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Categories: Lounges, American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Ukrainian VillageDivision (Blue)
Don't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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I've been twice. We went on a sunny sunday afternoon and had a few Coronas on the patio, it was quite relaxing and a good people watching spot. I went again this weekend for a late night drop-by. The late night wasn't as great to me, but still an ok place. (Choose Fuel over Edge, which is across the street) Edge sucks, but I'll save that mess for another review...
Goods: decor, patio, not over-crowded
Bads: drink prices ($8 for a small smirnoff & tonic), a bit loud
The place is fine, I wouldn't go out of my way to steer or deter you from going there.
I'll probably go back for a lunch or early dinner and try some of the coffee offerings.
For shame, Fuel. The concept was cool but the execution was poor. The staff was indifferent and the drinks were average yet pricey for what you got. The food was mediocre.
I'm surprised to a point when restaurants go out of business. There are so many ways to get feedback (website, comment cards, Yelp) and make improvements. BUT...
As a former restaurant manager, I understand that management and staff can be are overworked and just can't find or use the information available to make improvements. I blame shitty owners.
Also, the food and service at FUEL was obviously sub-par so managers and owners should have know without any research.
Veggie wrap was great, as far as veggie wraps go, it had a cucumbery sauce in it, and the pizza from the next table over looked and smelled amazing too. We also had guac, very fresh and had a bit of spice but not too much (I'm very picky about too much spice).
My only complaint was that there was a spider on my french fry! Or maybe he made his way onto a few, hard to say. Good thing I was almost done eating and that my friend noticed before I ate it. We were outside, so I guess this is "nature" coming back at me--and maybe trying to tell me to lay off the fries? Cruel!
Soon as I walked inside this place I said that I want to throw a party at Fuel. The look of the bar is just so damn sweet.
But the place is empty on a Saturday night. Saturday freakin night!!! The $12 mojitos are not worth the price. I had a Cosmojito and it tasted like some 'Tussin with a few pieces of mint leaves and maybe some grass from my lawn thrown in. The chicken quesadillas were mediocre at best. The waitress seemed nervous, or maybe a little coked out. Better than average, THIS PLACE? Um, no way.
I think this place has an identity crisis, as I am not sure if it is a lounge, club, or sportsbar. Nonetheless, I like the design; lots of shiny metal and some colored lights make for a modern, warehouse-esque feel.
I come here during the day for coffee and free wifi. They have a nice patio,and the servers are friendly. There's an espresso bar, but unfortunately the bartendar did not know how to make an iced latte. I ended up with a watery beverage as the ice cubes melted in my steamed milk. My hazelnut soy latte came out to 5 bucks! I didn't really try the food as everything seemed a bit pricey.
I have been curious about this place for a while and wanted to try it out. However, I was kind of turned off because of the decor inside. It's just too much. Too much white, too linear, too sterile of a feel, just too much. But when I was walking down Division street to get lunch one afternoon, I decided to give this place a shot.
The outdoor seating area is really great and they have seating in the front and the side, so there is lots of room. We ordered guacamole and chips to start and they were very good. Had a little kick to it and the chips were nice and salty (mmm...salt).
I ordered the chicken sandwich and my dining companion ordered a salad with goat cheese, strawberries, and walnuts (i think). Both of our meals were surprisingly super good. I didn't know why I wasn't expecting much from this place but I wasn't, and I was proven wrong!
With our meals we also got smoothies. We weren't sure if these were eat-your-smoothie-as-a-meal smoothies, dessert-smoothies, or during-your-meal-smoothies. The waitress told us that they were for during the meal, so we each ordered one. Smart on her part, because we wouldn't have gotten them if she said they were for anything but a side-item. Smoothies=AWESOME! I got a mango one and my pal got the peach. They were both really fresh tasting and good, however maybe not really meant to be had with dinner. probably would be best had at the end of the meal as a sweet treat to split.
All in all, this place had good food and tasty smoothies. I still really am not sold at.all on the ambiance and wish it had a more laid back, homey feel. But still, good stuff!
Yes, it's a trendy space.
Yes, they serve lattes in ceramic mugs and feature real fruit smoothies.
What's so terrible about that? Some say Fuel Kitchen has an identity crisis. I say it's simply a very European concept to serve food, espresso drinks, and smoothies in a minimalist space with downtempo electronic (read: NOT hard techno) music.
I've been here on two different occasions now, and I can say that I've had terrific service from both servers and bussers... warm greetings from management, and maybe best of all-- they allow me to linger during lunchtime while I use their free Wi-Fi. Today, I met business associates here and we were able to comfortably work from a huge booth. There's also a patio for with ample seating should you crave some Wicker Park people watching.
I've had the hummus platter (generous serving of chunky, semi-spicy hummus and tons of pita) as well as the grilled chicken wrap with delicious yogurt-cucumber dressing. Pizzas look fantastic too!
I'll be sure to update once I check out the nighttime scene.
Division street has become a beacon for "all things trendy" so when Fuel popped up I wasn't sure if it was going to be some run-of-the-mill, Euro trash lounge(I mean the name Fuel screams Affliction and Ed Hardy.. not my exact style.) So I decided to check it out and enjoy some outdoor drinking, and i'm glad I did!
To my surprise it is a really cool spot to eat and drink with friends and co-workers. I've been to Fuel for Coffee, Brunch, Dinner and late-night and I can say that I've never had a problem with service or taste. Their coffee and fruit smooties are amazing, lunch is standard yet good (great chicken wrap) and their late-night Pizza is the jam.
I would give them 5 stars but the view of the sweaty gym is a little distracting while I'm guiltlessly stuffing my face with pizza :)
Fuel to me was like a bad e-harmony date. What you thought it was going to be was not what it was. And that would have been okay if you hadn't been led to believe it was something else. Or if any of the contextual clues you got from e-harmony man's profile were actually cohesive with what came of the Mr. Date's mouth.
So confusing, Fuel!! What are you trying to be?? We asked for a drink list and were given something with bottle service prices. Okay so this is going to be one of THOSE places. Got it. Wait, but you have a huge espresso machine and smoothie/juicer machine that take up most of the space on one counter. So you're THAT type of place? And what's with the wood paneling? My friend asked for a shot of tequila served neat (one of those weird OCD requests to prevent sticky hands), and it came in a shot glass. So we had to clarify -yanno, neat? In a rocks glass?
I don't know, it just wasn't for me. I didn't get to try the food, so I can't comment on that, but I feel like this place is still figuring out what it wants. Come on Fuel, don't be a commitment-phobe. Figure out your issues so I can be around you more.
I can most definitely see fun times ensuing here.
I went on a Tuesday with a friend and enjoyed some veggie pizza. It was excellent and very garlicky ( which is a good thing in my book). for being the beginning of the week it was fairly busy.. But the service was still very good.
There was a live DJ and near the end of the night it turned into a dance party.
I'll have to go back with the girls for drinks and dancing!
Fuel has just opened on Division Street, and though they've got some kinks to work out, I was pleasantly surprised with the service and quality of food.
This place took over a previous coffee shop but they totally revamped it. My roommate kindly pointed out that it's redone to look like an old time gas station (ahem, where the name Fuel comes from!).
The walls are dark wood, the tables a fun red paired with silver chairs. There are booths surrounding the perameter of the windows and plenty of seats at the bars. They have plenty of TV's as well.
The menu is fairly limited and doesn't have the most extensive descriptions for items (i.e. just says caesar salad with no enticing write-up, but I suppose, a caesar salad is pretty self-descript!). They have salads, wraps, burgers and a large pizza list. Naturally, I went with the za. I have to say, the pizza was dang good (the crust is awesome) and was easily split between two of us.
They serve wine, liquor and beer - but no drafts. Just bottles, and again, a pretty limited beer list (I believe Miller Light is there only light beer?).
Atmosphere was enjoyable and music was not too loud. Our server was super attentive and nice. If I was a betting woman, I'd say they will also have outdoor seating come summer right on Division Street - and probably be the hottest ticket in town!
Fuel confused me from the start.
I went last weekend under that impression it was a sports bar. (I know, I know with that name I should have known better.)
Yelp told me that it's supposed to be a lounge, but I didn't notice an area to participate in any lounging activities. Instead we awkwardly crowed around the bar.
So I guess it's a restaurant, but for some reason I felt strange about actually ordering food. I could have been b/c modern white plastic décor tends to make me uneasy. Oh and I totally couldn't figure out the crowd - trendy? Maybe.
Fuel probably turns into a club late night, but I only stayed for a cocktail and an appetizer. The "slightly dirty" gin martini was a salty mess, and on the expensive side.
.
The mushroom Bruschetta was ok, but I lost my appetite after glancing out the window and seeing that Fuel is next store that strange gym with the foggy windows. That really is gross...my gym has windows too, but somehow doesn't have that problem.
Small wonder this place went out of business. And yes, that's EXACTLY what's transpired despite claims to the contrary that this establishment is undergoing a "kitchen restructuring and concept redirection." This place was lost from day one. The food was AWFUL. The staff was completely unfriendly and indifferent; too busy talking amongst themselves or with their off-duty buddies. Best thing that could happen for this joint would be for them to sell to someone who actually knows how to run a restaurant.
Dear Lisa (I mean Marci),
Thank you for being a lot of fun last night and helping LeighAnne and me with our drinks. We'll definitely return to Fuel just to see you. Too bad you can't ignore your other tables and join us for drinks! I have to go now as my attention span has seriously declined in old age. It makes it hard to compete at Bingo over at the local hall.
Sincerely, Bill
Well, we went back again a few weeks later, and it wasn't quite as good. I may further revise this review if/when we hit this place again.
The Kobe burger wasn't nearly as good the second time around. The first time we went, it was probably in the top 5 burgers I had ever had. I basically couldn't sleep for two weeks thinking about it. This time, it was just your average burger.
My wife's meal was overcooked. We hadn't complained about it (yet), and the waitress came over and apologized for it being screwed up, and told us she wouldn't charge us for it. That was certainly appreciated, but why not just have the kitchen re-do it before bringing it out to begin with? Very odd.
Service was otherwise very good.
Been waiting for this place to open for a while, since it is less than two blocks from where I live,… Read more »
This place has appeared crowded every time I've walked by in the last few weeks. But why...
My friend ordered the Peachy Margarita, supposed to come with fresh peach slices. Absent. We asked for 3 apps, they brought 2 and forgot the 'made-to-order guacamole.' As it was, I wish it had stayed forgotten. After my friend reminded them, we were corrected by two servers that though the menu states 'made-to-order,' it is actually pre-made. Made-to-order by Jewel, apparently. After assuring us the guac was actually excellent, they then brought it out on a large plate filled with Tostitos. Yes, I know a Tostito when I taste one. I know they're 'restaurant-style' but c'mon.
Tried the bruschetta, not much better. Expected more since the food took a while to come out at all. Should have saved my money and hit up the snack aisle at Jewel, would have been more fulfilling.
Only positives were that they have an extensive smoothie menu which looked interesting, and they played some Hot Chip tunes during our meal. Too bad no hot plates.
I was only there for a few hours and it was around 6pm on a thursday, dead inside. My 4 stars is for the mojitos. They make a hell of a mojito. my friend and I ordered the 3 flight mojitos, we choose the 3. Cucumber/Apple was amazing, blackberry=delicious, strawberry=divine. The mojitos are made with all fresh fruit, so expect to wait a bit for them to make them. They were far from being too sweet, just the right amount of the sauce. The mint wasn't over powering. All the flavors were a great balance. Mojito lovers dream. I did not try the food or really take in the atmosphere to be able to comment on it..........i was just knee deep in mojito.
Oh fuel poor fuel...I do not think you are long for this world. I went with a group of friends last week and while I at first thought to chalk up our experience to an off night, I looked at the other reviews on here and realized that it was just one of their typical nights. Service? While our server was very sweet she was MIA most of the time. Is it a bar? Why such a small beer selection? The food? Mediocre at best. I thought I would be safe with a burger. I debated ordering it medium rare thinking that if I wanted it medium it would be a safe bet to order it that way. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and ordered it medium. Guess how it came out? You got it...WELL DONE.
The food came out in batches and by the time the last person got their food, I was done. There were eight of us...so don't think I just wolfed down my dinner. Other people in my group also had problems with their food. The manager did come over and offer us a discount on our bill which was very nice of him but truthfully, I would rather pay full price and have it done right then to get a discount and have it wrong.
It's really a shame that this place doesn't have it together. The outdoor seating looked great and I would have loved to perch myself there this summer.
Seeing how I was half-crocked by the time I arrived, I don't know that my review will be overly objective, but I'll do my best from what I can remember.
Met my girlfriends here for dinner on Friday night around 7:30. It didn't seem too busy (again, I was already tipsy) and we got a great seat by the window. Service definitely seemed a bit indifferent and slow. As for the food, I'd say typical bar food. We shared the mushroom bruschetta, but it was SO garlicy, it took me 2 days to get rid of the stank in my mouth (and I tried Altoids, multiple brushings, and mouthwash). I stole a piece of their pizza, which was pretty good, but a little dry. I had a chicken wrap, which was nothing special, but satisfied my drunken need for something in my stomach. I didn't have any drinks, er, didn't need any, but they seemed a bit on the $$ side.
I like the decor, but it kind of reminds me of a more modern version of Moonshine, after it turns into a club. Something about all the red lighting. Or maybe that was from my blurry vision.
If you live in Wicker Park and want a lounge-type atmosphere but don't want to travel too far, then this place would do you just fine. It's the kind of neighborhood lounge you can head out to, have a few drinks and then have your friends throw you in a cab to go home. Especially if you have friends in from out of town who want to go to a fancy lounge, but you don't want to. So you take them here...they like it, you like it, everyone's a winner! Shots anyone?
Went to Fuel for the first time last night and really enjoyed it. Had the thin crust Tuscany Pizza which was just plain delicious - also had the made-to-order guacamole which I loved as well...tasted very fresh, spicy but not too spicy....good stuff. As for drinks, they had half price bottle of wine night - so all in all, had dinner for 2 with wine for about $43 bucks, not too shabby! They also had a jazz band playing inside which was pretty nice....and our server was very friendly and came back to check on us at the right times. I'll definitely be going back.
Have been back 3 times since the first b/c the mojitos are amazing! Tried a different pizza this time even though I said I would never eat it again...lol! I think it may have been a bad choice the first time me and my firends went, either way..... Much better experiences since then and will most likely be back this weekend for cocktials:)
Was honestly expecting way more from the reviews online.. But LOVED the staff!!! They make the… Read more »
After a fun time last Friday I decided to bring a different friend and come back. Weather was cloudy but it hadn't started raining so we sat under these huge umbrellas. We had a few drinks and ordered some sliders and tomato and mozzarella bruchetta. It started to sprinkle and even rain a little hard but the umbrella covered us so we stayed outside with a few other people. We had eaten about half of our food when all of a sudden it started DOWN POURING!!! We ran in with our drinks but couldn't save the food. The manager immediately met us at the doors and took us to a seat and asked if he could make us fresh food. He was so nice and accommodating. The sliders were delicious and the bruchetta was some of the best I've ever had, different but...YUM!!
I can see that a good part of these review aren't in their favor but I'm a real fan and will be back!! Also, very small but important the waitress who I had last week came up to say hi cause she remembered me from last week. It's nice when wait staff pays attention like that and is friendly, she wasn't even our server today either. Her name is Rebecca...I definitely recommend her if you get a choice of whose section to sit in. Our waiters name was Ignacio I think and he was also super nice and a great waiter!!!
The night before I'd just been across the street at Edge and I had to try Fuel also, they just look… Read more »
Meh. I'm a dive bar kind of guy, so this really doesn't fit my personality.
Also, the DJ spinning the generic techno in the corner was pretty annoying.
Sadly, this would be a great space along the strip of great people watching on Division, but the speed of the kitchen, the slow (but kind) service and mediocrity of the food would keep me from patronizing twice.
The kobe beef burger seemed like a preformed patty purchased from Jewel. No refills on the iced tea. Fries seemed mass produced, too.
like mediocre food and techno music in a loungy setting? this is your place!
honestly, i found my meal there very underwhelming. first, they gave us glasses of water that still smelled of vodka cranberry. second, the food took forever to come out. when it did finally arrive, my friend's tuna wrap was overcooked and bland and my burger was very middle of the road with what i will assume were undercooked jewel steak fries. not good. to add to all the blah that was going on, the music was very annoying. so, there's sports on the plasmas, there's techno playing overhead, and the food is less spectacular than a tgi fridays. sorry, not for me. don't plan on giving this place a second chance.
I just had lunch with a girlfriend and had a nice time. The room looked good, the waiter was friendly and the food was tasty. The food came out so SLOW!!!!! So don't go there if you are in a hurry. We had the spinach dip as an appitizer and it was delicious. I had the mini sliders and my friend had the steak wrap. The mimosas were made with fresh squeezed juice. YUM! There were a few glitches but I will definately give them another chance.
WOW. I was really impressed by Fuel. We were desperate for something to eat on a rainy Sunday night around 10pm. We had been wanting to try Fuel on more happening night to check out the dj and bar, but driving past, thought we would give the food a try. What a great surprise. The pizza was a good price, with all fresh veggies, and a big variety too like broccoli and olives. We also shared guacamole and spin dip appetizers. Everything was in gigantic portions and tasted really fresh. We will definitely go back to try some cocktails and take in the live dj. The place is decorated with clean lines and simple design thats really appealing.
This gas station-themed Wicker Park bar--very cool tricked-out gas pumps dispensing the liquor looks more like a retro cafe by day, but shifts gears to a cocktail lounge at night. The Grand Opening was last night and it was a blast! We had mini sliders and their great fries. This place is a wonderful addition for Wicker Park.
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14
I like it here, food is better than average, I haven't had anything I didn't like. I had the veggie wrap and split a pizza, both were excellent. The service was reasonably quick and very polite. Our little server was quick on her feet and also quick witted and personable. It seemed like there were 2 servers for the entire outdoor area as well as inside, but I never felt like our table had been forgotten. We'll definitely be back next time the weather allows.
If you want Applebees or some heated up frozen Costco food then this is the place to go. The food is bad. They have no draft beer. The music is way TOO LOUD-- They were playing dance music at 5pm on a sunday and I couldnt hear myself think!
The food just plain ol' isn't very good. Lots of flash and no delivery. And I think, unfortunately, Fuel is a pretty good example of the way Division St is heading.
I like that there is ample outdoor seating...
The food was pretty good, (grilled tuna wrap). Not too many options if you watch what you eat... and they have a weird policy that you can't substitute fries for salad, even for an extra charge. I don't see the point of that - it just annoyed me. However, now I know the fries are good.
The service was slow and the food was just ok. One of our drinks did not taste at all right but we were told it was the bartender's "special." Overall it was not a good place to go for diner. The only reason we went here is because they still had available outdoor seating when we were walking the street.
Okay--really! The amount of Plasma TV Bars on my street is getting a little out of hand! This place is just as bad as EDGE across the street, but I was under the impression that FUEL was going to play good music and maybe possibly could be okay...however, the last 2 fliers I have seen have featured DJ's:
Dmitri Lovebone Sponsored by Cresendo/Zentra
DJMixinMarc
DJ Dino G
REALLY?!?! What a nightmare! I say you pack your bags and get out of this neighborhood because even the newbies who have moved over here are not interested in your awful music events and lame DJ's and Plasma sporting events.
Cheap drinks and bad Dj's will only keep you in business for so long.
My Vote: Terrible and a very lame crowd.
The only good thing is the free internet I am using here to voice my opinion on Yelp!
Cool patio and decor, however, the food is pretty lack-luster. I had a smoothie which was good, but the quesadilla and pizza were pretty basic/bland. I also tried a strawberry mojito, which tasted like cough syrup, and the half of the mint leaves were brown. Gross.
Maybe this place built itself up in my mind because I walk past it all the time and for the longest time the windows were all papered up and then it was open (!!!) and then I always looked in the window to see if people's food looked good. So I finally went and let's just say, I wasn't particularly impressed. We had the hummus plate as an app and then the Italian Pizza which had artichoke and prosciutto among other toppings. It was decent, but nothing worth writing home about. I drank a few mojitos and while they weren't bad, I've had better. Plus, the atmosphere was not exactly conducive to dining out with a friend. I can't even tell you how many times I said "huh??" and "what???" because I couldn't hear him over the music. If I wanted to struggle talking to my friend I wouldn't have suggested we go out to dinner in the first place!!!! Needless to say, I have no intentions of going back to Fuel. Sorry.
ugh, this place is horrible.
its down the street, so i decided to try it.
it was really slow on a saturday afternoon.
we sat down and the server came a few minutes later. he never introduced himself just asked if we needed more time or if we needed something to drink. we were okay with water and needed a few more minutes to order. the menu isnt too expansive. i didnt realize it was a pizza place either. i was expecting healthy foods since the sign outside talks about fresh juices and smoothies. the menu and drinks are pretty all over the place. we tried ordering guacamole but asked if it could be without cilantro. they said it was premade so we passed. then we ordered a burger mr and two veggie wraps one with a side salad. all the food came out cold. the side salad was just lettuce and a cucumber. we waited around for the food and decided we wanted a drink but could never get the servers attention. he finally came over with the food which was cold. my mr burger was overcooked. we ordered bloody marys. he specifically asked if we wanted them spicy or not. one yes and i said mine not spicy at all. he came back and my bloody mary was so intensely spicy i couldnt drink it. i work at a bar and know what our mary mix tastes like, if someone says not spicy i tell them if the actual mix is spicy or not to start. he didnt even mention that it was already a spicy mix. ugh, mine was even spicier than the one my sister ordered to be spicy. we finished and ordered a smoothie to go for a friend. the smoothie was great. (only reason im giving 2 stars) our tab for 3 people was 53 bucks. our marys were $9 each! i was shocked. i assumed we were getting well vodka but i guess we didnt. ive had better marys double the size with a chaser for cheaper!
ugh, i was so disappointed with this place. i guess i didnt really understand their concept or something. juice bar? smoothies? pizzas? fancy mixed drinks? it didnt really go together. dont go here unless you want to over pay for drinks and eat cold food.
One word: DISASTER!! They forgot to put our lunch order in and the place was pretty slow. The manager came over and apologized as we were putting on our coats to leave. The meal (which sucked) took well over an hour before arriving. I don't care about the fricking decor if the service blows and the food is, well, a step up from a fast food restaurant. The price points are steep for what it is. I also don't quite understand what they're going for as far as theme. I don't see them staying open too long with the way things are now. Incidentally, the table behind us sent their food back. Don't waste your time or money.
Just got back from FUEL and my Fuel Burger was awesome-I added bacon and cheese.My wife enjoyed the Quesadilla and Fuel salad. The decor was cool, clean and would be a great place for a party. The drinks(alcohol) need to come down in price-i could see myself sitting outside for 2hrs on a nice Chicago day. I give it 3stars and will go back .
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