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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Near North Side, River NorthMerchandise Mart (Purple Express, Brown)
Grand (Red)
Mon-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I've been looking for a special occasion to try Crofton on Wells for a long time now...and that special occasion came in the form of a Groupon. Last night I took my hubby and my $75 Groupon for a delicious meal at Crofton on Wells. And boy was it delicious...
The restaurant was only half full on a Saturday night, but that just meant more attention for us from our fabulous waitress, Amelia. The menu is small, but everything looked so good that we still had some difficult ordering decisions to make while enjoying our wine (a nice glass of sauvignon blanc for me). With Amelia's help we narrowed it down to the following:
Apps:
* Signature Crabcake: This came highly recommended by many yelpers. The rumors are true- one of the best crabcakes ever. There's barely any filling (just lots of crab) in this cake
* Scallop: Perfectly cooked and very flavorful
Entrees:
* Farm Chicken (for me): Chicken isn't usually on the top of my list, but the yelpers and Amelia raved about this. It was beyond delicious! Had just the right amount of spice and came with some awesome mashed potatoes as well.
* Venison (for hubby): I just had a bite, but my goodness that was one tasty bite!
Dessert:
I've been trying to avoid dessert lately, but hubby convinced me to split the banana cream pie with him. And splitting it turned into me eating most of it...the salted caramel in it really put it over the top.
After the Groupon discount and the tip the total came to about $140. A bit pricey, but worth it for the quality of the food and wine. Now I just need to think of another special occasion to go back!
i was lucky to be treated to crofton on wells because my in laws had a groupon. the food was delicious and very well executed. i had one of their seasonal soups (can't remember which) to begin and the halibut. both were delicious. we also had a chocolate dessert but because it was seasonal, it's no longer on the list and i can't remember the other components.
the lighting is somewhat dark and gives you that special occasion vibe, so if you're looking for somewhere romantic to go, this is a good option.
good to eat: alaskan halibut with fava beans, pancetta, black beluga lentils, dill, pickled red radish, local sour cream
I brought my mom here for her birthday because they have several great vegetarian options on their menu, which she usually prefers. She went with the Fall Vegetable Risotto and I'm pretty sure she would have licked the plate if we weren't in public.
In some circles I am known as a picky eater, so I went with the safe choice: Amish Chicken, Yukon Mashed Potatoes, with a molasses reduction... but yum! Right up my alley.
The pre-dinner rolls are nothing spectacular, but we did get a free and very tasty amuse that was appreciated. It was some type of cheddar biscuit that reminded me of the ones you get at Red Lobster. Don't get me wrong, that is a compliment.
As far as price, my mom and I both agreed that the restaurant decor and food portions did not match up with the dollar amount. I would only go back if I was trying their Prix-Fixe menu where you can get more bang for your buck. HOWEVER... we loved everything we tried!
TWO HELPFUL TIPS:
1.) Great spot for date night or special occasion, but go over the weekend when it's a little more happening (not so quiet). We had an early dinner on a week night and I feel like the entire restaurant could hear our conversation.
2.) Due to the size of the entrees I would definitely recommend doing the Prix-Fixe or at least a starter if you're hungry.
If money were no object and I had loads to spend on food at my every whim, I would be a regular here. Unfortunately, however, I'm not rich and have to justify a nice dinner at a place like Crofton on Wells on an anniversary, holiday, or other out of the ordinary night. Last week was such a night, and we had a Groupon to boot, so we decided to try out Crofton.
The food was excellent for the most part. You can tell that the ingredients are of a very high quality. Service was okay - nothing to write home about and also not on par with other restaurants that charge as much for their food and drink as does Crofton. The ambience is fabulous for a romantic night out -- dimly lit, quiet, and very calm.
To start, we had the famous crabcake and the wild mushroom appetizer. My vote went to the mushroom dish. It was rich, flavorful, buttery, and just all around very delicious. We actually asked for more bread so that we could soup up the remaining sauce before the server took it away. The crabcake got a rave review from my husband, but it was my least favorite dish of the evening. The crab was fresh, but something was missing. We each had a glass of the pinot gris from Wilamette Valley, which was tasty albeit expensive. (More on the wine list later).
For our entrees, I had the fall vegetable risotto and my husband had the venison, which was served with pork shoulder. Both were excellent, so much so that we kept stealing bites off of each others' plates. We had a very bold and tasty Cab that went perfectly with both dishes. We also couldn't resist ordering a side of mashed potatoes, which were creamy and well-seasoned.
Though I really enjoyed the wines we selected, I was overall disappointed in the wine list. From what I could tell, all of the wines were of a very high quality, but there were very few non-American wines on the list-save for a few Reislings from Germany---resulting in the wines being between $12-15 a glass for whites and $14-??? per glass for reds. I get that chefs like to serve wines from the same region as the cuisine they cook, but these prices make an already expensive dinner even more expensive.
Sadly, the often raved-about pumpkin with goat cheese ice cream dessert was no longer on the menu, and none of the other desserts jumped out at us, so we skipped dessert. When all was said and done, our meal was $166 for two apps, two entrees (one veggie), and two glasses of wine each.
Overall, great food but not worth the price, especially in a city like Chicago with so many great restaurants at all price points.
Outstanding! Came here pre-theater with friends, and was a little worried because the place was nearly empty...but the food was amazing & it filled up by the time we left to catch our show. The pork tenderloin was delicious, and the chicken might be the best chicken I've ever tasted! The menu has a great mix of familiar & fancy meats, perfect for foodies and picky eaters alike. We were all sad that we didn't have time for dessert...my husband declared Crofton on Wells "the best meal he's had in Chicago" - a high honor from a transplanted New Yorker!
Overall, great place for a date or to bring the parents.
I don't need to say much as many more talented reviews have done that job for me. First and foremost the food tastes great and is not overly complicated. The squash soup and crab cake starters were fantastic. The desert menu looked amazing but we only chose one, the peanut banana crisp thing. Awesome. The main course was a fish dish that I can't remember because it was not on the menu, but the highlight was my girlfriend's pork tenderloin. Perfectly cooked and melt in your mouth flavor. Not surprising a good meal and lived up to expectations. Given what I had read about the place, the awards won and recommendations by friends, I was surprised that our server said that even after 11 years the place is still not well known. They would be doing better in this economic climate with a stronger loyal customer base, but such as it is the doors are open for Suzie to serve quality food and I hope for years to come. It's a perfect date place with a dark, quiet setting. If times were different you could go there more often. Such as it is, the menu is not cheap, but the food is worth it if you are willing to splurge (think $$$$=entrees more than $25). Enjoy.
P.S. A great deal is their 3-course $35 Prix Fixe option M-F 5-7pm, S 5-6pm. Something I would go back for in a heartbeat.
my blog:http://jjrappeats.blog...
I've always had mixed feelings about trying this place, but since there was a Groupon, I decided to give it a go. Wow, was I surprised.
The atmosphere is cozy and I felt right at home. Our server was friendly and down to earth. I really liked it.
They don't have specialty cocktails, but they do have several good options for wine. I decided to go with a glass of Zinfandel and was very pleased with my decision.
I chose the venison for my main course, served with root vegetables. It was amazing. My bf decided to go with the Alaskan halibut, which was also very good, but that venison. Mmm...tasty. We shared the seasonal vegetables and mashed potatoes. The seasonal vegetables were good, with kind of an asian flare and the mashed potatoes were creamy and delicious and topped with a chicken based gravy.
I don't usually go for dessert, but I just couldn't resist the pumpkin with goat cheese ice cream and guinness reduction. It just sounded too interesting to pass up. It was great, and the combination of flavors worked surprisingly well.
I really liked the homey-ness of this place. Although the menu doesn't have too many crazy options, I liked the fact that they serve great, traditional food. I will definitely be back.
I really wanted to like this place, but alas, it was not to be!
The good: the waitstaff was fantastic. Very attentive, but not overly so. Quick with answers to our food questions, and really nice.
The atmosphere was great as well. We were there for a special dinner and it was nice to have a quiet intimate atmosphere.
The appetizers- the crabcake was absolutely 'signature' and probably the best part of the evening. The carpaccio, while on the small side, delicious.
The bad: pretty much everything else. The scallops were seriously overly salted, the halibut overly seared on the outside, and the chocolate/espresso dessert a resounding meh, not to mention it took substantially longer to come out than warranted.
I'd like to say I'd give it another shot, but there are so many other places I'd rather explore.
My date and I arrived on a quiet Saturday evening. The place was fairly empty. We were quickly seated, and our waitress soon attended to us. She was pleasant though perhaps a bit cold. I ordered the panisse, while my date ordered something a bit more meaty. I got the Kuentz-Bas Riesling, while my date stuck with water. We decided to skip appetizers Shortly after placing our order, the waitress brought out some bean shell soup (or something like that?) served in shot glasses, compliments of the chef. They were amazing. Truly amazing. I really wish you could order this as an entree... I don't see it on their menu anywhere. Tragic.
Our entrees arrived and they were pretty good - but not mind blowing. The thing that stands out to me is after finishing our entrees, we decided to skip dessert as we had a show to get to - and so I asked our waitress to bring the check to *me*. I have a pretty strict policy about paying for all dates early on - I mean I figure if a girl is patient enough to put up with me long enough for the check to come - the least I can do is pay the bill.
After waiting for the bill for maybe 5 minutes I realize I need to, ahem, investigate the bathroom facilities. So I get up and start walking to the bathroom. Halfway there our waitress passes me. I very specifically make eye contact with her so that she recognizes me (in case she has the check) and she just passes by not saying a word.
I had a bad feeling, so I paid attention as I continued walking - and sure enough she goes and drops off the check at my table! Gah!! So now I look like a cheap jerk trying to stick my date with the bill by pretending to be using the bathroom. I quickly ran back and took care of it - but this should not have happened. They lost two stars for this, but gained a star for the awesome shot glass soup.
So - would I go back? Yeah - especially if they'd make that soup an entree. Heck yes. Would I keep an eye on my waitress to make sure she isn't up to any shenanigans? You'd better believe it.
Thank you Amelia, and congratulations on your engagement to Dan!
Roger and I celebrated our engagement on Saturday, October 10 with a beautiful bottle of Havens Merlot and the MOST fabulous dinner.
Him: the restaurants' famous pork tenderloin; really flavorful and like butter....Me: the swordfish with spaghetti squash and leeks....yum.
Then, the amazing and creative dessert of pumpkin, goat cheese and guinness....who would've thought. Seriously, I thought I was in heaven.
We will definitely be back time and again; perhaps our first wedding anniversary should be celebrated there!
A small, quiet, unassuming place... the type of spot where you wonder if the lack of interesting lighting was a conscious choice or a budgetary one.
My husband and I went for our first anniversary, went early for the $35 three-course deal. It is, in fact, an AWESOME deal- nearly the whole menu is available. They have a "vegetarian selections" area on their menu, and I was delighted that our server knew right away that the fennel soup had chicken stock, without having to ask the chef. Definitely they get extra props for thinking about vegetarians!
The wine list is super expensive, starting ~$50/bottle. We were disappointed at this, though I know it's fairly standard, there was nothing affordable on there.
The food was tastefully presented and delicious, and the mushrooms hidden on my plate popped with a cayenne excitement that I really loved. Sorbets and ice cream were the prix fixe dessert with tasty homemade cookies, which we partnered with Intelligentsia coffee that was poured from a silver service. Try the salty caramel ice cream, it's amazing.
I came here especially to try the prix fixe menu (3 courses for $35, Mon-Fri 5-7pm & Sat 5-6:30pm). It's a pretty good deal.
We all started with the crab cake appetizer. I wanted to try it because I'm a sucker for anything that has the words "signature", "house specialty", or "chef recommended" in the name. If there was ever something on the menu like "famous house specialty signature 28-day aged old leather shoe recommended by the chef as mentioned in the 2009 Zagat guide and on 'Man v Food'" on the menu, you can guarantee that I will order it.
Anyway, the crab cake was ok, but not great. It was covered in an unusual creamy sauce, and the crab was shredded, not lump. There was too much egg or some other coagulant put in there because it was quite solid without a strong crab flavour. I thought that the micro salad that they put on top redeemed it a little.
For my entree, I ordered the buckwheat soba crepes. They came filled with beets and topped with a scoop of whipped blue-basil goat cheese. The cheese had an interesting fluffy texture but didn't have the tanginess that I expected (and wanted) from goat cheese. I do like beets though. A lot. I also tried my brother's diver scallops which were large, fresh, and perfectly cooked, but there was almost nothing interesting about the dish except for the salmon bacon. Our friend ordered the Amish chicken which I didn't get to try, but looked harmless.
Desserts were good. You get to choose anything from the dessert menu and everything is small and exquisite. I had the "meyer lemon/blackberry" which was basically a very small blackberry crisp topped with a small scoop of lemon ice cream served with a shot of bitter lemon soda. It was warm and delicious. I also tried the "strawberry/rhubarb" which was a shortcake. The goat's milk butter spread on the shortcake was pretty interesting though.
Service was definitely on the slow side. The whole place only had 2 waiters and they reached serving capacity once the restaurant was 40% full. It took them a long time to get our desserts/drinks/check.
Overall, I was satisfied but the place is not so wonderful that I would want to come back.
The food is decent at Crofton, the price/portion ratio is very high. Entrees are almost all over $30. The diver scallops are $32 and there are three of them stranded in the middle of a plate. I'm not a big portions guy, but I don't like to get charged for a King Kong sized portion that would keep Bambi lean.
I started with stuffed squid as an appetizer. it was okay tasting - nothing great. It was also luke warm. There were three squid on the plate, each the size of a half pinky - this was $12. I had a heavy meal the night before, so I had the vegetarian risotto for an entree ($21 - one of the cheapest entrees). It was pretty good, but about the size of a scoop of ice cream. This portion would have been an appetizer at almost any other restaurant, and priced accordingly - maybe $10.
So the long and short of it is Crofton is good food wise, but its too aggressively priced for regular dining. I'm just not a happy camper with $30+ entrees. Its also super dark in there so be prepared to use the candle to read the menu. The kitchen is slow.
Only been there once, but it was fantastic.
The crab cakes were about the best I've ever had.
The Wagyu beef was seared to a perfect medium rare. Everything else I had was great. The portions were perfect and everything was prepared with love.
It's not inexpensive, but you can really see/smell/taste the quality.
I also really liked the atmosphere. It wasn't trying too hard to be "cool". Just a nice, grown-up place for folks who's primary interest is the food and not "seeing and being seen".
It's maybe silly for me to award it with 5 stars based on 1 evening, but they were nearly empty when we went there. I hope they get more popular. They seem to deserve it. They definitely know what they hell they're doing.
It burns me up that this place was so empty while obnoxiously douchetacular joints are jam packed.
This restaurant is a great find. Not as trendy as other places in the neighborhood, but that's part of its charm. The decor is simple and sleek. The music, ehh, don't get me wrong, I love The Cars, but it doesn't really fit the atmosphere. No worries though, because the food is awesome.
I've heard the chef is a stickler for the freshest ingredients, and you can really taste that. I started with the lobster salad. Mmm... so delicious. Really generous portions of lobster, and the radish and buttermilk dressing were perfect with it. Bf had the rabbit schnitzel - very tasty.
For my entree, I had the Alaskan halibut and my bf got the diver scallops. Both were delicious. Maybe it's because I'm a sucker for scallops, but they were fantastic. Perfectly cooked. Jealous I didn't order it myself, but the halibut was still incredibly yum.
Didn't have room for dessert unfortunately, but their menu was very tempting. Have to go back for the strawberry-rhubarb one with clotted cream (clotted cream!). Service was reliable and friendly. Definitely check this place out.
Hrm I wavered between giving this a place a four or five, but the overall experience was really positive so five it is.
I came here with restaurant week with my family, and it was so wonderful to go out with my parents to somewhere they nice because they rarely get to try places like this.
I was afraid that this place would be pretentious, but it wasn't at all! Our waiter was attentive and friendly.
The meal started with a pumpkin soup type of amuse bouche [complimentary= :) ] And I had the mini crab cake with mango butter- it was sooo meaty and chunky, yet light! It was surprisingly very flavorful, and I highly recommend them.
I ordered the buckwheat soba crepes with beets and an african blue basil goat cheese foam on top. I was SO intrigued by the foam. I was like OoO foAmmmm! And to be honest, I don't even normally like beets very much, but it totally worked! The portion size was small, but because it was the restaurant week 3 course meal I was full by the end. I'm glad I tried this dish, but it's not something I would order over and over again. (But if you're vegetarian (which I'm not), this is a great option).
I also tried my family's dishes- the amish chicken (very moist and tender) and my brother had the prime beef tenderloin which he really enjoyed. My dad had some salmon I believe, and it was also very moist and flavorful. All the food was very flavorful and cooked perfectly.
We also got to try a lot of the desserts which were all decadent and presented beautifully (banana cream pie and rocky road).
Please go here! They offer a special prixe fixe menu if you dine early. I'm actually scared this place is going to close, so please support it! The crab cake app is alllllll crab with some delicious spice with a lovely micro green salad atop it. For the entree I had the diver scallops with sweet peas, house made salmon bacon, sorrel, maitake mushrooms, truffle oil which were tender and well seasoned. The "salmon bacon" was a wonderful surprise. For dessert I had the milk chocolate cream, hazelnut praline financier, salted caramel, brown butter crème fraiche,
dalwhinnie scotch/salted caramel ice cream. All I can say is scotch/salted caramel ice cream?? Could it get better than this?
Great place to go if you have a vegetarian in the group.
Although most restaurants will make substitutions, the veg dishes are often considered an afterthought.
Not the case here.
My friends and I all enjoyed our meals. Great value.
A friendly waitstaff was helpful and appreciated. The food was good, but nothing stood out as anything special, so in that regard it was probably overpriced. The restaurant was also fairly empty, so it wasn't the best atmosphere. I might go back for the $35 tasting menu, but not for the regular menu.
The crabcake was as good as people say though!
Crofton on Wells is an intimate and beautifully decorated restaurant. The atmosphere is elegant, with dim lighting and sleek white tables. Along with the Restaurant Week menu, they offered some wines at reduced price, so we tried their Havens Syrah for about $10 off the usual price. I really enjoyed it, but can't speak much about the specifics because I am not really much of a wine expert. I liked how the server poured it for us, since it can be quite inconvenient to pour it oneself at the table.
I thought the crab cake was delicious - not so flaky perhaps, but still very juicy and flavorful. I think the consistency was more like a crab burger, but flavor didn't suffer. The accompanying sauce was quite spicy!
I thought my trout was well prepared, and the portion sizes were excellent - not too overwhelming. I wasn't stunned by the creativity of the entree, but it was a very enjoyable dish nonetheless.
The banana cream pie was delicious and tasted fresh, although the chocolate sauce underneath was too rich for me. It was a very pleasant dining experience, we all had seasonal American dishes of excellent quality.
A friend had recommended Crofton on Wells to me several months back and this past weekend we finally made it in for dinner to take advantage of their Restaurant Week menu.
I order the Roasted Cauliflower Soup, Amish Chicken, & the Banana Cream Pie. Audrey went with the Petite Crab Cake, Buckwheat Soba Crepes, and the Rocky Road. The Roasted Cauliflower Soup was creamy, well seasoned, and the smoked trumpet mushrooms really added a nice smokiness to the dish. However, the guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon) was a bit tough and to tell you the truth I had no clue what these tasteless bits of chewiness were while eating the soup. I feel that the quality of the dish would have been added to if this component was subtracted. The Amish Chicken was served boneless with the skin on and rubbed with some herbs and chipotle. It tasted excellent and was cooked perfectly. The chicken was served atop some mashed potatoes and a molasses reduction. A very nice chicken dish. I finished the evening with the Banana Cream Pie, which was just ok.
Audrey's Crab Cake was a winner! The cake was plump with crab meat and very tasty. A hint of mango butter and thai chile really made for nice fruity spicy surprise. However, the Buckwheat Soba Crepes were the star of the evening. What's better than goat cheese, beets, and really nice thin buckwheat crepes? The portion on this dish was a bit small and I would have probably been hungry after finishing it. I'd suggest ordering this dish as an appetizer and sharing with your friends. The Rocky Road was yummy! You can't go wrong with chocolate, devil's food cake, marshmallows, and almond cookies. Why didn't I go with the chocolate dessert? What's wrong with me? Has my time in the Middle East turned me into a non sweet date and fig loving dessert guy? I hope not....
The space is itself is warm, dark, and pretty unassuming. Audrey mentioned that it reminded her of some of the smaller restaurants in California wine country. I agreed. Sometimes nice and simple just works. The service was strong, but nothing to write home about. Our entire dining experience last just over 40 minutes, which made this one of the quickest nice meals I have ever had. I even had a cappuccino at the end of the meal. Very quick!
2 Restaurant Week Menus
1 Bottle of Sparkling Water
1 Cappuccino
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$95.00
Yes...where has Crofton on Wells been all my life?! I think this place has been there forever and we have never noticed it. I don't know why. Maybe I always thought it was a pub.
I loved it! We got there about 30 mins before our reservation so we had a drink at the bar. The bartender was friendly and made a good drink! They were also cool above moving the tab when our table was ready early. We had the crab cake and the pear salad. Outstanding. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the wine list was a little lacking for me. Lots of expensive, a few cheapies but only a sprinkling of the mid-range. I felt somewhat restricted so we went with the by-the-glass option just in case. They by the glass prices were a tad pricey. I had the waiter pick mine and he did a great job!! He was very friendly and fun. I had the scallops minus the ham. So good! My boyfriend had swordfish which he loved and wanted for breakfast lunch and dinner the next day. Then we had dessert. I went w/ the peanut butter pie and he had the pumpkin dessert. I win!!! That peanut butter pie was amazing. I also had the waiter pick our dessert wines. I had a port which was fine but we were introduced to vin santo which was like liquid caramel. Expensive but worth it.
I can't wait to go back. It is unassuming, friendly, and great food. I really liked that they have a vegetarian page and are open to any substitutions or changes (like no ham on mine)
Do you want the best crab cakes in town? They are perfectly cooked and drizzled in a cream sauce which will have you pondering the question..Should I have another? And the answer is, " Absolutely,"
The food was not bad. One of my dining companions loved the amish chicken, and the cauliflower soup was excellent. The crab cake was good, but I don't think it lived up to the hype. The other entree we ordered that evening was just okay - I can't even remember what it was, it was so unremarkable. The amuse was a shot of wild mushroom soup, which retained all of the muddled earthiness of wild mushrooms while managing to lose the subtle, delicious flavors. It was not a good way to start a meal. The dessert had multiple components, but they were repetitive. Again, just okay.
The only thing that stood out for me was the service. Our waitress was inattentive at her finest moments and downright rude at times. She was benign as we gave our drink orders, but as soon as I declined a beverage, she rolled her eyes, sighed, and that was it for our party. I will mention that the hostess was very nice - the only issue was with our server.
We had the prix fixe menu. The amuse bouche of cucumber and herring was fantastic. My date enjoyed the crab cake, but I found it a little bit fishy. The beet salad was okay, but very salty. The best entree was the amish chicken...excellent! The scallops were prepared nicely.
The only disappointing part of the meal was their "selection of desserts," which consisted only of ice cream or sorbet. The actual dessert menu options that other reviewers raved about were off-limits. What a let down!
The service was attentive, but got slower as more patrons arrived. The ambiance is very nice, with the exception of the fake plants - a strange choice for such an upscale restaurant.
This restaurant offers fine, fresh, high quality, creative food. Wonderful Crab cake appetizer--all crab meat, no filler. My main course was Lake whitefish and was prepared with fragrant herbs --pan roasted, and was very enjoyable.
The atmosphere is welcoming and friendly, the service attentive and engaging--
Truly a lovely place to dine.
I went to this restaurant with high expectations. These high expectations were based off the wonderful press this restauraunt constantly gets (Zagat Survey - Top 40 Restaurants in Chicago, Chicago Magazine - 2006 Top Fifty Chefs, Gourmet magazine 2005 Top Restaurants, Chicago magazine 2004 - Top 20 Very Finest Restaurants in Chicago, etc.....).
However, my experience at Crofton on Wells proves you can't believe everything you read. I was disappointed and underwhelmed with every aspect of my experience, from the service, food, and ambience.
The service is unexplainably slow and the food mediocre. My biggest complaint is the table spacing. You literally feel like you are having dinner with the table next to you. Call me antisocial, but this is not my idea of a romantic night out.
Outstanding presentation, bold use of interesting flavors, top-notch wine list, plus at least 2 vegetarian entrees that will wow the non-meat crowd. Since my wife is a vegetarian, this place has quickly become a favorite for us.
They recently cut over to their winter menu, so if you haven't been in a while, it's definitely worth going back. To be warned though, if you are expecting giant-sized entrees, this is not the place for you...I would recommend getting at least three courses when you visit Crofton on Wells...the focus is on tiny (but delectable) creations.
My wife says it's not right to call any place "the best", but I'm going to say it anyway:
Dining here was the best restaurant experience I've had in Chicago outside of what I'd call the "Big 6" of Alinea, Carlos, Everest, Spiaggia, Trotter's and Tru (listed alphabetically so as not to offend anyone, even though one of those stands apart from the rest ;-)
The food, service, ambience and even value (if that word can be used to describe a pretty pricey place) were truly memorable.
Few seem to know about this place, but that's their loss.
Go. You'll love it.
How I have missed this restaurant all these years, is beyond me!! Nestled between an Irish pub and a Middle Eastern restaurant on a busy stretch of Wells, this understated restaurant is one of the city's best kept secrets (at least for me!).
A friend suggested we have dinner here last night and I had to admit that I had never heard of this place. The funny thing? It's not some new restaurant but one that has been turning out great food for over 10 years.
We started with splitting a couple of the appetizers- the signature crab cake with a spicy sauce and a medley of mushrooms in a veal broth with cracked black pepper. Both were delicious. The rolls that they served were hot and crusty and the butter melted into the bread.
For entrees- we went with the Amish chicken and the Kobe beef. The chicken came sliced with a spicy herb and chipotle rub served over a bed of mashed potatoes. The Kobe beef was cooked perfectly and served with little onions on a thin slice of potato. Both entrees were flavorful and perfectly presented. To accompany this we also ordered the lobster risotto. It was the best risotto I have ever had. Big chunks of lobster, creamy rice and two different cheeses. I was in food heaven.
We barely had room after all of that for dessert- but we just had to try the banana chocolate plate. It came with 4 different things to try. A mini shake, a creme brulee, a pudding and salted macadamia nuts on the plate. Very nice.
The manager was also great. She accommodated us when we arrived early for our reservation and kept checking in throughout the night as to how we were doing. The best thing? As she was leaving- she invited us to come back again. That's what I like to see in a restaurant- people who care if you come back or not.
The service was good although we did have one miss when the entree's arrived before the wine we had ordered to go with them.
All in all- Crofton on Wells will certainly go on my list of restaurants when friends are looking for a dining recommendation. And given the food and service, I will definitely be back.
I had a wonderful experience here. The service, firstly, is outstanding. Our waiter was very attentive and humorous. The food was truly delicious, though I liked some courses more than others. I went on a prix fixe menu night. Each course is prepared with care, and presentation is beautiful. My top picks were the lobster salad, kobe beef, and chocolate sorbet. Yum yum. Its a very interesting restaurant that prides itself on the food- the decoration is very simple to allow you to truly take in your meal. The music was not too loud, and it was small enough that I felt as though I was dining in someone's home.
Next time I am definitely trying the crab cakes.
I was unimpressed. I had been wanting to try the restaurant for years. As a vegetarian, I was excited about the many meatless options. Most dishes were solid. I didn't fully dislike anything I ate. However, several dishes were over-seasoned. Hours later, I am still thirsty. What was truly disappointing was the service. In the two and a half hours we were at the restaurant, we were served only two courses. We wanted dessert but eventually gave up and asked for the check. The waiter apologized a couple of times for the delay, but took ages to bring us the check. We won't be back.
One of the best restaurants in the city. Been around for a while and consistently delivers innovative, tasty cuisine.
Classy and elegant, albeit small, room. Service is impeccable and the food matches.
What a treat! Serious service and simple food are beautifully executed. The apple dessert and the lamb entree were delicious. Be prepared to spend a buck there!
Crofton on Wells really impressed me. I don't go to nice restaurants very often, but I decided to take my gf here one night and see what all the hype was about. CRAB CAKES. That's all I can say. Do yourself a favor and order the crab cakes, because you won't regret it. Crofton is expensive if you don't make decent money, but it's good for special occasions and important events. I ended having some sort of fish dish (my visit was two months ago so I don't remember) and it was quite delicious. This is not a restaurant about quantity, so don't go here expecting large amounts of food. It's about quality, so expect to pay for the excellent service and masterful chefs in the back.
Went here on the company dollar, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to afford it. Very classy, excellent service. GREAT food... there was a mushroom appetizer that will change your view of mushrooms completely. There were smiles on everyone's face when we finished. This is a fabulous place for a special occasion-type meal. If it hadn't been such a nice place, I probably would have licked my plate.
What an unexpected surprise! I went last night with fairly high expectations and this place did not disappoint! I had heard the crabcake was good, but "good" fails to describe the rich flavor and delicate texture of what was easily the best crabcake I have ever had (Sorry Kenichi in Dallas - I have a new love). The emphasis was on the crab and not breading or some other substitute for the meat. The size was perfect too - filing, but not to the point of being too stuffed for one's entree and small enough to keep you wanting a bit more! For my entree I debated between the beet crepes and the diver scallops. I took the server's recommendation and went with the scallops which were magnificent! They were cooked to perfection - which was great since my last experience ordering scallops was awful. The truffle oil was a lovely complement as was the salmon bacon! For all you bacon fans out there (basically the entire city of Chicago) you must try this dish! To finish I tried the chocolate and coffee which was delicious but somehow managed to disappear from my plate in literally a matter of seconds. My friend had ordered the chocolate / hazelnut dessert with the intention of letting me try some but that too disappeared extremely fast....must have been delicious! The service and ambiance were both wonderful as well. Highly recommended...I think I have a new favorite dinner spot!
What a hidden gem. Last minute reservations no problem, across the street, delicious Spring menu (it had just changed), fine dining sans pretension, discrete delightful service - what more could a boy want? I think I found a new fav.
P.s. And who is saying the attire for this restaurant is casual? Hello?! It's not, don't be lazy.
The chef, Suzy Crofton, is amazing. She really has a special talent.
Most of the food we ate during our visit was amazing. I highly recommend the mushroom pot. It was a flavorful appetizer that I would come for again. Skip the salad. It's a first rate rip off. Just like Cynthia G. said, the pork is sensational!! I have never had better! I WISH I HAD ROOM IN MY BELLY TO LICK THE PLATE. Needless to say, I had no room for dessert, but I will definitely come back to sit at the bar and try one (if they allow that).
As for atmosphere, I enjoyed the low lights and cleanliness of the room. I thought the hostess and waitress a tad too brash though. They spoke too loudly and often interrupted our dinner conversation thus ruining the overall good feel of the room.
Upon visiting the washroom, I noticed that there was no toilet paper. No problem. They usually have another roll in there somewhere. Not here! So I stepped out, found a busboy, and asked him for some. He went into the men's washroom, handed me an extra roll, and said "Would you just do it for me?" WHAT?! Not five star in my book.
3 stars for atmosphere/setting/class
+
5 stars for food
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My 4 star review of Crofton on Wells
I love, love, love this place! The service was PERFECT! Not pretentious, just knowledgeable, friendly and not too "hovering". The food was SOO good, can't even remember what I ordered. Nice quiet dining room, tastefully decorated.
$25 Prix Fix Wednesdays!
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
3-course dinner for $20.10
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
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