Inovasi
28 E Center Ave, Lake Bluff, IL, 60044
Inovasi Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Lake Bluff for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lake Bluff for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Lake Bluff for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
28 E Center Ave
Lake Bluff, IL, 60044 - Phone (331) 303-0559
- Website https://www.inovasi.us
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 1:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Robert K.
Been to this restaurant too many times. Two stars for the beer, wine, and entertainment. Service at the bar is usually good if Matt is bar tending. I have never had a "good" meal there in the twenty or so times I've dined their. First, the menu selections are often strange i.e. Inovasi. How about some straight up American cuisine? Forget the weird combinations, i.e. strawberries on top of a steak with asparagus on the side, WTF is that? The over cooked French fries are always fun to munch on. I was in the restaurant in October/November and once a week for four weeks ordered a steak plain, seared, and rare as people know and appreciate high quality steaks want their meat prepared. Think Janowitz Finer Foods in Lake Forest where Don Ruffalo, later Don's Finer Foods would custom cut my 3 inch thick New York Strip Steak from a hanging beef quarter in the meat cooler. Think aged T-Bone steaks from Erick's Meat Market, Rt. 50, Paddock Lake,WI.. Back to Inovasi, reality, first week, first steak, served with strawberries on the top of the meat, WTF is this? I ordered a plain steak, seared, rare with French fries. Oh, I'm sorry, let me put your order in again says the bartender, O made mistake. Sure, no problem, I'm not hungry, my time is worthless, I don't mind waiting another twenty minutes to be properly served my dinner. Next week ordered a steak the same way. It was served seasoned with a strange taste and the fries were cooked to nearly burnt, yeh, just the way I like 'em , good for grinding your teeth on! Third week I'm in there, ask Matt, do you have a steak in the kitchen they have'nt put their weird seasoning on? Let me check replies Matt, answer, yes they do. I say good, seared, no seasoning, and rare with fries. Matt serves the steak, it's cooked properly but they smoked it. I have never heard of smoke flavoring a steak, WTF. The manager is all apologetic. Fourth week, went to have a couple beers, saw some friends, stayed too long, needed dinner. Matt, do you have a plain piece of steak back there(kitchen) they have'nt touched they could grill the way I want it. Matt, let me check, yes they do. Fine, bring it out, I want to see it and smell it. Go ahead, reared, seared, French fries. The steak is served cooked properly, I told them just a little butter/olive oil to maintain moisture on the meat. Second bite, my throat is clogged by a piece of meat I can 't swallow, two trips to the bathroom throwing up, trying to unclog my throat. I am allergic to some kind of MSG or some seasoning that some restaurants put on their meat. Nevertheless, I asked specifically not to have any seasoning put on the steak, and I had to leave without eating the rest of the meal, went home and was throwing up for an hour and a half. Opinions are always subjective. One persons idea of good food is often based upon their frame of reference. I really don't get what Inovasi is trying to do menu wise. I know the current trend for many restaurants is coming up with unique menu offerings. My suggestion is for these chefs to leave their egos in the back of the restaurant and serve what your clientele really wants. Ever try a Customer focus group. No wonder the restaurant failure rate is so high. So looking forward to the next restaurant in Lake Bluff!
(2)Emily K.
My family recently met up in Lake Bluff and decided to try out Inovasi. We picked fairly blind, but it was a stroke of good luck. We tried several different dishes, all of which were a delight. The worst thing we tried was the pork and grits, but even that was pretty tasty. My main course was a hamburger..not very exciting I know, but it sounded good. I was more the delighted when I tried it. The brioche bun was awesome, the meat was flavorful and perfectly cooked and the greens were excellent. Everyone at the table agreed that even the fries were something special. As a group we shared the custard with curry caramel sauce. In the future, I want all of my caramel to be curreid. It was amazing! The staff was also excellent. Attentive, but not intrusive. My water glass was never empty and dirty plates never stayed long.
(4)Big A.
Pretty good food and atmosphere, but way overpriced. Small plate prices are set at large plate pricing. Tapas portions. Bring your own wine if you want to save a few bucks.
(3)Joel F.
Awesome. The food is unbelievable. The dishes are so well executed and the flavors are sumptuous. The staff is very accommodating. I can't wait to return.
(5)Constance A.
Their menu is so weird and changes daily. The owner doesn't know who he is or what he wants this restaurant to be. They have some real competition now in lake bluff and they better get their act together fast.
(2)Thomas R.
Good food with a provocative portion size-centric menu. A common theme - nearly all of our selections cried out for a dash of acid and more seasoning. Cases in point: the house salad and salmon (over-cooked) were entirely too bland and flat. Service muddled. Unusual amount of confusion about roles and responsibilities between servers, "wine guy" (yep - that's what he called himself), and bus boys. Who's on first? One of the above dropped off what appeared to be a smear of baby food (nope - not hummus) without a word. Perplexed, we asked each other - "What *is* this stuff?" The "wine guy" (perhaps he was unable to pronounce sommelier) took our order, though he said our "real" waiter would be by any minute (he was not). He ended up pinch hitting. Still befuddled. Back to the food...Though I enjoyed the homemade sausage for it's deep rustic earthiness, my wife wrinkled her nose at what she said was its "funky" taste. Suffice to say, no sharing sought for that dish. The dessert cheese plate was terrific. Unique and forthright flavors challenged our pallets and made for good debate. Seated in proximity to the bar, however, required us to raise our voices to be heard over the local musical "talent." Quotations marks intended, if you know what I mean.
(3)Laurence K.
Ive been here several times. the food has always been good. but tonight it was really really good. Roasted almonds, Fried Green tomato,beets, duck leg and the q7 Burger was all excellent. the menu has a lot to choose from. they also have a great beer list and also a good wine list. a definite must try if you haven't been here
(5)Sofia J.
Will never forget this place. We came here to break the fast after Yom Kippur was over. Besides the excitement of eating....anything...I've been looking forward to coming to Inovasi for a while. Unfortunately, I I overdid the fasting and felt nauseous when our food finally came out. As voracious as my eyes were, my stomach wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of digesting. 15 minutes, lots of water, and some bread later.... I was back in action!!! Here we go! Quinoa balls: sound more exciting than they taste Duck: PHENOMENAL. It may no longer be on the menu, but the confit and breast were cooked perfectly!! "Straight out of the sea": was a bit too salty and drier than I would have expected. Desserts: OMFG, must get both of them and eat them together: Oolong Tea Sorbet + Manjari Chocolate Disc. The Tea sorbet - can definitely taste the tea, hope you like oolong!! Basil is a cool compliment to the sorbet, but overall it left me wanting some chocolate, and that's where the second dessert comes into play. The amareno cherry in the chocolate is worth it alone. But this particular dessert is so much more than the sum of its parts, which individually may seem too bitter or dry or sweet or flat...but all together, it's a beautiful balance. Hooray for getting my appetite back! Oh and P.S. the service was VERY attentive and personal.
(4)Marie C.
This is a great place to meet up with friends for wine and some food to split. They have specials throughout the week so be sure to check them out! It can get really pricey and the dishes are slightly small but it is delicious and really relaxing inside. Try their fried calamari or goat cheese salad!
(4)Stacy O.
We needed a place to celebrate Valentine's Day and Inovasi easily fit our criteria of having a reservation available, being local, and coming highly recommended from colleagues and friends. We opted for the tasting menu, of course. The menu changes regularly so my telling you what we ate won't be helpful. I will tell you our server, Leo, was fantastic at explaining our options and was easy to work with regarding a food allergy. We loved the three small plates we chose -- grilled shrimp, a pesto and ham flatbread, and the cheese course. The ones chosen for us weren't as solid -- housemade sausage and a salted cod and potato brandade -- but they weren't offensive by any means. Our large plates were the Straight from the Sea, a spontaneously prepared rare seafood catch (on this night it was sepia), and a peppercorn steak and potato. The steak was, by far, the best thing we ate during our dinner. Served with a modern revision of scalloped potatoes, it was prepared perfectly. The sepia, which was described as being much like calamari, was prepared well... We just didn't love it. And now I have to get nit picky. This will likely seem petty because the issue wasn't with our server directly, but ended up impacting us -- One of the servers was waiting on her partner, their child, and a friend. This sounds innocuous, but she (and other staff) were spending ridiculous amounts of time at the table talking about wine, workouts, etc. Not only was this distracting for others in the dining room (they weren't quiet at all), but it meant other serving staff was compensating for her personal time and detracting from their own tables. I understand working a holiday and the inconvenience, but this went to levels that were unreasonable. What I would imagine to be one of the top three busiest nights of the year for a restaurant is not the night to entertain your family at a table, particularly when it detracts from service of other customers. Play with your kid at home. We'll be back for sure, and we'll definitely be requesting Leo as our server again.
(4)Caroline R.
Dined here tonight with family. Grateful I was there with family and not trying to entertain guests because the service was abysmal. We were consistently ignored all night. The only time we got prompt attention was to pay the bill. The restaurant was fairly busy but all tables around us seemed to be getting appropriate service. Our waiter wasn't even all that friendly when he was bothering to help us with something. Food was good but seriously disappointing service.
(2)Karl C.
I was very impressed with Inovasi. The restaurant is located on what seems to be the busy intersection of Lake Bluff's quaint downtown. We walked over to the restaurant for lunch and were disappointed to find that they basically only serve dinner. When we returned later in the evening, we were surprised to find the restaurant teeming with people. Luckily, we were seated quickly as I imagine larger groups would have a substantial wait on peak nights. The beverage list was stocked with great craft beer, from New Holland and Unibroue to Stone and Founders. Pleasantly surprised by their beer selection, I settled on Clown Shoes' Clementine, which I had yet to try. The menu initially confused me a little because I have a small brain. Its very minimal and simplistic: the front is essentially all appetizers which are partitioned into vegetarian, fish and meat options. While the back of the menu have entrees, which are arranged in the same fashion. The waitress warned us that the portions were on the small side, and we found that two menu items should satiate pretty much anyone. I ordered the Tempura Sustainable Shrimp which was pretty good. And the Honest Japanese Beef Teriyaki, which was absolutely delicious. Wifey had the Local Brussel Sprouts and the Organic Potato-Onion Soup which were also very tasty. All-in-all, it was a great dining experience. The restaurant is nicely decorated and the staff, particularly the busboys, was attentive and friendly. It has a great location and is obviously extremely popular. I will be moving into the area and I definitely plan to take visiting friends here for dinner.
(4)Jeremiah P.
Thoroughly underwhelming. If you're looking for high cuisine, look elsewhere. I went here with my family and the reaction was mixed. Appetizers were fairly uninspiring and bland. The sausage was bland and plated poorly - red sausage with red sauce isn't particularly appealing to the eye. On the whole, the appetizers were plated as a jumble. Kudos to whomever managed to arrange the quinoa balls in a straight line. They were otherwise burnt and dull. The salt roasted beets were good and saved an otherwise lackluster set of appetizers. The burger was dry, undercooked, and bland. I regular eat grass fed beef, so I'm aware that it can be a bit drier than corn fed beef, but most chefs are aware that it's a good idea to pair leaner beef with additional fats and flavors to highlight and accent. The bun was a bland plain white bun that had been buttered and charred slightly in what I'm guessing was an attempt to hide its WonderBread heritage. The Chanterelle Mushroom Perlau was a one note dish as well. My final complaint is that if you run a restaurant with seasonal and locally sourced food, it's a good idea to have a typical menu online. The menu currently available on the Inovasi website is far more exciting and interesting than what I found when we arrived.
(2)Jeff O.
The food lacks any character, cooking skill and is way over priced!!! The menu was pretty odd. They were trying to sell you on small plates with a strange assortment to choose from. 6 hot dishes, one being a burger(???) and 6 vegetable dishes all ranging from $12 to $14. Pretty steep for a small plate veggie option. It was difficult to choose 4 plates to make a diverse meal for two. For entree choices, there was a steak, a roasted chicken, salmon, a pork chop and a fish special of mackerel. I played it save and chose the roasted chicken with roasted potatoes (2 fingerlings) and cauliflower($26), my husband chose the steak ($42 for NY strip!). Additionally we ordered a side of creme fraiche mashed potatoes ($6) and a mushroom brussel sprout salad. The mushrooms were good but there was no sign of brussel sprouts other than a few random leaves and lacked any seasoning ($12). The roast chicken was horrible!!! Not only was the skin rubbery but the meat was rubbery too! How does that happen? For $26!!!! Grocery store chicken is better. Additionally, the green beans and cauliflower that were included were so under cooked I thought they were crudite! Everything was under seasoned. Thanks to the salt and pepper on the table I was able to eat the under seasoned mashed potatoes.
(1)Greg J.
If you haven't been here and especially if you live near Lake Bluff, you have to try it out. If you like a chef owner like John who is innovative, passionate about exciting your palate, and will do everything to make your meal an experience, you will love his creations. He often surprises me with the combination of ingredients. One issue I have is deciding what to order. Couple hints: There is a daily Straight Out of the Sea menu selection if you like to be surprised with a seafood dish. All you get is the seafood ingredient, but not the preparation. Kind of makes me feel like experiencing an Iron Chef preparation. His menu also does change periodically so be sure to check the website. Sometimes I like just ordering from his Beginning Plates section and making it a tapas style night.
(5)Jim P.
good food, good service, GREAT values on wine list, quality music Wednesday nights
(4)Stuart A.
2nd time I've been there. Don't know why I waited so long. Will put this restaurant into my regular rotation. Great, fresh and when possible, locally sourced items creatively crafted.
(4)Jon A.
Disappointed. The appetizers were good. However the pork that the waiter raved about was tasteless. My wife ordered a Side of spinach. The kitchen ran out and replaced it with kale and didn't tell us. We returned it and they charged for the replacement. As for the desserts, very disappointing and very pricy. We ordered a variety for the table. The Apple Pannnini was two pieces of toasted bread with a tasteless apple in between. they had the nerve to charge $10 for the dish. The banana bread was stale. The pumpkin brule wasn't very good either. The service was so so. I wouldn't go back again.
(1)Jenny C.
I went to Inovasi to try the 6-course tasting menu and wine pairings. Our waitress started off explaining the first rose to us, and proceeded to give me and my dining partner a very healthy pour. She opened a brand new bottle and poured half of it into two glasses. So of course I was pretty excited about the prospect of such healthy pours for six pairings, but the excitement quickly turned into panic when I: a) began to realize that the first four courses would be a cuke soup, two pieces of grilled shrimp, a three-bite arugula salad, then a tiny mushroom custard; and b) between each course (which I consumed in about 2 bites or three slurps) we waited about 20-30 minutes for the next course to arrive. By the fifth course (and 2.5 hours into the meal), I was praying that we were going to get something more substantial, which was about 3-4 oz. (two to three bites) of duck breast and a potato cake. By the last course, I had been sitting there close to three hours and the entire dining room had cleared. Our waitress by that time just (heavily) poured us more of the same wine she served for the fifth course for our last course without any explanation. She also did not explain our last course, which was an extremely tough and stringy short rib dish (which is unheard of to me, given its inherent fatty content and the fact short ribs are often prepared braised). It was definitely one of those moments that she could tell we were getting angry and gave up explaining anything to us and never apologized for the delay or shoddy finish. While we were served our last course, we asked for the check (apparently there was also a dessert coming, but we asked to have it wrapped). The fact we were totally veering on being toasted did not help our mood, unfortunately! So while we spent 100 bux per person, I would say the proportion was more akin to 80 dollars worth of wine and 20 dollars worth of food that could have been served over a 2 hour period of time. The actual dishes were mediocre, mostly oversalted. My dining partner was also convinced our waitress could have also been slightly tipsy, which may have explained the crazy pours. I'd been to many tastings and will gladly sit at a restaurant for over three hours if I'm enjoying the experience and the food. But this was basically sitting for over 2.5 hours for a square of custard, salad, soup and two pcs of grilled shrimp served with a bottle of wine per person before any substantial starch or protein was served...just one bizarre scenario after the next. The tasting menu itself cost $62 and the pairings an additional $24. In the future, I would recommend that the chef announce what is to be on the tasting menu in advance, and if you get a waitress that reminds you slightly of Meredith from The Office, beware. Also the below comments about the restaurant's aesthetic being somewhere stuck in the mid-90's are accurate.
(1)Penny G.
One of our go-to spots! FOOD: Creative, beautifully plated and delicious. My husband and I are adventurous foodies so we have loved every single dish we've had here. Last night we had the fish n' chips which were delicious. The menu changes frequently which keeps us coming back to try new things. SERVICE: Except for last night, we have always had friendly and knowledgeable service. What I love most is that the staff has tried everything on the menu and are always willing and able to share their favorites, both food & cocktails. They have steered me towards a few absolutely delicious dishes that I might not have chosen on my own. WEDNESDAY nights at the bar: Love the addition of the live music! That is what has brought us in more frequently.
(5)Dave C.
We've enjoyed Inovasi several times over the years, and it has even become one of our family's prime choices for a special birthday dinner, so you know that means that we like it. Nevertheless, I have to say that our most recent experience was the best yet. The menu is ever-changing, which is a great thing. There's now a wider choice of larger plates, plus a "Tasting" menu where the chef suprises the table with 4 courses of HIS choice. The Tasting menu was what we enjoyed on our most recent visit, and it was simply outstanding! The dishes ran the gamut, and all 4 of us loved almost every plate that was presented. Inovasi seems to truly be hitting its stride at this point. GO - you'll be happy you did
(4)Janie J.
Meh. It was ok but the food was bland. I had the grilled seafood of the day and my friend had the tempura trout. Neither one of us was particularly impressed with our dishes. Although, the fish chowder we shared as a starter was actually pretty good. Overall, if they wanted me to be impressed with bland food they should have poured my wine with a heavier hand ;)
(3)Jennifer M.
Fine dining and creative menu. Love the owner. Fun when they offer a music venue in their bar area too. Friendly staff. Very professional. Have eaten here so many times because I truly enjoy their offerings. If you haven't eaten here you are missing out on the best restaurant in Lake Bluff, IL. Very well priced.
(4)Lauren F.
Okay, ignore my earlier review. The last time we went, it was amazing. We got the tasting menu, everything was heavenly, the service was great, and somehow they've uncarpeted the ceiling. I still love you, Inovasi! Or rather, I love you again!
(5)Betsy J.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. Menu is spot on with local ingredients and outdoor dining is the best. The wait staff are knowledgeable and nice and deliver meals very quickly. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
(5)Betty C.
Great meal and good solid service from Jeff made for a very enjoyable evening. We shared the pizza - a bit bland, surprising given the basil rapini and shallots; we also had the quinoa balls - surprisingly moist and flavorful with a crispy crust on each served on a bed of caramelized onions; the crispy pork belly with Caesar dressed kale was my favorite although they claimed the pork had North African spices and it pretty much tasted just of good pork; the grilled shrimp with cucumber and spicy Thai peanut sauce was very refreshing. The bacon and blue salad was light and flavorful and the cold cucumber coup was delicious. Best entrees were the sirloin steak with peppercorn sauce (too salty) and the most amazing potatoes - a 1/2 inch thick rectangle about 6 inches long of thinly sliced potatoes which were creamy inside and brown and crisp outside. The pork shoulder was meltingly tender with great pork flavor. The shrimp and grits had a spicy broth that you want to soak up with bread. The grits were creamy and light and the 7 nice size shrimp were grilled perfectly. The special whole roast baby chicken was roasted with crisp skin and moist, tender meat. The braised caramelized cabbage in broth served with it was very deeply flavored but a tad salty. For dessert the Majolica chocolate disc had an intense dark chocolate flavor. They claim it has no added fat or sugar but there is obvious sweetness and when asked they would not tell us what was used in the dessert. It is probably agave. The berry panna cotta was light with great berry notes albeit a tad gritty in texture. The cookies and cream was to die for with two fresh chocolate chip cookie slabs topped with a chantilly flavored cream. The tres leches cake was also very moist with good dairy notes and vanilla flavor.
(4)Tim R.
Oh, I can't tell you great this is. A foodie paradise. Make reservations.
(5)Amy A.
Chicago Magazine said this is a great place in the North Suburbs to get 3 plates for under $30. I choose this place b/c i'm a foodie and my family hates going into the city. Made resevations over OpenTable.com and it was a cinch, and able to call an hour later and add 5 of my family members. We had to wait 20 mins for our table, which was odd since we saw several tables open when we were walked towards to the back of the restaurant by the hostess. (BTW, the hostess are adorable and polite teenagers) We got our drinks right away and enjoyed the bread since the kitchen did not spin our food out as fast as we had expected. The ambiance is perfect for a romantic night, or a birthday night that i was celebrating. I loved that they had printed classy 'Happy Birthday Amy' cards with the chef's writing & signature when we got there. With a party of 7 we started with Teriyaki chicken wings, salt cod brandade, big fries w/ peanut sauce. Wings were amazing and a little on the salty side. My brother were in heaven with the brandade. Everyone wanted to try the fries w/peanut sauce but no one took a second. hmm Medium Plates- My sis loved the shrim chitarra where as my brother loved the noodles& pork belly dish. And i was the only one loving the mushroom perlau. It was served at the best temperature and texture. I had wished i could taste the sherry wine broth a little more. Big Plates,- Everyone enjoyed their Sirloin and layered potatoes. My brother and i were torn on the chcken beggars purse. He thought the cheese was a great complement. My father really enjoyed the burger, and preferred his fries over the 'BIG Fries' under small plates. Totally different. I recomend you go with a group so you can try everything. We spent over $400 for a party of 7. So not the $30 Chicago Magazine had mentioned, but it was nice to try their unique desserts. We ended with the bacon truffles. This was the only thing i was dissapointed in. It tasted like chocolate covered bacon grease filling. But my mom's cast iron skillet kept her happy and thats a hard thing to do. Too bad they had run out of the bourpon-apple pie as well. That sounded dreamy. Give this place a try~
(4)Luke S.
I've been to inovasi many many times. I've worked with many of the staff members when I was serving and waiting tables in a previous life. I had to finally write a review as my brother's and I rounded up the kin for my mother's b-day. To begin with, its always a joy to walk into the restaurant. The bar area has taken leaps and bounds since it first opened, and the decor for the rest of the place makes sense, it parallels the idea of the experience. Simple, honest, with touches of adventurousness. I love that the glass that once covered the window to the kitchen is now gone. I like the smells and sounds of the kitchen. It reminds me that there is worksmanship going into what I'm eating. As far as what stood out for me at this particular dinner it comes down to two things, the quinoa balls and the tres leches cake. Many times when you eat fried food it is overly greasy. Quinoa balls were perfect. Not to mention it definitely lightens your mother's 63 birthday dinner party when everyone makes puns about balls for ten minutes. As far as the cake was concerned, if you go to inovasi and don't get it, you are a masochist. I thought about about giving 4 stars on this review because Chef John wasn't there that night. This is not a knock on the food, because the cooks performed with military precision (he must have been at moderno, which by the way, go there. Now) but because I enjoy his explanation of the dish and what he was trying to do with it. But it had to be 5 stars because of Elkin. If you have not met Elkin, the manager, you are missing out. Supremely knowledgeable and capable, if you ever have any issue or question at inovasi, you will be in the right hands. Highest recommendations. But don't take my word for it. Check it out for yourself.
(5)Cal S.
Mr.Massimo Serradimigni,class act gentleman,finest of style and tasting food-people are great,and for Our Veterans of the UnitedStatesofAmerica-you will get 25% off any Diner.... missionnairesdusaint-esp…
(5)Thomas S.
Inovasi isn't bad, but it's not "great" either. Located in the center of the small downtown area of the 6,000 resident villiage of Lake Bluff, which reminds me of Mayberry from the old Andy Griffith show, Inovasi may have more appropriately been named something nostalgic (like "Trusdell's", the first village president), instead of the contemporary name it currently holds. The attempt of a contemporary name is matched by the attempt at a contemporary experience and menu. All in all not bad, but Inovasi always seems to be trying to be something it's not. I've been for there for dinner and/or drinks over 10 times, and each time something is average, something is good, and occasionally something is excellent. Nothing has ever disappointed, but nothing has ever been memorable other than town in which it is located. Outdoor seating is fantastic in the summer, and the bar is a nice touch for light fare or a quick dinner. Maybe that's the point - you can sit down for a nice dinner, or just pop in for some good food. Close, but no cigar. At least not yet. Maybe with some tweaks and consistency, Inovasi will become better with age. Don't avoid it, but don't expect something incredibly special either. Inovasi is like a good blank canvas - good service, good food - but the colors/memories will come from the friends who you dine with. Hope that makes sense. :)
(3)Melissa W.
Inovasi is amazing!! It's a very different menu then you would see anywhere which is what makes it fun! Great ingredients and the chef and owner (John) knows what he is doing. Love going here!
(5)Mike S.
Sitting at our table, we couldn't help but overhear someone seated next to us ask his friend, "isn't this place supposed to be modern?" We thought so too. The dining room looks like it was indeed very modern, at some point in the early 90's. Fuzzy panels of various geometric shapes and colors are mounted all over the ceiling, the floor is covered in dated carpet, and there's some giant script advertising the name of the restaurant above the kitchen. Gaudy chandeliers and dated wood panels complete the "contemporary" look of the place. There has been some speculation recently that Chef John des Rosiers is making some big changes to the service at Inovasi to try and obtain a Michelin star. A few pieces of paper are taped to the wall under the restrooms sign next to the kitchen, advertising this undertaking. Nice touch! The service wasn't very good-- we complained when they tried to decant our wine into a dirty carafe. They switched it for a clean one, but not before claiming that it was "just stained from red wine." Right, since wine glasses look permanently dirty once you've had too many glasses of red in them. There were several service issues throughout the meal-- we didn't get any explanation of the food as it was presented to us, there was a massive delay between our soup and the next course, and one course was served to the table when one person was in the restroom. The food was okay, but very inconsistent. The watermelon and corn soups were average, slightly bland but not bad. Our butter poached walleye was very good, and they split the portion for two, which was a nice touch. The crispy spring rolls under the fish were a great contrast in flavor and texture. Then we shared the squab and bison-- the squab itself was delicious but the accompanying rice tasted like an entire bottle of soy sauce had been emptied into it. It's worth noting that the squab is a complete scam at $22 for a tiny portion. The bison was under-seasoned and its vegetables soggy. It didn't make much sense as a composed dish-- the vegetables seemed to be added as an afterthought. If there were truffles in the dish (as the menu stated), we couldn't find them. The double rich vanilla custard for dessert was surprisingly great, and was probably the best thing we ate all night. Inovasi is an okay restaurant, but certainly nowhere near the caliber of even mid-level restaurants in the city. I wouldn't be as critical if the chef didn't claim greatness so publicly, but he is definitely inviting the comparison to downtown establishments. If they are indeed seeking a Michelin star, they have a lot of work to do before getting there. It's not just the service.
(2)The G.
We went with a large party. The food was overall good. Go somewhere else for dessert. The disappointment was the service. I would not recommend this place for a party larger than 4.
(2)Kiran P.
Very fresh and high quality food. The grilled chicken, an organic amish chicken, on red quinoa was superb. Fantastic bread pudding! I'll be coming back here again.
(4)Jenifer W.
My husband and I scheduled a last minute "date" here, based on the appeal of a tasting menu and wine pairing. Admittedly, neither of us had put ourselves solely in a chef's hands for an entire meal, and were intrigued by what this menu had to offer. ATMOSPHERE: Clean and minimalist. The restaurant is minimal in decor, with almost too-hard wood seating at each table. The tables are set just a tad too close for my liking, making it difficult to hear when the dinner rush started, a big drawback when you're paying top dollar for a tasting. If you can overlook this fact, it's otherwise quite nice. FOOD: Pretty damned incredible, I have to say. Again, not a fish or a mushroom eater by trade, and the chef personally came out to ask what we would (or would not) eat. I indicated that we would TRY fish or mushroom, but preferred to steer a bit more clear if possible. I also requested that he prepare two different tasting menus, one for hubs and one for me. He looked surprised at the request, but agreed - BONUS! The tasting consisted of 2 mushroom dishes, 5 fish dishes, 1 duck, 1 chicken, 1 soup, and 2 desserts (other reviewers are right - the chocolate cookies / cookies & cream dessert blew it out of the box). I will say this - where I have never enjoyed mushrooms before in any dish, and rarely fish, chef made a believer out of me. Each dish, though quite small, was thoughtfully prepared, challenging to our "boundaries", and really delicious. During two courses, chef came out to detail for us what he'd made and where he got the ingredients, and at the end, he came out once more to solicit feedback on the experience. He was geniunely interested in our responses, and I appreciated everything start to finish. On a side note, if you intend to drink with your meal, get the wine pairing!!! $24 gets you 6 glasses (one for each course), and having the right wine with the right dish magnifies the experience (not to mention gets you loaded :). I looked around - wine by the glass was $8 a piece, and the portions were no bigger than what we got, so it was worth it. Caveat - plan to allow time in between last glass and driving!!! :) SERVICE: Terrific. Fernando was our server, and he was well educated, funny, and thoughtful, there with anything we needed before we knew we needed it. I mentioned the reviews on length of time to service (seen in other posters), and was told the chef / service goes as fast as the diners do. This was absolutely the case. We were in and out in under 2 hours by our own choice. VALUE: Two (separate) 6 course tasting menus, 2 drink pairings, and tip was just over $200. Is this an option we would choose frequently, NO. But was it worth the experience, and the value their for the effort chef put in? Absolutely. Even if you only do it once, treat yourself, and open your eyes to what food in the suburbs should be.
(4)Ashley B.
I appreciate and give props to restaurants that are about what is fresh, in-season, and local. Therefore, I am an instant fan of this place, but I would really say this rating is more of a 3.5. The menu is interesting and innovative with ingredients. I agree with some others that the decor does not match the modernness of the food, but its not that bad. Our service was wonderful with the waitress being helpful with the suggestion. We started off with cocktails, I had the John's Summer Spritzer (ginger/limoncello/simple syrup/selter) which was light and refreshing, perfect after a hot day. For appetizers we got the flatbread, fried tomatoes, spring rolls, and calamari. The highlight was the calamari, which is actually a main, which was perfectly cooked, not overly breaded, and the sauce gave it the right amount of spice. All the other apps were very solid. So why not five stars ... sometimes having a unique and innovated twist on food just doesn't work (or at least not to every palates liking). I saw rabbit on the menu and I love rabbit (much to my boyfriend's dismay). However, what I was picturing in my head was not what appeared on the plate. The rabbit was more of a rabbit sausage and something was just missing, it did not do rabbit justice ... lay it on a bed of couscous type grain and I'm done. I think its a good restaurant and impressive given the small town. If you are adventurous go for the tasting menu ...
(4)Patrick G.
Been wanting to try Inovasi for awhile and very happy that I finally got out here. This is a great restaurant and an exceptional restaurant for the LF/LB area. I had a great spicy pork / noodle / broth dish as my main course then split some calamari and steak tartare and sampled some delicious fish too. You could tell that all the meats and veg were very fresh. Everything here was plated beautifully (especially the tartare which came out on a canvas with various dipping "paints"). The cocktails were above average and the dessert custard was also quite nice. If you are out here from Chicago I highly recommend checking out Inovasi as it will easily satisfy your hunger and is pretty easy on the pocket book as comparable small plates in Chicago would cost $5-$10 more a plate.
(4)David B.
We had dinner there recently and it was a very good experience. I started with the locally sourced salad and it was excellent. Included was a soft hard boiled egg that had been very lightly fried. Delicious! I also has the roast chicken which was strips of grilled chicken on a bed of cauliflower and other greens. Others in my group had the shrimp and rice noodles, broccoli soup and the burger. Everyone was very pleased. Sadly, on a beautiful Friday night the restaurant was less than half filled. It deserves better! We will be back!
(4)Samantha D.
I heard very mixed reviews about this place but we are always in search of a new culinary experience, so I was very excited to try Inovasi. We went there over my birthday, and let's just say it's a birthday I'd be happy to forget. There were 5 of us dining, so we each ordered an appetizer and a meal. Of those 10 dishes, only 2 were any good. It seems as though the chef has a creative flare, but no pallet. My fiance ordered the pork, which pretty much ended up being a pork chop on top of a piece of blueberry pie. It was vile. The tuna I had was just fine, but the meal was tiny and to be honest, my local sushi bar does a better job. My dad's fish was so gross he took one bite and sent it back. The waiter was nice enough to comp us for it on the bill. The service was fantastic, our waiter was friendly and explained everything about the menu very well. I just feel bad he has to sell such sub par food. The ambiance is something to be skipped. It is incredibly tacky, and as we sat by the kitchen, and cauliflower and brussel sprouts were on the menu, the room reeked. I will never return to this place, and I strongly urge anyone who actually ENJOYS a unique culinary experience to try someplace else. In response to the comment: There was definitely tuna served. I am a regular sushi eater, and I promise you, this was tuna tartar. No mistake there. And if it WASN'T, I'm truly terrified. haha. Anyhoo, I just wanted to add that in terms of creativity, I would give inovasi 5 stars, no problem. The chef there is extremely creative. It just doesn't taste good! Also, he did correct me (and I was unaware), it was "huckleberries" not "blueberries" (but in terms of taste, you really couldn't tell). I am sure people have had great experiences here; everyone has their own tastes. That's what's so great about reviews! Being able to voice your opinion and experiences. Looking around: I'm not the only one who had a bad experience here. The chef needs to learn to be less defensive and more proactive on listening to his customers reviews, and striving to better himself in areas that (multiple) people feel are lacking. Otherwise Inovasi will be hot for a few more years, and then it will fade.
(1)Paul M.
What an adventure. Just off of one of the most amazing little parks I've seen around the city is Inovasi. It is nestled on a nice little main street across from the park. and occupies a preeminent corner. There is a little open air cafe area just off of the restaurant. On entering, there is a hostess desk staffed by friendly staff. There are tables in the area of the bar (front of restaurant) and wow, nice atmosphere. These guys do not cut corners on the presentation. We only had coffee but will be back soon for more tasty items. I would recommend the experience to anyone!
(5)Dkrejser S.
Was very disappointed. I was going to give them 3 stars, then 2 stars and now as I review my review and recall the evening then I am between 1 and 2 stars. The food itself was fairly good and the ambience very nice, and a nice touch is that they give out little building toys for the children. The Chef also seemed nice. He was at the bar when we left and greeted us politely. Our big turn off was the waitress. She tried to hype this into this fantastic gourmet experience, which it never became. She didn't tell us about the concept of the place so we were surprised over the small sizes for the plates. noone informed us. Also, she refused telling me anything about the fish of the day. I told her that I don't like fresh water fish but would like the fish of the day if it is not. She said the Chef likes to surprise the guests and she therefore would not even tell us where the fist came from, if it was freshwater fish or from the sea. She told us that to understand gourmet we would just have to rely on the chef and if the fish of the day would be something we didn't like maybe it was time for us to widen our views. Her rude and condescending attitude towards us was certainly a turn off. We ended up not taking the fish of the day and luckily so. When the fish of the day arrived at the next table and the waitress passed our table it was of course super smelly. Fresh fish doesn't stink up a room like that! The bread never came but was served promptly to all the other tables. The winecard was good but nothing to rave about and not anything memorable. The standard too young to drink oaky selection. One of our children had burgers, and we knew they have a burger night so we thought it would be fun to come back for this. However, the burger came bun was completely soaked through to the point it couldn't keep itself together. The waitress informed us it was by design so that the bun would taste of the meat. At least a sponge keeps itself in one piece but this just fell apart and was a big mess. The burger was probably cooked medium as requested (and had then been standing under a heating lamp waiting for the rest of the dishes or just hanging out while waitress couldn't be bothered serving our food - we waited for over 30 min for the food in spite restaurant half empty), so when it arrived it was hard cooked dry and all the juices inside the bun. None of the other dishes were memorable. We did like the the fries with the burger. The most memorable was how small the dishes were and we afterwards had to go home and cook a quick stir fry to be full for the night. Overly priced for what you get. All in all a disappointing hyped up experience as we thought this could be our new Elements of Princeton......
(2)Grace L.
Great local eatery in Lake Bluff...but expect the local crowds. That being said, the environment here is classy and laid back. Came here on a Friday night and it was pretty much packed....usually a sign of good things to come! The unfortunate side of it being packed was that it was SUPER LOUD. You see the size of the place, can't be more than 50-60 people seated in the room and you can't have a conversation without partially lipreading? It's unreal the decibels! One of the servers mentioned to me later they were installing sound barriers sometime soon. Good thing. We had the tomato soup and homemade pasta as appetizers. What should have we ordered with the tomato soup...it's obvious...it's IN the menu! The soup was good, but we should have paired it up with the grilled cheese. On it's own, the soup is flavorful and tangy in all the right places...but you know that cheesy goodness would have been a better pair. The homemade pasta was really good, simple and peppery. For our entrees, we ordered the beef tartare and pork shoulder. I can't fully explain what bothered me about these dishes...they were still good, I enjoyed every morsel, but...it's kinda like those movies where there are five different scenarios, fifteen different characters, a cameo surprise and in the end it's a sloppy tie together of a theme? That's how I would explain the main dishes. There were just a few too many ingredients, where none of them were able to shine and somehow it was trying to say...good pork shoulder! The ingredients were great tasting on their own and of quality...this little ingredient of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...so let it shine... So for example: The pork shoulder dish: the grits and corn became friends and tasted the same, macadamia butter disappeared from the taste radar, the truffles and chocolate sauce vied for attention and really..the pork shoulder was fine on it's own. The beef tartare had too many sodium based items in it, and it ended up being a beef salt lick with truffle creme fraiche, anchovy and soy sauce...whew. Again, great main ingredient...lost. Our dessert was a cup o house espresso with goat milk froth and blood orange gelato. The coffee was quite bitter, but the goat milk was am interesting touch. The blood orange gelato was just ok. Service here was very polite and quick to please. Would come again if I can track down those home made doritos?
(3)Lyn S.
We ate here last night in a party of 6. The small/medium/large plate format was explained well by our server. The cucumber shrimp and the bacon and blue small plates were excellent starters. The turbot special, the steak and potatoes and the pork shoulder were very good "large plate" entrees. The Cotes du Rhone was well priced and tasty. We also enjoyed the cava and the "bluff sunset" cocktail. The white and dark chocolate and chocolate medallion desserts were good, too. Coffees and cappuccinos were nice and the server was generous with refills. Pet peeve: the busboy insisted on clearing dishes before everyone was finished. We stopped at the bar for drinks on the way out and found the service spotty -- particularly when it came to getting the bill.
(4)Insun M.
I came here for dinner on a Wednesday with some friends and I really don't know what to think of this place yet... First of all, we asked the waiter to recommend a pinot noir that had a clean finish that wasn't fruity (I was with 2 boys). He asked us what our price point was and we said around $60....so he brings us a sample glass of a wine that ended up to be $130. uh. seriously? The boys ended up not liking it because it was really fruity so the waiter said he was going to ask the chef what he would recommend that had a cleaner finish. Ten minutes later a different server comes with a bottle of wine and is about to open it without even asking us if that was the one we wanted! Before she opened it we asked if it was less sweet then the one we tried and she said "I think so? It should be." By that point we didn't want to bother spending even more time on the beverage choice so we said we would take it. Lucky for them it was delicious. After talking for a while we realized the waiter never came to take our order. We finally flagged him down and put in our orders. We shared the kobe beef hot dogs in a blanket and the baked mussels for the apps. I should have known that "kobe beef" and "hot dog" is not something to order...it tasted like your average kielbasa. The mussel was pretty good..kind of sad because there was too much breading that masked the flavor of the seafood. For my entree I ordered the sirloin which was decent. It read that it was treated for 6 weeks so I just assumed it would be super juicy and tender. While the flavor was good and the apple that it came with went really well with it, the protein just wasn't as tender as I hoped it would be, perhaps its because they sliced the meat as soon as they took it off the pan/oven/grill so that the juices flowed out. I guess the prices are reasonable for the amount of food they give but I would be willing to pay more for the overall experience to be a little better.
(3)Donald L.
My wife and I have now been to Inovasi a number of times in the last 2 months alone and each time we have been accompanied by a different group of friends. The consensus have been overwhelmingly in favor of this restaurant on all counts. On each and every visit we had excellent and very personable service and outstanding food! Take our last visit on Friday, July 23, 2010. 4 of us had a reservation for 8:00 and we were seated within minutes of arriving. In reviewing the menu we noticed that there were some changes from our last visit 2 weeks before. And the additions were great. The four of us had 2 appetizers, 2 salads and 5 entrees. Yes, the portions are on the small side - this is no Maggiano's. But the prices reflect the smaller portions and enable you to order more items which is a very good thing. My friend and I split the Kennebec Potato & Local Organic Leek soup - outstanding. My wife ordered this last time and we were looking forward to this encore performance and the quality was the same as on our last visit. We also split the Ishikura Onion & Romesco Sauce. Again, wonderful flavors and plating and a large portion. For entrees 2 of us ordered their new item - Pinn Oak Farms lamb ribs - outstanding. We later learned that the lamb is produced within an hour from the restaurant in keeping with the chef's decision to use as many locally produced products as possible to maintain the freshest possible ingredients as he can find. The ribs and the sauce were amazing! We also split a portion of the Cherry Coke Pork served with Anson Mills polenta. One of my friends ordered this 2 weeks ago and was floored by how wonderful this dish was prepared. And we were duly impressed on this visit. We also split a third entree - Sustainable Ocean Raised Sweet Shrimp - a cross of Thai and Vietnamese ingredients with excellent spiciness. A real winner for us. The Crisp Tortilla Pizza was also a hit along with the Local ORgani Baby Swiss Chard salad and the Freedom Organix Local Field Greens Salad. And for dessert the chocolate bombe with sour cherry sauce was outstanding. And if the excellence of the food and the beautiful and simple interior and the graciousness of the staff were not enough, the corkage policy is exceptionally reasonable so I have been able to bring in my own wine to further enhance the dining experience. Their wine list is excellent but I have been collecting wine for over 40 years and really need to start moving wine out so I am very popular with my friends who love to have me bring older wines to restaurants. When available their tomato soup is beyond exceptional. In fact, we have never had a morsel that was not exciting, delicious and wonderful. As for cost, last night's dinner for 4 with our own wine was $133.00 plus tip. The 2 previous visits cost us $55.00 and $70.00 per couple. While we still love Boka, Michael's in Winnetka and many other fine restaurants, to spend less that $100 per couple for this quality, Inovasi is hard to beat!
(5)Paul M.
My wife and I just recently moved to the north suburbs and are looking for some good restaurants in the area. I was skeptical of Inovasi because of the precious reviews I had read. We decided to try it anyway. It was alright. The prices were way too high for the quality. I have no problem paying $100 for a dinner for two when the food is worth it. That's not the case at Inovasi. Servings are small, service is average, ambiance is underwhelming. Don't get me wrong, the food wasn't bad, just not worth the price. I'm pretty sure we won't go there again.
(2)Daniel P.
Looking for an adventure? Go to Lake Bluff and enjoy one of the best restaurants around. The chef is great, so passionate about food and wine and it shows. The menu changes quite often with whatevers freshest at the market. Last week I had the Becker Lane Pork Shoulder! This is a 4 day process of marinating, grilling, confit, smoking, and finally sautee, with Anson Mills polenta, watermelon radish, and Hum spiced liqueur reduction. Well worth the effort that goes into this dish. I have been to Inovasi several times now and some of my favorite things have been: Tuscan Tomato Soup (One of the best soups I've had in my life!) Montchevre Goat Cheese Tempura (warm goat cheese? Need I say more?) Free Range Veal Strip Loin with Anson Mills Farro, Rougie Foie Gras (with sour cherry, pasilla chile, bitter cherry chocolate) Beef Tartare-Carpaccio (just order it!) Day Caught Walleye Pike Sashimi! Everything this guy does is from scratch even the pastas. This place is a hidden gem in the Northern Sub burbs. If you haven't been, go today. Lunch is fantastic as well try: Pork Shoulder and Wagyu Brisket Sandwich or the Handmade pasta with clams and mussels. Inovasi always has something special going on as well. In the bar on Monday they had a Comfort food and Healthy menu. Featuring 5 different items for both. From Mac and Cheese to Chicken Lettuce Wraps. The wine list is also out of this world. Be sure to flip through the bottle list and read the descriptions. They are fun and spot on. The list concentrates on small production wines from all over the world. Some wines I've only read about. The prices for food and wine are unbeatable. Not your typical 3 time mark up on wine if you know what I mean. The only complaint I have is I wish this place was closer to me. Although I will travel anytime with anyone for this place, just say the word.
(5)Ann G.
5 stars for the food. 1 star for service. I have lived in Lake Bluff for over 30 years and was excited when Inovasi opened its doors. My first visit was this past Wednesday, 8/12. We walked in at 5:45 PM and were immediately asked if we had a reservation. I told the hostess we didn't and she gave us the option of sitting in the dining room or bar. We decided to sit in the bar area. A female employee walked up to our table and dropped off menus. She didn't say anything. She then came back and asked us if we wanted a drink. She did not greet us or ask us if this was our first visit. She brought our drinks and we ordered. She did not tell us about the menu and was not able to answer our questions. It was very strange. She needs to be trained in serving customers. The food was great but we did not feel welcomed at all. I hope my next experience is better because I plan on dining at Inovasi often. Kudos to the cook and kitchen crew!
(3)Al M.
Last night was my 4th visit. I really like this place. The menu is broken down into 3 parts, vegetable, fish and meat. It is all small plates. I recommend going with a group and ordering lots of dishes 2 or 3 a piece and share. The flavors are wonderful. The food is very fresh. Like any establishment they are not perfect, a couple of our dishes last night did not meat the normal standard. The pasta dish was a bit salty and gunky. The pork shoulder which I normally love, was a bit dry. You notice I still gave it 4 stars. I hold Inovasi to higher standards than I do other restaurants. They have normally been excellent. The deserts are good, they stretch your palate and taste buds. Lots of savory flavors paired with a touch of sweet. Service is stellar, the servers are very attentive and great with recommendations.
(4)Al B.
I had the shrimp risotto and it was salty, but OK. It looks like the restaurant nickels and dime you forcing the guests to pick multiple plates to make up for the lack of main dishes. The catch: each plate is priced in the teens so they add pretty quickly. Also the food appears to be salty on purpose since my wife's pork was salty too. It appears they have the equation to boost profits here: + salty + more liquor + small portions = multiple plates + multiple drinks = more profits. Service was plain and the manager was rude to a table right next to us. Not sure what the issue was, but it was very uncomfortable to us the way he decided to handle it. It basically ruined our evening and experience. My conclusion: Will not be back here soon. Cheers!
(1)Meg S.
My favorite thing about Inovasi is it's interesting menu. I can go here and find delicious dishes I don't typically make at home. It has a nice atmosphere and the prices are reasonable.
(5)adrienne c.
Wasn't impressed. From the bartender to the waiter no one gave our group the kind of service you would expect at a restaurant like this. Wouldnt recommend this to anyone. I have eaten at some of the best restaurants in the country. When we asked the server about various dishes or recommendations he had very little to say. The food at Inovasi was mediocre and the service was nonexistent!
(1)Chris G.
We've eaten here about eight times--great menu and great beer selection. I've never had a bad dish at this restaurant.
(5)Elle C.
Another reviewer said it best. The chef has a creative flare but not the pallete. The food and atmosphere are fine. The music in the bar was entirely too loud and this coming from someone who lives downtown Chicago and obviously dines frequently in Chicago restaurants. My Irish Trout was really good but my friend had the steak and it was very chewy (clearly mid to lower grade meat) Order the apple donuts for dessert - they were delicious. They need to work on their chocolate cake though. I think its trying to be flourless but just comes out grainy and not in the "very chocolatey" type of way. The service is just strange. The waitresses are half attentive but friendly when you strike up a conversation with them. The chef/owner stalks around the bar very arrogantly and you can instantly tell he's probably the biggest jerk of a boss ever. I saw him give one of the waitresses "the bird" from the patio which was pretty unprofessional. Overall he just rubbed me the wrong way by acting arrogant instead of humble. He should spent more time in the kitchen working on his menu than playing playboy in the bar. Imagine your typical north shore kid....annoying. And you can't get rid of him either. He just wanders around. (I was born and raised in Michigan and have come to spot out these "special" kids who were raised in the apparently "special" northern suburbs of Chicago. Not impressed. They would have their faces in the mud if they visited my side of the lake.) Overall, it was just fine. I wouldn't flock there or tell anyone to make the special trip. It's nicer than a good bunch of suburban restaurants but would fail within a month in Chicago.
(2)John L.
No matter how good your food is, your experience can be ruined by very poor service; and that was the case at this restaurant. Food was decent, but not enough to compensate for our rude waitress with absurd attitude. I went to this restaurant to celebrate my friend's birthday, and yes a group table can be overwhelming, but it seemed like the waitress knew she was gonna get 20% tip no matter what and put no effort in enriching our dining experience. When we asked about what was in the dip, she was very short with us. "It's grounded lentil" 'is that bacon?' "no" '... sooo what is it?' "olive" GREAT START When it was time to order, we asked about the special or what's good at this restaurant. She stood at the one end of the table and mumbled, so when we asked her to repeat when she came down to our section, with TON of attitude she said, "what? you guys didn't pay attention?" and then it went downhill from there. They were out of buffalo meat and they were soon out of bread...I ordered my steak medium rare and it came well done. Dear waitress, YES we didn't hear you because you can't enunciate or address a group of customers. You spilled water all over me when you REACHED over me to refill my water without warning. You are the Worst waitress. Needless to say, as you can see from my rare review/essay, I along with everyone who was with me at my table will not return and would not recommend this to anyone. Perhaps, I am spoiled to California dining experience, but I cannot imagine how this restaurant is rated anything above 3 stars at best.
(1)Aaron M.
First time diner. Very attentive and knowledgeable staff. Innovative wine list that is concise and focused. Fresh and unpretentious cocktail program. One of the single best things I have ever eaten - smoked and confit chicken, goat cheese, escargot served warm in a small cassoulet pot...ultra complex, savory and comforting. Hotdog? Never tasted so good. Black truffles and serious flavor. Irish Trout dish was rich (l la Toro) and the light touch of caramelization from the grill offset the decadence of the fish. Negative reviews of this restaurant must be on isolated experiences of an occasional slip up, because this was truly near-flawless cuisine (and priced extremely fairly given provenance of ingredients and attention to detail). It should not be compared to Michelin 3 star restaurants because it is not the intention of the menu or concept. Seemed like a great neighborhood restaurant that cares. Will certainly back.
(5)K S.
The first time my husband and I dined at Inovasi was over the summer for my birthday dinner. Food was good but I thought it was overpriced for what you get. The wine was great! The second time we went with another couple for our friend's retirement celebration. This time all four of us tried the "tasting menu". That is definitely the way to go. They serve 5 courses with a variety of "small plate" dishes that covers about half of what they have on the menu. That night's menu was heavy on seafood...which we all love, so it was great. Outdoor seating in the summer is nice and the bar area is great if you want to get a quick bite to eat.
(3)Rich W.
Inovasi is a hidden gem in the northern suburb of Lake Bluff. I drove 50 minutes to check it out. So even though the burger-night Tuesday menu looked great, I went all out and got the tasting menu. Here's the rundown of what I had: 1. The beet salad was quite good - with an interesting ginger vinaigrette. 2. The sashimi was just okay. The tosa soy worked with the fish, but not with the micro-greens (a bit too salty / overpowering) 3. The garbanzo ragout was perfect. Excellent combination of textures and flavors coming from great produce. Earthy yet refined. 4. Chicken confit over farro was decent enough. The pinot noir reduction that accented it, however, made it special! 5. Walleye and spring roll was excellent. The fish was cooked perfectly. The chorizo puree had great flavors! The artichoke spring roll was executed beautifully - crispy yet no grease - better than most Chinese restaurants in Chicago. 6. The sirloin dish was good, with an interesting horseradish creme fraiche. 7. The foie gras was okay - would have preferred it be done on a hotter searing pan for a shorter time. But the polenta was excellent. The bourbon-marinated cherries were interesting, and went well with the foie gras. 8. Pork shoulder was a bit overcooked - slightly dry - the biggest disappointment of the day. 9. Bison had a strong gamy flavor, which paired well with the miso-honey sauce. The artichoke was overcooked. 10. Cheese flight was interesting. Saint Andre and a triple-creme sheep cheese were my favorites - creamy, balanced, and elegant! 11. The bread pudding was perfection - comfort food done right! 12. The herbal ice cream flight was quite fun. Basil, sage, rosemary, and parsley. Basil was a bit too strong, but the rest were a success. I was pleasantly surprised. Obviously, I was more than stuffed by the end. I also had quite a few Italian bread with the excellent lentil puree and olive tepenade. All this cost me only $52. What a bargain! Not every dish was a home-run. But at this price and with food of this caliber, plus the free and easy parking and friendly service, what more can you ask for? The decor is simple, elegant, and cozy. I feel comfortable in my casual attire, but I will also come back for a date. The 50-minute drive was totally worth it, and I can't wait to come back!
(5)Dan N.
Went with my wife on Saturday a little before 6. The place was hoping even that early. What a gem, we did the tasting menu and were both throughly impressed. What a great meal at really affordable prices. It wasn't cheap but we both felt it was a bargain for what we got. Innovative and playful, we will diffidently be back. Well worth the 45 minute drive.
(5)EmmBee L.
My pork shoulder was tasty but a tad dry. But my companion's risotto was STELLAR, it had shrimp big enough to scare your cat and the rice had a sexy, smoky flavor. BAM! Portions are moderate -- the size we American's should be eating, not the usual HOLY COW slab of way too much. I was a first time visitor at lunch today. Creative food, nice friendly atmosphere. Our waiter was chatty and knowledgeable. Wine by the glass was interesting, not just the usual suspects. I shall return.
(3)Joy B.
Our experience last Saturday night (2/18) was less than stellar. I fault more the customer service than the food, which was quite tasty. The two young hostesses said over the phone they could pull tables together for us in the bar area since they could no longer accommodate us in the dining area (our table of four grew to six). As we looked in the dining area throughout the night, there were tables open. Not sure what that was about.... When we arrived, hostess simply said, "I guess you could pull that table over there." But they wouldn't pull it for us. -1 for customer service cluelessness. Fortunately an older gentleman stepped in and sat us in the corner of the small bar, away from the door's chill and breeze. But we still ate with our coats on. The waiter was less than hospitable. To start off our night, one of our guests asked for a cocktail with Sapphire gin. The waiter's answer was "no." We were laughing, thinking he was joking. The awkward pause made our guest ask, "you don't serve gin or alcohol?" The response was, "yes, we serve alcohol." After pulling teeth and getting to the fact that they indeed serve four types of gin, our guest asked, "So...can you suggest a gin?!" The waiter seemed inconvenienced and irritated. This was the first impression. Not good. We waited to order. It was like a Seinfeld episode. He came out of nowhere and said, "Shall we?" clearly wanting to get down to business. We were there to enjoy the evening. My girflriend asked if he suggested the Walleye or Pasta. He said "Pasta" and moved on to the next person...no asking, "what tastes were you looking for? The Walleye is a bit strong, etc." He simply lacked finesse, knowledge of the dishes, had no bedside manner, perhaps having a bitter day. When the gentlemen asked if he could tell them about the Fish Swimming Yesterday, he again said, "No, I can't." No further comment. Again, they asked for an explanation. JUST EXPOUND A LITTLE, Mr. Personality! Love the idea of a surprise dish, but at least give suggestions of wines to pair. It seemed his personality did not fit the ambiance or caliber this restaurant was trying to convey. Or perhaps simply do not put this person with patrons. We were very pleased with the meals. But the staff lacked class so the experience was quite unrefined. When we dined in the restaurant area last year, I remember a different experience. Unfortunately reputations spread quickly.
(2)Carine M.
Went to Inovasi on a Saturday night with 4 other people (sister, bro-in-law, husband and mom) to celebrate a birthday. I had heard about Inovasi from a few suburbanites and was looking forward to trying it from their reviews. I believe the concept is very good. The menu is arranged in 3 categories: vegetable dishes, meat, and seafood. There are not appetizers and entrees. I wouldn't call it small plates, somewhere between small and medium plates seems right, let's say "smedium." The prices of each dish range from $8-$16. I definitely think the prices were reasonable. Inovasi also has a nice beer and cocktail list, and a sommolier if you need some wine help. I was disappointed in the wine by the glass list, however, which contained 3 chardonnays and 0 rieslings. We arrived a little over an hour early for our 8pm reservation and snagged one of the last tables at the bar. We would've been screwed had we arrived even 20 minutes later. Boys ordered beers, girls ordered martinis, we waited about 7 minutes for the martinis (not bad), and mine was not on the tray. They apparrently ran out of martini glasses, so I had to wait about another 15 minutes for my drink. I was expecting the drink on the house, considering I had to wait 20+ minutes for my first drink, but no such luck. The martini glasses are stemless, inthe stem's place they have a glass "knob" at the base. Not bad looking, however, since they were out of glasses, and then must have had to wash them in the dishwasher, the "knob" was HOT and remained that way, making the drink warmer and warmer by the minute. I got creative and stuck the martini glass in my ice water glass to hopefully cool down the knob and the drink. after drink #2 was super warm as well, I asked it to be transfered to another glass on the rocks. Does everyone agree this is not a fabulous start to the evening? Thank you. We were seated pretty much right at 8 and very excited for the food! We each ordered 3 courses. Our first courses: mushroom soup (delicious), tater tots (shredded potatoes with cheese and herbs, rolled and fried) were served with a nice tasting sauce (however the sauce contained vanilla bean which I liked, but some people might find it an odd combo), risotto (cooked pretty good with nice flavors, and delicious brussel sprouts), goat cheese tempura (very tasty, some might find it a bit salty), and deconstructed steak tartare (the steak tartare, and some other dishes contain truffle oil. it is not stated on the menu. I, for one. love truffle oil, but some don't. considering it is also an expensive ingredient, i think they should list it in the description). That being said we were all sharing, and trying eachother's first courses and were very pleased. On to #2. I had the calamari which was cooked perfectly and breaded very lightly, however, the heavy sauce of coconut/lemongrass really weighed the dish down. Husband had the tartare this time, loved it. Mom had tartare. Hers was FROZEN. I don't mean it was cold, the meat was frozen solid. Our server came when the plates were ready to be cleared to check on everything (doesn't really help when you come back 20 minutes too late!!), so there was never a chance for the kitchen to rectify the mistake. Sister had the chicken confit which she thought SUPER smokey (although there is no mention of anything smoked, except for the inclusion of bacon, but this was not where the overwhelming smokiness was coming from). Brother in law had the "jackson pollack" trout. The presentation was really unique, it was on a flat rectangular plate (like a canvas), and the 4 sauces were "painted" on the plate pollack-esque. I, unfortunately, wasn't too jazzed on the flavors. The farro was an overpowering flavor in the dish, and I don't think the sauces really complemented each other, and they had to be mixed because of the presentation, there was no avoiding it, and the balsamic was the overpowering one here. #3 I was hoping for a rebound from the second courses, but no such luck. I odered the bass (which sounded just so delicious). So disappointing. The fish was overcooked, the flavors were bland, and it just overall was a really unsuccessful dish. The diver scallops didn't fare much better. My husband had a special of pork and bay scallops. The pork was good, but the scallops were off. Sister ordered the filet, she was happy with it, bro-in-law had the pork shoulder which everyone agreed was fantastic. Overall, just an average dining experience. Some dishes were excellent and some were borderline terrible. Good service could've made up for some of the missteps, but it wasn't the case. One major plus was the chefs presence in the restaurant. That, along with other peoples enjoyable dishes raised the review to 3 stars. I think if you live in the suburbs this is a good place to visit, but I wouldn't make a special trip for it.
(3)Debbie S.
If ever a restruant was aptly named , this is the ONE ! Food is inventive , original combinations, Fresh, and delicious - I particularly relish their smaller portions ; gives one's tastebuds a variety of creative choices ! Their new bar menu and weekly specials , just add to their array! Not to Be missed , but make reservations !
(5)Brad C.
Sure sign you're not from Lake Forest/Lake Bluff #1: you write reviews on yelp. Alas, Daisy and I, having left LF for East Egg, were not among the last names our server was very aurally memorizing as she stared down the long dining room; we did get lots of fake smiles and "that dish has a lot of flavor"s, though! (Yay.). 8:30 on a Tuesday and we're relegated to the bar because the WASPS ARE OUT TONIGHT (sung to the "Lion Sleeps Tonight," of course). I give John De Rossiers, a talented chef, a lot of credit: he knows his micro-North Shore audience very very well...just maybe too well for the rest of us. This reads like an innovative menu--and I had trouble deciding from all the choices--but it eats like 1995: heavy sauces, salt, starch. While the playful touches of his Bank Lane Bistro work are still evident--"Japanese Doritos," if you will--he's clearly kowtowing to his demographic with a lot of the same ol' same ol' hidden underneath the artifice. If he'd just let his ingredients and his techniques shine through, we'd have something like a revelation here. The conceit is small plates with a contemporary, vaguely regional, American spin--commence eye-rolling...NOW. But this is done playfully, with a decent bang for the buck: three courses will run you about $27-36 and the servings are comparatively ample (one of the benefits of having white hairs as your audience, I suppose). Breakout the Hickey and Elie Tahari, baby--we're going pre fixe tonight! There's a lot of potential here, but no consistency even within a single dish. I really loved the subtle black walnut vinagrette on a spinach salad, but nothing else on the plate popped (which is more than you can say about a southern-style red oak lettuce/blue cheese/peanuts salad that was cafeteria level). A lovely oyster fritter, full of contrasting sweet hush puppie-esque and briny oyster bites, was drifting in a sea of so-called "blue tortilla chilaquiles and confit shallots"--more like a mess of beans and some large onions. A pasta dish had some really lovely wild mushrooms and a very bright and clever sugared lemon skin--plus some unannounced scallops--but was doused in an unnecessarily heavy cream base where a minimalist foundation--if anything--would have done; I found myself wondering with each bite what any number of superior SF Italian places (Oliveto, Incanto) would have done with these ingredients. And the "Jackson Pollock's Walleye Pike"--so named for the abstract splashes of four sauces on the plating--was such a marvelous piece of whitefish (with a great "truffle salsa" on top) that the overwhelming saltiness of those abstract sauces and the farro pasta underneath made me curse the very existence of suburbs. Chef, seriously: RELAX. It's hard to say whether the flawed elements are the accidents of a new kitchen or the deliberate appeals to the taste of the target audience--sure hope it's the former. But I hope Des Rossiers eventually adds his modern and whimsical touches--e.g., foams, gelees--to lighten the dishes, or simply subtracts all the elements to better emphasize his ingredients. When he does, I have no doubt this will be an essential North Shore restaurant.
(3)Sue F.
This is a small plate restaurant (I found the size to be just exactly the right size...the portion size we should be fed for dinner). The food was fantastic, really really great. The char on the pork shoulder I had was perfect, the beet salad well assembled, calamari cooked perfectly...really perfectly. Desserts were tasty and everything was reasonably priced!. We (4 of us) enjoyed it immensely and will go again. They use a lot of local farmers. Ambiance is eeehhhh....service eeeehhhh...But I don't care about that, I care about quality of the food and how it is prepared. Down graded due to last visit about a year ago....menu was boring this time...
(3)Tom K.
Tucked away gem that's better than much fare served up in downtown Chicago. Off-the-beaten-path wine list with many pleasant surprises and well-priced to boot. Interesting local-color scene all around (especially in the bar). Thumbs up to escargot, wagyu, arugula salad. Fish was well prepared & well sauced. If there's a fish you're unfamiliar with, make sure to ask for guidance.
(4)Diane B.
I'm a Californian, tried and true, born and raised here and still living in the Bay Area - basically a total foodie. Okay, that's my confession, so last month we went to visity my friend Anne, who, although a well travelled Scot now lives walking distance from this restaurant. I had no particular expectation, but I must confess, I loved it. We picked I think 5 dishes. I should've writtten this review sooner; don't remember all the details. We had a sashimi/fish carpaccio thing, which was good, but not spectacular, we had oysters tempura with an extraordinarily tasty brussel sprout salad, something else that I think had duck in it and was tasty also, but the night really showed off talent in accenting fungi - our favorite. There was a dual grain dish with ramps and mushrooms that was absolutely killer and another mushroom dish that just made the night. We wanted some special single malts and they let us test a couple first before picking them. Considering the price per pour this was very generous. Our sort of novice waitperson worked very hard to satisfy us and the owner/host helped with the scotch. It's good for my budget that I don't live nearby. I'm definitely a fan!
(4)Terri M.
Not sure they understand that being in a neighborhood means acting like they appreciate your business! 8 women on their 2nd visit ordered tons of alcohol and food to run up a $325 bill! 5 of the 8 women live in LB and LF so they are locals. We brought a cake for a going away occasion and asked for a knife.....cut the cake myself! Inovasi apparently needs the $$$ because they charged a $16 cake fee! Absurd that is more than a cork fee! The food was OK but after that we are all done with the place.....there will not be a 3rd visit but most likely they will not survive because they do not understand what it means to be part of a neighborhood! Ps I did ask the manager about the cake fee and he said it was policy.........well policy yourself right out of business!
(1)Peter S.
Don't waste your time coming here. Food was too salty and lack consistency. Two people at our table asked for the same plate and while one was cooked appropriately, the other was under cooked. When we spoke to the waiter about it, he acted like we were wasting his time. He took the plate back and it came back relatively unchanged. When we said we would prefer replacing it with another plate, he called the manager who said the policy of the restaurant was to charge for the plate despite the fact the person at our table barely took 2 bites out of it. At that point, the manager instead of trying to help us order another plate, he had little to say and asked us to excuse him that he was being called to go to another table to address another complain. His comment to us: "guests today are very demanding". My guess it is because they advertise the restaurant as being at par with the best restaurants in Chicago, but the food and service is truly not better than a small neighborhood place. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone. Did I mention that we met the Chef and he acted as he was a pop star? I believe he thought we were going to ask him for an autograph. All my friends laughed at him going to our cars and we wonder if the Chef was on denial that he actually heads a restaurant in a village of 5,000 people and not New York or Paris. Please save yourself a 30 minute trip to this small town. It is not worth it.
(1)Ron O.
Unbelievable food and service - a must for anybody looking for a fun, casual atmosphere with interesting and incredible tasting foods. I have been here many times since they opened in May and love everything I have tried. I especially love the Walleye Pike, the Calamari, and the NY strip. The tallgrass burgers are on the lunch menu but you can order them for dinner as well and they are fantastic - I'm pretty sure best burger I have ever had in my life - sorry mom.... In fact you can order from either the lunch or dinner menu any time - pretty cool. Oh and I almost forgot the best part is the great selection of interesting and tasty beer and wines at great prices. I love the new amber colored lager Hirter Morchl (tongue twister if you say it with the correct Austrian accent) that they just put on the menu it is surprisingly light and easy to drink. Very very nice.
(5)m d.
Inovasi was recommended from Lake Bluff friends so we were really looking forward to our first visit. We picked a very cold, snowy day and upon entry, met by 3 young ladies at the hostess stand. Since this was our first visit, I was quite surprised to be assessed by one of the hostesses for my "worthiness". She actually looked me up and down, head to toe with a bit of disdain for me and/or my outfit . So much for a friendly welcome. I felt like I was in a scene from "Mean Girls". They proceeeded to greet and treat others like regulars.... Note to hostess stand: treat all your guests as regulars and they may become one. Regardless of our initial "welcome", our evening was quite nice. We had a wonderful waitress who asked all of the right questions and provided us with some great recommendations. My husband and I shared some great dishes and loved the fact that brussel sprouts were in great abundance.
(3)Tim F.
I have eaten here many times and have to admit that this is the best restaurant in the Northern suburbs and is definitely one of the better places in the Chicago land area. The menu is creative and diverse, the portions are ample without being overwhelming. The food is exceptionally well-executed. The wine list is excellent and the spirits (some of which are made by the staff) are creative and high-quality. They are close to the Metra and worth the ride for any culinarily adept city dweller.
(5)Meinhard G.
Went there alone for an evening drink and some food on a Thursday evening and wanted to sit in the Bar area. They must have made changes - the service was good, I was greeted and walked to the bar for a few beers - yes they have a great selection on Tap. Very nice Glasses - for Beer, Wine and Water (important to me). Also the decor was modern but warm and very nice! Maybe a small complaint - the hostess, a very young looking girl, was bored and spent a lot of time on her hair and with a boy? friend at the bar. I ordered the "tall-grass beef dry aged NY strip, autumn farm squash, anson mills "civil war" grits, soy-garlic-green peppercorn sauce". What I got was a very small piece of meat - sliced. It was very good tasting but less than I expected (and I am not expecting a BIG piece of meat but maybe 10 oz). So maybe I missed the small plates concept? But $16 for a small plate in Lake Bluff? The complimentary bread and Humus was great tasting. So I will be back but probably for a special occasion or when there is a Monday or Tuesday special in the restaurant. Overall - A Great looking and very clean restaurant, interesting menu food and drinks.
(3)Margie B.
I went to Inovasi Friday night with three friends. Two of us got there early and sat in the bar area. I liked the lighting and the drinks were very good. The bar area is small and intimate. Very nice on a cold winter night. When you sit down at your table they give you some hummus with olives on top in this teenie tiny square bowl along with small bread slices and flat bread. It is very good but it is not enough, especially when there are four people. We all loved our meals from salads to dinner to dessert. Three of us had the goat cheese with the tempura coating on a bed of endive with crispy brioche croutons,vinegarette and carmelized onions on top. It was just so good. I had the sea bass on whipped acorn squash with a glaze made from Italian wild sour cherries. Dessert for me was the Chocolate Pot de Creme with whipped coconut and slightly spicy macadamia nuts. This place was very good and reasonably priced. I will go back and soon. Not a bad thing to say. Our waiter was very good too.
(4)Anthony C.
I will never give Inovasi a bad review, the chef is a true artist who is very ambitious and is trying to bring food to the next level. But it is getting a little pretentious and the American Casual vibe they had is getting a little stuffy. I was asked if I had reservations for a Tuesday. Really a Tuesday and when I walked into the restuarant it wasn't even full. I had the sirlion and my waitress suggested a wonderful wine which was amazing. The portion would not have been such a disappointment if the side items weren't almost non-existant. The service was good but not the greatest, they have a long way to go before they get a Michelin star, it isn't just about food it has to be about the whole experience. I had a great waitress but I am not sure if customer service is their primary concern, they put on too many "airs" when it could be a warmer place where people would love to go to. Now it is the kind of place you may tolerate to give someone a good impression. I watch a lot of Gordon Ramsey and Food Network and they discuss the Michelin Star a lot, the food is great but the atmosphere still needs a little work.
(4)Neela P.
Fourth meal at Inovasi over the past 2 years. First three--food was good to great, service was mixed--poor to acceptable. Tonight's meal with a group was very disappointing. Neither the food nor preparations were good--e.g. the fish was super fishy and the preparation was weird with red sweet beans. The salad was equally off balance with a heavy peanut dressing on arugula. It didn't work. Sadly the service matched: when we asked what kind of fish was being served the waitress told us archly "we don't know". We pushed a little--is it fresh water or salt water fish? No answer and no apology either. I finally asked the host who at least gave us some slight details "it probably comes from Hawai'i or New Zealand or Japan". 5 of us took a chance on it and all of us were very sorry. Maybe the chef has left? I wouldn't take another chance on this restaurant after our experience tonight. Too bad, North Chicago really lacks in good restaurants and this used to be a good one. Prairie Grass Cafe, here I come (back).
(2)Bonnie K.
This is my fifth visit to this amazing restaurant and the best ever. Every dish was delicious to extraordinary. No matter what the preparation is, their calamari is by far the most delicious I have ever had. Their frozen custard with pretzel & chocolate chucks is do die for. The Risotto with shrimp was memorable. We suburbanites are lucky to have Chef John Des Rosier
(5)Shirley M.
A great change-up for Lake Forest/Lake Bluff area. Brad C.: Why is it necessary to make assumptions about and insult fellow diners in your review? I read a similar review on Abigails in Highland Park that also insulted the clientele. This is not helpful information, so why add your racial/ethic biases? I happen to be a chef/former small food business owner who is interested in hearing about the food and service. Clients come in all shapes and sizes - get used to it - and grow up. Inovasi is doing one hell of a job!!!
(4)Darlene L.
This place is a definite miss.Service is terrible and the food not much better. Liked the fact that their corkage is only $10. Brought two very respectable wines for our party of six. Server never offered to chill the white, and we poured our own throughout the meal. Lovely contemporary atmosphere does not make up for the BDE here. Starters were ok including a decent beet salad. On to the entrees. The cod was dry and the accompaniments did not disguise how poorly it was cooked. Sent one back and did get a replacement fish. Perch was ok but was served with a large piece of skin making it appear unappetizing. Busser removed one diner's glass before he had finished his wine and a second diner's dessert which was also unfinished. Second diner complained and server brought a replacement one. Had chocolate gelati and a second flavored with thyme. Thyme truly distracted from the creamy ice cream. In short, this place needs to simplify its dishes. Fish could have been wonderfully served in a simple preparation. Same is true of desserts. As to service-get the house in order even on a busy night. Servers and bussers need to work together in serving the patrons. Also, noise level is deafening.
(1)Christina M.
I've been here twice. I'm a foodie who has traveled around the world. All I can say is WOW. If I wanted goofy foams and other pseudo foods I'd get back to New York City. Everything from the lovely bread basket to the wine recommendations to entrees to desert. SOLID. With food this good I'd be willing to go to the kitchen myself to get it but service was fine. Glad I don't live closer or I'd take up residence. This place is becomming a destination. Bravo!!!
(5)Gabby D.
Good salads. Great Tallgrass beef burgers! I've been to Inovasi for lunch a few times and found the service to be very polite and attentive. Substitutions are treated with ease and the portions are quite filling.
(4)Carol G.
I liked the escargot a lot! They had this whole animal addition thing that's new, I'm not sure if they're going to be doing it every week but check that out if you have a chance!
(4)H L.
Creative. Delicious. Conveniently located. Will definitely go back. Try the calamari.
(5)taryn f.
We are big fans. Never a disappointment.
(5)Bob B.
Second date there and still infatuated! I had the Milan risotto with brussels sprouts - wonderful, but rich; best for sharing. Followed by the pork shoulder - another delight, among the tastiest and most satisfying entrees I've had in the past year. But also rich. Probably not the best combination with the risotto. My wife had the red oak salad and the sweet shrimp. I tasted the shrimp and thought it was a great dish, but loved my pork more. The other couple had the lamb, which I thought was chewy and not really interesting, and the cured salmon, which I neglected to taste. Very nice wine selection and great beer selection. Service was attentive, helpful, and friendly. Wonderful, downtown food, with free easy parking!
(4)Veronica H.
Felt like we were swindled. Asked for two drinks made with patron tequila. The waiter said they don't carry Patron. We enjoyed our apps and drinks. Asked for our check. Our check included waiters tip and he charged us $56.00 for two tequila drinks. We asked why, our waiter and the manager were dismissive and rude. My friends and I will not be going back.
(1)Priya B.
Underwhelmed. Farm to table invokes this idea of extremely fresh and vibrant ingredients, especially in the summer, but that is far from what we got. I give this place a three simply because the bruschetta was excellent and our server was really sweet. Other than that, the food was ordinary at best.
(3)Stephen M.
Given the restaurant's name, they should be judged on how innovative they are. First time in, I'd say they innovate impressively. Local ingredients populate their interesting menu. Portions can be small or large. The smaller ones allow for more exploring. Had the crispy tempura cod--it's as advertised and very good! Before that, the server explained that my partner's steak would take some time, suggesting an appetizer. I went with the liver pate which was perfect--served with pumpkin seeds, a simple creative idea that worked wonderfully. The craft cocktails are notable and interesting. Our server was semi-innovative. Nic. He fit the bill of a traditionally great, attentive server. And he was very Innovasi--attentive, attention to detail and our needs while avoiding the server helicopter hover approach. I'm not a fan of the décor. Grays and sparse. A small note, not anything major. I might think about innovation for the décor in another direction, but I'm sure others would say they love it. There's another attached restaurant. The Other Door (Taqueria). One successful adventure suggests another.
(4)Ori F.
My wife and I were here a couple weeks ago, and we were famished. Hunger is the best sauce, etc. When we walked in at about 5:15 we were greeted by three separate host types and asked to be seated for dinner. We couldn't see anyone in the front room, and there were a few families seated in the back room. They asked us if we had a reservation, and when we said "no", they told us they were fully booked. We looked around the room. "Really" we said, "we can't sit here?". "Oh," they said, "Yeah, you can sit at the bar if you want". So, I get that there's a separate "dining room", but the "bar" area has a bar, and then a walk way with a divider, and on the other side of the divider were at least eight tables, all of which were empty. We were seated, and immediately a bubbly wait person came and told us about the concept of the restaurant. Ingredients from local farms, rooftop garden: you know the drill. She asked if we were ready to order: we had just sat down, and asked for two minutes. We perused the cocktail list, which looked like it had some cool drinks on it, but she was gone for 15+ minutes. When she came back, I ordered a "Meehan Cola": Koval Oat Whiskey, Cocchi Americano, Nonino Amaro, Tiki Elemeleke bitters, froth, amarena cherry. We also both ordered the "standard burger", rare. There were several other things on the menu that looked kind of tasty, and I wonder about them in retrospect. The waiter took pains to explain the "concept" of the menu. She did not explain why "handcrafted cheese" appeared in the vegetable section. It took another 15+ minutes for her to bring out the cocktail, and it was waaaaaay heavy on the Amaro. The best I can say for it, is that at least it was strong. Also the cherry was pretty good. With the drink we were brought a basket of not so good bread, and a "bean and pesto spread" made with ingredients from the rooftop garden. It looked delightful, and tasted foul. My wife spit hers out. I gamely had another bite, but then had to stop. The bean part was the worst. The pesto seemed to only be pureed basil. No salt, little oil, little flavor. Finally the burgers came out with fries. The fries were coated in a layer of abrasive salt, so heavily that later my mouth felt irritated. The burgers were cooked well-done. The meat was obviously good quality, but they did everything in their power to ruin it. They each had about three leaves of wilted arugula on top. There were no condiments given or offered. I had to stand up and ask for ketchup, mustard, etc. She asked if we wanted yellow mustard or their homemade mustard, and I asked for both. We were brought two little servings of mustard, one mustard, and one they made. My wife made a move to slather the house mustard-- a more traditional coarse-ground concoction, but I suggested, based on the bean-smear that she try it first. Her face when she did was pretty hilarious. Then I tried the "house" mustard. It's hard for me to convey just how bad it was. It was just bitter. Not even the vaguest hint of the heat of the mustard seed. We kept dipping our pinky in, and tasting a little more, because it was astonishingly awful. I've made mustard before. You take your seeds and soak 'em in beer, in vinegar, in wine, and for the most heat, in water. You need the liquid to activate the mustard oil, and it takes some time; it's an enzymatic thing. You grind them, and maybe add some ingredients. I prefer something sweet, to counter the heat, like some honey, or a bit of fruit. Then some salt, and a maybe a bit of mustard powder. My best guess is that they just took the seeds, and ground them up into a paste with water. No soaking, no additional ingredients. There's no way they could have tasted it first: it was utterly inedible. That's some bush-league shit, and totally unacceptable. The absolute best part of the meal, was the brioche my burger came on. My wife's been known to send food back on occasion. We were tempted, but we were so hungry when we got there, that by the time the food arrived we were famished, and we had no faith that sending it back would produce a better result. We moved to the Chicago-area just a few months ago, and this is the *only* bad meal I've had. Too bad, because it's close to where we live, and we liked the concept.
(1)Vivian F.
The emphasis on local, ethical and sustainable sources is obviously a plus. I was recently over having coffee at Wisma, talking to the gentleman behind the counter, and he explained to me how the owner will physically go to the farms if he doesn't have enough information before he contracts with them. Love that. Chicken liver pâté was excellent. It had a nice mustardy toppling with pumpkin seeds. Unexpected but really great. The bread that accompanied it was a little tough, but overall very good. Good wine and beer selection. A decent amount of local beers. Ordered the char grilled walleye with goat cheese mousse, fennel salad, snow peas and sunflower seeds. I would never have expected this combination of ingredients before, but it was excellent. Also, I've eaten walleye my whole life and have never eaten it with the skin on. That was also a pleasant surprise. My waiter was a tad young and inexperienced, but he was eager and very attentive. Sometimes attitude makes all the difference! This place is actually a 4.5 with the potential for a 5, maybe. Their standards for high-quality ingredients, combined with their creativity in dishes really sets them ahead of the pack. But they still lack the polish that goes with a truly outstanding restaurant. If they keep honing the ideas that they have, I can see this place truly becoming great. The ideas are there. Now perfect them!
(5)Philip M.
I've never had a bad meal here. Their menu is ever changing and evolving but every time I'm sad to see something go they add something else that wows me. They have a great beer and wine selection and offer small sharing plates along with larger entree plates. I recommend stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something different!
(5)Claire S.
I've dined at Inovasi a few times over the course of the year. The first few times I came in the menus were well rounded and we enjoyed our meals very much. However these past couple of trips have made it very apparent that there have been some kitchen shuffles. The food itself is lacking and dessert can't even save our meal ( which was always our favorite part!). Very very frustrating. Unless they fix the major issues they have I will not be back.
(1)Michael R.
Wow. The service was terrible. We sat outside for 30 minutes waiting for a waiter after being sat by the hostess. The bus boy even seemed apalled. A hostess came out to apologize and I forced her to take our order. They offered us free drinks and those took 15 more minutes to arrive. Meanwhile we were still relying on the bread the busboy brought 45 minutes before. The "snacks" finally arrived. Grilled cheese and Papas bravas. Both were good, although the potatos in the Papas bravas were not overly crispy as advertised. The grilled cheese was well done and welcomed to see as a snack. It was served with an excellent dipping mustard as well. Main course and an appetizer arrived. The handmade pasta was really more like spaetzle. Dense and chewy. Not bad mind you just not what might be expected by the person ordering it. The sauce was a bit too mild but I appreciated the effort to do something different. The dry-aged New York strip was OK. Not worth the large price tag though. In fact the broccoli that came with it was my favorite part of the meal. Well-cooked and crunchy with an Asian-style glaze. During the course of our meal we were visited by the manager. All staff apologized profusely. They comped our drinks and "snacks," which we appreciated (still a $60 bill though). As my wife said "That's how you save a Yelp review!" I thought about that when the waiter dropped off our receipt booklet and had forgotten to include the actual receipts for me to sign. After going back inside to find him and get the receipts to sign I decided that no, they did not save their Yelp review.
(2)Steve W.
It just does not get any better than this place. I hate to write such a review because I want to continue to be able to make reservations here. John DR is one of the best and most creative chefs in Chicagoland. The service is always good. The food is great. The wine list is perfect.
(5)Jennifer L.
Hands down one of the best tasting menus I've had. Would do this again. I might even call it my second favorite restaurant. Napa rose #1 and Commis #3 (because of Commis' price, they are very pricy) but this place is awesome!! Will do again and again and again when I'm in town, plus their menu changes daily!! Super cool! I was excited to see what was coming next! They don't tell you ahead of time. So much awesome food! Loved everything
(5)Atticus C.
Inovasi keeps getting better and better. I love how the menu constantly changes. I love the fresh local ingredients. I love the craft cocktails. I love the service. When I go I have to sit with Adam or Nic. Either way I get spectacular service, incredible food, and always have a great time! Thanks Inovasi.
(5)Jeremy D.
We really enjoyed our 2 trips in the past 2 months. Overall, our server, Adam, was incredibly knowledgeable about their menu. He knew the source of the ingredients, seasonal timing and answered all of our questions in great detail. Their cocktails are well crafted and he also was able to describe them and help us choose. All of the food we ordered both times was incredible and very innovative. The vegetables that you can order are really great. They are able to highlight the ingredients. We ordered the beet salad two different times. It was slightly different the second time and still great. Their desserts are great, make sure to save room. Once again, very creative combinations. The 2 of us ordered several, each time. We can't wait to go back. This is definitely a gem!
(5)Dan S.
Two words to start this review - class act. In a world of living in excuses and business that have the audacity to blame their customers Innovasi is a shinning example of a business who cares about their customers and maintaining a relationship with them Their food is excellent, the menu changes on a regular basis - but that is table stakes. What sets this business over the top is the quality of their management and always understanding that serving their customers is the number one priority of their businesses. Cheers Innovasi...
(5)cary o.
EH. Been a couple of times due to the lack of restaurants we have up here, there food is always just ok. The bar area is much more inviting than the dining area ( the decor is so tacky!). We were excited about seeing a homemade veggie burger on Tues, we both get one and clearly the chef does ngt know how what he's doing, it was like eating oaty mush. Really gross. We both devoured the bun and the fries but we couldnt even eat the burger because it just oozed out of the bun. They could be sooooo much better. sad.
(1)Bjorn H.
Go into this place with an open mind. Expect to spend $100. If you do those two things, Inovasi will deliver. Been there twice lunch and dinner. Had a very, very good burger for lunch. Grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms; expertly prepared burger. Had a glass of Gruner which was priced lower than I think it should be. Gruner Veltliner should be served young and I believe I had an Austrian 2012 vintage. Dinner. What a blast. Had the calamari and the local mushrooms. Excellent! For the main course I had the Sockeye salmon. Again, superb. They have an excellent coffee menu and very well-done desserts. Overall, this has to be one of the better restaurants in Lake county. Check out their bar too, they pour a solid drink.
(5)William S.
My wife and I have been here several times and we have tried most of the appetizers as we eat light dinners. They have the best calamari in Illinois and the cheese plate is excellent. The thing that bugs me is why a restaurant of this caliber still serve warm wine. All wines should be chilled to 58-60 degrees, both red and white. They have a great wine selection but who in their right mind would drink a $12 glass of 72 degree Pinot Noir? Wine can not be tasted warm as it's a waste of time, money and good wine.
(3)Karen M.
We were disappointed that there were no healthy options anywhere on the menu. We thought maybe the wild mushrooms would be light, but they were in a heavy sauce. A poached salmon or crudites would be such a great addition. Lower calorie vegetarian options would be welcome. We were not pleased with the meal, but hope to share our feelings with the chef when we go for lunch to give them one more chance before crossing them off our list of restaurants to frequent.
(2)Theres T.
Ate lunch here today. Had the best salad ever! Although it was supposed to be chicken breast with pecans, blue cheese, etc. with a blood orange vinaigrette, I asked for it with the Dijon vinaigrette which the waitress said was fine. A little while later she came back to ask if a mustard vinaigrette was ok and I agreed. When it arrived there were no pecans. Macadamia nuts had been substituted. It made the salad even better. The dressing was wonderful. Service was great and our waitress was knowledgeable about the wine. Can't wait to go back and try some of the other tempting things on the menu.
(5)Christina C.
Ehh. I have had some some pretty decent, and some bad experiences here. The only reason I continue to go back is because it is 2 blocks from my house, and it is an easy date night to get away for an hour or two with a neighbor babysitter. I've been going here for three years, and I actually think it has gotten worse over time. I think they try to be too many things in one restaurant. Is it fine dining or casual neighborhood bar with a giant TV? The food has gotten worse as of late, and there are even less options than there used to be (which is significant, because they have never had a big menu). The last time I was there, not one thing on the small plates menu sounded even remotely appetizing, and there were only 6 options to chose from. I've dined on both sides of the restaurant, and most of the experiences I've had in the dining room have been pretty good. The food has been fresh and well prepared, service pretty good. I'm not sure it was worth what we paid, but that's another story. The entree menu does not change much however, and with less than 10 options, that's a problem. Everything stays relatively the same, with only a slight variation in ingredients (sauces, etc) with the changing seasons. The bar area is where I have my biggest gripe. When we go to sit in the bar, we don't want to be spending $30 on entrees. We just want to have a few drinks, and have a simple meal. Which leaves us with the smalls plates options. There are maybe 6 small plates to chose from, and the last time, two of them were mussels or clams, which I hate, which left 4 options, not one sounding remotely appetizing. I ended up with a plain burger that had quality meat but was otherwise pretty flavorless. I also wanted to order the truffle fries, only to find out that they too, have been removed from the menu. I also ordered a glass of wine that I have gotten many times, and it had definitely gone bad. I'm not sure what direction they are going with this restaurant, but I'm looking forward to the place across the street opening. Invovasi needs to get control over their identity crisis with deciding what type of restaurant they want to be, and and the very least, offer a separate bar menu from the main dining room.
(2)Ravi R.
Very nouveau. They have small plates if you don't want to have full dinner. Really enjoyed the meal and the desserts are good.
(4)jessica M.
We went with few friends and it was amazing. Must try if you are in the area. The service and food was to the point and the sommelier with amazing selecting us the great wine to go with food.
(5)Maria N.
I was a guest at Inovasi for the first time this evening. I was with my mother and infant daughter. We were greeted at the door and taken to a table where there was plenty of room for my baby's stroller so not to crowd other diners. Our waiter was Nic Oilschlager and he was absolutely delightful! Nic made recommendations from the wine menu as well as suggestions for entrees and dessert. The food, wine, dessert were fabulous!! So unique and flavorful! I can't wait to go back and try more. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience! I hope other can enjoy the same superb food and service :-)
(5)J. L.
We have had two very disappointing experiences at Inovasi and will not return. The first was last New Years Eve, which we chalked up to it being a holiday. We thought we would give it another try before going to see a show at the Genesee a week ago. We had early reservations at 5:00 PM and were seated in the dining room. We asked the hostess if we could have a window table. "No," she said. What? No other diners had arrived. We told her that we had reservations and wanted the window. Still she said no, telling us that this was the table we were assigned. As we had brought another couple, we chose not to press it and make a scene, but really it was ridiculous. We were in the restaurant an hour before others were given the window spots. The food was not good and overpriced. Two in our party had salmon and two had steak frites. The salmon was over cooked and dry. The steak was too salty and the fries were soggy. The salads and desserts were mediocre at best. Our waiter was pleasant enough but solicitous to the point of being intrusive. It is difficult to understand some of the high ratings others have given. Maybe we were just unlucky to dine on two off nights.
(1)Chuck T.
Went there last week for dinner twice, Friday night with family and Saturday night with another couple. Most of the dishes on both nights were good except couple of dishes were over seasoned - especially the steak and the lamb dish were too salty. For a restaurant in this price range, the seasoning needs to be on point every time. Also, the service was off on both nights, slow and had to ask for water re-fills multiple time. the bus-person asked my wife if she was finished even she's still holding a fork in her hand. We've been to this restaurant many time for lunch and dinner and it seems the food has slide as of late, maybe John was not managing the kitchen on both nights. They were running a special last week and all items were 50% off, it was a little surprise when we get the bill we noticed they added 20% to the check based on the regular price. The server didn't mention this when he present to us on both nights. I don't have an issue paying the 20% however it was not mentioned on their email, web-site or the menu. Not a good PR move. I really want to like the restaurant but with restaurants opened up in the North Shore area the last few years it is hard to go back to the same restaurant if you don't have a memorable dinning experience.
(3)Zoe Z.
So, I've been to this restaurant so many times because it's so close to my house. It's never great, rarely bad, but mostly very, very average. John is always very welcoming and I truly appreciate his efforts in our small town. I really feel that the servers are not consistent with the atmosphere. The attire, especially for the female servers needs to be evaluated. A server we had the other evening looked like she was dressed to go hang out at a tacky mall. Unfortunately she was very unprofessional at the table in how she articulated. John, your servers are the face of your restaurant. The food can be well presented but when the service is lacking - it spoils the food and the atmosphere. The types of servers I've had at Inovasi have been more consistent with ones you would encounter at a Chili's or Applebees - not at an innovative restaurant like Inovasi. I just thought you would like to hear this local feedback.
(2)