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676 Restaurant & Bar
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Lounges American (New), Lounges [Edit]
676 N Michigan Ave(between Erie St & Huron St)
Chicago, IL 60611
Neighborhood: Near North Side
(312) 944-7676
- Nearest Transit:
-
Chicago-Red (Red Line)
Grand-Red (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 6:30 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 6:30 am - 1 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
53 reviews for 676 Restaurant & Bar
Review Highlights
"It's in the Omni hotel - overlooking Michigan avenue."
(in 10 reviews)
"Tomato and White Bean Soup: My favorite dish of the evening."
(in 3 reviews)
"The prix fixe menu was absolutely delicious."
(in 4 reviews)
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53 reviews in English
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Review from Morgan M.
Chicago, IL
1/7/2012
We went to 676 on Christmas Day. We had a 3rd person in our party and overall it was great food and a good experience. The service was well done but did have a hint of hotel service to it...(676 is in the Omni Hotel) but got the job done.
Perhaps my favorite part of the prix fixe menu was the charcuterie plate for the table to share. We all tried the items together and it really set us up for a great rest of the meal. By the time we left we were all completely stuffed but just as you should be on Christmas Day. The other courses were very good as well and they did have a large selection of craft beers as well as mocktails for me.
I'm not sure we will be back to 676 in the near future due to the sheer volume of places in Chicago that we want to try, but we always appreciate a chef and restaurant that considers where ingredients come from and 676 certainly did that. -
Review from Laila C.
5/9/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mother's Day brunch without any moms :(
My bf's aunt was busy and neither of our moms live around here so we decided to take ourselves out for a nice Mother's Day!
$60/person brunch that included huge cocktail shrimps, delicious homemade smoked salmon and charcuterie, melt in your mouth short ribs and OYSTERS!
My boyfriend literally ate 2 dozen oysters and I ate 3 pounds of meat, therefore this was the best mother's day brunch EVER.Listed in: Brunches Even I Like
-
Review from Tim H.
7/3/2011
Great view of Michigan ave from the dining room. Food and service were great in my opinion. A little pricey(15-20/head for brunch) given location and fact that it is in the Omni hotel.
The bread basket they start you with has what appear to be luxurious home made wheat thins that are delicious!
The burger was the best sit down restaurant burger I have had in the last year. The burger was fat, juicy, and nicely charred on the outside. Instead of fries, they met my vegetable request and gave me a side of carrots, brocollini, and asparagus that was perfectly steamed and salted.
The initial reason I came was to try the PB&J waffle panini. This is a very novel concept. I believe they use homemade waffles, fill them with peanut butter and jelly, then press the waffle slices together in a panini press. I thought this was good, but it wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be. Either my expectations were too high or the burger was so good it overshadowed the waffle sandwich.
Regardless, if you don't mind this price point, I highly recommend 676 in the Omni. I will be back. -
Review from Cole D.
Washington, DC
7/10/2011 2 Check-ins Here
This review is based on going in for cocktails:
Pros:
Friendly staff
Creative ideas for cocktails
Overlooks Michigan Ave and has a view of the John Hancock Tower
Cons:
Pricey
Drink menu is pretty small, so on you to come up with some ideas
Very limited couch space, some of which has deep seats that are not comfortable -
Review from Mickiela M.
Rosemead, CA
6/25/2011 1 photo
Delish!
Stunning view of city with wall to wall windows...So as soon as you walk in your in for a good experience..Greeted by the staff in a very genuine way .. ordered food & served all in VERY timely manner... The food is prepared perfectly and looks so beautiful you dont want to eat it lol -
Review from Jennie C.
4/28/2011 4 photos
Strange how close this restaurant is to my office and I never had the chance to go. Well tonight, I finally did. Thanks to a special event where Bordeaux wine makers came & showcased their wines, we had our own prix fixe menu, with 2 choices each for appetizer and dessert, and the short rib entree.
I started with the tomato and Michigan white bean soup, which was beautifully presented and boldly flavored. I usually shy away from the strong taste of goat cheese, but the goat cheese on the long "crouton" actually blends in perfectly with the strong soup. I found only 1 bean in my soup, which was actually a plus in my book as I'm not much of a bean person. My only quibble with the soup was how dangerous the long crisp crouton was, perched precariously on the bowl. I made a big mess around my plate when I tried to transfer it (ok...I'm just trying to blame someone else for my own clumsiness).
The short rib was one big hunk of meat, and oh-so-tender. The chef later came out and said they were shooting for "spoon-only" texture, no knife&fork needed. I totally agree. It had a beautiful & sweet sauce on it, paired with rainbow chard, sweet parsnip puree and some roasted root veggies. Chef even printed out several recipes on request. I'm just gonna say it had 15 ingredients, of which 7 are stocked in my kitchen. All in all, very impressed.
The only letdown was the dessert: chocolate truffle mousse cake. The "mousse" was heavy and flat, and the chocolate cake way too dense (though moist). Having had quite a few excellent chocolate desserts in a row in the past 2 months, I couldn't get through half of this one.
I'd be interested to come back and try more dishes, but I'll skip dessert. -
Review from Lauren C.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2011
My favorite thing about Restaurant Week is that it leads me to places I wouldn't normally try.
My friend and I came here today for lunch and walked away stuffed and happy! We both opted to take advantage of the pre fixe Restaurant Week menu. Here's what we chose to delight our tastebuds;
First course:
- Butternut squash soup (me): This was incredibly flavorful and thick. I really could've had an entire meal of just that soup. The soup was poured over some pieces of pheasant and thin strips of apple. The combination of butternut squash and apple was perfect!
- 676 Salad (my budday): This salad looked phenomenal, with blueberries and goat cheese.
Second course:
- Lake Superior Whitefish Salad Melt with fries (me): Delicious. So freaking good. I could've eaten two of these sandwiches. Presentation is cute - the sandwiches come out on wood platters and the fries are in a basket that looks like a fryer.
- Turkey Panini Club with chips (my budday): This looked amazing, and was large enough so that my friend was able to take half of it home. The chips are cut so that they look like little waffle fries - yum!
Third course:
- S'mores Pudding (me): I am secretly a six year old who could eat s'mores all day. The toasted marshmallow was the perfect topping for this chocolate pudding/graham cracker concoction.
- Vanilla and Cinnamon Creme Brulee (my budday): When I come back to 676, I'm getting this. My friend got two little dishes of creme brulee - one vanilla and one cinnamon. Two chocolate hazelnut cookies came on the side.
Service was overall good, but we did have one minor glitch - my friend needed a soda refill and it appeared that she was forgotten. Besides that, everything was perfect! I would definitely come to 676 again, possibly for dinner next time! -
Review from Suzanne F.
Prairie Village, KS
5/3/2011
The reviews on Yelp lead me to try this restaurant. They are known for their locally sourced food and interesting spins on otherwise traditional dishes. While waiting to be seated, we perused the bar menu appetizers. I didn't realize these wouldn't be offered in the dining room and if I came back, I would probably stay in the bar and have snacks & drinks.
In the dining room, we had Heirloom Tomato Confit -- which all we could taste was the oil-- not the favorite at our table, but we liked that it was served in a glass jar. We also had the Lake Erie Walleye & Crab "Cakes" which were deep-fried and tasted more like fish than crab. The Shrimp Flatbread was delicious - served on a cutting board and perfectly crisp crust.
The other favorite was the bread service - crackers and fresh bread. Simple, but delicious.
The atmosphere was nice, they had an older crowd from the hotel dining that evening so the energy was low. Request a table with a view - great people watching! -
Review from Marie B.
2/25/2011
So, I confess ~ I love food...not just any food either. I love really, really good food...and I had one of the best restaurant meals in my life here!
I have dined at French Laundry, Tru and many of the fabulous places in America...and I loved every minute of it. So, imagine my surprise when ~ for a mere $33 ~ I had a divinely delicious 3 Course Meal.
My friend had the Rice Soup~ it was served in a gorgeous odd shaped bowl with a yummy Spring Roll that said friend (who is a wonderful, chic and well traveled older man) pronounced it the best food he had ever tasted.
I had the Butternut Squash Soup ~ which was very, very good.
But, the dish that was practically orgasmic was the Walleye dish ~ yes, Walleye. This was the most flavorful, wonderfully cooked, delcious entree...ever!
While the dessert was yummy and another juxtaposition of flavors, the Walleye stole the show
Friend observed...if this is what the chef does for the budget meal, what are his other dishes like? Hmmmmmmmm we intend to find out! -
Review from Tristan A.
Chicago, IL
2/19/2011
2011 RESTAURANT WEEK REVIEW
Decided to try this place out, never have been here, mostly b/c it's a "hotel" restaurant on Michigan Ave and it never seemed that it was a go to place-
Got in right away w/ our reservations, place wasn't that packed, got seated next to the window, not a big deal but it helped when I had to wait forever for the first course to come out-
SETTING:
Hotel feeling, clouds painted on the ceiling and lights that change colors inside-It's amusing to look out the window and watch idiots try to run across Michigan Ave when they don't have the walk sign-Exposed kitchen that connects to the bar, kind of odd-
FOOD:
Did the 3 course meal, salad, short ribs and brownie-
Waited 15 minutes for my salad to come out, these weren't fancy salads, just normal green salads-I was starving and by the 10 minute mark I was like "come on!" Salad was good and fresh, so no complaint on the taste-
Entrees: the short rib, it only took about 8 minutes for it to come out, so not bad-It was very tender but it needed a lot of pepper to give it a seasoned taste-
Dessert: My brownie came as 2 sticks, like Twix bars in a mason jar, bottom filled with some whipped cream and I think caramel and I had to use a spoon that was almost the size of the jar to get it out, kind of pain and I got stuff all over my hands-
I know I won't dine here again, nor will I recommend it, was the food bad, no, is it memorable, no did it take forever...yes! Just very plain yet good hotel food for those who aren't used to the good places downtown to eat at-
The whole time I was mad that I didn't go to Mercadito or Merlo on Maple, places I wanted to try and have a feeling it would have been better- -
Review from Sue K.
9/9/2010 4 photos
What a beautiful beautiful view into downtown Chicago. Majority of seats, I would say, are close to the window, so every seat is great. The decor is nice, colorful, but sophisticated. For all that, i added one more star.
The food was good - the dishes were flavorful..but that may have also because I kept choosing dishes with flavorful cheese haha. My favorite dishes were the crabcakes (but who doesn't love good crabcake) and the tomato and white bean soup. The truffle-y taste was great.
The staff was very nice, attentive, and helpful. The music was ...top hits. Great for the young ones like me..but it didn't go well with the decor and atmosphere of the place. It made me giggle haha. -
Review from Pam N.
Chicago, IL
3/29/2011
676 is in the Omni Hotel on the 4th floor. Little nervous about eating in a hotel restaurant but let me assure you my nervousness was ridiculous.
Loved everything about this restaurant - the view of Michigan Avenue, the atmosphere (quiet yet stylish), attention to detail in quality of food and presentation.
We did Brunch (ordered off the menu instead of the buffet). Great way to spend the morning. Will definitely go back. -
Review from Diana B.
Chicago, IL
2/26/2011
My fiancee and I wanted to go out for Chicago Restaurant Week, and I chose a place on Michigan Avenue, so we could stroll a bit. I had never heard of 676 in 14 years of living in Chicago, but I really liked the menu the chef had prepared for Restaurant Week. He incorporates a lot of local foods, including meats from Miller's and Slagel Family Farm. My fiancee was game for the unknown. When we arrived, we did have to wait several minutes for the hostess to appear, but discovered it was because it is a long walk through the bar area to the seating area. We weren't in a hurry, so I didn't mind. We were seated in front of the window, but the table was placed so that only one person has the view. The ambiance of the restaurant was very pleasant, with a big open kitchen (which I love).
Our waiter was fantastic. He helped a great deal with the wine selection, being honest. We wanted a bottle of red, but they didn't have a lot of more affordable selections (under $50 a bottle), except for those from South America. We were wavering between a Malbec and Carmenere, and he had tried them both and gave his honest assessment. The Malbec we went with was good - smooth, mellow and medium-bodied. A good drinking wine, which is just how he described it. We enjoyed it.
For starters, we ordered the 676 salad and the shrimp flatbread. The salad was tasty - the blueberry dressing was not overdone and the crunchy candied almonds contrasted nicely with a very fine quality goat cheese. My fiancee liked it, even though he has this thing against fruit in his salads. The shrimp flatbread was delish! The bread itself is airy and light, and the cream cheese from Zingerman's in Ann Arbor was smooth and rich. It is a huge portion and can be an entree, almost like a personal pizza "light".
For our entrees, I ordered the Goose Island Root Beer Ham with pork loin, baked apple slices, mustard greens and a mustard vin sauce. There were also these baby onions that burst in your mouth with a satisfying sweetness...I loved my dish. My fiancee doesn't like cured meats and felt the ham tasted too close to bacon. For me it was like a thick piece of good Canadian bacon with a slight sweetness from the root beer. I liked the contrasting bitterness of the mustard greens and mustard sauce. The pork loin was perfectly cooked and quite moist and flavorful.
My fiancee ordered the Open Range Chicago Strip Steak. The kitchen cooked it perfectly to medium rare, and it was full of spice and very tasty. It was a big piece of steak. The popcorn was actually good - and garlicky. The polenta was creamy and the shitake mushrooms were a cool addition. The baby onions also made an appearance in his dish and again were heavenly.
For dessert, my fiancee ordered the honey ice cream and I had the carrot cake (again with Zingerman's cream cheese frosting). I have to say I was disappointed with the carrot cake. Definitely not what I was expecting. It seemed to be undercooked on the inside, and there were way too many raisins. I like my carrot cake traditional - with layers of cream cheese frosting. This one had a little bit smeared on top. The crispy cinnamon sugar "chips" on top were yummy, and I dipped those in the cream cheese frosting and didn't finish dessert. Not like me! My fiancee's ice cream was yummy, but the caramel they layered into the mason jar froze and was hard and difficult to eat.
Overall, I would say it was a pleasant discovery. The chef can work on the desserts a bit, but the food is inventive, local and wonderfully prepared. I have no complaints about the service, either. We took an hour and a half for dinner, which I think is a perfect amount of time. Someone else complained that the salads took 10 minutes to arrive. That is not that long! Enjoy your drink and nibble on the fresh baked bread or crackers they place on the table. A meal should be an experience, otherwise - go to McDonald's! -
Review from Trevor M.
Ann Arbor, MI
8/10/2011
Fast service, good food. Try their white bean tomato soup its awesome, their flat breads are also really good.
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Review from Iman W.
9/22/2010
I can't speak on the restaurant, but I did try the outdoor cafe. I ordered a turkey wrap and a pomegranate margarita that came in the form of a pomegranate martini, but that didn't bother me any. The food and drink came far quicker than I thought it would. And it looked pretty. I appreciate an attractive meal from time to time.
I'm pretty traditional, so reading some of the ingredients for their dishes made me pause at first, but I took a chance. The turkey wrap had apple on it...I typically keep my fruit and my sandwiches separate, but this worked. It blended well with the honey mustard to give the wrap a mild sweet flavor, and it made the sandwich taste even fresher. The martini consisted of POM juice, Patron, something else I forget, and cilantro salt.
Cilantro salt. Cilantro? Word?? It actually worked, gave the drink a kick, a little spiciness that I was digging.
So yay for taking chances! Maybe one of these days I'll venture inside to try the actual restaurant. -
Review from Darrell S.
Chicago, IL
2/11/2011
I went here last night with a good friend for drinks and appetizers after work. Everything was good, but they did up our gratuity from about 16% to 20% reflected on our credit card statements .
I do not like this practice. We left the tip based on the service received. A 16% tip was a proper tip with all things considered. We had to ask for water after ordering a spicey dish. We had been there over an hour at that point. Another appetizer never arrived. On their behalf, they brought the appetizer, once reminded, and did waive the cost. The waitress was attentive with the drinks and very knowledgeable about the menu items.
Still, if an establishment is going to raise a gratuity then they should put it on the check before payment is made and more importantly: The service should be flawless.
Having to remind our server about items ordered when they didn't show up is not what I would call flawless service. It shows polishing is needed and the tip reflected it.
The experience was enjoyable overall, but I won't hurry back based on this practice.
It's the Magnificient Mile. The 676 Restaurant & Bar is not the only game in town or even on the block. -
Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
2/28/2009
Well, I just don't like hotel restaurants. I mean it's fine if say....you are staying at a hotel out of town, but in Chicago? I don't know, I just prefer a bit more off the beaten path...but, alas I was invited for a networking dinner, and of course with the Restaurant Week menus all over the city (my only night I took advantage of it), this was a good option.
The strangest dish of the evening was the salmon over risotto. It was so citrusy it was all I could taste. It kind of icked me out, and honestly when I think back to the meal all I can do is make that sour face you get when you get a chunk of lemon. Yeah, that face. It kind of marred the whole meal, in my honest estimation. However the filet with ravioli over the top was delicious, and the tart at the end very large and creamy. (face slowly unpuckers)
So, for....
One glass of prosecco, one glass of wine, coffee, Diet Coke (god, I'm a beverage champion, eh?), the RW menu (3 courses)...and an added 20 perecent gratuity it was $80. A bit pricey for a random Tuesday evening, and I much rather would have spent it elsewhere...but, the company was stellar, and the service was nothing short of impeccable, so they win points there most definitely.
It's a hotel restaurant, and if you are staying (or live) downtown, it's definitely a decent option. However, I found it to be a bit bland in terms of character and intrigue, and at the price point it just doesn't stand out for me...even during Restaurant Week!
(end grouchy streak) -
Review from Jeff A.
2/21/2010
Great Service, and really thats all that matters!
Soft, subtle, and full of liquor, my friend and I were waiting for our out of town guests staying at The Omni, and were pleasantly occupied by good drinks and great service!
I spotted a new tequila, the bar tender went ahead and let me try a couple without me even asking, and it worked because I ordered a good pour and will be buying some for my bar, ORO De Jalisco, it rocked!
She had a deeply poured wonderfully made Grey goose L'Orange and soda with lime, it was deep, and it was good!
I would catch a drink here again for sure! -
Review from Andrea R.
2/25/2009
Tucked away on the 4th floor of the Omni Hotel there's a good chance you don't even know that this restaurant exists. At least I had no idea and I consider myself "in the know" when it comes to the restaurant scene in Chicago.
The $32 prix fixe menu of 6 courses (yes, that's 6!) for restaurant week lured me in with a group of lovely ladies. I've been eating out for Chicago restaurant week every night this week so for the sake of fitting into my jeans I decided ahead of time I'd opt out of the 6 course menu and order something from their regular menu. Of course when I got there I was convinced that the courses were really small (really just samples) and to try it. And I"m always one to succumb to peer pressure when it comes to food. I may just need to buy bigger jeans...
I ended up being very happy with my 6 course menu...and it really was the perfect portion size. Here are all the details:
Hot Rock Shrimp: got to cook my own shrimp, which was fun. And tasty!
676 Green Salad: Full of almonds and goat cheese- yum!
Tomato and White Bean Soup: My favorite dish of the evening!
Seared Atlantic Salmon: Had a very strong citrus taste, which I didn't mind, but not for you if you're not a citrus lover
Chicken (was supposed to be filet, but I swapped it for chicken): Also delish
Navel Orange Tart for dessert: I didn't think I was a tart person, but maybe I am because this totally hit the spot!
The restaurant was pretty much empty (like i said...most people don't know about it) so we got lots of attention from our servers, although I thought there was a bit too much time between the shrimp course and everything else. Then again, we were a large party and when that's the case I always expect things to move along a bit slower.
They were extremely nice in letting us switch up things from the prix fixe dinner. Examples: chicken instead of filet for me, vegetarian options for a vegetarian member of our party, and a chocolate dessert instead of the tart for someone else. Although she really missed out on that tart!
I don't think I"ll ever get another deal here like I did last night, but now 676 has been put on my radar I may just go back to try the regular menu.Listed in: My favorite restaurants in…
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Review from Andy R.
Chicago, IL
2/17/2009 1 photo
Stopped here simply because of the Yelp reviews. So glad I did! The fact that it's inside the Omni hotel really makes you feel exclusive. Prices aren't bad for what you get - it definitely feels like an impressive French influenced fine dining experience. The view over Michigan Ave makes for some of the best people-watching I've ever had.
My date and I ordered two items from the cheese menu and three "shareables." We could have definitely gotten by with two, but glad we got three because our last choice, the margherita flatbread, was outstanding. We expected the grilled scallops and crab cakes to be top notch (otherwise they'd leave them off the menu, right?) but the flatbread really surprised me. I honestly want to go back for a drink and that flatbread at this very moment. The perfectly salted and soft mozzarella, pesto... ahhh.
Check out the specials on their website too. -
Review from Mihir S.
Chicago, IL
10/22/2009
I add this to my list of boring names for a restaurant/bar. Maybe about 15 years ago it was trendy to name a restaurant related to its address but now it's just lazy.
The restaurant is located in the Omni Hotel. You need to take the elevator to the 4th floor. The decor is nice yet plain but could be so much better to be congruent with the view and large space. It could be so much more romantic or hip after they serve dinner if they dim the lights - just to start.
The drinks are good. I had a mojito. My date ordered one of their signature fruity martinis. She seemed to enjoy it. She also ordered the foie gras and loved it.
Overall it was quiet and the staff was older. It's a nice place but I got the feeling that people over 40 would enjoy it more. -
Review from Jenny R.
Lafayette, CA
6/26/2011
Excellent experience here. We're generally a little leery of restaurants located in hotels, but this one was great. Starting with the service:
we dined on a Saturday evening, and brought our young (under 10) son.
Sometimes we are treated like second-class citizens at nice restaurants when we bring our son, but not at this one.
We ordered one cheese, one "shareable" (roasted eggplant with flatbread crackers), and one "taste" - apple fritters. The "shareable" and the "taste"
were delicious and unique, and interestingly presented. The cheese was okay - I think we a got a piece that was heavy near the rind.
The children's menu offered the unusual combination of being tasty AND healthy (our son gobbled up the organic vanilla yogurt with fresh berries), and the chicken "fingers" weren't the usual deep-fried variety.
The mains were good. Our entrees were the roasted half-chicken, and the rootbeer ham. The chicken came with an interesting white bean stew (and delicious baby carrots in 3 colors - orange, yellow, and purple).
Our two desserts were delicious without being cloying or too heavy: S'More Pudding, and a Brownie with Peanut Butter cream and salted caramel.
The service was attentive, but not intrusive. The best overall meal experience I have had in awhile. -
Review from Misse D.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2008
I had a gift certificate from a CS event so I decided to try brunch here. With the exception of the views, it was a little lame.
I often go online to look at the menu before a meal. I was pretty excited because there were so many options, many that appealed to me. When I saw the menu at the restaurant, I was confused. I could have sworn that there were many more options. My sister-in-law agreed. Sure enough, the online menu is completely different.
While the food is good, it really doesn't deserve a second visit with so many better brunch options in the city. -
Review from Sherah B.
Peoria, IL
10/22/2009 2 photos
I like this place, if only for their cucumber mojitos. All I can say is-they rock. Everyone I was with ordered the pomegranate margarita, tasted my mojito, and then ordered that. It's incredible and basically gave me a foodgasm right there on the spot. Their flatbreads (esp. the shrimp one) are also delish and I loved the creme brulee. Yummy!
The staff was also very nice and gave the 7 of us a free shot in honor of my friend's bachelorette party! -
Review from Matt D.
Henry, IL
4/14/2011
Small menu, but great food. I had the white fish and loved it. We also had the flatbread pizza and enjoyed it.
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Review from Erin M.
Boston, MA
1/13/2009
Stopped in here after a movie to grab some appetizers and drinks.
It's on the mag mile - so not necessarily my first choice, but for where it is - it's actually a pretty great place.
It's in the Omni hotel - overlooking Michigan avenue. We were seated right by the window and had an amazing view and for a Saturday night it was not busy at all.
The appetizers were good, we had crab cakes which were great - we also had something else that I can't remember so apparently it wasn't memorable.
Drinks were strong and great! Service was right on. -
Review from Lu C.
Evanston, IL
2/25/2009
Came here for restaurant week looking forward to its pre-fixed SIX course meal. I had always passed by this restaurant on the way to work since its located right above my fave Express on Mich. Ave. Its blue and green lights always looked pretty from outside, and its huge windows made the view onto Mich. Ave. seem amazing.
Little did we know... first came the shrimp rolls- "try this amazingly creative new dish!" said the waiter- but really, it was a piece of shrimp that you had to cook urself on a hot stone, then wrap it in coleslaw and lettuce. Then, our next course came looking much larger than before, leaving us with high hopes. When we all realized at the same time that it was actually all FOUR courses at once- each course about the size of a plum, we were pretty disappointed...Three stars because the food tasted fine, but it was a meal for midgets! Who skimps out on salad too? The dessert ended up being our biggest course. Another downer- Saturday night and the place had about 5 couples total. Looks better/tastier from the outside... -
Review from Jules D.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2009
Party of 4, Tuesday evening...only a few tables seated...this place was not busy at all
On the positive:
+ great view of Michigan Avenue
+ clean and spacious place
Room for Improvement:
- service is not that personal, rushed which was surprising with the low activity that night
- food is average
- over-priced for quality
There are better places in the city. -
Review from Finola M.
Boston, MA
9/1/2010
We went to Cafe 676 (I've never eaten at the restaurant) for lunch the other day and were pleasantly surprised. While the prices are high, the quality and service meet the price. We all had a seemingly bottomless watermelon-basil lemonade, soooo good. I ate the chicken salad sandwich, with a side of delicious gazpacho. This tastes like chef-prepared food, quite a deviation from our usual Panera fare. Another friend had a really fresh salad with blueberry dressing. I will definitely come back. I think they can only seat you outside, so weather permitting.
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Review from jason p.
Chicago, IL
7/23/2008
This is a pretty relaxed place and seemed very uncrowded at the time that we were there. I think it was even for valentine's day, but since returning for drinks in the loung area, it's one of my favorite places to hang out. They're not exceptionaly trained at making cocktails, but they sure get by. This place came highly recommended from a few friends of mine and i'll continue to go back.
They are really inventive with their food menu. The soups are extermely well made, and the desserts...just amazing. -
Review from Charles W.
Chicago, IL
3/7/2009
A great Valentine's day spot. Although that information is probably useless to anyone for the next 11 months.
It was nice to look out over Michigan Ave, despite having to look @ the dreadful Apple store. The prix fixe menu was absolutely delicious.
Only negative was they could probably use an interior decorator. It's like three different people came in and decorated different parts of the restaurant. But then again, I don't really care. -
Review from Samantha V.
Cook, IL
10/18/2010
If you want an ok-meal with a gorgeous view over Michigan Avenue, this is your spot. If you want lunch off of Michigan Avenue while commuters, tourists, and shoppers walk by and stare at your food, this is your spot. Proximity to Michigan Avenue is a plus, but the food is nothing to write home about. I recently was invited to a lunch in their restaurant overlooking Chicago's Magnificent Mile. The view was gorgeous and the food was just fine. I don't foresee myself making reservations here again, but if I wouldn't say the experience was awful. Just nothing special.
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Review from Joseph O.
Burke, VA
9/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had an early evening flight out so I decided to stop by here after checking out of the Omni. I figured lunch and then I'd just jump in a cab. Well, I never got around to eating lunch here because as I came off the elevator into the fourth floor bar/dining area I entered into an empty establishment. I waited five minutes before walking through the bar area to the back to look for some service. I eventually was confronted, yes, confronted, by what I imagine was a manager of the establishment, an asian lady. I explained I wanted to eat in the bar because I wanted to watch ESPN or any game that was one. I remember now that Georgia was playing Ohio...high school ball. She gave me some reason why I couldn't eat in the bar, even stating that it would be more comfortable for me around the corner. I felt more that I was hassling her than she was accommodating me, even asking if I was a hotel guest. I new it was time to make my exit.
If you're staying at the Omni, do yourself a favor and grab some food from the local fare in the area. There's plenty of it at your disposal. Save yourself from hotel food. -
Review from Rosa Y.
Brookline, MA
9/18/2008
Went for my bday :)
Had the Alaskan Salmon, bf had Bone-in ribeye. I didn't love the salmon (the meat was awesome and perfectly cooked but the veggies weren't my style), the ribeye was yum. We ordered two appetizers and both were amazing. The portions are actually normal sized (maybe slightly oversized) unlike other 'nicer' restaurants.
The prices were about 10 per appetizer, 25-30 per plate, and they also had some $6-8 tasting plates (although we didn't try any).
The staff was incredibly friendly--and there was always someone around when we needed something :) And since they knew it was my bday, they had prepared a pretty chocolate cake on a prettily decorated plate. Yay!!
Would definitely go back. -
Review from Tim T.
Dallas, TX
3/3/2009
I was at Restaurant Week and would have to agree with Kim C's assessment. Mediocre. I was attracted to the six course (vs 3) but wished now they had just done three well. They had:
Hot Rock Shrimp: The hot rock is so 1990s. And honestly is for lesser restaurants than this. The shrimp wasn't very high quality, and I couldn't save it.
676 Green Salad: Drowning in a citrusy dressing that while good kinda killed any thought of "green" or "fresh" from this offering.
Tomato and White Bean Soup: I liked better than I thought. Truly liked the chef just mixed together two classic soup styles. Really good.
Seared Atlantic Salmon: Highly overcooked and dry. Amateurish at best.
Filet - Very good piece of meat.
Navel Orange Tart for dessert: Boring, not a way to finish a meal.
Service was quite good, and I have to admit that the view from my table (overlooking Michigan Avenue) made for a nice evening. From previous reviews, I know that this restaurant has great potential - I just felt like they went "cafeteria" on me during Restaurant Week. -
Review from Adrienne T.
Naples, FL
12/11/2010
Great place to meet a friend for a cocktail or two. Not the all night spot, but a good starting place. Wonderful ambiance of the city lights and the 4th floor view of Michigan Avenue.
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Review from Tim F.
Brooklyn, NY
7/21/2009
It was neither good nor bad, decent flavor and menu.. right up until my entire party realized we were ill because of the food.
If there's something worse for a business lunch than being sick the rest of the day, I'm not sure what it is... -
Review from Dustin G.
Phoenix, AZ
9/18/2010
I came to 676 with a friend visiting from out of town. We wanted to go out for a nice expensive dinner on the Mile and really have a special night. We would have had a better dinner at McDonald's. The food was terrible. Completely inedible. When we complained to our waiter, he did nothing but take our plates. When we complained to the restaurant they asked us to come back again. I think not. My friend ordered a medium rare steak. What she got was a hunk of meat that looked like it had been hacked up by a machete then cooked all day. It was burned beyond what even a novice chef would call medium-rare or even medium-well. We ordered a lobster appetizer and it smelled like rotten fish. I ordered a chicken pasta dish and had what tasted like dry, microwaved chicken in Ragu al fredo sauce. The service was awful. There was only one other table but they still couldn't keep our water glasses full. We skipped desert and went to the Signature Room for a night cap. We should have had dinner there. The price would have been the same but the food would have been good. 676 is just terrible. Try Grand Luxe Cafe for a similar style of food but properly cooked.
Update: After being contacted by the owner more than once suggesting I reviewed the wrong restaurant, I checked their menu. It seems to have changed greatly but I know I ate at 676 at the Omni hotel. I went over a year ago and the overcooked steak, the lobster/asparagus appetizer served in an eggshell, and the chicken pasta dish (it had some other name like chicken carbonara) were all served. They've been offering me gift cards to come back in and give them another chance. Sorry, someone should have acted like they cared on that night when I first complained. We even left notes on the receipt hoping someone in power would read them. I left out the worst part...they upped my tip to 20% without my consent. I had to call the next day and tell them to lower it back down and that while the poor food was my main concern, the absolute disregard for customer service led to the small tip. I will not ever eat at this place again. Maybe they've changed but my experience was bad and I will not remove this review. People should know about my experience. They seem truly apologetic so try them if you must, but don't say I didn't warn you.Comment from Aaron T. of 676 Restaurant & Bar 9/28/2010
We're sorry you had such a bad experience with us. We would… More » -
Review from cari m.
Chicago, IL
2/23/2011
Had never been br, but would definitely return. Had t/wait for my party to arrive, so I sat in the bar area, ordered the walleye crab cakes which were delish IMHO. The wine was ok (I picked it, so I can't complain too much), but the gold margarita was really good.
Party arrived and they too ordered the crab cakes and a caesar salad and were pleased. For entrees 2 of us got the shrimp flatbread which had a really good taste, someone else ordered the white bean burger, which was a little dry but tasty. The desserts were a tad disappointing but okay.
Personally, I thought the service and wait time were all on point. 676 made a good first impression and I would like t/return.
BTW - I like an open kitchen :) -
Review from Bonnie K.
Northbrook, IL
2/20/2011
2011 RESTAURANT WEEK REVIEW
I really wanted to like this restaurant. The menu is creative and very appealing. The waiter was very eager and nice but just didn't know the menu. The bread is delicious as were all our starters. It all just tanked at the entrees. We all order whitefish. It was presented beautifully but was overcooked as well as fishy. They took it back and replaced it with our choices. The only good one was my short ribs and I have to say, it was stellar. My husbands steak was overcooked with little taste as well as the chicken my friend ordered. The sides were all great, but overall oversalted. Dessert however was absolutely delicious.
The manager was great, was apologetic and did everything he could short of cooking the food himself to make it right.
This is a beautiful restaurant with so much potential. I would go back for appetizers and desserts. Not a meal.
