Bin 36
Categories: Wine Bars, Restaurants [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North Side339 N Dearborn St
(at Carroll Ave)
Chicago, IL 60610 (312) 755-9463
- Nearest Transit:
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Grand (Red)
- Price Range: $$$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Garage, Valet
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: Yes
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Music: DJ
- Best Nights: Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: No
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: Yes
284 reviews
Neighborhood: Near North Side
"Had way too much food here and cultivated some extreme nostalgia for my study abroad time in Italy. The food was exactly what I would…" read more »
150 Reviews for Bin 36
Here's the deal... Bin 36 has a great wine list, good food (try the Braised Pork Cheeks), and delicious desserts, but the "Tavern" area reminded me of Fresh Choice. Seriously, there was a bit of a disconnect between the wine list and food and the surrounding environs. Maybe the Cellar area is a better place to experience Bin 36, and if it's still open the next time I come to Chicago, I'll probably check it out.
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They just failed their inspection in June. I guess I won't be going here again....gross.
http://chicago.everybl...
TERRIBLE. I went here w/ a friend and we had to get the manager due to the horrendous attitude of our waiter. (I later found out he was going through all these personal problems and had other compliants against him as a waiter).
The manager was the ONLY saving grace about this place and she is no longer there. She offered to comp our meal, but we refused, we just wanted our food and some good service!
I will say the food was good, but not worth putting up with the slow and rude service.
I've had other friends go here and we all have the same story.
Great Wine, Real Good Food, Awesome Cheese, lots of great looking people. The service is good too. They are leaders in the wine world of Chicago but don't take themselves so seriously - They have a BBQ and Bingo game coming in August, I just bought tickets for this! Sounds like a blast.
I just took my husband here for his birthday and we had the BEST time! It was my first time dining in the cellar, though I've frequented the bar after work and have thoroughly enjoyed tasting my way through the wine list. Anyways, I have to say that from the moment we walked in, we were treated like VIPs. When I made my reservation, I had mentioned that we were celebrating a birthday, and the staff all did a great job of making it a special night.
You absolutely HAVE to take advantage of the flights if you dine here, we had a great time trying so many different wines and cheeses. My husband loved his hanger steak, which was perfectly prepared. We also tried the tandoori chicken sausage and I discovered a new favorite...sooo good. We were happy with everything, left with big smiles on our faces, and will definitely be back for more. :)
In one word: chic.
I had a hot date with my old roomie, Krystle last evening and that is how she described Bin 36. It's swanky and and sophisticated, quite the opposite of it's sister restaurant, Bin Wine Cafe, (which still remains to be one of my favorite restaurants).
I arrived before my friend so I had no problem asking to be seated at our table as I waited for her. Thinking that our server would take my beverage order, I picked out my wine right away.....but he didn't stop by and ask :( Once my friend arrived we wanted to try a variety of things so we shared 3 appetizers: foie gras duo, peeky toe crab salad, and chicken sausage. We also tried cheeses (which were awesome!) and dessert. Plus, wine flights and a dessert wines.
We enjoyed everything (especially dessert). Our server seemed annoyed at first when we just wanted to share some apps, but he warmed up to us as we ordered more. Portions were pretty tiny ($16 for literally a bite of foie??) and I think the flights were a few dollars more here than at Bin Wine Cafe.
It was a good dinner. Pricey, but good. Save room for dessert! I liked Bin 36, but I just like the cozy and more casual feel of Bin Wine Cafe.
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I love the atmosphere here and their wine list is fantastic (and not too pricey!). I love to get flights of wine and cheese while I am here. I don't normally order entrees, but I do enjoy their appetizers or lighter food.
Last fall my bf and I went to a wine making class and we were able to mix wines to make a perfect blend. It was so much fun! We each got to make 4 blends and taste them all. They also had cheese and fruit and other snacks for us to taste the wine with. We ended up finding our perfect blend and naming it our Windy City Red with a picture of the skyline on the label. We bought a case and gave it away as Christmas gifts. I'm looking forward to that again this year! It was only $35/person (plus we got 10% off because we are in the club, and they gave us each a bottle of wine (priced at $20 per bottle) and all the food and tastings while we were there). What a deal!
Yuck, closed by the board of health?
http://files.chicagotr...
Inspection result: Fail
License status: Suspended
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We were here last night, after a failed attempt to get into the House of Blues (okay, that was my fault, I'd forgotten my id, but it's not like we're pointing fingers here or anything). All I can say is, the evening was eventful. Mostly because of things that had nothing to do with the place itself. I mean, the South American wine flight was wonderful, and the cheese plate wasn't bad either. Our waiter was either having a bad day or was just blessed with a naturally vitriolic tongue (okay, again, I admit here that I may have been egging him on a little), but the highlights were when my friend soaked the front of my tan skirt with red wine, smashing the glass simultaneously. Oh, and when we finally went outside to discover that our car had been towed. Good times at their finest.
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This place was good but I think I expected a bit more. The wine flight were well done and the service and atmosphere was good. My only problem was that I decided to get a hanger steak and it seemed over seasoned in certain parts so I had terrible order regret. I would still go there but there are about 20 other places I would go first.
Love it. Yummy wine and more yummy wine followed by more yummy wine and then a little over priced tiny portion food, which is ok because it leaves room for... more yummy wine... and some awesome cheese... and more yummy wine and oh... yeah... I have to go to work tomorrow... damn.
But the best part is that when you have lost the ability to articulate full words the wines are numbered, so holding up fingers or just randomly pointing at the correct section of the menu gets you more yummy wine.
leeeuuuuyyvvv it!!
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My Memorial Day weekend part 3: Only the best pretzel like bread sticks in the whole city.
So after waking up extremely hung over from THE SPOT (as I am sure most of you have from THE SPOT) I need some food and maybe a little hair of the dog. Bin 36 hit the spot (seriously I wasn't trying to say the spot again), it was around noon and it was dead in there which really helped considering my next event was going to be loud.
Hooked up with some friends and really enjoyed their appetizers. The hummus was sooooo good here, not oily at all and they baked the pita bread...yum. The fries and burgers here looked really good too. I really wasn't enjoying my salad so the waiter brought me something else and didn't charge me, very cool. Nice choices of wine but that's to be expected.
The staff was really nice and funny, he was playing around with us the entire time. The decor is your typical trendy downtown look but part of Bin 36 is a retail wine shop. They also have dinner deals, 3 course meal and a movie in the upstairs loft for $48., not bad. I would go back.
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Went there on Saturday night- and we had a great time. Our server was attentive but not overbearing, offered lots of help with wine choices etc. They have a great selection of wines by the glass and terrific cheeses too and we ordered the 6 cheese flight, really great and diverse (mild to stinky) We were not into having dinner so we just ordered a ton of apps and they were all great, I would recommend the Peeky Toe Crab Salad and the Charcuterie Platter to snack on as well as the Pork Nachos, really they were great with the wines we ordered, I never thought of nachos with wine but they made it work!
The atmosphere here is cool too, big open loft space with a 2nd floor room for private parties that looks over the bar, it looked like the people having the party up there were loving the people watching
from above. I'm planning a bachelorette party for my sister and this
looks like a great spot for that. We did save room for dessert and we loved the Chocolate Tasting for 2, it was more than enough for two and we had the dessert wine paired with it and it was perfect, bubbly, sweet and yummy.
We had a great time at BIN 36, the place is right on for an evening of snacking on cheese and drinking wine, the service was really good and it didn't make a huge dent in our wallets. We will be back, maybe even for the Bachelorette Party!
I am surprised by some of the poor reviews - especially the TWO reviews that talk about shards of glass in the wine stems!
I actually really like this place and have never had the inkling of a negative experience. Reasonable prices, decent food, a CHEESE BAR!, and great seasonal flights. I can't wait to bring my friend from San Francisco here this weekend!
We went here for a pre-Dolly Parton show dinner. The wine flight was wonderful. The cheese flight was also tasty. The apricot and fig and honey compote was divine--hands down the best part of the meal.
The waiter was an a**h*le. I asked for suggestions and got apathetic indifference and rudeness. And it cost me $45 for 4 bites of cheese and a wine flight. I know, I should've expected that price, but it's still a lot of cash for cheese and a rude waiter.
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To say I love this place is an understatement! My first time here (probably 6 years ago) I was with my aunt and uncle who are wine connoisseurs. They informed me that good wine does not come from a box. Amen to that. Bin 36 was my first restaurant where I didn't order anything on my own. I gave my waiter an idea of what I liked and didn't liked, and he ran with it from there. A great way to try new foods? Put your trust in a trained server who knows their stuff!
I'm a White Flights kinda girl, but am open to Red Flights if I'm feeling frisky. You've got quite a selection to choose from. Don't be afraid to try a few! There is something to be said of an establishment where the staff knows the correct food/wine pairings. I was here with my girlfriend last night, and all we told our bartender was we loved cheese, but our only restriction was it couldn't be 'stinky'. He brought us 5 different types and it was a perfect selection!
Great place to unwind after work, but also a perfect date place! Looking forward to many more fun nights out at Bin 36!
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This place was recommended by my SO who used to live in Chicago. Apparently the owners of this place also owned Spruce. I guess they have no affiliation with the people who own Spruce in San Francisco but I think they know each other. Anyway, my concierge got me a reservation (for one - how romantic). I walk in and find myself in this great enormously large and beautiful space. Large windows, not cramped or over decorated, with seating along the wall just the way I like it. Since I was alone, the hostess asked if she could get me a magazine. I think I might have been a little rude because I laughed at her and said, "No". I really hope I didn't offend her but I don't need to draw any more attention to myself. I really don't have a problem dining out by myself but it seems like other people get nervous about it for me.
Relax people! I can have a good meal by myself!
I know this place is known for the wines and I'm supposed to get a glass of wine and pair food with it but I got some bubbly instead with a great cheese plate (Yum! American cheese local to the midwest), which I took to-go and drunkenly finished it several hours later, and an amazing trout dish. I think it was the Lemon trout with fennel puree blah blah blah. It literally melted in my mouth! It was cooked perfectly and went so well with the fennel.
I ended with the chocolate mousse. You really can't go wrong with chocolate and ice cream.
I also appreciated the little slips of paper that tell you about the wine and cheese you're having. Really prevents the awkwardness that happens when you can't understand what your server is mumbling to you.
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I enjoyed myself at Bin 36. We arrived with a party of 7 around 8:00 on a Friday night and were seated immediately. We still waited forever for our server, however, since the place was sufficiently buzzing with people. He was nice, and built a pretty good rapport with us, though in my opinion, it was mostly annoying. The rest of my party seemed to enjoy the conversation, though. We were probably a bit loud for the restaurant, but they had placed us in a corner next to the cheese refrigerators, so we didn't have a problem with that. Overall, it was solid experience, and I'll be likely to return to try some more wine, and maybe a cheese platter with it.
I ordered the braised pork nachos, which come with an ample serving of pulled pork, jalapeno peppers, avocado cream (which seems to be a blend of avocado and sour cream), black beans, onion confit, and of course, cheese. These were good - the pork was really tender, although I could tell they were sitting out while they plated up the rest of my party's food since the nachos weren't piping hot when it came out. And they really should have been, since they had deep fried the chips as well. I tried one of the suggested wine pairings, Bin 12, which is a Chardonnay. Very fruity, very smooth. I can't remember the name of it, but it was from California and has the word "Naked" in the name, which elicited a lot of jokes at my table. Yeah. We are real mature.
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This is one of my favorite places! The wine and cheeses are sooo good. they have all different kinds of cheese from all over the world, I highly recommend ordering a bunch of different kinds when your here. The wine flights are really cool because they serve them on strips of paper that give good descriptions of the flavors, and also provide you mini pencils to jot down what you think.
Some of the food is hit or miss. Dont order the pepper crusted fish, its like solid 1/4" thick crust of pepper that is WAY too much. The scallops are so good they just dissolve in your mouth. The vegetarian entree of the day is always well thought out, original, and delicious. Be careful ordering the pork, sometimes they over cook it. With just a few things on the menu I dont like, the wine and cheese will keep me coming back
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Three of us went, two had different flights of red, one with white. The white pours were significantly smaller than the reds. Odd. The wine selections in the flights were great.
Overall the food was fine, nothing special, although the hummus was a standout for us. The service, indifferent. I think we'd go back if we returned to Chicago if we were looking for something decent but it wouldn't be a "must".
Great little date place. Sat at the cheese bar and got the Spanish cheese plate and a few glasses of the Tempranillo. Great wine and cheese selection.
Not crowded during the week and quiet enough to converse.
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I really enjoy going to Bin 36. I moved to Chicago about a year ago from Boston and had never quite been to a "wine bar", so "flights" of wine were new to me. I LOVE IT! I'm a huge fan of the Bubbles flight, Fat City (cheese flight) and the Sexy Reds. I've never had a meal there, but I'm sure it's good. And I usually end up buying a few bottles from their market on my way.
All in all, I think it's a great place to relax and experience new (affordable) wines.
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Was looking forward to trying Bin 36 for the first time. Even though the place was practically empty on a Saturday afternoon, our waitress couldn't seem to find the time to check on us or even smile. Other staff were just standing around talking while one sourpuss waitress handled 3 tables and avoided making eye contact with anyone, like it was a major inconvenience to have customers there at all. The food was acceptable, though not outstanding. It took ages to arrive. (Maybe the waitress was also doing the cooking?) Mussels were good, but came without any bread or accompaniment, and we all know that half the joy of eating mussels is soaking up the garlicky broth with a hunk of crusty bread. Wings were a tiny portion, so hope you aren't too hungry. The wines were fine, but with so little attention to providing information or presentation, it wasn't much different from ordering at any hotel bar. The bill was over $40 per person for 2 glasses of wine and a "snack". Not a great value. Certainly didn't make me want to stay and purchase anything in the shop. Maybe Saturday afternoon is not the time to come here. While I'd still be interested in trying the cheese bar, based on the extremely poor service, we'll probably never go back.
I wasn't sure what to expect at Bin 36. I had read all the reviews on here and had heard several people talk about it- but I had never been. Hard to believe given I eat out alot and love a fine glass of wine.
We arrived and sat at the bar for a few minutes. The bartender was actually quite funny (or maybe I should be offended?) I said that there were so many choices of wine that I needed to get my glasses out. Viola! The bartender produces this giant magnifying glass for me to read the menu. Not sure what was worse- the fact that I couldn't read the menu or that everyone at the bar saw I couldn't read the menu! It actually was quite funny and the bartender played along with me and he actually seemed dismayed when we left his bar and went to our table. Note to you all- be careful what you ask for.
We were quickly seated in the main dining room and immediately were presented with a wine list, tasting menu and dinner menu. With a little help from out server, Robert, we ordered a lovely Italian red (reasonably priced and delicious) which set the perfect tone for our dinner.
We started with oysters (west coast, rather small but tasted like the sea) and then had their Bin 36 salad which I loved. It had mixed greens, goat cheese and currents with a light vinaigrette dressing. Delicious. For my entree, I had the monkfish which was good but I felt that the accompanying pork sauce and kale was a bit overpowering. Still very good. And the Bin 36 mashed potatoes that I ordered as a side were also quite nice. My friend had the hangar steak and fries which were also quite good.
For dessert, we tried the chocolate mousse (be aware- it doesn't say that there is an orange sauce in and on it and it is woven through the whole thing and since orange is a no no for me- I couldn't eat this) but I had the ice cream flights which were perfect. Tiny scoops of malted vanilla, cinnamon stick, and salty caramel ice cream all served with mini cookies. The perfect way to end the evening.
I would go again to share some wine and food with friends. I loved that the staff encourages you to try new things in both food and wine. But watch out for that bartender- he's got a magnifying glass under that bar that is sure to embarrass!! But it certainly helped to start up conversations with the people around us!
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I like it, but I like it's sister restaurant (Bin Wine Cafe) in Bucktown 1000 times more. Here's why: Their menus are similar (and good) and the wines are the same (Also good), but the atmosphere is 100% different. Bin Wine Cafe offers a cozy, comfortable environment while I find Bin 36 to be much more stuffy. I mean, it's nice, and it's good, but for the same food, choose the cozier environment. It's worth it. The wine flights are awesome both places though. I haven't had a wine there yet that I didn't enjoy. And you can order their wine online.
We got there early to try some of their wine flights, which had several different choices. When we sat down I ordered the Monk fish and it was excellent, plus I asked the server to pair the fish with a wine and he brings over a Malbec. At first I was a little unsure about the choice, but after tasting the wine with the fish it was a great choice. The only downside of the night was where we sat. The restaurant was large and open, when we got there it was about half full and we sat in the middle of two tables where I could extend my arms and touch both people at those tables. We might as well sat at the same table. Besides that I would go back but definitely request a more private table.
Bin 36 is the place to try out some phenomenal wines - they'll serve you entire flights of similar wines so you can taste and select the absolutely perfect wine for whichever occasion you look forward to.
I'd been in a celebratory mood, so I went with the Bubbly flight, only to find that the Heidsieck champagne was one-upped by a vouvray. A bubbly vouvray you say? I do. The carbonation actually allowed the natural sweetness of the grape to be somewhat hidden, letting the other subtle flavors play a more central role. It was a wonderful wine.
The fries were fantastic, and the cheeses were revelatory - parmesan cheese flakes and sheep's milk blue cheese were perfect for bubbly white wines. The rest of the food was just eh. A perfect little place to try out many wines, and they'll sell you bottles afterward. I bought a bottle of the vouvray, but thanks to the flight rules of Homeland Security, I left it with a friend.
This place is great...especially if you are staying at the hotel. The cheese bar is fun to sit at, but the service is super slow.
Casual, relaxed atmosphere, and a perfect complement to the menu - order some plates to share and a couple of wine flights.
And, while not inexpensive, it is a value - fresh, well prepared ingredients, excellent wine list.
I went here on a friday evening with a group of people from work. As you walk in, you feel like you are going to a wine shop, but the store than opens up to a sitting area and lounge as well as a very big bar. The crowd looked very sophisticated and everyone was drinking...wine. Obviously.
The top floor of the restaurant is for private parties and although I do not drink alcholol, I till was able to enjoy the food. I had a variety of items and they were all very decently prepared and quite delicious.
I could tell that all of my colleagues enjoyed the wine more than they did the food. I did not think the prices were right, it was a bit too expensive for the quality of food they served.
Not my best place for food. Might be okay if you want to mingle and spend a lot of money for 'whole foods' like food/wine.
Really enjoyed myself here. Order a few flights of Italian and Spanish reds- all very good. The bartender was very helpful in choosing a cheese plate to complement the flight each of us had as well. There is a also a little shop where you can by some wine and other accents to enjoy at home.
I went to Bin36 for a V-day party and ended up having a great time. All of the staff, from the hostesses to the wine bar servers, were very friendly and knowledgeable. The buffet they set up for us was a little limited on selections, but the cheese servings were awesome!
I liked the atmosphere and would definitely go back.
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Maybe I'm the only person who hasn't had a good experience here? I went on Thanksgiving with my family and was truly disappointed, not by the food, but by the service. Our table was virtually ignored the entire time and our wine was never served with our meals. Isn't that supposed to be the whole shtick? To boot, they weren't very accommodating to the fact that I'm vegetarian (make no mistake however, this would not warrant 1 star). We had to hunt someone down to ask for our check because our waitress seemingly disappeared. Overall I was unimpressed and felt like this experience was a waste of money, especially on a family holiday such as Thanksgiving. To make matters worse, I wrote a letter to the actual restaurant about my poor experience and it received absolutely no recognition ... Hence, my post here. I doubt I'll ever go back.
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I love this place. The sleek, modern decor always makes me calm after a long day at work.
I like to pretend I know a lot about wine but I am really a wine impostor. So the wine flights here make me feel like I am more knowledgeable than I really am. The sexy reds is my favorite. They also offer gift baskets of full bottles for many of the flights.
I am also a fan of the food. I have had several of the pizzas and the pepper crusted swordfish is to die for.
The desserts here are well worth saving room for. They had a goat cheese 'cheesecake' that made me want to lick the plate.
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I've been to Bin36 a bunch of times over the years. I hadn't been there in a looong time however, until recently. They've got a cheese bar now! Sweet.
The fromagarie thing is brilliant. A smaller bar on the other side of the dining room with a dude that helps you pick out cheeses (a cheese sommelier?) and wines to go with.
As for the rest of it, I will relay my satisfaction with past dining and drinking at Bin36....but, damn....this whole cheese bar has just bumped this place back to the front of my brain for sure.
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Bottom line. The shard of glass I almost swallowed in the bottom of my wine glass overshadowed any enjoyable experience I might have had at Bin 36. No apologies, no acknowledgment from the management. Really bad handling of the situation, abominable customer relations.
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If you were wondering (and c'mon,you were) about where a good place would be to get stuck during a snowstorm, look no further. It's Bin 36. Frankly, with the snow blowing sideways outside, I wouldn't have initially cared which bin they stuck me in, but a warm, flavorful and healthy lunch did more than save me from the elements outside. They warmed me up, transported me, and gave me cause to forget about the weather altogether.
I didn't try the soup, which in retrospect, seems to have been a mistake, as my dining companions each had a bowl, and each bowl looked fantastic (in turn they said it was). Instead I held out for pan-seared Atlantic salmon on a bed of carefully presented new potatoes, amidst a dill mustard sauce. The waitstaff was attentive but never hovered, they had ginger ale on tap (I almost high-fived one of them for that), and they made things, well, easy. I'd have to go back again to justify another star, but would definitely consider it. Besides, next time, I want my post-meal cookie. All the more to warm me against the approaching winter snow.
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Although there's a lot of tourists that come through here, it's not half bad. I've only sat at the bar and knocked back a few flights, but it was a lovely pre-dinner (elsewhere) experience. I especially liked that when you ordered a flight, you got a corresponding "map/coaster" that outlined what you were drinking. I always forget what wine was what when I order flights.
Whenever someone asks me to recommend a nice but affordable restaurant in River North, I always say Bin 36. I've been here quite a few times and I have yet to be disappointed.
The restaurant is divided into two sections- the "cellar" which offers a nice, white linen tablecloth, fancy shmancy dining experience, and the "tavern," which is more like upscale bar food. However, I do believe you can order off of the cellar menu in the tavern, so it's a good place to go if you have a bigger pocketbook than your companions (or vice versa). I've only dined in the cellar once when moms was footing the bill, so most of my experiences have been in the tavern. The food has been consistently good- salads, soups, pizzas. . . but man oh man, you have to try the burger.
I recently lunched at Bin 36 with my business partners as our makeshift 'holiday' celebration. I had the burger for the first time, and I was very, very pleased. Cooked perfectly, with hints of a smokey bacon-y flavor throughout (not sure if there's actually bacon in the meat, but it was goooood). The brioche bun was perfect- not the least bit dry. Add some shoestring fries, and this girl is in heaven. Another meal to make me glad to be back on Team Meat.
The wine flights are a nice touch and so hard to pass up. Four tasting portions of wine (basically 2 glasses) each with a clever description. This past time I went for the 'left coast reds,' which was lovely except for the Cab, but then again I don't really like Cabs to begin with. So, my fault.
They do offer a "36 minute lunch" for you workin' stiffs, and every luncher gets to grab a cookie and a bottle of water (or coffee) on the way out. How can you not love that?
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negative zero stars.
abosolutely horrendous!
