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312 Chicago
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants American (New) Italian, American (New) [Edit]
171 W Randolph St(between Beaubien Ct & Stetson Ave)
Chicago, IL 60601
Neighborhood: The Loop
(312) 696-2420
- Nearest Transit:
-
Washington/wells (Brown Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Clark/lake (subway) (Blue Line)
Clark/lake (elevated) (Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 7 am - 10 am
Mon 11 am - 3 pm
Tue-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat 8 am - 11 am
Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
Sun 8 am - 3 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
We bake fresh pizza and bread daily, with our wood-fired oven on site. Come enjoy an authentic Italian experience with an extensive wine menu! We do… read more »
125 reviews for 312 Chicago
Review Highlights
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"however, they had an extensive wine list, which was a plus." In 10 reviews -
"Flourless chocolate cake - An excellent finishing dish to..." In 3 reviews -
"This review is just for the awesome $25 prix fixe lunch." In 3 reviews
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125 reviews in English
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Review from Stephanie P.
Dublin, OH
4/30/2012
We were in town for a birthday weekend celebration and this was the restaurant the birthday girl requested. They get points for putting up with us, we had to change our reservation time at least twice and alter the number of our party... they were very flexible and it was greatly appreciated.
Now for the food. Yes, it is expensive. I must have chosen wisely because I loved my dish and the others that I tasted. I had the Filetto Tartufato (medium rare) and it was downright fantastic. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. My friend on my left had the risotto of the day which was also great. I didn't have a problem with the service, we were a large party and she was pretty hands off but she answered all of our questions and made great recommendations to those who couldn't decide what to order. Overall it was a good experience. -
Review from RIK P.
Chicago, IL
4/28/2012 1 photo
This is not a restaurant to visit for your special occasion but good enough for quick lunch or pre-theater dinner because it is close to theaters.
I was not amazed with any food. Polpetti (small octopus with Sicilian cherry tomato, shrimp and beans) was good though.
Roast Pork Chop was too chewy and expensive. -
Review from Karri G.
Scottsdale, AZ
3/26/2012
Not bad, but not especially impressive either. I agree with my fellow Yelper, Derrick: Their sun dried tomato tapenade was delicious, and it is gratis, so that was a great start to the meal. I can almost NEVER pass up risotto, and they had a risotto of the day, so I was totally impressed regardless of the rest of my experience. :-) The risotto was good, very flavorful, unusual combination of ingredients, so I was actually pretty happy with that. The flourless chocolate cake was the perfect density, and the fresh whipped cream? Well, need I say more...it's whipped cream! Everything tastes better with whipped cream!
I was not happy with the sour faces though. Depressing. I don't think anyone...anyone...smiled at me, not the Hostess, the Server, or the Busboy. And I sat in the bar with my legs crossed, where every time one of them passed, they kicked my leg. Even then, I think they only apologized once.
It is connected to my hotel, which makes it oh-so-convenient, but I'm glad that there are so many other options, I don't have to return. -
Review from Cam B.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2012
Went here because it was so close to the theater. It's WAY overpriced...and our food was terrible. The pasta dish with the italian sausage and spinach was the worst. Carrot ginger soup...blah. Seafood ravioli...undercooked. Sauces on the pasta were watery. Service was so-so...our waitress wouldn't smile to save her life.
Definitely would not return. -
Review from Justin V.
4/17/2012
Had an impromptu brunch here on Sunday after realizing damn near every other decent place in the Loop is closed and seeing that a friend on facebook had enjoyed their pancakes here the day before. It was solid - the short rib hash was good and the service was great. A little staid in demeanor, and the place was surprisingly empty, which raised eyebrows but was also a bonus since a couple in my party had to get to the airport. Will I come back next time I'm in the Chi? Probably not as a destination, but if it worked out that way, I wouldn't be terribly upset.
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Review from Vee M.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2012
Expensive. Unimpressive.
For 6 adults and one child = $183, doesn't sound bad.... yet.
I ordered the caprese panini with greens in vinaigrette as the side (option 2-potato chips). the sandwich was not bad - there really is no way to mess this sandwich up as it is only made with mozzarella, tomato and basil. This is one of my favorite sandwiches, unfortunately it had one measly basil leave in it instead of bunches= $11
I ordered one sunny side up egg from their side menu = $4
My friend complained his pancakes weren't cooked all the way through - although he did get it with banana and nuts so cooking it right takes more skill.
And for the 6 oz cup of coffee = $4 each, no free refill.
For the 10 oz cup of either the apple or cranberry juice =$5, no free refill.
Save your money. The Golden Nugget is much more satisfying. -
Review from Derrick T.
Woodridge, IL
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Best deal is probably the $25 prix fixe for lunch. Oddly, they did not present it with the menu and I had to ask for it to receive it. Here's what I tried:
Braised short rib with deep fried polenta - Short rib was flavorful and fairly tender. Could likely have been a little bit more tender, but on the plus side, there was no bone and it was a generous portion of meat. The deep fried polenta was barely crisp on the outside, and very mushy on the inside. My preference for polenta is something a bit more dense, and not so soft throughout.
Rigatoni Bolognese - A light bolognese sauce with good flavor. I was a bit let down, as I thought it would be smothered in a rich thick bolognese, however it was more of a light coating. Flavor was good, but nothing spectacular.
Flourless chocolate cake - An excellent finishing dish to share with my coworkers. The flavor was excellent, not overly rich (as with some flourless cakes), and just enough sweetness. An excellent ending to a decent meal.
Verdict: The meal was tasty, the price was alright. Overall, a good meal with nice choices for prix fixe, and a solid choice for lunch meetings. Not phenomenal, but enjoyable. Unlikely to go back as there are so many other places to try downtown for lunch, but worth a visit if you haven't been.
Bonus: Their sun dried tomato/garlic tapenade was delicious. It's gratis, so make sure you try some! The bread is nothing special, but the flavors in the tapenade were very memorable!
Extra tip: Make sure you make reservations for lunch. We were turned away the first time we tried to go here! -
Review from Warren L.
Chicago, IL
3/28/2012
A lovely lunch begins with a great cocktail at their bar which, Holly, their resident cocktail maestro serves up with aplomb.
The meal which follows is nothing short of terrific. Chef Luca puts great care into everything that he does and with a true Italian savoir fare - this is a place not to be missed. May I recommend the $25 three course lunch special which will leave you not wanting for anything more! -
Review from Mike Z.
Chicago, IL
1/15/2012
Went here as location was convenient with good service.
Thats probably the main thing this place is good for.
Its not the food.
Atmosphere is quiet, lots of wood and slightly dark. Intimate, good for business lunch if you have time.
It served my purpose of taking out my parents for lunch whilst wondering around the loop. I'm glad they were hungry and not too picky, else would have been a problem.
Quality doesnt live up, especially disappointing as its not cheap.
I had grilled calamari. totally tasteless and not warm enough.
On the plus side, wine list is pretty long.
Have a think if this place really fits your needs before you go. -
Review from Anne M.
10/6/2011
Really more like a 3.5 - but we'll stick with 3.
Enjoyed an early dinner with a party of 3 others this week. We had a fine time, good food, overall pleasant experience. Nothing was exceptional and I thought prices were a wee bit high, thus the 3 stars. Their loop location allows their menu to be on the pricey side, unfortunately. Maybe I wouldn't mind the prices so much if the food was spectacular and/or the ambiance was really outstanding, or they had something special going on.
We had two waitresses coming around for the ordering and for the check-ins, which was a bit odd. Our table bread was great - some kind of almost sweet wheat bread and a white bread served with a sundried tomato? oil spread.
I ordered a glass of wine ($8 - average) and the shrimp/scallops ravioli in a tomato cream/saffron sauce, which was really delicious, but $18 and really didn't have that many raviolis or much filling! Other diners ordered some kind of awesome looking chx dish, another simple linguini/shrimp dish, and a fish entree that also looked good.
Service was pretty timely, and we all enjoyed the meal, but there was nothing that made me HAVE to come back here again... Good but kind of forgettable. -
Review from Lauren B.
9/19/2011
The food here is delctable! Whether you go in for a simple appetizer or a full meal you will not be dissappointed!! Dinner at 312 never dissappoints me.
On Thursday night I went in with a friend for a quick bite and a glass of wine. We split the Halibut and the tortellini....the Halibut was melt in your mouth good, the cauliflower that was braised underneath it was equally tasty. The tortellini was good, but the sauce could have been a bit more tasty...perhaps some more garlic.
The staff is always super friendly and attentive, never a bad experience.
This is definitly somewhere to try when you are in the loop -
Review from Angela U.
Chicago, IL
11/14/2011
We visited here before we went to Ford Center to see Rock of Ages. We took the Green line in from Oak Park and it was a great location, just a short walk of one city block.
We had a 4:45 p.m. reservation, which was perfect, we even had plenty of time after to stop by the bar and have a nice visit before the brief walk to the Ford Center. It is also right next to the Cadillac Palace theatre.
The service was great, the food was delightful. I had the Butternut squash Tortelloni with Pine nut.
Appetizer was Salmon, shrimp, Scallops, and Calamari. What a wonderful combination!
Everyone loved it!!! We will definitely be back before another outing to the theatre in Chicago. -
Review from Kate M.
8/4/2011
I've been to 312 Chicago a few times for pre-theater or pre-opera snacks (who am I kidding, desserts, not snacks). Every time I've sat at the bar and it's been a pleasant, albeit short, experience. I've finally had a full meal at 312 Chicago and I'm still a fan.
After my first choice for the evening was vetoed by my dining companion we went over to 312 and sat outside. We started with a few appetizers from the bar menu, ordered a couple entrees, and finished with a dessert to share. Everything was very good. I had the rigatoni bolognese and it was very good. I had a few bites (I didn't steal them this time, they were offered to me!) of the Caciucco Livornese, a melange of seafood in a spicy tomato broth, and it was very good. The chocolate hazelnut gelato was actually better than I expected too.
The service was pretty good. Our server was very nice and attentive. Their hours on yelp say they are open till 10 pm, but the doors were locked well before 9:30. I'm not sure if the hours are wrong or if this was a one time event, but when the manager turned a couple away he didn't offer any explanation other than "We're closed". They clearly cater to a pre-theater crowd and business dinners, we were the only table left outside once West Side Story started next door.Listed in: Lunch in the Loop
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Review from Mar C.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2012
The staff/service needs to kick it up a notch. I went here recently for a business lunch and they sat my associate and I at a tiny table against the wall and within arm's length distance from the kitchen door! When asked to be reseated they sat us upstairs at a table just slightly better (still in the corner, tucked away). This is despite the fact that I had reservations. Food is okay for the price and I agree that this restaurant probably just gets a lot of business due to its location. I'll think again before having lunch here and dropping $80+ on lunch for two.
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Review from Ariana S.
9/28/2011
312: While your first thought (or at least mine) may bring you straight to Goose Island's infamous "312" beer, and you think "definitely a brewhouse", well you're wrong and so was I. Not in a bad way though...
312 is actually more of an mid-to-upscale dining spot with white tablecloths and homemade tapenade instead of butter with your bread.
I've gone for lunch a few times and I must say it is sometimes nice to have a classy, sit-down business lunch complete with a glass of wine (and preferably your company picking up the tab). The food here is pretty darn good and the specials are usually worth trying. For an appetizer, make sure you get the goat cheese and the salads & soups are pretty quality too. I didn't love the tortellini in broth but maybe because that's a weird concept anyway. The paninis are large (I recommend the pollo) and the service is generally good.
Kudos to the team for always trying to accommodate our rude-because-we-didn't-make-a-reservation selves. Extra star for that! -
Review from Steve B.
$187 for 7 people...for BREAKFAST.
This restaurant is attached to the Hotel Allegro, which is where I laid my head during my most recent trip to Chi-town, and the front desk staff suggested it for breakfast. Wow. Bad suggestion.
$5 glasses of orange juice were served to everyone, even those who didnt ask for it (not fresh squeezed...the gallon jug was visible on the bar). $11 for the worst French toast I've ever had, and an extra $4 for a side of bacon. Service was abysmal, mechanical, and borderline rude. If not for the automatic addition of an 18% tip, our waiter would have been very disappointed.
Also, management, not a good idea to engage in a debate with a waiter as to whether or not he will stay on for the lunch shift. Staff arguments are not something customers want to see/hear.
Stay away, at least for breakfast. -
Review from Ayako M.
6/24/2011
Recently booked a work outing here. The food was expensive and blah. The service was blah. The atmosphere was blah.
blah. -
Review from Ben K.
3/2/2011
Famous last words: "I should've ordered the bolognese"
Sadly, a well decorated mahogany interior gives way to what felt to me like a restaurant that emphasizes form over function.
I had a prix fixe for lunch that consisted of a calamari appetizer which was tasty if unspectacular, followed by a grilled chicken breast sandwich, served on a tomato focaccia with grilled portobello mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. It was a beautifully grilled piece of chicken, perfectly cooked and still moist, if under seasoned. However the ratio of portobello to chicken was a bit high, making for an awkward eating experience especially when combined with the extreme thickness of the focaccia.
Sadly, my dining companion had a short rib appetizer that looked fantastic, and a rigatoni in a bolognese that was absolutely divine. The sauce was thick and rich, with a full flavor that kept you tasting something fresh throughout the full course of each bite.
I suppose it could be said the fault lies with me for making a poor decision in crunch time. But then again, they served it, I only ate it.
On the plus side, the flourless chocolate cake with some sort of cherry cream was AMAZING and so rich and chocolately delicious that I was unable to finish it. I'd probably come back for this item alone. But as far as regular dining values go, I am unlikely to return to 312. -
Review from Mike W.
Royal Oak Charter Township, MI
3/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Like many others that have reviewed this place, I came here to eat on my company's dime. They wanted to do a lunch with some members of the project at a "fancier" place so they picked the closest sit down restaurant.
I liked the inside and the feel of 312. Felt a little nicer than the other places I've been in the same area. I think my nice feelings about the place end there unfortunately.
I was really surprised/disappointed by the service. They had a "stick my nose up at you" vibe which I only expected to receive from the actual restaurant patrons. Aside from the mediocre service, I ended up trying the calamari and had some bread prior to the meal. The calamari was deep fried and average. The bread was good and I thought their house olive oil was nice as well. I ended up ordering a chicken breast nested in a bed of risotto. As a whole I thought the dish was solid but there was nothing that really stuck out to me. It's tough to botch a chicken breast and fortunately they did not. The rest of the dish was mild/bland/boring. -
Review from Johanna L.
Milwaukee, WI
5/23/2011
Ate here for breakfast the morning of my sister's wedding. The menu was somewhat small, but not outrageously priced. They gave you a lot of food for the money! The food was good as well, although the bacon we got seemed a tad off, but that could have just been a fluke or something.
We had a nice meal, and the place seemed relatively quiet during the breakfast/brunch time. There were 12 of us and we had no trouble getting enough chairs and tables together. -
Review from Anthony S.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2011
Kicked off restaurant week here with some friends and as such we had the option of a $33 prix fixe dinner menu or ordering from the standard menu. I ordered off the fixed menu choosing a starter, main course and dessert.
For the starter I had the short rib. Not something I'd expect to see at an Italian restaurant, but as my one of my dear Italian ex-pat friend says, in Chicago there are few Italian restaurants and many Italian-American restaurants. Regardless the short rib was excellent, very soft and fell apart easily, as short rib should. To make this dish more "Italian," the short rib was place on top of a bed of polenta. The polenta too was excellent, very creamy tasting, in fact it didn't even taste like a starch. I'm not too crazy about polenta, occasionally I crave it, but more times than not polenta reminds me a bit too much like mash potatoes and less like porridge.
For the main course I went with the Rigatoni Bolognese and unfortunately It was quite a disappointment! There was nothing special about this dish, the bolognese sauce seemed very generic, like something I could pick up anywhere and it definitely didn't contend with my mom's; perhaps the ingredients were not fresh enough? Way too mild and plain tasting for a Bolognese dish, pass this one up!
Last, but certainly not least, the dessert. For the final course I chose the Dark Chocolate Crepes with Pistachio Ice Cream (gelato). I can happily say that this was very tasty! For the food purists, these chocolate crepes are baked with chocolate in the batter opposed to being crepes with melted dark chocolate (cioccolato fondente) spread inside them. In place of the traditional chocolate spread a fig jam/sauce is found inside these crepes, which I thought went well with the overall chocolately/cocoa flavor of the crepe batter. On the side, there's a small scoop of pistachio ice cream. Overall the combination of the three was pure bliss. Excellent dessert!
It's a shame that some things just didn't measure up here, otherwise I'd consider giving this place four stars, generally good, but not quite on the mark.Listed in: All Reviews, Italian
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Review from George K.
11/5/2011
Went here for breakfast...the menu was pretty basic besides the brioche french toast. Slightly overpriced for average (at best) food. I would stick to dinner here, which has proven to be better.
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Review from Hang T.
I'm rating this restaurant based on the cooking classes they have. Overall, I had a wonderful time learning how to cook some of the meals there.
For about 80 bucks a couple, you can have a cooking lesson with the executive chef and his mother. She is so cute! He taught us how to make pappardelle ragu, shrimp skewers, and tiramisu! Gave us the recipes and a bottle of the house olive oil. After each dish was made, we were able to taste it. Super yummy! I have no complaints about any of the dishes. I'm saving them to make those meals one day.
He was very charismatic, answered all my questions, and made cooking sound like so much fun (anyone who knows me that I do not belong in the kitchen).
The service was also excellent. There was this bartender guy who was so funny and hilarious! He kept our drinks coming and joked around with each of the patrons! It was a very enjoyable experience.
The only thing I was suggest is that you go if you really want to learn how to cook and if you are a little older. We are in our late 20s and the rest of the people were probably in their early 40s and up so we felt a little out of place. -
Review from Ali W.
Chicago, IL
12/18/2010
I came here for lunch with a group of co-workers. The food was pretty good, but nothing outstanding. The glasses in the restaurant have odd scratches in them from the way they stack them. Our group kind of freaked out because it looked like a ring of dust in all the glasses, but the waiter was kind enough to explain this to us.
I think this would be a good dinner spot before the theater since it is right around the corner, but I don't think the food is really worth all the money. -
Review from Kris C.
8/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Came here for a night cap. The bartender was fantastic and the bar itself was very appealing with dark wood colors. Keep in mind that this closes at 9pm. The place was packed with patrions having dinner, so that was a good sign. I did not eat here so I cannot speak to the food. I would absolutely go back again.
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Review from Carrie-C N.
San Jose, CA
10/26/2011
We got in quite late to the Hotel Allegro and since it was raining, decided 312 was a good and convenient place for dinner. Expectations were low, hunger was high, so food was GREAT. It was wholesome and filling. This place is great if you're really hungry and are not expecting to be wowed. Don't compare it to Alinea.
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Review from Manuel C.
Pasadena, CA
7/3/2011
The service was good. I ordered the prix fixe: Carpaccio was delicious, followed by the tasty Tilapia plate; and finished off the night with the Torta Framaggio. I ordered a fine merlot from Paso Robles 2006 and it was perfect and shared it with three of my colleagues.
Overall, being from Pasadena, CA, I would come back here. I was with a party of 6. Except for another group, most were couples. I would definitely bring a date here if I lived in Chicago. -
Review from Sabrina M.
IL
8/27/2010
This review is just for the awesome $25 prix fixe lunch. I can't speak to any other meal times, as I've avoided this place for years so as not to risk bumping into the fat cat politicians from City Hall who were once my colleagues.
312 is a fixture for City Hall types and when the money was flowing freely, was the spot where da mayor and other department would have their holiday parties. It's hard to give an accurate assessment of an establishment because after 3 or 4 glasses of complimentary wine, doesn't everything seem five star?
I was taken here for lunch recently and the first mental note I made to myself was that EVERYTHING seemed over priced. Just then, our server comes over with prix fixe menu -- problem solved!
A fresh, delicious house ensalata, your choice among three entrees and two different desserts.
I had the rigatoni (perfect, yummy al dente and sauce) and the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Wow. I was so full and sleepy I could barely get through the rest of the afternoon of work!
$25 for generous meal portions and a great, big, ole piece of chocolate cake for dessert? I call that four stars. And I didn't even need to be plied with several glasses of wine to do it! -
Review from Maher A.
Chicago, IL
4/27/2011
The place was crowded but the services was good.
I don't remember the names of our orders but those were recommended by our servant. It was very bad we couldn't finish it. Definitely not going back there -
Review from Happiness L.
Chicago, IL
3/31/2012
There is so much to like about this place yet the service really needs to amp it up. I am not sure if there was just a staffing shortage or what was happening, but we really did not receive the right amount of attention from our waiter. From the time that it took for him to tell us about the specials it was taking so long for him to return that I had to ask someone to go get him for us so we could place our order. He never did come back to check on us to see if everything was ok and if we are enjoying our meal. Then from the time that our main course dishes were taken away to the time we got dessert menus took quite some time. And...when we got the check it took about 10 to 15 mintues...just to come to get our payment. There was cash inside and I said "We are all set" and he did not even say thank you. Again, I am not sure if he had a lot on his mind or if someone called off of work and he had two sections. No idea...I just expect more. The hostess and bartender were delightful and the supporting table staff were very good although they did not come back on their own to offer a coffee refill. For the food...VERY good. Even though the "medium" pork chop was a bit overcooked....very yummy! Carrot cake dessert is highly recommended.
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Review from An P.
Chicago, IL
2/15/2009
I think that for business lunch, 312 Chicago was an ideal spot. We got there a little before noon where the hostess confirmed our reservation and took our coats. There was a line for people waiting to be seated for lunch and there were already people hitting the bar. The decor inside reminds me of a hotel and there are windows giving 312 Chicago a healthy dose of light.
We were seated upstairs in a relatively less noisy area of the restaurant and had a good view of the corner of Lasalle and Randolph. Everything on the menu was expensive, and I ended up getting lentil soup, a grilled steak sandwich and iced tea. My colleague and the client had some combination of seafood pasta, and other pasta. Bread arrived promptly with oil and we began our meeting.
The soup had good texture and was not rich. I have to give 312 Chicago for their steak sandwich!!! Contrasted to most steak sandwiches, 312 Chicago's came on foccachia bread and was not cooked to a crisp. When I said medium well, they cooked my steak sandwich medium well with plenty of redness left in the slab of meat. In fact, I would say the steak tasted more like prime rib than steak.
My iced tea and water glass never got to empty and the staff did not mind that we were there for several hours. I do not know why people rate 312 Chicago poorly, I guess the prices are not the most competitive out there. I liked it and would recommend for business meeting.Listed in: Downtown Lunchtime Tomfoolery
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Review from Brett D.
11/5/2007
Glad to see I'm not the only one less than thrilled with what 312 Chicago has to offer. Afterall, it's all about strength in numbers!
My lovely group of girlfriends and I descended upon 312 this week to have dinner prior to seeing Phantom of the Opera next door at the Cadillac Theatre. We chose 312 for it's convenient location (next door to the theatre) and it seemed like an upscale fit with our evening out.
Well, unfortunately positive thinking only gets you so far...
Our waiter had an attitude from the moment we sat down. Everything was an eye roll or a huff and a puff.... apparently we were exhausting him simply by sitting down. Well it will be just as exhausting for me to work my brain into calculating a 20% tip for you, bud.
Anyhow, since we were on a pretty tight time restraint with call time next door, we were hoping to decide on dishes and order quickly. No use in making up your mind when your waiter is m.i.a. though - it took 10+ minutes for him to bring us a few glasses of wine and then he took our orders in shifts. Taking a few at a time, leaving the table and then coming back. Huh??? It was a miracle the entrees actually all arrived at the same time.
My friend and I decided to share two dishes that both sounded good to us.... the "Maccheroni" a flat noodle with bolognese sauce and the tilapia with caper berries and cous cous. When the plates came to us we both laughed out loud. The pasta dish was a teeeny tiny mound of pasta with about a tablespoon of sauce on it. Is this a joke? Are you punishing us because this is the least expensive item on the menu?
The tilapia, however, was generous with 3 large pieces of tilapia.... were it not for that fish we would have starved!!!
The meal closed with our server refusing to split the check and arguing us on the merits of how long that would take and would in turn make everyone in the restaurant late for the show. Pffffftt. Whatever.
This was just about as anticlimactic as you can get for a precursor to the theatre. Try Petterino's down the street if you're looking for something in this area.... -
Review from Erika G.
1/25/2006
I gave it ONE star, wish I could give it HALF a star.
Went there for dinner last night, and very sorry I did. My steak - requested "medium" - was well done and DRY. The quail appetizer was underdone, my husband's lamb chops were practically raw (he'd requested "medium"). Overall v. disappointing meal, and EXPENSIVE. The waitress was alternately rushing us and ignoring us. Bad vibe.
I've hung out in the bar area before, the bar is fine. Just don't eat dinner there.Listed in: Places to AVOID like the…
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Review from Janet E.
8/5/2009
Wow. This place sucks. Why is it still open??? We were roaming around this area looking for a place that was still open for dinner. It was either a Chinese shack restaurant, or 312. We opted for 312 because it looked a little cleaner.
312 gets one star for the cleanliness. The other star is for the complimentary bread and the tomato olive oil mixture the bread came with.
The food was terrible. We each ordered a different dish and there was something off with each dish. My dish was cold. It was the hardest ravioli I've ever eaten. My friend's risotto dish was so bland. And my other friend had ravioli that had some type of undistinguishable after taste. We still cant figure it out!
To make things worse, the soda drinks do not include free refills. Just a warning to all you soda drinkers out there!
As for our waitress, well......she must have been eight months pregnant and at that stage, I dont know why she wasnt at home resting. She wasnt in the worst of moods, but she wasnt in the best of moods either. She was more in the "my baby needs to be fed and I need to make some extra money" mood. And the rest of us were in our "we want a refund from our sucky dinner" mood. Maybe we should have gone to that Chinese shack restaurant? -
Review from Rachel H.
10/22/2010
It may look a little sketch from the outside, but its totes gorge on the inside.
I came here with the bf for Valentines Day last year. The V-day prix fixe menu was awesome, I still dream about the rose panna cotta with Champagne sorbet. -
Review from Angie M.
12/14/2008
Oh, the office holiday party. Love it, hate it, or love to hate it, you have to go and you have to at least try to have a good time. Luckily, 312 Chicago made it very easy for me to not only make it through my office holiday party, but enjoy it. A lot. For real!
We snagged the upstairs loft area, which was nice because it gives you privacy, but you still get some of the ambiance from the restaurant. With our own private bartenders and waitstaff, it felt intimate. But not so quiet you could hear a pin drop. A very good mix.
Our appetizers of grilled shrimp, mushroom flat bread pizzas and mini quiches were delicious. I especially loved the shrimp. Whatever they put in the marinade is so, so yummy.
Salads, served family style, included a to-die-for apple and hazelnut salad with one of the best vinaigrettes I've ever eaten, beef carpaccio (eh, I'm not a huge fan of the carpaccio in general so...) and a spicy calamari with tomatoes.
The main course options were a grilled halibut with garbanzo beans, rib eye with potatoes, butternut squash ravioli or pork loin. I believe everyone but me had the rib eye and found it fantastic. I went with the halibut (I've been to enough Christmas parties to know that red meat will put me in a dead coma shortly after eating it) and was I ever pleased! It was melt in your mouth delicious. I'm heading back to 312 for that fish dish alone.
Dessert was some kind of apple tart, which honestly, I barely touched, least I kill my pretty solid vodka buzz, but what I sampled was tasty.
All in all, an excellent party-going experience. I would highly recommend it for anyone looking for a classy group dinner. The staff went above and beyond to make sure our party was a success. Thank you 312 Chicago! -
Review from Brant W.
Beaverton, OR
11/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Upper crusty kinda place. Of course I was in a Tshirt and jeans. Most of the place was reservations only. Food was great with good service. The view was nice with huge picture windows.
I would go back. -
Review from Jennifer N.
Chicago, IL
7/27/2006
Went there for lunch.
The Good:
I guess its a good place to for formal business type dinners and its right next to City Hall. The staff was very attentive and professional -- on par with what you would expect at upscale restaurant.
The BAD:
I guess its not so much bad as ordinary and waaaay overpriced. We ordered the ahi tuna salad (seared tuna and lots of mayo on the greens), braised rabbit risotto (bland - tasted like turkey boiled in congee), and two drinks. The bill came to $60 (incl tax/tip) - portions were miniscule.
Don't think we'll be back, but more power to you if you desperately need linen tablecloths! -
Review from Sixto M.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2009
I was a little scared about going to 312 after reading so many reviews about terrible experiences there. But when my bf and I were deciding where we wanted to spend our Valentine's Day, 312's menu looked too good to pass up ($55 5-course prix-fixe menu, $75 w/wine pairing). And I have to say, I was in no way disappointed! This place is a very SOLID 3 STAR RESTAURANT. Our server was probably one of the best ones I've had in recent months, he was very friendly and attentive, and checked-in on us frequently, loved it! The space is very nice, albeit small. The decor is warm and inviting, and perfectly conducive to a nice intimate meal. However, there are a couple of oddly placed tables-for-two strewn about the restaurant. So while there is mostly good seating, on a busy night, you may have a bad one!
I'm not sure what everyone's complaints about the food was: its really quite good. Well, let me preface that. In my 5 course meal at 312 I had the BEST and the WORST dish I think I've ever had.
The Best: for my appetizer I had seared scallops over a clam shell with lemon-butter glaze and fennel. IT WAS AMAZING. The scallop was cooked perfectly, the flavors all went together and it was just the most light, beautiful, harmonious dish I've ever had.
The Worst: technically, I didn't "order" this dish, but my bf did and I tasted it. Whoever posted on here that the risotto is bland, was not kidding. There was absolutely NO TASTE whatsoever, but the serving size was fine, which rebuffs the previous posting of it being "two grains of rice". I think my bf would've preferred 2 grains of rice, so he wouldn't have had to force more down than he wanted to.
But seriously, the risotto was the only thing to go wrong for us in our dining experience at 312 on Valentine's Day. And 1 dish out of 10, ain't bad folks! Would I go there again? I may, but it won't be a planned outing. Would I recommend this place to others? Yes. Especially since I had a relatively good experience compared to others on here. So before tossing this place out the window, see for yourself if you'll like it. -
Review from Edward W.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2009
I don't think 312 Chicago is as bad as some of the reviews make it out to be, but it certainly isn't that great. I've only been here once, and it was for the 5 course Valentine's Day dinner (5 courses + wine parings for $75), so perhaps my experience wasn't representative of the typical night at 312. However, everything went very smoothly considering they were probably experiencing higher volume than usual on a Saturday night Valentine's day. We were seated on time, and our server was very prompt.
However, the food was just average, except for the scallops, which were surprisingly perfection, and the risotto with crab meat, which was absolutely horrible (way overcooked and underseasoned. it was painful), so I guess they kind of cancel each other out. The lobster bisque was a bit spicy, but still good. I think the dessert was the highlight of the night for me, but the meal as a whole was sort of underwhelming. The wine pairings seemed appropriate, and were a nice change of pace from my usual $3 Trader Joe's wine.
There's nothing really wrong with 312, there's just nothing special about it. I wouldn't personally suggest going back, but would tag along if a group of friends were going.
