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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Noble SquareJoin us Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays for half…
Chicago (Blue)
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sat. 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Meh.
I wish I could give 3/12 stars... I do want to revisit on a busier night to get a better sense of the vibe (I have a hard time stomaching a $24 entree in an almost empty, however large, restaurant.)
I'm speaking of the famous scallops and pumpkin ravioli! I thought for the thougth put into the dish, and the price, it could have been plated better - I took a look at it and really wanted to be taken away, and wasn't... However the ravioli were delish and I pray one day to see them as a starter.
PLEASE order the carrott ginger soup if it is offered, as it is possibly the best soup I've had. I do wish I could have enjoyed it in peace, as the server/busser wanted to take it from me alsmost as fast as they delivered it. Not kidding. I was asked 3 times if they could take it, and they couldn't wait to take my bread away while I was still enjoying my soup - bizarro. We thought maybe because the entrees were ready, but they weren't.
Everyone was please with the food (mac and cheese was a hit), brussel sprouts with bacon blew my mind away, the chicken sandwich with brie was loved, and the burgers...
Both burgers (med well and well) were terribly undercooked. The well was still VERY pink, which ticked me off seeing as though they could have kept the fire under it a bit more while I finished my soup.
Like I said, I'll be back (I must know what a $10 grilled cheese sandwich tastes like), and I hope the place impresses then.
People thought this was:
I had the skirt steak dish which was delicious. I also tired a bit of my girl friend's ravioli pumpkin with scallops which was excellent.
Desert here is to die for.......the chocolate brownie is AMAZING!!!!
True confession Yelpers... I went to Branch27 without reading any reviews beforehand. Don't worry, it's a rarity, and I felt nervous doing so.
However, I'm glad I did as I think I would have been put off by some of the low ratings & reviews.
I'm *seriously * excited about this place. It's located in a great area of River West - but it's slightly underserved for moderately priced good restaurants with a good bar. The decor is beautiful - the bar area is very spacious and has plenty of seating and booths. The main dining area is very chic... dark wood, low lighting, a lovely back space (also for private parties I learned) with skylights. And, dare I say, the crowd was uber attractive and interesting. I could've people watched here for days! My only negative about the ambiance is that is indeed on the louder side.
The menu offers of fish, meat, and vegetarian options. I went with the salmon special - it was prepared so well and had a very interesting mustard glaze with couscous side. My lovely roommate had the whitefish. Both were just amazing and the portions were perfect! We split the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Hello glutton, but so glad we did!
And, service was awesome too. Our waitress offered plenty of suggestions and was very personable. The owner, Carey, came over to make sure our meal was up to par as well. All in all, I loved my experience here. I could see this being a new go-to for casual drinks at the bar, a great date place, perfect girls night out dinner gathering or a new brunch spot. I will be back soon!
People thought this was:
Food was fine, however I will never return. Reason: the place has more young screaming children than Chuckie Cheese. The last time I was there, the hostess sat a couple with crying baby next to us, even though the restaurant was nearly empty. Over the next 20 minutes, five more couples with kids rolled in. When I mentioned the first crying baby to the owner he mumbled something about how they didn't know so many screaming kids would show up. He should though since it was the same Chuckie Cheese atmosphere the other times we were there!!!
People thought this was:
I went here with 3 of my girlfriends for dinner on a Friday night. I'd been wanting to try the place for a while, and I was very impressed. The space is really great, dark woods, brick walls, not too big, not too small, and the back room has a glass ceiling which was pretty cool.
The service was good all around. At times our waiter could have been a bit quicker, but being a busy Friday night, it can be forgiven. The food was amazing. Everything from the appetizers to the dessert was delicious. The portions are big and the prices were reasonable. I will definitely be going back!
Ate here yesterday with my mom. We both thought it was solid.
She got a cosmo that she said was mixed perfectly.
Appetizer - Tuna Tartar. Tuna w/ sweet corn, green onions, cilantro, and a avocado puree. Served with these crackers. This was definitely a satisfying appetizer.
Dinner- I had a rye crusted piece of salmon on a bed of cabbage and fingerling potatoes. Rye crust was a little thick and just ok. Fish was cooked perfectly and tasted great. My mom had the roasted chicken with mashed potatoes which was also good.
Our waiter was the man, cool dude. The place is really nice inside, good atmosphere. I'll be back.
I had a good time here. The atmosphere was fantastic! We got a table in the back with the glass ceiling. The decor of the entire place was very modern, dimly lit, classy and very spacious. Our waitress was quick and nice.
We ordered beet salad and mozzarella egg rolls to start off with. The mozzarella egg rolls were nothing special, just bigger versions of mozzarella sticks. The beet salad was a bit disappointing as well, just some salad and small cube cut beets. I ordered the branch burger which came with skinny fries. It was pretty good, had fried onions in the burger as well. Nothing extraordinary though and not worth the price. They had an extensive list of wines and some good beers as well.
I also had the fudge brownie sundae and it was extremely rich! If I wasn't so full from my main course, I would have eaten more of it!
This review really should be given 3.5 stars. The decor and atmosphere was amazing, but the food didn't really live up to the surroundings or price. It was expensive, which is fine if the food would have been delicious, but it wasn't.
People thought this was:
4 stars for brunch (still haven't gone back since the first time for dinner). Had reservations for 10:30am, we were the 3rd table there. Service was great, our server was attentive, but not overbearing. Water glasses stayed full.
Bloody Marys, bellinis, and mimosas were all $5 (despite the higher prices on the menu). Yay! Bloody Mary was really good. Just enough spice, and there was a ton of meat on the garnish. Mimosa was pretty good. Bellini was not very good though, like they used peach nectar instead of fresh peaches.
My friend and I both got the crab hash skillet which has dungeness crab meat, avocado, onions, corn, topped with 2 poached eggs and tabasco hollandaise sauce. Also comes with your choice of white or wheat toast, or an english muffin. This was pretty damn good. There's not a huge amount of crab, but it was a decent amount. A huge amount of avocado though, too much for my taste. Make sure after you cub into the egg yolks to stir everything together, because the corn and onions fell towards the bottom. Needed salt and pepper though, but after I seasoned it, I ate every last bite of the skillet.
Get here early so you can get a seat right by the windows. The place was not very full when we left at 11:30, maybe about 5 tables were filled. Too bad I moved from a block away to further north, otherwise I would be a regular here for brunch. Definitely give the crab hash a shot.
First, I made reservations a week in advance, they called me 4 days before to confirm the… Read more »
Your omelet of the day rocked that I had, cheese, bacon and tomatoes!!! MMM Service was great and so is the decor.
I had dinner at Branch 27 the other night and I got to say, well done B27. I had the braised pork special and it was really amazing! Large portion of meat and very very tasty dish. I dont write many reviews although i am an avid Yelp reader. I felt compelled to write a review after such a good meal! My overall experience was flawless! Thank you for such a great meal!
Had brunch here this weekend. It was very good. Had the chicken and brie sandwich with peach chutney.....loved it! Everyone loved their dishes. Had a couple drinks and chilled out on a lazy Saturday....again great neighborhood spot!
We stumbled in here on a random Wednesday night. Saddled up to the bar just intending to have a… Read more »
This has sat in my "unfinished reviews" for quite some time...and I attribute my lack of attention to the fact that...I just don't have much to say. However, y'all know me...and if given enough time, I can certainly pour out my heart on even the most mundane of subjects...so here goes nothing.
The name: Why? I get the historical significance, but it is inherently flawed. First of all, we already have a restaurant in Chicago that does quite well with "27" in the name (Nacional27), and so this should've been avoided. Especially when the first part of the name-o-quation is "Branch." Branch is a boring kind of word. Yes, again I get the significance. But which would you remember: "Branch" or "Nacional?" I am betting on Nacional. However, the name is pretty indicative of the overall experience...a little bit, underwhelming, albeit it satisfactory.
Service: Fantastic. Not a complaint. Bar staff served drinks swiftly, we were seated when asked to be in the section requested (go Adam!) and dinner service was neither rushed, nor too slow. Very well!
Food: 3-stars. The mussels and fries with aioli were quite good, and my Cobb salad was quite average, if not borderline "boring." No "oomph" that I seek in my salad adventures. The brownie sundae was adequate, and made in-house. All around, decent fare...but on this strip, they'll have to do a bit better to wow the West Town crowds. I think it can happen, I have faith.
Interior: Very clean, dark woods...but also lacks a certain character. It runs the risk of being forgotten in this developing 'hood, but with some finishing touches on the menu and ambience, I think they can knock it out of the park.
A decent spot to grab a cocktail, as well. The Bellini was refreshing and lovely...and of course the company was stellar!
People thought this was:
Brunch on a summer Sunday, the place was empty at 10:30 AM (filled up by the time we left). Food was OK, nothing special. I had the special (omnivore) omelette of the day, which had tasty canadian bacon, mozzarella, carmelized onions. The eggs were overdone. Side of hashbrowns was fine, standard English muffin.
My friends had the vegetarian omelette of the day, and both also had overdone eggs. No reason to come back here for brunch, but it's a pretty space.
This space has huge potential, but Branch 27 mucked it up. It's like the hot guy with the milk dud personality.
The menu, the bar portion, the gastro lounge part- nothing quite fits together and screams Generics-ville on a strip with character.
The staff checked on us 97 times throughout our meal. Had more freedom during my brief stint at Alcatraz. Nothing really won us over. The mussels were the best thing we had. The grilled octopus had more bread then tentacles. The flatbread was ok. If you're still compelled, try it for drinks and maybe a snack, but spare the full meal.
People thought this was:
I must admit that these reviews had me very wary of eating at Branch 27. There are quite a few fans, but more than a few "meh" type reviews and I wasn't sure what to expect. WOW, was I MORE than pleasantly surprised!
Let me first say that if you're hesitant like I was, GO! You will not be disappointed. I'm not sure if there were growing pains or what to elicit the mediocre reviews, but I (and my party) had a FABULOUS time.
Ok, everyone agrees that the decor and service is amazing - no question there, so I'll just say "ditto". Where the consensus is not so much a consensus is the food. Here's a rundown of what we had:
Started the night at the bar for a drink - we were waiting for a friend to join us for dinner. Glass of wine for me, glass of prosecco for my husband. Nice wine/beer list. Not too huge, but enough to have something for everyone.
Got seated at our table and started out with three appetizers: white anchovy salad, tuna tartar and mussels. All three were excellent. The anchovies were perfectly seasoned and the salad was fresh and lovely (but obviously you really need to like anchovies to order this dish). The tuna tartar came with this wonderful flatbread and a great avocado spread that, in my opinion, made the dish. The mussels were top quality and the frittes were crispy and perfect. If you don't like cream and garlic (heaven forbid) stay away from the mussels.
We then jumped into the entrees. Since we'd already had three apps, we decided to split two entrees amongst the three of us. We opted for the roasted chicken w/ mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts with bacon (not spa food!) and the grilled lamb loin w/ gremolatta, grilled asparagus and roasted potatoes. Across the board, these entrees were perfect. The meat was cooked to perfection...juicy and beautifully spiced. And the sides were just so well done.
Can I also just say how amazed I was at the variety in proteins? Lamb, duck, steak, scallops, two types of fish, chicken, pork...seriously, I'm not sure how they manage to offer so many options.
Ok, the price. Probably not as price-friendly as many would like, but IMHO, the quality of the ingredients was excellent, the portions were huge (boy did I enjoy my lunch today!) and the entire experience (the ambiance, the service, etc.) was totally spot on.
One word: GO!
First, I love, love, love the decor of this restaurant. Modern without being cold and unfeeling and comfortable, but minimalist at the same time. The atrium would be great for brunch and the open windows at the front are perfect for summer. The only drawback, LOUD. It can be very loud in there when it gets busy but it's still a great place.
Food-wise, I was happy with my experience. I had the mussels and frites with the mac and cheese side and I was happy. The mac and cheese likely needs to be renuked to really comment on the flavor but it was looking good and the mussels/frites were very very good. Tip, take the great bread from the table and dip it in the mussels' sauce. Amazing.
My friend had the pork chop, which needed to be cooked a little longer and the greens weren't fresh, but he said it was good overall.
We also had the baked goat cheese appetizer which was also good but the cheese wasn't great. I've had better at tapas restaurants. But the bread was very good for spreading.
Overall, I would definitely go back, but I won't be rushing back there.
I went back to Branch 27 tonight and I was impressed. The bar area where I waited for my friend was staffed by a friendly bartender who made a great drink and chatted with me while I waited.
We were seated in the main dining room by the open windows which was nice. The menu has changed a bit from my first visit- so gone is the tuna tartar as a starter. Instead we had the mussels in a white cream sauce (delicious!) served with pommes frites and the grilled octopus; only now they have removed the olives that I didn't like on my last visit and replaced them with peppers. Terrific.
Gone also is the salmon that I had on my last visit replaced with an excellent piece of halibut that was just perfectly prepared. And the mac and cheese as a side- lost it's "Velveeta" like cheese and came out more the way I would expect it.
Service was spot on (thanks Adam) and we had a chance to meet the owner Cary and his business partner who stopped by to say hi! Even the volume in this place seemed to be at a more reasonable level as we had no problem hearing each other as we caught up.
Definitely going to put this on my list of places to go to when in the neighborhood.
People thought this was:
After waiting for about a month for Branch 27 to finally open from their first projected opening… Read more »
Hi Branch 27,
Thank you for coming to the neighborhood. I'm a huge fan (as you likely know from my 10 or so visits the first few weeks you were open) and here's why:
1) Your drink list is perfectly balanced. Not too many options, not too few. (And, yes, there can be too many options.) But, what's most special is the impeccable service at the bar. Your bartenders are truly the friendliest around, making the experience even more enjoyable. One of them once made a special request margarita for me and it was amazing. WAAAAAY better than the one you've now got on your official cocktail list. It actually had legendary potential..the kind that would bring in customers who "must try the margarita." And, it wasn't as pricey as the menu option. Just sayin.
2) You've figured out the perfect ratio of bar to dining area. It's open yet cozy and incredibly inviting. The bar area is an ideal meeting spot for drinks on a Fri/Sat night and the dining section is just right for catching up with friends during the week. And those big windows that open to Chicago Ave are perfection.
3) Expansive, solid menu....even my picky eater cousin found a few new favorites. And, oh! The goat cheese appetizer...yum.
There are other great things but my advice to readers is to give it a try and see for yourself. Living around the corner, I'll surely be back and will be requesting that off-the-list margarita.
People thought this was:
I really just thought Branch 27 was okay and it's unfortunate because I was expecting so much more. I thought the space itself was beautiful and I got the opportunity to sit in the atrium room and I was impressed. My only issue was that it was so close to the kitchen that it continually smelled of fish and armpits. Yes, armpits. The staff was nice and accomodating, our waitress was a little quiet but she got the job done.
Now onto the food: My date and I ordered the calamari to start with and although the breading was good and not greasy there was just wasnt much flavor, particularly in the lemon aioli that came with it. My dated ordered the chicken sanwich and he enjoyed it. I ordered the tuna burger which I was looking so forward to after checking out the menu earlier in the day because I'm on this tuna sandwich/burger kick. Yeah, I was not super happy with it. It just didnt have any flavor, just like the calamari. I felt the relish that was on the burger was very overwhelming and that might be my fault. I'm not a huge ginger fan and the relish is pickled ginger cucumber.
I would definitely like to go here again to try some other items on the menu because like I mentioned before the restaurant/bar is really nice but it might be awhile.
People thought this was:
Good food, great service! We went there for the first time tonight and had a great experience. All of the food we had was very tasty. For appetizers, we chose the mussles and fries, and the octopus, which were both very good. I'm a huge fan of the mussles & garlic, white wine, but their version with a little cream was very tasty and the addition of fries is awesome. It is big enough to eat as a meal. For our entrees we tried the Hanger Steak and the Halibut, both were superb as well. They have creative side dishes that accompany their entrees.
I can't wait to go back and try their other appetizers and entrees. Things that stick out are the Mozzarella Egg Rolls, Calamari, Pork Belly, Scallops. I need to go there with a group of people so we can share plates. Portions here are rather generous for Modern (??) American food. We will definitely go back.
People thought this was:
Unimpressive.
The space itself is well-decorated and nicely laid out. Lots of granite, rich leather booths and a nice bar. I think a little too much attention was paid to the decor- and not enough to the food.
The menu is unexciting. The best thing I had here was the mussels, which were bathed in a delicious creamy, garlicky sauce. My date ordered the fettuccine, which seemed to be bland and lacking something. Good thing he added chicken to it, otherwise it would have been overbearingly bland. I ordered the flat iron steak, a decent idea, but drenched in too-salty gravy that took over the flavor of the meat. There wasn't much on the menu that seemed appetizing or interesting to me.
The service is excellent. Friendly servers and bartenders. Overall, Branch 27 is a beautiful restaurant and has tons of potential but needs a more exciting menu and more thought-out dishes.
0
8
Eh. That pretty much sums it up. I'm doing that back and forth thing w/ my hand; you know, kind of the international symbol for "so so."
We live across the street and had high expectations, truthfully. We wanted this place to be everything we ever wanted in a neighborhood bar. :) But the place is noisy -- really really noisy, like super bad acoustics. Isn't that something they can fix?? And the food was bland. The first time I was there we had the Mozzarella Egg rolls, and they were just SO bad. Tasted like unsalted bland cheese wrapped in bland bread. My hub had the sausage and peppers and I had the burger, and both were pretty good. Drinks = expensive. $10 for a small gin and tonic!? WTF.
Second time we went my hub had bland flatbread and I had a Greek salad that was pretty good, but it looks like they've since take it off the menu. :( Oh I did have the carrot soup and it was GOOD.
Third time, I took my mom and we both had burgers and they were EH. Not great at all, and my mom's looked like a blood bath even though she ordered it Medium. I don't recommend this place for people who can't hear all that well in the first place (i.e., mom). :) During this visit the waiter was a bit obnoxious and kept pushing for us to get dessert. Annoying.
I definitely wouldn't have gone back to this place if it wasn't two steps from my house. :)
People thought this was:
Great experience. We had a long table in the back under the glass top atrium, which I loved because the light was still streaming in during much of our early-ish dinner. Enjoyed my sea scallops with ravioli alongside my glass of "Alexander Valley Zin Temptation" (with a name like that, how could I not get it?), and the service was great - the food came out lickity split. I was originally worried about timing but that turned out not to be an issue at all. Thumbs up.
The flow of the place is really great. Lived the salad with the buttermilk dressing. And they have non alcoholic beer for those who might need it. Really like their atrium area too.
Looking for a suburban vibe in the heart of a quintessential Chicago neighborhood? You are? WHY? Oh well, if you must, then go to Branch 27. You'll feel at home.
Caveat -- I've only had drinks here but was so annoyed, I doubt that I'll be back. Why? ICE. That's why. My friend ordered the "spicy dirty martini". The server came back after a minute or two to ask if he wanted it up (it IS a martini, right?) and if so, it would cost $2 extra. I ordered a Jim Beam Black on the rocks. Guess what? It cost a dollar extra to be "on the rocks". So you pay for ice and you pay for no ice. What is it Branch 27? Why the nickel and diming? It's cheesy and really, infuriating. Just charge us one price on the bill and we would never know the difference, but when the bill comes and we see that it cost $2 extra for an "up" martini and $1 extra for a bourbon on the rocks, it sucks. And it makes the damn drinks too expensive. West Town is not downtown, nor is it Oak Brook. Be a nice neighborhood place. You do this by not screwing your customers.
Ambiance - Oh. The. Noise! Go early to avoid that!
Service - what service?
Food - I didn't love what I ordered (tuna burger), but my friend's scallops were AMAZING! Beet salad is pretty good.
Place is gorgeous. In the great area of Ukrainian Village. The restaurant is lovely and full of energy. The service is fabulous and a great night spot for dates.
I went there with friends for dessert and had the Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake. The cake was moist and delicious. I even had a side of ice cream which enhanced the flavor of the lemon infused cake and fresh strawberries. The only bummer was that the humidity of the evening melted my ice cream.
But we took a look at the menu and looks very promising. Definitely a spot to check out in the future.
This place was really great looking. A warm atmosphere with welcoming staff. I didn't have to wait because my friends had arrived earlier, waited in the bar, and snagged a first-come-first-serve booth. The wait for a table in the main room was 45 minutes or so.
The service was great. Our food took a LONG time to come up because the kitchen was "really backed up," but our waitress bought us a round of drinks due to the wait. I originally thought it was simply due to the fact that this place is new, but I see some other reviews with the same complaint. My motto is...don't hold it against them until they have had a few months under their belts to work out the kinks (then they earn a 5 star score in my yelp book). Especially if they are encouraging their servers to keep the customers happy (free drinks) while they wait.
Good upscale bar food with more sophisticated choices on the menu and all within a reasonable price range.
We started with the flatbread with shrimp and the arrabiatta sauce...very delicious. Fresh mozzarella...yum! My friend Nora had the scallops with the pumpkin ravioli...Sooo delicious. More like a fall season entree, but with the weather outside feeling like fall it didn't matter too much. It had a really rich sauce. My friend Lauren had the seafood salad...I was upset (FOR her) that it was so small, but she claimed that it had a lot of seafood in it and was happy with the size. I had the cheeseburger, which was really delicious and I will definitely have it again. There were many other things that looked great on the menu...with fresh cheeses and veggies...I will definitely go back.
The prices were reasonable too. Our entrees ranged from $11 to $24. You can go and get something on the pricier side or dine with someone eating on the pricier side and still get something within your own budget.
The wine list was extensive. And my water glass was ALWAYS full. I appreciated that.
Great place to check out, but make a reservation (I think they do Open Table) or plan on waiting a while.
People thought this was:
I don't think I would come back for their full menu, but what I will come back for is their mussels.
Why? well, there was absolutely nothing special about their mussels. But they were perfect. They were plump, succulent and made perfectly in a white wine brother, dusted in fine herbs. Save some of that bread that they give you in the basket so that you can dunk them into the bowl....Hmm...mussels done right!!!
Other than that, the other food was good. Again, nothing special except the eggplant dish - it was awesome! My husbands Lamb Shank was tender, but tasteless. My friend's scallop dish was ..ok. I had the 1/2 chicken which was tender and juicy but nothing spectacular. I never order chicken because I'm always afraid I will get overcooked chicken. I was NOT disappointed at all. Overall, decent food and decent drink list but I wouldn't come back for a full meal.
Just the mussels - simply delicioso!
People thought this was:
The food was pretty good. The scallops were delicious, as were the pumpkin ravioli they're served with but out of season (pumpkin? in April?). The half-chicken however was perfect and our server was a sweetheart.
Loved the concept- beautiful building, well-decorated and making use of a spot with some history.
My main complaint- former librarians would be appalled. Even the waitress knew the music was too loud considering the acoustics of the place and a full house. Wide range of people and more families than I'm used to seeing in that neighborhood. Think it will be a good standard and hopefully it ages well.
People thought this was:
eh... I'm sure it's okay for a neighborhood joint, but I was not impressed. Service was attentive, but out waitress was out in left field...she forgot to tell us the special, forgot to tell us that one item was not available that night, and then told me the tuna burger was not ground tuna made into a burger, but an actual piece of tuna...hmmm, she was wrong.
We ordered:
beet salad - good, but not special
grilled squid: pretty good...prob my fav dish of the evening
bacon/blue chz flatbread: decent
tuna burger: bleh
So, if you live within walking distance, perhaps give it a try, but otherwise, it's not worth a cab ride.
Branch 27 has a good vibe going on. You walk in and it seems like an upscale bar, but in the next room over is a very nice dining area. I really liked the modern decor, it looks trendy without being pretentious.
I was fairly impressed by the quality of the food. They have a decent mix of upscale bar food, and higher end entrees. ie. I had a delicious cheeseburger, while my girlfriend had scallops with pumpkin raviolli--Both were delicious! I would definitely say this place is worth checking out.
PROS: Good Food, Good Vibe, Friendly/Attentive Service
CONS: None come to mind
People thought this was:
Maybe the stars were in alignment, but my experience with Branch27 was pretty spectacular compared to most prior reviews.
I've been eyeballing this place since it opened. It's in my 'hood so I felt compelled to give it a whirl. We stopped in once around opening day, but it was too chaotic to make a go at it, so it wasn't until a post House of Blues event that we finally took a stab at trying.
We waltzed in around 9:30 and the staff was pleasant. We had service immediately, and the waitress even entertained my "what would you recommend" shtick.
My seafood salad was refreshing while my date, the neighbor, said his burger was pretty spectacular. His plate was clean, so I took that as supporting evidence. Our bill was a little high considering we both had $12 meals and drinks. It could have been higher if we opted for entrees ($19+), but our $50+ check wasn't bad disappointing considering the service and swift delivery.
I'm not sure I'll be a regular, but the open space and notable (for the neighborhood) menu make for a great addition to West Town culinary options.
I went here last week for dinner and it was really good. I thought the food was done right, fresh well seasoned decent portions. I think the decor is great too. Love the back room with the glass ceiling, very nice.
I wish them well and I'll definitely give it another try. The flat iron steak was awesome! My husband got the half chicken which was equally great. They have a good thing going.
My only complaint, which isn't even a complaint really, is that the bussers were way too on top of filling up our water glasses. Honestly at one point in the meal I started worrying about drinking water because as soon as I set my glass down, BAM! someone filled it up. To be fair it wasn't that busy and there was a lot of staff on the floor so they were trying to keep busy I'm sure but it was a little bit much. We were laughing about it later.
I think this place will do well though. It's something a little different for the area and a beautiful space. I definitely recommend it.
People thought this was:
Do not be fooled. This place is utterly disappointing... great atmosphere but the food was awful. My octopus appetizer was flavorless, hard and rubbery.... and I LOVE octopus! To add insult to appetizer injury, I fully expect a certain level of anchovy in any Caesar salad, but theirs tastes like a dead fish. I will only go here for drinks, if that, in the future.
People thought this was:
Sooo...we really wanted to love this place since we live in the neighborhood and always want to support local businesses. It's a lovely interior and the bartender/our server was lovely.
Started with the tuna appetizer. It was...just okay. Husband had the lamb and I had the whitefish. Both of our potatoes were undercooked and hard. Husband's asparagus was pale, nasty and overcooked. My fish was very nicely executed.
We would definitely go back for a second chance but the high price of our first bill is going to keep Branch 27 from being a frequent option. At the same time, it's not good enough to be a restaurant for a special event...soooo...probably won't be back.
And the beer banner that they just hung outside totally cheapens the place.
I've been twice and both times were fantastic. My first trip was on a Friday night. It was relatively easy to get a table and the service was fantastic. They have a great drink menu and be sure to try the muscles and frites appetizer. My second trip was for a beer dinner. It was OUTSTANDING. They have another coming up next month as well as a wine dinner. I'll definitely be back.
Returned with friends late night on a Friday. We ordered broadly from the menu and shared. Every dish was solid, though not remarkable. For me there has to be something that is a "I'll be back for this" worthy.
I do love the booths up front by the bar and the vibe is great. I'll be back because it is in the neighborhood and open later than West Town Tavern. Wish I had more to say...
You know. Busy. Open just two days. Really nice servers and hosts. And good service.
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The atmosphere in this place is really great, but the food is kinda so-so. We only did apps so maybe the entrees are better. Was expecting more from all the hype, but the staff is really friendly and makes it a really good experience. I know I'll be back and definitely want to try an entree next time. All and all, nice place:)
People thought this was:
My general feeling is that if every food item were $2 cheaper this place would be pretty good. At least, I would feel justified eating here. Every dish we had was okay but nothing to remember. I had the tuna burger as an entree, and I think the fact that the patty was perfectly round kind of threw me off. I guess I was expecting a tuna steak for some reason. But whatever, it was alright. The space itself is nice and the service is good, but the food needs some work. I might go back, we'll see.
Burger Week Is Back Nov. 9-13
Neighborhood: Near North Side
1/2 off bottles of wine
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
