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Aria
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Sushi Bars Bars, Sushi Bars [Edit]
200 N Columbus Dr(between Lake St & Lower South Water)
Chicago, IL 60601
Neighborhood: The Loop
(312) 444-9494
- Nearest Transit:
-
Randolph/wabash (Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Madison/wabash (Brown Line, Green Line, Orange Line, Pink Line, Purple Line)
Lake (Red Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 6 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 6 am - 10:30 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot, Valet
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Upscale
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
191 reviews for Aria
Review Highlights
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"We were married at the Fairmont Hotel so just being there..." In 10 reviews -
"...have said, is awesome with fresh naan and dipping sauces." In 5 reviews -
"We shared the German chocolate cake for desert." In 7 reviews
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191 reviews in English
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Review from Palak C.
Streamwood, IL
5/15/2012
What a magical place to have dinner at! My best friend selected this place because he had been there several times before and thought it would be the perfect place to celebrate my new job at Groupon. And so right was he!
We were two couples, and were seated at a very comfortable table. I ordered the Asian chicken, my best friend ordered a meat entree and the other couple ordered sea food. The food was impeccable. I wasn't happy with the smaller portions though.
Their desserts are to die for, especially the chocolate mousse one. Oomph!
I'll most definitely go back on another special occasion. -
Review from Steve S.
Chicago, IL
4/24/2012
My wife and I watch the chef shows on Bravo and thought maybe Beverly got the short end of the spoon.
She did.
Our meal was AMAZING. I'm pretty sure the Tuna Tartar was the best we've ever had. The dumplings were savory and sweet with just a hint of truffle. DELICIOUS! I got the Braised Rib and my wife got the Indonesian Nasi Goreng. I forget I'm not a big fan of braised. I see 'rib' and I get excited. But this was actually really good. It lays on a bed of thai basil potato purée. It was great, very tender. The Goreng had a bit of heat on the bottom. It was also very tasty.
Beverly was not there. And I wouldn't expect her to come out. But what this meal exceptional was the waiter. Nick. He knew EVERYTHING. He was able to list the ingredients, how they were added, and when. He was able to explain the preparation and why it worked best. His command and enthusiasm for the menu added to our culinary adventure.
Further, he brought out the Brussel Sprouts for us try. Whoa, these were EXCEPTIONAL! The egg that came with it felt totally right. I may have to add brussel sprouts to my Sunday breakfast regimen.
Also, I had made the reservation a few weeks ago for my wife's bday on opentable. I forgot I had said it was her bday (we'd had a long week). So I was surprised and delighted to see another dish brought out after I thought we were done. Chocolate mousse, and sorbets - and 'Happy Birthday' written out in chocolate on the plate. Brill!
There are a bunch of stellar restaurants in Chicago. My wife and I usually try one every month or two. Rarely do we go back because there are so many. But we'll be making it back to Aria. -
Review from Annie D.
3/28/2012
3.5 stars.
Of course while in Chicago, we decided to be team Bev after watching Top Chef.
Complementary- Naan and dipping sauces were our bread, the naan was a bit too crispy for my taste. The dips were average, mint was the best.
spicy tuna tartare- avocado mousse,rice "chicharron", watermelon-shiso- small pile of tuna, the watermelon went well with the dish, overall it was okay, nothing stood out from other tartares.
Miso Ramen- this was well flavored and had a good amount of other little items to make it a full on experience with every bite.
quail egg and pork belly kimchi stacks-house kimchi, mung bean blini, black garlic aïoli- this was a very good dish, everything went well together, probably my most favorite dish.
north atlantic grilled swordfish- miso-mustard , bacon swiss chard, sunchoke purée- fish was cooked well, fish wasn't dry, everything went well together, but I thought the flavors were too suttle, it needed something more.
braised short ribs- red curry, thai basil potato purée, apple kimchi, peanuts- the meat was cooked well, the potato puree was good, tasted like pesto. The apple slices gave it a good texture, overall, it was an okay dish, I thought the flavors were all over the place. Didn't go well eating it all together.
Complementary- Almond crispy sweet chips of some sort with powder sugar- this was given to us at the end and it was pretty tasty, would have gone well with some ice cream!
Overall, the meal themselves weren't bad, everything was cooked nicely and well flavored for most dishes. Service was good and Bev was actually cooking the meals fyi. I can't say I'll come back, nothing stood out for me to want to try everything else on the menu, but definitely worth a try! -
Review from A P.
Rockford, IL
3/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
First off let me say I'm really surprised this place only has a 3.5 star rating... I thought it was excellent and definitely believe it deserves a solid 4 (maybe even higher).
In any case, I thought Aria was a fabulous dining experience and I will definitely be going back. The ambiance is so trendy yet romantic, and the food is magnificent.
I ordered the quail egg kimchi stack to start, and was absolutely floored by how complex the flavors were. The kimchi was spicy yet crisp and fresh tasting and the yolk from the quail egg added a fatty richness that perfectly complimented the kimchi. Already the perfect little bite of heaven, it was made even more spectacular by the addition of a pineapple chutney that is served on the side; it was absolutely fantastic.
The elk was exceptional- moist, flavorful, and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Every bite was delicious. The blueberry sauce its served with only enhances the natural flavor of the meat while adding a slightly sweet and tangy element.
There really isn't enough I could say about the exceptional quality of the food, but to encourage everyone to try it for themselves.
I had to give Aria 4 stars however, because of the bad first impression they gave; My date and I entered from the street entrance, which leads into the bar. We waited there about 15 or 20 minutes without anyone asking if we needed help. Apparently you have to enter through the hotel to get to the restaurant entrance. The bar was completely empty at this point, with the bartenders just staring at us waiting. I thought this could've been handled much more professionally. We will definitely be entering through the hotel next time to avoid this debacle. Luckily the food was so excellent that I'm willing to overlook (for the most part) this small snag in my overall experience at Aria. -
Review from Ray K.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2012
Went to Aria on Sunday for brunch. I normally don't do hotel restaurants but a sister was in town visiting and staying across the street from the fairmont hotel, so we decided to check it out. I'll cut to the chase. the food was good but not nearly worth the prices on the menu. we felt cheated in fact. To the restaurant's credit, there were 2 service mishaps over the course of the meal (that reinforced the sense of a poor experience) but the staff took care of it and made it right after the fact - otherwise, I would've given Aria 1-star.
-
Review from Hope K.
Skokie, IL
2/23/2012
Wow to Chef Beverly Kim!!! and to Aria for allowing her to be as open and as creative with her cooking!
This is my very first 5 STARS!!!!
We went in for restaurant week lunch menu, and I'm REALLY glad that we chose Aria!
Take advantage of the restaurant week menu since their regular menu is pretty pricey... but what do you expect? Aria is located at the Fairmont Hotel!
Ambiance is pretty romantic and intimate.
Very attentive service.
FOOD:
Since there were 3 of us, we decided to get all of the items on the prix fixe menu so we can all taste different things.
-hay roasted baby beets
truffle tremor goat cheese / hazelnut / prosciutto / apple
-mongolian lamb rib
cumin / orange hoisin / fennel / edamame-mint purée
-beef short rib bibimbop
sunnyside egg / kimchi / sea beans / gochujang
-kung pao chicken
black bean chili / heirloom tomato / peanut
-truffle assortment
dark chocolate sesame / milk chocolate with curry and peanut
white chocolate coconut banana / dark chocolate with earl grey tea
(We also ordered an entree off their regular menu.)
-korean spicy bouillabaisse
nantucket cod / scallop / clam / braised radish / rice cake
Initially, one may think the portion size is a bit on the smaller size, especially for the price. But trust me, after you are done with the complimentary naan basket with the 4 sauces , plus your appetizer and then your entree, you will be full.
I know this is lame, but we actually ended up taking the truffles to go.
TRUST ME, your visit will be totally worth it !!!! Definitely take advantage!!!
All 3 of us were just amazed at HOW good everything was!!!!
Chef Beverly was able to take a simple dish as a bibimbop to the next level with so much flavor... In my lifetime, I've had A LOT of bimbimbops, but never like this! ....
but I'll stop now... I don't want to make anyone drool on their electronic devices as they read this...
All I have to say is, Just GO and EAT and ENJOY! Savor every bite! -
Review from Jeff W.
2/21/2012
I visited Aria during Restaurant Week and it did not disappoint. I'm very surprised at it's 3 star rating on Yelp, which I believe does not reflect the food.
Of course, we were excited to see Top Chef Beverly Kim, but left more than impressed with our entire meal. I'll sum up the entire night, from beginning to end.
I'd recommend Valet Parking at the Fairmont Hotel, but it's not absolutely necessary. We opted for a parking garage, which led us to an interesting route through the Aon Building to get to the restaurant. Not a big deal and probably saved us a few bucks.
We arrived at the restaurant through the lounge. We had no idea we were in the lounge/sushi bar area, and were not greeted by any hostess. This was awkward, which led me to ask a server where to check in. She directed me to the actual restaurant. This was a rough start, and really my only knock on Aria.
Once we were seated, the ambiance of the restaurant was really nice and good for a date spot. The food was the star, however, so I'll recap out entire meal. We came for Restaurant Week so we did the 3 course pre fixe menu with the addition of the Quail egg and pork belly kimchi stacks. These can't be put into words words. Simply Incredible! The kimchi is made in house and the combination of flavors exploded in your mouth. We were later told this is Chef Beverly's signature dish and you can tell she puts a lot of love into this. It shows her Asian roots.
The naan that comes out first can't be overlooked. Came with 4 sauces. The fresh tomato was my favorite and there was a good curry lenitl(?) dipping sauce that was also good. The others were a yogurt tzatziki sauce and a cilantro jalapeno sauce. It was a nice, light start.
For the rest of the meal, I started with the Hay Roasted Baby Beet Salad. I would never order a salad, but my friend opted for the Mongolian Lamb Rib so I wanted to try as much of the menu as possible. I've never had Beets, but these were awesome. Really nicely marinated and the goat cheese spread had me scraping my plate with the bread. Her Mongolian Lamb Ribs were the star appetizer, however. Really tender and the glaze on top was delicious. Great start.
For our entrees, we had the Cape Breton Scallops and Braised Beef Short Ribs. She cooked the short ribs on the show, so these were a must try. They did not disappoint as my ribs were perfectly cooked and really tender. The apple kimchi was a delicious pairing when eaten together, and the whole dish had a slight kick to it that was great. It was really good. The scallops that we shared were also perfectly cooked and delicious. It seemed small for an entree with only 2 scallops, but maybe that's just because I could have eaten 10 of them they were so good. Again, our plates were completely empty.
For dessert, we had both the pineapple thai chili granite and the chocolate caramel mousse. The thai chili granite was interesting. It was a pineapple sorbet kind of, which was sweet with a spicy kick from the thai chili. I'm not a huge spicy fan, so that was unexpected, but we were just trying as much of the menu as possible. It was still a nice dessert. The mousse, however, was the perfect ending. It was definitely for chocolate lovers so beware. Roasted almond ice cream that came on the side was the perfect pairing. We were pretty much fighting over the last bite.
Lastly, Chef Beverly Kim stopped at our table and was really sweet. She was really nice and humble for her recent exposure on Top Chef. She was busy working throughout the night and we watched her prepare some dishes at the salad station (I think) and you could see her put the same love into her dishes that she did on the show. She took a pic with us to end the night and tweeted at us to thank us for coming. Overall, it was an excellent experience. -
Review from Sarah L.
Tacoma, WA
3/25/2012
Absolutely amazing - I can't wait to go back!!! I am half-Korean myself and to see Korean cuisine prepared in such an elegant way makes me cry a little pride tear. I made a reservation for a group of 8, so we got the fancy separate dining room in the back. The service was excellent, I barely even noticed they were there, but they were always there at the right time making sure we had what we needed.
The atmosphere is romantic and modern, and the food was amazing. I got the Korean short ribs, which were arguably one of the best plates of food I have ever had. Delicious cocktails, appetizers - the whole meal was amazing and well-priced for the value. I will definitely be going here again the next time I'm in Chicago.
Also, Chef Beverly Kim came out and visited our table - she was so sweet and genuine and meeting her just made the whole evening and meal very special. Thanks Aria! -
Review from Leslie P.
Palos Park, IL
2/5/2012
I enjoyed Aria. I came here for lunch during the week, and I had a good experience. Every table starts off with the naan that was extremely yummy and doughy with three different dippers. One was a cilantro sauce, one was fresh tomatoes, and the last one was a cream sauce (can't remember what it was). The cilantro was delicious! I could have eaten a whole plate of it! We also had the tuna tartar, which was equally great.
For the entree, I had the bouillabaisse, and it was also really good. There were mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, and white fish. All cooked very well with a flavorful broth. I few others ordered the kung pao chicken, and it looked a little small.
At the end of the meal, Beverly Kim came over and thanked us for visiting. She seemed very humble and grateful. I'd vote for her and Aria on Top Chef! -
Review from hannah k.
2/27/2012
I wish I could give Aria 3.5 stars. We went for restaurant week with a very large group and were seated in the private party room, which was absolutely lovely. The rest of the restaurant, however, looks dated and is in dire need of a make over.
On to the food...
We began with some naan and assorted dips -- great start. The lamb rib was delicious but I hated my main -- a noodle and prawn dish with overcooked noodles and undercooked shrimp. I am not sure the last time I have used the word hate to describe a dish. The dessert, a pineapple and cayenne granita with coconut ice-cream, was refreshing and made up for the noodletastrophe.
Our server was awesome. He was friendly and super flexible with switching up the wine pairings (swapping out dessert wine for champagne). No complaints with service, and the wine pourings were healthy! Chef Kim even popped in to say hello and smiled graciously as some of our friends took pictures with her.
The noodle dish and the atmosphere of the rest of the space are the only things holding me back from giving 4 stars. -
Review from Faye B.
2/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Aria was my Restaurant Week pick this year and I totally forgot that this was the restaurant that Top Chef Beverly Kim works at. I have heard great things about the restaurant anyway. I definitely did not leave disappointed and also thought the meal was filling enough.
Ryan and I did the wine pairings with the meals when in Rome, right? We made sure to get different things so that we can taste from each others plates. The naan with sauce sampler was a nice spin on 'bread for your table'. How geeked was I that Top Chef Beverly Kim brought out our first plate? Very :) She was so sweet and explained our first course. I went with the beet and goat cheese salad and Ryan went for the lamb rib. Oh, they tasted so good. Of course I liked the rib better and the crunch to it.
My second course was the braised short rib and Ryan had the scallop. Both were equally tasty. I am not a big fan of kimchee, but I liked the one here. The puree with the peanuts was so delicious. The scallops were also quite tasty. I loved the mushrooms with the mascarpone polenta was yummy.
The desserts were great. Ryan's chocolate mousse was a choco lovers dream. I couldn't really taste the pomegranate gelee but that didn't take away from the dessert. I went with the pineapple chili granite and liked the idea of sweet with a bit of heat. The cookie with fig and the sorbet did help to cut out some of the bite.
I don't have a super fancy palate, but I loved pretending like I did. Everything there was delicious. Not only was I impressed with the food, but equally impressed that Top Chef Beverly Kim took the time out to come out to each table and greet people. She seemed super sweet and very humble. If I want to go for fancy eats I would definitely want to come back here. -
Review from Sam L.
Evanston, IL
1/31/2012
The food is good asian fusion, but on the rich side.
The kimchi brussel sprouts with egg is very good. Her signature dish from Top Chef of short ribs is very tender.
The scallops were perfectly cooked and has a sauce that pairs very well. -
Review from L J.
Chicago, IL
2/22/2012
I'd give it a 2.5 if it's possible. We came here for lunch during restaurant week. Everything was pretty average. We had beet salad/lamb rib to begin with, then Kung Pao chicken and bibimbap for entrees. The food was good, but maybe because I am picky and have high standards for any Asian-related food--the Kung Pao chicken was good, but it's not spicy at all. When it's called "kung pao" something, it's assumed to be spicy. Otherwise use something else, like stir fry chicken. The bibimbap had pretty presentation, and the flavor was there, but it's not the best bibimbap I've had.
The biggest letdown was the dessert, and it's the main reason for this low score. Four truffles and you call it the dessert course? We were amazed when the waiter brought out the chocolate and said here's your dessert. I mean I understand it's the restaurant week, but this just makes it feel so cheap! There are plenty of good restaurants out there that offer an amazing dessert course during restaurant week. Show me something that's worth the name of the restaurant! And to be honest, the truffles weren't even on the same level as Vosges truffles... -
Review from Liz K.
1/9/2012
Asian ama-sian. I'm convinced the food is so good because the chef of cuisine Beverly Kim is on Top Chef right now...
In any case, if I had to break this rating down separately for food and service, the food would certainly get a 4 (maybe even 4.5!) while the service would barely be reaching a 3. I just don't think it's fair that, when you're paying $22-30 for an entree for lunch, you should have to ask your waiter for refills. We were constantly sitting with empty glasses.
However, the food far outshines the service, and we both fell in love with our meals. I had the kung pao chicken, and my boss had the special indonesian rice dish (nongeng or something like that). He said it was the best meal h'e ever had there, and he's no stranger to the restaurant, so that was good to hear. I'm also a huge fan of the naan and the special sauces they serve with it.
If the service can improve to match the level of the food, I will come back here more often. Otherwise, it won't be a part of my normal rotation. -
Review from Sam N.
Chicago, IL
1/1/2012
did you know that they sometimes have a dj spinning after 9 or so on fridays and saturdays?
You would know that only if you went. Its like they are trying to keep it a secret...Anyways come here you will have a good time and some good food which is what you probably came for -
Review from Sundar V.
Atlanta, GA
4/12/2012
Being a vegetarian, my rating and review is solely based on the vegan Singapore noodles and beet salad! The noodles are to die for... and the day we went, master chef beverly kim stopped by! very friendly
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Review from Scott S.
Elmwood Park, IL
4/1/2012
Amazing food! Had the ribeye with asparagus and mushrooms. The naan and dipping sauces were good. About the only thing that I didn't expect was the service being slow. It took 25 minutes to have someone just get our drink order. And then another another 1/2 hour to get our food order taken. It wasn't crowded, either. But, I would go back in a heartbeat to try other dishes.
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Review from Melanie B.
Chicago, IL
3/6/2012
Did this for resto week lunch. Had the beet salad, then the bibimbap. Both were tasty, but the bibimbap won. The short ribs were succulent, and the whole dish felt delicate even as it was filling, and so flavorful, bordering on spicy. Dessert was four truffles, which were fine. Overall, it was a great lunch. The space is big--almost too big--and it does feel like a hotel restaurant. The location isn't ideal either, about as far east in the loop as you can go. I think that affects the experience, like somehow the food would be more beautiful in some small space somewhere in the West Loop.
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Review from Samuel C.
Chicago, IL
2/5/2012
I love Chef Beverly! Her cuisine is authentic and delicious. Cool kinds of sushi to try and even rolls for the kids. A Peanutbutter and Jelly roll...LOL. Anyway, this place is great for a quick bite or a romantic meal. Parking is a breeze at the Fairmont. Sometimes my wife and I spend the night :-) Get adventurous, you won't regret it.
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Review from Milly P.
Chicago, IL
9/18/2011
My boyfriend and I went to Aria for dinner last night and we were pleasantly surprised. I don't think the overall 3 star yelp review is really fair.
The decor of the restaurant is nothing to write home about, but it works. It's not distracting in anyway. The service staff was fine, as well.
The dinner started with naan and 4 sauces. This was a fun twist on your typical bread starter. The naan was great and the sauces were as my boyfriend said "tastes from around the world." We then had the egg drop soup which was good. My boyfriend had the halibut and I had the scallops for our main entrees. Both were very well flavored and extremely fresh!
For dessert we had the ovaltine dream and instant karma. The karma being more yummy than the ovaltine.
In sum, we had a very delicious meal. The ingredients they used were very fresh and we have nothing bad to really point out. -
Review from Jessica C.
South Bend, IN
11/25/2011 Seated via OpenTable
We took our 12 year-old son to Chicago for a last-minute grown-up adventure. With every restaurant within a mile-radius sporting a two-hour wait, we made a reservation with OpenTable and sauntered down to Aria on the recommendation of a friend.
The place was only about 1/2 full, offering plenty of four-tops, yet they sat the three of us at a round-table suited for 6-7. Feeling like it was to keep the kid away from the couples out for a romantic evening, I didn't say anything. However, it's also not like we brought a toddler along. I would have appreciated it if they'd treated us like a three-top of adult diners.
Our server was personable and professional and he treated our son like an adult, which we all appreciated, but the service was a bit slow - even for a high-end restaurant where it's to be expected.
Some of the food was quite good. The appetizers we had (dumplings and tuna) were the highlight of the evening, along with the naan and dipping sauces. My husband will eat anything, but he enjoyed his fish and my son liked the sushi. However, my kung pao chicken was nothing to write home about.
In all, it was a fine night, but it seems like there are better options in Chicago for the same price. Next time we'll make a reservation for one of those places before venturing out on a Saturday night. -
Review from Isaac S.
Milwaukee, WI
1/23/2012
Yum! Ate here when I stayed at the Fairmount hotel and I love the fact that the majority of their dishes use organic foods. The taste definitely stands out with some great mixtures.
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Review from Anthony L.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2011
Yeah, sorry to pile on, but this place was crap
I actually thought the place looked good, and I enjoyed the live DJ. But the service and food left a lot to be desired.
My girl found a Groupon-type deal for this place and I was happy to partake, as there we drinks and food included for half price. I'll use a bullet point format so I don't waste your time.
We had a 12:45 reservation, showed up at 12:45, and weren't seated until 1:10. What's the point of reservations then?
Our server was very slow. It took us 20 minutes to get our first round of drinks, and an additional 20 to get our second round. We could see the bar from where we were sitting. I wanted to go back there and make them myself.
The specialty drinks were terrible. Watered down, improperly made, you name it. I ordered a maker's on the rocks later, and that was the only drink that was made properly. The bar ran out of ice, and we waited over half an hour for ice water!
The food was just okay. I'll recommend the Vietnamese sandwich and cinnamon rolls, but the rest I could take or leave. The chicken on the chicken and waffles was bad, The sushi didn't seem fresh, and the sliders were dry and were brought out cold after an extended wait.
We flagged down our server after 10 min and told her the burgers were cold and asked for new ones. Five minutes later she brought out the same sliders, now luke-warm and obviously fresh from a microwave or burner.
My girl got a stomach ache from something she ate there and now hates this place with a passion. I was just glad I got a decent drink finally. Needless to say, I will NOT return. -
Review from Shawn C.
Chicago, IL
11/21/2011
I went here for my birthday. It was quite the experience. We were seated quickly and our server came over to take our drink orders. We also ordered a couple of apps. The tuna tartare was quite memorable. Loved every piece of it.
For dinner my companion had the scallops and I had the pappardelle. Both were just simply delicious. We couldn't find anything wrong (not that we were looking). We ate all of it and were quite full.
We also had dessert and it was a nice birthday display plate (nice touch). I can't remember what it was, but we ate all of it.
Ok, I would give this place 5 stars if it weren't for the bar...sigh. Ok, the bar itself looks VERY cool. I would love for this place to become my new after work bar, but the prices are simply ridiculous. I ordered a manhattan and a jack and coke, nothing fancy right. The jack and coke was 14 and the manhattan was 12. None of these drinks require a mixologist (new term for fancy bar chef). I laughed when I got the bill and told my friend, we are out of here. I will never pay over ten bucks for a jack and coke again...ever. And for that Aria, goes your 5 star review.
Otherwise I will definitely come back for dinner again. The food is delicious, it really is! -
Review from Laila C.
8/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
this place is pricey.
$140 for 2 people without drinks. BF's tiny glass bottle of regular club soda was $3.50. CRAZY.
Although the food is pretty good, I can't actually justify coming here again.
The cilantro/jalapeno chutney is awesome!
We got 3 apps and an entree to share.
tuna tartare is mediocre-skip
quail eggs with pork belly-amazing!
mussels-AWESOME, make sure to sop up all the broth
rib-eye entree with side of grilled asparagus-tasty but definitely not worth $42
Tao of chocolate: the dense chocolate cake is actually the most amazing thing I've ever put in my mouth. There is a hint of spice that lingers after the bite but everything on that place works perfectly together. YUUUM
Overall...good food, nice service NOT worth the money -
Review from Luke S.
7/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
I can not believe the bad reviews of this place! I went here on my "Groupon Excursion Day". I had $100 to spend at Aria and I am really glad we were given this Groupon as a gift! I think it would be easiest to break out the positives and negatives:
+Service was out of this world! Our server was funny and extremely helpful. He even threw in desert and a neighborhood discount card.
+Naan!!!!
+Extremely creative menu with an interesting fusion between Thai, American, and Indian.
+The Lobster, pork, and noodle mish-mosh that I ordered was the bomb! At $35 it wasn't horribly priced, but I might have second guessed that if I didn't have the Groupon.
+Halibut was also perfectly cooked and the "forbidden" risotto was very unique!
+Naan!!!!
+The decor is really unique with pillows and comfy seating throughout the restaurant.
My only negative comment on this place would be that they charged $4 for a 8.5 ounce diet coke. Other than that I would love to come back and try some of their other menu items. -
Review from Emily G.
Chicago, IL
7/31/2011
Went here for bunch using a travelzoo coupon for 2 for brunch. On Sunday mornings they have a live DJ which was pretty cool! The coupon we had allowed us 2 cocktails each and 5 small plates between the two of us. I ordered sushi for one of mine which was to die for. We also got to sit at the sushi bar and it was nice to sit and watch the sushi being made while we ate. My friend and I split angus beef sliders which I would not recommend, they were pretty bland. I finished off my meal with delicious churros and mexican hot chocolate.
The one complaint I have is the servers an hosts were a little short-staffed and seemed a little flustered but the waiter was extremely friendly had made up for it with his service. After great service for the entire meal we had to wait quite a while for our check but he even acknowledged this, apologized and brought us each a complimentary glass of wine.
Overall, the food was pretty good and we had a great relaxed bunch I would love to go back but not for the full price (our brunch would have been over $100 for two people). They seem to have a lot of Groupon, LivingSocial, Travelzoo, etc deals so I would suggest keeping an eye out for those - I know I will! -
Review from Aubrey T.
Boston, MA
2/26/2012 2 photos
This is a MUST TRY during restaurant week. Phenomenal deal for the $33 price fixe, since they really put top notch items on the menu.
The naan with dipping sauce that comes out instead of bread was tasty. I had the beet salad, scallops (see photo), and the chocolate caramel mousse (see photo). Normally the scallops alone would be $34, so fantastic deal. The beat salad app was delicious, as was the lamb rib app a friend ordered. The absolute standout was the scallop entree - accompanied with a salty, decadent wine sauce and mascarpone polenta with a nutty pea topping. Absolutely amazing flavor combination.
Similar to other dinners Chef Beverly came out to say "hello" at 10pm as we were finishing our dessert. She is incredibly sweet.
Service was fine - a little on the slow side but attentive. I personally don't love the all red look in the restaurant, but my friends thought it was great. -
Review from Johnny T.
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
It sort of sneaks up on you. I didn't expect a chic Asian-styled restaurant to be hiding in the austere Fairmont. This just goes to show that there are always surprises to be found in Chicago.
I enjoyed how the restaurant (and windows) followed the curvy bend of the hotel's first floor. For some reason, artificial right angles bother me. I know it's weird. Maybe I am innately attuned to feng shui. In any event, I appreciated the layout... and the design. Think deep reds, blacks, lacquers, banquets, and the like. I can see how this would be a fun group night out dinner or a good second or third date (not a first).
Speaking of firsts, my group started with a basket of naan and several sauces. The spicy green sauce was best suited for my taste buds, but all the options were good ones. I had tuna tartare on the brain, so I ordered that and the shrimp tempura maki. My tartare was missing the blood orange and didn't taste as fresh as I was hoping. Don't mistake me; it didn't make me ill... but it didn't quite sate my craving. The maki was, likewise, serviceable but not memorable. In fact, my favorite portion of the meal was my pink lemonade. Yes, I ordered a pink lemonade with tuna tartare and shrimp tempura maki. I might be pregnant.
Our waiter was helpful, chatty and very pleasant. Aria was a decent experience, but not one I would rush to repeat or tell others to do so. It was a food cousin to white noise. I mean that in the nicest way possible. -
Review from Adriana S.
Chicago, IL
2/21/2012
I went for restaurant week and enjoyed my experience. The food is more 3.5 stars but it is creative and beautifully presented. The waitstaff was highly attentive, friendly, and accommodating. I enjoyed the ambiance and would likely go back
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Review from Terris A.
8/28/2011
My boyfriend and I went to Aria as apart of their Travelzoo promotion for their brunch. We made a reservation online and were seated pretty quickly. However this is where any quickness stopped, after that everything was sloooooow.
We were seated in this very awkward table near the bar where the servers at to practically sit on our table to get to the register. Suggestion to management: get rid of that table.
Next we sat there for a total of 6 minutes before we were approached by anybody and this includes one of the busing staff to give us water. Two times, one of the men that looked he was in charge walked by our table and noticed that we looked annoyed and did nothing.
Finally our waitress arrives and we order our drinks. We sit there and are digging the DJ and the vibe. However we sat for god knows how long before our drinks arrived. At this point, we have been at the restaurant for half hour and we are just getting our drinks.
We ordered our food from a pretty interesting and decent menu. Nothing too exciting but it was creative. I had the lobster rolls and those rolls alone saved me from absolutely hating this place.
Don't ask me how long we waited for the food to arrive. Never at any point did our waitress make a point of coming to check on us, or apologize for the wait or seem interested in us at all.
Well we dared to order some more drinks and waited and waited. (oh and did I mention the drinks were watered down and not good.... ) We then reminded our waitress about the drinks and she acted shocked they weren't there yet. Since we were sitting so close to the bar, we overheard her going to the bar to inquire about our drinks only to find out they never received the order for them....
Anyways we waited for the bill and got the heck out of there. The service is what killed this place. Bad drinks can be forgotten but slow and uncaring service cannot. -
Review from Daisy G.
Chicago, IL
6/27/2011
I love Aria!
I went for the first time to this restaurant with my husband and can honestly say i have found the best sushi joint in Chicago!
I lived in San Francisco for four years during my college days & there I fell in love with sushi. In Frisco they have fresh with creative sushi rolls anywhere you go. After going to Blow Fish (the best sushi in the Bay Area) I thought i would never find such an outstanding sushi place. When i came back to my hometown, Chicago, I was desperate to find a local sushi bar that can satisfy my cravings. Hitting sushi bar after sushi bar (Tamarind, hot Woks Cool Sushi, Oysy, Restaurant Thalia etc.) I always came out unsatisfied. I was astonished to find that not only was Aria the best sushi I have ever had, It also was not expensive like I expected it to be(sushi between$6- $13)! Although if you are not going there for sushi expect to pay decent price for their entrees ($20-$30).
As a huge sushi fanatic I def. recommend this restaurant for delicious sushi. I ordered the Dragon Slayer and even brought home 2 extra rolls. Each bite was orgasmic like eating sushi should be!
I also tried the duck and if you like indian spices and flavors you will like the duck. My husband ordered the Steak and that had some Thai flavors. For desert we had the Instant Karma and Chocolate cake with Coconut Sorbet. The Instant Karma was delicious! It is a cheesecake made with mango and kiwi fusion. I enjoyed the Coconut Sorbet much more than the chocolate cake. The chocolate cake was loaded Caffeine. The Coconut sorbet was the perfect combination of creamy and frosty!
The service was fantastic! They gave us complimentary naan( with five unique dipping sauces), spiced cookies and roasted walnuts to go along with a 20% discount card that can be used for the restaurant, spa and hair salon at the Fairmont hotel. The food wait was what i expected for fresh food.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did! -
Review from Osmond S.
Chicago, IL
4/7/2011
Meh....it's okay. Typical hotel food (it's part of the Fairmont)
Good ambience, good service, and conveniently located in the loop. For work-related "meetings" it works fine.
That said, I personally don't think the food is worth the money. I've been here for breakfast and lunch so that's all I can speak to, but neither times did I find myself wowed by the food.
Earlier today I tried the Wagyu Beef Burger which looked a lot better than it tasted. The fries were pretty good but the burger was average at best.
And at $17, it's not really a place I'll come back to of my own volition. -
Review from Alex A.
Chicago, IL
2/19/2012
Chef Bev shines. Even though it was restaurant week, the service, cocktails, and food were amazing. The scallops were mouthwatering. The short ribs did not require a knife, they were so tender. This is fine dining at its best.
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Review from pramod p.
Roselle, IL
3/20/2012
The food here is what stood out most. We went for dinner during restaurant week.The fresh naan bread was such a treat and the 4 dipping sauces were so fun and satisfying to eat. The beet salad was one of the best salads I have eaten in a long time, every bite had a different and delightful element. The lamb appetizer fell apart author a knife and the various sauces complimented perfectly. The scallops were beautiful and cooked perfectly. My singapore noodles were my least favorite, they were a little to rich but the shrimp was good. The dessert was something special and very unique..while I didn't enjoy they pineapple dessert as much, the caramel was to sure for. Service was a tad but slow but the food made up for it.
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Review from Sherri C.
Roselle, IL
2/25/2012 2 photos
Went during Restaurant Week 2012. The ambiance was modern but also warm/inviting. Food was mind blowing! Had the lamb appetizer and short rib entree while hubby had the kung pao chicken. Beverly Kim came out to greet every table. She was very nice and sweet just like she was on Top Chef. It will be my first choice next time we are in the city.
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Review from Steve L.
Chicago, IL
12/27/2010
Jeez. Where to start on how Aria gave my family the worst Christmas dinner ever.
How about from the beginning?
We made reservations weeks before Christmas to do their Asian Prix Fixe menu for $45/person that also came with a movie pass for the AMC River East. Three, 3, THU-REE times they called to confirm our reservation and our menu selection and every time we said yes. When we arrived at the restaurant, guess who had no reservations listed for us?
That's right. Aria.
3 confirmation calls and no reservation in the system. As a result, we also received no movie pass since they had run out.
Fortunately, they had a table for us...a giant round table in the center of the restaurant where you could comfortably seat six but could only awkwardly seat 3. Either 2 people could sit next to each other with one person far on the other side of the table, or all three of us sitting next to each other giving some other table the opportunity to watch us as if we were their Christmas dinner theatre.
I spoke to the manager to see if we could move, and he moved us without a problem and promptly apologized. No apology necessary, just needed the move.
Either way, we were visibly disappointed with our experience so far which is the prime chance for the server (who saw this whole thing go down) to redeem the place. Think that happened?
No way.
We were given our menus as we switched tables, but didn't approach us for a drink order (more on that in a minute) nor for a food order for 10 minutes (we timed it), yet he was setting up a giant round table in a room next to our table and was at every other table in the section.
Let's start with the drinks:
The water was fine....and that's all I can speak for because NOT ONCE during the entire meal did the waiter provide us with a drink/wine list nor ask us what we'd like! The only drink we were offered was a sip of "bubbles" out of some novelty sized champagne bottle to celebrate the holiday by the restaurant "wine pro" - NOT EVEN OUR SERVER!
While the Prix Fixe option was still...well, an option for us (minus the cost of a movie, but f*ck me if a movie costs $8 in this city), we examined the full menu as well. My mother chose the turkey dinner option for a whopping $28 and when she brought up her nut allergy, asking if anything in the meal contained nuts because of her allergy, our server...wait...this is getting it's own paragraph...
When my mother asked if anything in her meal contained nuts BECAUSE OF HER ALLERGY, our server scoffed and said, "I don't know what in that meal could possibly contain nuts." Considering the amount of stuffings we've encountered in our lives that have, we kindly asked him to check anyway.
The turkey dinner was ok.
Let's get to my meal:
Appetizer - Veggie spring rolls with a spicy brown mustard. The veggies were bland and ALL you could taste was the mustard. And, yes, it was quite spicy.
***NOTE*** This is when the bread, an awesome (and the only redeeming meal point) nan was delivered. Yup - AFTER my appetizer.
Dinner - Basically Duck in an orange sauce with bok choy and "fried rice."
Gross. The duck was barely warm, and the bok choy and fried rice REEKED of fish. I asked the server if there was any shellfish involved in this preparation as I too have food allergies, and he said, "I don't know. I think it's just our brown rice." So the MUSHY, watery, "fried" rice and the soggy bok choy were nothing special.
Dessert - Honestly, by this point, I had asked for dessert to go and for the check because the whole meal was terrible and the server NEVER answered my question about the possibility of nuts in my pumpkin cheesecake.
Meal verdict: Save your money. You see your busboy and food runner more than your server (whom, to their credit, were working very hard).
Now, you might be thinking, where was the manager in all of this? Well, I'll tell you. Nowhere. At the END of the meal he came to see how we were doing, and obviously we were doing bad...
So I spoke to him on our way out. I thanked him for moving our table, but calmly expressed my disappointment (and I NEVER complain - I've been in the industry for a while) in the meal and the service. His immediate two responses were: 1) telling me "he's been having a lot of problems with that server," and 2) giving me a business card saying it was his, even though the name on the card is Robert Warsaw and he said his name was Scott (so did his name tag) and promising me free dinner the next time I go back.
Honestly, it's going to take a lot to bring me back there but for a free meal from either Robert or Scott a return might not be the worst thing.
Let's just see if they can keep my reservation. -
Review from Bradford G.
Malvern, PA
6/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hotel sushi? Aria proves it's possible. Granted, it's not awesome, but it was highly convenient as I was attending a conference in the hotel. I could pop in, have a few pieces of Unagi with a little sake, and then back up to the general session. Which amazingly was now interesting...
Later in the evening, this is a place to pick up lonely travelers looking for a single night of romance. Not that I would know, just an observation. ;)
If you're staying at the hotel, give it a try. If not, you can do better elsewhere in Chicago. -
Review from Mihir S.
Chicago, IL
3/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Without a doubt, Aria has the BEST potstickers. As they arrived at the table I could smell the delicate smokiness that wafted toward me. My mouth began to water. The skin was thin and crisp while the meat was soft and moist giving it a mix of textures. The generous amount of shiitake mushrooms and light dashi-bacon broth was the perfect accompaniment. FYI, the mushrooms are not in the dumpling.
For the entree, I took the ribeye steak. I think it was actually a filet. It was a generous but tougher cut. The Thai chili rub was amazing as were the maitake mushrooms but if the steak was less tough it would have been sensational. The fingerling potatoes were bland and pointless.
My friend got the shortrib pad see eew which was delightful. However, the shortrib was too chewy and had some unedible bits.
The service was OK. Our server was a bit weird and wasn't knowledgeable about the drinks. He was also a bit socially awkward.
I'd still go back to try some other items on the menu and of course to eat.more potstickers. -
Review from Kristy N.
4/9/2011
I had friends in town for a wedding and they were staying at the Fairmount. I met them at the bar for a late dinner and came away underwhelmed. The atmosphere is great, very dimly lit and sexy without being cheesy.
The wine was very overpriced (I know its a hotel bar but c'mon - $11 a glass is the best you can do?). I opted for the miso soup and california role since the server said that I could get fresh crabmeat instead of crabstick. The miso was a bit bland for my taste and served with a very awkwardly shaped spoon. I'm all for aesthetics but the spoon made it hard to eat the soup.
The roll was good but the strongest taste I got from it was cucumber which is fine for a salad but not for sushi. The server was very nice and the place started to fill up around 10.
If you are in a real pinch (or your company is footing the bill), then this place is fine but I will not be back given the plethora of other options available.
