of mushy nachos left overnight in the refridgerator, and he barely touched his meal past the sunny side up egg. Our friends ordered much of the same thing, and all to the same effect. The most upsetting was the large chalkboard overlooking the room proclaiming goodies such as "rabbit pappardelle" and tauting me over what I could be indulging in a mere 3 hours later on any other day. We might be back to sample their dinner menu since we've heard good things, but brunch...... may we never meet ever, ever again.
(3)Ashley W.
Two words: Duck Fat Fries They were amazing. I attended a party that had reserved the top floor. It was the perfect atmosphere for the event and the Duck Fat Fries were my favorite. The passed pork belly and flat bread pizza was also tasty. I thought the veggie plate was lacking in presentation but still enjoyed it very much!
(4)Dusty K.
The Bristol is nothing short of a near perfect restaurant. The website alone would give any food porn lover a hard-on unlike anything they've experienced. While adding alcohol to any dinner can drastically increase the cost, the menu is reasonably priced for delicious seasonal fare. With my mouth drooling and ecstasy soon in sight, I entered the restaurant. My first pet peeve is the bouncer-like experience that you receive when entering the door. I felt like I was going to have to drop trow, get probed for weapons of mass destruction, and display a pass port to enter. That aside, I loved the food offerings. The appetizers ranged from good to great with the tastiest being the heirloom tomato tart. In season heirloom tomatoes are one of the tastiest things a person can eat. The duck fat fries were very good, lamb sausage okay as were the squash blossoms. The cheese platter alone was a great way to kick off our first course. At dinner our sharing went out the window and I ordered the hanger steak. This delicious cut is not typically found in local stores so I was anxious to try. The crust on the outside was pleasantly salty and crunchy revealing a perfectly red interior. The potatoes that came along for the ride were clearly deep fried and I really enjoyed all the crunching I was doing at dinner. I'm being picky here but I do have some minor complaints. The beer selection, though extensive, could have been done a little better. And it did upset me that after our group spent $480 we were asked if we could leave as we finished our after dinner drinks. If you haven't been to the Bristol, I would recommend a trip in the near future. This style of restaurant shows it's true colors during the warm summer months. The fresh food season in Chicago is slowly winding down in 2010. Make sure you get one last taste before old man winter has his way.
(5)Mark S.
Can't say enough good things about the dinner we had a Bristol last night. This spot has it all from great food, warm/cozy environment and fantastic service. A note on the service, the bottle of wine we ordered was corked and the sommelier wouldn't serve it. He quickly got 2 replacements (the corked bottle was their last one of that wine). These were offered at the same price as the orginal bottle even though they were nicer and more expensive wines. I'm also a bit of stickler for stemware and these guys use good glasses. Each dish seemed better than the next...two standouts were the duck confit (perfectly crispy on the outside and meat that just fell to pieces) and the "fried bones" (little riblets in the most amazing sauce). These were so good that our friend ordered them for dessert. It was nice dining here on a Sunday night as it wasn't as busy and the quieter vibe was a perfect way to end the weekend.
(5)Kate W.
"Go Kate, it's your birthday, we're going to party like it's your birthday, we're going to drink fancy cocktails and eat Monkey Bread like it's your birthday." So it was my birthday, and the bf scoured Yelp to find the perfect place, and did he ever. Walked in on a Wednesday before Christmas (yay holiday birthdays) thinking "how busy could it possibly be?" Busy, very busy. Luckily it was just the two of us and they offered us a seat at the bar, not wanting to wait we took them up on this. Maybe not as romantic as a table, but with quick service and proximity to booze, it was perfect for us. Took everyone's advice and ordered the monkey bread. Om nom nom nom, it's like a more wonderful fresh pretzel, and who would have thought there could be anything better than a fresh pretzel. I ordered a fancy cocktail with egg whites and gin in it, finished with a sprig of mint. Delish. I often fall victim to the boring drink order (gin and soda) but it was my birthday, and I'm going to get drunk like a lady. I ordered the pork and the bf ordered HEAD ON prawns. Such an adventurous eater! We both loved our meals, lots of everyday ingredients used in such fancy and new ways. "New American" dining at it's finest. Unlike Bristol Palin, The Bristol danced it's way into my heart, and I would vote for it anyday!
(5)Matt T.
Eh...I'd rather spend my money at The Publican. My second time to The Bristol for brunch and both times I left feeling underwhelmed. The food was ok, the service was very good, the prices are what you'd expect from these newer spots that use local ingredients that try to make inventive dishes. The first time I went it was a few months after the opening and there was much hype...and there still is a lot of hype. Maybe it's just what I ate as some people in our group thought the food was tremendous, but my fiancee and I were left feeling like we could have cooked something better or gone to a favorite spot of ours and enjoyed the food more. I don't remember exactly what I had the first time - something with quail egg, we had some fries and monkey bread. The bread was really great but only served for dinner now. Today I started with a bloody mary...well, it was supposed to be. I swear a decent mix with pickles, slice of lime, an olive, some hot sauce makes a better bloody mary. The one at The Bristol was extremely bland and has a weird taste that a few of us noticed. I think it might have been coriander, but anyway, it was on the verge of terrible. As far as the food...the coffee glazed doughnuts fresh from the fryer were the best thing we ate. They really quite good. We also got some french toast for the table which was also tasty. The duck fat fries someone else ordered in our group was decent but nothing special. The house made ketchup was terrible and the aioli had a weird tangy taste. The biscuits and gravy I got for my brunch entree was awful - bland, a bit watery, with unappetizing sausage in the gravy, bland biscuits with two poached eggs. I was starving so I ate it all but I've had better biscuits and gravy at ihop - and I'm a foodie, not someone with a crappy restaurant pallet. I would like to try dinner here once because the menu looks decent, although nothing different than most of these somewhat newer spots, but I won't be rushing back.
(3)Stephen B.
I really enjoyed my whole experience here. Everything was a bit salty, but I still really liked it.
(4)Lauren G.
Eat and drink to your heart's content at The Bristol. Food is deliciously satiating without being too heavy. Great date night went like this: Cocktails: Moscow Mule for me and Sazerac for the gent Drinks for dinner: Malbec and Rouchbier Duck Fat Fries - who doesn't like these, seriously? Market Greens with Buttermilk Dressing - fresh Raviolo with handmade pasta, ricotta in brown butter - BEST thing we ate Stuffed Sucking Pig on green lentils - liked the crispy skin Cake Named Sue - wish it was a bit more chocolately Creme Brulee Cheescake - rocked this, better than actual cheesecake! All in total before tip for two was $110. Atmophere is a key and the dining room here is warm and inviting. Tables are close, but ambient noise is enough to save you from hearing the table next to you. Only complaint is that the servers were a little too attentive, checking in quite often and too soon after a course had arrived. Tried to take our plates away several times before we had finished everything. I felt like saying "my one bite of cake was good, now let me eat the rest damnit"!
(5)Christine D.
One of the best roasted amish chickens I've ever had. The skin is perfectly crisp while the inside is tender and juicy. Service is on point, however on a recent visit for brunch, we weren't seated until about 45 mins after our reservation time. Not exactly Bristol's fault as people were just sitting at the table talking... but maybe they can plan more accordingly.
(4)Matt M.
Fantastic atmosphere and very solid service. However, the food was simply okay - definitely not worth the price. The steak was pretty delicious and I'd definitely recommend that in the future but everything else was very mediocre. The duck fat french fries were delicious but I don't think I've ever had bad duck fat french fries anywhere ever so that's not exceptional. The tomato salad did not taste like fresh, local tomatoes - which, for $6 and the equivalent of 1 tomato, I'd expect in the Midwest this time of year. The capallini pasta was over zested with lemon and drenched in butter - a cheap trick to make anything taste delicious. We also had the longaniza - basically a kielbasa with spicy green beans. The beans were not particularly spicy and the sausage, while tasty, wasn't mind boggling in any way. Again, not worth the $12 they charged for it. One thing I should give them props for: The cocktail was really well prepared and they had the Revolution hibiscus beer on tap - that should probably be worth a 1/2 a star all on its own.
(3)Mehran F.
Demoting to two stars. In all likelihood my last time there. Great server. Sweet lady. Brunch menu today felt limited again. Hair in the food did not help the matter. My guest was a doctor and not easily phased by such a thing. So the fact that our server apologized (more than necessary) and took the item out of the bill (not expected at all) was very kind, hence the two stars...else i would have settle it for one star. The ambiance gone down too. Not sexy on such a hot day to let fat ugly men with totally sleeveless shirts, going down their ugly hairy sweaty gross nipples in the restaurant....felt like i was at a rednecks-just-out-of-cubs-game stable. Coffee: was done so good. Thanks. I've loved la colombe since the day they opened their first shop in philly....and they did their coffee, right. Meals: hair aside, the taste was nothing to write home about. i got the biscuits, gravy, chicken...and the doctor got salad and i forgot what... The donuts stuff: we did not order but looked great. All in all we had a great time, and sincerely appreciate the good service.
(2)Norm J.
I've been meaning to make it to The Bristol for awhile, so when my friends bought a condo a few blocks from the restaurant I was finally able to go. Me and three friends decided to share a couple of plates and then get our own entrees so we could sample as much of the menu as possible. Overall, nothing stood out to me that would make me want to come back to The Bristol. *Parker House Rolls - the top of the rolls were so good, but the rest of the roll was a little dry. *Duck Fat Fries - amazeballs!! Highlight of the meal. *Octopus - just OK. *Raviolo - definitely worth trying. *Prime Skirt Steak - good, but nothing special. *Frank and Beans - the bratwurst was delicious, but we weren't a fan of the beans. *Lemon Tart - really good. Recommend trying this dessert. * Blueberry Cobbler - too sweet for my liking. Felt like there were packs of sugar poured into this dish. *Basque Cake - can see why so many people have mentioned this dessert in their reviews. Good and enough for two to share.
(3)Sylvia L.
Best item there - Amish Chicken 6/5. Like the Kobe Beef of Chickens. Some of the most tender and moist chicken that I've ever had. I had always figured well-raised meat would taste excellent, but have never had the opportunity. My parents raise spoiled little chickens in the backyard (they feed them sashimi-grade fish) and their eggs are always some of the most amazing, creamy things ever - which has always made me wonder how the chickens themselves taste. So thank you Bristol for fulfilling my curiosity without having my parents disown me for eating one of their precious little ones. Waygu tartare - 5/5. Melt in your mouth. With toasted bread that was firm but not too hard. Raviolo - 4/5. The pasta is very thick and there's a lot of brown sugar butter on the outside. Inside had a slightly overdone egg yolk (looks like it hit the stage of gelatinizing and the egg yolk didn't really run). Very good dish but it was a bit too rich - and I wish the pasta was a little less chewy and firm, and that the egg yolk ran :(. Duck fat fries - 3/5. Really good fries but just tasted like... really good fries. Cocktails: If you like boozy negronis and manhattans, I highly recommend the Vieux Cruex. Extremely well-balanced and not as "put hair on your chest" as the the silician manhattan, which is more smokey. Can't remember what my husband had - a beer and some other cocktail, but I also can't remember how they tasted. Oh and service was awesome. The waitress was spot on with her recommendations (I like to ask people what they prefer, since they usually have tried everything on the menu). She checked in often.
(5)Steffy N.
This placed was good for brunch, a little overly hyped but still good. For a starter, we got the cinnamon roll and it was so sweet and delicious. Definitely one of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever had. The "Chilaquiles" wasn't too bad, it's a different taste for brunch. Along with the Chilaquiles, I got the "French press coffee" which was delicious!! My date got the French toast with a side of bacon and that was sweet and delicious. Really loved the strawberry cream that it came with. Overall, the environment of The Bristol is so nice and calm. Really enjoyed eating during the day with doors opened. Servers were so friendly and great about recommending what to order.
(4)Allison J.
I've been looking forward to coming here for so long and was expecting a great meal. Unfortunately that's not what we experienced during our most recent brunch outing. We had reservations and were quickly seated. The decor and ambience is awesome with a big open door to the outside and exposed brick. After waiting for a good 10 minutes before anyone even greeted us at out table, we were able to order our drinks. From then on, our our server was completely absent. We watched group after groups around us get their meals and then their bills before we even received our appetizer. We could hear the tables next to us also complaining about service. Empty drinks and empty waters were ignored, time after time, until they were pointed out by us... By the time our Chicken 'N A Biscuit and Braised Pork Chilaquiles arrived, they were cold, almost to the point of being inedible... Clearly not how the were supposed to be served. The chilaquiles were too salty, but did have really great flavors. The chicken and biscuits were delicious but not worth all the other disappointments. I'm sorry Bristol, I had hoped for so much better but was met with such disappointments
(2)Bao L.
I walked away feeling very impressed w/ The Bristol. We walked in w/ a group of 3 around 6 pm on a Friday sans reservation and were fortunate enough to get seated right away. It wasn't too crowded when we got there, but about 45 minutes later every seat in the house was taken (always a good sign). My friends and I really enjoyed the lively yet casual ambiance, which added to our great dining experience. The service here is great. We told our waitress that it was our first time here, and she explained to us that the food here is best when shared. She did a good job of checking in on us throughout the night. Also, our waters were never more than half empty, as the servers were constantly refilling them - I drink a ton of water, so this was great! Cocktails were very good. We had the High Tea, Caribbean Beets, and Moscow Mule and thoroughly enjoyed them. They were mixed very well and very tasty. The food was awesome. We had: -Duck fat fries: these were amazing! I'm going to quote my friend, who considers himself a french fry connoisseur, for the description of these fries, because I agree w/ him: "these fries are perfectly crispy and have a great crunch when you bite into 'em." The ketchup and the aioli were great accompaniments. -Salmon rillette: nice creamy texture and great flavor throughout. They give you a lot, so be sure to pile it high on your muffin! -Roasted chicken: definitely recommend this dish. The chicken was flavorful, tender, moist, and crispy. Don't forget the spaetzle underneath the chicken, which pairs w/ the chicken incredibly well. -Prime strip steak: this was a solid dish. I thought the braised beef jam was pretty good and was more of a standout than the steak itself. The 3 of us agreed that The Bristol is a great restaurant, from the food to the service to the environment. I heard brunch here is pretty good too, so I'll definitely have to come back to check it out
(4)Darnell F.
This restaurant was one of our favourite meals while visiting Chicago. It was truly a wonderful foodie experience. The food was beautifully arranged and tasted as good as it looked. My favourite was dipping the monkey bread in the ravioli with browned butter. For dessert, both the basque cake and chocolate cremeux were heavenly and well worth the price. A visit to the Bristol wouldn't be complete without trying one of their unique cocktails. I especially enjoyed the Dark and Stormy. The Doff Your Hat was also delicious. Our server was friendly and really knowledgeable about the menu. Her descriptions made me want to order everything off the menu! It's a little pricey, but well worth it for the quality and original menu.
(4)Morganne B.
This was a great place to share a dinner with friends after a day of getting sunburned on the lake this July 4th. We were able to make a 7:30 reservation about 30 min before, which surprised me. I had been here for brunch before, but our waiter suggested that for dinner we should get a bunch of plates to share... So we did. Probably went a little overboard but it was America's birthday so who cares. Started with the duck fat fries--for me, it could've been skipped, but they were good. Next was the country pate which was probably my favorite. Perfectly salty and served with fresh bread; I just wish they gave a bigger portion since we were sharing. The sweet fruity spread was maybe the best I've had with pate before. We also got the burrata which I also could have skipped but it was good. There was literally ONE small piece of ravioli in that dish... Also could've been skipped. Loved the roasted broccoli with tiny fried shallots. And the chicken was the perfect ending... So juicy. Wanted to try the walleye but we had a fish allergy in the group so maybe next time. The menu is very tiny and some of the dishes seem like confusing combinations but all around they were tasty. We finished with the lemon tart and a cobbler. Unfortunately you're gonna have to order a BUNCH of plates here unless you want to leave still hungry. But they are good plates nonetheless. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and large open window on a comfortable summer evening. Our server was kind and attentive as well. If I come back for dinner I'll definitely have to have a snack beforehand!
(3)patrick h.
***Original review removed*** While I did not have the best experience at the Bristol on Mother's Day, I believe the concern shown by management proves that it was simply an unfortunate oversight. The food and drink were good and I will give the Bristol a second chance.
(3)Monica G.
This is the place to go for birthdays. The wait staff signed a card for me AND sang over a complimentary dessert. What a lovely way to celebrate my 25th. It probably goes without saying that The food was the best I've ever head. We had 5 dishes split between 3 ppl and though the bill was hefty, the food was impeccable. I'll be taking everyone here for future birthdays.
(5)Brooke O.
We found The Bristol on Yelp because it is close to the Bridal Shop we were going to for my sister to try on wedding dresses for the first time (tear). So we 3 ladies made a reservation the night before and made our way there. I highly recommend making a reservation ahead of time - the place was packed and one man who walked in asking for a table was told to come back in 2 hours. We had to wait about 5 minutes for our table which was no problem. The feel of the restaurant is very Bucktown. Exposed brick coupled with industrial decor. Very cozy yet up to date. Now for the meal- oh my goodness! Multiple times throughout the meal we commented on how happy we were to stumble upon this place. Drinks:I started with a fresh squeezed orange juice, my sister ordered coffee that came in a french press and she said it was delicious, and our friend (another bridesmaid) ordered a cappuccino and a bloody mary (she may have had a bit too much to drink the night before - haha). The cappuccino was beautiful (picture included) and I ended up enjoying one at the end of the meal - so smooth with the perfect amount of froth. My sister ordered a bloody mary to go with her meal and a cute little beer back. They mentioned the that bloody was very spicy - too spicy for my sister but our friend really enjoyed it. Food: To start the meal we ordered the pastry platter with a taste of 3 pastries. Donuts, a cinnamon roll, and some sort of delicious apple tart thing. This was an amazing way to start the meal. All 3 were superb but the apple deal is what really won me over. For our main courses, my sister and I ordered the chicken and biscuits with gravy. It was really wonderful. The entire dish was very comforting and the bread and butter pickles on the top gave it a really fresh interesting flavor. Our friend ordered the eggs benedict and ate the entire thing - she's a small girl so that says volumes as to how much she enjoyed it. Overall we loved this place - it was a wonderful spot to fuel up for a day of dress shopping =)
(5)Natalie C.
Came here for a friend's birthday last night - seven girls, although one was just there for drinks. The waitress was not the friendliest (she seemed a little harried, even though it wasn't that busy, but part of our party was pretty late, so perhaps that threw her off) - but she did take the time to explain the menu and the cocktail list. We started with a few rounds of cocktails - trying each other's drinks, all were really good. The menu is tapas style - and definitely on the small side, especially for the prices. But everything we ordered was really really good. We ended up ordering one apple salad with watercress and a little parm, two orders of roasted baby beets, two orders of the beef brisket, two orders of fries, an order of the monkey bread, three orders of the head on prawns, and two orders of the raviolo. One of the girls we were with actually knew the manager (they used to work together at Balena) so the kitchen ended up sending over two "gifts" - an order of the chicken and some additional pasta dish.. I'm not sure what it's called. My favorites were the apple salad (good portion and super refreshing), the baby beets (roasted to perfection with these happy little toasty bread things), the prawns (in some delicious buttery crack sauce), and surprisingly, the chicken (cooked absolutely perfectly, a solid portion over a bed of little sauted pasta/dough pieces to soak up the perfect chicken juices). I tried a looooot of different cocktails between what the group ordered, and my hands down favorite was the Poire and Elderflower - delicate, floral, very strong of the pear flavors, perfectly refreshing. I could have had many more of them. They sent us a plate of macarons as a birthday dessert as well, which was the perfect end to the meal. Overall a really good experience - although definitely on the pricier side for the amount of food you get - the meal ended up being just under $400 before tip (and that's with the comped chicken and second pasta dish). But we had a decent amount of food and a bunch of great cocktails. Would definitely recommend this spot for a nice date night or a small group to share a bunch of plates. Will be back!
(4)Erica H.
This food is delicious! I had the tomato salad, squash, raviolo, the steak and the skate. Everything was so good. Can't believe I just discovered it!! The Raviolo is to die for!! The bald bartender is supernice-He made my favorite drink, st germaine and proseco perfect!!!
(5)Lauren F.
At The Bristol, it really is nearly impossible to go wrong. I stopped in on a Saturday night with a couple girlfriends and their great cocktails, great wine, and shared plates made for a fantastic dinner. The Monkey Bread, Duck Fat Fries, Black Pepper Beef Brisket, and Raviolo were all delicious - the Raviolo was so good that as soon as we took our first bites we flagged down our server for a second order. The Basque Cake is not normally a dessert I would go for but we ordered it because it's a favorite here and now I know why. Order the Basque Cake-just do it. Love The Bristol and will definitely be back, great spot for a date or a night out with friends.
(5)Flavia A.
The Bristol is a hip, fun restaurant with great staff who deliver well executed and tasty food in the style of New American -- or as I like to call it, gourmet comfort food. We ordered: -- Duck Fat Fries - delicious! addictive! -- Roasted Carrots - purple carrots! oh my! -- Mushroom Tart - really, really delicious creamy mushroom filling poured into a thick personal pie shell tin. The pastry threw me off a bit -- I was expecting a French style tart with very thin flaky crust. -- Roasted half chicken on top of dill spaetzle - the best dish of the evening. Solidly executed. Very juicy, and flavorful chicken meat complete with crispy skin. The spaetzle was fantastic with a nice creamy umami sauce. I couldn't get enough of this dish -- and apparently others feel the same way. It's the one consistent entree always on the menu. One fun thing about the dish is that it was topped with a crunchy salad. When we were there, that meant thin strips of green apple. But I took a bit and was surprised - I had to think for a minute because my eyes told me green apple, but my brains said it was something else. Turned out to be celery. A trick! I loved it! I enjoy being surprised and delighted by my food. -- Prime strip steak - this was pretty good. We ordered it medium rare, which is the chef's recommendation. The steak was good but I think it was cut at the wrong angle because it was slightly chewy. The sauce, though, a ramp sauce - I found to be delightful. -- And a bottle of pinot noir and a few orders of Scotch. Among the four of us, we were too full to order dessert! We ate every bite. My overall assessment is good execution. The food is tasty, on the salty side (but not too salty). The flavors are balanced but not complex. For a great meal, I recommend The Bristol. It's probably not innovative or highly creative, but it's good food in a great atmosphere. Beautiful restaurant and passionate staff who clearly love what they do. The Chef came out a couple times and he was so passionate about his work and talking with us. Bon appetit!
(4)Alison s.
One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago!!! Every time we have visitors from out of town, we make it a point to stop in here. Everyone has loved it! House made limoncello, their raviolo, and the steak, will make you fall in love!!!
(5)Jen D.
Awesome spot for brunch - they take reservations and have great food. I love the Bongo Room, but am rarely in the mood for that sort of a wait - so I really love places like this. I was able to make a reservation for 5 pretty last minute for a Saturday morning. Everything was great - service, food and drinks. Our server was very friendly and helpful for the 2 folks with more complicated needs (a vegan and a person with a lot of food allergies). A couple people had the egg strata, which was soooo good. Two of us also had the burger, which was awesome. The patty was juicy and delicious and the bun was perfect. The best part may have been the duck fat fries. Mmmmmm. We also enjoyed a range of cocktails - all were delicious. To manage expectations... The menu is heavier on savory than sweet, so if you want some sort of crazy stuffed french toast or something similar then you may want to head to more of a breakfast place. Atmosphere is nice and cozy, it's not quiet but it isn't one of those crazy bright loud breakfast/brunch joints. PS - This was my 2nd brunch visit and I've also been there for dinner, all consistent and good as this visit.
(4)Rahul G.
Well, this place is clearly popular and my wife knows that too. But I didn't and we are glad we checked the place out. Great that it takes OpenTable reservations. We got a 10:45am Sunday morning res and we got there and it was packed! So glad we did that. The menu was my kind of menu. Between the chicken and biscuits, burger, and chilaquiles, I didn't know what to do. But I went with the chilaquiles and my wife went with chicken and biscuits. We also got the duck fat fries on the side. Everything was gone very quickly! So good. The chilaquiles only came with one piece of pork belly, so that was odd, but still delicious. Wasn't a fan of the salsa on the side, not a ton of flavor. The chicken and waffles were great, heavy, but yummy. I finished most of my wife's dish, no complaints here. And the fries were fries, perfect. Great price and great vibe. Would have gotten a Bloody Mary but decided to save some cash. Will do next time.
(5)Ncashish ..
Travelling to Chicago and thought about eating amazing brunch. I was recommended to this place by multiple blogs as the best brunch in Chicago. You see the nber of people and the atmosphere it's amazing till the food comes out. Very limited choices and the food frankly not that good. Service was great but the food did not back the hype up
(3)Jeffrey C.
The Bristol is a nice intersection of trendy casual plus readily available reservations plus moderately faux-affordable price point plus, most importantly, pretty dang good food. It seems to sit outside of the "best of" lists that run rampant across the Internets, but sits in a healthy cut below in the hall of very good. Ipso facto, the Mark Grace of Chicago restaurants. The best thing here is the raviolo. It's $14, best split amongst two people. Filled with ricotta and egg yolk and doused in brown butter, it's an exercise in utter gluttony and glorious umami. Break into the raviolo, divvy up piecemeal, and enjoy. The food menu itself is fairly sparse. While the main dishes are tasty, they aren't particularly inventive relative to other, similar styled restaurants. Both times, I've preferred the simple, yet flavorful, starters. You also can't go wrong with their monkey bread. Unlike the food, the cocktail menu is surprisingly robust, with just about every fifth of firewater available in a dapper mix. On my last visit, I took a pass at a personal favorite, the Vieux Carre, and came away impressed. Overall, The Bristol is a very solid offering for last-minute Open Tabling or walk-ins, with a casual, vibrant atmosphere and a solidly priced menu.
(4)Karen C.
Party of 5. Celebrating a birthday. Food was awesome. They request you order everything all at once and they will pace it. The food started coming out one after another. We had to request they slow it down. We had to ask for drink refills. When we got our bill..... our bottle of wine ($68) was not on the bill. We told our waiter and he added the wine and never comped anything. Our bill was over $400. Just didn't set well with me. Train your waiters in customer service. Will think about returning.....
(3)Mike M.
It seemed like The Bristol was one of the few popular brunch spots around the city that actually took online reservations. I made an 11:30 reservation on a Sunday morning and surprisingly there wasn't a huge crowd waiting out the door, especially since the place wasn't big. Our table wasn't ready yet, so they told us to sit at the bar and grab some coffee while they prepare our table. We ordered a coffee and they gave us a whole French press pot full. In the downstairs area, there was basically just 3 rows of seating: a few places at the bar, 2 or 3 bigger tables for groups, and then a row of 2-4 person tables along the wall. It wasn't a huge space, but it had that busy, energetic vibe throughout. After a bit, our table was ready and they moved us to a table by the front window. Food: A lot of the items on the menu seemed to have a creative, unique twist on traditional breakfast foods. We ordered a few different items to get a small taste of each. Cinnamon roll - I was expecting it to have a pillowy, soft dough with a super thick and rich icing on top, but it turned out to be the opposite, and I kinda liked it more that way. The icing was very light and had a thin and liquidy consistency. It wasn't overly sweet either. The cinnamon roll was a little firm as you cut through it but still had a soft center. Chicken n Biscuit - It was a little on the small side, but the flavor was definitely there. There were three chunks of chicken, two wedges of biscuit, and a few slices of pickles on top. At first glance, it didn't even look like chicken since it wasn't like a typical piece of fried chicken. It honestly looked more like a piece of french toast. The chicken was surprisingly juicy inside though and still had a good crunch even though there was no skin. Also, the biscuit wasn't like a normal dense, buttery biscuit. It almost seemed like it was lightened up on purpose to complement the other parts of the dish, and wasn't meant to stand on its own. It had a hard outer layer but then the inside was light and flakey. My only complaint would be that there could've been more gravy. I thought the gravy kind of took a backseat in terms of flavor, when it usually dominates in a traditional biscuits and gravy dish. Braised pork chilaquiles - This was probably the most average of the dishes we ordered. It seemed a little bland to me and felt like most of the dish was plain tortilla chips without too much meat or sauce. There was only one big chunk of pork, which was pretty tasty, and a fried egg on top, which is always a welcomed topping in my book. But other than that, we left most of it uneaten. Overall I enjoyed the brunch at The Bristol. I'd say it's closer to 3.5 stars for me. It had a bustling atmosphere and most of the food we ordered was both tasty and unique.
(4)Jo S.
Great atmosphere and excellent service! A small place so tables are pretty close to each other. Pretty dark inside and the candles on the tables make the mood a bit more romantic. The menu is small but every dish is great. Wasn't as hungry so I had that Raviolo which was delicious (on the smaller side). Also had the Black Diamond cocktail.
(5)Sanaz E.
My two girlfriends and I dined here for a sunday brunch and overall we liked this place but one dish was a major disappointment. First the good stuff.. The atmosphere is lovely. The weather was nice so the large window/doors were open. One friend had a coffee and she said it was delicious and robust. For an app we shared the cinnamon bun and it was moist, pillowy and gooey! Really good! For mains we got the chicken and biscuits and chilaquiles. C&B were so good! Chilaquiles not so much... If you're expecting the pieces of pork or pulled pork you're wrong. It's actually a piece of pork belly and apparently some pork is in the sauce. I've got to add that the sauce was hardly there. The dish was just really disjointed and not flavorful at all. I would recommend they either change the menu to say "pork belly" instead of braised pork, or they should have servers explain this point. Speaking of the server, our server (I think his name was Ryan V) was awesome about taking the dish back to the kitchen and allowing us to order something else, without charge. I ended up ordering the apple salad with links on the side and my friend got the eggs Benedict and both dishes were great. So overall I had a good experience here and I would possibly return. But I wouldn't order the chilaquiles again!
(3)Elizabeth E.
I can't believe how much I really liked this place. I am generally surprised by the other reviews not giving more stars. I went on a Sunday night with my parents and boyfriend and we did not hold back. We ordered a lot and walked out extremely happy. The waiter instructed us to order everything at once and he would course it out - I would say things came out a little too quickly but not a huge complaint. We did order both the duck fat fries & the rolls, but had them accompany other items vs. just come out on their own (recco of the waiter) and it was perfect. Started with the Apple salad - this was nice and light, great to share between four of us. I insisted on the prawns and I actually think they were my favorite thing that we ordered. They came with their heads on, so if that freaks you out, steer clear - but I devoured them, eyes on and all! ;) Raviolo: this seems to be like the new cupcake which turned into the new donut, into the new cronut, into the new ramen. I feel like I am seeing raviolo at more and more restaurants. And the Raviolo at the bristol is not to be missed! This is where we inserted the Parker house rolls to scoop up all the yummy brown butter that oozed out. YUM CITY! Now even though you will be busy dipping those rolls into that brown butter, make sure to try the sauce that the rolls came with, this is like straight up butter - and it's better than regular butter. And it's awesome too. Then we had the chicken - really juicy and great. And then the steak, where we also had the duck fat fries - also delicious. Everything was outstanding. Will certainly go back!
(5)Chrissy W.
Hello brunchy brunch of joy. Sharing a birthday with the BF's brother means celebratory dining. This year, we went for brunch at The Bristol. We started with the pastry platter (and our lovely server put a candle on it for the birthdays. It's surprisingly difficult to blow out a candle when you're busy staring at a giant cinnamon roll.) and it was delicious. The cinnamon roll was my fave, but the apple cake and the donut-like treat were also quite tasty. I also enjoyed a spicy bloody Mary that came with cubes of cheese and pate as a garnish. Om nom nom. For my main entree, I went with the quiche and was definitely not disappointed. It was a rough call between the quiche and chilequiles, but when someone in our party ordered them, I went the route of the quiche...which came with a really amazing and refreshing side salad of lettuce, radishes and fennel. The quiche was perfectly cooked without being dried out and the ingredients were fresh. I was impressed. The chilequiles? Also AMAZING. Our group also ordered the eggs Benedict, the openface egg sandwich and the duck confit burger. Everyone was super happy with their food, and I kept stealing the BFs duck fat fries, which were crispy and flavorful. Overall, awesome place.
(5)Kyle P.
Have been twice in the last month and a total of about 5 times over the years. We took the whole porter clan here xmas eve and the manager was super accommodating when i called 45 mins before had asking to bring in a big group. Super fun layout and really nice staff. The food......best chicken ever.....ever.....and I liked the app brisket and drinks......come here
(5)Kari E.
My husband and I have heard a lot about The Bristol -and decided to check it out, as it's close by. While it was worth the one-time experience, sadly we probably won't be back. Why? Well a few things: The waiter was great (very nice/friendly) but the service was really slow. From the time we sat down to when we ordered - it took nearly 20 mins to get a drink and 20 mins after that for the appetizer. The food was good - but nothing that rememberable. The atmosphere is nice, but the slow service along with "good" not "great" food, coupled with a bill of about $85/person (including 2 drinks each)... probably not worth a second visit.
(3)Beth C.
I'm new to this neighborhood and slowly but surely I'm trying to pick my way through all the local spots. The Bristol was amazing. I went by myself and sat the bar for dinner. Next time, I plan to bring more people to share and try even more dishes. The bartender Shawn was great. He was very friendly and helped me settle on my selection. He's obviously a foodie himself and had great recommendations. I pretty much settled on the most popular items this first time around. I started with a cocktail (of course!) and tried the Poire and Elderflower which is listed as a "Bristol Classic". It was refreshing, sweet but not too sweet. A great start to a great meal. The Monkey Bread is just as yummy as everyone said. Soft, fresh bread balls that you dip in dill butter. I could go back and just eat two orders of this. No problem. The Duck Fat Fries are also a must have. They come with house made ketchup and garlic aioli. The aioli was my favorite part. When I had leftovers to pack up, I was super excited to see he had thrown in some more aioli for later. I also ordered the Raviolo. I might add that the fries also taste delicious dipped in the Raviolo's butter sauce. The atmosphere is great. The food was amazing. The service was friendly and knowledgeable.
(5)Catie V.
AMAAAaAZING. Cocktails, dinner, service, vibes -- just perfect. I ordered the Moscow Mule to start -- loved it. The ginger was the perfect amount of spicy to balance the lime and definitely elevated the drink beyond your average moscow mule. We had the duck fat fries (brilliant), roasted carrots (i don't even like cooked carrots and LOVED these), marinated asparagus (perfectly cooked -- balance of flavors was incredible), burrata (didn't try this one), and I had the raviolo as my main course based on recommendations from Yelp. It was DELICIOUS but super rich -- there's a reason it's a small portion! I wouldn't have wanted more. But after the starters, I was perfectly full. We finished off with the Basque cake and rhubarb cobbler -- the cake was deifnitely better than the cobbler but both were good, if not a little more than we had stomach space left for.
(5)Leslie B.
Awesome experience at The Bristol on a Friday night with some girlfriends. We were easily able to make a reservation for 4 at the beginning of the week. Upon arrival, we were seated immediately in their upstairs area which is really cozy. We immediately loved the ambiance. Our waitress came over to take drink orders. We all started with different cocktails and loved them all. The Bristol's cocktail menu is inventive and unique, don't skip on these when you visit! The eustis was my fave. To start, we went with the monkey bread and duck fat fries. The Bristol's menu is designed so that you basically cannot skip these items, and you shouldn't. They were both incredibly tasty and easy to share among four. From there, we picked many plates to share, so we could try as many items as possible. The black pepper brisket was a standout, as were the kielbasa stuffed mushrooms. Although we didn't really know what the cardoon graintee was, we were pleasantly surprised with the thoughtful flavors and sauces going on in there. Additionally, we ordered the pasta with rabbit that was rich and delicious. The only main we sampled was the half chicken. I almost never order chicken out, but convinced my dining companions that Yelp had told me this was a "must order." It was really delicious. Super flavorful, there's a reason this item remains on their menu season after season. Of course four ladies were going to order dessert. After reading an article that Grant Achatz's favorite dessert was The Bristol's basque cake, we had to order it to see what the fuss was all about. We also went with a dessert that our waitress described as "snickers on crack." And that's what it was. It tasted exactly like a Snickers...on crack. Which was a lot of awesomeness. Price point is high, but you're paying for quality, thoughtful dishes. All of the ingredients are from family farms and full of intricacies. Overall, a lovely dinner. I highly recommend going with friends and sharing some plates.
(5)Bon C.
Food : 7, good taste, but expensive Service: 5, slow to respond Ambiance: 5, nothing special floor setup/comfort: 0, uncomfortable metal chairs, with height difference to the booth seats. Booths are set along the walls so you're forced to listen to conversations of tables on both sides of u. Booths(ladies seats)have comfortable, taller heights, with the view of the restaurant. Chairs(gents seats) are uncomfortable, low, and face a brick wall. It's a punishment. Wouldn't go back.
(1)B K.
Big fan. Think it's much better than Girl and Goat, Publican, etc. Much easier to get reservation, service is fantastic, smaller but great ambiance and prices very reasonable. Love. It.
(5)Risa T.
I realize there are many hip places especially in Wicker Park and Bucktown. It's super competitive and there are plenty of places that get rave reviews but don't deserve it. I had my wedding reception here in August 2015. Michelle was a delight to work with along with the team headed by Elliot. The farm raised chicken was the key dinner item and it was awesome. My husband and I have eaten fish, salads, and an amazing basque cake. They were super flexible, best service I ever had and no party is too small nor insignificant to them. I've never had their brunch. It looks good to me but I haven't gone yet for it. It's on the pricey end but in comparison to everything else in that neighborhood, it's average. I've had way worse service, food and atmosphere at places in the area for the same (if not more) price. I can't say anything wrong. Maybe I'll give another review after a brunch experience. Definitely a special occasion spot but maybe someday, it'll be a more regular experience. They are still in the neighborhood and it's really hard to keep a spot in Bucktown these days. The kids even loved the roasted broccoli served for the adults. That's not normal but something to smile about.
(5)Benjamin G.
Totally knocked our socks off. My boyfriend and I went for Valentines day and LOVED it. Best meal I've had in a long time. Our waiter was friendly attentive and made us feel very welcomed and taken care of. The food was out of this world though. The leaks were incredible and the basque cake is a MUST TRY.
(5)Adam K.
Truly fantastic. Sat on time. Great service. Our waiter was just outstanding. He was the right balance of present, while giving you space. Couldn't ask for more. The food was solid across the board. We had the duck fat fries (have to try), the monkey bread (tasty, but not worth $6), the peppered brisket (very good, if not a tad bit dry), the half chicken (more than enough for two. Crispy skin, great flavor. Yum!) and the raviolo (rich and decadent). For two people, we probably ordered one dish too many and didn't have room for dessert. The cocktails were top notch and reasonably price. Can't go wrong with the location either. It was a great time at a great place with great food.
(4)Bobbie A.
Enjoyed the meal. The best fries - ever. A bit of grated lemon peel - love it. Concise menu seasonal very nice though they were out of fish and it was only 8:00 thought it was odd that happened since the menu is so small (we wouldn't tell if someone in the kitchen had to run to Whole Foods.) I'm thinking about the Basque cake dessert right now...
(4)Stuart A.
The atmosphere is very appealing. Nice drink and wine list. The staff was attentive. Had the Parker house rolls, mushroom tart, carrots, beef tartare, both pastas, the chicken, Arctic char, the steak and all 3 desserts. It was very good but not great. The tartare, chicken and the machirone pasta were the best. Nobody liked the char because it was fishy. Maybe it wasn't fresh? The desserts were underwhelming but the cake was the best of the three. I'd be willing to give it a try for brunch but there are too many options in Chicago to go back for dinner.
(3)Charlie C.
I have been here a few times, each of them I have been impressed. We always go for the Monkey bread, their duck fat fries, and some of their cocktails. The wait staff has always been very attentive, culinary creations have always been terrific, while the is what I would expect for a location with this vibe, its more than you want to pay for an average week night dinner. In my opinion. I have never felt over priced, however. You can fit in while wearing jeans and a trendy T, or a suit no tie. The place works. Go, have fun, drink up, and get the Monkey Bead already.
(4)Kristin R.
Went here for dinner after the Chacon event in 2011 or so, after trying their version of Chacon. Was not disappointed. Bright ambience, great service, staff and food. I ordered a pork leg of some sort (it's no longer on the menu), but it was absolutely delicious. Not dry, with a tasty skin on the outside with yummy seasonings. They also had amazing cocktails. Great for either a girls night or date - went here on a girls night and it was just as fun as it would be if it were just for a date night. Tough to get to if getting there by transit but likely easy parking.
(4)Yvonne B.
Grant Achatz said The Bristol is his favorite place to come for dessert in Chicago. He likes to get the Basque Cake: epicurious.com/articlesg… I had some time to kill around 6:30 on a Thursday before meeting a friend at a nearby bar so I thought I'd see what all the hype was about at The Bristol. The first thing they asked me was "Do you have a reservation?" I looked around the near-empty space and answered "No." "Then you can sit at the bar," they told me. Fine, I thought, I wanted to sit at the bar anyway. The next thing I noticed was that this was helluva boring bar. They had a TV that was turned off and the bar tender was taciturn. I don't know what he was doing but he didn't greet me and he took his sweet time (defined as several full minutes) before dutifully asking me if I wanted a drink. Per Mr. Achatz and Yelpers, I ordered the prawns, basque cake, and poire and elderflower cocktail. Although I'll readily admit that the textures of the food were a unique experience (mostly combinations of crunchy, crispy, soft, and gooey), I don't think I'd get any of that again because the flavors were pedestrian. The prawns were essentially cooked whole in garlic butter. Everything tastes good in garlic butter. I can cook something in garlic butter and it'll taste good. That said, the heads and shells (the server encouraged me to eat them also) were nice and crunchy but sometimes chewy and hard to get through. I compared them to stale potato chips. The cake and cocktail were both overly saccharine. The cake was wonderfully crunchy on top and moist yet fluffy texture inside. It came with a scoop of ice cream that failed to take the edge off of the sweetness. A patron at the bar next to me told me that the cake used to be better when they had a different pastry chef. That other chef used to make a cream sauce instead of a syrupy cherry sauce. I agree - a cream sauce would have been better for toning down that crushing sugariness. The sweetness in the cocktail overpowered any other flavors that would have made it more interesting. By the time I left, the host, server, and bar tender were reserving spots at the bar and dutifully policing innocent patrons who didn't know. The space of The Bristol - shabby chic, loft, locovore complete with tables made of reclaimed wood, mason jars, brick walls, and light-bulbs with visible filaments - made me think that the employees might be warm, inviting, and friendly. They're none of that. I was keenly aware of it considering I came alone to sit at an initially empty bar in a mostly empty restaurant where it was just me and the bartender and some unsullied (Game of Thrones reference) employee. Speaking of that, all of the bus boys and the bartender's assistant were Hispanic guys who silently removed and replaced my silverware. They were dressed in black tops whereas the servers and bartender were all white and wore white shirts. I did not like how the servers and bartender spoke in regular tones and the bus boys and assistant only whispered questions for direction. It was a very weird dynamic and not one that I liked. Perhaps what I observed was unusual but I can't imagine how that style of interaction would spontaneously be enacted across multiple people for my viewing pleasure.
(1)Amy S.
This was an awesome spot for roomie night, woot woot! Aka, this place is great for sharing. They have an extensive wine list, which was in our favor. The entire menu is known for using every part of the animal, and it is super seasonal. Only 4-6 items are consistent and the rest are based on what is fresh! We tried the following: Monkey Bread - Simply delicious bread with a really creative dill butter. It was more saucy than butter, so we ate that up! Duck Fat Fries - We had to get this in tribute to Hot Dougs closing. Duck Fat Fries will never be the same! This was perfectly crunchy and you actually got that gamey flavor from the fries. There was some sort of cheese and cilantro on top, which made it even more delicious. This also came with an awesome and tangy homemade ketchup and garlic aioli. Head on Prawns - This was very interesting to say the least. They give it to you cut in half so it is easy to take out the meat and then the entire body/legs/head are edible if you need a little crunch. There were 6 of these, so it was definitely filling. There is also a sauce on the bottom, which we didn't notice until the last prawn so make sure to try it with the sauce. But all in all, this was very flavorful and I would try it again. Parisian Gnooci - This is really a fried gnocci, which I never had before. The flavors sort of resembled a samosa because of the green pea puree on the bottom and onions on top. I was looking forward to a traditional gnocci so I was a little let down, but this was a pretty good dish. Millers Farm Roasted Half Chicken - Usually people are like ehh never order the chicken because chicken is chicken! But this place has an amazing chicken! It is crispy and tender all at the same time. There is a delicious creamed corn/bean mixture underneath that is paired nicely with the chicken. Basque Cake - So this was funny, the cake was great but we do wish there were more berries around and in the cake. The ice cream tasted just like this Indian ice cream called Kulfi. We had to ask what kind of ice cream it was, and found out there is coconut and cardamom inside --- no wonder! =) Really filling and delicious, but I would ask for some extra cherry jam.
(4)Didi D.
I loved the cozy atmosphere and the menu! We had Mother's Day reservations for Brunch $39, which was very reasonable considering all the food we were served. The ham and eggs benedict, Bellini & Bloody Mary was excellent!! The staff was wonderful and very friendly. Dirty dishes were removed promptly and drinks topped off right away. After our meal, one of the waiters braved the cold to hail a cab for us making sure our dining experience was one to remember. As first time visitors to Chicago and The Bristol it was, we will definitely dine here again!
(4)Steph P.
I liked this place a lot. Usually with small plates we get almost everything and I end up leaving hungry, but The Bristol was different. Each plate was small enough to leave room to try more, but big enough to enjoy. The menu changes I think, but when I was there everything was great - a restaurant I'd highly recommend.
(5)Melissa S.
We planned our June wedding here and could not have been happier! I started looking for a smaller venue last summer and found myself really attracted to the Bristol. Aside from a few prior very positive lunch and dinner experiences with them, I discovered that they have a second floor that they will rent exclusively for parties/weddings that we found a perfect fit for our needs. Every step of the planning with them was a fantastic experience! When I first met with Michelle Herndon last summer, I immediately got the impression that the group running this restaurant truly relish in providing great hospitality. Every question I had was met with enthusiasm and a true willingness to make every detail I could imagine possible. (Can you light the fireplace in June and crank the air- conditioning during our ceremony...? Sure!, Can I hang tree branches from your ceiling and string lights from them..? Sure!) In addition, they were extremely willing to work within our budget, and came up with a lot of suggestions for the dinner as well as our alcohol package to help us get the most for our money. Fast forward a year ahead and our wedding was amazing. The staff at the Bristol made everything look so beautiful and easy. Michelle Gnau took over the event planning and was just as lovely to work work with as the first. The final menu that was presented to us was thoughtful, seasonal, and delicious. They served the meal family style so that everyone could eat communally and enjoy all of the main course options! They also provided additional delicious food upon request. We received so many compliments on our menu and on the abundance to eat! In addition, for a very reasonable price their pastry chef made a gorgeous lemon and fresh strawberry preserve filled wedding cake with cream cheese frosting! Again, absolutely amazing and a refreshing change from traditional sugar sweet wedding cakes!! In addition to our great experience with planning (and eating!!), the staff did a lovely job setting up all of our decorations and lights! Since we wanted to save money by not hiring an actual florist to set up our table arrangements, the staff at the Bristol offered to make them for us! The finished product was perfect and honestly one less thing that I had to worry about the day of our wedding! We want to extend a huge thank you to the amazing staff at the Bristol. Their event coordinator Michellle is a gem to work with as well as our dinner coordinator Elliot. I honestly could not have picked someone more amazing out myself to manage the dining room! Elliot was prompt, friendly, and very quick to make any request come to life. In an industry where hospitality can be so lacking, Elliot was a fantastic reminder that there are still awesome, passionate people out there giving amazing service! There was not one single request that went unmet and we really appreciated him for that! Thank you again to the entire staff!!! If you thinking of planning a big event, definitely check these guys out! They will make everything perfect! - The *new* Elsen Family
(5)Amanda P.
Monkey bread with dill heaven sauce. Yum yum FRIES ranked by many sources as some of the best in the city. I agree. BEST CHICKEN EVER. No really. Ever. (But seriously, will you please bottle that dill butter sauce and sell it to me, Bristol?)
(5)Amanda R.
I've been going to the Bristol for years, but for some reason haven't written a review yet. At first it was a go-to place for dinner, but lately brunch is more likely (I got old. I moved. There's a kid.) You could order anything on their menu (any menu) and likely be happy. A few things stand out for me though. Although I often think of pork and butchering when I think of The Bristol, I truly love their pastas. The pappardelle is amazing- unctuous and satisfying in every way. And then there are the duck fat fries for starters. If you don't love them, you need to have your taste buds checked (though I would say that of all duck fat fries, truly). On the brunch menu. the hangover breakfast is not to be missed (though I prefer the old ramen they had ages ago). Again, it's the noodles. They are toothy and hearty and taste so freshly made, and I mean all of those things in the best way possible. As others have said, I don't think you can go wrong here. There's no reason for me to not give The Bristol 5 stars, other than that I'm stingy with my 5 stars, not knowing what else might be out there that could could one day beat The Bristol at its own game. That, and they took away the ramen on the brunch menu. I think it's been 2 or 3 years, but I'm still holding it against them. Brunch, dinner, or shared plates over drinks- I think you will enjoy your meal here. I'll throw this out there too: I've seen kids here. Everyone seems cool with it. However, I have never brought my son, and probably wouldn't. Walking around the large communal table and navigating the space of the restaurant is doable for guests and servers alike easily, but the space seems on a fine line where one random toddler or stroller could put a serious kink in the works.
(4)Meredith K.
I finally got around to trying The Bristol in Bucktown after hearing how fabulous the food and wait staff have been for months. My boyfriend and I grabbed a drink at the bar upstairs while we waited for our table. The hostess shortly after grabbed us and took us to our table upstairs (I was hoping to eat downstairs but was pleasantly surprised with the seating upstairs and the light and airy feel with the breeze from the large open windows). Food: monkey bread is a must!! The dill butter sea salt has great flavor and a terrific dipping sauce for the bread but be careful don't fill up on carbs :) We split the market green salad and parisian gnocchi which were both tasty. I had the millers farm roasted half chicken as my entree and my boyfriend had a fish which is no longer on the menu. I loved the creative food ideas and mixing of flavors on the palate. Wait staff: extremely attentive, constantly filled water glasses and gave us new dishes and silverware as needed. I would definitely go back when the menu has changed for the winter!
(5)Charlie B.
Long overdue review. I have only been once on my birthday a couple years back and again recently for dessert and a drink. But, this place is SO good and just my type of spot. Casual but just nice enough to feel like a night out. Great servers who know their stuff. But, the real star is the food. A shortish, changing menu that features hearty meats and upscale comfort foods. Every single thing manages to feel like something you should be eating all the time, but yet totally new. Just like Mom should have made! It's one of those spots where you should ask your server to help you pick and just trust them. I can't wait to find an excuse to return. And get the Basque cake. That's an order!
(5)Stephen B.
Great place, I had wanted to go to the publican but could not get a reservation, I'm really glad that we could not get a reservation as this was great. As our excellent waiter suggested, we had a starter, small plate, pasta and entree. We had the parkerhouse rolls - fabulous, especially with the house made butter. We also had the salmon rillete, which was ok, almost too many flavors. Many reviews had commented on the raviolo, which was amazing, the soft egg yolk which oozes out when you cut into it does some amazing things. For our main we chose the half chicken. Perfectly done with some very tasty spatzen. For dessert we had the basque cake, we both had one but should have split one. Great service and great food
(4)Carolyn L.
I came here for brunch with some girlfriends a little while ago. The food was still delicious although there was a little mixup with our chilaquiles (mine was lacking something but I can't recall what). The staff was super nice about it though and took it off our bill. And I'll still go back because the sweet breakfast bread that they're known for was sooooo good!
(5)Tricia D.
I wanted to like it more. Perhaps brunch is the way to go. The main reason The Bristol gets 2 stars is because the food is rather lackluster for the price point charged. I've had better heirloom tomato salads ($12), and $14 was hefty for the pork loin small plate, which kind of just tasted like carved Oscar Mayer turkey amongst a bed of voluminous greens. I didn't care for it. The drink I ordered did pack a significant punch. The strong aromatics of the bev did translate to its strength! Service was punctual and fine for the most part, minus feeling like the waiter was trying to pressure us into ordering more drinks and dessert. Overall, meh.
(2)Lauren F.
One of the best places I've been to! We came for brunch and the kitchen did not disappoint, wait staff were amazing too. We had the quiche, chicken 'n a biscuit, and the pastry board (cinnamon roll, kuchen, and the bomboloni). Cannot wait to go back for dinner!
(5)Justin K.
Baked goods are excellent but the brunch entrees are so filling they're all you need. Ham n Eggs Benedict and Hangover Breakfast are my favorites. Bloody Mary is rich and thick and smoky, and begs for the beer back. Just get it. All the cocktails are really good.
(5)Shereene M.
I had this place on my "brunch spot list" for a little while so was excited to try it. First off, easy to find..right off the highway and easy free parking can be found on the small streets within the neighborhood. It's super cute with an open front- I wish we sat there. We made reservations because I don't think you can get a table without one. We were seated right when we all were there and the service was great. Food I tried: duck fat fries- you will never want regular fries again!, chilaquiles- eh, not my favorite, open faced pork sandwich- very good, def a little fatty but it's pork belly, what can you expect! Overall, great experience. I would come back but there are just too many brunch spots to try!!
(4)Emily W.
The Bristol was the lucky / unlucky venue of choice for our mildly drunk, definitely hungover, loud, cackling ladies' brunch. We ordered the pastry board - for $14, it comes with one piece of kuchen, two bomboloni, and one cinnamon roll. A little bit pricey, but you know how we are such delicate eaters. Plus, everything else on the menu is quite reasonably priced. I got the chicken 'n' a biscuit, which came with sweet pickles and sausage gravy. The chicken is tender and juicy, having been brined the night before. Maybe it is just me, though, but I prefer equal portions of chicken and biscuit, with plenty of gravy to sop up in every bite. This dish comes with one chicken thigh and a HUGE biscuit - there was 3X as much biscuit as chicken, and sadly not enough sausage gravy for me to finish it. I tried a bite of the hangover noodle soup and wish I had gotten that instead. The noodles have a great firm texture and tasted like they were homemade. Our service was a bit mixed. We had one waitress who was super cheerful and nice, and another (our main waitress) who was a bit curt. I'll admit we were not the most attentive group of people, but her interruptions were extra awkward for some reason.
(4)Jen K.
I chose this restaurant for an office outing and everyone loved it, which makes me look good. So obviously, I'm happy about this location. All kidding aside, the atmosphere, staff and food are incredible. It's a great place to check out in Bucktown. It's a rustic American theme. They were able to sit our party of 10, with a reservation. The wait staff was very nice and helpful in our wine selection. We had several bottles of different reds and they were all delicious. I chose to stick with small plates instead of getting an entree. The beet salad was very good but one of my coworkers got the apple salad which was better. I then had the raviolio. I can't begin to say how amazing that dish was. You have to cut it right away so the yolk can break perfectly into the rest of the dish. I then had the sauerbraten duck leg. It was terrific. The only time I have sauerbraten, I make it with beef. Now that I know it tastes incredible with duck, I'm going to move towards that. To finish my meal, I had the basque cake with a nice bottle of champagne. The cake was really good but I tried the tiramisu and it was better. Seriously, everyone has to try The Bristol!
(5)Kiki A.
So disappointed! The one star is for the atmosphere. Where has everyone's (Yelp Reviewers) taste buds spun off to. Came with a party of 4 and was seated promptly which was nice. We had a very friendly server as well. First off-everything that came out was cold!! From the appetizers, to ALL 4 mains, even the dessert! Everything that we tried, (3 appetizers, 4 different main dishes and 2 desserts) was lacking taste and was quite bland. Tried the carrots, and mushroom tart and the duck fat fries for an appetizer...I was expecting more from the carrots and the mushroom tart. The mains included the pasta (not the ravioli) which was sticky and lacked taste, my friends had the wall eye fish, which was a little rubbery, another had the pork-meh, and another had the steak, which-again-lacked taste and when things come out cold, it ruins everything. The dessert was another disappointment, the rhubarb was way tooooo sweet, almost inedible and the basque cake, very dry and not sure if I even went for seconds. (big shocker) Maybe I just stumbled on it on an off night, but I'm hesitant to try this place again. :(
(1)Athene C.
I'm giving this 3.5 stars. My only knock on this restaurant would be the initial experience. We arrived at 8:01 for our 8:00 reservation and were told that our table had paid and they were waiting for them to leave. The tiny vestibule was full of people. Other reservations came in and the same line - paid and they're waiting for them to leave. By 8:20, we finally asked if we could wait at the bar. I don't understand how the hostess did not point us towards one of two bars in the first place! We were finally seated at 8:30. The food was tasty - duck fries, cardone gratinee, chicken, pumpkin cheesecake. Some was bland - beet salad and lake trout. Some a little salty - steak. The wine was good and the sommelier was helpful. The coffee was exceptional. Our server was attentive as was the rest of the wait staff. Overall a pleasant experience except for the first half hour. Would I go back? Maybe. Why a Bib? No idea.
(3)Khloe K.
First off i really like the Bristol and have frequented it for dinner several times over the past few years and yes never wrote a review. So i feel kind of bad writing a not so positive review of my recent brunch experience. First off the service was good and this restaurant is always bustling during brunch however i guess i just ordered the wrong brunch items?! I was feeling mildly hungover that sunday morning and really needed some comforting sustenance and was craving broth and noodles. Well the Bristol happened to have what i thought i needed in the form if their Hangover Breakfast! How perfect was that. Its a pork broth ramen style noodle dish and just the perfect small portion. I love ramen and was disappointed by the broth which i appreciated was clean tasting but very one note in flavor almost bland and the noodles were really overcooked and almost mushy in texture. I think they were either made in house but it definately seemed like a fresh noodle that was way overcooked. I dont know why i didnt send the dish back, perhaps i didnt have the strength and gumption as i normally would to do that so i just sucked it up and ate as much of it as i could to give my body much needed calories and salt etc. the next item is their famous cinnamon roll. Ok this was the second time ive tried it and im not a fan. Perhaps if you like the roll to be slightly crusty and overcooked on the outside and somewhat dense on the inside thats fine but i prefer a soft, light airy cinnamon roll that soaks up all the cinnamony sweet icing. This one tasted kind of hard and dry but the icing was good. Go figure it just wasnt my morning! Oh the La Columbe french press coffee was really good. Light but complex.
(3)Christopher M.
4.5 stars but I will round up to 5 stars. Overall they have a fantastic drink menu and very knowledgeable bartenders who even make their own liquers, which they are happy to share with you. On food we've had some 8 star dinners and some 2 star dinners, so obviously it can be inconsistent, but when they're on ...boy, they are on. We've been to brunch once and it was very good as well, the best part being the inventive brunch cocktails. 119/365
(5)Michael H.
Stopped I'm for brunch. I had the ham and eggs Benedict with breakfast potatoes. Nice hangover cure at a reasonable price. She had the chilequiles which were forgettable. Not enough pulled pork in the mix. Duck fat fries were overrated and not as flavorful as other reviews suggested. We would have stayed for another Bloody Mary if not for our waiter's obvious desire to turn the table. Cramped quarters but comfortably decorated.
(3)Marilynn P.
This place is pretty adorable. Ambiance: 5/5! I came here for brunch and loved how the windows opened up completely to the street/sidewalk. This place definitely has a cool vibe and the space was well designed. Food: 3/5! I think the best item on the menu was the duck fat fries! SO DELICIOUS. We joked that we can never go back to regular fries after having tried the duck fat fries. Everything else was good but not amazing. I ordered the braised pork chilaquiles and it was alright-but I wasnt blown away and I wouldn't order it again. I tried the open faced egg sandwich and it was also okay I probably wouldn't order it for myself! I feel like that was the mutual sentiment between everyone in the group... the food was good but not amazing. If I come back, I definitely want to try the grapefruit brûlée! Service: 4/5. I felt like the service was good! It was a little slow, but the place was packed so it was justifiable. Overall I had a good dining experience. In reading the other reviews, I feel like most of the 5-star yelp reviews were for the dinner menu. Curious to try it out for dinner!
(4)Mike O.
I don't know how anyone who cooks, travels, or eats out frequently would give this place 4-5 stars. There was zero flavor to their food, no size to their portions, and they screwed up comfort food. Who screws up comfort food? By far this is the most overrated restaurant I've been to in Chicago. Feel free to contact me for more information or if you have any doubts. Pork chilaquiles: so you charged me $12 for a small plate of very soggy, flavorless nachos that a 6-year old could assemble, and probably has, knowing Latin America? Thanks. Chicken and a biscuit: the chicken was the highlight but a little greasy, whereas the biscuit and gravy component was downright embarrassing. Who made this tasteless gravy, and who decided to put so little on such a dense, heavy biscuit? It was vicariously shameful. Again, $13 for this nonsense. If you're going to do comfort food, then DO comfort food. Breakfast pastries: delicious, but not why we came, and I have no evidence or reason to believe these were made in house. To summarize, this place is so overpriced for the portion size, and the flavors are nonexistent. It's also not cute to charge ~$14 for a brunch entree, at a bar, where the host is wearing jeans. The Bristol takes the cake for the most overrated restaurant in Chicago. I'm convinced it's catering to naive yuppies and people who just moved here from Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin and don't know any better.
(1)Rebecca R.
So this review is only for brunch. It was outstanding!! Service was excellent. We were lucky enough to have Bryan with a Y ;) I now know why it's always busy on the weekends, however I still did not have to wait for a table for 2 at 11:30 on a Sunday. Started off with a Bloody Mary which was very good. Just enough spice, and a pickle (does also come with a chunk of ham & cheese for those who want to know).... Sold. I had the quiche of the day which was rapini and grana padano, rich and hearty and everything a quiche should be with a nice crust. Did not compare to my friends chicken & biscuit which is served topped with a thick sausage gravy... Requested extra. It was very good! Will definitely be back to try dinner!
(5)Tim S.
Could there have been more salt on my dinner? Not unless I was a deer at a salt lick. Yuck
(1)Bill W.
My wife and I dined here for her birthday on 12/6/14. We made a reservation for 7:30pm and arrived about 20 minutes early to have a drink at the bar before we were seated. She had a beer and I had a smokey manhattan that was excellent. While seated, I was looking over the bottles at the bar and noticed they had a few bottles of the hard to find Pappy van Winkle, most notably the 23 year Family Reserve. I was explaining how rare it is to my wife and the host/manager came over and pulled it off the bar and poured off an ounce for me to try, free of charge. He had noticed me talking about it and said they don't normally sell it, but let people who are interested in it, try it. Really nice start to the evening. We were seated about 7:40pm and the waitress brought over a birthday card for my wife that the staff had signed. Another nice touch. We ordered 4 small plates, the bread with chicken skin butter, the duck leg, the prawns, and the ravioli. All 4 were great. We split the chicken after reading the great reviews and it was worth it. The skin was crispy and the rest was full of flavor. The waitress talked us into the basque cake for dessert and that was great as well. We each had an additional drink with dinner and the bill with tip came to around $150, completely reasonable and we left happy and full.
(4)Adam L.
The manager called me today to apologize for everything that happened, as well as the delay in response to my email. I expected nothing less from a establishment such as The Bristol. Stellar food and stellar service. These guys will treat you well and won't hesitate to make your time at their restaurant more enjoyable.
(5)Stefanie A.
Amazing brunch! Entire menu looked good, but our server helped us choose some of his favorites. Our table split the apple salad with the manchego. So fresh and delicious. I had the breakfast hangover bowl and it did the trick exactly lol. It was phenomenal and I def recommend it! For dessert we all split the basque cake- one of the best desserts I've ever had. We saw the dinner menu and decided we are def coming back.
(5)Talia G.
Hello Chef's Week, it's nice to meet you! I'm so glad we could become acquainted at a restaurant as wonderful as The Bristol. I came to the Bristol last night (Sunday) for the start of Chef's Week, and was not disappointed. For $44 I had 4 courses that left me satisfied, but not overly full. The first course was a little potato amuse bouche which was crunchy and tasty. For the second course, I ordered the tuna dish, which was a bit like a salad with chunks of tuna, a few unidentified veggies, and large croutons. Unique and delicious. For the main entree, I shared the lamb, scallops, and mushroom "gnocchi" with my friends. The gnocchi was more like a souffle, which I thought was exciting and fun. The scallops were served with a great cauliflower sauce-of-sorts, and the lamb was SO INSANELY TENDER. It was hands down my favorite, but everything was great. Finally, for dessert, I had a pear dessert layered with vanilla cream, a citrus curd, and lime ice cream. All the components were great except the curd at the bottom. It was quite bitter and off-putting. Fortunately, it was at the bottom so I could just avoid it and eat the rest. The chocolate tart that my friend got was extremely dense and rich. Delicious, just dense. Overall, a great meal. The ambiance is both sexy and classy, and all the servers were very nice. I'll definitely be back!
(4)Mollyann R.
Best. Service. Ever! Hands down, best service ever! I mean it. Best freaking service I have ever experienced. Ok, now on to my story. My food tour group ordered the duck fat fries (duh), scallops, apple cake, and the homemade nutter butters served with chocolate sauce. The duck fat fries and the nutter butters were both exceptional. Both must haves. I loved the ambiance and the servers outfits. The servers were wearing dark jeans, white button down shirts, and green aprons. I loved the mixture of casual and dressy. To explain the exceptional service - our server was very attentive, professional, and informative. When someone would get up to go to the restroom, he would fold their napkin at their place. He also cleared the table of crumbs. The manager on duty stopped by our table not once, but twice. Our drinks were always filled so that we never went thirsty. We ordered more than we originally thought because we enjoyed this place so much. The server was a great server as well as a great salesman. Every restaurant should strive to be what The Bristol has accomplished. I will always sing my praises for this place. Bravo!
(5)Bill S.
I attended a group dinner here on 1/9. Our table of six was encouraged to order approximately 12 plates to "share." Nowhere on the restaurant's website or menu does it indicate that the portion sizes would be small or this was some sort of tapas style restaurant. When we asked about ordering separately, we encountered some resistance from the waitress, who highly recommended we double the order of everything ("you'll need two ravioli" to share. Although the food was delicious, the portions were incredibly small for the price and the continued "used car salesman" attitude of our waitress did not help. Even though I was the last person to finish eating, she immediately brought over a desert menu for me to review even though I said I was full. After she came back and asked what I would be having (instead of "would you like anything?") she questioned my decision. It was honestly the most sales-driven dinner I have had in years. BTW, for those of you clicking "$$$" for the price, you should be clicking "$$$$", since the dinner was $100 per person. Between the aggressive wait staff and high price per portion I will not be returning here unless I absolutely had to.
(2)Michael U.
Items selected include: Autumn Punch - Averell Damson Gin, Apple Jack Brandy, House Apple Sours, Cinnamon Bitters Red kuri squash, broccoli rabe, pine nuts, agave, pesto Trout rillettes, wheat thin crackers, pickled shallot, chervil Prime wagyu beef tartare, deviled egg Smoked chicken hearts, pain perdu, mushrooms, soy, egg yolk Charcuterie board, assorted accompaniments, country pork pâté, chicken liver mousse, Tamworth prosciutto, mortadella Monkey Bread pull apart, Dill Butter, Sea Salt Whole Wheat Fazzoletti, Briased Rabbit Sugo, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms, Prunes Basque Cake, Apple Confit, Candied Cinnamon Walnuts, Cider Sabayon Salted Caramel and Banana Tart, Milk Jam, White Chocolate Mascarpone For the last stop of the night, my family tapped out from a long day of eating, I met up with my buddy Jon at The Bristol just after 9:00pm and although the space was still packed our table was readied in minutes by a young woman named Shannon seemingly acting as server, cocktail waitress, busser, and hostess without ever missing a beat before proceeding to wow us further with both her knowledge of the menu and strong recommendations for can't miss dishes amongst a bevy of options listed on the wall to our right. Boisterous and busy, the noise level appropriate for a Friday night in The Windy City, and with a request to not overwhelm us with too many plates at once the meal would start off with a drink before progressing into four rounds of food, each more impressive than the last with not a single dish lacking in ingredient quality, preparation, or presentation - even the tartare, something I'd never choose to order myself, was pristine and interesting. Specializing in meats and whole-animal butchery it goes without saying that everything featured on a wooden board - specifically the rillettes and the charcuterie - was excellent and also an excellent deal, but what truly impressed me was the quality of the vegetables as the Hokkaido squash dish and both plates featuring mushrooms were far from 'light' yet at the same time very precise - each component given great care and the end result very balanced; the soy soaked egg yolk with the smoky chicken hearts and seared mushrooms particularly impressive. Moving last to the desserts - my friend throwing in the towel after only a couple of bites - I was left with the pleasure of polishing off a duo of very impressive options; the tart a delicious seasonal selection with a crisp shortbread crust giving way to the fork with a gush of banana infused caramel spilling onto the plate while the oft-praised Basque cake excelled to a whole different level as the dense butter cake rife with cinnamon and sugar, warm apples, plus crunchy bits of walnut all surrounding a pastry cream center is even better than it sounds...the sort of signature dessert that should never leave the menu because I could not imagine going to The Bristol (or returning) without ordering it.
(5)lori c.
food was decent but nothing to rave about. I enjoyed the smoked ham benedict that had a deliciously interesting mustard hollandaise sauce. my friends had the pork chilaquiles which hardly had any pork in it, chicken & biscuits which was good in flavor but was not cooked well, and the quiche. great service, family friendly and neatly decorated.
(4)Paul d.
Okay, let's be honest, I was drawn to this place because of the duck fat fries. I left with much much more. Bristol does everything well, from the dimly lit comfortable decor to the service and ultimately the food. We ordered the following: Monkey Bread - nothing spectacular; really just bread with dill butter Duck Fat Fries - best in Chicago is still Hot Doug's but the homemade ketchup and garlic aioli more than made up for it. Rabbit Ravioli - good flavor and interesting; guess I couldn't really compare it with any other rabbit raviolis I've had. Roasted Half Chicken - advertised by the waitress as the best chicken in the city and it was delicious although maybe hyping it up may have detracted from the experience a little. Must try though. Basque Cake - very delicious. Like a personal size cake that was crispy on the outside but utterly moist in the inside. Must try. Overall, definitely a place I'd like to try again especially because they switch up menus often. Also they really need to bottle their hot sauce because it has to be one of the best I've ever tried.
(4)jaili f.
We really wanted to love the restaurant. After looking at great reviews, I came with two cousins that were visiting from out-of-state. We ordered the duck fries, chilaquiles, smoked ham benedict and chicken and biscuit. The chilaquiles was bland, the smoked ham benedict was bland and the chicken and biscuit was bland and sweet. We asked for salt and both times it was not working. I don't think we touched more than a third of our food. The only saving grace was the duck fries. I can understand one dish off out of the three. But all three were off. Extremely disappointed.
(1)J W.
Had brunch with a friend at 10:30AM on Sunday. Seated quickly, and service was friendly and efficient the entire meal. Decent (not great) Bloody Mary to start, as well as the emperor's genmaicha (excellent). Proceeded to down the Hangover Breakfast (ramen noodles in pork broth with aromatic vegetables), which was very good and satisfying. To be critical, the noodles were the weakest ingredient. Also had the duck fat fries on the side, which were excellent. Great experience.
(5)Paul L.
I have never been at a restaurant - and my wife & I eat out 2-3 times a week - where I felt so taken advantage of and over charged. We went to the Bristol on Easter Sunday. We had made reservations 2 weeks ahead and on the evening before we were called and told they would be serving a Prix Fix menu for $29. Given it was less than 24 hours ahead we were stuck. When we got there were shocked to see that all we would receive is limited pastry board (read- cinnamon roll & doughnut hole) a mediocre entree (e.g., biscuit and gravy) and a cup of coffee or tea. Breakfast drinks were extra at $10 to $12. We received bad service throughout and left with a bill for the 4 of us with tip totaling $180! Under an ale carte menu the same meal would have been barely $100. Net/net we will never return and I would advise the same for others.
(1)Erika M.
Just went here for brunch. Food was pretty good - I thoroughly enjoyed my "hang over soup" which was similar to a ramen, but my boyfriend said his burger was just okay. He compared it to something he would make at home. My problem is with the service we received. It took over 20 min to get ahold of a server and then another ten at least to get an iced tea. I understand if the place is busy, but this was now 30 minutes of sitting there without a drink. Kind of ridiculous. At this point I was starting to feel annoyed. The next problem was when I received my soup- the hangover breakfast. Everything looked good - but it was missing the pork belly that it said it came with. When I was able to get ahold of the waitress, she said, "I don't know if it was there before but I'll bring some pork belly for you." Was she actually accusing me of eating all of the meat and then requesting more? I thought this was kind of insane. It was just an awkward experience. I did enjoy the soup and the duck fat fries were delicious - however the service was not okay. Don't think I will be back- there are far more places in the area with just as good, if not better food and much better service.
(2)Erika W.
I've been to the Bristol a few times, just went again this past week for my sister's birthday. The good - Nice atmosphere, albeit quite dark. Cozy and not too loud. We got a reservation without issue. Our server was excellent. She knew the menu very well, gave us lots of suggestions and advice. My sister has a couple of minor food allergies and our server identified right away which items contained even a bit of those foods. Food came out in a leisurely, timely manner (neither too slowly or quickly). Overall the food and drinks were tasty. Now the not so good - They have gotten rid of the monkey bread. We asked about it, apparently the chef is "going in a new direction." Okay, but removing the most talked about and popular item on your menu? (Also gone are the duck fat fries.) Our server sold us on the new bread they have, and while it was good, in the end it was really just bread, nothing super special, and we paid $6 for it. The menu is a bit strange. Our server suggested, for the 3 of us, about 4 starters and 2 entrees to share. But there are only 3 entree choices, none of which are vegetarian. (we all turned over our menu, looking for more entree choices. Oops.) My sister will eat fish, so we decided to get the one salmon entree and more starters. Everything was very good, but quite small. The raviolo is delicious - but for 3 of us it was really just one bite each. $22 for 3 bites is a bit steep I think. Same was true of the other dishes - very tiny and a bit inflated in price. I have no problem paying a good amount of money for good food, but found most of the dishes to be good, but not particularly memorable or worth the money. While the service was really good, I might think about returning between the removal of favorite menu items, as well as the prices. There are just so many restaurants in this town that can compete.
(3)Layla R.
The Bristol has a great atmosphere and solid brunch fare. I enjoyed my Smoked Ham Benedict (although the potatoes were way too big and not my favorite). The cinnamon bun, however, probably the best I've ever had and the cocktails were delicious. It's definitely not a bargain though. Two entrees, a cinnamon bun, two cocktails, and 2 coffees will set you back almost $80 for two with tip, but I still recommend highly as we enjoyed everything we ordered.
(4)Ashley B.
After driving and walking by it so often, I decided was time to give it a try. I went with three other people and we each kind of picked a dish and shared. Everything was pretty great. I had the trout, but my favorite had to have been my boyfriends ravioli. It was strange though, it was one giant, single ravioli. Delicious though. The wine list is also really impressive, and if you're not in the mood for wine, they have some pretty good cocktails. The only reason why it doesn't get five starts? I thought it was just kind of a more expensive version of Bin, but the food wasn't THAT mind-blowing. I want to come back and give it another chance and try the small plates.
(4)Steve A.
The Bristol is an upscale restaurant that manages to avoid being too crowded and too noisy while still achieving a trendy vibe. The narrow, brick-lined space is lit sparingly, making it good choice for intimate conversation and romantic dinners. While the tables are fairly close, they are aligned in a way that doesn't seem invasive. There's a reason everyone talks about the duck fat fries. They're surprisingly un-greasy, perfectly crisp on the outside, tender inside, and nicely seasoned, served with a wonderful garlic aioli. We also really enjoyed the wagyu beef, which was just the right mix of meat and fat, charred yet still perfectly medium rare on the inside, and served with a delicious red pepper sauce. The trout and the tempura broccoli were just okay. Dishes are served family style, so go with people who enjoy sharing and tasting lots of different things. One member of our party had many allergies, and the chef marked up a menu for her, showing her what she could have and what he could modify. Very nice. The wine list is extensive, and prices are fair, although there are no bargains. Service was friendly, and the bus boys were particularly on the ball with plate removal and water refills. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the service was impressive. This is a very good restaurant, flirting with great. Definitely worth a visit.
(4)Federico D.
What a great spot! This is the kind of place that keeps their food quality and service at the top for many years. I went here to meet friends from out of town. It wasn't just me, they really liked the whole experience. Service: Great Food: Great Ambiance: Great! One of my few favorite restaurants in Chicago!
(5)Evelina L.
Just had brunch there on 08/14 for probably the 10th time, but this one was just above and beyond yumminess, so I decided to write about it! First of all - their coffee is the best in the neighborhood, just wish for a little larger cups! We ordered the french toast and the quiche, plus a side of the double deep fried/loved potatoes with a side of their home made ketchup. The quiche was the best that I have ever had, EVER. It was also the fluffiest and most flavorful, I cannot wait to go back next weekend and order it again! I am torn about wanting the same one (bacon, spinach, gruyere and onion) and trying another one... French toast with the bourbon syrup - fantastic as well! There is no crust in the toast, so every bite is deliciously soft and absorbs as much flavor from the syrup as possible... Cannot wait to go back! Bristol never disappoints!
(5)Wendy Z.
came back again with high expectations but was slightly disappointing the second time around Started off with trying the much yelped about Monkey Bread - it's basically soft bread served with dill butter on the side..it came in a little pot and was almost too cute to eat! it was fluffy pieces of heaven....but things quickly went downhill after that. For entrees we ordered the Pappardelle with Lamb Ragu and Lamb Ribs (yes we love lamb) but much to our disappointment, neither lived up to expectations. The papardelle could have used probably an extra 10 minutes of cooking time..and I could barely taste any of the lamb. As for the lamb ribs it was way undercooked and therefore very tough to cut into pieces and equally hard to chew...definitely not the way to end the meal and by that time we were already too full for dessert. I don't recommend the lamb but will definitely come back for the monkey bread, duck fat fries, and the roast chicken that I had the first time i was here.
(3)Ericka B.
Came here for brunch and for some reason, they didn't have a table for us until nearly an hour past our reservation time. Based on previous reviews, sounds like other people have had this problem as well, which is a frustrating. However, they brought us complimentary pastries while we waited...and then ended up comping our entire meal! Great customer service. They were able to turn around a bad situation, and we all walked out saying we would come back again thanks to their service. Foodwise, I got the Hangover Breakfast, which was delicious. The broth was flavorful and spicy. The pastries were also very good.
(4)Emily C.
Loved coming here and sitting at the bar. Michael makes an amazing old fashioned and is very friendly. We loved the monkey bread and duck fat fries (yum!) and they were a good size to share with a couple people. Lately at cocktail bars I feel like the bar snacks are lacking / small - not here! We also recently came for brunch which was great as well! I tried the salmon rillettes which is good if you want something lighter, but it's not a lot of food. The burger was great and it came with the amazing fries. The bloody mary was good, but not the best ever. I added a little hot sauce to spice it up a bit. My husband LOVED his drink he tried - it was similar to a whiskey sour. Everyone around us was ordering the chilaquiles so I would try that the next time. Looked awesome. The service here is great and I love the neighborhood vibe. Everyone is really nice. When they found out we were going to NY, they all gave us ideas on bars to try. We will definitely be coming back frequently! 114/365
(5)sharon a.
Delightful Easter brunch! Went sort of by default since our other choices were either booked or didn't take reservations. Not willing to take our chances waiting endlessly on Easter Sunday we booked a table at Bristol. Nothing second choice about it!! Service was delightful, complementary pastry sampler was fabulous, cocktails stellar, entrees delish!!! Even our vegetarian companion raved about his mushroom dish. Thanks Bristol for a wonderful experience.
(4)H L.
I really don't understand why this place is so popular, the food is over priced and underwhelming. We had: Brussel sprouts - oily and salty Fries - nice and crunchy, but too salty. aioli was very good Porgy - ok flavor Squab tartine - once again over salty to the point where I couldn't even eat the frisee that came with it. Service was average, nobody came to our table for at least 5 minutes. The atmosphere was nice, except it was sooo loud you have to yell across the table to have a normal conversation. The tables are very close together so if you have a loud, obnoxious couple sitting at the next table, you're screwed. To top it off, the valet asked us to walk to our car across the street because he was too busy parking other cars, but still charged us. and he asked us to wait for him so he can quickly park another customer's car as we drove out of our parking spot. The whole experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Chicago has many many other great reasonably priced restaurants.
(1)Mark E.
This was a pleasant dining experience, friendly service and a tastefully decorated dining room with the charm of natural light coming from the floor-to-ceiling in front and hanging bulbs, wood table tops and bare brick walls. But, the star of the experience was the food. We started off with Monkey Bread and the duck fat fries. The Monkey bread was good, especially when dipped in the dill butter, but the fries were probably the best I've ever had. I had to force myself to slow down on those, so I could enjoy my entrée. I ordered the roasted half chicken with dill spaetzle and crunchy salad. It was just perfectly done. Everything on the plate was delicious. When I got home with my leftovers, I already wanted to eat the rest. And I did. I plan to come back soon with my wife, and I am going to have a tough time trying a different entree after my first experience was so good. I will, however, definitely be getting the duck fat fries again.
(5)Jonathan A.
So I decided to have a date night with one of my best friends, checked out the restaurants in the area, this place had very good reviews, so we decided to try it out for ourselves. Let me say this was an excellent choice, the place was busy for a Sunday evening, and even though it is a bit small, it still felt very cozy. We started off with the duck fat fries, and oh my, they were heavenly, especially with the homemade sauces that came with it. I decided on the pork shank with lentils and my friend got the roasted chicken. Both were simply delicious. The pork was succulent and fell off the bone, and I tried my friends chicken, and the skin... It had so much flavor and crunch, the meat was juicy as well. Our server was quite attentive and was very knowledgeable when it came to asking the ingredients (I'd like to make this chicken at home... To bad I didn't get the recipe.) this was a great choice for a date with great food. I will be coming back.
(5)Emann B.
Went for Sunday brunch. Excellent, excellent, excellent server! What an amazing person, really made my morning. I had a Moscow Mule to get things started (icy and refreshing), followed by the chilaquiles. So rich and filling, a hint of heat, and pork belly to boot! My friend's burger was declared juicy and flavorful. She didn't want the duck confit and asked for it on the side. Of course I devoured it. Doughnuts to top it off, fresh and warm, not too sweet. Must return!
(5)Bonnie F.
We are very picky about where we eat when we go out. Restaurant Week gives us a chance to try places we haven't gone too. After perusing many menus we settled on the Bristol. They were offering an interesting tasting menu for $44. with wine pairing for $20. It was a taste sensation. We had Smoked Carrot Salad- amazing, Porchetta de Testa - excellent, Gnocchi With Wild Mushrooms - fabulous, White Fish with Parsnips, snail and red Wine Ragout -flavorful and Poached Pear Trifle. - so savory. We added wine pairing (4 pours) for $20. What a bargain. Service was very attentive even tough they were serving a full house. Ask to be seated on the main floor of the restaurant unless you like to be in a noisy crowd. Noise is a bit challenging if you are next to a group of loud talkers. But go any night and try a cocktail too
(5)Zoelle F.
We had our wedding reception at The Bristol and it was absolutely amazing! The managers were incredible, addressing concerns promptly and with every reassurance that our wedding would be exactly how we wanted it. Our guests were blown away by the cocktails and the food. No one raves about chicken at a wedding, but they did at ours!!! The service was great and we couldn't have been happier with our event, and have made loyal Bristol customers out of some of our friends and family.
(5)Mark W.
Amazing Monkey bread and and killer Moscow Mule! I enjoyed the dinner a lot better than the brunch. All in all a great spot.
(5)Amy H.
I've been wanting to try out The Bristol for far too long. It really is worth it. We made a reservation for a Tuesday night and were seated promptly at 7. The ambience is great. I can see how it gets louder on the weekends, but it really is warm and inviting. Duck fat fries are a must. The garlic aioli and homemade ketchup were awesome. My friend and I split the raviolo, which was wonderfully rich with brown butter, ricotta, Parmesan, and egg yolk. We followed that with the pork porterhouse topped with onions and cherries. All the flavors really worked well together. Very good. Service was friendly and attentive. Bryan was great. Not pushy at all and he was very informative. Definitely want to go back... I could probably make this a 5 after a repeat performance.
(4)Samuel M.
I've been meaning to try out The Bristol for a long time, and finally made it last week for dinner. The menu is full of interesting, share-able options, most of which rotate on a regular basis. Broccoli with oxtail marmalade ($14), which features pressed and seared broccoli topped by a slimy-yet-satisfying oxtail stew, is an interesting take on pot roast that allows the side vegetable to take center stage. Pasta a la chitarra with rapini pesto ($15) also showcases the bitter green admirably both in the sauce and in chunks in the pasta, and is rounded out nicely with sharp grated cheese and bright citrus. One pound pork porterhouse ($28) is cooked medium, with enough fat to stay tender but not so much to become unappetizing. Duck fat fries ($7) are awesome: crispy on the outside, pillowy soft on the inside, with great flavor that only comes from having been fried in animal fat. Service is great and atmosphere is cool. Pricing is a tad high for some options; as good as it tastes, paying $15 for a 4 oz serving of pasta is definitely steep. All in all, The Bristol offers well-executed gastropub food, but given the saturated nature of that niche, it definitely doesn't pull away from the crowd. I'd recommend it, but I'd recommend a few of its competitors first.
(4)Monica D.
We were in town for a conference and were recommended to try The Bristol. Phenomenal food and great service by Bryan. He was super attentive to our dietary needs. We loved the roast chicken, brisket, and caramel bar. Fantastic experience!
(5)KM Y.
I heard great things about The Bristol and my expectations were met. First, I love dinner in a dimly lit room with candlelight. The ambiance was chic and romantic. The tables are set very closely to one another, which typically annoys me, but they pull it off in a way so your table still feels very private and cozy. We started with the monkey bread, raviolo and the beef heart tar tar ... All three were beyond delicious. The tar tar might be the best I've had. Our main courses were the cod, chicken and hangar steak. The duck fat frites that came with the steak were out of this world. They were exceptionally savory and we couldn't stop picking at them throughout the entire meal. The cod was OK - nothing exceptional - and the hangar steak was a bit chewy, but had great flavor. When I come back (hopefully soon!), I may stay away from the mains and just order a number of the delicious starters.
(4)Kate L.
Amazing. I loved every single thing I tried at the Bristol. The service was wonderful, very nice atmosphere, great cocktails. I went with a group of 7 so we got to try lots of different menu items, which I think is ideal. We were all extremely happy with our orders and the waiter was very helpful assisting us with portion size, which is always tricky with small plates. My absolute favorite was the roasted squash. I also really loved the prawns, raviolo & the duck fat fries. It definitely wasn't the healthiest meal I've ever eaten, but one of the best.
(5)Neena P.
As a recent Bucktown transplant from the Fulton River District, I have really missed being a stone's throw away from some of the best dining destinations in the city. All this changed with one dinner at The Bristol. Maybe I was just starving, or maybe this was one of the best meals I'd ever had. The cauliflower and brussel sprouts were standouts. The pasta was delicious but probably overpriced for the portion. And as a semi-pescatarian, I thought the roasted chicken was actually really great. My only regret was not saving room for dessert. Cannot wait to go back!
(5)Christine F.
I'm not going to rehash how awesome the Bristol is, because I've already done that. I've recently discovered that I am gluten intolerant and it's just something I have to avoid. The Bristol was AMAZING at accommodating me. Seriously. Our server Michelle was off the charts, I was given my own GLUTEN FREE menu and everything was delicious. Get the chicken. And the apple salad. And a cocktail. You will leave happy.
(5)derek T.
Cool place, many layered flavors in the food - but not overly complex, great service.
(4)Rachel W.
I wish I remembered more of this night, but the fabulous bartender got me pretty boozed up on the gin/chartreuse/etc. special cocktail of the night. Luckily, we had ordered most of the food before my 3rd cocktail. Duck fat fries - awesome Agnolotti w/mushrooms, artichokes, ricotta - okay, didn't love Mixed greens w/buttermilk - refreshing Fried cauliflower - my favorite dish Pricey, partly because the cocktails are $11, but the fare seemed a bit over too. Great ambiance, decor, and lighting fixtures. I'd definitely go back and it was a much improved experience from my previous one.
(4)Downtown B.
We went last night. Expectations were moderate and we loved it. Service was casual and we never felt fushed for a Saturday night, we were there from 630 to 830. Note that every item was split by two people and this was more than enough food. First, the monkey bread is just a fun guilty pleasure. Highly recomeneded. The MB was followed by the the squash salad. It had flavors that I did not expect. Very hard to explain...spicy / peppery...crunchy....yummy. If you order it ask the waiter to desribe it, as it is hard to articulate...but it is very good and worth trying. The cavetelli was packed full of flavor. A small portion but just enough for us to split and enjoy. A little doughy, which we liked and cooked to perfection. The chicken was divine. Crunchy skin, offset by some melt in your mouth spatzel and well marinated crunchy salad. I would get it agin...any day of the week. Desert was the pinacle, which is abnormal for me. Their french press coffee was delightful but the showstopper was the basque cake. The cake came out piping hot. It was the perfect blend of everything - buttery, not too sweet, not too rich, packed with flavor...you, must, order, this cake. Mmm! We'll be back. Bravo!
(5)Jessica B.
Came here for dinner. Didn't have huge expectations. But was very good! Looking forward to going back soon!
(4)Luis L.
I very much enjoyed brunch at this restaurant. I did feel that everything that I had was in someway special. I had that chilaquiles and my friend had the eggs Benedict. I did try some of his as well. Between the two I have to see the eggs Benedict or better and flavor profile then Mexican tortilla dish. They were both excellent. We also did order to start the breakfast bread sampler. It came with something much like a beignet, Cinnamon roll, and german kuchen. I have to say that the bread Samper was not super impressive, but was still very good. Nothing was overly sweet or overly spiced. The coffee was also very good, it's prepared French press style. Unfortunately that day I had to go to work so I didn't have any of alcoholic cocktails that the offer for breakfast. I look forward to coming back soon and being even more impressed that I was on this occasion. I'm pretty sure this will be one of my favorite brunch spots in Chicago!
(4)Frankie F.
Me and my better half went to Bristol on v day with some friends and were super excited to try this place. We started with the apple salad, monkey bread and duck fat fries. Right off the start service was good, the appetizer were amazing, but then came the main meal. My girlfriend ordered the "Raviolo" had an egg in it and looked good but very small portion. I on the other hand ordered the porter house pork chop with braised cabbage and pierogi. It was alright nothing that special I really just think they need to have some better flavors. My friend order the trout and his was under cooked. I'm not sure if this was just an off day but I was a little upset trying a place for the first time and having a bad food experience.
(4)Luis M.
The Bristol is well worth a visit when in Chicago. It's a little off the beaten path but easy to find. The location has the benefit of keeping it from being too crowded, but it still has a very comfortable buzz. Service was, in my view, exceptional. Very friendly, knowledgable and prompt but not overbearing. After dinner, a friend joined us for a drink taking our party from 2 to 3 at a 2 top. Without a blink we were offered and moved to a four top, no sweat. We had the tasting menu with the paired wines. I have posted a copy of the menu. First, however, I had the Moscow Mule cocktail. It was perfectly prepared, right down to the chilled copper mug. The dinner was delicious, well balanced and prepared. The wagyu tongue was absolutely fantastic, fork tender, and I could have had a gallon of the broth. The only criticism of the meal was with desert. The pastry for the banana tart was too thick & bready, but the filling was great. Our feedback on the food was solicited and accepted graciously. We had the feeling that they really cared to hear our thoughts. I would certainly go back....often.
(5)Eric V.
Not the perfect meal, but the makings of one are certainly there. The crisp, rich duck fat fries and bone marrow are two great ways to start the meal. The bone marrow is nicely roasted and served with grilled baguette slices, shallot jam, and fresh parsley. I will say the portion size is not as generous as I would've liked. The same dish at Gilt Bar gets you more marrow at the same exact price. Then again I'm a sucker for roasted bone marrow so no portion is really ever big enough. For my entree I went with one of their daily specials, a goat sausage with pommes robuchon. The sausage, seasoned with a unique combo of herbs and orange zest, was more lean and not as succulent as I would've liked, but the richness of the pommes puree helped balance things out. My wifey went with the fresh agnolotti. It's preparation and presentation with just a drizzle of balsamic was simple, yet elegant. No tomato sauce, no heavy cream sauce. Just the freshness of the pasta for you to enjoy. Dessert had its highs and lows, too. It's hard for me to knock any dessert with chocolate, but the chocolate sabayon, finished with a touch of sea salt and served with homemade nutter butters, was too heavy and rich. Between the sabayon and the cookies, you get rich with rich and nothing to cut through it. Maybe I'll ask for a cold glass of milk next time. On the other hand, my wife's orange creamsicle panna cotta was outstanding. The homemade marshmallows, fresh citrus segments, and pine nuts were a nice touch. The space has a great neighborhood feel with its exposed brick and chalkboard wall. Be forewarned, it's not the biggest space and they're constantly busy. I'd highly recommend reservations unless you don't mind communal table seating or bellying up to the bar.
(4)Irene L.
Went to the Bristol with a group of seven - the waitress told us that everything was served family style - so rather than trying to find items that all seven of us would agree on, we ordered "one of everything," and, we were not disappointed. The starters, pasta, and mains were all delicious!
(4)Erick N.
The Bristol is a nice option if you are looking for an upscale meal in a casual neighborhood setting. While the seating is rather close together (with some communal tables) the acoustics are surprisingly good and there is a cozy ambiance. The Bristol is an attractive venue with hardwood floors and tables and exposed brick walls. The menu features fresh food from local farms and is divided into four components: Snacks, Starters Medium Plates and Large Plates. There are some exotic dishes to choose from such as roasted bone marrow and crispy pig tail; no part of the animal goes untouched! This is a good venue for a couple of people or a small group to share multiple dishes. There is also a nice selection of cocktails created by their mixologist, several craft beers on tap and a nice wine list. This is a place to come hungry and thirsty! The Bristol now accepts reservations via Open Table which was a big factor in my decision to come here (in the past reservations were not accepted and there tended to be lengthy waits). I dined here with a friend and we kicked the evening off with cocktails and the famed duck fat fries. For my cocktail I opted for Knob Creek Bourbon mixed with Goose Island Root Beer. The duck fat fries come with a little tub of ketchup and a little tub of a garlic aioli dipping sauce; the portion was generous and they were quite good, but Sola's Parmesan truffle fries remain my favorite fries in Chicago. My friend and I split three other dishes including the roasted bone marrow with shallot jam (two thumbs up), a chitarra pasta dish (the best chow of the night; if this is on the menu do not pass it up) and a hanger steak with sweet potatoes and greens (also two thumbs up). The cuisine here reminded me of Purple Pig; while the menu is smaller, the food was a tad better and the ambiance significantly better. Our server was attentive and knowledgeable when we had questions, but appeared somewhat busy and was not quite as personable as I would have liked. We were rather full after our hanger steak and decided to pass on desert as nothing was appealing enough to warrant adding to our well satiated bellies. We did however order the French Press coffee as a finale and the coffee was excellent and accompanied by a very tasty and decadent chocolate cookie. I definitely enjoyed my dinner at Bristol and will return; this may be my go to spot for nose-to-tail cuisine (while Girl & the Goat is a step up, it is considerably more difficult to score a reservation for unless planning months in advance). There is ample street parking (or one can valet for $9). The final tab before tax and tip came to $96 which included three cocktails, one beer, four food items and the coffee. This is a great deal for a venue of this caliber and The Bristol definitely is deserving of their Bib Gourmand status.
(4)Jack F.
Pretty good food. The monkey bread was my favorite. And that corn? OH MAN THE CORN! The chicken was really good.
(5)Colleen C.
Oh, swoon. This place is worth the wait. Even worth the 18 months it took me to finally make it. Worth sitting a bit too cozy with other people. Worth not being able to make reservations. Worth a trek to a somewhat desolate stretch of Damen. Worth the chilly winter draft. Worth the somewhat bad acoustics. The Bristol is worth it. Drink me... Cocktails: Moscow Mule (ginger heaven), Sparkling Batida (a bit too sweet, not quite enough sparkle, but still suave), Sazarac...glass of wine. Coffee with sweet little cookies. Oh, I drank a lot. I loved a lot. The Moscow Mule is a must. Rivals that of Sepia... Start me... Monkey Bread: Holy lord, this bread melts in your mouth and is served with a butter dipping sauce. It's ridiculous. It's required. Do it. Who can say no to condensed carbohydrates bubbled in a little dish, with butter sauce!? No one. Mixed Green Salads w/ beautiful whole radish shavings: the judger of salads gives it a thumbs up. I agreed. If he finishes it, chances are..a winner. Main line me... Me: Crispy Half Chicken: excellent, tender. Him: Tried for stew, but unfortunately...the one item they were out of (happens with this type of place), so he opted for pasta with egg and parmesan. We ended up splitting...mine won :) Lucky him! Sweet on you... Quince and apple tart with homemade vanilla cream: HEAVEN. Heavy chocolate mousse with nutter butters: Sublime. Nutter butters plain would've made me so happy, but you give me this pudding/mousse type chocolate deviancy dip...well, now. Step aside tart. *The Bristol is the boyfriend you've always wanted...rugged and hot, popular, thoughtful, local, understated, a bit off the beaten path, authentic, legitimate...a little organic, a little bit swine, a sexy little mash-up, indeed. Yes, a bit masculine, but certainly good food is appreciated by all...as are phenomenal cocktails, wine and beer lists, and a mission to create inventive food from scratch, each and every time. $9 valet. 50 Damen bus. Blue Line Damen is a bit of a trek... street parking possible, but not guaranteed. *this draws a strong parallel to my date, just saying.
(5)Michelle S.
SQUEEEE. Seriously, we had an amazing time tonight! I was so impressed with the meticulous guest records they kept (they knew my boyfriend knew the chef two years ago, and brought it up to me) and that really set us up for a killer night. Our server, Jolene, should immediately be given a hug and a handshake. What an amazing lady! Her recommendations for everything from food to beverage was spot on (maybe it helped that we ordered one of everything...). This was the second time I've been in, and it'll happen way more often now. Pro tip- you can't buy dranks for the kitchen from the restaurant, so run over to the liquor store and get them a case of beer. THEY ARE WORTH IT! THAT FOOD, MY LORD. Off to food coma now.
(5)Keith A.
Expectation is a big thing. We all have them in either positive or negative ways. For me, there was a ton of expectation going to the Bristol. I've heard from many that I trust that this is a great place to go for for food and wine. With a winemaker in town that my friend knew, this was the destination to be at and live up to the expectations I had for it. Seeing as how the 5* can be seen, there's no slow roll for me. I'll just get into it, I was first around 4* but the more I reflected on the dinner and everything that stood out, it became too obvious how I really felt about here. Since there was a group of us, we made sure to order a whole bunch of stuff and treat it like small plates. It turned into a hit parade of most the menu. We started off with the fries and the monkey bread. The fries were flat out awesome. There was a garlic aioli with it that was just as good as the fries. A friend and I took care of the monkey bread in short order. I then moved onto a salad (which I don't fully remember what was in it) and bone marrow. The marrow was as tasty as you'd expect. The raviolo was up next. This was pretty big and was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The roasted chicken was the final order that I remember. And it was some of the best chicken I've had in a while. I really don't know how else to convey how good it was. There is no way they could be this great on the food alone. The service was tremendous. Our waitress was always helpful and never rushed us at all, even on a friday night. What is crazy is that my lofty expectations were actually surpassed. I can't wait to go back
(5)S B.
Smoked carrot salad w sumac spiced yogurt & cumin scented crispy kale. You've NEVER eaten anything like this before. *swoon*
(5)Summer F.
It was good, we had a nice sunny table, the waiter was friendly, they had etch a sketch to play with. Since the menu rotates, I suppose it can be hit or miss, we went for brunch, and I wanted eggs, like an omelette of some sort, but that really wasnt an option. I had the quiche, which unfortunately was only ok, I would describe the texture as "watery". It wasnt bad, I ate it all, but I expected something better. The pancakes at our table were good, but I am not sure what made them better than an ordinary cheaper restaurant's pancakes.
(3)Baky S.
Great food, awesome atmosphere, and fantastic service!!! Love the fact that it's right in my neighborhood... Highly recommended!!!
(4)Kristina J.
Amazing brunch! Started with some delicious cake thingy and all of our main dishes were out of sight. My bloody Mary rocked too.
(5)Jacob W.
Boring, overpriced, mediocre new American. Wanted to like this place so much cos it's in my hood and I had heard good things, but after two disappointing visits, I don't see any reason to go back. My most recent visit was very recent, and the whole menu was so take-it-or-leave-it. Place seems to be cutting corners hard these days, the charcuterie board was a huge rip off and tasted so not fresh, same with the entrees and pastas. The service blows too.
(2)Jon D.
I had dinner at the Bristol last night and it was truly a dining experience to remember!!! The service was prompt and attentive; as we tasted every new dish that arrived, our waitress asked how we liked it. The food concept of local farm-to-table is very well executed and the ambience is very convivial with a dash of modern chic. I highly recommend this culinary experience and can't wait to return.
(4)Tom D.
Food was undercooked and over seasoned, blaring overhead music actually included commercial (pop for the paid version of Pandora already), along with wildly incompetent waiters. Check out the obscure "not recommended reviews" of this place and you will see this experience was not unique. On the plus side busboys were very polite and they served good bread.
(1)Rhoda G.
To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed with my meal here. I came here for Chicago Chef Week, so I was excited to check this place out. First we got drinks - I got a Moscow Mule while my dining partner got a glass of white wine, which he said was good. My Moscow Mule was fantastic. We were first served with a snack of boiled peanuts, which was okay. Nothing earth shattering. Our next course was the shaved pig's head salad. This was my favorite dish of the evening. I loved the dressing on top. For the main entree, I was torn between pot au feu-beef tongue and brisket or the pan roasted skate. I decided to get the skate, but while I was eating it, I realized that should of gotten the beef tongue. The skate was cooked perfectly but I didn't realize how bony it was and I wasn't a fan of parsnip puree. It did come with bone marrow, but the portion was small. Next came our dessert of mascarpone cheesecake, which I thought was really good. It came in a small mason jar, so I liked the presentation. Despite my meal being just okay, the service was fantastic and attentive. I definitely want to come back here to try their regular menu, but the Chef menu was just three stars.
(3)Bill G.
I went here once for a date. The food and drinks are decent but nothing more. Really interesting sounding menu, but the dish never lives up to its description. For a place that charges this much I would definitely expect better execution.
(2)Rachel W.
Went here for our anniversary - the staff had signed a card for us and we got a delish free dessert! Pricey night, but worth it. Fantastic food and drinks. Great wait staff and environment. Risotto, Chorizo - yum! Great evening.
(5)Caroline B.
We were really looking forward to spending New Years Eve at the Bristol. None of us had ever been and we had heard mostly great things. We ended up having a great time, and I loved the ambiance of the restaurant. Unfortunately, we were disappointed by all of the four courses of our New Years Eve pre fixe menu. Some dishes lacked flavor,others were under cooked (risotto) some were just bad. They were also out of the monkey bread side dish, which they are supposedly known for. Menu items that had been announced weeks earlier were also raised in price. We were not impressed by the food and were very disappointed that there was not any sort of acknowledgment that it was New Years Eve. No champagne toast (only Champagne was $100/bottle!), no count down, nothing! Servers were clearly trying to rush us out at the end, and the courses had come out at an extremely uneven pace. We waited 30 min between one course, and the others came out right on top of each other. I will not go back or recommend this place to others.
(1)Dave J.
I've been here at least half a dozen times and I'm just as pleased every time I leave. The food is imaginative and the menu is constantly changing. The cocktails are thoughtfully crafted, as are the beer and wine menus. This, all in a casual and comfortable setting that manages a contemporary bistro feel while avoiding the gimmicky trappings of so many of their contemporaries. With how easy it is to get a reservation here, I feel like The Bristol is bordering on hidden gem. Do yourself a favor and get to The Bristol.
(5)Edward S.
I came here with 6 people and had a great time. Their menu is very fixed and limited, so I got to try most of it with my party. From bad to good: Special of the day was Cod, would not recommend. The vegetable medley was good, but the fish did not take in any of the flavor and was very bland. Charcuterie Board was ok, i've had better pate. Hangar Steak is ok, the duck fat fries were not as rich and flavorful as I was hoping for. Pork Loin Tonnato was very good. Raviolo is to die for. Home made pasta dough, ricotta and egg yolk inside, in brown butter sauce. Executed well and delicious. Roast chicken. Simple dish, but oh so good. You will not find a tastier, juicier, more flavorful, or more tender piece of chicken. Order this. chocolate crémeux, nutter butters tasted worse than the packaged nutter butters. apple basque cake is one of the best desserts I've ever had. Definitely get this if you come here. When I come back, it is Raviolo + Roast Chicken + Apple Basque Cake. That is a meal I am drooling about even as I type this review. 5 stars for this combination, even though some of the other items are just so-so.
(5)Dave J.
My wife and I came here for Restaurant Week and we're very happy we did. This is a really great restaurant. My wife ordered the five course prix fixe menu, which was a bargain considering the amount of food they served and the quality. I ordered a couple of things that looked really good off the menu. Pricey? Sure. But the quality of the food certainly merits spending a few extra bucks. The restaurant was really busy, but the service was great. They seemed very pleased that we arrived early for our Saturday night reservation and we got a nice table near the window at the front of the restaurant. Our waiter was friendly and quite enthusiastic about the menu. You'd think with all the positive comments, I'd give the place five stars, unabashedly. No, sorry. Can't quite do it. One of the dishes I ordered were the pierogis. They arrived at the table OVER done...burned on the edges. I don't know if this was intentional, the chef's way of adding "texture" or "flavor" to the dish, but whatever it was, it missed the mark. They weren't inedible, they tasted okay, but because the other courses were spot-on perfect, the 'rogies with the third degree burns were disappointing and I'm taking away a star just for that. Roasted bone marrow, beef osso bucco, monkey bread, pasta...all were fantastic. Great place to go out and celebrate. We'll be back, but I think I'll get my pierogies from a traditional Polish restaurant instead of here. Street parking can be challenging on weekends, and parking on the nearby sidestreets without a permit is NOT recommended. Plan on spending a couple of hours here, especially if you have a big appetite and want to try many courses.
(4)D Mike K.
The Bristol may be the quintessential 2012 Chicago Restaurant. I have been driving past it for a couple of years, always thinking that it was probably decent, but just some place to eat bone marrow or something. But after a fantastic dinner last week, I will definitely be back. Maybe not soon, because it is a little expensive and I would probably rate it as 4.5 stars if I could. But a "quinessential" restaurant represents what is happening across the entire region. And Chicago dining can be expensive. But The Bristol represents all of the good farm to table food, and great cooking that is happening right now. And they do it in great fashion, with very well prepared dishes. And, they were one of the first in town to start this trend. A lot of the previous reviews mention many of our highlights. The Monkey Bread, Amish Chicken, Pappardelle Pasta with beef and pork bolognese were all outstanding. We also had the apple salad and the red kuri squash. Both were excellent autumn starters. Our Dark and Stormy drinks($11) and single glasses($14) of wine really drove the price up, but were great choices. Enjoy, but save 2 seats at the community table for us!
(5)Carol K.
Bristol- I had to take you down a smidge for my recent brunch experience. I love that you now take reservations as our table was ready on a recent Sunday and coffee was in my cup almost before I sat down. But the food was really just "so so". I ordered my favorite, Eggs Benedict. While the eggs were perfectly poached- the muffin was soggy and the ham on it was cold. So cold, in fact, that the entire thing was not hot when it was served. It took me a while to figure out what the culprit was but it clearly was cold shaved ham on the under toasted muffin. Too bad as it looked quite good, was tasty (albeit cold) and comes served with a huge mound of spicy breakfast potatoes all for around $11. My friend's entree looked better. He had the braised pork chilaquiles, that came with salsa verde, cilantro, lime, and a fried egg. He didn't leave even a forkful which should tell you just how tasty it was! The coffee was hot and quick to be replenished, the juices were fresh and the service, was friendly and quick, starting with the guy at the front door who warmly welcomed me and showed me to my seat and ended with our server thanking us with a smile. But if you are like me in the mornings- the biggest issue here is the noise level. I have no problem with it at night, but as the place reached capacity, so did the noise level! I was happy to finally step out onto the street so that we could talk without yelling at each other. So go early, as when the place was half full- it was the perfect breakfast experience. But once 11am rolls around? Better bring ear plugs as you will probably need them!
(3)Leon W.
Should I go? No, especially if you're a vegetarian whose gnocchi main would only clock in around $15 (the average price for a pasta dish here.)
(5)g z.
I can't believe it took us three years to get to the Bristol when we only live two blocks away. My BIG mistake.... My girlfriend and I went on Thursday night for her birthday. I think it was probably one of the best dining experiences we have had since moving to Chicago three years ago. We tried two appetizers, a pasta, bread, two entrees and desert. Each dish was amazing. The ravioli with the egg inside was incredible, my steak dish was to die for, the chocolate and nutter butter desert was perfect. Great wine list, great atmosphere, etc. etc. Our server was Megan who was informative, had a great personality, lots of fun and was very knowledgable about the menu. All of her recommendations were spot on. I can see myself becoming a regular here-even if it is just to grab a bottle of wine and a couple appetizers at the bar. Five stars all the way around.
(5)Mike L.
Overall a very disappointing dinner. Tried 7ish dishes between four people, and none of them stood out or were memorable. Only good part were the drinks.
(2)Lia V.
I cannot say enough good things about this neighborhood eatery. Things I ate: Monkey bread - bread = delicious... always... add something delicious to dip it in makes bread = sinful. Duck fat fries - I mean really? Is there anything bad to say about a fried potato especially when it's fried in decadent duck fat? Crispy, ducky, delicious. Bone marrow - be adventurous! Jelly like texture, in the bone accompanied with toast and jam. Chicken - whatever they do to this - I want the secret. Crispy skin, moist chicken = must have. I will be craving this for days to come. Cauliflower ravioli - MMMMMM! Round ravioli stuffed with what should be healthy but definitely isn't in a decadent sauce makes for a happy mouth. Pappardelle with short ribs - mouth watering. Thick pappardelle noodles with melt in your mouth short rib - you just can't go wrong. Prawns - sliced in half, drenched in buttery goodness - if you're a prawn fan - you'll love these grilled bites of heaven German chocolate stout cake - enough said.... Small atmosphere - long tables like Purple Pig where you share the space with others. Intimate bar. Nice bathroom. Fantastic décor. Quiet kitchen! Impeccable service including switch out of plates and silverware after almost every course. REASONABLE PRICE. Great cocktails - delicious wine. Coat check. Amazing. I liked it better than Girl & the Goat. I will go back and if you haven't gone yet - you must go. Right now!
(5)Mahsa T.
The Bristol has long been in my bookmarks and I finally got a chance to check it out and I must say that I was very pleased. I came here on my birthday and since it was a random Tuesday night, got lucky, did not have to wait for a table at all. Ordered the monkey bread while we perused the menu. Served hot with a side of dill butter--fantastic. Apple salad with manchego and hazelnuts--fresh and delicious. Bone marrow and jam--good but not exceptional. The gnudi (very similar to gnocchi) was good but kind of bland and too dough-y, the only thing that saved it was the tomato sauce (phenomenally fresh and tasty). The beef cheeks was my favorite--well cooked and flavorful. Chocolate cake for dessert was rich and good. Great beer selection--loved that they have my absolute favorite beer (Left Hand milk stout) and some seasonal beers like pumpkin. This place is adorable (rustic, cozy, romantic) and good for a date but not a first date because it gets loud and tables are very close together and there's communal seating. Get here early to get a table, they don't take reservations. Food is a bit overpriced in my opinion. Service was good but we felt rushed. That's the only thing that kind of ruined it for me, our server was a little over-zealous and cleared plates the second I had taken food off of it, kept coming over every three minutes, brought the check and kept pacing back and forth to see when he could come get it. The restaurant was half empty so it wasn't like there was anyone waiting for a table, he needed to take a huge chill pill and let us enjoy our dinner, instead I felt like I was at a fast food checkout and not a sit-down meal. But despite that, I would dine here again.
(4)Lauren P.
I used to live just a few blocks from The Bristol and ate these duck fat fries way too often...now I make it a point to come and eat my favorites whenever I am in town: apple salad, monkey bread, roasted half chicken and duck fat fries - all of course paired with a moscow mule in a copper cup. Last week I was slightly disappointed by the waiter attempting to oversell our party of three way too much food - and that they seemed to have squeezed the tables extra close together to fit more tables that it is now nearly impossible to get inside to the bench. Bristol - don't try to squeeze more margin from your customers and lose your charm...
(4)Jaclyn B.
I can't believe this place has such great reviews! We chose it for our dinner party of 7 because of the great reviews, and were very disappointed. 1)We had a reservation for 9:30, and weren't seated until 10. Ok, they're busy. I get it. But not the best way to start out when you're absolutely starving. 2)They were out of the appetizer that we were all looking forward to. 3) We asked if we could split the bill 3 ways (not all separate check because that can be annoying to servers). Our server essentially had a fit. She didn't actually answer our question, she just got very upset, rolled her eyes and huffed away. I was so offended! It was very awkward and rude, and I wanted to get up and leave that instant. 4) We ordered the arctic char, the sirloin tips, and the 1/2 chicken. All of which were very bland! My friend didn't even finish her $24 entree because it was so tasteless. 5) 2 stars because the duck fat fries were tasty. They still tasted good the next day. Maybe the good reviews are because the brunch is good. I'm not sure. I certainly will never be going back to this place though.
(2)Bethany L.
Boyfriend and I took on the exciting challenge of hitting three Restaurant Week restaurants in three nights. Bristol was the first. The service was absolutely impeccable; our waitress was patient as we pored over the drink menu and checked in with us (unobtrusively) on every course. But the food. Mmm, the food. The first course was a pumpkin bread panzanella with mozzarella, speck, and pear. It wasn't my favorite course, but the pumpkin bread panzanella was pretty inventive. Second course was homemade celery root agnolotti - amazing. The pasta was soft and perfect, and the celery root gave it a very nice fresh taste at the end. Third course was the pork loin. The crust on it was suuuuper salty, but still very good. The lazy pierogies (basically deconstructed pierogies) were quite good. And dessert - chocolate beer cake made with breakfast stout. Just fantastic! The cocktail list was also great and really unique. Definitely recommended.
(4)Rob J.
Farm to table. Blah blah. Food was just ok. Though we did have a table by the window which was open in the summer- nice to watch the passerby.
(3)Monica R.
I've been to the Bristol probably around 5 or 6 times now. Every time I've been there (minus one incredibly busy night) has been a treat. The menu is constantly changing, but I can distinctly remember a few items that any food lover must try: Bone Marrow Duck Fat Fries (seriously, though, get these) Beef Tartare Monkey Bread (small appetizer, but worth it) I highly recommend to any first timers that they go on a weeknight, probably Monday or Tuesday. This place is magnificent, but the weekends tend to get a little too crowded and rushed.
(4)Emily B.
My husband and I aren't going on vacation this year; so, we took a day to go into the city and explore new places. After a lot of angst about the decision, we started with brunch at The Bristol. When we walked in, we were off to a rocky start. Their AC was on the fritz (luckily there was a fan blowing directly at us) and various toddlers were screaming. (Why bring your small child to a nice brunch?) However, they recovered nicely and after making a trip to their bathroom (it has the best AC in the restaurant) my body temperature cooled down. To start, we ordered the Bloody Mary Breakfast. The bloody marys were delicious. Just the right balance of spice, tomato and salt. It came with a cheese, meat and pickled veggie board. That was just ok. I'll be honest, the head cheese wasn't appealing. After that we moved on to the braised pork chilaquiles. It was a lot of spice but not much flavor. After we finished our meal we heard the waitress tell another table not to order them. Wish we had gotten that tip. For dessert we split the cinnamon roll. It was delicious and tasted a lot like carmel corn. Overall I am glad we went. I just wish we had ordered better for the main meal. Maybe we will make Sunday brunch in the city a regular thing so we can try more places.
(4)Mona E.
A cozy setting with rustic wooden tables and bare light bulbs casting a warm glow on the restaurant. They had the windows open to take advantage of one of the last few warm nights. This would be a great date place. Going for an early or late dinner is a good idea since Bristol does not take reservations and has limited seating that is intimately close to the table next to you! On to the food... Monkey Bread - excellent while you are deciding on your entrees. Right out of the oven and paired with a fresh dill butter sauce. Apple Salad - nice crunch from the apples and hazelnuts and the manchego cheese was a good pairing. Bone Marrow - the shallot jam was good but the bone marrow is not the best I've had. I wouldn't recommend this dish. Gnudi - the tomatoes in this dish were so fresh it was almost worth it just for that but the rest of the dish was bland. Pass. Beef Cheeks - very tasty but the presentation of this dish could use some work....you'll see what I mean if you order it. Highly recommend it! Chocolate layer cake - good but not spectacular. Definitely worth a trip here!
(4)Janet L.
Very dark at the restaurant for dinner but nice atmosphere overall. We went with a group of 8 for restaurant week and our server Jolene was so helpful and accommodating. I had the gnocchi with wild mushrooms and also tried the trout which was excellent. Great cocktails as well, would definitely come back.
(4)Natalie L.
We had a fantastic holiday brunch here with friends. Some of the highlights were ... the bloodies (hubby was a big fan); the doughnuts (apple butter, need I say more?); and the chilaquiles (tons of flavor). Service was spot on. Really the loved the space. We have brunch winner!!
(5)Lauren A.
My sister and I stopped by the The Bristol last night to check it out after seeing it listed on the 11 top wine lists in the city - I was pleasantly surprised to find EVERYTHING to be amazing. From the atmosphere, decor, noise level, drink selection, staff and food - there wasn't one thing that wasn't stand out. We had a FANTASTIC time, sitting at the bar and chatting it up with Dave (the awesome bartender) and trying some amazing duck fat fries and roasted chicken. It's a perfect neighborhood gem that these two South Side girls will definitely drive northwest again to patronize.
(5)Keith D.
Oh the Bristol. It would have taken so little to blow me away. I tend to gush when I really enjoy myself. The service here at The Bristol is gush worthy. Heather and Jesus were tremendous tableside. The Roasted Corn, Elotes Style was magnificent. It rivals Street Vendor Elotes and perhaps the most delicious dine in corn that I've ever experienced. It was messy, but so worth it. The Monkey Bread is made to order and to die for. They also had a special cocktail named the New York Sour. It too was most delightful. Our pasta and main course were not as amazing as the first two. The Chitarra with Shrimp and Corn was sweet. I expected the sauce to be rich or to have some spice to counter the sweetness, but the sauce was thin and lacked flavor. The Waygu Tongue and Belly too lacked something. I enjoyed the presentation of pouring the consommé over the dish as it was served. The tongue was the biggest disappointment. It lacked imagination. I was left wondering what the point of the dish was. It was completely odd how the first half of our meal was incredible and the second half missed so badly.
(3)art f.
Hard to score - food and service were at the 5 star level but very noisy. It was hard to hear and carry on conversations. The food is worth a visit. Just don't choose this place for meaningful discourse with your dining partners. (Isn't this part of a fine dining experience?) But the food : a flatbread with anchovies and kale was exquisite - tasting much better than the description might suggest. A whitefish brandade was excellent - I' don't think I could find a brandade in the DC area. Entrees included some fine agnoletti, seared whitefish, and a faux cassoulet with slab bacon and sausage. It's such an interesting menu. Drinking is attractive - nice cocktail menu (really good sazeracs!) and a strong selection of beers and wines by the glass. I wish we had this restaurant in DC - but it's not a choice for table conversation.
(4)Rachel G.
I've been here three times and can honestly say each time has been delicious. The service is impeccable, the ambience is lovely, and the food, the FOOD!!!!! This time around there were 4 of us so we got to taste many more plates than my previous experiences. We started with the beef tartare, lemonfish crudo, the fried pig's head, and the roasted corn. Each were equally delicious in their own way, but I highly recommend the roasted corn. We each were able to have 2 to 3 pieces and it was definitely everyone's favorite starter. I don't know what sauce it was in but I could've bathed in it. Seriously. Next we had the ricotta gnocchi and the cavatelli. Both very good and were gone in a matter of minutes. Finally, we each had our own entree, 2 chose the trout and I had the half chicken, and my fiance' had the potee polonaise. The half chicken melted in my mouth, it was tender and juicy and cooked to perfection. I tried the trout which was perfectly flaky and delish. The polonaise was good, but not my cup of tea, due to the fact that one of the elements is tongue. We also had the duck fat fries to split, they were literally gone in under 5 minutes, that is how good they are! Finally for dessert we enjoyed the salted caramel and banana tart. Amazing. Just good food. Bottom line is if you want a casual, cozy restaurant with great service and amazing food, come here. It's not pretentious at all, just great food made by people who want your experience to be fabulous.
(5)Andrew A.
Went here recently on a Friday night. The food was very good, we shared the pork loin appetizer, raviolo, monkey bread, and chicken and spaetzle entree. The chicken is fantastic. The cocktails were expensive but pretty good. The only negative was the service. Our waiter was doing his best but they were very understaffed and it took a long time for the food to come and for him to periodically check in on us. Food was brought by other staff so if there was an issue it was hard to get his attention. I will go back, but probably on a weeknight when it is not so packed.
(4)Rachel S.
Yes, another update. Here's the deal. A few weeks ago, my SO and I walked over to Bristol for dinner like we've done thousands of times before, heretofore unencumbered. We were met in the teensy vestibule by a podium and a computer. Lo! What witchcraft is this! Also a host. He inquired of us the status of our reservation. We were all, Say What? And he was all, "yeah, we do that now." So yeah. Bristol takes reservations now. Bully. I guess that's good for some, maybe, but for neighborhood folks like us who like to saunter down and wait at the bar (or the bar around the corner) to have dinner, that's a no go these days. Wait times suck, but if it means that you'll get to eat, then I'll take it. Now, no reservation, no food. It seems so very fascist. Perhaps I exaggerate, but Bristol was our favorite neighborhood gem. We went this past Saturday, but that's only because we were hungry at 5 and OpenTable magically had a rez open for 5:30pm. All this being said, the food is as always crazy delicious. I just feel like I've been rejected by the management. That's all.
(3)Rema M.
Fantastic, charming and delicious! First, the place is a manageable size. Way smaller than the giant Chicago establishments in River North. This definitely adds to the charm of the place. Second, the food was impeccable. The stars on the menu denote customer favorites and the specials were fantastic. Third, the sommelier did a fantastic job suggesting a great wine to accompany our meal. Overall, great experience and I would definitely go back!
(5)Gabriela R.
Bristol Brunch... Pretty decent contemporary American food. Coffee served is awesome. Duck fat fries were excellent. I also had the Egg sandwich which I liked. Tho, chilaquiles came out too salty for me. Other than that space is quite tiny and service is Excellent :) BTW .. main entrance is on the SECOND door on the right! hehe
(4)Armand K.
Oh Bristol, if only your food was as good as your cocktails. Beautiful dining room, attentive servers, and a really chill atmosphere. Add great cocktails, and you have a solid foundation for a top-notch restaurant. Then the food comes out, and you're perplexed as to why the place is packed. Before I continue on to the food, be sure to request the downstairs dining room when making a reservation, since the second floor is not nearly as well put together and looks more like a half-planned wedding reception space than a restaurant. While waiting for our table we started with a round of cocktails: Vieux Carre -Bourbon and Cognac cocktail, nice alternative to an old fashioned Dark & Stormy (x2) -Classic preparation finished with a molasses drip Moscow Mule -Classic preparation Upon being seated, we ordered their famous Monkey Bread to nibble on. Can't say it was anything special. As much as I dislike chain restaurants, I would have much preferred an order of bread and cinnamon butter from Texas Roadhouse. Appetizers: Carrot Salad -Salty and lacking in overall substance Lemonfish Crudo -Cantaloupe wrapped with lemonfish, made us really miss the traditional preparation Roasted Corn -Surprised to see this is off the menu already, perhaps the most well received dish of the evening Wagyu Tartare -Good, but not great Entres: Chitarra Pasta -The sweetness of the sauce brought back nostalgia of Chef Boyardee in the worst of ways Ricotta Gnocchi -Rich cream sauce paired with fresh gnocchi, definitely a winner Roasted Chicken -Presented as the best chicken in Chicago, it was delicious but mainly because it was being compared with other dishes from this kitchen Fried Pig's Tail -Glad to see this is off the menu, it was too aggressively fatty to be liked by many. The skin was delicious, texture resembling a chicharones, but it was difficult to stomach anything beyond that Dessert: Basque Cake -This is the reason I'm giving a two star rating instead of one, ask for this by name, even if it's not on the menu Two stars for great cocktails (thank you Dave Willhite) a few good dishes, and a very satisfying dessert.
(2)Rebecca D.
This place hit the mark in every way!! Amazing food, great service and fun atmosphere. It's one if the best meals I've ever had and will definitely be coming back!
(5)Jeffrey M.
So I finally return to the Bristol. The place where for me it all began. In January of 2011 I read an article in GQ written by a man named Anthony Bourdain. At the time I had never heard of him. The name of the article was top ten new restaurants in the country, and at number three was The Bristol. That meal at the Bristol changed my life. I had the scotched olives, the suckling pig, and for dessert bread pudding in a mason jar. I followed dinner up with my first sazarac. For a while there I became a regular. Then by chance I figured out just who that Anthony Bourdain character was, discovered the Michelin guide to Chicago, and set off on one hell of a culinary adventure. A year and a half later, having eaten and drank to excess in just about every famous restaurant in the city, I returned to the Bristol to find it much the way I left it...amazing. Recently I stopped in and had the smoked chicken hearts to start. If that sounds scary to you, trust me it's time to expand your horizons. I followed that up with the smoked brisket, and finished with a dessert called...damn I can't remember...must be all those delicious daquiris. The meal was so good and my nostalgia running so high I returned two days later. More daquiris, but this time I started with the mackerel, followed it with the arctic char, and finished with a beer float made from three floyd's mushy p and some awesome gelato...maybe black dog...again those damned daquiris.
(4)Jessica S.
My boyfriend and I took my mother here last Friday for her birthday, and all left saying we had just had one of the best meals of our lives. From the dark, sexy yet energetic ambiance to the mouth watering small plate selections, the Bristol has it going on. The menu is always changing but you must try one of their staples, the half chicken, I have never had chicken so moist and succulent yet crispy. It was to die for. Try one of their signature drinks as well to wash down a fantastic meal. I am in love and cant wait to come back!
(5)Robert G.
We bought the Bloody Mary plate. We both agreed that the Bloody Mary's were the worst that we have been served. They come with pony sized Miller High Life's so that's better. The menagerie of meats, cheeses and pickled items that came with the Blood Mary plate were delightful. I ordered the Quiche and she ordered the Chilequiles. The Chilequiles was really really good and the Quiche had great cheese mixed within.
(3)cathy c.
I just don't think it gets much better than this in Chicago. Warm, inviting atmosphere. Super efficient, friendly and knowledgeable service. And the food, wow. Always fresh, innovative and delicious (we are fans of the monkey bread, the roast chicken, the basque cake and the seasonal items...tonight - bay scallops that were to-die-for and delicious jerk monkfish with fried green tomatoes). There are so many great restaurants in Chicago but I just keep coming back to the Bristol. It never disappoints.
(5)Bill E.
Went here with some chef friends a few months ago and I am still thinking about the bone marrow with shallot jam. We also had the duck fat fries with the garlic aioli which was rich, but perfect for the fries. For our second course we split the raviolo and the scallop dish and the steak. Everything from this course was great. The raviolo was the winner for all of us though. For dessert we split the house made nutter butters, apple basque cake and the panna cotta. My buddy had eaten here before a few times and said the basque cake was his favorite dessert anywhere, it was rich and amazing. The panna cotta was a typical panna cotta we ordered it because my buddy had never had it before. Service was good, we brought a bottle of wine and so there was a corkage fee, but that was fine by us.
(4)Amanda W.
Adorable atmosphere. Amazing beer, wine and cocktail list. A friend and I originally came in planning to get wine or beer but decided on cocktails since they sounded so good. Got the moscow mule and a dark and stormy (I'm a sucker for ginger). Wow. Great idea! The food was also delicious. Duck fat fries?! YES! Great date place. Not too fancy but not too laid back. Can't wait to go back... just need to find a date.
(5)Casey F.
Went here last weekend with the hubby. We'd brunched here before but never gone for dinner. I'd definitely recommend making a reservation - my husband called on Monday for a Saturday reservation and all that was available was 6pm. The people that walked in ahead of us didn't have a reservation and were told the wait was several hours. Best to plan ahead. Our experience was awesome. Had a few glasses of red wine, and there was a good selection by the glass. We got 2 appetizers - a pumpkin panzanella with homemade pumpkin bread, and my favorite, blue cheese over brioche toast with a port reduction. AMAZING. We also got one medium plate and one large plate. The medium plate was these braised goat dumplings that were fabulous. Large plate was a bone-in pork chop with a side of roman gnocchi, which is more like polenta. Soo good. Dessert was the Basque Cake, which our server said was a cake that had a layer of cream baked in the middle which creates the sugary crust to it. I'd never come here again without ordering it. Our service was great and pretty quick. Only reason for not giving 5 stars is I try and reserve them for life changing dining experiences that I dream of going back to. This was not quite that but overall it was amazing.
(4)Alex D.
Two very different restaurants here depending if you go for brunch or dinner. For brunch, they serve some great staples, with a bit of flair. Really enjoy the eggs Benedict, the cinnamon roll, bagel with smoked salmon and a couple dishes using pork belly, which are great if you can spare the fat calories. For dinner, this is the best place to go if you are adventurous, or just want to dare a bunch of people in your group to eat something they have never tried before. Bone marrow, chicken hearts, ravioli with veal kidneys, pig tail, tripe are some of the options... Definitely not the place if you have a very picky eater in your group, but I really enjoy the creativity with ingredient use. Best way to experience the Bristol is sharing plates. Prices are very reasonable for what you get. For both brunch and dinner you can walk in with usually a fairly short wait. If the wait is long they have a room upstairs where you can chill and have some drinks and appetizers.
(4)Phill C.
I saw bone marrow on the menu and I was already hooked. Buttery roasted bone marrow and sweet shallot jam, spread on some small pieces of toasted bread... oh man is that delicious! The last piece I took was piled high with the remaining marrow and some jam, which was a flavor explosion in my mouth. The duck fat fries were also really good. From reading the other reviews, I'll be sure to order the monkey bread next time. The roasted half chicken was de-li-cious. The chicken was super tender, had a nice salty crust, and went well with the spatzle. I also tried the duck paparedelle, which had wide pasta noodles served with some duck ragu. The noodles were really good, as well as the tender pieces of duck and the tasty duck heart. I only wished there was more, as all their pasta dishes are on the small side. Our server was very friendly and warned me about the portions, but I ordered away. They also have a small selection of craft beers on tap, along with cocktails and wine. If you're looking for some great beer, I recommend the Lagunitas pilsner. Good food and drank... what more could you want?
(5)Ariel B.
The biggest downside of this is the place is the noise. We had reservations but decided to sit at the bar. The service was great and our bartender/server was a lot of fun. He gave us great recommendations for both food and drink. For dessert he made us some espresso martinis. So yummy. We really enjoyed ourselves and I would totally go back. I would stick to a weeknight when it's not so busy and loud.
(4)Kristen H.
A great brunch spot with a twist of flare in the menu selection. Our group thoroughly enjoyed the cocktails - Poire & elderflower and the moscow mule. For nosh, my sister enjoyed the benedict which was amazing as it had shaved smoked ham which was so much better than the huge slab you usually get. My roommate enjoyed the chilaquiles which had a pang of spice, but great flavors. I myself devoured a fried egg sandwich - not your typical as it was an open-faced sandwich with pork belly - damn good! The potatoes are awesome too - crunchy pieces that are spiced and not your typical boring breakfast potatoes. The only small disappointment, I had a reservation for 11:30 and we didn't get seated till well after noon. I understand it's busy, but a better system needs to get rocking. They did make up for it by bringing the table the donuts and a cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll was one of the best I've ever had. Can't wait to try this spot for dinner!
(4)Kate W.
A simple yet elegant space, a paragon of service. The food: unique, fresh, and plated in a rustic, quaint way. A friend and I went on a Thursday and, while it was hopping (particularly as we were leaving at 10pm), we never felt crowded or rushed. It was a bit loud, but actually that worked to our benefit as we felt it kept our conversation private. Regarding all the communal table comments, management has pulled those out. I was particularly pleased that the restaurant called after I made a reservation via open table. They checked in with regards to food allergies and preferences and then provided customized menus for our meal. From the host to the bus boy, we were treated as honored guests. All-in-all, a pleasurable way to part with your money.
(5)Tom R.
I read about The Bristol in Chicago Eater's 38 Essential Restaurants article ( bit.ly/Zmsalu ) and decided that I should give it a shot. We went at 8pm on a Wednesday and were surprised to see that the restaurant was, for the most part, empty. We were quickly seated next to the window and immediately ordered two insanely delicious bourbon cocktails upon the suggestion of our server. We started with the fried bones (duck necks and pork spare ribs) and a cold pork salad. Neither of which blew us away by any means and the amount of cartilage and grizzle on the duck neck was relatively off-putting. The spare ribs had a great crispness from the fryer and fell off the bone upon picking them up. From there, we moved onto the raviolo filled with egg yolk and covered with brown butter. This was, without a doubt, the highlight of the night. I wanted to live inside that raviolo. Our next and final course was the hanger steak with The Bristol's "famous" duck fat fries. The fries themselves were relatively tasteless and came with a garlic aioli that had hardened on the top. The steak was cooked very well but was cold by the time it made it to our table and there wasn't nearly enough of the maitre d' butter. If you're looking for value this isn't the place. $130 for an average dinner is steep by my standards and I'd rather spend my money at Hopleaf, Frontier, Girl and the Goat or anyone else serving similar cuisine.
(3)Tony B.
It's so rare when a place has the best of any dish I've ever tasted. It would be pretty crazy if a place had 2 of the best things I've ever had, but the Bristol actually has 3 of the best dishes I've ever had, making it off the charts in the number of stars I'd give it. Roast Chicken- sounds pretty ordinary, roast chicken, but when cooked to perfection, it's an amazing thing-the best I've ever had. The skin is always very crispy, the bird juicy and tender with the perfect compliments. A dill spaetzle that's buttery and delicious and a crunchy salad consisting of apple, radish, celery, and parsley leaves that makes for a great pallette cleanser. Apple Basque Cake- I'm not a dessert person. But, everytime I go to the Bristol, I always save room for dessert. During the fall and winter, they serve this cake that's crunchy on the outside, and doughy/ buttery on the inside...it's the most amazing texture. It's served with apple confit, cider sabayon, and candied walnuts. It's alwaus baked to order and is ridiculously good. The best dessert I've ever had. Raviolo- this is becoming the best pasta I've ever had. It's a single, oversized ravioli stuffed with cheese, spinach, and and egg yolk. It's finished in a lemon brown butter, but when it's cut. the egg yolk comes oozing out and adds so much richness. It's gone in 3-4 amazing bites. These 3 dishes put me in a food coma every time I go to the Bristol. But it's so worth it. They also have some amazing snacks: duck fat fries in garlic aioli or pull-apart money bread with dill butter. These are always amazing as well. The food is amazing, but the service not only matches the food, but exceeds it. Servers, hosts, all support staff is extremely accomodating and welcoming. They are also extremely perceptive of their customers- they know when a guest has waited too long for something and proactively solve the problem. Like many busy restaurants, I've waited a long time to be seated one night or a long time for food the other, but they do a great job recognizing when a customer has waited too long and fix the problem without the customer having to ask. THat is the difference between good service and outstanding service, which is why the Bristol will always be a place that I will go back to. Glad I live within walking distance!
(5)Abby O.
This place is amazing!! Have been here probably more than 5 times and each time it's just spectacular. One night tops them all however when we tried to walk in and they quoted us at 30 minutes then offered us any drink on the house while we waited. When the time was longer than anticipated, not only did we get a second round on the house, but when we were seated we ended up getting a free pasta dish AND a dessert because they felt badly that there was a couple impinging on our space. Not once did we ask for anything, but they were more than gracious. I would recommend this restaurant highly to anyone coming to the city for a nice, relaxed atmosphere with exceptional service and food. Favs: monkey bread, pork chop (when available)
(5)Sonia L.
The Bristol has one of the best ambience's in Chicago. I love the modern rustic feel, with the wooden tables, the incandescent lights, with the glass doors, and stainless steel fixtures. Very cozy and comfortable. The food however, is just okay. It's going for a local farm type of menu, but most of the items we got were over-sweetened. We started with the cheese board and the deep fried giardiniera. Both were average to good. The main dishes we ordered were the papardelle and the trout. Trout was delicious, and would have been more delicious if they did not over do it with the sweet corn salsa on top of it. The beer selection is good. The Bristol is worth a try but I was a bit disappointed after my meal.
(3)Erika K.
Modern American cooking with a nose-to-tail approach is the focus at Bucktown's The Bristol. Each dish is crafted with locally-sourced ingredients and everything is made in-house. While some dishes at The Bristol are more impressive than others, it's clearly a high-quality dining experience. Read the whole review at thebuckwheater.com/the-b…
(4)Devon S.
Great atmosphere and service. Unique take on some staple dishes. Good place for dates and small group dinners.
(5)Carrie S.
During a week of birthday and St. Patrick's Day fun, a bunch of us came here for a celebratory dinner. I'm so glad that I did because it was one of the best meals I've had. Once we got there, they asked about our cocktail desires. Thank you for thinking of my cocktail needs when I walk through the door. I had a poire & elderflower. Oh, it's the perfect cocktail for me: smooth, sweet, and with a punch of flavor. My husband had a smoked sicilian manhattan. Wow, that drink really packs a punch of flavor. Not my cocktail of choice, but definitely appealed to my guy. At our table, we ordered a bunch of small plates before our entrees. We had monkey bread, duck fat fries, a cheese board, scotch olives, and some hummus. One side of our table demolished the fries. Fries cooked in duck fat won me over especially with the garlic aoili. Who cares about the rest of the dinner, it was all I wanted to eat. The other small plates were good. I liked the monkey bread. They're perfect little puffs of bread lightly salted. For dinner, I had the roasted chicken while my husband had steak. Our friends had the ravioli which was prepared with goat cheese that day and fish prepared Italian style with a red sauce. Our friend loved the red sauce approach to fish which typically pairs with white sauces. My chicken was delicious, perfectly roasted. Just so comforting on a cold March day. My husband's steak was delicious too. All in all, our entrees were delicious. We followed up dinner with some dessert. We enjoyed a chocolate mousse with nutter butters. The chocolate was rich and silky. We also ordered a few other desserts. For me, my Bristol experience was amazing. The food is simple, inventive, and delicious. The Bristol ranks as one of my most favorite dining experiences where the food is so simple, uncomplicated, and delicious.
(5)Linda SingaSong S.
lonnnnggg overdue, but I went to the Bristol for my birthday last year w/my gf & my other pal who is a chef/professor. Intimate style of dining. Fresh ingredients and produce meticulously and lovingly chosen from local fresh farms. Menu changes on a daily basis due to the ingredients they buy for the day or week. My friends recognized our lovely female server. Her warm, sunny presence made us feel right at home. She never rushed us through the courses, and made sure every dish met our needs. We noshed on veggie flatbread and duck fat fries. My pals told me to pass on the monkey bread. They were unimpressed from their last visit. What I LOVEd: *roasted half chicken - dill spaetzle, crunchy salad - meat was so tender. Light salad complements the poultry very well *crispy pig's tail (look in pic attached) -thing was the size of my head..and then some - extra extra crispy on the ouside, and all you needed was a fork to dish out the braised meat. -fatty, succulent. Need I say more? :) I missed out on their hand crafted cocktails so I'll be back soon!
(4)Tera D.
Ok, so 3 stars sounds low, but I don't mean to say it's a bad place or anything. It just didn't wow me the way similarly priced and themed restaurants have. We went at 6:30 on the Friday of Labor Day weekend and were seated immediately, but had we waited the typical 1-2 hours, I don't know if it's worth it. We ordered 3 appetizers, 1 pasta, and 1 entree, and split everything, which I highly recommend. What I don't recommend is the "monkey bread", which is just you paying $6 for plain old bread that mist restaurants give you for free. The other thing we really didn't like was a mini ravioli dish with pistachios and honey. It left a really gross, bitter taste in your mouth and we could only handle a few bites each. On the strong side, their signature chicken dish was, in fact, really good, although the dark meat was far superior to the white. We ordered it with the seasonal corn preparation, which was amazing, so get that while it lasts. Also, the drink list was fun, and I loved my Moscow Mule. If I go back, I'd consider just doing a drink and one dish at the bar.
(3)Sahar M.
I went to this place only for brunch couple of times and really liked it. Try biscuits and gravy , Pancakes with glazed peach and coconut, and potatoes ( they are fried in duck fat) delicious.
(4)Teri T.
been here dozens of times .. SOLID ..delicious food , great vibe and wonderful drinks.. love it .. if they have the fried bones go for it . the place transports me from my life to a mini vacation
(5)Gary D.
We've eaten here many times, and sorry I haven't taken the time to write a review. One of our favorite places in Chicago. Best chicken in town as far as I'm concerned. We've had great food and service, and they consistently perform at a high level. The one time we had an issue with their food, their response at fixing the issue was superb. Highly recommend this as a go to restaurant.
(5)Kristin M.
I was really excited about dinner, but was overall pretty disappointed. Cocktails at the bar were very good. We sampled the Sazerac (very strong and smoky) and Violette Collins (light and refreshing). Service was good. When I requested something less sweet with gin, the bartender made a concoction that was really unique. I wish I could remember what it was... Here's what we ate: Yum -melon salad (surprisingly, this was the best dish of the night) -roasted half chicken (everyone keeps recommending it, and for good reason. It was juicy and delicious. The skin, which I normally don't like, was REALLY good) Good, not great -duck fat fries (everyone at the table liked them, but they seemed like just regular fresh cut fries, I didn't notice any duck richness) -mussels (served as part of the seafood sausage, which my friend seemed to enjoy) -pea agnolotti (basically ravioli filled with pea puree, with prosciutto on top. The ravioli was pretty bland, the prosciutto was overpoweringly salty) -desserts - creme brulee and chocolate sabayon with homemade nutter butters (both were pretty standard desserts, not Top Chef Desserts worthy) Meh -monkey bread (it was just a hunk of fresh bread, nothing special. The dill butter was good, but nothing special) Bad -friend chicken skin (not a hit with our table, they're served room temperature and just tasted like day old leftovers) I didn't try the ravioli (which is one giant ravioli) or gnocchi, but our friends seemed happy with them, but were not raving. I just don't get the hype with this place. It's been compared to The Publican, but doesn't come close to measuring up.
(2)Jack F.
The Bristol, located on the northern bookend of Bucktown, is a satisfying experience where Chef Chris Pandel puts out perfectly executed small plates, pastas, and meat centered entrees. You will no doubt leave The Bristol satisfyingly full, guaranteed. If you tell this to the restaurant, (as I did) they will smile and tell you that they're glad they've done their job. And they have. They've done more. They will have provided you with great service, outstanding food, and most importantly, a wonderful experience.To start, get the monkey bread - luscious, buttery knobs of bread topped with sea salt and served with a dill butter. This dish, listed under the restaurant's "snacks" portion of the menu, has unsurprisingly been a mainstay ever since day one. Aside from this, there are only a few more dishes that are permanently on the menu. The roasted half chicken has a perfectly crisped exterior, while the inside remains moist and flavorful. The seasonal portion of Pandel's menu is constantly changing. I went there twice in one month and the menu was largely different the second time than it was the first time. Past stunners have included impeccably fresh radishes, served with European butter, grey sea salt, and sourdough bread. There has also been beef short rib tortellini, with a tomato fondue sauce. A stellar drinks program makes up for the occasional miss on some of the small plates. The bartender, Dave, is a pure genius. I have previously enjoyed a vanilla bean mojito*, an orange soda with baking spices and cardamom, and a vanilla mint huckleberry soda. If you still have room for dessert, try the Basque cake. It is made fresh to order and is out of this world. What could be better than a warm vanilla cake, with a crispy exterior, served with apple confit, candied cinnamon walnuts, and a cider sabayon? Finally, wash this all down with an espresso made with beans from Chicago based La Colombe. Overall, The Bristol, albeit a tad pricey, is a wonderful experience not to be missed. I give The Bristol 4 Stars out of 4 for astounding food, drinks, and absolutely stellar service. *Due to the fact that I am 14, the mojito was virgin, just in case anyone was worried...
(5)maurice s.
This review is for brunch only. There was a good crowd but no line at a prime weekend time in great weather, so this is definitely a good place to consider if you can't get into your first choice. The space is nice in a minimalist kind of way, but they really jam you in there. Not technically communal tables, but very nearly so. Also, it's all hard surfaces, so it's loud as hell. The makeup of the crowd is exactly what you'd expect given the location. Lox/bagel and egg/pork belly sandwich were both solid. The bagel plating was the trendy cutting board thing, which is annoying because there's no lip on the board to catch the crumbs so a bunch of them inevitably fall onto your lap, no matter how carefully you eat. Also, the board is almost as wide as a 2-top table, so they end up placing it on top of your utensils. Prices were fairly reasonable for what you get. My only serious gripe is that both of our drinks were awful. For example, I ordered a bloody mary, but it was undrinkable as it was all pulp and seeds, like they made the juice fresh in a blender but didn't strain it at all. At first, I thought it was just a few seeds, but I eventually gave up after spitting out 3 of them. After it sat on the table for awhile, you could see dozens of seeds pooling in the bottom of the glass. When I asked the waitress about it, she says, "Oh, it's supposed to be that way." It's supposed to be undrinkable? Despite a couple of other offputting comments along these lines, the service generally was very good.
(3)Belle P.
This is our go-to spot - be it for date nights, out-of-town guests or special occasions. The food is always delicious, fresh and well-prepared. I love that there's at least one dish centered around a unique ingredient. The cocktail menu is a perfect complement, with a mix of seasonal drinks and year-round favorites. Everyone is incredibly pleasant, helpful and knowledgable. Honestly, after eating there at least a dozen times, you might think that we would have had one bad night - but we haven't!
(5)Gary C.
Chris Pandel, master assassin. The man kills everything he touches. It took me a long time to get to The Bristol, and to be honest, I have no idea why. My fiancee and I dined at The Bristol after a meeting one evening, and we actually made a reservation on OpenTable in anticipation of it being busy...but we forgot it was the middle of the week. I do, however, suggest making saving a table on weekends when this place bumps harder than a low-rider. Pandel draws inspiration from the Mediterranean region, but it's not like you're getting hummus, shawarma, or kifta. The man delivers fresh, local ingredients from his ever-changing menu. On this particular evening, we ordered monkey bread (wtheck is monkey bread??!), duck fat fries (gives Doug's a run for his money), roasted bone marrow (plentiful, fatty, and oh so delicious...if it tickles your fancy), roasted half chicken (daaaaaamn good...even as left overs), and a special ravioli, and let me just say that the man knows his pasta. But please please please, take this word of advice and save room for dessert!! Amanda Rockman is seriously a freakin' rock star. Two words: basque cake......with poached apple, cider sabayon, and cinnamon walnuts. Okay, many more than two. But for cereals, dessert. Do it. The Bristol team is awesome, and their service team rocks. My hat goes off to CP and the Rockstar, and I hope to see them again.
(5)Krsna V.
On a beautiful Saturday evening I call my manslave/ backup husband, LOLycakes... Me: I see you survived last night's debauchery at the gay bar LOL: oh, it was a gay bar? No wonder there weren't any women around and my vodka cran tasted like vodka and seamen. Me: You are disgusting. Anyway, I am tired of your gay ass. Tell me, oh harbinger of latest restaurant knowledge, where can four impeccably dressed people have dinner tonight? Some place that has great food, excellent cocktails, and a beautiful crowd. LOL: you mean besides my pants? Me: shut your trap and answer my question. No, I am not going to any place were the clientele are dressed in jeans and t-shirts, no matter how good the food is. This is a celebratory dinner with out of town guests, we need an "adult" space. LOL: You can go to Bristol, it is my favorite restaurant in the city. Me: Alright, I will imprison you for a week if the Bristol doesn't deliver. We were greeted with an hour wait. No biggie, because there is an upstairs bar area where we can sit and have cocktails/ small plates. We arrived around 8:30pm, it is kinda early for Saturday night dinner anyway. We went upstairs to sample the cocktails that my manslave was raving about. The cocktails lived up to the hype. The velvet fizz, front porch punch, Moscow mule, Cuc-cai, and the Old Fashioned were all stellar. We forgave the bad service at the bar because of the quality of cocktails. The scotch olives were good, but the chicken liver mousse was pretty lackluster. The duck fat fries saved the day. Poor service at the bar was unwarranted. At one point, our birthday girl felt like the server would snap back on her for just asking a question about a cocktail ingredient. The husband was uncomfortable with our server as well. She was a little too trigger happy and easily excitable. Not to mention she forgot my drink order. It's okay, it is Saturday night, they are busy... NOT! There were only two other groups upstairs, besides the two people at the bar. It was half dead for a Saturday evening. I thought this place was popular, no? After an hour our table was ready and we went downstairs. Let's just say we felt out of place with the crowd and leave it at that. We might as well have arrived in our jeans and t-shirts/ hoodies. Oh well, moving on... The salads: field greens salad was quite sizable and fresh. The apple salad with hazelnuts was mediocre. Eh, it's a salad. Whatever. Let's get to the next courses. The sardines were quite delectable. The husband's squid ink pasta was spectacular, followed by my prawns a la plancha. Whole prawns cut lengthwise in half and grilled with fresh tarragon. Simply delightful. Our friend's pork shank brought down the quality of food, it was not worthy of more than a few bites. It wasn't bad, it was just "plain". Kind of a let down after the pasta and prawns. Of course we had to get the nutter butters because my manslave kept texting me throughout dinner to get them. I am not a fan of peanut butter, I let the others revel in its deliciousness. I ordered the fromage blanc cake for myself - a light, airy cheesecake served with figs and honey. Unusually light for a cheesecake (more like a mousse cake), it was a winner. The rest of the dining party enjoyed their nutter butters. I took a bite of the chocolate sabayon and it was quite delightful. Service downstairs was better than upstairs. Overall, it was a good experience, even though service was spotty at times. My manslave earned his keep by recommending Bristol. He gets to be free for a few days now.
(4)Marta B.
the best is the roasted chicken with spetzle....yum!
(4)Gina M.
Very good! Small place so make reservations! Food was excellent we had: Appetizer - squash/kale salad, cheese plate, some other apple/pear salad - all delicious!! Pasta - we got the raviolo and the lemon/pesto - both phenomenal! Entree - the steak and the salmon (first time I've ever had salmon and I thought it was good! so that's saying something, steak was good but average) No dessert but their Moscow Mules are an awesome drink! Very attentive and knowledgable wait staff! Don't be fooled by the location or the area - it's a definite must-try!
(4)Nicole C.
A friend and I arrived pretty early (6-7pm) on a Sunday evening and there was no wait whatsoever. Don't get me wrong -- this food is definitely worth waiting for, but it was nice to get right in and have a nice, private table for two near the window. Between the two of us, we shared (see photos): - Scotch olives, pork sausge, lemon - Cold heirloom tomato soup - Sweet corn, honey butter, cilantro, queso - Whole wheat pasta with ricotta and veal bacon - Half chicken, sweet corn diablo, corn bread - Chocolate sabayon, nutter butters I wasn't a huge fan of the pasta dish. It was a little bland -- as if it needed to be seasoned. I'd prefer it with prosciutto to add a little more salt.....but I'd prefer everything with prosciutto. :) Everything else was AMAZING. My favorites: sweet corn, chicken, and nutter butters. The Bristol is at the top of my list of Chicago restaurants. On top of the food being out-of-this-world, we had a very knowledgeable and professional server. She was very helpful in recommending dishes and helping us plan for an accurate amount of food. I thought the price was extremely reasonable. For all of the items listed below + two sodas + two double espressos, we walked out $100 poorer, which included the tip!
(5)William L.
Wow. I had real high hopes for The Bristol and they delivered in every respect. I arrived a little early for dinner so I was able to hand off my coat, peruse the menu, and chat with the staff while enjoying a draught Matilda. Once seated, I ordered the short-rib ravioli with capers, lemon, and proscuitto while my friend had the striped bass. The bass looked great and the ravioli was outstanding. The short-rib filling was very tender, the pasta perfectly al dente, and the proscuitto was nice and crisp. We were a little too full to try the dessert, but I'll certainly be back for dinner or even a weekend cocktail hour.
(5)Ashley M.
Sooooo good. My husband and I had the monkey bread, the cheese plate, raviolo, the steak, and toffee cake. It was all divine! We each had a cocktail-he had the sarsaparilla and I had I think the starry night. Both were very good unique beverages (nice pour). The staff was very attentive and polite. It was a very good experience!
(5)Alison C.
My partner and I had the most amazing dinner here last night. Pro tips: sit at the bar, get the smoked carrot salad and the pork shank. I won't be hungry until June.
(5)Liz A.
We came her for valentines day because it is #1 on the eater 38 chicago, and I've been wanting to see why. Overall, the food was very good, but I was not as impressed as I have been with other eater recommendations, so I'm kind of surprised they've maintained the #1 spot for as long as they have... Most of the food was hit or miss for me. The monkey bread starter was definitely a hit; the dill butter was excellent. I'd definitely recommend ordering this when you first sit down. My drink was also a hit; the poire and elderflower is one of the only cocktails I've ever seen with white grape juice as the main ingredient, and I loved it! We ordered a pasta to split; the actual pappardelle was excellent, but when I saw goat sugo on the menu, I was expecting it to live up to the flavors of another restaurant in Chicago, but this did not-- it was very gamey tasting. The mains were also somewhat of a miss; I think they were specific to the valentines menu, and overall they did not have any special or unique flavors. They were prepared very well, but I just wasn't blown away by them. My main complaint was the seating; very,very over-crowded. Our table for two was a couple inches from the next table for two, and the entire table had to be moved for either of us on the wall side to get up-- not a great valentines setting.
(4)Irene H.
My friend got us 6:45PM reservations on a lovely Wednesday evening. Some of us, including myself, were running late, but it wasn't an issue. We occupied the end of the communal table. And as someone who hates driving in the city, I was happy to find valet parking ($9). The valet had my car pulled out front when we got the check. I appreciate the efficiency. I wanted to try the poire and elderflower cocktail, but was warned that it was the sweetest drink on the menu. Ick! I went with the moscow mule instead. It was ok. My friend's front porch punch was way too sweet. Exciting cocktail menu, but I'm not a fan of the execution. On to the food. The 5 of us are not voracious eaters. The standout dishes were the bone marrow and half chicken. I also loved the garganelli. - We started with the monkey bread, which came with in a cute baby Staub pot. and with a side of dill butter. It was ok. As a major dill lover, it wasn't dilly enough for me. - The bone marrow with shallot jam was a crowd favorite and they gave us extra toast gratis. I loved this. - The duck fat fries were ok. I think my friends loved it because I barely got a bite in. The garlic aioli was a big hit. - The homemade garganelli was yummy. The ragu bianco was light. This is a dish I could eat over and over again. - I was a big fan of the half chicken, which came prettily perched on top of sweet corn diablo and a side of corn bread. The skin was crispy and meat was moist. We saved our dessert stomach space for cocktails at the Exchange.
(3)Jonathan B.
I really enjoyed my dinner here. First and foremost the service was fantastic. Chairs pulled out, water always refilled, a gracious, informative server who was assisted by several others to provide fill drink orders quickly. I usually don't care for custom cocktails, but there peach drink was so fresh tasting and served with a big ice cube. The server's wine recommendation was a nice Syrah/Grenache blend that paired nicely with the meal. The sopressata and peach appetizer was real star, as was the pea bruschetta. Both the ravioli and cavatelli pasta dishes were great, and the mains, the pork and chicken, were both well-excecuted. The only slight miss was the pork appetizer. The ambiance was lively, and had the perfect music volume. I'd highly recommend this to friends.
(5)Zo O.
I found the most amazing parking spot! ...made miso happy :) Shared the monkey bread and duck fat fries while I got the chitarra(basically spaghetti) with vine ripened tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, dante, and my friend got a type of sausage with a bunch of fresh, fresh veggies. We both enjoyed our meal, for sure, but we weren't blown away by the monkey bread, which we both heard many, many, many great things about. We were pretty happy with everything. Food, service, and ambiance was on point. Nothing to complain bout :)
(4)Anna V.
Went balls out on dinner here, because why not? Ordered a ton for the hell of it and our waiter just looked at us like, ok, at least it wasn't the entire menu. Overall, it was really solid, just not 5-star unreal kind of solid. It's got a neighborhoody vibe and is virtually unfindable on Damen (just past the I-94E entrance) unless you are planning to go and looking for it. I scored parking right in the front and was lucky. Otherwise, this place is a total pain in the ass to get to from virtually anywhere other than Bucktown. The Moscow Mule is so well done here. The way it should be, in a copper cup that will make your hands smell like dirty metal. They aren't too strong and don't do much damage in terms of alcohol content but they are spicy and tasty and I refused to be generous with sharing it. Food is really solid, but it comes out in a strange order. I get the concept behind the menu being different sizes as it goes down the list, but they don't actually serve things IN that order, so the purpose is confusing. Monkey bread with dill butter was an easy thing to demolish. The duck fat fries, the apple manchego salad, and the lardon mushroom flatbread were also really solid (the flatbread is more like a crisp, not at all like a pizza crust). My friend and I shared everything, including the entree size hangar steak (they cook their meat the temperature they're supposed to). 2 snacks, 2 starters, and 1 entree was probably the right combo for 2 people who like food. But this CAKE. We didn't have super high expectations when we found out a) no vanilla bean ice cream (SERIOUSLY?) and b) the first crack at it was kind of stiff and worrisome. We feared stale dry crappy cake. I overheard the waiter saying that this pastry chef was apparently on Top Chef Just Desserts so I was like... wtf, how can this cake be stale? But then we tasted it. We went absolutely primitive on this cake. Tore that sht apart. The fluffy cake + cider sabayon + sweet walnuts = perfectly sweet, dense, not at all dry, vanilla-saucy creamy dessert. Did not need the ice cream we thought it did. Get reservations or you will be disappointed - small shop, and they really don't take walk-ins. Bottom line: really good, just not omgwtf. I am spoiled having gone to the (RIDICULOUS A+++) Au Cheval the night before, so maybe this is a biased review. I will go there again for prix fixe in Chef's Week and I'm glad I tried it, but it's such a PITA to get to and the atmosphere is so deliberately minimalist that I don't feel like I need to go back asap. Still a good place to go and experience if you're looking to try something new, especially on a weeknight.
(4)Yvonne Y.
Sunday brunch review. Miraculously, only a 5 minute wait for a table for 4 at 11am (it was daylight savings spring forward day). Bloody Mary was amazing. Egg sandwich with pork belly looked really yummy but the potatoes just looked too burnt. Chilaquiles with pork was disappointing. It's flavorful but there was hardly any pork in it. You don't get to order how the fried eggs are done. They're all well done. I'd go back and try the hangover dish (noodle soup).
(4)Brian L.
I went here for the first time last night. Even on a packed Friday night, a table for four only took about 30 minutes. The ambiance in this place is nice, rather "dim" lighting, but not so dark you can't see your food. The decor is unassuming and not intimidating, and I found the wait staff really friendly and accommodating. Chris Pandel is the head chef here, and I've heard a lot about him. The food he sends out of the kitchen is amazing. I love trying new food, so I had to go for the bone marrow starter... freakin delicious! People rave about the duck fat fries here too, but I have yet to try them. My starter was veal and was also quite amazing. The portions are appropriate and you get a good value for what you pay. I hope that Pandel continues to work on his dishes and eventually get awarded a Michelin star, he's almost there! I look forward to the next time I dine here.
(5)Sam M.
Yes, very good. Pricey, but that's the going rate for places like this in Bucktown/Wicker Park/Logan Square, etc. The Roasted Chicken was amazing and the Apple Salad is a 'must' as well.
(4)Elana L.
I love this place. I am a chef and highly critical of the food that I eat. I know how things are supposed to taste. Needless to say this place hits it right every time. Believe the hype. I usually try to eat at different places all the time. I usually don't visit the same place 2 in six months. I was here 3 times in 6 months. I love it.
(5)XO K.
One thing that certainly helps garner this restaurant a 4 star review is value. That and creativity, really. Though the menu is fairly limited (5 options for the main course) the portions are decent in size and not exorbitant in price, particularly for a Bucktown/Wicker Park address. I started with a "Viex Carre", a nice bourbon-based cocktail with cognac and dueling bitters (It's a N'awlins drink, so you gotta have Peychaud's bitters in it) and a quality vermouth. My wife had something with pear vodka and St. Germaine and grapefruit which was also delicious. So far, so good. For starters, we had pork skins and an apple-based salad, both of which were wonderful and a great way to begin our meal. We then each enjoyed our main dishes, she the Salmon with fiddleheads and I the tri tip steak which came with a delicious herb butter and roasted cauliflower. My steak was just a little bit on the tough side, but delicious. It might have been cooked for an extra minute or two to make it a bit more tender, but I would always prefer slightly undercooked than overcooked. Dessert for her was their version of "Nutty Buddy" cookies with a chocolate sabayon (fancy pudding) and I had Tiramisu liqueur, both of which were absolutely delicious. For whatever reason, I wasn't exactly blown away, but everything was very good and I am quite stingy with 5 star reviews. Given the check and the number of items we ate and drank and the quality of each, I feel this place offers a good value.
(4)Mary Ellen B.
I went to the Bristol with a customer while in Chicago, IL two weeks ago. Food was amazing, service was great and the ambiance was hip and fun while appropriate for both a trend setting customer or date night. I had the vegetarian dinner entree sautéed mushrooms which was spot on! The raviolo was delish for my appetizer. Dessert was great and all in all a fantastic dinner experience for an out of towner!
(5)Regina B.
Went here with a friend on the recommendation of my son who lives in the area. We loved it. Great food and reall nice ambiance
(5)Ivanka B.
I really truly love a restaurant that forces me outside my comfort zone and entices adventurous course selection. Only at the Bristol do I try things like bone marrow (my first encounter ever was here in October 2010) and smoked chicken hearts. Duck fat fries and garlic aioli? Let's just the homemade ketchup was briefly sampled before a war broke out over the aioli. Not that the ketchup wasn't tasty - I did get a hint of horseradish in there - very nice, but the garlicky mayo combo is one thing my mother and I (unfortunately) agree on! The pear and elderflower cocktail is now my favorite drink ever - it took every ounce of self-control to not down the whole snazzy glass in one gulp. Bone marrow slathered on crispy bread paired beautifully with the shallot jam and managed to make my bites of smoked chicken hearts more bearable. I mean the mushrooms and pain perdu and jus were delicious and I really wanted to love those organs but I think I overdid it with the adventure, By the third bite I just couldn't anymore :-( and so continues my love/hate relationship with organ meats! One thing that never, ever disappoints here are the amazing desserts - so well thought out, so delectable. This time it was the creamy chocolate sabayon with sea salt and olive oil that I scooped up eagerly with home-made nutter butters. Last time it was some other mouthwatering goodness that included a honeycomb! Beautiful and delicious! Thank you Bristol for expanding my horizons!
(5)Kevin S.
Wow. I ate here last night. A group of 10 of us and we shared almost everything on the menu (2/3 of the starters and all the pasta/mains). Ambiance- First walking into the place you notice it's a little tight, but a very hip feel to it. Very dimly lit. It'd be great for a date or a small group. Cocktails- Some great craft cocktails. The smoked manhattan was excellent. They had a "peach smash" cocktail that was a special and delicious. At a certain point my buddy just started telling the server to bring him something new, and every single one was awesome. There was one with mezcal we particularly liked. Food- A smaller menu and everything looked so good, we had at least half of it. There were a few show stoppers, most of the rest were excellent, and only one or two dishes which were good but a little disappointing (note: probably mostly because everything else was so good, by the time we got to these, it was hard to live up to that level) The Best- Raviolo- Wow, I had dreams about this. One giant ravioli. Such a rich butter sauce that melts in your mouth. This was definitely the consensus show stealer. We even ordered a third one. Tip- Get some monkey bread and dip in the sauce. You're going to want to finish every last bit of that sauce. Pork Porterhouse- Huge, cooked amazingly, and the driad cherries really set this dish off. Duck Fat Fries- Could not stop eating these. Arctic Char- Really enjoyed this. Peas were excellent and fresh. Charcuterie Board- They know what they are doing on the charcuterie. The pork rillete with apricot jam was particularly good. Peaches and Soppressata - Oh man, I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a week straight. Heirloom Tomato Salad- Fresh, light, delicious Slightly Underwhelmed (Still good, but I wouldn't get these if you're only getting a dish or two)- Hanger Steak- Steak was good with a nice crust, but the dish just didn't come together as well as everything else. Half Chicken- We had 2 orders of these. The one I had the breast was definitely a little dry. The other one I tried and the breast was a lot better, but the dish wasn't as great as it could have been. Apple Salad- Not that it was bad, but the other salads we tried were better. Service- This was noticeably awesome. Our server really knew everything well, and they were great about switching in new side plates since we were sharing. The dishwashers probably hated it, but we probably went through 4 sideplates/silverware combos each (and this was offered without us asking after having had a few plates- most of us would have been pretty painless and just reused the same plate). Trying all this stuff for 10 people with an average of probably 4 cocktails each came out to $100 + tip per person. You could definitely do it cheaper. If I were going with a date, I'd recommend 2 starters and 2 pasta/mains to split, and at that rate you're probably looking at about $70 + drinks. (and it would be a great place for a date) Get your butt to this place quickly.
(5)Caroline M.
I don't know about you, but I hate waiting in line for brunch. Hate. It. I don't mind having a wait at dinner, but in the morning I am in desperate need of food and coffee!! So I will share my little secret with you: no wait at 10:30am for Sunday brunch. Clearly we have a winner when they offer: Bread Pudding French Toast. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, it was freakin' phenomenal. I was 100% content savoring every bite of this masterpiece. It had a crisp exterior and a soft, moist center. My friend got the eggs benedict which came with some pretty fantastic potatoes. Obviously we aren't afraid of carbs, so we shared a cinnamon roll, too. Honestly, it wasn't very good. And it wasn't warmed up, which kinda just seemed lazy. Service was very good and our beverages were constantly being topped off. Don't forget about the Bristol next time your stumped about where to go for a (no wait!!) Sunday brunch.
(5)Stephanie L.
Hello Lover...NOM, NOM, NOM...I think I am in love with food. So got here and there was a waiter...shocker. So we headed up stairs for some swanky lounge cocktails. YUMMY! I heart St Germaine liquor basically in anything. Then our seats were ready at the bar...I actually really liked sitting at the bar. Its some communal seating and some regular seating. We asked for some recommendations and here is what we ended up with Market Greens Salad with buttermilk dressing....perfect and there was little radishes in it that gave it a little crunch Goat Carpaccio...heaven in my mouth. My favorite dish. The only complaint was that there wasnt more. It had cheese, meat, etc. So good. It was a special.... Duck Fat Fries...my belly was saying NOM, NOM, NOM. My thighs were saying NO, NO, NO...alas, my belly won, per usual. PHENOMENAL. Sounds disgusting, but great. Raviolo-cheese, butter, egg and pasta...how can you go wrong. It melted in your mouth. Service was right on top of it...actually almost too much in the beginning. We got bombarded by our apps in the beginning, it felt like they were trying to rush us, but then the entree took awhile so that was ok. Price point-right on point. Totally reasonable, I thought. People watching...great. spot.
(5)Helena G.
We took advantage from the chef's week to go to the Bristol. We had Snack - boiled peanuts *** It's a nice creation but nothing amazing First course - soft boiled egg **** I liked the mix of flavors of the sauces and the yolk - shaved pig's head salad **** The meat was really good Second course - pot au feu-beef tongue and brisket ***** The meat was very tender and the veggies were delicious, I also loved the broth - pan roasted skate wing ***** The fish was terrific, it had a superb turnip purée Dessert - mascarpone cheesecake **** It was a little too sweet but I really enjoyed it The waitress knew every single detail of each dish and she was very nice. This place has a beautiful decor and a good vibe.
(5)Connie M.
Why add another review to the many glowing ones? Because they guys are so damn nice at the bar that I had to give a shout out. I loved the low pretense, efficient but precise service, and well-edited menu. I hits the sweet spot so many places struggle to find. We just ate apps--a phenomenal squid special, smoked mackerel (and I have not had mackerel in about 30 years), and then worked our way expertly through their drink menu (great cocktails and beer and wine). I can accept their menu may be hit or miss, based on the other reviews, but that was hardly my experience. I'd definitely try this place again and again.
(5)Chelsea F.
I've been to the Bristol a few times and I didn't feel my first experience really warranted a review because it was so ordinary. However, I went again last night and felt the experience was good enough to write about. Admittedly, I'm not a huge fan of the seating here. I hate community style seating. I just want to enjoy my meal with whoever I'm with and not worry about the people around me. However, this shouldn't stop anybody from going here. I have had the Monkey Bread a few times and I'd say it's worth getting. The duck fries aren't amazing but worth trying. I like their home made ketchup, it actually tastes more like a marinara than a ketchup. The garlic aioli sauce it comes with is VERY garlicy so be warned! We also had the roasted corn starter and it was so delicious. It tasted like it was on the grill with some sort of sauce that tasted sweet and buttery. I loved it! This was my favorite part of the meal. Also got a dessert with salted caramel, bananas, and mascarpone cheese. So Yum! Lastly, the service was great too. I loved how my server was super enthusiastic every time she brought over dish. Monkey bread!! Duck Confit Fries! It was adorable and I really appreciated it.
(4)Carissa R.
We were very excited and proud to have The Bristol host our rehearsal dinner, which was on a Saturday night. Michelle, the event coordinator at Bristol, was AMAZING to work with! We developed a menu and I gave her my thoughts on a look/feel, and she executed everything flawlessly! The food was fantastic for our party of almost 50, and we were overall very pleased with our experience. The team even gave us a little "thank you" gift for having our event there! Everyone we worked with/interacted with at Bristol was fantastic! We will ABSOLUTELY have another event there in the future!
(5)Julie A.
A solid and delicious meal. Great atmosphere. We had the monkey bread to start, which was really delicious--warm, soft and salty. We had two of the pastas for dinner (my husband had the raviolo and I had the cavatelli without the bacon). Both were clearly made with fresh pasta and herbs. My only complaint was the size of the portions. My husband could have eaten two of his portion, and for the price, they were very small. The wine was great, although I spotted one of our favorite wines on the wine list that we buy at Binny's for $14.99. They were charging $54!! I know markups are big, but jeez. As I said, overall very good, but a bit overpriced.
(4)S W.
I attended a large work dinner with a set menu. I did get to try more dishes than I usually would, and wasn't blown away by the food. It was good but not great.
(3)jackie m.
Eh, I was hoping for better. We had the apple salad, monkey bread, cheese platter, the barley & cavatelli pasta. I was not overly impressed with any of them. Something in the apple salad tasted weird...it wasn't the apples, hazelnuts, or lettuce, so I don't know what it was. I think there might have been cheese (it was soft) in it & something harder that resembled the cheese & I think it was that thing that was just awful. I was really interested in the ravioli, but when I asked how many come in it, our server told us one. So, let me get this straight...it's $14 for 1 piece of ravioli? The cavatelli has left a lingering taste in my mouth that I'm not the biggest fan of. The monkey bread is also not your traditional sweet monkey bread. It's regular bread in the shape of monkey bread. Not stellar food...so bummed. Our server was attentive & perfectly fine.
(3)Josh C.
My wife and I have probably gone to The Bristol more than any other restaurant in town. Sometimes we choose The Bristol because we just want a nice night out. Sometimes we are entertaining out-of-town guests. The overall experience here is always great! We love the food. We love the atmosphere. The music is exactly what I want to hear while I'm out. Even though we gravitate to dishes we had before, we are always excited by whatever is new. We usually order family style so we can try as many different things as possible. I usually choose about half of my order and ask my server for his/her recommendations. They have an excellent wine and beer list. I usually start with a Negroni or whiskey drink and then switch over to wine or beer. I always leave room for a cappuccino and dessert. This place is a lot of fun and serves some of the best food and drink Chicago has to offer!
(5)Alexis E.
Went here for dinner on a Saturday night with some friends. It was a beautiful summer evening and their front garage door was open which made it really nice to enjoy the summer weather. Definitely recommend making reservations in advance or you will wait 1+ hour for a table. Or table wasn't quite ready when we arrived, so we were directed upstairs to their stand alone bar for some cocktails. My friend had the daquiri which she loved, I had the poire & elderflower cocktail which was amazing, & my other friend had a cabernet. Our table was ready in less than 5 minutes do we headed back downstairs. We ordered several appetizers, all of which were great. They have a seasonal menu, so it changes constantly. Definitely recommend the savory monkey bread and the arugula salad with fresh sliced peaches, almonds, soppressatta, & feta. We also ordered fresh radishes with a feta dip and it was ok. We shared the Arctic char & porterhouse for our entrees. Both were good, the steak was a bit tough though. For dessert we ordered this little round buttery cake with peaches & caramel on top. Amazing! We devoured it. Overall, service was impeccable. Bathrooms were clean, staff was well trained & friendly. Food was so fresh. Would def go back again, try some new stuff like the duck fat fries, which I hear are amazing!
(4)Cristina T.
I've passed by the Bristol several times and always wondered about it, so when I was invited to a dinner with drink pairings I was excited to finally go. We almost tried everything on the menu, so I think I have a pretty good idea of what Chris Pandel can do in the kitchen.Here is what we ordered: Starters -Duck Fat Fries: Nothing is bad with duck fat and these were no exception. The garlic aioli and tomato paste sauces were the perfect accompaniment to these delicious bites. -Monkey Bread:Pretty good and comes hot out of the oven, but not as spectacular as everyone raves about. I love the little pot it is served it. -Scotch Olives: I cannot stop thinking about these. What is not to love about olives covered in pork and fried? You need to try these. -Apple salad: Crisp and fresh, the hazelnuts were a pleasant surprise to this lightly dressed salad. Pasta -Chitarra alla carbonara: Topped with an egg yolk and loaded with ham, this was a rich but delicious dish. Pasta was cooked perfectly. -Tagilatelle w/ anchovy, garlic, pernod & breadcrumbs: Other people at the table were not big fans of this one, so I think you need to like anchovy flavors to really appreciate this pasta. -Ravioli: Coolest pasta ever. Just one single ravioli that when cut into, just oozes goodness. The ricotta was fresh and creamy and the pasta dough was perfect. A "must try". Entrees -Roasted 1/2 chicken w/ dill spaetzle: One of the best chicken preparations I have had in a restaurant. The chicken was flavorful and incredibly moist. The spaetzle was tender. Great dish. -Beef top sirloin: As of late I have stopped ordering beef in restaurants, but this dish may have changed my mind. The beef was high quality and cooked perfectly to retain its flavor and texture. It was topped with a cauliflower and green garlic sauce that was the perfect compliment. Sides -Brussel sprouts: These will convert you to being a sprout lover as they are deep fried. Try them. -Roasted beets: Flavorful and topped with a creamy sauce. Desserts -Basque cake: Pastry chef is known for this dessert, and for good reason. A little cake that is perfectly cooked and injected with a cream. Its soft in the middle and tastes like brown sugar goodness. If you only order one dessert, this has to be it. The compote on top is delicious too. -Carrot cake: Very good, but not my favorite. The carrot puree on the plate was an interesting touch. -Lemon Tart: I'm not sure I like the combination of lemon and basil but this was a great flavor combination for the adventurous. Drinks -Moscow Mule: Served in a copper mug, its light and refreshing -Spring Gimlet: Very similar to the mule, except made with gin. -Dark & Stormy:The rum and lime juice are a great pairing with the molasses. Might have been the best drink we tried. As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoyed my time tasting my way through the Bristol menu.I cannot wait to come back and try the menu again as it changes for seasonal ingredients.
(5)Margaret B.
I have been to the Bristol probably 15 times, and it has been amazing each and every time I have been there. The menu changes so there is always something new to try. I have had amazing charcuterie, sardines, and smoked mackerel, and I like all of the pasta dishes. Recently, I has a carrot salad with a light yogurt dressing that was sight. I will admit,that as much as I try the new dishes, I am basically obsessed with the Bristol's chicken with spatzel. It is hands down the best chicken dish I have ever had: the outside is crispy, the inside is tender, and the spatzel is perfect. It also has a small apple salad that adds crunch and freshness. For desert, the basque cake can't be beat. They have a great cocktail list, but I usually go the wine route so I can't speak to it really.
(5)Jessica G.
We've had some bad restaurant week experiences in the past. The husband actually swore off RW dinners after the last one. I've heard great things about The Bristol so I decided, even though it was RW, I would give it a go. I'm very glad I did! The service was fantastic. Very friendly and attentive. Items came out in a very timely fashion and with a smile. Keep in mind that the main seating area is communal, in case you don't prefer to share your table with people you don't know. The food itself was really good. The RW menu for 2012 was pretty fantastic - a beet and gruyere tart to start, though some members of our party thought there could be more gruyere involved. The crust of the tart was a nice, flaky biscuit. My favorite was the second course, the tajarin in butter with some herbs... Holy cats - go there now and eat this immediately. It is extremely rich and flavorful and quite honestly the best pasta I have ever seen. I don't normally go for pasta in a restaurant but if I ever saw this again, I would order and devour it straight away. Amazing. The next course was osso bucco. We had a bit of inconsistency on this one among the four of us at the table. One of us had the perfectly tender, pulled with a fork, meat, while mine was that tender in some places. The other two at our table remarked that theirs was a bit on the tougher side. Overall, great flavor, though, and the marrow was incredibly well-received. Last was dessert. Excellent olive oil cake and the panna cotta was lovely. The gelee on top needed a few minutes to warm up and get to a better consistency but overall, it was very tasty. In addition to the RW menu, we ordered the monkey bread, the scotch olives and the fried broccoli. The monkey bread is so much better than what you can make at home with your own tube rolls - so flaky and much tastier. The scotch olives were rather unexpected - I didn't think I would like them but they turned out to be really tasty. Last was the fried broccoli - a bit heavy with oil at the end but I really, really liked the flavor of it. Oh - and we ordered the French press coffee to share. Each coffee cup came with a tiny little fudge-y cookie that was soft and sort of gushy and just melted in the mouth. Next time, I will want that cookie with my tajarin... just a thought... It was really a wonderful dinner. Just a couple things that weren't quite perfect but it is somewhere that I recommend and somewhere I will go back to. If you're reading this for RW 2012 and you can get the tajarin still, go there now and give it a go. Worth the price of admission for just that alone!
(4)Morgan M.
Went here for NYE and it was my favorite dinner since we've moved to Chicago! We arrived early and had a drink at the lovely bar. It was great because I don't drink and they offered to do a virgin Moscow Mule for me and I LOVED it! When we got to our table it was the perfect spot by the window....close to our neighbors but totally fine. The reason I loved this place was because it wasn't what you would expect and there were different flavors and menu items. It was a prix fixe which is fine with us, preferred in fact, but everything we had was outstanding. We also ordered the "snacks" as well which were definitely worth it. My ribeye steak was better than I've had in a very long time and the chicken liver mouse plate was fantastic. We were stuffed but finished our desserts because they were out of this world. Overall, I loved this place we we will certainly be returning. I think this time we will check them out for brunch.
(5)Brett F.
Expected pretension. Got perfection. Pardon me for a moment while I kneel at the altar of The Bristol. Not sure why I expected a stuffy atmosphere replete with formal staff, puffed up pricing and fussy food. That is so very much not the formula here... nope, The Bristol is a straightforward - yet quite stylish - neighborhood restaurant serving up warm, charming service, delightful vino, yummy cocktails and terrifically uncomplicated, yet utterly phenomenal food. Can you tell I was pleased? You f'n betcha! If I could eat here every night, I would. I don't imagine ever finding myself tiring of that amazingly toasty, slightly salty and totally comforting monkey bread, nor those indulgent duck fat fries paired with creamy garlic aioli that even gives Sir Hot Doug a run for his money... and those are just the 'bar snacks'!! Start layering on cheese boards, salads, medium dishes, large plates and you'll find nothing disappoints at The Bristol... who's cooking back there? God? Especially adore the roasted bone marrow/shallot jam dish when I'm looking for something really rich, hearty and gluttonous and the ravioli with brown butter, ricotta and - get this - egg yolk is so surprisingly light, it works perfect as a shared plate or something to treasure velvety bite by bite as your own satiating carb symphony. Ah, be sure to save room for The Bristol's signature homemade Nutter Butter dessert (tis the best on the menu)... chocolate pot de créme, salty shortbread, creamy peanut butter, a sprinkling of fleur de sel... it shall be renamed The Divine Intervention so say me. I hear they also do a mean brunch (how could they not) and I intend to find out... pass the monkey bread french toast and duck fat fried bacon, yo. Ok, that may be wishful thinking but I bet whatever they're griddlin' up will be five star fabulous, after all, it is cooked by God you know.
(5)Marie B.
Perfect Brunch!!! The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. The Cinnamon roll was perfect...sweet but not too heavy. The hash was great, especially with the side of potatoes. Definitely have to come back to try other items on the menu!!! Also to have more of that cinnamon roll :-)
(4)Minna A.
I came here as a recommendation from my good friend, Sam V. wOOOOeeeeEE!!! It was great! Although, I am so disappointed at myself for not having ordered the monkey bread... so.. sad.. OH WELL, this just means I'm going to have to make another visit here :) We started upstairs with some frilly cocktails and the duck fat fries. Y.U.M. I love that there's an upstairs lounge to keep you warm and toasty while you wait for your table. The wait was not bad at all, we were seated just a few minutes after we received our drinks. The hostess helped us close out our upstairs tab and carry all of our food downstairs, where our awesome waiter took over! We ordered the lamb sausage and escrole, the white asparagus tortellini and a massive BBQ platter. I was really surprised, but the bbq was awesome! NOT at all like what I was expecting from this place (we were all drooling over the apple butter on the jalapeno cornbread and the delicious goat brisket!) All in all, the Bristol was awesome, and don't ever doubt recommendations from Sam V.!!!
(5)Susan C.
I went to the Bristol for the first time a few days ago and had a marvelous time. While it's on the expensive end, the quality of food and level of service provided made it worthwhile. (I don't understand when people give places less stars solely due to the fact that they are expensive - if you didn't like the prices, why did you eat there!?) First, the waiter was extremely knowledgeable of every menu item. He suggested that we could share many plates or go for the large items are stand-alone entrees. We chose to share 3 items. 1) We had the Whole Wheat Flatbread with kale and anchovies (and also some creme fraiche). I was surprised that it was generously sized for a appetizer. the creaminess of the creme fraiche balanced the saltiness of the anchovies nicely. Twas a good carby appetizer. And I'm a girl that loves her carbs. 2) We had potato gnocchi next -(not on their online menu) which was pure melt-in-your-mouth bliss. I wish I could remember more of it except I think I may have gone to heaven in the form of creamy little pasta balls. Again, see carb comment above. 3) Finally - we shared the Roasted Half Chicken. It was slightly crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, could you ask for better? We had their homemade peanut butter cookies and chocolate mousse for dessert because we couldn't stop eating. And if you are a fan of Dark and Stormys (Dark Rum and Ginger Beer) - they have a great one.
(5)A H.
Wow! What a great place for dinner. A friend and I went last night, and I'm still thinking about it! I figured a rave review was in order. The service was excellent. Everyone was genuinely kind, helpful and knowledgeable. It wasn't intrusive or rushed at all. Honestly, it was some of the best service I've had in Chicago. The food was fantastic! I highly recommend starting with the monkeybread. It was pretty much perfect with large flecks of salt on the outside, buttery softness on the inside, and dill butter for dipping. We also ordered the roasted ramps which were fresh and delicious. I loved the wheat berries and buttermilk ranch dressing that went with it. Great flavor! For the main course, I had the nettle pappardelle with goat ragu. Oh, wow. Very, very nice. The real winner? Dessert! Roasted banana semifreddo with honeycomb and golden syrup! We both loved it! The honeycomb was such a sweet, crunchy treat to accompany the creamy semifreddo. Yum. I will be back for dinner, but can't wait to try brunch too.
(5)Scott B.
Been here a couple times now, and just cannot wait to get back (It does t help that I live walking distance from it)! The service here is excellent in every aspect, I've sat up at the bar when I come in and the bartenders are friendly, informative, and have great recommendations for food and drink. Every time I've been here the whole FOH staff is incredibly friendly and welcoming. The drinks are wonderful and the food is top notch. I've been working my way through the whole menu, starting with the small plates, some of my favorites were: Giardiniera fritto misto - basically their own tempura batter spiced up nice battering the giardeniera vegetables, nice and crispy, and served up with an anchovy aioli. Simple, fun, and playful. The head on prawns a la plancha - simple and elegant whole prawns with tarragon and anchovy butter. They were cut in half lengthwise and piled high. Smoked chicken hearts - came with mushrooms and Pain perdu and egg yolk to split open right over the top of everything. This was overall hands down my favorite small plate at the Bristol. Flavors, textures and depth elevated this dish for me! The cheese board - 3 different cheeses with 3 different accutromons. The cheeses were all good, and ranged from soft and melty to firm, or crumbly. All served up with crispy bread. The charcuterie board - everything on the charcuterie board was great, nice garnishes to accompany on the board with crispy bread as well. The mortadella was particularly good, but for me the country pork pâté was definitely the star of the show. Let me start in with the pastas by saying that chef Chris Pandel and his teams (at the Bristol AND Balena) make some of the best pasta around. The raviolo - one giant ravioli with ricotta cheese and a perfect farm egg yolk inside that bursts open as you cut down the center of this delicious giant raviolo as instructed. The egg yolk combines with the brown butter to make an elegant and rich sauce to finish the dish off. The whole wheat fazzeletti - just unbelievable, the pasta, is a perfect al dente with a rich dark sauce, and I believe it was rabbit Sugo that came along with this and mushrooms (hen of the woods?). Regardless, this was just incredible. I've only had one large plate, but it definitely made me want to try the others. The redfish and rock shrimp stew - a nice amount of spice that kept building as you ate more of the dish, added to an incredible depth in cajun-esque flavors. It was almost mock gumbo served with rice in the stew and crispy toast points. Wonderful end to our savories. I've only had one dessert here (the same dessert both times I came), not to put any of their other desserts down because I haven't tried them, but this is just my favorite dessert I've had in Chicago. The basque cake - this rich, thick, moist cake gets better with every bite you take. Comes with cinnamon candied walnuts, a cider sabayon sauce, and apple confit. This is just too good for words.
(5)A W.
Girlfriend and I found this on yelp when planning our trip 2 months ago and we're glad we made reservations for Sunday Brunch on our last day there. Even though I was not hungover, I ordered the hangover breakfast which is, noodles, pork belly, spicy serrano, poached egg. I enjoyed it very much, although I wish it was more spicy. I also had two bloody mary's, which were nicely made as well. She ordered the fried egg sandwich which has, pork belly, mornay sauce, and a side of breakfast potatoes. She didn't enjoy the the potatoes but I did, so of course i gobbled them up. She noticed the chartucerie assortment next to us and ordered a side of the aged cheddar as well, which was very nice.
(4)Louise P.
I wish I could give The Bristol more than one star for my experience there, but I can't. I wanted to like it, I really did! But, and my three dining companions agreed, we were sorely disappointed with our dinner and service. We had 10:30 reservations at The Bristol on New Years, and they published their prix-fixe menu weeks ahead of the occasion. To break it down: Pros: - A great ambiance. - The octopus and raviolini dishes were excellent. (Some of my fellow diners thought the latter was too sweet, but I thought it was delicious.) - Really good duck fat fries. (Probably one of the best things we ate.) - All diners were given a sugar cake to take home (A nice touch, I thought, although not enough to save the experience.) Now, to the cons: - A changed menu. As I mentioned, the menu was set in advance. Yet, upon arrival, 3-4 of the dishes had been changed or removed. This was discouraging, as we eagerly discussed the menu in the days prior and pinpointed favorites. I was going to order the duck confit (on the original menu), but its replacement, a braised duck leg, did not look nearly as appetizing. - Pacing of service! Our first three dishes "to share" were all delivered within a span of 10 minutes. I had barely touched the previous dish before it was being swept away and replaced with a new one. Then, service came to a screeching halt and we had to wait 20-30 minutes between the final 3 courses. - Service, overall. My husband and our friends were dismayed at how the waitstaff delivered the dishes. That is, without even an introduction of what we were eating or drinking, and without any sort of kindness. Yes, we were dining late, but it was New Years Eve! Wouldn't the staff anticipate diners at this hour, all of whom had reservations?! - Out of monkeybread. On such a busy evening? Surely this could have been averted. - The food! Except for what I listed above, the food was not as exciting or filling as we'd expected. Chilled carrots with creme fraiche? Good, but not substantial. The trout? Not very flavorful. I could go on, but I'll spare the reader. Last but not least, we agreed the worst offense was no acknowledgment of New Years. Seriously. No passed champagne, no 'Happy New Years, thanks for joining us!' from the staff, nothing. Upon realizing that no champagne would be had at the hand of The Bristol, we searched through the wine list for their champagne offerings, to order something for ourselves. Unfortunately, not a bottle could be had for less than $100, and none of the selections were served by the glass. I didn't think it was expecting a lot, to have a glass of champagne on New Years, but apparently it is.
(1)Melissa Z.
Was super excited to try this place, but left less than impressed. Had the salmon rilette, the country pate, and a pasta with beef tip and tomato sauce ( forgot the name). Everything tasted great. The portion for the appetizers were twice as much as the pasta dish. We were disappointed by the portion of the pasta ( 5 pieces of tiny stuffed pasta things that were too dry and hard). Three probably fit onto one spoon. This was rather disappointing after the waiters made it a point to tell us the portions were for sharing. Service was attentive, atmosphere was cozy. Might go back and give it a second shot.
(3)F. P.
The Bristol was a recommended by a foodie friend and while it takes some time to get to Bucktown from Downtown, it is so worth it! Even though we arrived in time for our 9pm resos, we had to wait for half an hour (at a nearby dive bar recommended by the host). Fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared in unique ways, the restaurant could have fit perfectly with those back in San Francisco. For starters, the duck fat fries with the amazing aioli and housemade ketchup were amazing. Less impressive was the monkey bread with dill butter and sea salt (oddly enough, the butter was not salty enough and the bread itself was just so-so). The bone marrow was fine but I felt like I've had better versions of this dish elsewhere. The entrees, which we shared family style, were more of a hit. The menu changes often and there were some standouts when we were there. The cassoulet was rich and flavorful. The pig tail entree melted in your mouth (although it was quite fatty). I wasn't as excited about the smoked trout. Impressive beer selection and our server was quite detailed and knowledgable. Definitely would recommend this to others.
(4)Caitlin S.
great atmosphere, cocktails, service and food. I will definitely be back. Although I don't remember exactly what we ordered, I do remember that we tried the monkey bread (very good), we got a cheese plate, a pasta dish (the only thing I did not like) and two main courses. I think it was a clam pasta and for some reason I thought it had a hot dog-esque taste to it. I shouldn't have said anything to my boyfriend because he liked it until I made that claim. After that, he couldn't get it out of his head either - - oops. Other than that, we thought everything was great! Since I don't remember exactly what we ordered, I really just wish to yelp about the service at The Bristol. Our waiter was so great. He was friendly and quick. We were very impressed when he came back with our second round of drinks (after we ordered our main courses and finished our pasta & appetizers). He asked if we were ready for the kitchen to start cooking our meat or if we wanted to hang out for a bit before they got it started. We definitely wanted to let the food settle and enjoy our drinks & each-others company, so we were very pleased to have been given that option. ya gotta love a restaurant where you can take in the atmosphere, chat it up with your date or party, and sip cocktails without feeling rushed to eat Yay Bristol !
(4)Gina G.
Should you eat here ? Yes, yes, and yes ! My husband and I ate here for the first time last night. We got to a little bit of a late start, and didn't get there until roughly 10:40. The last seating is at 11, but there were still a good amount of people dining. The staff was very welcoming which is sometimes not the case when you come to eat near closing time. Plus, they didn't rush us through dinner at all, which was awesome ! We had the apple salad (best salad I've ever eaten) and the monkey bread to start. We shared the prawn and the chicken as the main course, both of which were delightful. I am not usually one to order chicken at a restaurant, but read that it was awesome, and it did not disappoint. The gravy it was served with was so good I would've eaten cardboard dipped in it. We finished with French press coffee and an apple dessert (can't remember the name) which was pretty awesome and would've been AMAZING if it had been hot. It was reminiscent of Mastro's butter cake (best dessert I've ever eaten) but topped with candied apples and nuts. Delightful ! We will definitely return to try some of the other menu items !!
(5)Todd B.
Really, really wanted to love The Bristol. And maybe that's what led to this 2-star review: expectations were sky-high for this place, and reality brought me and my party back to earth with a thud. Saturday night was my first experience after a few lighthearted attempts to get in on earlier occasions. We had guests in town, and my GF and I promised them a meal they'd remember. We arrived a few minutes early and sat at the bar, where we were summarily ignored for 5-10 minutes (it was crowded, but not super-packed). After finally placing a drink order, we were told our table was ready. Unfortunately we were at one of the "community" tables. Now I'm not anti-community table on principle, but if you're going to have them, at least make them large enough that you're not elbowing the random person sitting next to you. Service was brisk and rather inattentive. Again, it was a busy night, but not crazy packed and the server could have spent a bit more time with us explaining the menu and pointing out highlights. The whole thing just felt rushed - like they wanted to get us in and out as soon as possible. We ordered the monkey bread, duck fat fries, smoked chicken hearts (there were like 2 of them in the whole app), and for entrees the char, brisket and the wagyu beef. All were ostensibly "good", but none served up that "holy sh*t" moment you're hoping for when dining in such a well-received establishment (both beef dishes were extremely fatty - like almost inedibly fatty). The char was a nice piece of fish, but somewhat bland and unexciting. Again, maybe it was the expectations, and maybe they had an off-night. All I know is that our entire group went in with heightened anticipation, and came out underwhelmed, maybe even a bit disappointed. It took a few years to get into this place, and I know for sure I won't be rushing back.
(2)Ashley A.
Yay! You Co-Yelpers were right again! We didn't have reservations but our party of 4 were seated within 10 minutes as the host pledged. The tables are gorgeous, rustic wood and our server was attentive. Since there are so many reviews I'll do a quick Report Card (in no particular order) Monkey Bread (A-), apple salad (A+), duck fat fries (A), spiced olives (B-), Beer Cheese spread (B+), shrimp tagliarini (B-), Cauliflower Ravioli with capers (A), homemade nutter butters (A+) It is a little loud but I wonder what the party room would be like. Somebody I know is turning 30 this year...hmmm
(5)Sharon M.
I had the liberty to dine there with one of my friends who is a frequent flyer at the Bristol. So here's the rundown of what we were able to devour: Roast bone marrow, shallot jam, toast (My fav........homemade shallot jam....scrumptious!!) Tuna Collar Nicoise Salad (penty for two people) Raviolo with ricotta and egg yolk ( yummy to my tummy) My overall experience was positive and I am lookng forward to going back for brunch!!!
(4)Neal P.
Some of the best service I've had since I ate at the French Laundry. The staff takes food extremely seriously, they care about their eaters, and go out of their way to please. We had the apple salad, squash, mixed greens, and "fried bones" - incredible braised, fried ribs that have to be tasted to believe. Second course was the raviolini - a buttery mix of savory sweet, crunchy and soft textures. Finished out with the trout, and the juicy, enormous rib eye. I think a little bit more could have been done with the trout but overall it was delicious. Cocktails were magnificent. On par with any Michelin star restaurant I've been to, but laid back and accessible.
(5)Nick B.
Four of us dined here and we had: Smoked Mackerel, Wagyu Beef, Monkey Bread, Fries, Chard, Polenta, Gnocchi, sampling of cocktails and a few desserts. The food was on average really great. The beef tartare was amazing. It had a really bright, ceviche-like flavor from the kimchi and lime. The mackerel was amazing. It came with ginger potatoes that matched it perfectly. The duck fat fries rank among the best fries I've ever had. Finally, the last really notable thing was the basque cake. I shared it with a friend and we just laughed through the whole thing because it was so good. It was essentially a strawberry shortcake, but with richer and more complex flavors due to the basil, the salty cake and the strawberry gelato-ish side. The polenta was good but kind of one-note. It was however, a really good value for the quantity. Same with the monkey bread. Also, a personal pet-peeve of mine is when restaurants don't brew fresh iced tea. The Bristol serves a bottle of Repubilc of Tea darjeeling. Bottled tea has a bit of citric acid to preserve it which means it never tastes fresh. And the price, $5, is insane. The Bristol and our server handled my dining partner's gluten free needs perfectly, and there was even a separate menu for her to order from. We sat at a window table which was not communal. The communal tables are OK but more annoyingly cramped than anything else. Whenever I see these things, it looks like a way to squeeze more revenue out of limited floor space, insidiously disguised as a "dining trend" that people actually want. Since we did not sit there, though, I am just abstractly complaining. Our table for four was awesome!
(5)Claire Y.
Places like the Bristol makes me want to move to Bucktown. Really. It was truly a unique and fun dining experience. We really enjoyed everything we ordered: the monkey bread, roasted bone marrow (my fav), raviolo (sooo rich!), and the pig's heart with polenta. Their menu is most certainly adventurous and flavorful. They only offer 3 things for dessert, and we chose the chocolate sabayon with the nutter butters and it was HEAVENLY. The chocolate sabayon was like melted nutella but a hundred times better. We had to try very hard to abstain from licking the shot glass it came in. No reservations, so not the easiest to get a table right away on weekend nights. But you'll most likely wait less for seating at the communal table. Inherent to the communal set-up, the noise level is pretty high and, therefore, won't serve well as a first date spot.
(4)Tom L.
As the menu says you need to ask the server for menu details as much of the ingredients are left off the menu description. My poached cod was loaded with shaved garlic (not quite my thing). Also the server described the upcoming experience as a small plate extravaganza and you should order as such, we did not having a starter, then a salad and our mains. They all came out cold to lukewarm, poached cod, hanger steak (which is a sin) and a cold Chitarra pasta. My suggest they were short on staff or can't manage their kitchen to cook and serve three mains at once. Like the old Head and Shoulders commercial... you only get one chance to make a first impression.
(3)Jennifer S.
How this place only has 4 stars, I do not understand. I've been twice. Once for the BF's birthday, and another just for fun. Believe me when I say, this does not have to be a celebration spot. The only downside, no reservations. The upside, an awesome lounge upstairs to catch a drink and a small bite before dinner. I work in the restaurant industry, so I know better than to go somewhere that doesn't take reservations on a weekend, so I have only had to wait no more than a hour, or shall I say two drinks. The chalkboard menu is amazing and smart. I dig a one page menu. Keeping it simple. I read an article recently that they added some sound deafening wall treatments, but I have always said, if you are going with good company, you shouldn't worry about the people next to you. But good for The Bristol to answering their guests complaints. The cocktails are both inventive and tasty. The wine list looks great, but I've never made it that far. The menu changes so often that the only sad part would be the next time you come back, the dish you loved so much last time probably won't be there again. On my first visit there was a table of 4 next to us that ordered the entire menu, smart thinking. It's small enough to do so, but big enough for a group to try everything. Go with a group or your favorite counterpart and take it all in, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Anna P.
After a place has been reviewed so many hundreds of times, it's hard to really come up with a saucy new concept for your yelp review. So I shall not bore ye with details. Let me just say, the staff members here are truly outstanding fellows. (And tis really a fellow's kind of place--don't think I saw one woman working there. The place feels like the world's most elegant cavernous medieval man-cave.) We sat at the bar on a busy Saturday evening, and while the serving staff cleaned glasses, dropped glasses, swept up shards of glass, bustled, and hustled, they chatted amiably with us. The duck fat fries were delicious. No lies. With lemon, parmesan and pepper, the fries really enter a new realm of fry-hood; a platonic ideal of fry-hood. Weirdly for me, I got the quail. QUAIL. I was a vegetarian for 6 years until I got lazy a few months ago, and thought I would enjoy this tender little bird. It had some memorably rich and fruity flavors, but tasted a little underdone, which is maybe how you cook quail; I don't know about these things. The small burger was a bloody, medium rare treat. But all the nicely done food woulda mattered naught without our nice server man. He wasn't condescending, and increasingly, my restaurant experiences are determined by how little the server expects I know about food. This guy didn't assume my ignorance. Thanks, man-cave server.
(4)Jason Z.
WOW! Nothing short of AMAZING! The quail was the best white meat I ever chewed off of bone...I felt like a ravage dog who never experienced a meat bone. The Raviolo with ricotta, egg yolk and brown butter was indescribable to taste...amazing flavors bursting in my mouth. Nutter butter was the perfect tasty combo of chocolate and peanut flavors. As a disclaimer, between my GF and I, we had two small apps (monkey bread & fried olives), the ravioli pasta, quail entree, and one dessert...we were very satisfied; however, if you are more shrek-like and don't understand portion control, you may not like the smaller portions for the money.
(5)Neal C.
I have this bad habit of sometimes saving the perfect bite of food on the side of my plate so I can savor the perfect final moment of a dish, but I've recently begun to curb this habit in an effort to just enjoy my food and not overthink . . . That philosophical statement is just a fancy lead up to my discovery that a visit to the Bristol was similarly overdue. Everything was great n' tasty n' special to this place. Monkeybread . . . fluffy, buttery, herby and good for sharing Charred Summer Squash . . . nice smokiness, perfect touch of mint and almond in a somewhat oily but delicious sauce Raviollloooooooooo!!! The description of "raviolo, ricotta, egg yolk, brown butter" wouldn't have normally caught my eye but I had seen some chatter on Yelp about it and thank you to everyone who made this recommendation. It instantly made the list of most pleasurable dishes I've eaten in a while. There was some acidity to the brown butter sauce that manages to balance everything in a truly beautiful and memorable way . . . this dish will haunt my dreams until a return visit to satisfy my new craving. Merguez sausage - Tasty all around with beans and a crunchy green with a name I can't remember. This dish was a well-rounded and satisfying meal in itself. Outside of the food, our cocktails were very good but a bit pricey at $10 a pop. I guess thats kinda standard for this level of cocktail and the care put into them definitely showed. All told, a meal like this for $30 a person with a fancy drink? Sold!!! I've had too many meals go by that are way pricier than this with much lower level of satisfaction in the end. Wasn't sure how I would take to communal seating but I found out I was a fan when our table-mates offered us some of their duck fries (YES!) and we're now friends for life as far as I'm concerned. Don't put this one off for a special occasion or "the right time". I did for too long, but I'll be back much sooner . . .
(5)Dan M.
Excellent establishment (for dinner) on the corner of Damen and Webster. Would recommend more for a date night or a table for 4. All of the items came out in a reasonable time frame and we're hot and fresh. Service was excellent and very patient if needed or hustled when called for. I haven't been in awhile but came away very satisfied.
(5)Brad C.
If the turnout at 10PM on Friday was any indication, The Bristol is--as oft-mentioned--a nice alternative to the things-get-hectic vibe at Avec: only three tables were occupied, and the place was quiet and welcoming. The food, while not quite at Avec's (or, for that matter, Mado's) level, was promising. We had a nice Heirloom Apple Salad to start with some groovy parts (Manchego, especially), though the dish could use a bit more of the Miner's lettuce to balance out the equation. The bone marrow dish features some pretty clever conceits with its use of a full-on parsley salad instead of chopped herbs and an accompanying red wine shallot jam to provide textural contrast and cut the richness, but the marrow itself was somewhat marred--as marrow sometimes can be--by its quick congealing. I realized I'm a fan of marrow dishes where the bone is cut on a bias, a la Blue Duck Tavern in DC and Minetta Tavern in NYC--anyone know where in Chicago they are served this way? We also had a halibut dish that was perfectly fine but boring, save for the cattails; should have ordered the snails dish, I think. But the brown butter raviolo, originality be damned, was stellar, of course.
(3)Andrew V.
The Bristol is OK. Its better than OK. But something left me from saying wow. Can't put my finger on it though since it seems to be firing on all cylinders. Lets start with waiting for a table. Plenty of room upstairs to do so, have a drink, and have some appetizers. I was curious about the scotch olives as I suspected they were something similar to olives all'Ascolana, but with a pork sausage stuffing instead of chicken livers. These were pretty good, but did not blow me away. On to the duck fat fries. These were really good. On par with those found elsewhere around town. I did not care for the house-made ketchup though. Something was off about it. But I'm not big on ketchup in the first place so no big loss. The cocktails, as mentioned by others on here looked inventive. I had wine however so can not comment further. Moved downstairs shortly thereafter for the main event. Apple salad - good. I'd get it again. Beef tongue crostini - very very good. Three sizable pieces with very rich flavor. Not quite as rich as bone marrow, but one could get another small plate and make this the centerpiece. My neighbors seemed a bit put off by the choice though. Their loss. Then the pompano for two. This was one big honkin' fish. Served whole, smiling up at me ready to get in my belly. Damn. This was exceptional. Simple preparation accentuated how tender and flavorful it was. Did I mention this was one large fish? Might have been enough to feed three people. Maybe if I hadn't had all of that beef tongue I could have put it away. The atmosphere was inviting, upscale yet casual. And all of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. We were told to order everything up front, which wasn't a problem but would discourage me for coming back to have one of those long marathon dinners, unlike say Avec which I find very conducive for that. So why only three stars? I'm not sure. I suppose something intangible just didn't move me since everything seemed to be in order and done well. Maybe I was expecting a little more charcuterie. Or maybe a few more choices since they did seem to run out of a number of items. Or larger beer and wine selection. Can't put my finger on it. Recommended, but it didn't leave me as excited to return as Avec or the Publican.
(3)Kara G.
Ah. Maze. ING. The Bristol was recommended to us by our neighbor, Dana D. She has excellent taste so I took her advice to heart. Last night Scuba Steve and I were looking for a place to get a Friday night dinner. We were pretty uninspired, but sushi sounded good at that moment, so we headed over to Coast. The wait was over an hour, so we though maybe we would pop down the street to either Duchamp or The Bristol to see if we could get in there sooner. For some reason we decided to try The Bristol first, and we were sooooooo glad we did! We chose to sit at the bar, however we were told for appetizers and drinks you can go upstairs, but all seating downstairs served the full menu, which is what we wanted. The staff there is incredibly friendly, informative, and even put up with my million questions. Their drink menu is very inventive, so I decided to give the Moscow Mule a whirl, and it has now become one of my new fave drinks...top 3 fave drinks of all time, to be exact. YES, it is THAT GOOD! I was intrigued by the Ginger Beer that they put in it, so I asked for a sample and they gave me half a bottle to try! They were very helpful in guiding us through the menu as well...there are items on the menu that are mainstays, and there are items that rotate, so we decided to do one mainstay app and two of the rotations, and for our entrees we picked rotations. We chose the apple salad, which came out first - it was perfect. Light and sweet, with some arugula to spice things up a bit. Next, we were served the braised rabbit legs. A quick note: carnivores will LOVE this place. The legs were perfectly done, meat falling off the bone as it should, and flavored in such a way that you could taste the game without it tasting gamey. Last for the apps, and some of you may want to hold your stomachs, we had the bone marrow. It's served right in the bone, with a shallot jelly and toast to accompany it. It's gelatinous, and DELICIOUS. I wasn't sure if Scuba Steve would be game to try it, but he was, and he was thrilled with the selection! We joked about various family members being either grossed-out by it or intrigued by it...I would get it again and again! Our entrees consisted of roasted goat and chicken with spaetzle. Dana D has been telling me to "go to The Bristol and get the chicken!!!!!!" for a month or so, so of course, I HAD to get the chicken! :) The goat selection was us being adventurous, and we were rewarded for our selection! Goat was served somewhat rare, and the chicken was juicy perfection. I'm salivating right now just thinking about it!!!! Their desserts looked amazing as well, but we were so full we just couldn't have another bit of anything, so next time we'll do 2 apps so we can get dessert! It was also really cool to sit at the bar, not only because of the close proximity to the bar tenders and therefore proximity to drinks, but also just to watch them in action. They really are master mixologists, not like you see at some bars with all the flare and craziness...but in the sense that they are craftsmen, carefully crafting the perfect beverage. The Moscow Mule is also served in a really cool copper mug. Can't wait to go back and sample more of their fantastic carnivore-friendly culinary creations (say THAT 10 times fast!).
(5)Kelly A.
Oh Bristol. I've been agonizing about how many stars to give you because there were both 5 star and 1 star elements to our meal. I almost wish I could opt out of that part of the review because to give you 4 stars would seem like ignoring the parts of our meal that irked me, but 2 ignores the fact that there were some items that were oh so tasty. I think the bottom line is this, the cocktails here are spectacular and well crafted (the smoked sicilian manhattan and ransom fizz my date and I ordered were both memorable and worth returning for). If you like good mixology and drinks that feel like a throwback, you will appreciate these. The food menu definitely has some gems - I loved the bone marrow (though I learned from dining with my bf that if you're not normally a bone marrow fan, it won't win you over), the fries were crispy and decadent, and the baba ganoush was a great way to balance out some of the heavier items in our order. But it also definitely has some misses. The pork trotter entree was basically a heavy, carby-fat bomb. Pork trotters are naturally fatty, but this version was over the top. Basically it tasted like breaded and deep fried pork fat on a bun with aioli (more fat) and only a bit of arugula for contrast. Don't get me wrong, rich and decadent is generally my thing, but this was rich to the point of just tasting like fat. The fact that it came with a side of duck fat fries, also didn't help. I think this is generally a really heavy menu overall, which is fine if you're ordering just a few bar snacks or small plates to share among a big group, but it's hard if you're a table of 2 people trying to turn it into dinner. We wanted to try as many of the recommended items as we could, but the most memorable/recommended things were all pretty heavy and using them to create a meal was just too much. It didn't help that some of the lighter items on the menu, also tended to be things that are less exciting (like a panzanella) and that as a cook, I could quite frankly make at home. I think places like Green Zebra are proof that vegetables don't have to be boring and I would have loved some lighter but more interesting options to contrast with the heavier ones. The service was inconsistent. On one hand, our server was fabulous. She was friendly and attentive and even brought me some club soda and an extra cloth napkin when I idiotically got grease from my bone marrow all over me. Yet, at the same time, she was not very helpful when it came to navigating the menu. Despite making it clear we had never been there before and wanted recommendations about crafting a good meal and ordering an appropriate amount of food, we ended up with WAY too much. We were told that the amount of food was small enough that we'd have room for desserts when in reality we were pretty stuffed after the 3 small plates. I honestly don't think the small plates are that small, to me they were more like large appetizer portions. At a place like Green Zebra (also small plates) I'd order 3 things per person and walk away just barely full, here a similar # would be excessive. I think the problem is that because they insist you order everything at once it makes it harder to gauge your hunger level and portion size and adjust accordingly. I also would have appreciated her letting us know that the trotters came with fries because we would definitely NOT have also ordered fries as a small plate. That's way too much fries for two people. It's possible that since it was a daily special she didn't know either, but the least she could have done was commented on this when it came out and offered us a different side. Overall, I love the philosophy of this place (local produce, meats, and cheeses), the vibe, the cocktails, and the contents of the menu. I just think there is inconsistency in the quality of what is offered and that more lighter dishes (and exciting ones, not just plain salads) are needed if they want people to craft an entire dinner out of the menu. I walked away feeling like a I got a ton of food for my $120 (for two, plus tip) but wasn't as satisfied as I have been at other places that served me less. I think our meal was best summed up by a text my boyfriend sent me before bedtime, "I can't move with all that duck fat sloshing around."
(3)Frank W.
There was a bit of a wait when we got here, but we had a great old time sitting up at the bar waiting. After all, the drinks and the appetizers are the stars here. I guess the duck fat fries have a pretty big rep, and it was well-earned. They were really quite great. The beer cheese was also good. Once we moved downstairs to our table, I sucked the marrow out of life or at least a few bones...Then I spread it on some bread. Why isn't that part of the cliche? Anwho, it was good, but too rich for my blood..har har. It also wasn't worth the horrified reaction of one of my friends when she'd heard that was how I spent my time in Chicago. Oh well. Had the burger as well. Wow, I ate a lot here! It was a solid "gourmet" hamburger, but mine are better at home. All in all, a great time at the Bristol despite the wait.
(4)Cris S.
I'm sure some of the food is great, and indeed the duck fat fries are to die for. But the rest of what we ordered were so-so, and pretty damn expensive considering it was only potato gnocchi, and the serving was not even enough to fill one person halfway. Nice swanky place, though.
(3)Wendy B.
It was OK - the portions are small and a tad overpriced. Everything tasted fine, though the menu is not terribly imaginative. I don't really get all of the hype. The service was excellent. Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to return.
(3)Guy L.
We came in for Chef's week and the menu didn't appeal to us at first. Too 'exotic' for my taste. We were going to leave and one of the staff convinced is to stay and cater to us. Great service and personal touch. The food ended up being very good (chicken was amazing) and the ambiance is good too. Would definitely recommend.
(5)Deb L.
We were only in Chicago for a few days and wanted to try The Frontera Grill - but alas - Rick Bayless' restaurant is closed Monday! So, a chef friend recommended The Bristol. Imagine our surprise, when hello! STAR SIGHTING!! - Rick Bayless showed up to dine - with his not super epicurean daughter and I believe his wife. Imagine that?! And here I was in Chicago - away from my normal star-studded Hollywood haunt! The flavors at The Bristol are bright, everything is served family style to share, but the portions are really not meant for more than two, maybe three. There was four in my party. My cucumber (cuc gui) cocktail was good, but a little more spa-watery and a little less inventive than the one I had at Graham Elliot the night before. The highlight of our menu was probably the bone marrow spread - nice and unctuous with a kicky marmalade and refreshing greens to accompany. The quail was just okay, nothing to sing about, though there was some interesting herbiness to the dishes like the pappardelle. The restaurant is relaxed and not loud or hectic. Overall, the plates were small but good - though I did walk away thinking about where to go get a late-night snack. Not sure this would be my first stop when back in Chicago.
(4)Amy J.
My fiance and I decided to try the Bristol on Sun. night before Memorial Day. We got there around 8:00 just before it became packed and snagged a seat at the bar. It has a very warm and cozy almost an "up North" but still Urban feel to it. However I have to say I'm so over (well was never into) the communal table. WHY is everyone doing that? Oh well, that's why we grabbed the bar. We had yummy cocktails mine was a little too sweet but still fun, the elderflower and vodka something or other. Then we did the market green salad with a delicious tarragon dressing- I'm obsessed with tarragon lately and it was a great way to start the meal. We then went for the flat bread- more like a cracker but really good with a mild gooey cheese, carmelized onions and thick bacon. YUM! Then the duck fat fries- wow quite possibly the best...fries...ever and I would consider myself a french fry connoisseur :) Then for the medium dishes we did the snails which were very good, not too buttery, just very springy tasting. We wanted to try something a little adventerous so went with the pork heart. I really wanted to love it, I did love the flavors but couldnt get past the very chewy texture. However it looked beautiful and tasted really delicious- think that's just my opinion on eating heart. Yikes.
(4)Grace L.
As a non meat-eater, I was glad to find a few veg-friendly options available without having to obnoxiously ask for substitutions. Our server was very good at highlighting all the vegetarian dishes to me. Lots of clean, simple and fresh flavors. Tarragon and fennel in the salad. Dill in the monkey bread dip. Mint and feta in the pappardelle (which had an amazing buttery and almost silky texture). Overall, it was an extremely palatable experience and makes me want to go home and preen my herb garden. About $70 for two people, including drinks, appetizer, salad, two entrees, dessert and coffee. Not bad!
(4)Lisa M.
We went for brunch on a Saturday morning. My husband had the pancakes with ricotta and absolutely loved it! He talked about how good it was hours later. I had the biscuits with gravy. It was really good and totally different than anywhere else! Near the end, I got a sausage patty and I could taste some heat, but this wasn't present earlier. I enjoyed this, then tried some of their hot sauce which they had just put out a little earlier. Wow---what a kick! We will definitely return and maybe----maybe-- try something different. If not, we'll get the stuff we loved before. Also, the service was excellent , and we didn't have to compete with loud music to have a conversation. I would love to come back here for dinner as well, as the menu sounds great. This place is terrific!!!!!!
(5)Karen N.
Went on a Thursday night at 6 p.m. Grandma hours, I know. We got a table easily. However, by 7 p.m., the place really started to fill up. I am definitely a fan of the bone marrow dish and the nutter butter with chocolate sabayon dessert.
(4)Andrew W.
I went to the Bristol last night not knowing what to expect. Our waitress was very friendly and attentive. She had great knowledge of the menu and was able to describe the dishes very well. The menu was somewhat small but we had no trouble finding items to try. We really liked the Monkey Bread and the Steak. The Celery Root pasta dish was excellent. The Anchovy Flatbread was just okay.
(4)Helena B.
American Macro Lager, eh? Sounds fancy. ...until you read that it is actually just a euphemism for Miller High Life. Though I refrained from imbibing said Macro brew, its disconnect between hype and substance pretty accurately sums up my overall impression of The Bristol. The beer menu - despite the abovementioned gaffe - was actually pretty decent. Dinner Companion and I had 4 different beers between us, each of which respectably "Micro" in terms of the brewery from whence it came. Time to order food. Before we start, our server informs us that they've already run out of a couple items. I understand that they order everything fresh, but being out of something by 7PM (well before the evening dining rush) seems a little... unprepared. The highlight of my dinner was something that wasn't actually on the menu, per se (Not *THAT*! Get your minds out of the gutter! Sheesh!). One entree was skirt steak with bleu cheese ravioli. The ravioli was intriguing, but neither of us wanted the skirt steak. No worries - they brought us a dish of just the ravioli (and only charged us $5!). Dessert. A chocolate mousse-y concoction and homemade nutter butters to share. Dining Companion is oddly demure in his first spoonful. Not I! I dig in full force. Oh sweet, chocolate-y... SALT...? Hrm... WHAT? Apparently, the top of the mousse-y thing was covered with sea salt. Yeah, I don't get it, either.... Blehhhh.... Thank goodness for the yummy nutter butters to clear my palate.
(3)Shannon R.
Hard to review this place because I really enjoyed The Bristol in some respects. I'd have to give credit mostly though, to the company I was with. The restaurant's vibe is very cool and the service was good - informative, but not overbearing. I really enjoyed the cocktails I had. However, The Bristol helped me discover that charcuterie and bone marrow just aren't up my alley. And it was quite an expensive lesson I learned. Glad I tried it out, but I don't foresee any repeat visits in my future.
(2)Brian W.
I love this place. I have probably eaten here at least 10 times, and I have never been disappointed. The food is fantastic. Great cocktails, lots of wine and beer to choose from, nice ambience, excellent service.
(5)Allyson R.
Alright, I admit it; I was sucked in because of their recent publicity from Top Chef: Just Desserts. My brunch pal and I were incredibly pleased! The restaurant itself is very cute if not a tad bit bijou. I can overlook the space issue because our breakfast was delish. We both did a brunch cocktail and coffee. The staff was super attentive and I could barely drink down my cup before they would materialize to offer more. Try the scones and lemon curd; very well done! We tried the quiche and the biscuits and gravy. Everything was super tasty. I'd love to come back for dinner and will definitely return for another brunch experience.
(4)Jennifer L.
I remember two things about this place: 1) They have St Germaine, and they have bubbly. This meant that I could order my favorite cocktail - the French 77. 2) The descriptions of the found sounded much better than the food actually tasted. For instance, my husband ordered some sort of chocolate dessert that had a nice topping, but once the topping was gone, he was left with custard that tasted exactly like a Jello pudding cup. But then, it's a new place. Maybe it'll improve. I haven't totally written them off yet.
(2)Stephanie M.
We took some out of town guests to Bristol for dinner. We had dined with Bristol once before, for a birthday celebration. Our experience, both times, were enjoyable all around. A few of us arrived earlier than some of our guests. The host took our name and suggested we wait in the nice, comfortable loungelocated just upstairs from the restaurant. The bartender and the server (more like a bar-tending host, if that makes sense) made amazing suggestions. I could tell that they were knowledgeable on the cocktails and drinks they served as well as the liqueur that made up the cocktails. They were gracious hosts. For a light, not too sweet, cocktail I had a Grey Goose, St. Germaine, Grapefruit drink that was incredibly refreshing. I forget the name. When the other members of our group arrived, the downstairs host called the staff in the lounge to inform us of their arrival. Once our guests arrived, we moved to the dining room. If you have not been to or are not aware of the dining room at the Bristol, they have a few larger tables setup down the center of the restaurant and smaller tables around the perimeter. It is possible that more than one party may be seated at the large table. We never felt as though the parties seated next to us, were distracting or intruding. It was more comfortable than one may think. We ordered several appetizers. Mozzarella sticks, Buffalo Wings, Fried Calamari....no... not here! We had the Spiced Olives, Bone Marrow, Two orders of their famous Monkey bread, a cheese board, Flatbread and Duck Fat Fries. Did I mention that there were seven people in our party. The appetizer portions are perfect and enough for each person to sample. The flavors were amazing. At this point, I believe we were all very satisfied, but we pushed ourselves to order more because our guests wanted to sample the entrees. We sampled the Raviolo, the half chicken and the beef sausage. Extremely enjoyable. We finished off our dinners with their homemade Nutterbutters with Chocolate Sabayon. I enjoyed the nutterbutters more than the chocolate sabayon, but they compliment one another. Our server and bus staff were fantastic. They quickly refilled drinks and replaced our plates and flatware when appropriate. We never felt rushed. They allowed for us to take our time, enjoy our meals and each others company. Our guests were impressed and felt the experience overall was both relaxing and enjoyable.
(5)Philip B.
Went on Saturday night with the gf, and with the excepted wait enjoyed some wine and beer cheese upstairs. The vibe was comfortable, and the drinks/bar snack tasty. There were plenty of people without feeling overly crowded. The wait was for dinner was just under an hour, which I was happy about after being quoted between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes. As we sat down the folks next to us had the nutter butter dessert, which looked great and they did rave about. Obviously I had to have some as well so we made sure not to be completely full by dessert. We ordered the buttered ramps, gnocchi, and soft shell crab. I enjoyed all, especially the crab. The gf liked the gnocchi the best. Then we got the nutter butter which was icing on the cake. Really I would be satisfied having three of them and calling it a meal. Ha :) Overall, it was great to taste the fresh ingredients, which is the concept around here. It is pricey so probably keep it to a nice Saturday night out or a special occasion. But I'm sure I'll be back.
(4)Mill V.
I love this fucking place. DUCK FAT FRIES. OMFG they are good. They kick Hot Doug's wimpy fries ass. Couldn't make up mind ordering, love gigantic blackboard. Our lovely waitress let us try cattail since we couldn't make up our minds. I got goat crappciao. It was dynomite. The salad with it, was it wheat berries and almonds I think? Well the texture of it was amazing. With the goat ...YUM! My friend got the apple salad which was just as good! Apple salad that's good? YUP! My friend got the pork belly sammie, and I stared at with envy. I got Pasta Carbonara with ramps. It was overly salted and peppered, other than that is was ok. Sorry, my Pasta Carbonara can kick it's ass. But everything else was steller. I would go back in a flash. Like now, seriously.
(4)Becca M.
They have a pretty decent brunch. Tried the hangover breakfast, it was very different from anything I've ever had. If you like to try new things, this is for you, its made of noodles, some kind of sausage, topped with an egg and a great sause. However, if you're REALLY hungover, I can see this making your day a little more painful. Very cute set-up inside, have not yet tried dinner here, but would deff be worth a try!
(3)Cynthia L.
Totally utterly tasty! Go now. Don't even finish reading my review before you head over there. They don't take reservations. But we decided to try our luck tonight. We had great success and snagged two seats at the bar. I love sitting at the bar. Maybe that makes me weird. I'm not really comfortable at communal tables yet lately they seem to be all the rage - Grocery Bistro, Urbanbelly, Publican and now Bristol. Every dish was tasty! I can't believe it but it was all tasty. We had the scotch olives stuffed with pork sausage. What could be wrong with that? Love it. Next we had joey's soppresata! Super yummy, homemade, not fatty, and very very meaty! The spice was perfect - a little tingle on the tongue but not overpowering. The ricata salata and roasted peaches accentuated the soppresata. Next was the bone marrow. TO DIE FOR...literally. Love it and they cut the bone marrow lengthwise for you so you can get every last morsel of its goodness. It comes with a shallot jam and pickeled beans/parsley. Both were great additions to the salty, creamy texture of the bone marrow. We also ordered the raviolo - be prepared that egg yolk gently oozes out of this ENORMOUS ravioli. It's heaven!! Brown butter, egg yolk, ricotta and some herb....so tasty! I died and went to heaven tonight. Lastly we ended with chocolate sabayon with HOMEMADE nutter butters. The nutter butters were absolutely decadent and when dipped into the sabayon....AHHHHHHH I see the light and I'm walking towards it. Seriously, it's on out-of-body experience. Steve was our mixologist and I had the Koi Pond and the White Peach. Both were stiff and tasty! Amazing! Great job Steve! There are two negatives to this place - first they ran out of their snails by the time we got there - BOO. The second is that my husband thinks that there is not a big enough selection for dinner. But I tried to tell him that it's gastropub fare not your standard steak and potatoes fare. Love it here. Will return. Absolutely tasty.
(5)cassie r.
Pleasantly, blissfully full. That's how I left The Bristol last night - a tribute to a night of amazing food. The mostly rave reviews of fellow Yelpers convinced me to try this place, and I'm glad I did. We got there about 6 p.m. on Sunday night, and got right in (great time to go, apparently). Their drink list is pretty decent, I ended up ordering a phenomenal Finland Porter that made a great pairing to my meal. We started with the monkey bread and I'm glad we did - yum! I could certainly pass on the dill sauce though - just a tad bland for me. A little bit of butter and salt is all you need for such fan-frickin-tastic bread. We then tried the cheese board - a perfect pairing of bleu cheese, ricotta and some sort of parmesany cheese, with crackers and dates. A good amount for two people to share. I then had the quail, roasted potatoes and hints of maple flavoring (I'm guessing butter) - it wasn't fall-off-your-chair great, but not bad. The end of the meal was the highlight - I can't remember the name of the dessert I ordered, but I do remember it was pumpkin flavored custardy goodness. Paired with a 10 year tawny port and I was in heaven. In addition, the service was prompt and the waitress was well versed in how the food was prepared. This place has definitely earned it's place on my my list of favorite Chicago restaurants.
(4)Kyle L.
My girlfriend and I were trying to have dinner at Duchamp, but they were having a gathering of 10K runners, so we walked up the street a block, and strolled on into The Bristol. We arrived at 7:15pm, so I was surprised that they could seat us. Our initial impression is that it was a "warm" place with wooden tables, and metal chairs. Unfortunantly, we got put at one of the "communal" tables, but spent the majority of the evening alone, before they started to get busier. I wasn't a big fan of having to engage in conversation with some strangers, but what the heck......it was only for the latter part of the experience. They shook spectacular martini's (dirty), with ice on top, just like I like it. And my girlfriend ordered a cucumber drink (Cuc-Cai) that was fantastic. She claims it is her favorite drink. Our food was nothing short of spectactular. The Cheese Board was a bit pricey (16), for the simplicity of it, but it still was well prepared and presented. The Snails were amazing....I couldn't quite put my finger on the green sauce they use, so I asked, and come to find out it's some type of leaf (HIllet?) that gives it, it's color. And the best for last...we ordered the Rotisserie Chicken. Chicken is not something you can normally 'spice it up" and make it fancy, but this was by far some of the best chicken I've ever had. I thought the waiter was a bit 'quick', and "brash", but I guess that comes with the quick pace there. Although if I were to suggest anything, I'd say that they need to '86' the communal tables. It felt cluttered. All in all, this was a great place, and a wonderful dining experience.
(4)Malcolm L.
If good intentions were everything The Bristol would win the highest praise. The concept is bold and intriguing; their commitment is beyond question, and they have complete buy-in from the staff. The problem is that, after such a big build-up, the results are less than earthshaking. The concept is on-site butchery of whole animals. The object is to attain the freshest, best quality cuts of meat. The charcuterie promises to be without parallel. Along with the freshest vegetables from local farms, you are looking at a terrific platform from which to build stunning meals, mind-bogglingly fresh and delicious, promising the subtleties and nuances that only the freshest ingredients can impart. Thus, there is a blackboard menu that changes daily depending on whatever they happen to be hewing at the moment, along with a regular menu that touts the house favorites. Our waiter told us enthusiastically about a lamb that had just arrived. Yet a quick perusal of the blackboard menu revealed only a single high priced lamb dish. Where was the rest of the lamb? I asked. The waiter was evasive. Okay. So we ordered fried crispy sardines with spicy green tomatoes to start with. It came with fried lemons, which were not mentioned on the menu. But okay. The fried lemons had almost no flavor. There were like fried pieces of flavored breading. The sardines, on the other hand, had plenty of flavor. Too much, in fact. The powerful fish flavor overwhelmed the breading, making it superfluous. The spicy green tomatoes also struck with a burst of zesty flavor but one totally unrelated to the sardines. This was a poorly thought out dish. The roast sweetbreads with cranberry mustard sunchoke and candied pistachios took a run at the edgy dish of the moment, a daring interplay of sweetbreads with actual sweets, accomplished to perfection at Schwa, but here not nearly enough to make you sit up and take notice. The pull apart monkey bread with dill butter and sea salt was fun, the kind of thing that Applebees is looking to add to their menu, but inadequate as a signature dish at a restaurant as ambitious as the Bristol. The parmesan crusted sausage with wilted greens was decent, but nothing remarkable. For all of the potential inherent in The Bristol's daring concept, the execution was less than expected. If the patrons aren't completely sold, the staff certainly is. Our waiters not only sung the praises of the restaurant but did so theatrically and repeatedly, using every opportunity to whip us into a froth about what was about to land in front of us. Notice that I say "waiters" in the plural as we were virtually accosted by three different servers who kept interrupting our conversation to make sure we were enjoying what we were eating. I can only imagine what kind of histrionics would've ensued had I said what I was thinking: that I could get something very like, but better, at Hot Chocolate. I kept mum. I am always a bit harder on restaurants that excite me and fall short. Had I been expecting much less and gotten what they served me at The Bristol I would be praising them to the rafters. But I was expecting much more and their waitstaff only reinforced my lofty expectations with their hand wringing and gushing, leading me to the conclusion that The Bristol does not live up to its own hype.
(3)Kelsey K.
We came here for a birthday. It was good, but not the best in the city for the price. I would definitely go back, but I don't know that I would go out of my way to head there. Although, I did really like way that they wrote on the walls with chalk. That's really cool and I super dig it.
(4)Nick S.
Went here recently for a first date since neither of us had been before and it was in between our neighborhoods. Wow. We had dinner at the bar and opted not to sit in the communal tables in the center - the sound carries and during peak times you have to lean in to hear each other to carry a conversation at times, which can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how everything is going. I can only imagine what it would be like sitting at the tables in middle. The goat sausage was excellent and even the spring salad that came with it. Portions were a little small for what some may expect but I wasn't completely starving and it was the perfect amount. Great Lakes Burning River on tap and a selection of wine for those who are inclined. The bill was close to $100 for an appetizer, two entrees, and 3-4 glasses of wine and 3-4 beers. We may have had more drinks but I can't remember. The location is easy enough to catch a cab or you could even walk to a nearby pub to close out the evening.
(5)Sunny R.
I've been meaning to try The Bristol since first hearing the hype, and when I finally did last weekend it did not disappoint. The space is beautiful, the food is innovative and delicious, and the service is worth signing into Yelp to sing their praise. Go now! Enjoy the experience and order the chicken.
(5)Alex F.
So happy this place is close. Great food? Check! Great service? Check! Great drinks? Check! Love the tables and decor too. Check and check! What more could a girl ask for!
(4)Christine D.
I loved my first meal here so much I had my wedding reception here. The food, drinks, and service were all incredible. I can not get enough of the monkeybread with the dill butter emulsion. All of the cocktails are made with love. I could not get enough of the pierogis at our reception. The menu changes with the seasons as it should. YUM.
(5)Car M.
Every time I come here I love it more. When I first visited, I had to look at the menu for a few minutes before I could recognize anything I wanted to try... this is a good thing. They have daring combinations that dazzle your mouth. 50% of the menu changes daily depending on what's in season. It is all perfectly prepared. If they have the mussels on the menu when you go, get it! Make sure you don't miss the raviolo or the nutter butters with chocolate for dessert. It's a great date place and a great place to catch up with good friends.
(5)Aly W.
All around a wonderful experience! Service was amazing from the moment we walked in. Host was gracious and everyone greeted us as we were seated. Our server couldn't have been more helpful, knowledgeable, or considerate. The food was fantastic as well - highly recommend the chicken and wagyu tartare. Atmosphere is cozy and comfortable. You won't be disappointed!
(5)Janette W.
A friend sent me a list of restaurant suggestions to check out and as soon as I looked at the Bristol's menu I knew I wanted in. Fast forward to Thursday night and it's packed inside. But it was only a short wait before our party of three was seated. First things first, I loved the feel of this place. It felt like my house only more romantically lit, louder and obviously filled with better food. We ordered: The E.L.T.- eel glazed with balsamic served tempura-style. I normally feel meh about eel but I really enjoyed this dish. prawns with anchovy butter-- a good choice but when they served all the plates at once, this one got cold too fast. Cheese board- great selection cavatelli- can't ever go wrong with something to soak up the wine ravioli-- came as one massive ravioli which was a little jarring but amazing taste pork porterhouse-- a standout dish! The serving was massive and so good I wanted to take it out to the bar in my purse and nibble on it all night long. The cherry sauce that it came with really was amazing. monkey bread- it's bread. The wine selection was affordable and plentiful. I found the sommelier really, really nice and not pretentious at all. I was a BIG fan of our waiter and the best part of the meal may have been the house made limoncello!
(4)Kristin M.
I'd be wiling to try The Bristol again, but only if I happen to be in the area and am just wanting drinks. The food was just so-so, the lighting was so dim we had to use the light from our phones to read the menu, and we were seated almost 30 mins. past our 8:30pm reservation. We sat in the upstairs area and had a drink at the upstairs bar while we waited. The cocktails are solid, though I would probably go to The Violet Hour instead for a more comfy ambiance, given the comparable prices. We tried the duck fat fries (nothing super unique), the leek vinaigrette salad (not really worth it in my opinion), the American cheese board (pretty large hunks of cheese but nothing that different), and the pork porterhouse (huge portion of meat). This is one of those 'sharing' places, so that's encouraged, and the portion sizes are fairly generous for the starters and mains. Our server was friendly, though it was a different staff member who brought out our dishes each time. She seemed very rushed and hurried through the descriptions of each dish. I wanted to ask again what cheese was on the board, as I missed the first one, but she already turned and walked away before I could say anything. Would have been nice if the explanations of the dishes weren't so brusque and left time for us to ask questions. We felt pretty hurried and were happy to leave when we got the check.
(2)Alice H.
Driven by this place a bunch of times, and I always thought this place was bar food so I passed it up. Boy, was I missing out! My brother introduced me to the place, and it is sooo good! For starters, we had the monkey bread with dill butter and head on prawns. I love that the monkey bread comes apart in perfectly sized pieces for dipping into that yummy melted butter. I never thought that dill would be the perfect complement to a bread, but it tastes so good. The head on prawns are juicy, crunchy and flavorful. Loved munching on these! For the final course, we had a couple of the new summer items, but what really stood out was the chicken. The skin was crispy and the chicken was moist. It sat a bed of yummy spaetzle. I literally thought about this chicken the whole following week, and made a point to make dinner reservations here again the following week. I really like that everything can be shared. I thought everything was really reasonably priced for what you got. All in alll, the atmosphere is classic and cool with wood paneling and nicely designed light bulbs that hang from the ceiling. I really enjoyed the whole experience! I can't wait to try the duck fat fries the next time I go.
(5)Rachel B.
Stopped in for Restaurant Week, but opted out of the featured menu. Their regular menu looked much more appetizing. Service was great. I am a martini snob and was perplexed when the waiter told me they didn't have Tanqueray- he recommend another gin and I was (uncharacteristically) pleased with the substitution. Everything he subsequently recommended was delicious, and the only disappointments were items we chose on our own. Point is- the staff knows their shit, so take heed! The run-down: - "bones": not sure what other reviews were griping about, ours were delicious! Nicely seasoned, crispy like a good pan fried steak, and the lime really set off the flavor of the dish. Out favorite, along with the.... - beef heart tartar: my girlfriend dislikes tartar because she finds it too fatty and tough, but I talked her into this and she was forever thankful. Absolutely delicious- tender and melt-in-your mouth. Moral of the story: unless you have your heart set on something particular, trust your server and take recommendations. You won't regret it!
(4)Katie V.
Let me say first off that the food was good. And our server was a sweetie. But the restaurant/server were in the weeds to an extent that was unacceptable tonight. Even for a Saturday night. And this is coming from a veteran host and server. We had a reservation for 8:30 pm. We were seated at 9:05. The hostess was fairly graceful in handling this, but nothing was offered to us while we waited. Then from 9:05 to 9:30, we sat at our table with water. We didn't get to place a drink order until 9:30, an hour after our reservation. That to me is simply absurd. By 9:30, I expected to be eating, not just ordering my first cocktail. First cocktail arrived at 9:45. We didn't actually start eating till after 10. I was starving and grumpy -- can you blame me? The pacing of the meal, once it finally started, was fine - a bit slow, but fine for a busy Saturday night. But the fact that we waited an entire hour before even being able to order, much less receive, a drink, is ridiculous. Nothing was taken off our bill, nothing was sent out as an apology for the fact that we waited 30 minutes for our reserved table, and even worse, almost another 30 before anyone took our drink order. Come on, guys. Comp a friggin' dessert at least. So regardless of how tasty the food was, I don't plan to ever return. There are too many other spots in Chicago worth my time and money. I had an 8:30 res, I thought I would be finishing my meal around 10-10:30 (we were a deuce, not a big party). Instead I found myself exhaustedly paying for a $200 meal (with tip) close to midnight. Not okay.
(2)Trina J.
Small plates, Big flavor. Not sure how they are able to pull it off but they have created some great dishes using the farm to table concept. Maybe it's the concept, or the pairings or the variety. I would like to think it is a combination of all of those things coupled with the dark, chic feel. If you have poor vision, you'll feel at ease because even those with 20/20 have trouble reading because it is pretty dark. Guess that makes this a good place to take a not so attractive date OR your girlfriend when you do not want her to see the guilt in your eyes from last night's tryst and the passion marks on your neck to prove it. (Remember those? ... It's a good thing people have moved away from popping blood vessels on one another). I dined with a group of six. A week night dinner that led to 3 hours of great food and lots of conversation. The cocktails played a part in that. After all, there are very few people who are fun and interesting when sober. If they are and you are able to make this assessment when you are not liquored up, consider yourself lucky and either handcuff yourself to them or marry them. Or take/invite them to this place because it's a spot filled with cool kind of people. No lames allowed. Out of 11 items, there were only 2 that I would pass on. Here's the recap: Charred Broccoli Salad - 5 stars Peaches and Soppressata - 7 stars Duck Fat Fries - 4 stars Monkey Bread - 4 stars Smoked Carrot Salad - 2.5 stars Cavatelli - 6 stars Boneless Chicken Wings - 5 stars Ricotta Cheesecake Brulee - 4 stars Root Beer Float - 2 stars Basque Cake - 4 stars Homemade nutter butters (Some peanut butter tasting cookie with chocolate dipping sauce) - 4.5 stars All of this food for only $165. You can't beat that with a bat. If they left a few items off the check by mistake, who cares! That's what some Christians call a blessing. Let's cross our fingers and hope you get the hook up/free food/blessing too. ... But bring a few extra dollars just in case they put my Cavetelli on your bill.
(4)Geoffery H.
This place is in my neighborhood and my Wife and I love it, we take all of our family that comes in town here. We have a hard time going anywhere else on because we know we will get great food consistently. I really like the seating it is pretty close to the table next to you but we have had conversations with people sitting by us that were very enjoyable, it is a good crowd that the place attracts.
(5)Matt W.
Amazing food and phenomenal service. The wagyu tartare as an appetizer was a highlight. And the half chicken was incredible--don't avoid it thinking you can get chicken anywhere, this dish is on another level. And the service was top notch. Extremely helpful staff at all positions. Great experience.
(5)Joy H.
Wonderful experience
(4)Jen Z.
By far my favorite brunch place in Chicago. Had the chicken and biscuits with a French pressed coffee and everything was perfect. The service, food and experience stood out in such a positive way. The tables are a bit close together but our group got to talking and it was never an issue. Love this place.
(5)Eric Y.
Went here for brunch. The place is small and the entryway is super tight and it's very awkward if you're going in and someone's coming out. Oops, sorry, excuse me, watch your toes! On a cold April Saturday at noon the place is about 1/2 full. My brunch companion was a bit late but I was seated anyhow. There's one room with a bar on one side. It has a hipster vibe and a pretty young crowd. It's pretty loud. For brunch there is a smallish menu with some twists on brunch standards. I had the chilaquiles which was nicely textured and came with a slab of pork belly. It was tasty but could have benefitted from something green - maybe some avocado? My friend had the strata which was nicely crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. It was pleasantly cheesy and was served with a salad. It's a nice light choice. We looked around and others had the chicken and biscuit which appeared hefty and the smoked ham benedict that looked pretty standard. Overall the main issue here was the slow service. I waited quite a long time to be asked about coffee, and our food took longer than it should have to arrive.
(3)Elizabeth H.
This is a great, nicer neighborhood restaurant. We shared several dishes amongst the table, including the roasted chicken (the spaetzle was incredible, and the chicken so moist!), the pierogis, duck fat fries and a mushroom vegetarian dish. The vegetarian dish was a little lackluster - I'm all for healthy vegetable-centered dishes, but this seemed overpriced for the literal plate of cooked mushrooms and kale. The best dish of the night was the smoked carrot salad. The beautiful ribbons of various colored carrots along with the crispy kale on top of the hearty barley base was perfect - I was sad I didn't order one all for myself! The rest of the food was solid if only a hair too salty. I'd definitely return to try more of the menu.
(4)Kevin C.
My dining experience was summed up in a simple sentence: great company and cocktails, crappy steak. Unfortunate the entree had to end the night with a whomp, whomp feeling. The former dishes forecast a great ending. Seated promptly for our reservation, drinks were ordered, which came out after a little wait. A wait where you start making snotty comments. But our server was on top of the menu, dishes to share, how many to order, and provided insight on the whisky drink I was looking for. Spot on. The eats: heirloom tomato salad; ok start off with something light, creamy cheese, farm fresh tomatoes head-on prawns; seafood and butter duck fat fries; need I say more? hanger steak; dry, near over cooked, chewy Let me explain on the hanger steak. I am aware this isn't a prime cut of beef and isn't the most tender. The addition of sunflower seed romesco, green onion fregula, and charred onions certainly helped the cause. I expected more for for the price ($26) because it left me wondering why a. better cut of meat wouldn't have been used b. we were brought out a complimentary broccoli salad, hmm. Boneless chicken wings and the arctic char were 86'd on a Friday night. Two items I would have definitely argued for ordering. A bit of a bummer. Overall its a great spot for an intimate night out. Not sure it was enough for me to strongly recommend heading back for another round.
(4)Ed J.
So the bf is now the husband, Vday dinner here yesterday which was a fantastic surprise since this place was the first bday surprise i had for him 5 yrs ago. Anyway, still love the food, love the service,love the ambiance. Had the: monkey bread-still delicious 5/5 scallops-5/5 beef wellington-5/5-delicious rare bottom line, it was great. sorry this was sitting in my drafts for a bit.GO!
(5)Steve P.
I salivate just thinking about their menu. Bristol doesn't fit every budget but when it does it's worth every penny.
(5)Jody V.
My lovely girlfriend took me to The Bristol with another couple and I hate when she gets it right! I was very impressed with the décor and ambiance. They serve excellent cocktails, the food is superb and the service is outstanding. We started with the fantastic monkey bread with dill butter and farm greens salad and they were delicious. We had pasta, halibut, pork shank and trout and they were all very good. Everything is amazingly fresh and served in a beautiful presentation. To top it off the table next to us left their eye glasses and we notified the waiter. He must have chased them 2 blocks before he caught up with them. Good effort!
(5)N. P.
My husband and I went here for the first time last night, and several times during our meal one of us looked at the other and asked, "Why haven't we been here sooner?" Everything was impeccable. Every single dish we tried -- from the addictive monkey bread to the perfectly prepared pasta -- was so delicious and so lovingly prepared. The servers were incredibly nice and attentive, without being intrusive. The ambience was warm and inviting. The cocktails, the wine, even the spotless bathroom -- not one thing disappointed. And I would happily inhale the basque cake every day for the next month.
(5)Kristen D.
Don't get me wrong, the food was delicious. All the raves are true - especially the Raviolo. We had a lot of different dishes that we tried, and I'd say that my second favorite behind the Raviolo was the Heirloom Tomato Salad. The reason that I would not return is because I am not a huge fan of getting a ton of plates to share that each cost about the amount of what an entree would cost at many other (not as nice) restaurants. I was more worried about people getting an ample amount to taste the dish while still filling up just a little bit. By the end of dinner, we ended up with a hefty check between only 4 of us, and I still could have gone and eaten a burger somewhere. Delicious, but not quite my style. And definitely do not come here with a group of hungry people unless it's pay day.
(3)Erika R.
Service and atmosphere was pretty stuffy but duck fat fries were delish. Pricey drinks but that's too be expected downtown.
(2)Taylor B.
This place has not stopped getting awards since opening day. Precise balance of service & shareable plates. I would order too much rather than too little--trust me, it's worth it. Enjoy & order a shot of malort :)
(5)Andy T.
The pork roast with lentils was delicious The americano cocktail was not what I expected - it tasted more like a pisco sour versus a drink with any kind of americano flavour Overall a positive experience and great atmosphere. Though I thought the metal chairs were quite uncomfortable
(4)Corey F.
Nicely picked beer selection....ordered the tempura avocado, paired well with the harissa dipping sause.. the cucumber panzanella with blue fish conserva worked well, very fresh.. the raviolo was a stand out to me. Finished with the chorizo entree... nor as good as expected but edilble... the restaurant has a great vibe and was really digging the scene at 9pm on a Sunday night.
(4)Zimin M.
Loved the deco and atmosphere. Food was good but nothing exciting on the menu. Overpriced experience
(3)Pascal M.
Tore dis' place da' fuuuuuug' up for my birthday last year! Straight from the farm ingredients and utilizing every aspect of the animal is their game. Damn, think they even used the cow's soul as a garnishment on one of my eyebrow raising cocktails. This said, the menu is ever changing, all while keeping some staples on or tweaking them a touch with that freshness. Therefore, always giving you a reason to go back, semi-daily... I cant recall everything we ordered. 10-12 people basically ordered the entire menu, twice. Highlights were the monkey bread (our server Eliot was spot on by telling us to dip it in the butter sauce of the ravioli, sheyyyyyyit!), salads that were fresher than a newborns ass, awesome small plates, drawl' changing worth pastas, and some large format plates that are great to share and really show case some great ingredients Come thirsty bustas'. Bristol's crew knows how to throw down. You don't like their drinks, then you should go back to your blue balls and vodka. Didn't have any beer, since I'm employed by a craft beer bar, but I was also impressed by their selection. Lotta' great stuff could be paired will with their thoughtful and balanced food. My boy Eliot even hit me with some house made malort at the end I think. I asked em' for somethin' rough, and he came through. Hell, the whole place came through. Can't wait to come back. Especially for brunch!
(5)E S.
I really wanted to super LOVE this place because the reviews are awesome and the ambiance was close to perfect. However I don't think the food was really anything special, which is why I'm giving it just 3 stars. It was definitely "a-ok" and I would want to try them for dinner again, but I probably wouldn't go back for brunch anytime soon. My husband and I split the cinnamon roll, which was the only delicious item that we tried and I would want again. For our entrees, my husband got the chilaquiles and I got the quiche. The quiche was really watery and the flavor wasn't that great. I much prefer the breakfast quiche at GT Fish and Oyster. My husband's chilaquiles were also sub-par. They just didn't taste good, and his dish also came out quite some time AFTER my dish came out, and the dishes of our companions. So by the time I ate my dish, it was cold (because we were waiting on him to receive his dish before we all started eating). Like I said, the ambiance was really cool. Very relaxed, cheerful, unpretentious and cozy. But the food wasn't great enough to make me go back anytime soon.
(3)S N.
Pros: High quality food and great atmosphere. Cons: smaller menu, higher price I found the ambiance to be fantastic, and bartender to be friendly and professional. Had an issue with our server pushing us to order more than we wanted to run up the bill and is the only reason that I originally gave them 3 stars. After writing my review, I was contacted immediately by management, who inquired about how they can rectify the situation. The management's prompt and courteous response to our problem proved to me that they care very much about their customer's satisfaction. I will definitely return and recommend to friends.
(4)Jim M.
Great place. Inventive and delicious. The decor is what you would expect for a modern themed restaurant and they had these great metal chairs that glided across the floor when you wanted to get up. As for the food, everything we ordered was wonderful, except for the eel which was okay, but in comparison to everything else not up to par. The peach salad was very tasty, and new to me. And the prawns were absolutely delicious. For an entree I ordered the Atlantic char and that was phenomenal. Possibly the best fish I have ever had. I tried the cavatelli pasta that my friend ordered and also found it to be tremendous. The only thing that stops me from giving this place 5 stars is the fact that I was still a bit hungry after the meal. I know, I know it is kind of a nit-picky complaint considering the type of place we were in but... still. All in all great place though, excellent spot.
(4)William B.
We had an excellent brunch here -- good coffee, good mix of sweet (rhubarb-glazed donut, whole-wheat pancake) and savory (crispy fries; modest burger with smoked gouda and duck confit). My only real complaint about the food would be that it's pretty much what you would expect from an excellent brunch restaurant. However, there were two things about the Bristol that are definitely *not* standard for my experience, however much I wish they were. 1, they take reservations (and via OpenTable, no less!); 2, the bill for four, after tax, was only $70. For that, I am forgiving.
(4)Colleen P.
We didn't know what to expect, but made reservations on Open Table for our 2nd anniversary. Not only did they put us in a cozy quiet table, but they had an anniversary card there that had been signed by the entire staff. Such a nice touch that created a sweet atmosphere from the beginning. Our server was lovely, and the food was exquisite. We started with the monkey bread and dill butter (YUM) and the fried brussels sprouts (some of the best I've ever had) and then the raviolo with ricotta and spinach covered in a delectable lemon-brown butter sauce -- we were licking the spoon. For our main, we had the chorizo/pork skin/green bean dish and it was delicious. Finally, the dessert was the caramel bar with nougat ice cream, and we were NOT disappointed. All in all the ambiance is great, the service was delightful and the food was a pleasant taste experience one dish after another. We will be back for sure!
(5)Kim B.
Good food but the prices are a little too high, in my opinion. Each plate is meant for sharing but if you have more than 2 people dining there's only enough for each person to have one bite. They also recommend ordering 1-2 plates per person which adds up very quickly. Best dishes of the night included the monkey bread, duck fat fries, roasted chicken, chitarra and basque cake. Not-so-great dishes were the snap peas and tartare. We also tried the raviolo, and chocolate cremeux with nutter butters. I'm not sure if I would come back just because the bill for our dinner for 3 was a little too high considering we weren't blown away by the food.
(3)Matt S.
Just ate dinner with 2 friends at The Bristol and we loved it. It was a snowy night and they have valet parking which helped-we wait awhile but it was worth it. The decor is very simple and it's a little dark inside, but it's a cool building. We sat downstairs but were told that there was an upstairs, we didn't go see it. Everything is meant to be shared and so our server was extremely helpful in telling us what to get. Her suggestions were 4 starters, 2 pastas and 2 mains. We decided on 4 starters, 3 pastas and 2 mains. They had some good cocktails, beers and wines to choose from. One person in our party got Reisling and her fiance got the Dark & Stormy and Moscow Mule (liked both), my wife got the Poire & Elderflower and Dark & Stormy (loved the Poire & Elderflower, I tried it and it was great) and I got 3 Alpha Kings which was on draught. For our dishes: Starters Duck Fat Fries-excellent with the homemade ketchup and garlic aioli Carrot Salad-really good and the kale chips were fantastic Glazed Cauliflower-great flavor and even though I hate cauliflower it was great Prawns-weakest of the starters and i wouldn't do it again, they were difficult to eat Pastas Agnolotti-could really taste the celery, but overall good-probably wouln't repeat Raviolo-amazing, just an amazing flavor and I would highly recommend it Pappardelle-fantastic flavor and would highly recommend it Mains Sauteed Mushrooms-dish has a chickpea fritter which actually felt like tofu as you ate it, really good and was blown away because I was skeptical at first Roasted Half Chicken-based on our servers recommendation, really good and lived up to it's billing Dessert Basque Cake-We split it with the 4 of us...it was good but not the best dessert I have ever had, I think we would try something else All in the bill ran about $240 minus tip for 4 people....thought it was worth every penny and we'll be back in the future
(5)Thor T.
The warm welcome at The Bristol did not mean that the friendly hostess did not try to seat me and my friends at the worst table upstairs - on the dark side of the moon (in front of the bar) while the bright, sun-lit restaurant had many tables still empty. Thankfully, we were allowed to move to another table, it made a big difference in the enjoyment of the meal (same thing happened to me at Balena in January). The good news first: The Bristol serves excellent cocktails, the pastry chef, Sarah Koechling, created some lovely desserts (an special favorite of the table was the basque cake with braised pineapple, pistachios, and sour cream ice cream), the service is friendly and efficient, and the food is all good. Is it as great as the hype? I guess it depends on your expectations. We started with the monkey bread and dill butter, I had similar in diners across the US and did not like the liquid "butter" that forced everyone to dunk the bread. The farm greens salad was fine, the beef tongue en gelée with horseradish crème fraîche would have profited from more horseradish kick and reminded me of the Amish preparation for tongue. Really good: the fennel chitarra pasta with sofrito and pernod. The fresh pasta was perfectly cooked and the sofrito made for a lovely vegetarian preparation. All main dishes were good: the halibut (a very thin piece) was fresh and sweet and pairing well with the minted pea purée. Glorious the pork shank on braised lentils, good the roasted half chicken with dill spaetzle. The temperature of all main dishes was on the tepid side. The restaurant is well run and very professional, following a winning formula. You will eat well at Le Bristol and, if you indulge in the great drink menu as we did, soon forget that initially, they wanted you to sit in siberia.
(4)Ursula S.
Seeing the great reviews, I was hoping for a high-class treat. The reality? Meh. Let's start with atmosphere. We sat upstairs, which looks lovely with exposed brick and faux wood laminate flooring on the walls and steel chairs. All of the hard surfaces make it an excellent echo chamber, and while I had to strain to hear my date, we could catch every word out of the braying donkey woman at the table behind us. The low lighting made the menu difficult to read. But the server was helpful and recommended the number and sizes of plates, and assured us that, if we ordered everything at once, the kitchen would pace the meal for us. We got the monkey bread, and it was warm and soft with nice dill butter, and tasted JUST LIKE the Brown & Serve rolls my aunt insists on making every family holiday- exceptionally soft, textureless, and flavorless. I'm easily bribed by carbs, but I was expecting something a little less Straight From My Grocer's Freezer. Next up was the smoked carrot with sumac yogurt. The smoke flavor was unsubtle, as if the three precious curls of carrot (for $15, one carrot must be stretched to make at least 5 dishes) had been dipped in Liquid Smoke (tm). The sumac yogurt was a mere smear on the plate, and difficult to find (see above re: lighting), further unbalancing the dish as it was a mystery treasure hunt to get all of the aspects together into one bite. Next up: aged ribeye. This was absolutely lovely. Very tender, nice flavor to the sauce. It's what got them the second star in this review. We ordered trout as the main course. It took nearly a half-hour after the small beef plate (a half-hour of Braying Donkey Woman getting into her cups). The side was a small wedge of grilled butter lettuce, which had all the flavor and sogginess of grilled water. The clincher- after that long wait, the trout was horribly undercooked. Due to the terrible lighting, we found out when we took a nauseating, squelching bite of warm, raw fish. It was a disappointing end to a disappointing evening. We opted to not continue with the rest of the meal. I don't mind paying a premium for excellent food and service, but this was neither. It smacked of pretension, like the chef is trying too hard to be New and Different, while also trying too hard to Look Casual About Everything. I wish them success, but they're not for me.
(2)Gabrielle A.
Wow. My boss and his wife took me and my husband here for dinner one night and it was an unexpected surprise. I've seen this place plenty of times but never been until last month. This place was incredible. The atmosphere is intimate and classy. These is a elegant rustic vibe, dim lighting, beautiful wood tables and lights. The place is small, but it is apart of its charm. The bathroom is nice and clean. My husband has a peanut allergy so we are cautious when trying new places but our waitress was a pro. Excellent service, I wish I knew the young girls name I would give her a shout out, but she was on top of it. We practically ordered the whole menu because you can eat family style there and at times I didn't even know what I was eating but it was all fantastic. I'm taking my parents here this week while they are in town! Five stars!!
(5)Natalie T.
This place was a huge bummer. I gave it two stars because we had an awesome, attentive server that was really knowledgeable of the different menu items. He was great at checking in on us even when the place with packed. Also, I really liked the overall ambiance of the restaurant. Dark, cozy, and comfortable. I gave it only two stars because the food and drinks were extremely underwhelming. We ordered the Smoked Carrot Salad, which was honestly my favorite mediocre thing we ate, and "Fried Bones" for starters. The "Fried Bones" was just like eating a chicken wing from any other wing joint. Nothing special or interesting. For one of our main dishes we ordered the Potato Pierogis. The potato filling had no flavor at all and it tasted like they had just sat in a tub of greasy butter for a while before arriving at our table. Our other main dish was the Pork Shank, which was described as having this awesome glaze and sounded delicious on the menu. When it arrived, it was really dry on the inside, and again, lacked any memorable flavor. Overall, I was really disappointed with my meal and felt sad when I saw the bill. I won't be going back to The Bristol, especially since there are so many other fantastic places to eat in Chicago.
(2)Melissah L.
I REALLY wanted to give this place 5-stars... the food is definitely prepared with the freshest ingredients, the ambiance is wonderful and the service is top-notch, but I think I may have ordered the wrong food or something because something was missing this morning! My boyfriend and I ordered the pork chilaquiles, duck fat fries, biscuits and gravy and doughnuts-- and we found that the chilaquiles and duck fat fries were way too salty. My boyfriend actually mentioned something about feeling his heart racing because of all the salt in our food. My biscuits and gravy were wonderful and the donuts had that perfect doughtnutty texture, but I think next time (there will be a next time, of course) I will try something more traditional for breakfast.
(3)Karolina M.
Good, drinks, atmosphere, and service were great. Exactly what a romantic/chill night out should be.
(5)Angelito B.
We had reservation at 11:00 and arrived on time. There were open tables available but we had to wait 35 minutes (at 11:35) to be seated because others (who were not there yet even at 11:45) had reservation. Been to more exclusive and highly rated restaurants but never had this experience. When i made reservation and my party arrived, the table would be waiting because they made sure that a table would be ready for my party. Why reserve a table when even walk-ins may be seated ahead of you? It would have been fine if the food was great but it was NOT. It is ordinary and I would say nothing to boast about. Potatoes were too salty and burnt. Will not go back at all. Wasted my time going.
(1)Susie L.
You know.. I was really surprised by this place. Walked 10 mins over on a snowy Wed night and it was packed - always a good sign. It's a smaller, cozy restaurant. We ordered the smoked carrot salad, scallops (the bf), the half chicken, porgy, and everything was amazing. The spaetzle on the chicken was different, and very tasty. The duck fat fries at all the tables around us also looked great. I also had the smoked sicilian manhattan cocktail.. very strong! and very good! Great for couples and smaller groups.
(5)Stephanie W.
We went to the Bristol during restaurant week and did their tasting menu with wine parings. It was great. We really enjoyed the quiet but comfortable and modern interior, dark and intimate. The highlights of the menu were the Smoked Carrot Salad, the Leek Salad, and the Pear Trifle (AMAZING). The wine parings were also excellent and paired beautifully with the food. Our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu and wines, I enjoyed her descriptions and our dining experience with her. The only thing preventing me from #fivestarring is that they were pretty stingy on the wine pours, for a relatively high wine cost. That being said - the wines were so good, we just bought another glass - just wished it wouldn't have been so pricey for what we usually drink with dinner.
(4)Oenophile X.
What an amazing spot.. Loved the entire experience here. Monkey Bread served warm with a silky smooth dill butter to dip. The flavors compliment each other wonderfully. We moved on to the sausage stuffed olives.. Crispy salty and savory..perfect way to start. The shrimp were done perfectly so tender and sweet. The star for me was the large ravioli.. It was a large pouch cooked to perfection, the bonus was a lightly poached egg inside that oozed its way all over the dish to add addition fat and richness...Utter perfection. The service was attentive and extremely sweet and patient. Wine service was perfect. They even wiped down the entire table for us between courses.. The glass selection list is inventive and fun.. Many pairing options available. All in all a perfect evening..
(5)Grace S.
Two words: Monkey Bread. I can't say it was love at first bite because I thought it had kind of a weird taste to it, but once I tried it again, I became obsessed. It has a very distinct flavor, which is probably what turned me off at first, but I'm so glad I took another bite because it is seriously so delicious. You can tell it's freshly baked because it's so soft and warm. Plus the bottom is perfectly buttery... You know how muffin tops are the best part of a muffin? I felt like the buttery bottom was the best part about the monkey bread. I didn't care so much for the dip; I thought the bread itself was more than good enough. I really liked the duck fat fries too; they had a lot of flavor. I tried some of the steak and lamb shank but always went back to my beloved monkey bread. My heart broke a little when I finished it. Everything else paled in comparison. Other people may not share my love for it though. The drink I got was the Black Diamond (it was the only cocktail on the menu I could pronounce so I thought I'd go for it). It tasted alright (nothing spectacular), but I thought it was really strong, so I guess I got my money's worth. As for the atmosphere of the place, the restaurant had a romantic feel to it (think cozy, candlelit dinner), but a lot of the people in there seemed like groups of friends just getting together for dinner and drinks. One thing I didn't like about the whole candlelit dinner vibe was that it was hard to read my menu since it was so dark in there. Another complaint is that our food took a really long time to come out; supposedly one of the dishes got messed up and needed to be perfected. But that's okay, because for monkey bread, I would wait forever.
(4)Jason B.
Biscuits and gravy, donuts and pancakes - all amazing things you can have for brunch! The service was impeccable, great coffee and the cocktails were not too shabby as well. When we had to change our reservation to add one more person it also wasn't a problem. Will go again :)
(5)Lytle W.
An example of what good management is. We waited 40 minutes past our reservation time to be seated, due to the prior party lingering at the table. Once we were seated, the manager came over immediately to let us know he had appetizers on the way and vowed to make sure we had a great experience. He handled it like a pro and was lovely. The duck fat fries and the garlic aoli were superb. He came back to check on us after we ordered. My husband and I agreed that this is what Gilt Bar service used to be, back when they cared about the quality of your experience. We look forward to making the Bristol part of our rotation. They earned our business with professional and courteous service, not to mention great food. Don't hesitate to check them out!
(5)Linda M.
Thoroughly enjoyable visit to The Bristol, once again. Impeccable service, great atmosphere, great menu and stunning food. Extensive wine selection, would highly recommend a visit. A member of our party was lactose intolerant, waitress was very knowledgeable on dishes, made some recommendations and asked the chef to omit lactose products. Very impressed. Great wine choice given by maitre di.
(5)Luke S.
Pig Butt? Why did I order Pig Butt?!?! I thought I was brave and would be able to enjoy it, but I found it to have a bizarre taste and be extremely fatty. That was my fault for ordering it though. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their dishes. Both the prawns and chicken were excellent and the raviolo was good, but small. We also ordered the duck fat fries that were worth every penny of the $7. The cheese board was somewhat shocking in price at $19, especially when it showed up at our table with extremely small portions of cheese. The cheese was excellent though! Our server was knew every ingredient on the menu and was helpful, but would disappear for long periods of time. Overall I really liked the place and I want to give it another shot, but I was really turned off by the Pig Butt/Tail. We didn't get desert and that was probably a big mistake. We will be back to try non pig tail food and the desert.
(3)Joel O.
We ordered five items for the table. The fries were amazing. The gnocchi was really tasty. However, the steak dish was blah and the trout was a bit fishy. Staff was excellent. Little spendy... Overall I liked.
(4)Rebecca N.
I was unfortunately disappointed with the Bristol. The drinkS, service and atmosphere were all fabulous; however, the food came up short which was surprising after loving Balena. We started with the monkey bread, but I found it to be nothing special. The asparagus was nicely cooked, but again it left something to be desired. The wagyu beef tartare was the highlight of the meal. Lots of flavor, good texture and nice bread to eat with. The arctic char was far too salty. Ravioli: the brown butter sauce and egg yolk was a unique combination. I wanted to enjoy it very badly. However, the pasta was too doughy and salty and the ricotta inside was way too heavy. The waiter said it was heavy, but it was almost inedible. I'm not sure if we ordered wrong or it was just an off day, but I will not be coming back anytime soon to the Bristol.
(2)Bo Y.
The hangover breakfast (noodle with beef tongue, pork broth, egg...) is very tasty. they poured "rosetta" pattern on the top of latte. nice.
(4)Gina F.
Last night I had the absolute pleasure of dining at the Bristol. From the moment we walked in until the moment we left, everything was perfect. As we approached the door the host walked over to open it for us. The restaurant was warm, intimate, and kind of hip. We were seated promptly, and greeted shortly thereafter by our server. The first thing that impressed me was that they served a Moscow Mule in a proper copper cup. It was absolutely delicious, and though my husband really enjoyed his drink he ended up having a Moscow Mule as his second cocktail. Next we had the squash and kale appetizer. It was so amazing that I would've had a second order as an entrée. It is quite truly my new favorite thing. I sincerely hope they keep it on the menu forever because it is my new reason for living. For his entrée, my husband ordered the half chicken. He thought it was among the most well prepared chicken he's ever had. Additionally the restaurant was so kind as to substitute the duck fat fries for the side that would've come with the chicken due to his lactose intolerance. He was equally amazed by the delicious fries. I selected a pasta dish with rapini pesto and lemon juice. It was very nice and felt rather light for pasta. It didn't blow me away the way the kale and squash had, but it was still very nice. We finished off the night with the toffee pudding. It was a good choice! It was sweet without being overly sweet, and hit just the right spot. I would definitely go back, hopefully often.
(5)Kasey P.
This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. To start, they have INCREDIBLE cocktails that are consistent every time. Try the Moscow Mule! It's the first and best one I've ever tried. The food is seasonal, local and delicious. I love the head on prawns with brown butter, the apple-fennel-manchego salad with hazelnuts (they started this combo and now every restaurant has it on their menu) and the chicken is amazing. The service is wonderful. For brunch or dinner, I love this place!
(5)Tiffany L.
The Bristol is one of my neighborhood favorites. I loved this place even more since they started taking reservations. Brunch is a must here. I love the Chilaquiles here and the Hangover breakfast. The dinner menu changes often but I'm confident in saying that you'd probably like anything you order. Let me tell you about one of my favorite memories here. One night, our server told us they were serving tuna collar. We immediately had to order it. What restaurant would dare serve this cut of the fish? If you go to an old school Japanese restaurant, you'll often see yellowtail (hamachi) collar, which looks like a normal dish because yellowtail is not that large of a fish. (BTW grilled yellowtail collar is amazing, and I highly recommend you try it if you've never before). However, if you actually know how large a whole tuna is, you can imagine how large the collar is. The sight is not for the faint of heart. Props to the chef for having the audacity to put it on my menu for the night. Writing this review makes me want to make a brunch visit tomorrow. Hellooooo OpenTable!
(4)Kevin K.
Halibut, ravioli, and prawns were excellent. Steak was awful. Rubber. It was so tough my girlfriend couldn't chew it, and she had to spit it out. It was our last dish and they asked if something was wrong with it. ( because we didn't eat any of it) Yes, it's so tough we couldn't eat it. Oh sorry he replied. Got the bill. Still got charged $32 for the steak. Why ask if there is something wrong if you don't care? Disappointing because I'm now to stubborn to return.
(3)Elina S.
Okay, I have to note that I did not have the most complete experience here but the experience that I did have here was pretty awesome and here is why. -Came in on a Saturday night around 7:30pm and they quoted us a 2 hour wait so I decided that I will carry out since we just wanted dessert. -The host/hostess were very nice and had my order ready very quickly, which is always a plus. -I had time to check out the decor which was very trendy, wooden tables, entire brick wall, cool lights, dark interior, very girl and the goat meets gilt bar. I definitely liked the atmosphere. -Now onto what we ordered, the $10 homemade Nutter Butters with chocolate sabanyan mousse. OH EM GEE! I died and woke up in heaven. It came with 4 nutter butters and what looked like not enough mousse, but for the 4 of them, it was, I licked the two go box clean since it was one of the best, most freshest, melt in your mouth, finger lickin, amazing desserts. -Just that dessert alone was enough for me to come back there and order more of it. I have to say that the menu doesn't really intrigue me, duck fat fries, eh. But that is just my personal opinion and the prices aren't too little either so I doubt I would come for dinner. But yes for the chocolate mousse and nutter butters times ten!!
(4)Raymond S.
I've avoided the Bristol during my brunch crawl because I just didn't trust the hype. Despite it being close to the expressway, parking being available, and in a cool neighborhood the menu just didn't seem varied and interesting enough. But I bit down and gave it a chance and I'm very glad I did. For one, the service is awesome. The food came promptly, the servers checked in at the right times, and water was refilled frequently. Definitely the best service we've experienced so far. The food was awesome. Like I stated earlier the menu isn't varied at all. But we all order something different and everything was executed perfectly. I guess I would rather have fewer intricate items than many decent dishes. I ordered vanilla french toast. It was custard-like; almost like bread pudding which was unexpected and tasty. The table also ordered chilaquiles with pork belly, and Bristol was the only place which did pork belly correctly. We also ordered the sausage, biscuit and gravy dish along with ham eggs benedict. All were great and even more astonishing, serving sizes were huge. For the first time EVER I struggled finishing everything. You see my pictures? I never met a meal I couldn't finish. We went at 11am on Saturday and the restaurant was half full. So if you don't want to wait an hour for generic brunch, DEFINITELY check out the Bristol.
(5)Amanda K.
Went there during restaurant week but ended up ordering off the regular dinner menu. Nice ambiance; courteous staff; tight quarters. My friend and I had the seedling apple salad (great mix of flavors); raviolo (delicious but for $14 I was hoping for more than one); the special pierogies (substantial portion but more like empanadas); and the millers farm roasted half chicken (what I would go back for). I'm not sure why this is the only main course without a star - it was the best part of our meal. The chicken was tender and juicy and the spaetzle was amazing.
(4)Lolo D.
Great wine list. Great seasonal menu (heavy on the seafood recently). Great service. The tables get pushed a little close together, which is a peeve of mine--I dislike being able to hear the conversation next to me clearer than my own dining companion's, but such is city dining. The only thing I'd recommend is to decide the size of your order on your hunger, not necessarily the server's rec--we got the chicken, bread, and brussels sprouts (2 diners), and it was a little too much. I loved both the bread and the brussels sprouts, so it's difficult to say what I'd skip ordering, but there you go.
(4)Betty C.
We went last Saturday night. We had a 6:30 pm reservation and the place was not yet full. When we left at 8:30 pm or so it was so crowded it was hard to get through the vestibule. Really can't say enough positives about this place, it meets almost all of the criteria for an excellent evening. The ambiance is nice, the service is really fabulous, the food is top notch in flavor, presentation and creativity. We started out with the required monkey bread with dill and butter dipping sauce - the bread was very light and so was the bright green sauce but it still had good flavor. The appetizer serving of fried bones (pork) was crispy, had a hint of Chinese five spice flavor and came with small thin slices of a very hot pepper which really accentuated the taste. This could be ordered as an entree portion for one if sharing other sides. The apple salad had very fresh and crisp apples, a light flavor dressing, marinated cheese and I believe hazelnuts. The duck fat fries were as good as everyone else states in their reviews. The homemade ketchup was nothing spectacular and the aïoli was good but not remarkable - just OK. The squash filled pasta (agnolotti) was tender and had a very good seasoning profile that reminded you of winter - nutmeg and brown butter - with shavings of cheese on top. The desserts were amazing and this comes from a person who never orders dessert so she can eat more of the savory stuff. The chocolate cremeux was a warm hockey puck of creamy, dark chocolate with a scoop of creamy ice cream and a caramel "wafer" that was like a thin piece of air. The popcorn sundae was made special for us and not available right now (one of our party had a big birthday) and it did not disappoint. Crispy, lighty coated caramel popcorn discs with a fresh corn kernel ice cream and a hint of fresh lime zest. The winner for me however was the Basque cake. It was a warm, buttery vanilla cake (round individually baked serving) that had a chewy, almost caramel like exterior that had enough salt to taste slightly savory - in the delicious butter type of way. It was served with ice cream as well. It was so good I had to slap the table. That dish could make me a dessert eater. The only negative was the valet parking - they were completely out of control. Took almost 20 minutes to get our car. They need to fix that fast. Maybe they were new at the job - they seemed liked they had no clue how to do it quickly that's for sure.
(5)Rachael K.
I'm from New York, and have high standards for my brunch places...this was the best brunch I've ever had! First of all, our waiter, Paul, was entertaining while not overly in our faces. He was genuinely kind and made us feel welcomed. He also recommended a few places we could go to after brunch. We both had Bloody Mary's which came with bacon wrapped blue cheese an an olive, plus a glass I your house of beer. They were exquisite. We did halfsies on the Smoked Gouda Burger with duck fat fries and the Braised Pork Chillequiles. The burger was honestly the best I've ever had, cooked perfectly and the toppings were perfect, and the fries were delicious. The tortilla chips in the Chillequiles were perfectly crispy while still soaked in deliciousness and the braised pork was awesome mixed into that. I would highly recommend this place, I rarely give 5's and wasn't expecting to have such a fantastic brunch in Chicago considering brunch on NY is huge.
(5)Laura B.
Everything we had was amazing. Fries, halibut collar, raviolo (unbelievable) and the chicken. They even had Michael's favorite beer that many places do not have. Great service & ambiance. Definitely coming back.
(5)Jessica A.
We frequent the Bristol for dinner and brunch and love it for both, but the real reason for this review is something I do not see mentioned frequently on this page, which is its private event services. We had our wedding reception here in September and the entire experience, from planning to the night of, was fantastic. Our contact, Michelle H., was a dream to work with--very quick to respond to emails and reliable. Perhaps most importantly, we felt as though she was on our side throughout the planning process-- on more than one occasion, we were ready to drop additional $$ on, say, an upgraded bar and she let us know a more cost effective way to accomplish what we wanted. The night of, she and Michelle G (our other contact) were there making sure everything was working smoothly. Despite not being a traditional "wedding venue," the Bristol also worked seamlessly with our multiple vendors to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Finally, one of the main things we heard after (and during) the reception was, "I have NEVER had food this good at a wedding!" Considering the food was our #1 reason for choosing The Bristol, it was wonderful to have the food be just as outstanding when served for a large group (with normal service running downstairs on a weekend!). Would absolutely recommend.
(5)Mark S.
A great experience! The waiter gave my group great recommendations to put together a multi course meal and it was perfect! I highly recommend!
(5)Jaci H.
I came here for brunch with my fiancé and another couple for brunch. I'm a huge fan of farm to table restaurants so I was super excited for a fresh and fabulous brunch. We were seated right away and thought the service was great. The decor was cozy and rustic, totally loved the aesthetic. My Bloody Mary was very good, definitely recommend it but it is a little spicy - which I love. My friend thought her apple cider was really apple juice. It did not look or taste at all like cider. We shared the donuts, which are awesome. Wish you can order enough so a table of 4 doesn't have to share 3 little donuts. Also shared the duck fat fries which are super yummy with a mayo based dip and a fancy type of ketchup. I was a little disappointed with my eggs Benedict. The portion was good, potatoes were yummy but the eggs were very undercooked. One egg needed at least 30 more seconds of cooking time, this was the first one I tried eating. I was able to manage. The English muffin was soft and delicious and I really like the mustard hollandaise. The second egg was in edible. It literally melted all over my plate the moment I touched it. I needed at least another 90 seconds of cooking time, so I just scooped this to the side and ate the meat and muffin. The ham was really good, more like roasted pork that was thinly sliced. My friend got the drunken noodles but didn't like them. She said they were too rubbery and lacked flavor. My other friends loved the pork chilaquiles and ate as much as they could, but it was a hearty portion. Overall I think there is a ton of potential but undercooked eggs ruined my brunch. Tears!
(3)Carl H.
We were really, really disappointed. We went for restaurant week, so we got to try a wide selection from the menu. This was the first time I've ever gone to a restaurant and simply not liked the food. The carrot salad was simply inedible. But it didn't stop at the food. All of the service was extremely rushed. Our waiter pushed us through the ordering process and seemed incredibly inconvenienced when we asked questions. This was hands down the worst restaurant we've experienced of this 'caliber' and we won't be back. There are tons of other restaurants of this level that are far better in every way and I encourage you to go to one of them instead of having a disappointing night here.
(2)Stefanie N.
Great brunch spot in bucktown. While I ordered the 'hangover breakfast' entree expecting it would alleviate the actual hangover I had, I was kind of disappointed in the dish. The noodles were undercooked and the whole dish seems like it was a sad attempt of a ramen fusion dish. Went with a large party and it seemed like everyone else enjoyed their dishes along with their moscow mules. Perhaps I ordered the wrong dish so will definitely give this place another try.
(3)Dan L.
While this can be easily described as a tight fit when it comes to seating, the wait staff does an amazing job and the kitchen is kicking ass in the flavor department. My wife and I went with another couple and they recommended we get a crazy amount of food and share. Instead we went with 4 starters, and then split entrees. I think that was more than enough for the 4 of us but if you have a huge appetite, by all means get more. They aren't the largest portions. We had: Monkey bread American cheese board Sautéed bay scallops Fried brussels sprouts Swan Creek Farm 1 lb. pork porterhouse It was overall an amazing dinner/night. With it being a louder ambiance, it was a perfect place to have some drinks, amazing food with some good friends.
(5)Rits M.
Tucked away in a small corner of Bucktown is this cute little restaurant-with-a-bar. I went here after a yelp event to check out the place. We sat at the bar, since even on a Monday they had no space- make a reservation! The place is cosy, lots of wood, with dark walls and dark wood at the bar. I thought it was cool that there was a chalk menu on the walls, like in a number of German restaurants. We just had snacks, the duck fat fries and the monkey bread. Both are really good, I would recommend the fries for sure. The place seems to have a number of European dishes, and doesn't mollycoddle people who dont know ingredients/processes by mentioning La Mancha and pain perdu. I would come here for date night.
(4)Angelina K.
Amazing restaurant . Came here for a restaurant week in 2014. Was very happy with the service and incredible restaurant week menu . Loved the smoked carrot salad , and chocolate dessert, great menu . Very friendly staff, very accommodating . Also black diamond cocktail = incredible ! Would go back anytime ! Thank you
(5)Cristie F.
After a plethora of rave reviews from friends, I knew that I needed to try The Bristol. I did. And sadly, I wasn't overly impressed. The food was good, but it didn't knock my socks off. I expected a variety of mouth-gasms and only got about half-way there. It was somewhat of a let down. For a party of 4, here's what we ordered. Yes, it was a lot...but most of it was definitely eaten! //scotch olives, pork sausage, lemon //monkey bread pull apart, dill butter, sea salt //duck fat fries, house ketchup, garlic aioli //charcuterie board //cheese platter //market greens, tarragon-buttermilk dressing //apple salad, marinated manchego, hazelnut //whole wheat flatbread, pork lardons, caramelized onion //roasted beets, creme fraiche, mint, pistachios //fried brussell sprouts //tagliatelle pasta dish//grouper//hanger steak About a month ago, I had a recent change in my life - I became a vegetarian. So sadly, I found there wasn't too many veggie-friendly options on the menu other than carbs (duck fat fries and monkey bread - YUM) or salads. However, the staff was more than accommodating to my vegetarian needs. I opted for the tagliatelle homemade pasta. It was definitely tasty - but a little bland for my liking. However, you can't go wrong with homemade noodles - ever. I tried a few bites of the other dishes as well ((well - with the exception of the grouper, hanger steak, and charcuterie board)). Everything else just struck me as A-OK. One of my friends said it best - "The first few bites taste really great - but after that, it's just okay. It's not mind blowing like flavorings of Girl & the Goat or Publican." My sentiments exactly. I was however, a huge fan of their cocktails. I had the poire & elderberry martini, as well as a dark & stormy. Those two drinks knocked my socks off....de-mothafuckin-delish!!! Both incredibly different, and both equally fabulous. And let's not forget their perfectly squared ice cubes - I don't even know how that was possible! The service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and very accommodating to our needs. The atmosphere lacked a little too. The Bristol is very small. It's also big on communal seating. It's really not my favorite, but you make do. Would I return for a second go-around? Sure I would. It's not like I didn't enjoy it, but it wouldn't be my first preference when coming in from the burbs for a night out. I had just hoped for so much more - especially for the $370 tab for 4 people. Eek.
(3)Dana Z.
I'm a little late in writing this review, but I needed to get this out there! My friends and I (8 of us in total) made a reservation for 10:30 the morning of the Bucktown 5K. We knew with our party size we would need a reservation no matter where we went. The Bristol opens at 10am, but wouldn't let us make our reservation until 10:30. Our group shows up in full at 10:30 on the dot. We were told things were running a little behind so it would be 10 mins. They had offered free mimosas with your race bibs so many people were taking advantage (and had come in right at 10am without a reservation). They promised to get us our mimosas while we waited (on the stairs in a tiny, dark hallway). Well only 2 mimosas made their way out. We kept checking on the status of our table. We were constantly told 5 more minutes and "we're really sorry". "We got really busy because of the Bucktown 5K". We obviously knew this because 1. we ran the race and 2. we made a reservation to avoid this. 45 minutes later, my friend is standing outside calling other restaurants as we began to believe we'd never be seated. The manager came out and asked that we don't call another place. He promised a table was opening up and finally it did! After seating us, the manager made sure to sent out complimentary pastries as well as a round of drinks to apologize. We were obviously annoyed but pleased that the manager acknowledged their mistake. Our entire group eats to our hearts' delight. The food was absolutely amazing. Everyone in our group cleaned our plates. We felt significantly better after eating great food and getting a little attention. We asked for the check and the manager COMPED our entire bill for the ENTIRE group!!! This was obviously totally unexpected and not necessary. The manager came over and profusely apologized for their major screw up. I sat down to our reservation bound to tell everyone I knew about our experience, but I didn't anticipate it to be a good one! They owned up to their mistake, we all had a great time and ate great food. I had to knock off one star for the wait even though they made it up to us.
(4)Kari S.
The food and cocktails at the Bristol are amazing! Their menu is constantly changing and everything is great.
(5)Ashley K.
The Bristol has probably the best smelling cocktails in the city. I recommend the Black Diamond + the Cider in the Rye. They're super bright and delicious. From a design perspective, the interior is gorgeous. The food was on point. You can share everything. We had the trout as our main dish and were really impressed! I'm not sure why I waited so long to come here, but I will absolutely be back.
(5)Alan E.
Great atmosphere. Nice people. Good wine. Food very tasty. There were six of us. We had an 8:30 reservation. We wanted 7:30. We arrived at 7 expecting to be at the bar for a long time. They sat us in twenty minutes. Just great all around!
(5)Lindsay W.
Great brunch and good ambiance - make sure to make a reso, otherwise there will be quite a wait if you go on the Saturday or Sunday.
(5)Vic C.
Great food and flavors. The appetizers (monkey bread, prawns, fries ) main entrees (halibut, trout, chicken and pork shoulder) were delicious. Reasonably priced and great atmosphere as well. Definitely would be a good date spot but also can accommodate larger groups.
(4)Rose N.
There was a lot to like about The Bristol but I think the my expectations may have been too high. That being said the drinks alone are with the return. I have tried to imitate them at home unsuccessfully, but please ask the waiter if they are more "girly" drinks as it is hard to tell from the menu, my husband kept getting the "girly" ones by accident....For food I recommend the chx and monkey break.
(4)noel c.
yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. friendly service. delicious meal. simple/modern decor. great lighting. local food. I had a delicious experience from start to finish during my visit to the Bristol. Here's what went down the ole shoot at our table: *dark and stormy (yummy bits of ginger) *monkey bread (with dill butter) *half chicken (this was unexpectedly my favorite dish) *apple+manchego salad *fluke with avocado crema (very, very good) *la fin du monde *grand marnier and we also got that pb+j dessert which I did not like at all. (everything else was so delicious that i give them a free pass on that). My gf liked it.
(5)Liz C.
The Bristol is a damn good dinner spot. I've gone for brunch and wasn't blown away, but their dinner service is mighty fine. While some dishes stood out more than others, overall the experience was great. We were able to get two seats at the bar last minute. The bartender, I think David was his name, whipped us up one of the best cocktails I have ever had. We told him what we like: spicy, refreshing, and mezcal. He seriously nailed it. We ordered the duck fat fries, which everyone raved about, but we thought they were just fine. I did find the housemade ketchup to be really tasty though. Otherwise, I'd probably skip those next time. We also ordered the prawns and the halibut, which were both good. That said, we both liked the prawns more. For mains, we ordered the risotto and chicken and both were amazing. The chicken is a MUST. Honestly, probably some of the best chicken I have ever had. The risotto was also perfectly done. Of course we saved room for dessert and got the infamous basque cake...and it definitely met and exceeded expectations. The Bristol is a great dinner spot, with awesome cocktails and food. Can't wait to go back. Definitely must order the chicken and basque cake.
(5)Chris H.
Great spot. Every dish was spot on and full of flavor. My main recommendation would be to not plan on sharing the raviollo. Its just too good.
(5)Nadia J.
Second time at this lovely little spot in Wicker Park, first time back in a few years. Made an easy reservation on open table for 2 on a Friday and were greeted by two cheerful hosts and seated immediately. Once seated it took a bit for our waiter to come around-- understandable though because it was so busy. He was knowledgeable about the drink menu and helpful in answering questions. Once we ordered food came out pretty quick. Our food: Heirloom tomato salad with olives and sweet sausage: amazing. The tomatoes were perfectly ripe and dressed and whatever the cheese was with them was perfect. Dish seemed light on any sort of sausage though! We both didn't/couldn't find it in the bowl. Duck fat fries: delish. Not much more to say here! Prawns with tarragon: alright. Not really what I'd expected I guess. The dish was rather sweet (maybe that was the tarragon) and the prawns were significantly smaller than I'd expected them to be. I think of prawns as very large shrimp, but these were marginally bigger than shrimp size. Broccoli salad with pickled egg: eek. Not a hit with me, though my date liked it alright. Overly salted, and heavy heavy heavy on the anchovy. And I *like* anchovy. Entree--hangar steak: as mentioned before they were super busy. I'm assuming that's why the steak was so tough? Perhaps it sat? Came out barely warm and was super chewy. What you'd expect from a cheap steak at the grocery store, not a $26 entree. Overall a great spot for a date night or gathering with a few friends. Not sure we'd go back, but it's worth a try if you're in the neighborhood.
(3)Leslie H.
Great service. Great food. Great atmosphere. It was voted by GQ as one of the sexiest restaurants in 2010. The decor has a combination of steel and wood. It has this very industrial yet comfy type of feel. I can see someone from Restoration Hardware decorating this place. We came here for brunch and it was delicious. One thing for sure, don't skip on the desserts! The basque cake was just ridiculously good. In fact, it was amazing.
(5)Kathleen C.
Bristol...what's the deal? I've been thrilled with everything here for many visits, but the last two left a little to be desired. First of all, during one visit, we ate at the bar, and it was clear that the manager (?), head host (?), someone was not pleased with one of the waitresses. They were arguing in the back and I have no idea what was going on, but I personally don't think that they should let diners see the fights...plus, I often find that feedback given in private vs a room full of people seems to go farther. The waitress/server took it well considering (ie, she looked mad when arguing, but when she went back to her tables, she was bright and cheery - so yay for her). This is the only time this has ever happened there, but I was so shocked... That same day, they ran out of a few brunch items (I didn't think I got there that late...), so I was sort of disappointed, but the food was still tasty. I visited again recently (also for brunch) and was terribly disappointed with the service. We ordered brunch and after what seemed like forever, we were served...with the wrong food...Whoops. Our server came back and assured us that we'd get served quickly after that and she was sorry for the mistake. So, we waited...and waited...and waited. When the food finally showed up, we didn't really get a 'sorry' or anything remotely indicating we had waited forever to eat, and we had asked for the bill early as we were in a rush...and that took longer than anticipated as well. The food was good when it showed up, but we were in such a hurry, we had to scarf it down and run out of there. This was disappointing since service here is typically so spot on...it could have been a bad day, but for somewhere so particular about providing good service, it was even more disappointing than usual.
(3)Laura K.
The service was not good, and the food did not make up for the bad service. We made a reservation for 4 people, and had to wait over 30 minutes for our table outside in the cold. When we finally ordered, we were starved. We got the cinnamon rolls and donuts. Both were good, and much better than any of the main dishes. I got the benedict, and it was cold. The eggs were overcooked, and overall I was just VERY disappointed. My husband got the burger which was good, but SMALL. Portions overall were small, and prices do not reflect this. I would not go back for brunch.
(3)John S.
Great flavors and ideas and service, TOO FRGGIN DARK, couldn't see a single food color, presentation was wasted, maybe I'll try lunch someday so I can see iif the carrot salad is orange and the crispy kale Is green
(3)Andrea F.
They have a drink with vodka, St. Germain and elderberry that I want to marry- it was so good!
(4)Meaghan V.
Made a reservation and our party of 4 was seated within 15 minutes of our reservation time during a busy Sunday brunch. I tried the pancakes and the quiche - both were great! I ordered a Bloody Mary when we were first seated but it didn't show up until I was finished with my main course. The server said they ran out of mix.
(3)Kelly S.
What moved the needle to four stars at Bristol was service. And about 3 bottles of wine. But who's counting? Met some friends there after Pitchfork, covered in grime and grass and hipster fumes and bee-lined to their oasis of a bathroom. I wanted to lie on the tile floor and take a nap -- it was that cool in there. But alas, social norms stopping me from ridiculous actions, as they usually do, I went out to hang at the bar for a bit with some Torrontes and my dining companions. We were seated by the huge window in front, light streaming in the narrow restaurant, giddy with a second glass and the good company of great friends. And then we proceeded to order a ton of things off the menu. The monkey bread, duck fat fries, the meatballs, the sausage special, the carbonara and various and sundry other items that I dont remember. And i suppose that's kind of the issue. The one thing that sticks out in my head is the carbonara in its creamy salty goodness - but the other dishes i found relatively unremarkable. Though I do need to shout out to the homemade catsup (holla!) for the fries. But the aforementioned service was fantastic, including charging my phone at the bar with nary a 900 number being called, and the life saving bathroom. It was overall quite enjoyable - a great date night restaurant. I'm not sure I'd wait an hour for a table at this spot but it's a nice, intimate restaurant that sources locally and has the perfect amount of chichifoofoo. If you know what I mean.
(4)Jacqueline O.
Came here for Restaurant Week 2015 ready to love it, but was entirely disappointed. The portions were small and over salted, and our waitress was minimally attentive. I had the gnocchi, which was really a small circle of fried potato topped with mushrooms. Tasted fine, but the portion size was laughable. I don't appreciate when vegetarian dishes are tiny... We need the sustenance. :) My friend had the salmon and couldn't even finish the modest portion because of the saltiness. Maybe the traditional menu would have been better, but given that Restaurant Week was my first exposure to The Bristol, I will not be back.
(2)Dana D.
Having passed by the Bristol several times and wanting to check it out, I finally made dinner plans. I'm so glad I did! The ambiance of the restaurant is quaint and elegant, and the lighting is warm and inviting...perfect for a romantic evening or dinner with friends. The menu features several unique and creative options with a focus on farm-supported ingredients. Though it was tough to decide, we settled on: peaches & soppressata, (marcona almonds, pickled onions, arugula, whipped ricotta); grilled zucchini, (marcona almonds, smoked paprika, queso fresco); duck fat fries, (with house ketchup, garlic aioli); and last but not least the e.l.t., (balsamic glazed eel, crispy wantons, heirloom tomatoes). While everything was amazing, the e.l.t. was to die for - we loved it so much we ordered a second round of it! The manager Charles and our server could not have been more accommodating. They helped us pair the perfect wine with our dishes, and Charles was able to offer a back story to each of the wine selections. I felt well taken care of, and everything was superb. I can't say enough about this dining experience; I'm looking forward to returning again!
(5)Mike W.
Everything was great! Getting drinks takes a minimum of 30 minutes per drink-- I don't know why Oh and it's really dark- I saw many a person using the tea lights on the table to see their menu's. Reminds you a Maude's type ambiance.
(5)Sophia L.
Kitchen must have had an off night because the food was just okay. Service was friendly and worth 4 stars. We chatted a bit and after 2 minutes, our server brought me a drink that was off the menu and just what I was looking for. Food; - Charred Broccoli Salad was lukewarm and a bit mushy. I liked the flavor but the textural and food temperature threw me off. - Duck fat fries were solid with a great homemade ketchup and garlic aioli. - Cavatelli had just the right amount of pesto, slightly nutty bitter in a good way, and was a perfect al dente. - Grilled zucchini was fresh, hot, and just as I imaged. - Crispy tripe was odd. It didn't quite have that crunch on the outside before you bit into the slightly chewy trip. Make sure you take every bite with the pickled onions or else it's too oily. Dinner was not as expected and so we skipped the dessert. Tip -- this is a slow dining establishment. Great for conversation and I loved how they never rushed us. But it definitely took too long for our drinks to arrive (mine arrived with our first dishes) and between courses.
(3)todd s.
Brunch Food: average at best. "House" bacon was limp, paper thin, and had less flavor than turkey bacon. Chilaquiles were passable if your looking for a single-note spicy bowl of mush. Ambience: louder than average. Tables so close you literally rub elbows with other diners. Even the very thin person in the next table could not exit without their ass dragging across the table on the way out. Service: fine but quite aggressive to clear plates and turn tables.
(1)Mary Y.
This to me is real fine dining Chicago-style. The restaurant is a bit narrow so I would definitely call ahead and make reservations. My girlfriend who's a major foodie did all the ordering and I just sat back and enjoyed the food. The room to me just looks like one long table. You're kind of squished next to people but I didn't mind all that much. We started off with duck fat fries. You can never go wrong with french fries! One entree was the roasted bone marrow which I have never eaten before. Bone marrow just sounds weird, right? But, It was really good. I'm a pasta person, so I'd have to say the ravioli was the best. It's one big round ravioli with some kind of sauce. You can definitely cut it into 4 different pieces and share. They have a diverse beer & cocktail menu. I ordered the poire & elderflower drink which was really fruity & fresh. Will come back again. BTW, one of the chefs of this restaurant is competing in BravoTV's Top Chef!
(4)Abby S.
The Bristol is incredible. Our drinks, the Dark and Stormy and the Moscow Mule, were strong and really delicious. The restaurant takes drinks seriously, and I recommend taking advantage of the extensive and well-though menu. Our waitress suggested that we order 5 total dishes: Three small plates, a pasta, and a main. This was the perfect amount for the two of us on a date, but you could probably get away with one fewer small plate for two. We had the duck fat fries, which were as delicious as they sound, the apple salad, which was the perfect combination of sweet and tart, and the sturgeon, which was really nicely done with seasonal squash. We chose the rabbit ravioli and it was our favorite of everything we tried. It's three large ravioli (our waitress told us the pastas were about 5 oz each, so we expected it to be small) and a delicious sauce with large chunks of meat. Absolutely order this while it's still in season. We also tried the pork porterhouse which was perfectly cooked, and came with "lazy pierogis" that I loved. For dessert, we ordered the basque cake at the suggestion of our waitress and it lived up to her hype. It's perfectly crispy on the outside and soft and cake-y on the inside. It's incredible and a must-order. After checking in to the restaurant on Foursquare with a "Date night!" tag, our waitress mentioned to us that she had heard it was date night. It was a cute touch that was made even better when she brought out the chocolate cremeux with homemade nutter butters "so we could try it." They were wonderful. Our Bristol experience was absolutely perfect - the restaurant wasn't crowded on a Tuesday night and we felt taken care of by everyone there. The food is exceptional and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.
(5)Colleen B.
My husband and I were married at the Bristol on 9/21/2013 - just a week and a half ago. We've been before for brunch and we knew the food and service were fantastic. It was the first and only venue we seriously considered for our wedding and easily the best choice we could have made for our event. Everyone we worked with - especially Michelle the event coordinator - was so warm and excited and went above and beyond to make sure we had a great time. The food was excellent - we got so many compliments. The upstairs private event space has a very modern but warm and cozy feel. There's a separate bar, two bathrooms and an area to set up a little dance floor. It's gorgeous, believe me. If you're planning a small to medium sized event and quality of food and service are the number one priority, check out the Bristol.
(5)Daniel C.
Let me start off by saying that the food was excellent. The reason for two stars is the service. My friend and I sat at the bar tonight (2/3/14) and we were not ready to order the first time our bartender asked us for our order. We then we had to wait about another half hour until he asked again. When we finished our entree we were still nibbling on our full order off duck fat fries which we barely even touched. When he took our empty entree plates he immediately threw out the fries without asking if we wanted to take them to go or even asking if we were done with them. When I mentioned I was still eating the fries he said something along the lines of I should have asked for a box etc... Terrible service but excellent food.
(2)Mary Beth K.
A good glass of wine, warm atmosphere and some tasty bacon. Those are the three things I remember most. Their drink menu is large and lovely. Many good wines to choose from. I love the fact that they buy whole animals from local sources. Thumbs up to sustainable, local, well designed restaurants (nod to their graphic design from a graphic designer). It is a little loud. But what can you expect with exposed brick and spirited conversations? We went a little earlier so it wasn't bad. Servers were friendly and well informed. Street parking is pretty easy too. Nice, easy dinner without a lot of fuss.
(4)Jessica M.
The Bristol could have been wonderful for me, but, it wasn't. Our party of four stopped in for dinner at about 6pm on a Friday night. I was expecting a long wait, but we were seated right away. This place is really warm, cozy and rustic/modern. I felt right at home. Annnd then our waiter came over. He should have been selling used cars. He made us all want to set ourselves on fire and jump out of the window. He ended every sentence with a condescending "oookay". Totally fake, totally annoying. So Bristol's food is served tapas style, but really it's not tapas. The portions are bigger and are clearly not designed to serve a party of four. They call it tapas style because each item takes a different amount of time to prepare, so they just bring out whichever comes first and then you are forced, really, to share. For instance, a few of the dishes we ordered, only had 3 pieces of meat, etc. This posed a problem when sharing with four people. Seriously, THESE DISHES ARE NOT MEANT TO BE SHARED WITH MORE THAN 3 PEOPLE. It would have been nice if our cheesy waiter would have advised us, oookay. The food was really good, though, I wanted more of it. More than one bite of the goat with the yogurt sauce and barley, more than one bite of that delectable ravioli filled with a beautifully runny egg yolk. The stuffed olives were terrible. Monkey bread, c'mon, of course it was great. When the dessert menus arrived, we all became savages and ordered our own desserts. We had to make it very clear that we were not f-ing sharing. We settled our bill (expensive) and proceeded to chat a bit. We got the stink eye several times from our waiter. Clearly we needed to get the hell out of there. There were lots of people waiting for a table. We left hungry. And the moral of the story is: come here for a cozy date.
(3)Meredith T.
Dined here with two other couples during the first snowstorm of the season. Still busy despite the weather. The plates are all meant to be shared and I believe we sampled EVERYTHING but two dishes on the menu. Some of my favorites were the raviolo, roasted half chicken, and the bone marrow. I enjoyed two different drinks(multiples of each) and they were OUTSTANDING - the smoked sicilian manhattan and the moscow mule. I would go back and eat in a heartbeat but will definitely be back to try more cocktails!
(4)Tal C.
Went here for Restaurant Week with a few girlfriends and loved it. We each got 2 cocktails, all of which were delicious. We all got the Restaurant Week deal, which included a roasted beet and gruyere tart, their special pasta (made with double the egg yolk), a beef dish, and a dessert. The group consensus that the first two courses and the dessert were amazing, and the entree was just so so. In the future, we'll definitely come back for cocktails and small plates. It's a bit pricey, but we left very full and very happy. Definitely recommend it for the food, service, and cozy atmosphere.
(4)Eric S.
Stumbled into this place while visiting a friend who lives a block away from it. Great staff, clean, nice looking place. Great busboys, clean restroom. Food: Get the monkey bread, and the Dill-infused butter was revelatory. Appetizer: crab/foie gras thing: eh, looks good, tastes ok. Pasta dishes: very small portions Entree: I got the half chicken and spatzle. Salty as heck, not so flavorful and actually kind of raw near the bone. I ate up thru the cooked part and left the rest. Nice start, will try again perhaps.
(3)Melissa H.
I was afraid. Afraid that after you'd treated me so well that our second date would be a let down. More than that, I'd told all my friends how wonderful you were - and now, they were meeting you for the first time and I was nervous. I wanted them to like you, I wanted you to make a good impression. After all - I am in love. And if your friends don't like your love interest, it's all downhill from there. Yet, dear sweet Bristol; you did not disappoint. You lived up to all my expectations. My friends thought you were fabulous. I became even more smitten. I realize you probably don't feel the same way about me; but that's okay. You have to spread your love around. I'm not going to try and keep you all to myself (as much as I would love to!), you are simply too wonderful to keep a secret any longer. I look forward to many more rendezvous Bristol. You have a permanent place in my heart,
(5)Jenna M.
These steps are the key to my success at The Bristol: 1. Go on a regular night that isn't a big occassion or important date. Just you and your sig o, good friend, whomever. Go early or late (not 7-8:30, when everyone wants to eat dinner). 2. Sit at the bar. This makes it more casual and puts the whole experience into perspective. Oh, and helps you avoid the communal dining thing if you are not a fan (and as a chronic eavesdropper, I'm not-it's too distracting). 3. Order an awesome drink or beer. Take a look at the menu like you could take it or leave it. 4. Let the waiter explain the specials and ask for recommendations. Order these recommendations. Oh, and the monkey bread too, because come on, you are gonna order the warm salty bread with dill butter. 5. Chill and have a good time. This isn't Everest. It's more like going to a restaurant where your friend is the chef and he/she sends out some food for you while you're having some drinks. My waiters have always paced things well, but being good with irregular pacing and sharing helps, for sure. As for price, yeah, it isn't free, but again, it isn't Everest. Last time there I split the scotch olives, monkey bread, whelks and manti with my boyfriend. All excellent, the last two strict recommendations. Oh, and all of this is moot anyway b/c I learned about Chouffe Houblon off a bartender's recommendation here and that alone is worth 5 stars. Go! Drink it now!
(5)Allyson C.
I pretty much loved everything about The Bristol. From the service (attentive & helpful) to the atmosphere (loud & crowded with great lighting) to the wine list and beer list (extensive & detailed like you wouldn't believe - I seriously read it for 15 straight minutes). Then of course there was the food. No one in my group had been there before so we decided to try a lot of different things. I loved everything I tried, which included monkey bread, flatbread with onions and bacon, skate wing w/pine nuts and root veggies, skirt steak w/blue cheese ravioli, lazy pierogis, duck fat fries w/homemade ketchup & garlic aioli, and for dessert the chocolate sabalyon w/homemade nutter butters. It was one of those times when every new thing you taste is better than the thing before which you previously thought couldn't be topped. The brunch menu looks amazing too. I definitely plan to go back to try it soon.
(5)Christine J.
This place is another one of those super popular hip restaurants that are small and don't take reservations. I was very impressed at how they handle the waits. We went upstairs first where they serve a limited menu and there are lots of tables. We ordered drinks and some snacks while waiting for our table. I was quite pleased with the food. They were all small plates, so we shared everything. Portion sizes were good, choices were attractive. Definitely get the basque cake for dessert, which is their signature dessert. I would've given this place four stars except for two things... First, the main courses were disappointing. They were way too salty and a low light after some amazing small plate courses. Our bass was overcooked too. Second, they overcharge for mocktails. When their alcoholic options are $11, there is no reason why a non-alcoholic drink should be $8. Total ripoff. Even Violet Hour, which throws in some house-made premium ingredients, only charges $5 for a mocktail. I would go to this place again, but I'd avoid the main courses and stick with water.
(3)Susan L.
Went here with both sets of parents to celebrate a new job. The long and short of it is that you should go for the drinks and the neat food. The plates are a weird portion size--bigger than tapas but not really enough to eat for a meal. So we had to order a lot. This makes your bill uber expensive. [Also, I realized that my parents don't like sharing, so don't bring non-sharing people here]. The food itself is pretty great, though. And the drinks are so fantastic. The MAJOR downer is that the place is so darn noisy! I know other reviews commented on this, but it's seriously WORSE than Mia Franchesca! How is that possible!?!?!?! I won't be back until I read reviews on Yelp that say something about fixing the noise. Oh, and the artwork is seriously depressing. Like silhouettes of empty houses in horror films depressing.
(3)Slu S.
Looking for a place that would suit a number of different diner types, I picked The Bristol for a small reunion. I called ahead and spoke with someone there and worked out that if we showed up early enough, they'd work us in for a table of 8. I left my name with the guy. I walked in and let them know that we were all there and he pointed at a table of 8 and said that he had already seated my party. Only they weren't my party. Someone had done the old looky loo on the sheet and used my name. We were sent upstairs to wait for a table. After an hour of sazeracs, we were seated. The menu was a little small (in terms of variation), but I really enjoyed my Raviolo. It was covered with a sage and brown butter sauce and stuffed with ricotta. I moved on with the bone marrow and toasts which was good, but not quite as well done, literally and culinarily, as I had hoped. In addition, the dish needed lemon as marrow is pretty rich on its own. I tried my wife's duck fat fries which were awesome and her burger was good. However her burger's construction wasn't good enough to maintain bun on burger contact beyond the first bite. Seems as if it sat around awhile before it came out. I am not in a big hurry to get back to the Bristol. I appreciate them trying to work us in, but it was a lot of running around for something less than awesome.
(3)Ang R.
I've been avoiding fennel since September 1998. That's not a joke. Tonight, I ate fennel, and I liked it. I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Bristol for this very reason. The fennel was part of the market salad, and when it came to the table, I saw it immediately. But I decided that the salad smelled so appetizing, that I'd eat it all (including giant leafy herbs). And I did. And I freaking enjoyed the salad. I enjoyed it so much, I'd go back and get it in a heartbeat. (I'm guessing that it won't always have fennel--hence the market aspect, but who cares? It'll be covered in lovely dressing no matter the veggies.) I had the burger for my main meal, and it was very nice. I don't have burgers of this quality very often, so I could be wrong, but it tasted pretty darn yummy. The duck fat fries and aioli were also delectable. As were the pickled white carrots (and pickled onion on the burger). I liked my meal very, very much, and I'll definitely enjoy coming back to the Bristol.
(5)Kristin C.
Even though my trip here was so 2008, I thought a review of The Bristol would be a good way to kick off 2009. I am hoping to be hipper, and more with it this year so here goes. . . My brother and sister-in-law kindly took Mike and I here to celebrate out engagement - i was stoked to see what the buzz was about (and also to see how they transformed the former Il Covo into a hip spot with a wait and a cozy - hey are you sitting on my lap? dining style. I dug the decor, I did. For drinks, I went for a few Moscow Mules - oh sweet delicious. I highly recommend - I would have tried something else, but those mules sure were so tasty, I couldn't lay off. On to the grub, Bristol does the small share plate it's-like-tapas-but-it's-not-Spanish thing. I like that since it means tasting lots of dishes. We ordered monkey bread with an eggy ravioli dish that was really good. The fries were fairly good as were everything with snausage. I stayed away from the fishy stuff since I don't play that but those who did, seemed to like everything. Grade? A on Drinks, B on food and atmosphere. I would go back again to try out some new selections and to tie on a few mules!
(4)Jill W.
Went on NYE with a fixed menu, so I can't comment on much. Appetizers -- very light and perfect portions for appetizers. Pork shoulder sausage was great, tuna with greens & beets were ok. (how excited can you get about beets?) Entree -- Had a pistachio stuffed sausage with veal on a polenta cake. The polenta was perfect and probably my favorite part of the meal. Dessert -- was a mix of several small desserts that reminded me of cookies/cakes your aunts bring over for xmas dinner. Nothing to write home about.
(4)Joel G.
Outstanding. Conclusion: One of my new favorite restaurants in Chicago. Service: 5-stars Food: 5-stars Atmosphere: 5-stars For those who want more detail, feel free to read: My girlfriend took me here for my birthday dinner last night and I was truly impressed. The restaurant reminds me of some of the places I ate in Napa. Some of the menu items change daily based on freshness and availability, specials are written on chalk on giant boards, and the atmosphere is fun, upbeat and inviting. Drinks ordered: Cocktails: Get some. We got three. My drink had vodka and ginger and was served in a copper mug. Nice touch, nice drink, but I REALLY loved my girlfriends. Hers was served in a martini glass with two grapes separated by a curled orange peel. It had elderberry liquor, vodka and some other goodies - we had two of these and they were fantastic! Food ordered: 1) Shaved pumpkin salad: Initially hesitant, but the 2 guys next to us overhead we were talking about this and raved, so we ordered it. Good idea. The salad was delicious and different. I'm interested in trying other salads next time, but this was a nice start. Salad was shaved raw pumpkin, frisee, pomegranate seeds and toasted pine nuts. 2) Charcuterie plate: Standouts were the lamb liver mouse, the house made pickled celery, pickled cucumbers, house made mustard, house made ham... hmmm.... I'm naming the whole plate! 3) Raviolo: Large ravioli with ricotta, spinach and a poached egg in brown butter. Was a bit hesitant at first, but this was amazing. I would order this again. 4) Faux cassoulet: House made duck sausage, hen confit, beans, pork belly and some chicken hearts (they taste like chicken - relax). This was the only dish I was so-so on - my girlfriend and I both appreciated the dish, it was the duck sausage I wasn't crazy about. The sausage was very rich, and just not to my personal taste - the table next to us loved the sausage though. The pork belly in the cassoulet was fantastic though! I could have eaten a bowl of that! Beans were well seasoned, and the sauce was delicious - a blended mixture of garlic confit, parsley and hen stock. This was put to good use for bread dipping! 5) Basque cake: Outstanding. Per the two gentlemen at the adjacent table, this was their favorite dessert in the city. While perhaps not my FAVORITE dessert in the city (too tough to name a #1), this cake was outstanding and certainly up there for ratings. Dense and soft at the same time, the secret is that it's made with pastry cream! Cinnamon walnuts dotted with poached chunks of apples topped off the treat. Our neighboring table let us try their chocolate sabayon nutterbutters* and they were good too, but not nearly as good as the cake IMHO (In My Humble Opinion). *Tables are somewhat close which leads to people eyeing what neighboring tables are eating. This comparison of different food at tables led us to make new friends the night we went - which led to a lady at one of our adjacent tables breaking off a bit of nutterbutter with chocolate sabayon and offering us a taste.
(5)Andrea C.
I'm glad I tried it, but not sure it is worth it. First the good: 1. Monkey Bread - absolutely awesome, especially the dill butter. 2. Duck Fat Fries - duck fat, need I say more 3. Good Drink Selection 4. Creative and fresh dishes The Not so Good: 1. Way too loud, not a place you can have a conversation between two couples. 2. Seats jammed together too tightly like sardines 3. Portions are delicious but tiny. My husband had the burger and it was kind of a joke. 4. Food didn't really justify the prices 5. We left still hungry and yearning for more.
(3)Dustin W.
The Bristol hosted the Goose Island and Zagat present Sour Night as a closing party for the National Restaurant Association conference. I am a new purveyor of sour ale, so this was a definite must and at only $40 a ticket for beer and small plate food, a clear no-brainer for me. The event was held upstairs and featured 5 amazing new sours from GI, Juliet, Lolita, Madame Rose, Amara, and Mae. The first three are available for consumption at a few local craft drinking spots, the latter 2 were firsts for nearly everyone I spoke with at the event. Amara is a funkier offering compared to the rest and is fermented from Brettanomyces lambicus. I enjoyed this variation a lot, especially after hovering over the sweet Michigan cherry spiked Madame Rose for awhile. My unexpected come-from-behind favorite last night may have been the Mae however, boasting Georgia peaches and Brett. claussenii, this saison style farmhouse ale is aged in white wine barrels to attain an unmistakably unique taste. I found myself returning frequently for one last sip. Those that attended were clearly in the know when it comes to beer, and a few local beer celebs were easily spotted in the quaint, cozy room. Several GI employees and brewers showed up and were extremely eager to share their experiences and answer questions. I learned even more about the creation of these beautiful brews and the fortunate mishap that came to be Dominique. The food was very tasty and paired well with most of the beers. Each beer had two food pairings and it kept coming until the last beer was poured. The standouts for me included the fois gras, mini cheese spoon,and chorizo. I wish I paid attention to the names of the dishes, but I was more interested in consuming and sampling sours. I am definitely intrigued to come back for a full dinner experience in the dining room. I heard through the hopvine that GI shelled out over 10K for the event, recouped 4K at best and took the 6K hit for this amazing celebration of sour. Thanks GI and Bristol for making this unique pouring event perfecto!
(5)Olive G.
This review is for brunch only. The bloody mary was great. Had a little kick to it - just the way i like it. I did ask for spicy. I had the duck and potato skillet - which was very good. My only complaint is that i asked for a poached egg on top and it was overcooked. I like it nice and runny. I also had a little bite of the braised pork chilaquiles - they were great. Definitely will return for dinner. The menu looks interesting.
(4)Anne P.
Monkey bread = amazing; duck fat fries = amazing; nutter butter and sabayon dessert = amazing; quail = amazing; darn good burger (tried my companion's); but bone marrow = THE. BOMB. seriously. My companion wasn't as impressed, perhaps, but man. Ultimate comfort food for me, evidently. The waiter gave excellent recommendations, and we were glad we took each one: so, fantastic service. Great chalkboard thing going on, great menu with some humor attached ("the cook county department of health would like to inform you that consuming raw or uncooked foods may, in fact, end your life"), happy that they support (and inform us that they support) local farms, etc. Well-done overall, really. Overall, really freaking fantastic experience. Spendy, but goddamn. Worth it. I left very impressed.
(5)Elyse C.
I was laughing as I walked out of the Bristol with some friends this morning because it sucked so much. It was hilarious that we went there and had a horrible waitress who was just as pissed off to be there as we were by the end of brunch. It was hilarious that the burger I ordered for 11 dollars was mediocre and that they skimped us on the fries. It was not funny when my bloody mary tasted like tomatoes and water though. I think the Bristol itself woke up with a hangover and was treating everyone like cr*p and half-a**ing their dishes. It gets 2 stars because the bathroom looked sweet and I liked the atmosphere. I have not completely given up on this place because I think their dinner menu is a lot stronger and they have an solid craft beer menu. So I will be back for dinner and I hope they have their game faces on next time. Avoid brunch. I was probably laughing as I exited because I was so embarrassed that I had talked this place up to my friends for so long and the food, drinks, prices, and service were so horrible, wtf Bristol, making me look bad.
(2)Kevin D.
Both brunch and dinner have been great, but I find the menu to be much more consistent for dinner. The monkey bread is a must and the seafood options and sides have always been unique. Service is good and efficient and they have generally been very accommodation to our table's needs. It's a nice neighborhood spot!
(4)E W.
Get the burger. Eat it and your life will be happier! I went on a weekend night with a girlfriend. We were told that the wait would be over an hour and then they sat us right away in front of the window at a private table. I'm not a huge fan of the communal table...because it gets pretty noisy. But the food was amazing!
(5)julie p.
Alcohol success, food failure. Come to drink, go somewhere else to eat. The Bristol has a little problem with its menu. It doesn't say anything. Imagine our surprise when "Olives, pork sausage, lemon" came to the table as breaded and fried olives stuffed with pork sausage and lemon. "Smoky fritters" didn't say what kind of fritters they were, so we had to ask, and the "Bristol burger, cheddar, pickle" came with a surprise side of duck fat fries. The menu artistry shouldn't result in complete failure to actually describe the dish, people. All the portions are disappointingly small, the prices are exorbitant for what you get, and the food really isn't that great, so honestly, next time we'll be eating somewhere else before coming here to drink.
(2)Elizabeth H.
Raviolo, sweetbreads, bone marrow, ramps, veal carpaccio. In that order. Trust me, that was about 1/3 of what we ordered. We started out with a incredibly refreshing moscow mule and then had the waitress select a beer flight to go with our meal. Genius. Avoid the prawns and the strip pastas (especially the one with the artichokes) and be sure to get advice from the waitstaff. They know whats up with the food, and even more so with beer. Can't wait to try brunch!
(5)wesley w.
Sure liked this joint. Duck fat fries, marrow bones, and chewing on amazing pork tail? fat heaven. Wish I could afford to eat here every day.
(4)Matt D.
Came to this place on a Saturday or Sunday for a late brunch around 2:30. We lucked out and found an unbelievable parking spot right in front that would've made Costanza proud. The roomies and George were seated in a nice spot by the window with a great view of our parking spot. I wasn't too hungry, because I'd refrained from getting stoned in the car. I got one of their specialty drinks. It was nine-ish dollars and too girly looking for most men. Luckily I'm hardly mannish so I didn't mind the strawberry at the bottom of my pinkish colored martini glass. The drink was strong and not cosmopolitan-like so I was happy. If I were taking notes when I enjoyed it 3 weeks ago I could probably give you the exact title of the drink. Let's call it "Pink Rio", even though I just made that up. George got the $19 bloody breakfast which included a skewer of meats, cheeses, and pickled veggies, a 7 oz. bottle of high life and a nicely spiced bloody mary. He said the skewer had a cube of some of the best pate (imagine a symbol over the e) he'd ever had encamped within the other foreign sounding meats and cheeses. He's a well trained chef so I have faith in his judgment. I ate the anchovy of his skewer and I could still taste it when I woke up the next morning. Serves me right for trying to be culinarily fearless in the midst of trained experts. My entree might have been duck related with a Mexican tint, but then again that might have been my roomies dish. If I'd only taken notes to better serve the yelp reader. I will say my food was around ten bucks, small portioned, but moderately tasty. The service was great, I forget her name but she was hot, as was another of the girls walking around helping with the coffee, so kudos to the hiring screener. I'll be back to this place for more, maybe I'll even bring a pen and a pad.
(3)Lois A.
It's hard to add to the bazillion good things that have already been said about this place. It was excellent. I was floored by how friendly the staff were and that definitely added to our wonderful experience. TRY A MOSCOW MULE!! They said that the specialty drinks take longer to prepare but I swear it was done before I could bat an eye. Served in a copper mug and so perfect with vodka and ginger beer and lime. I could have had several. We loved everything we tried, the monkey bread with dill dip, the olive plate. Yum. We ordered burgers and they were outstanding. Cooked to perfection! Duck fat fries....so good. I can't wait to come back and try a bunch of other things. This restaurant does everything right. I wasn't sure it would live up to all the hype but it did.... and then some.
(5)Jennifer P.
This place has a nice environment. I had the pan friend chicken which was delish...I typically do not order chicken at restaurants but this one had a great description. My boyfriend ordered the hanger steak and this one was a little more odd in flavor so I would stay away. Over all a good experience and hear their brunch was worth experiencing.
(3)Carrie W.
Excellent cocktails, yummy organic/sustainable/local food, knowledgeable staff, but so loud on a Friday night at 9:30 that you can't holler across the table and be heard by your dining companion. Which you try, but that just adds to the tidal wave cacophony of sound. We jetted before ordering a main course just so we could go somewhere and talk. I will definitely go back but they should consider some sort of acoustic treatment in there. The upstairs waiting area was way more chill but has a limited menu; it's a great place for a snack and cocktail on your way to other things.
(4)Moe f.
Tried the Bristol again for brunch. As a lover of the Bloody Mary, had to try the infamous $17 Bloody. Wife got it too and 2nd ordered only cost $6. It was good and came with a giant skewer of sausage, cheese, pickles, peppers, etc. I'd ask for no anchovies next time. On to the entrees. We both ordered the Chilaquiles with braised pork. It was one of the best I've ever had. It was also the smallest Chilaquiles I've ever had. The serving dish was like an appetizer bowl and not piled high. So I had to savor every bite and found myself leaving incredibly hungry. Chilaquiles are supposed to be huge! All in all, a $45 brunch(w/o tip) and I left hungry. So as much as I liked the food, too small. Can't wait to not go back unless someone else is buying.
(3)David L.
Decor: sleek wood tables and a cool chalkboard with the specials of the day. loud joint as the room echos Food: duck fat fries - decent and good size portion pumpkin seasonal salad - something aobut the dressing and the bitter greens made it not very appetizing roasted bone marrow - best part of the meal..lots of marrow and very decadent tried another pasta dish and it was very bland and too simple Drinks: good selection of beers and the specialty drinks are tastey..especially the poire & elderflower overall i would have given it 3 stars but for the portion and the hype of the place it did not meet my expectations
(2)Cat B.
Went here a few weeks ago with three of my friends for our second annual girls holiday dinner. They don't take reservations and even showing up around 7 on a Friday night cost us over an hour wait. Fortunately, the upstairs bar area is set up to fit lots of people waiting. The bar and the drinks are wannabe Violet hour drinks. It takes 10 minutes to make a martini because they have to cut fresh lemon rind and take one drop here and two drops here of 8 different ingredients. SERIOUSLY?? That may be alright if you have 6 bartenders, but when you have 2 it is kind of a nuisance. You end up waiting a while to get a drink at the bar. So you have to wait too long while you are waiting too long... I did not have the drinks (I think I saw a sigh of relief on the bartenders face when he went from making 4 different martinis in a row to pouring me a glass of sav blanc), but I am sure they are good and interesting. We finally made it downstairs where we were seated at the large communal table in the middle. That is fine, but it was really loud in there and we found that we couldn't have much conversation over the large table. The food is served as shared plates. That was okay, but a bit cumbersome trying to pass plates across the table with all the plates, glasses, etc. I might have preferred just having my own plate. The food...that was the best part. Everything was really good. We even had a woman with us who had some specific dietary requests and they were able to accommodate and still make her dish tasty. I would recommend it. It is fun. I hope that the hype can die down and they can streamline the experience. This might be a place to try on an off night as opposed to a Friday/Saturday.
(4)Johnny T.
It doesn't need another review, but someone has to be #300. I had a pretty great experience. Things started out somewhat rocky, as I got here at 6:30 and there was already an hour wait. I was a little dubious as to the veracity of such a claim (SAT -- holla!), but I ran into some folks at 6 Degrees who corroborated the claim. Actually, they were told and hour and a half. So, after 58 minutes of waiting, I got a call that a seat was ready. At the bar. I was almost ready to leave. Granted, I did ask for first available but I don't really enjoy sitting at bars to eat dinner. It feels...incomplete. Making matters even worse, I noticed that some tables were available, but people had been waiting even longer than an hour for them. Supposedly. I got a little cross-eyed crazy, when the party I'd met at 6 Degrees sauntered in 15 minutes after me and sat at a table. There were *prior* requests for a table? Oy. Sensing a Hulk-like meltdown, my buddy encouraged me to keep drinking and chill out. We were here for good food and better drinks. I said, "okay," but crossed my fingers. I was ready to flip. And then I met Debbi. If you sit at the bar at The Bristol, ASK FOR HER. She, single-handedly, saved the evening. Yes, the food was as good as has been detailed (Monkey Bread, Flat Bread, Duck Fat Fries, Radish, Pate, Sardines) but Debbi is a master mixologist. She hit me with whiskey, bourbon and a rum drink she made up on the fly with, like, six ingredients. She's friendly, knowledgeable of food AND drink and is a great person to talk to make you feel at ease in your experience. She got me even more sauced, but she also calmed me way down. As you might know from reading my reviews, once the rage fuse is lit, hide the knives and pray that the storm is over soon. Debbi turned me into...who's Dora's nice brother...Diego? Is that right? She turned me into someone fit for a 4-year old's consumption. I was happy, sweet and well-behaved. That takes a LOT. Debbi is a genius. Come to the Bristol. If it's just you (and a friend), sit at the bar. Ask for Debbi. Your belly and your drink palate will be psyched. You're welcome.
(4)Robyn T.
My recent dinner at The Bristol was one of the better dining experiences I've had. Our server was attentive and passionate about explaining the entrees and beverages. The food itself was stunning. The simplistic decor lent itself well for a focus on the food. I can't stop crowing to anyone who will listen about how wonderful The Bedford is. Do you know what most people's response is? "Oh I know, it's one of my favorite restaurants!" I highly recommend starting off with one of their many cocktails. Check out those beautifully square ice cubes while you're at it. No detail here is an accident. Nothing goes unnoticed. I was addicted to the monkey bread with it's addictive buttery sauce. With each bite of fluffy dough bite I thought that the sauce tasted more and more like a smooth clarified butter I'd dip my succulent lobster in. THIS is the way to eat bread and butter. Salads were hearty and for 3 people two salads were perfect and added some greenery to the dinner. If you're going to put chicken on the menu you know it's got to be good. No disappointments here in fact this roasted half chicken was succulent, moist, savory and unforgettable. I wanted to take my entree home but was honestly scared that the taste would be altered when I tried to reheat the dish. Instead I managed to finish the entire plate myself (with bites from my two other dining companions). You might think there'd be no room for coffee or dessert, but there's always room for sweets after a decadent meal, especially when The Bristol's pastry chef, Amanda Rockman, has appeared on "Top Chef: Just Desserts". Her signature cake was exceptional, especially when accompanied by a small french press of La Columbe coffee. I would recommend The Bristol for an evening out with friends, or a dinner date with your sweetheart. Just know that there are some communal dining tables and regardless of where you're sitting you'll be near your neighbors. Take advantage of this by looking at what your compatriots have ordered. Talk to them and figure out what they think of a dish. The Bristol prides itself on its locally sourced ingredients, and you'll feel like you're part of that community once you dine here.
(5)Troy B.
Went here last night with friends. We shared a round of appetizers. The duck fat fries and the pork tonatto were my favorites. For my entree I had the prawns. They were perfectly done in the shell an had a great grilled flavor. The others had the roast chicken, which was nicely flavored and the pork loin, which also got high marks. We split the four deserts and my favorite was the pistachio cremeux served with a giant macaroon. I liked the chocolate sabayon as well. Cocktails were excellent Service was very attentive but not in your face. Our server was very informative and helpful with suggestions. Restaurant decor and ambience were perfect. This was my first time here and I will be going back!
(4)Milly P.
I've been to the Bristol twice, and they don't disappoint! First of all, they have phenomenal cocktails! You can't go wrong with violet & elderflower! Their starters are probably their strongest point. Their monkey bread is phenomenal. Their apple salad with hazelnuts was very good. Duck fat fries... SO GOOD! I had a pasta dish with truffles which was also very satisfying. For our entrees we had the bass dish and prawns. My friend enjoyed her fish very much but I thought my prawns were a little salty. All in all, this is a great place to go for very satisfying food. The restaurant is a little small and gets packed very quickly! Please note, they don't take reservations!
(4)Bre F.
Came here for Brunch this past Sunday and I was not disappointed! Myself and two friends strolled in around 12:30 and were given a table right away. There were maybe 4 other groups there while we ate, not crowded at all. The Bristol Bellini was amazing! It was a rhubarb bellini, and oh my goodness I've found a new favorite flavor in rhubarb! On friend ordered the bacon manhattan and it actually came with a piece of candied bacon. The food came out super fast and piping hot! I love that because I know it was made right when I ordered. Now, I can only comment on what I ate during brunch. I do not remember what my friends got, but I do know they both liked their meals. I LOVED mine. I got the french toast, which came with a bourbon creme and a small amount of some really great maple syrup. I'm on my way to becoming a french toast connoisseur, and let me tell you, this was probably the best french toast I have had in my lifetime. I usually need a fair amount of syrup (at least more than was given to me) and very quickly discovered I really did not need it as much as I thought I would. They do something that gives each slice a crust on the outside that seals in the warmth. And the bread they use tastes heavenly. All in all, I loved my experience here. The staff was friendly and not too intrusive, perfect for a relaxed brunch experience.
(5)Brady D.
Monkey bread was awesome, the can of Chef Boyardee I ordered was not. I've heard the food is great so maybe this was a one time thing? Service was good but you sit on top of each other and unless you talk in your concert voice - you can't have much of relaxing experience. My date liked her salad and the wine/beer was fine.
(2)Casey R.
Amazing restaurant! Drinks were great and the food was phenomenal, waiter we had was a bit snobby and rude. I feel like I know a lot about food, he felt the need to make us feel stupid. Shame. Otherwise a great restaurant!
(3)Kelly P.
Went here for sunday brunch last weekend and had the following; Doughnut (I think it was maple that day) = awesome Bacon Manhattan = truly awesome - changed my life Chilaquiles = awesome Hangover Breakfast = awesome Nice space, service was pretty good given how busy it was. Over all it was a wonderful experience and I would totally go back!
(5)Gabrielle S.
Great beer...amazing food, delicious tuna tartar in a huge portion, homemade pasta was out of this world, and every single thing we ate had mad flavor! Duck fat frites....is there anything better?!! Service awesome.
(5)Dennis J.
I don't know what happened last time, but I was underwhelmed after our first visit. My wife enjoyed it and suggested we give it another crack. I'm so very glad we did. We went the Sunday before Memorial Day and they had a BBQ pre fixe going. The pulled goat was amazing, the cornbread was among the best I've ever had and the greens and beans were very good. The most amazing part of that menu was definitely the rhubarb and sour cream pie. I don't like pie that much. This pie, however, redefined the category and its potential for me though. It was that good. All that for just $25! We started with the "bits and pieces" (cracklings/chiccharon/etc.) that were better than the ones I've had at Publican and the duck fat fries (which were great last time too). My wife got the ramp fettuccine which was a nice complement to the some of the heavier dishes we got. What a meal! I'm going to have to chalk up my original review to carb induced madness.
(5)P S.
We rolled in late, it's true. We were the last table in the joint and while we didn't feel the least bit pressured to eat and get out, and our server gave us the exact same attention as he would have had we been there at 7:30, the kitchen I felt must have wanted to get out of there and quick. The hanger steak was luke warm when it hit the table, cold by the time we got to it and tough as leather (though not uncommon, hanger is a tough cut). Loved the pasta with escargot. The shrimps were delicious but stuck in their little shells like gum on the bottom of a shoe. The crackers that came with the dates and cheese were just this side of stale... I don't know. I loved Bristol for brunch and would absolutely go back for that, but I think it's coming off my dinner go-to list. Unfortunately. Even if I do have a sentimental attachment to the downstairs mens' loo. ; )
(2)Clif P.
The Bristol was hit and miss for me. The food was good, I enjoyed it. It doesn't exactly measure up to similar restaurants in the city, but good nonetheless. The drinks, while tasty, were rather expensive. $11 for a cocktail is just insane. I'm a big believer in fair prices for alcohol, and the Bristol just doesn't fit that belief. Overall I liked it but would only come back if I drink before/after.
(3)Margaret S.
There are so many amazing restaurants in Chicago--Bristol was not one of them for me. It was a genuinely miserable dining experience. My date and I were seated along the wall in the corner. We were seated right next to another couple (less than a foot away)--the other woman's arm kept hitting mine. They were having a very loud conversation--but in general, the restaurant was very loud and stressful. Something about the acoustics in the place just amplified the noise. The waiter was overwhelmed I think by the packed house. He took our drink order and then took 30 minutes to bring the drinks; the apps took a similarly long period of time. The entree, as you will see below, was not worth the very long wait. These items were not brought by him--they were brought by runners. He never came back to check to see if everything was alright. We did not see him again until it was time to order dessert. And he could see that we were pretty unhappy with our experience. To his credit, he tried to make it right then by giving us dessert--which was only ok but I appreciate the last-ditch effort. This was the only reason I did not give this place 1-start. My steak--which I ordered medium-rare--was bloody and mostly gristle. I truly do not remember any of the apps we ordered because they were unmemorable. I do know that for the same price, I could have gone to neighboring restaurants and had a better evening.
(2)Mel C.
I finally had the chance to check out Bristol & I must say- Holy Duck Fat Fries! Normally, I am not a person to rant and rave about french fries, but these are MONEY! The home-made ketchup & garlic aioli sauce were a perfect compliment to this appetizer. Aside from my fry-gasm, I really liked the feel of the place. Dimly lit, wooden tables and open windows created a great environment for conversation. Bristol was packed by 8pm, and they don't take reservations- so I would recommend getting there beforehand if you don't want to sit at the bar. Overall, I really liked this place. Nice staff too :)
(4)Candice R.
My friends and I decided to make Bristol our first stop on the Sunday Funday train. We started with the bloody mary breakfast, and a round of marys. The breakfast was ok, but I was disappointed by the cheese selection and abundance of pickled veggies. I don't like pickled veggies, so of course I wasn't gaga over it. Our food was good, we had the chilaquiles, pork sandwich and a boring breakfast platter (me). They were out of the housemade sausage, so I was given a tasty made by someone else sausage. The service was lackluster, as two of us were sitting with a drink for too long. We ended with a sticky cinnamon roll, and it needed more sticky, or more cinnamon, something. It was good, I'm glad I tried it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get back there.
(3)Julie B.
Delicious, delicious and did I mention DELICIOUS!!! I have always heard good things about this unassuming restaurant but was pleasantly surprised when on a Friday night, we were able to walk in (party of 4), sit down and just enjoy ourselves completely! We ordered a few of their specialty drinks and beer, then tried their flatbread (probably wouldn't order it again), pork ribs, scotch olives - the ribs and olives were perfect! We decided to split a couple of the entrees: The Veal Meatballs with Polenta was the best meal. If I had to go to prison, this would be my last meal! Then we split the beef sausage - flavorful and well done.
(4)Jeff R.
One of my last meals in town before my big trip was at The Bristol, and we couldn't have picked a better spot. I am very cautious about giving out 5/5s, but this qualified. The meal was a catch up with friends Geoff and Ashley, and since they live in the neighborhood The Bristol was an easy choice. I really liked the feeling when you entered the room. It's relatively small, but the brick walls and chalkboard gives you a local and friendly feeling. Our server and service all night was first rate, supplying us with detailed explanations and suggestions on request. Even though there is a high demand for tables, we were never rushed through our meal and casually dined for a solid two hours. The menu is approachable and not overly complex. There are 3 distinct sections, with the majority in the starter section, 4 choices of pasta, and 5 choices for large plates. Over half of the selections are "daily specials" and I image the menu has high turnover. Our only suggestion would be to reduce the number of starters and increase the number or large plates. Pricing is very reasonable with starters ranging from $4-$12, $14 pastas and entrees $18-21. Our entire bill for 4 people with drinks and dessert was around $150; great value in my opinion. All of this praise and I haven't even mentioned the food yet. We ordered 3 starters, 4 entrees, 2 desserts and cocktails. Everything was delicious and it was obvious to taste the effort and precision that went into each dish. I started the evening with one of their handmade cocktails, a traditional pisco sour. I'm not a pisco sour expert, but it tasted great and went down fast. We were in a starch mood that Monday evening by evidence of our starter selections. We went with monkey bread, flatbread and fries. The monkey bread was a more flavorful way to serve "bread." It is served pull apart style with sea salt and dill butter. Tasty. The duck fat fries were great, made even better by the garlic aioli. The house made ketchup was interesting, almost a cross between marinara sauce and Tabasco. Well cooked and well seasoned. My favorite was the flatbread, actually served on very thin, oven roasted flat bread as opposed to other places that just call pizza "flatbread." It came topped with bacon and melted sweet onion, some of my favorite cooking ingredients. The group made a nice variety of selections for the main course. Geoff and I stayed with the pastas (gnocchi and pappardelle), while Erica and Ashley ordered the halibut and hanger steak respectively. My pappardelle tasted fresh and delicious in a bolognese and basil sauce. The portion wasn't huge, as I could have ordered two or three more because I love good pasta. I had a bite of Geoff's gnocchi and that was all I needed to know how good all the food was at Bristol (not that there was any doubt at this point). It was a different kind of gnocchi than I had ever tasted; it was similar to fresh mozzarella and melted in your mouth. The accompanied veal also exploded with flavor and seasonings, a very nice dish. I also stole a bite of Erica's halibut (loved the fish, didn't like the too strong herb garnish) and a piece of Ashley's hanger steak (under cooked for my liking but I heard no complaints from that side of the table). The pastas stole the night, but everyone agreed the food was excellent. We couldn't leave without trying some desserts. There are only 4 on the menu, so we split the difference and ordered a sweet chocolate sabayon with home made nutter butters, and a savory banana bread trifle. Since dessert is my least favorite part of a meal I didn't mind that they were the weakest part of our meal. We all loved the nutter butters dipped in a very rich chocolate mouse, and the trifle was served in a glass jar with banana bread and creme fraiche all mixed together. An interesting presentation and not overly sweet (we were warned), but tasty none the less. I am very glad to experience this wonderful restaurant and hope more follow after me. There are many times when hype and reviews do not do justice to the product served, but this an occasions where I wasn't let down and add my praise to the long list before me. The formula of serving great food (and cocktails) at reasonable prices in a welcoming environment seems obvious, but few restaurants execute this formula as well as The Bristol.
(5)Sara I.
Let me start by saying I hate going to restaurants more than once (I feel there's too much going on in this city to be double dipping) and I have been to Bristol twice, soon to be "thrice," within 4 months. The menu is smaller compared to some restaurants, but considering everything is amazing, I'm glad it's not pages long. It's very all-natural and "farm to table" focused which I appreciate. Bristol produces very crafty combinations. At my last visit I had goat meet filled dumplings, bone marrow, roasted chicken (which was better than any I've had in a restaurant) with dill spatzel, duck fat fries, and savory monkey bread. I really recommend dining with an adventurous group since some of the ingredients my scare the narrow-minded "American" eater; but the portions aren't huge so it's definitely a place for sharing. Very fun atmosphere!
(5)A D.
We love it here. My wife and I have been on several occasions, most times with our young daughter but also with friends. Each experience is terrific. The food is excellent, the wine list nice, and their mixed drinks are very good. I highly recommend it. Yes, it can be noisy, but that's part of the fun. What's especially great about this place is how accommodating they are. My wife has several food allergies, and the Bristol handles this better than just about any other restaurant in the city. She gets her own printed menu listing what she is able to have, and they keep a file on her allergies in their computer. And her meals are always excellent. I'm very glad we found them.
(5)Heather C.
Showed up around 8pm on a Tuesday night sans reservation, sans wait (granted it was a balmy 21 degrees outside, so that may have had something to do with it). The decor is exposed brick + soft lighting. We drank delicious wines by the glass (all under $10 bucks thankyouverymuch!) and devoured the duck fat french fries, sunchoke salad, ravioli with egg and brown sugar and cod. All were to die for. Total bill was $45/each -- a steal for 2 glasses of wine/person 1 app/person and 1 entree/person. I will def be coming back. My only complaint is that the two-top tables are thiiiisclose to each other, causing me to listen to my neighbors more than my friend across the table. They have an amazing big group table, which would be great for a birthday dinner, bachelorette dinner, etc etc.
(4)Brian B.
Went here on a double date this weekend. Very attentive staff, great flow to the place, excellent beer selection, mostly delicious food. We decided to do an experiment and order the entire specials section and then see how we felt. Charcuterie and Cheese were phenomenal. The Liver Mousse was divine, the Mortadella was sweet and savory all at once, the pate was great and the Jasper Hill was a delicious cheese that reminded me of my time at Irving St Kitchen. In hindsight, it was our fault, we should have forgone the salads - nothing to write home about - and the prawns and instead ordered a pasta to share. Highlights were the Chicken hearts which I'd never experienced before, Tripe, Mackeral, Tartare, and the Fried Grardinere, Crudo. Disappointments: Both salads and the prawns, plus the lack of Duck Fat Fries even though we ordered them and asked about them part of the way through the meal. Kind of strange. In the end, I'd like to come back to experience the wonderful ambience again, peruse through the beer selection, grab a couple of starters and maybe split a couple pastas/entrees.
(4)Amanda S.
Went there at 5:30 on a Friday evening, sat at the bar, and had a thoroughly enjoyable meal. Not the best meal I've ever eaten, but in my survey of fine Chicago eating establishments, I will put this on my "would like to go again" list. Roasted Bone Marrow w/ Shallot Jam and Bitter Greens - Fantastic Easily my favorite part of the meal, which is interesting because before my plate came, I was a marrow virgin. I'm now a total convert, and frankly, I felt a little sorry for the people around me with their boring monkeybread or fries. It actually wasn't as rich or mouth-coatingly fatty as I had worried it would be, just meaty and buttery and wonderful. Especially with that jam. I didn't bother with the greens since I was enjoying those flavors immensely. I even used the last remaining toast piece to mop up the juices on the plate - it was that good. Raviolo with Browned Butter and Egg Yolk - Good I love browned butter, but both it and the egg got a little lost. The raviolo's filling was a citrusy ricotta with fresh thyme which pretty much overpowered the whole dish. Plus, I think it was dressed with additional lemon juice. I only remember one bite in which I could taste that nutty, earthy flavor of the browned butter. It was still tasty, and I cleaned my plate, just not what I was expecting. Cheesecake Panna Cotta - Ok A good panna cotta has a very distinct texture, creamy like a custard or flan, but lighter in mouthfeel and a slightly firmer texture. This was close, but not quite there, and my guess was that it was due to the cheesecake twist - wasn't as smooth as it should be. Granted, as a pastry chef, I tend to be a little on the picky side (tsk'd a little at the 4-item dessert menu having two sabayons). The graham cracker crust was fine, but the rose petal meringues were virtually tasteless paired with the acidity of the "cheesecake". And I just don't understand the point of fried fresh mint.
(4)Tabitha H.
The food was delish and innovative and I loved it. Scotch olives? Oh yes. And weird, but my favorite part of the wonderful suckling pig dish was the lentils. Because they were that good. But caveat boozer: our food was surprising affordable and we were full after about $40 worth of food. But our bill was $100. They serve their stout beer in small snifters. Which isn't wrong. But their snifters are about 8 ounces. The beers are 9 dollars. You do the math. Not. Cool.
(4)Laurence K.
I must say the cocktails and food have always been good here. This is my 4th visit and it all comes together well
(4)Susan F.
This place is fab. Yes, that is the adjective I just used. If you have frequented here once, twice, three times the lady, you'd agree too. After reading countless reviews of The Bristol, I came over on a Sunday night. Not too crowded, just the right amount of hungry people awaiting the unique menu and great service. First off, the space is small but neutral and sleek. I would love to have a private party here--might do some research on that later... The menu changes apparently, but I've heard that the salads and monkey bread are classic staples on this menu. They organize their menu by entree size--very smart. Presentation and service is great. I had the spinach salad which had a lot of great flavors. It was actually surprising how a small salad could really leave me satisfied--there a joke in there somewhere, but I won't go there (it would be distasteful ;) Like I said before, apparently the monkey bread is phenomenal and brunch is just great all around. I will update my review if I get a chance to try anything else out. Knowing me, I'm sure I'll get the chance.
(5)Billy W.
Really nice all-around. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived so the host graciously sat us at the bar to have a cocktail while we waited. Love their cocktail list, and they were delicious. Our server Ryan was on top of everything, really friendly and knowledgeable. I had a headache and while it's apparently illegal to give drugs to their patrons (I get it), he really did try to make it happen. Duck-fat fries put Hot Doug's to absolute shame, especially with the home made ketchup and garlic aioli. We also had the asparagus with hollandaise, a linguine clam dish, and the trout. The plates were slow to come out, but it's no bother. The price is the only thing that keeps this place from 5 stars, because it's not quite worth the amount we spent, but I still really enjoyed it.
(4)Ria C.
Went here for brunch last weekend anticipating a steller meal since GQ named this one of the best brunch spots in the US for 2009. Boooo, you guys lied! The whole experience was just lackluster. Bloody Mary-So citrusy and lacked flavor and kick. For $9 I almost cried. Fried Egg Sandwich-The Pork Bellly lacked flavor and spice. The sandwich lacked mornay sauce, which was more like country gravy. Best part of the meal was the crispy potatoes which I could eat every day for breakfast...mmm...but if you go to a snazzy brunch place and all you can remember are the potatoes, something's amiss. Braised Pork Chilaquiles-Eh...just ok. Bits of pork intertwined with tortillas and egg. Nothing worth remembering. Not returning.
(2)Art A.
What a fantastic brunch! Joe and I hit it up on Sunday morning and had a lovely brunch. I got the fried egg sandwich, which was pretty good (but it was only luke warm) and Joe had the eggs benedict, which were to-die-for good! We started with the baked good- a must- oh-my-god! Can't wait to be back.. and go for dinner!
(4)shivi d.
home made bloody mix was really good and really spicy. I got it without alcohol and it was perfect. best biscuits and gravy in the city. the sausage and gravy are very peppery and spicy so be warned in case you don't like spicy food. I, on the other hand, cleaned the plate.
(4)Sarah A.
The good: the ambiance, the service, the drinks, the raviolo, THE MONKEY BREAD!! The bad: The chicken was super salty, and not very good. The verdict: I will definitely be coming back
(4)Christine K.
The Duck Fat Fries. Yes. Very possibly the best fries I've ever eaten, and I've eaten my weight in fries many times over. I love fries and every time I have a hankering for some, Bristol is the first place that comes to mind. They are served with homemade ketchup and garlic aioli, both of which are fabulous. The food there is great. The monkey bread is light and fluffy. The bone marrow is rich and creamy; I really like that they serve it split open so you get extract every succulent morsel. The menu seems like it's always changing, but the quality of the dishes is always very high. The only complaint I have is that the second time I went, the pasta seemed a bit undercooked. I'm not sure what went wrong. They were probably trying not to overcook the pasta, but it came out tough and chewy. (Two different pasta dishes were ordered that night and they both came out the same way.) I'm sure it was just a fluke because when I went there previously, the pasta was perfectly cooked. Overall, a great place to eat. I highly recommend it!
(4)Steve W.
This place is good, but not great. I told my friend last time that it's a place that looks a lot better than it is. First of all, I really like the decor. It's the cool Chicago chalk wall with long, unfinished wooden tables and long comfortable chairs. If you've seen The Kids Are Alright - terrible movie - imagine Mark Ruffalo's restaurant. Well, minus the perfect Californian weather and a patio. So maybe only vaguely like it. I love the daily printed menus, and the servers (and host) are anything if not eager and incredibly friendly. The cocktails are tasty - there's a bar area up stairs you can wait at. The food, though, is not that exciting. The problem, I feel, may be with the expectation created for the customer. The food is, in reality, simply prepared. It's well-prepared and tasty, but it's just not that exciting. In terms of appetizers, the monkey bread is fluffy and tasty - though the sauce is take it or leave it. The duck fat fries are good but seem like they could use a tiny bit more salt - and this is from someone that undersalts everything. The pasta dishes are very good. It took me until I hit college to realize that pasta was about the quality of the pasta rather than the sauce, and their preparations are a perefct example. The chicken is really perfectly created. I, like most, have a tendency to ignore chicken because, frankly, it's probably the protein I eat 70% of the time. But their chicken reminds you that there's a difference between a dry hunk of chicken breast you get on a salad for lunch and a perfectly roasted bird. If you did a power rankings of Chicago New American places, Bristol would sail below Avec, the Publican, and Longman and Eagle. It feels like a more accessible version of those restaurants.
(3)Steve W.
A hip spot to enjoy life's delicious moments! The Bristol is ahead of the curve, doing what many restaurants will be doing in a few years. The scratch bar and extensive beer list open up a new dimension to your meal, since not all of us want a bud light with dinner every night. The atmosphere here is casually classy, with a dining room bathed in soft, neutral tones, and long wooden tables. Expect a little noise, since the dining room is fairly modest in size, and always filled with happy diners. The Food: Everything I have had here has been excecuted masterfully. I recently dined here with a group of 7, and we ordered just about everything on the menu. The highlights of our meal: Monkey Bread - Not sweet, savory with a little sea salt, love, and affection. Bone Marrow - My first time trying this, and I was very pleased. It is a rich, comforting spread. Enjoy with some onion, micro greens, and toast points. Duck Fat Fries - Rich, crisp, mouthwatering fries cooked in duck fat. They do not taste like duck, just the best fries you've ever eaten. House Made Papperdelle - This lovely pasta was served with a wild boar ragu and some fresh Ricotta. The pillowy cloud of Ricotta blended beautifully with the ragu, providing just the right amount of salt. Try something new, or stick with what you know. The Bristol is an accessible and reasonable way to enjoy perfectly executed , modern American food from passionate, intelligent chefs.
(5)Matthew L.
Duck fat fries were incredible...could have just eaten them as my entree. However, if I had, I would have missed the incredible roast chicken entree. Corkage is $15/bottle.
(4)April W.
I have been reading and hearing about this place for some time now and decided to finally give it a try. We decided to go last night to celebrate some birthdays. Perfect place for a small get together. We pretty much had everything on the menu. For starters we had the duck fat fries which were AMAZING. The scotch olives were something so different and my father kept insisting my mother and I learn how to make them because he loved them so much. Needless to say after the first two orders on monkey bread, we ordered 2 more. Dill butter was a nice and different flavor. We also tried the marrow appetizer that came with toast points and a jelly. While I am not a fan of this type of food I could appreciate the flavor and decadence of this dish. My mother, on the other hand, LOVES marrow and really enjoyed this dish. We also had the chicory salad and the apple salad. Both were good, the ONLY thing I can say is that one was a little tiny bit salty, the chicory, I personally love salty things, so it was ok for me but others thought it to be just a teeney tiny touch too salty. We also had 2 pastas, the raviolo which now when I think about my mouth literally waters and the fresh pappradelle with the veal ragu. After having this one my father ordered another. For dinner we shared a 48 0z beef that came with lettuce wraps and fried onions, so so so so good and the meat was perfectly cooked. We also ordered 2 chicken dishes that had a dill spaetzle that was to die for. Dessert we had a chocolate something or other, french press coffee that they send out with a cute egg timer to know when to press it and we also ordered a huckleberry cornbread dish. All were amazing. The atmosphere was welcoming and comfortable and not pretentious considering the food was something you would have in the most snooty type places. UNBELIEVEABLY great. I forgot to mention the moscow mule cocktails we had that they actually served in a copper mug. This impressed my dad to no end , because he used to run a restaurant where they did this and you never see this anymore, The server was amazing, helpful, knowledgeable and attentive, The ONLY complaint I would have is that they would take our plates away right after we finished when I wanted to lick the plate clean by dragging my monkey bread across it! But maybe it was better they took it away because this was slightly disgusting on my part, its just that the sauces were sooooo good! This place was amazing, go as soon as you can before you wont be able to get in the door!
(5)Theresa K.
The Bristol is delicious. Although some meal options were standard others were off the charts! I highly recommend the monkey bread appetizer, the ravioli and the basque cake. Ridiculously delicious. My dinner companion and I didn't care much for the apple salad, our drinks and the fries. The service is good and knowledgeable. And the ambiance is simple and classic. Which is refreshing since most American restaurants can be a bit overbearing. I would recommend this place if you're willing to fork over $50/person for a nice dinner. We left the place stuffed and had to walk off the full feeling in our tummies!
(4)Orack B.
Went back as planned and was thoroughly disappointed...again! This place is like The Publican's bastard, unwanted child that doesn't realize he's retarded because everyone around him is an ignorant trend-rider that's programmed to love retards. A simple price-to-portion ratio renders this place comical. The food on the other hand is just straight TREND. Monkey Bread - Salty bread. Pretty, pretty, pretty mind-shattering! Duck Fat Fries - Wow! Homemade ketchup too. Gee Whiz. Bone Marrow - Ohhhh, so edgy and head-to-tail! I mean come on. Why does The Bristol have to try so hard to be hip, farm-to-table, head-to-tail, etc.? Because Chicago Magazine hypes them as the second coming of the-next-best-thing. Fuck this place. I am never going back. I will go to The Publican any day over this bastard!
(2)Doris D.
I am fully prepared to get jumped by my fellow Yelp peeps. I say: Bring It. So the Britsol, oh that famous Bristol...the famous Bristol is......soo TOTALLY OVERHYPED!!!!! (Gasp!) First up... look at this...we have a BISCUIT OUT OF THE OVEN!!! EARTH SHATTERING!! Come on Monkey Bread, work your magic, be warm and salty... Omigod.... it is so good...but what is this?... wait for it...it's.....BREAD!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! And the Duck Fat Fries, another popular staple of this restaurant. You are good, definitely good. But what's with the sweet salsa-textured homemade ketchup?? Just give me the Heinz if this is what you are going to serve. Wait, are these Greek fries??!! Guess what else we had?? CHORIZO!!! Come on Shake and Bake...insert chorizo comment here... Soooo....our dinner consisted of bread, chorizo and french fries!!! The table next to us had Nutter Butters. Oooh, YES vending machine food! $81 later we realized...man we are so hip.
(3)Alissa G.
Went here for a birthday dinner and the majority of items were really great. Tasty and interesting - different than usual fare. The Boude, Chicken and cheese board were easy favorites..the pasta was OK. The cocktails were excellent as was our waiter. Def give it a try!
(4)Misse D.
When the Bristol first opened, I came for dinner only to find out that there was a 2.5 hour wait. Then, a few months ago, I attended a fashion event in the upstairs space. While I had a great time, I wasn't necessarily blown away. Third time is a charm, deeries. I had a Fantastic brunch experience! I came here on a slow Sunday morning with my sister-in-law and husband. Immediately, I adored the warm and cozy atmosphere. My SIL requested the cheese plate, even though it wasn't on the menu. Our very accommodating waitress was able to get it for us. That is some great service! Everyone's dishes were tasty and delicious. I had some morning cocktails to cheer me up. I cannot wait to go back, hopefully this time for dinner.
(5)Jack C.
The Bristol has taken their eye of the ball for brunch...focusing too much on the new place and thus...SERVICE and FOOD has changed for the worse--no longer recommended.
(3)Matt M.
A haiku: Go here with a group And you can order and eat an entire pig
(4)Kevin G.
Date night with my girlfriend brought us to The Bristol on a pleasant summer weeknight. We arrived immediately got a great seat at the open window. Score! Drinks I ordered the Smoked Sicilian Manhattan. It was decent, but overall I felt the drink menu was overpriced. When a single beer reaches the price for a six pack of an entire beer the restaurant is just gouging you. My gf had some fruity cocktail which was nice with seasonal fruit - nice touch. Appetizers Duck Fat Fries - Probably the highlight of the meal. Perfectly fried, great mayonaisse and ketchup (which my girlfriend and I both typically despise). Fried Pig Ears and Chicken Skin - Ordered this for the novelty of having Pig ears...four dollars. Unfortunately ALL they did was fry them and throw some ranch on the side. I would rather pay a few more dollars and see something done with these. As they were they just tasted like a fryer. Beans - Tasty beans of somesort. Not outstanding but tasty. Mains Veal Meatballs with Polenta & Pomodoro - I was really excited about these when I ordered them. My enthusiasm quickly faded as I found them to basically taste like salt covered in salt. Even the polenta did little to balance out whatever was going on in this disaster of a dish. I guess this is not atypical of what happens when you take a good cut of meat and grind it into a meatball. Quail with Cucumber - Girlfriend ordered this. Good portion size, great presentation, tasty. Second best dish I tried here. Overall Impression: Very good restaurant with a lot of fun flavors. My guess is sticking with the regular menu items is a safer bet than trying specials (could be wrong). That said I appreciate a restaurant that is always trying new things - but you have to DELIVER on your mains. Meatballs shouldn't taste like salt. I'll return - but would recommend Hot Chocolate to someone visiting the area. -Kevin
(3)Sam F.
How the Bristol gets a few one & two star reviews is beyond me! I believe I've been there five times and it's never been short of excellent. I absolutely love the half chicken... Juicy and flavorful, and definitely best when eaten with it's crispy skin. Also, the raviolo is not to be missed! When you get it, cut it in half and mush out the insides... Then whisk them together with brown butter on the plate to make a delicious thick and creamy sauce. Trust me, this dish alone is worth going to the Bristol for. Sooooo good!!!
(5)John P.
The Bristol may have had a bad night when we dined there tonight. Upon entering, the decibel level was incredibly high. Forget trying to carry on a conversation at normal levels here. Yikes! Zero sound absorbing materials anywhere. Having a romantic getaway? Forget it! First date? Forget it! Best bet for communication - text each other across the table. :-( The waiter appeared hurried and was almost "pushy" to get us ordering. We waited 48 minutes between the three starters that arrived together and the main course. Two, polite "signals" later, our tiny meals were served. The burger arrived over cooked, the other three dinners were meager at best. Much of the food seemed to be heavy on the salt, so beware! Overall, skip this place and spend your hard earned cash at a place that puts some value into the meal & doesn't "drop the ball."
(2)