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Category: American (New)
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River NorthChicago (Purple Express, Brown)
Tue-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"No hate for Elate...none at all. An indie restaurant inside the newly sprung Hotel Felix (River North), Elate is a diamond in the rough…" read more »
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I finally tried the lobster pizza - very good, but after all the laudatory reviews, I expected magnificent. It wasn't magnificent. The mac&cheese was disappointing this time - someone went wild with the bottle of truffle oil. Whew - lighten up, please. All else was fine.
I still love the atmosphere at Blue 13. And the menu. And the wine choices. And the outstanding, welcoming service. Really great service. I continue to recommend Blue 13 and take out-of-town visitors. I think Blue 13 is very representative of today's chef-oriented Chicago fine dining, more so than a traditional steak house.
Blue 13 scored again - excellent décor, excellent and friendly service, and terrific food. We… Read more »
Let me introduce you to How To Get Laid 101.
Take your date to Blue 13.
It's a sure fire, hands down, way to ensure some nookie. The decor is pure sex, the staff is pure sex, and the food, you guessed it, is pure uninhibited sex.
Okay, now let's take this down a notch because I'm totally going to regret writing this next month when I want to take my Dad here for his b-day.
Blue 13 is my absolute, hands down, favorite restaurant. You know how sometimes people make a list of the celebs they'd go gay for? Well, Blue 13 is a restaurant I would totally go carnivore for... just kidding, Peta, but it's close. Their steak and egg on acid is possibly the most genius plate of food ever created. Steak, on peirogis, on wasabi, topped with an oozing quail egg... my boyfriend MUST order this so I can watch him eat it and live through him while I enjoy my poached pear salad and cheat on being a vegetarian with the scallops appetizer and the lobster pizza.
Now, the food will defo fill you up so you have to choose and eat wisely because you're going to want to dessert... and you'll need it to make sure you seal the deal. Basically, don't blow your wad before you get to the finale. The apple tartain is great and the chocolate cake is oh so yum, but I have to give the prize to their "coffee and doughnuts". I don't want to spoil the surprise, just know that your stomach will thank you.
Blue 13 is one of the best new restaurants in Chicago. I lived in Chicago for a bit and frequented Blue 13 whenever I could. Dan and Chris are absolutely amazing. Dan is ridiculously hospitable and makes you feel like you are having dinner at his home. Chris is super talented and everything is absolutely divine (I dream of the scallops, really I do).
The decor at the restaurant is rocker lounge meets chic style and everything there has a meaning to both of the owners. The music, as always is fantastic (Dan is meticulous about it).
The wait staff is friendly and explains everything on the menu to you.
Their family style dinners are fantastic and a great deal! I was in town this past April and made it a point to stop at Blue 13 on my visit.
I love Blue 13 so much that I made it a point to create a yelp account (although, I really thought I had one) so that I could write about what an awesome place it is.
I even blogged about my meal there on my last visit to Chicago: http://pamcakes.tumblr...
Seriously, go to Blue 13. You will not be disappointed.
Blue 13 has basically everything I look for in a restaurant. The beer selection was decent. The music was good. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. The waiters were patient and friendly. Most importantly, the food was some of the best I've ever had. And, for the quality and the quantity of it, the prices weren't all that bad. All in all, Blue 13 is a very accessible upscale restaurant with fancy-but-accessible food, and I would go back once a week if I could. But then it wouldn't be special--this time, it was definitely a birthday dinner to remember.
8:30 p.m. on a Thursday, it was packed. Our reservation got us a table right away, and we were welcomed and seated by the friendly Dan Marunowski, who co-owns the place. Double-Dead Guy to drink. Lobster Pizza and Truffled Mac & Cheese to start. Pan-Seared Scallops with Sweet Corn and Manchego Ravioli to continue. Carrot Cake to end. Everything was phenomenal--especially the scallops (they're giant) and the lobster pizza, of course. It all came out in perfect time. They didn't mind if we sat for awhile, sipping our beer and enjoying the atmosphere. We didn't mind either, because we were having a nice conversation and we were full. YUM.
I drank my Basil Hayden's waiting for my date to arrive and the staff was very welcoming on letting me sit at my table even without the full party, it was busy but not overly loud, a perfect ambiance to both hear the awesome music selection and my companion's speech. And a good music selection it was... they even played my Kansas City hometown heroes, the Get Up Kids who are coming to Chicago in a few weeks. I asked the waiter about this and he said they're pretty popular. As much as I'd like to believe so, they won't be playing them at Cheesecake Factory anytime soon.
This was my birthday so in addition to bourbon, I'm only after one thing really... and that's a medium rare hanger steak. It was great, of course! Prior to that I had warmed up with some pork belly. Deliciously fatty with a sort of juicy Korean kimchi underneath. The date had the deconstructed caprese salad but wasn't quite sure what to make of the tomato water shot. I partook instead and found it perfectly seasoned. Desert was flourless but certainly not tasteless. The tattoo rock attitude touted by the website and reviews seem a bit less in person, a few pictures of tattoos but otherwise not as edgy as expected other than the high caliber playlists. I shall return.
I tried Blue 13 for the first time last weekend on a double date. Like it's website, I was struck with a rock and roll meets new american feel here. I think the rock and roll was mostly in the style/attitude of the staff and the music which was great.
We started with the lobster pizza. It was good but was really carried by it's famous ingredient and otherwise not too memorable. My main course was the herb-stuff trout which I really enjoyed. It came out as a whole fish and was very flaky and juicy. The sides included were horseradish tater tots (tasty) and onion rings (boring - would have loved to see some vegetables but shame on me for not asking for a substitution). My dinner-mates had the pork chop (HUGE), scallops (looked and I heard tasted wonderful), and walleye (good but a little too much grease from the bacon).
We finished with the "Coffee and Donuts", gelato, and Blueberry cake. They were all pretty creative but average taste. I think prices are reasonable. The tab pre-grat was about $230 total including drinks.
I appreciated that the staff didn't make us feel uncomfortable after we paid the bill. We stayed for almost an hour just talking, and they kept coming over to fill our water glasses. They also thanked us as we walked out.
I enjoyed my experience and would come back. But there are just so many other good restaurants out and new ones I want to try so it won't be any time soon.
Ok, my wife and I went to this place b/c we saw other good reviews on Yelp. In short, I hated this place so much that I decided that even if the manager offered us vouchers after we told him of our experience, I would still not go back after spending $130 tonight. This place sucks...so many other good places in this city...please don't waste your time.
Here's what we had:
Starting with the lobster pizza; the first bite was a mouth full of salt. Not kidding, chunks of salt on bread. I'm from Maine and Maine lobster doesn't taste like a salt lick. I should have spit it out but politely ate an entire piece. This ruined my meal. (I'll get back to this). Then I ordered the signature Steak and Eggs on Acid...it looked good online and I saw a few tables order it. Mine sucked. Tiny strips of leftover looking steak. The two sauces were just not good. So frickin disappointing. How hard is it to make a good sauce. Ok, the wasabi sauce was sandy/grainy and basically dried up on the plate...looked like smeared wasabi, not a sauce. The other dark steak sauce was a reduction and just ok, nothing speacial. The potato dumpling underneath was hard as a rock, and the middle didn't even taste good. They looked like they came out of a freezer bag from Jewel. If you can picture this I basically had 8 or 9 small bites of steak with nothing else to eat on the plate. Not forgetting the egg, it was the size of a silver dollar and it went with one of the steak bites, whoopie...
At this point I'm so pissed about the pound of salt in my stomach and the potato tasting so bad I try my wifes short rib. This was essentially stew meat over egg noodles. Fine but the same as any hospital or school cafeteria. Same flavor as a pot roast in a crock pot with Campbell's mushroom soup. Not a $26 plate. This is not fine dining. Fuck this place. Save your money. I'm so disappointed that I'm tempted to leave my number to talk people out of going here.
Service was good, can't fault the waiter.
Oh, no parking either so valet or get a ticket b/c it's all permit parking.
Blue 13, you naughty little monkey...
From the moment you tempted me with your lobster pizza at the yelp "American Male" event, i knew, I must get more personal with you. Ya know, more intimate, more "I'm gonna spend some money at your restaurant"-style.
And tonight I had that opportunity. I lured my lovely gal pals in on the premise of half price wine, but you sneaky monkey, that means we bought two bottles. Oh, and you don't say, you have a new summer menu? Well, that means we MUST try some of your new stuff.
One lobster 'za, some waygu sliders, one pork chop, some fabulous scallops and a steak and eggs on acid (hello, my sexy little quail egg)...and yes, the aforementioned TWO bottles of pinot noir, we are regaling in tales of courtroom drama and happily deciding on the warm chocolate cake.
Yes, Blue 13, you are a sexy, sneaky bastard that makes me want to stalk out sexy tattooed chef men, groupie-style. Just don't tell my boyfriend.
Food is fabulous, service is solid, and if my declaration that I want to bed a sexy chef means anything, you know...go here. Eat lobster pizza and scallops. Drink wine. Be very merry. And feel like the naughty little monkey that is Blue 13 got under your skin.
(DISCLAIMER: I wrote this review AFTER aforementioned two delightful bottles of pinot noir. I love my boyfriend very much, he is the only one I will pine after. I promise. Wink.)
I returned to Blue 13 last night for the first time since Yelp Eats. I have a friend visiting from New York, and he asked me to take him to a couple of my favorite restaurants. We were not disappointed.
We started with the lobster pizza (officially, "3 Birds") and the deconstructed caprese. The caprese scared me a little, because the last thing that needs to be deconstructed is a caprese salad. Well, Blue 13 convinced me. The tomato tomato tartare was intense in flavor, aided by a spritz of the tomato water (as suggested by the server). The tomato water itself was strange, but refreshing. I won't rehash the lobster pizza except to say that it works. You would think the garlic and cheese would overpower the lobster pizza, but they actually complement it. A great dish.
Our entrees were the Steak and Eggs on Acid (beef tenderloin with quail egg) and the Duroc pork chop. (Duroc is a breed of hog -- who knew?) Both dishes were excellent. The pork chop was huge -- thick and meaty and perfectly cooked. They suggest medium, which still leaves the chop pink in the middle, but don't be freaked out by that -- this is not your grandma's pork chop. One thing I love about this place is the sides they pair with the entrees. The chop came with a lemon caper aioli, which was a great accompaniment to the meat, and fantastic okra pickles. The beef is served with a couple of potato and onion pierogis and a steak sauce made in-house. Lovely.
The only disappointment was dessert. They were both fine, but not up to the standard set by the appetizers and entrees. This is a case of restaurant's success working against it. This is the only reason Blue 13 gets four instead of five stars.
One more thing: Parking in the neighborhood is tough, and while a couple of restaurants offer valet parking, Blue 13 is not one of them. After a tour around the block, I stepped into the restaurant to ask if they had any suggestions. I was told that the loading zone outside was for them, and that we could park there. Score! This started our evening off on a really positive note.
I've been to Blue 13 on two occassions and called for a pick-up once. It wasn't consistent at all. In fact, it was VERY different.
First time was a Saturday night. It was VERY loud with a mix of sophisticated adults and 20somethings trying to look affluent and sophisticated but behaving like immature teenagers. Our waiter was professional, friendly, knowledgeable and the food was top notch. Flavors and technique were outstanding. Price point was a little higher than I expected for the menu.
The second time was a Tuesday night. We were the only table in the restaurant for about 2-3 hours. Again, service was great but the plates were smaller than I remembered. Food included a fun and upscale twist on old favorites.
The third time I called to pick up a piece of cake for my boyfriend's birthday. I was placed on hold for awhile and then told the kitchen was closing in 15 minutes. I offered to be there in 5 (I live one block away) and was told they could not accomodate my request. I was shocked. I would have expected better service. They couldn't cut a piece of cake in 15 minutes? Or box a piece after the kitchen "officially" closed? I called Reza's (next door) and they were happy to accomodate me.
I'm not sure how to rate the service, food, atmosphere. However, for the price point, I'm not willing to risk a forth try.
By definition, BLUE is the hue of that portion of the visible spectrum lying between green and indigo, its wavelengths varying approximately between 420 and 490 nanometers.
Meh. Not in my color book.
For me blue is happiness.
The essence of summer skies, tropical waters, beloved eyes, Curacao cocktails and long summer dresses.
Azure, Baby, Cerulean, Cobalt, Cyan, Denim, Electric, Indigo, Midnight, Navy, Royal, Sapphire, Steel.
13 shades of it.
Then you have it.
Blue 13.
My new favorite place to eat in Chicago.
The ultimate hue in my album.
Very often you cannot explain why you fall in love. It just happens and you just stand back and enjoy. No need to analyze, wonder, ponder.
Seize the love. Carpe amoris.
Like the perfect suitor Blue 13 comes with the whole package: (convenient) location, (cozy) atmosphere, (whimsical) decor, (modern rock) music, (passionate, dedicated, attentive) people, (flavorful, inventive, perfectly executed) food....even a lovely chandelier in the ladies room. I spent a wonderful two hours in its arms, and am more than ready for a second date.
One I promise to write lengthy about.
Let me first savor this one. And dream of creamy pasta, fava beans and raspberry/white pepper coulis....
Second visit on Nov. 6. First visit a couple of weeks ago was great. Pork belly with kimchi and cheese plate were the best. But, short ribs in appetizer and main were a OK on the second visit, and felt no need to try it here again. Unfortunately, we had a waiter who was too touchy that was excessive and annoying. It was bad enough I didn't enjoy the meal so much and I'm not sure if want to go back to this restaurant again.
My GF & I returned after a disappointing meal over a year ago. This time, we were PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.
+ Wagu Beef Sliders -- excellent, meaty goodness on awesome buns.
+ Stuffed Trout -- WOW! moist, well-seasoned, not at all fishy...and great tater tots
+ Scallops w/ manchego/corn ravioli -- VERY GOOD. A little too rich, but very tasty.
Attentive/friendly service. Looks like they worked out the kinks.
Found: New Favorite Chicago Restaurant!
Yes, sir! That is correct. I finally made it to this well recommended establishment and it truly exceeded my expectations!
Their concept of "American Food with a Twist" is so perfectly executed here! I am not sure the exact difference, but this place really brings a whole new spin on the "contemporary American cuisine" that I have been enjoying, but slowing getting sick of over the past 5 years or so (really people I'm sick of tuna tartar and truffle frites). Food and drinks were amazing. And the entire staff was unbelievable!
Fun Stuff:
-They have just started serving brunch!
-They have $20 family style meals on Sunday nights!
-Starting this summer they will a $50 for 5 courses inspired by the music of an album- how cool is that? I want an Abby Road meal personally!
My experience here was the first time I have been truly satisfied after a meal in a few months. I cannot wait to return!
**PS: Any place that plays Lucero as background music quickly jumps to top of my "favorites" list!**
Wow...
Blue 13 you really impressed me last week!
I opted to order off your regular menu even though my group chose to order from the Yelp Eats menu. (I like to be that black sheep in the group every now and then). But you didn't skip a beat, and not only was I ecstatic with my order, but the rest of the group seemed to be also.
Extremely attentive service? Check.
Fun atmosphere? Check.
Quality champagne? Check.
Divine food? Check plus!
I started with the Grilled Caesar Salad and it did not disappoint. Those "camel eye" croutons are fabulous! And for my entree, I had the Walleye. It was prepared perfectly and served with dilled cavatelli, Brussel sprouts, Applewood smoked bacon, brown butter sauce. I had mine without bacon but I cleaned my plate! Mmmmm - what an excellent dining experience.
Thanks again, Blue 13!
In a word: Reinvention. And in a couple more words: And Delicious. The presentation of the food here was surprising.
To begin: my pear and blue cheese salad, which is pretty standard fare. There was a bit of some lettuce slaw in a little shell, with a half of a pear beside it, and a tiny scoop of blue cheese "mousse" atop the pear.
Then: my butternut squash pasta in a sage cream sauce. One long ribbon of pasta, with mushroom, perfect squash and onion. I've never had a pasta that looked like this. Bowls be gone!
Also: the style of both the staff, as well as the other diners. There were many a tattoo here, but this is also a totally bring-your-grandma-appropriate place, too. I saw both on the Saturday night I was there. Our server was also extremely attentive, without being over the top about it.
Really great food priced reasonably. The steak was amazing, and the wine was 2 for 1, so I had a great meai with friends at half the price I would have paid in chicago.
We went there on a Friday night and got in with no reservations (probably because everyone was at The Taste or watching fireworks). The place is rather small, but had a very comfortable and inviting atmosphere.
The menu was small, but had a nice selection of choices from fish to chicken to their famous steak and eggs on "acid." The waiter suggested that we try their Truffle Mac and Cheese for appetizer. All I can say is, "WOW!" It was delicious. Let me just say that if I think my companion could like the bowl, he would! For dinner I got their pan seared Walleye with cavatelli sauteed with pancetta and brussel sprouts - seriously, can you really go wrong with a form of bacon??? My date got their steak and eggs on acid. I tried a bite and it was tasty.
They also had very reasonable wine prices with a decent selection of wine. The waiter was also good in suggesting what went well with the meal.
This is one place that I wouldn't mind going to over and over again. They also had 1/2 price wines on Tuesday - just another excuse to ahve the truffled mac and cheese again!! :)
Twas a perfectly gorgeous early-summer Friday night. We were a few minutes late for our 7pm reservation, but the host was ever so delightful and seated us at the only remaining outdoor dining table right away. In the following ~2.5 hours, my friend and I indulged in scrumptious food (the truffle oil mac and cheese and the seared scallops were absolutely divine) and light banters at our own leisurely pace. It seemed to be a moderately busy night, yet there was not even a hint of feeling rushed by the staff, which definitely earned them the extra half-star.
I certainly hope to return soon enough. Must start with the cocktails next time...
Food was good, overall experience was awful. 1. It's very hard to park and no valet. 2. We arrived on-time, but the host with the lip ring was completely indifferent when telling us our table wasn't available and the bar was full. We thought about leaving then and should have. 3. When we finally got seated, the waiter told us to hurry up and order b/c the kitchen was slammed. 4. The food was good going down, but my wife and I woke up at 3am dying for water and with swollen hands and feet bc the food was so salty. 5. The decor was average to cheesy, am surprised more people don't spot this. 6. The crowd, for the most part, was anything but hip. Felt like we were in Schaumberg at a new House of Blues. 7. You can get food just as good at places like Hub 51. This place is nothing special at all, but has awful service.
Went last night. It was freakily quiet -- a family spread across two tables, a young couple, and two elderly couples. Very enjoyable.
We started with the truffled mac 'n cheese. Great flavor, rich, with small pieces of tomato really livening up and providing pops of non-creaminess. The pasta base was orecchiette, which was a little odd -- perhaps a touch on the thick/al dente side. Truffle flavor was well balanced with the cream. Relatively large portions - we got through about half.
I had the seared walleye, and Mrs. B had the skate wing. Both were astonishingly good, especially at the price. The outside was rich, crispy, and well-seasoned; the flesh on both literally melted in the mouth. The skate wing had a really fun cauliflower puree, which reminded me a little of Alinea's style.
Finally we finished with the "signature" Donuts and Coffee -- definitely NOT to be missed. Freshly fried with the perfect mix of cinnamon and sugar. And of course, some pretty amazing gelatinized coffee dots.
Definitely going back, although I'm afraid it'll be swamped the next time.
Verdict: I'd pay about 1/2 again as much.
We went to Blue 13 last night and were pretty pleased. We had 9:00 reservations and they didn't have a table for us until 9:30. Fortunately the bar there is very nice and they have some cool, unique drinks. My girlfriend had a raspberry mojito (that was highly touted) and I had a "filthy martini". The raspberry mojito was tasty but not what you expect out of a $9 alcoholic beverage after a 50 hour work week. Needs more rum! The filthy martini was great- I'm a big dirty martini drinker, and the potato vodka, tobasco sauce, and blue cheese olives add a nice touch! I don't know that I would have ordered it if I had known it was $14 though!
We started with the truffle mac n cheese that was good, but a little too saucy. Flavors were good, cheese was of nice flavor, just a little overpowering. I had a baked caesar salad. It was very unique and tasty- i it wasn't hot but the lettuce was grilled- delicious pieces of fresh parm coated the whole thing. I will say I needed 2 orders to suffice my salad needs.
We both got the Pan Seared Scallops- they were delicious. Well cooked, and accompanied with fava beans and mushrooms. I'd highly recommend this dish. The waiter said it was his favorite entree on the menu.
We finished the meal with the warm chocolate cake. It was good not great.
Overall a good experience- we had 2 drinks each, 2 apps, 2 entrees, and dessert and was only $130 with tip. Not bad for this quality experience. I would recommend Blue 13.
I woke up from my nap around 10pm just to make it in time for dinner before closing!
It's been a while since I've had such a pleasurable dining experience in every possible aspect.
- Ambiance - small intimate setting with throw pillows in the booths. Genius! Awesome music to boot.
- Service - Commendable. Dann (our host/server) was helpful, informative, friendly, engaging and provided excellent service. AND he hooked me up with extra blue cheese stuffed olives for my martini!
- Food - So the Pork Belly Kimchi is all fat. That works for me without any complaints! Duck Confit Pizza, perfection.
I would come here all the time if I lived in Chicago. Thanks again for the wonderful recommendation of Colleen C.!
Great service, great environment, great food. Everyone is right, though, lobster pizza is meh.
Chris and Dan are doing an amzing job. Innovative space, Innovative chow. Great place to impress on a medium budget.
I am officially enamored with this restaurant. This place was amazing, from the the attentive yet chill service, to the consistently flavorful and creative food. There should be a line outside the door for this combination, but surprisingly it was easy to get a reservation on a Friday night.
The bartender was able to make a custom vodka cocktail for my boyfriend--it was like reading his mind! He even got a free one from our fantastic waiter in time for our entrees... I highly recommend the salmon tartine (I was worried about the cream cheese, but really delicately done), any salad (seriously creative), and the coffee and doughnut dessert (can I have some more?). The wine list is somewhat small, but thoughtful and hand-picked by the owner. My goal is to bring as many as my friends here as possible, which will allow me to come back multiple times! I hope this place is around for a very long time.....
I feel conflicted about Blue 13. My friend Tom took me here for my birthday. We ordered a lobster pizza to start. Unimpressive. Not that it didn't taste good, but it wasn't at all subtle. The taste of fontina cheese and garlic is pretty overpowering.
For our entrees, I ordered the pork chop with blue cheese grits & an apple, onion & cranberry ragout. I didn't really like it. The ragout was good on the pork chop, but otherwise the meat needed seasoning. Luckily, Tom actually preferred the pork chop to the short rib he ordered, so we traded. I really enjoyed the short rib - tender, with sweet potato gnocchi and mushrooms. Weirdly, the short rib bone was served on the plate. It was clearly not meant to be eaten, so I asked the server why it was on the plate and his explanation was that it added flavor during cooking. Yeah, I've cooked before so I know that, but I still don't understand why an ugly bone was plopped on the plate with the short rib.
The dessert was really amazing - an apple cake with some icecream and a warm brandy / cider drink. Really really good.
In sum, I think the entrees were a bit expensive. It was a good meal, really, but it wasn't a great meal.
The food matches the atmosphere, and the atmosphere is exactly what I would hope to have if I owned a restaurant. The music was top-notch, the service was perfect, the staff could not have been friendlier ... oh, and the food was fan-tastic.
The crispy pork belly was outstanding, and the poached pear salad had far more flavor than I thought it would. Both were winners.
The scallops were perfectly cooked, and the sweet corn and manchego ravioli was a revelation - who needs meat in a ravioli, I say! :)
The steak and eggs on acid ... the steak was beautiful and the sauce and wasabi were great. To be honest, the pierogi was a bit doughy and dry - the only critique I would have of the whole night.
The raspberry mojito was excellent.
Chicago gastropubs have emerged so quickly they're becoming a dime a dozen, so décor, ambience and play on conventional dishes are their calling cards, their unique signatures.
blue13 definitely has its idiosyncrasies that make it more than your usual restaurant in the River North warehouse district. The loft space is utilized and designed well, and the music is great - as I was eating, I heard the opening to Brand New - Quiet Things that No One Knows, and I started giggling because I love the song, but it's so emo-rock. I love that blue13 lauds itself as an upscale rock 'n roll restaurant.
Our appetizer was duck breast cooked medium with an apple gelée underneath, and a radish salad atop with a brandy sauce on the side. With a hint of cilantro leaf, this was the greatest flavor combination I've had in a while: sweet, savory, and clean.
Braised Short Rib in Guinness? Alinea did this dish last winter, but not with mushrooms and sweet potato gnocchi. Gnocchi roasted to the point of toasted crunchiness was an ambitious endeavor I actually enjoyed. Even though the rib itself wasn't great - I'd never had meat that was tender and slightly dry simultaneously - the dish was cohesive and delicious anyways.
The chef decided to try out a new dessert for the week: a deconstructed play on pumpkin cheesecake with the filling atop a layer of génoise (French sponge cake). And graham cracker crumbles and dollop of creme fraiche on the side. They asked for feedback, which I'll repeat here: the génoise was a little extraneous and the dish would be perfect with more filling and crumbles. Hope they take it to heart, it's a wonderful rendition of the classic fall dessert.
Their bar is decent - an overly strong 7&7 was quickly rectified, a "filthy" martini (dirty martini + tabasco) was another fun & successful play on a classic, and their prosecco isn't too sweet or too dry.
So what makes blue13 so unique is that at every single part of our meal, I'd be mildly critical of their description of a component, thinking their execution of the meal didn't fit the conventional description, and then I'd try it and be pleasantly surprised. They take risks that work, which definitely means I'll be in again.
Went during Yelp restaurant week.
Best truffle mac n cheese! 4 stars purely for this dish which is not on the menu now.
Deconstructed tomato something or other... good.
Scallops... good.
Pumpkin pasta... needs more sea salt grains.
Desserts... eh.
Staff... very friendly and professional.
Tuesday nights... half off wine bottles... great!
In my haze...I recall:
Garlicky lobster pizza
Truffle Mac 'n Cheese
Pyramid Apricot Beer
Cute Boys
Fancy Fish 'n Chips
And falling in love with Blue 13.
Go in there. You'll see what I mean.
I can't say anything bad about this River North restaurant. From beginning to end - Great, Better, Best!!!! Grilled salad??!!! YES!!! They do grilled salad like nobodies business. I had the scallops and Tom had the bass and BOTH were outstanding. So unassuming yet not to be missed for locals and visitors alike!
The staff was phenomenal. The food was just as good. Go there. You will understand. Seasonal fare, chef is exquisite. When such a great place is right in your backyard, you come home happy and fulfilled in so many ways. Love love love this River North locale.
Don't miss it!
Thank You Blue 13!!!!
http://twopeopleeating...
Let's talk about trial by fire here, shall we??
As if it's not already a difficult enough task catering a packed American Male event chock full of discriminating yelpers seamlessly, try having 30 or so said yelpers descend on your restaurant en masse post-event for cocktails and dinner.
You mean weren't expecting a tremendous party busting through your doors reeling on cakeballs and Veev? Could've fooled me. The transition was flawless! Tables were being pushed together, stemware was clinking left and right and before you knew it we were all sat wedding style along the banquette wall amid the stylish Blue 13 digs. You've never seen a head table like this before... trust me!
The service from the staff was incredible (especially from Dan the Man!!!) and from what I could tell, perfect. No hiccups, screw ups or extra long waits from the back of the house regardless of our party size - I'd host a soiree here ANYTIME!!
The Blue food is fabulous... if you can't tell already, don't miss the Lobster Pizza, you hear? With manchego cheese, lots 'o lobstah, caramelized chipolini onions and roasted garlic puree it is an appetizer orgasm neatly set atop chewy dough. Cheers to convenient packaging! Our cheese and salami plate was also fantastic finger-lickin' good snackin'... piled super high with 3 selections of cheese, 3 meats and 2 olive selections, I could dine with this alone. Oh, and their signature filthy martini, natch. The shared truffled mac 'n cheese was tasty goodness, although I was caught a bit off guard by Blue's addition of red bell pepper (not mentioned on the menu) - I picked around it - but would opt to leave it out next time, it's an odd thing to combo with my sweet, sweet lover, white truffle.
I know everyone else loved the food as the moaning and oohing was prevalent... nothing topped the excitement over Nikki's fish and chips though. The most unique take I've seen on this dish, yet! Not for the faint of fish, made tartar style with a wasabi foam, this is another Blue 13 crowning glory, second only after that damn delicious Lobster Pizza.
My wee tiny star retraction is for the lack of crowd on a Thursday night in typically bumping River North - I know our group remedied that quickly but there was a serious lack of action there if you subtracted our motley crew. I know Blue 13 is a new kid on the block, but let's not see this shining star piddle out... go get some of that zzah for yourself and see what the blue buzz is about.
I had the most romantic and delicious NYE meal ever here. The pre-fixed menu brought you through a progression from the sea to the farm to the grasslands, and rounded out with a tart chocolately happy ending. With each movement from water to land, red and white wines echoed the unique flavors in the meal. Wines ranged from sweet to rich to smoky.
We were enticed by the pre-fixed menu paired with wines for a reasonable $100 a person that came in our Yelp Holiday party gift bag. I figured it was a great excuse to visit Blue 13 again for a proper, romantic meal. Oh boy was it ever!!!
Our first course was a jumbo scallop topped with a pickled cauliflower, a caper relish, and surrounded by a white bean and bacon ragout. It was paired with a delicious, sweet, slightly dry white wine. Each bite was thrilling. The scallop was artfully prepared and paired with the capers and the delicate white bean bacon ragout. I knew I was in for a wonderful treat with that first bite.
The second course progressed with a pan seared duck breast, asian pear salad, and brandy vinaigrette. It was paired with a red wine that brought out the subtleties of the duck while brightening the pear salad. Each piece of medium duck breast was melty delicious. As my fiance said, the fat was also delicious. The Asian pear salad complemented the duck well. The duck's richness played off well with the light and crunchy pear and apple salad.
After experiencing our first two courses of seafood and poultry, the third course brought us to the grasslands with a drunken sparerib topped with a stout and veal reduction served with sweet potato gnocchi. This course took meat and potatoes to a new level. The tender sparerib was topped with the rich and dark stout sauce. The spare rib was amazing, flavorful, and so incredibly good. The sweet potato gnocchi was light and crunchy. The red wine paired with the course possessed a smoky flavor. This is my kind of meat and potatoes!
The final course finished with a sweet and chocolately finish. The chocolate covered raspberry cheesecake had a chocolate graham cracker crust and was topped with a chocolate ganache. The cheesecake was light, airy, and a little tart. It was paired with a Merlot wine which made the cheesecake more brilliant.
By the end of the meal, I was happily full and satiated for a night socializing and toasting to the new year. I enjoyed the nice buzz of four glasses of wine as well. Our service was excellent and friendly as I remembered it. My NYE meal at Blue 13 was romantic, delicious, and all around spectacular.
I've met my match. It's name is "3 Birds" Lobster Pizza. Like Angie M., I had never heard of Blue 13… Read more »
I bet they didn't see us coming...an army of lit, Veeved-out Yelpers; half of them impeccably groomed and glowing! Blue 13 accommodated us perfectly as we descended upon them without a warning after the American Male event; which they also contributed appetizers to.
Sharing is always fun, and we got to sample many offerings. The Lobster Pizza was outstanding! The truffle macaroni and cheese, rich creamy goodness. Our sausage and cheese plate, although I had to be coached on the kinds of cheeses, was excellent. Nikki C. boldly ordered the Fish and Chips, which is actually a bold statement by Blue 13. It's not the Fish and Chips this Milwaukee boy is used to getting on Fridays during Lent; this was tuna tartar with wasabi sea foam on homemade fried chips. In the finite words of wisdom of Joey Lawrence: Woah!
They carried an interesting selection of beers and our service was top notch, especially for a large vociferous group such as ours. The prices seemed to scare a few away, but if you're on a tight budget these days, sharing one or two items won't break the bank!
I too joined a large group of Yelpers after the American Male Event and had a really great experience. Since I knew I was splitting early, our server Lamar was totally cool about getting our check seperated (just because three of us were on a hit and run) and busting out a bottle of Marlbourough Sauvingnon Blanc on the fly.
We ordered the Meat & Cheese Platter and a Lobster Pizza and the food was divine! I cannot say enough about the knowledgeable and friendly service we received from Lamar. He knew the nuances of the cheese and the smoking processes of the meats, something very few servers bother to learn unless the are truly passionate about what they are doing.
I really liked the warmth of the decor and the fact that they accommodated our unruly group with a smile when they were probably more along the lines of wrapping things up for the night. The tattoo flash art installation really piqued my interest as I've done similar shows in my day!
I am in the neighborhood often and will definitely make an effort to go back. And definitely request Lamar!
Like quite a few others, I came here in a bit of a Veev induced haze thanks to the Yelp American Male event across the street.
I do remember that the lobster pizza is addictive, I could eat a vat of the mac & cheese, Pyramid Apricot Ale is delicious and the service was awesome.
This review is based on my NYE experience. We decided to go to Blue 13 for NYE after sampling their holiday drink and meeting the manager at Yelp's 2008 holiday party. Their deal was simply too hard to pass up after comparing it to what other restaurants were offering. $100 for a four course meal (the menu looked fab) INCLUDING wine pairings with each course for the early seating. The late seating was $30 for heavy apps and a cash bar with complimentary champagne at midnight.
When I called them to make a reservation for 4 people for the early seating (8:30), I asked if we could stay for the late seating (10:00) without having to pay the extra $30. Paul said, "No problem" which was great.
The place was medium sized (not too big) and upscale but not so much so that it was stuffy. There was a good mix of people. We felt very comfortable there... some of us wore jeans and others dresses.
The wine pairings were perfect every time. First course was scallops, 2nd was duck, 3rd was braised short rib, and dessert was cheesecake covered with a brioche. The meal was fantastic. Everything was prepared to perfection and the waiter was extremely knowledgeable and attentive. They passed out party hats with the champagne at midnight and we all watched the TV to do the countdown.
All the staff there was extremely nice and made us feel very welcome. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for a special, intimate night out with great food and a knowledgeable staff that knows how to treat their customers.
Yes, the lobster pizza is as luxurious as ever. Pair it with an extra dirty martini and bleu cheese stuffed olives and you have an absolutely perfect meal.
Two words: Lobster Pizza.
Hands down, the most delicious, crazy, out of this world pizza I've ever…
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The lobster pizza was amazing!! The meats and cheeses plate was great too.
Did not have enough to really rate this place accurately, but another Yelper had the "steak & eggs on acid" which looked great and he said was delicious.
It loses one star for the man couple making out at the bar. I am not offended by two dudes or girls or breeders making out, but not in the same room as my $40 bottle of wine.
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