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Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
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Fantabulous Fondue!
Lemme tell you a secret. . .. I've never done fondue before, shhhh! Yes, it's true. This was my first fondue experience and I loved every little bit of it. My wonderful mother brought me here to kick-off my bday week. We had such a splendid time.
I'm not even sure how to describe the decor. It's dark in there and on purpose, but there's a soft orangish lighting that complements the wood carvings and curtains on the openings to their comfy booths. Ah, but let's talk about the victuals!
We both selected a premiere dinner which is a wonderful choice if you want a full meal. It includes a small salad, cheese fondue w/bread & fruit, your selection of entree, and dessert fondue. The salad comes out with the cheese fondue. It's lightly dressed with a vinaigrette and just enough to get your palette ready for the glorious parade of flavors to follow. The cheese fondue was a little sharp for my liking with the bread pieces, but was easily balanced when eaten with the fruit.
The entree comes out next which you cook yourself in a thin broth-like oil base, much like a hot-pot at Chinese restaurants. With your meat selection (entree) comes great veggies cut into bite-sized pieces (i.e., potatoes, mushrooms, onions) and 8 different sauces for dipping. My fav sauces being the dill, spicy mayo, garlic, and teriyaki. Although, I feel I got more dipping sauce on my shirt that I did in my mouth, lol. My entree was The International and consisted of bite-sized portions of chicken, beef tenderloin, and jumbo shrimp. It was so great!
Last was the "piece de reistance", the chocolate fondue! It's accompanied by a platter of fruit and cake pieces, along with marshmallows that you can roast when they flambe the chocolate. Oh, that chocolate is absolutely divine!!!!!! Mmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnnnnn. . . . I seriously dreampt about it when I went to sleep that night. I recommend letting a cake piece sit in the pot for like 10 seconds so it soaks all the way through. You'll taste all the unique flavors in the chocolate at once. I'm trying to re-live that moment as I type this. Sigh.
Even though I had a peach of a time with my mother, Geja's would rank high on my list of great romantic date spots. The ambiance and intimate setting is great for romance. If you make reservations in advance for a booth it would be perfect. You. Must. Try. Geja's! The food is wonderful, the service is excellent, and the chocolate fondue is heaven in a pot. Take someone special or celebrate an occasion. Just make sure you go.
How overrated can you get?
It's delicious, don't get me wrong. It's a great date place, it has great food from cheese to dessert. However, romantic? MAYBE if you get one of the booths. Maybe. If you don't mind the stench of oil cooking. If you're at a table like 90% of the people there, you're rubbing elbows with your neighbors, listening to their conversations, it's awful. Go right at opening and get a booth. Otherwise, it's as romantic as White Castle.
The inevitable Melting Pot comparison: Melting Pot wins hands down on cheese, as there are many different kinds of cheese they have, most of which are better than Geja's. Melting Pot wins on dollar value for meat, you get way more there in the Big Night Out than you do for the full dinners here. The two tie for meat selection. Melting Pot also wins hands down on desserts - so many different selections and you get to make your own if you desire. The atmosphere is just as good if not better for a date there with the round tables that allow you to sit next to your date.
I go here when I want fondue with a change of atmosphere. A+ for banning kids though.
I came here for New Year's Eve a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it. The restaurant had a pre-fixe menu, featuring so much food that I was full for days! The restaurant is very romantic, and we were seated right next to some musicians, who were fabulous but not overpowering.
The food itself is very good - the cheese fondue is delicious, and the dipping sauces for our main course were fantastic (and there were a bunch to choose from). My favorite part of the meal was our dessert - I can't say no to chocolate fondue!
I would definitely go back, but probably only for special occasions. The menu is kind of pricey if you're looking to get a full meal, but definitely a good option if you're looking for appetizers or just dessert.
I give a 5 when I get above expectations. It's not a 5 star but it was great. Don't go to melting pot this is the place for fondue. If you don't want fondue go somewhere else. The wait staff is great and it's a fun atmosphere. We have been to a few five star restaurants in Chicago and we always feel like we spent too much. This one we spent 1/5 of the price and loved the experience....
Lucky I did not know how to put 0 starts ....
I am french, I know what fondue is.... and It's nowhere near this awfull, smelly, creamy, orange mixture, in which you get to dip the stupidest ingredients such as soft bread or grape !
I was ashamed I went with friends to whom we had to explain that this is really not what it should be. When we cooked it at home for them, it was like a revelation, I doubt they'll be back there anytime.
And that's only talking about the food...
What about the terrible smell ? As soon as you are back home you need to get rid of every piece of clothes you had been wearing and run in the shower wash your hair .. maybe that's what makes it a "famous" date place ...
I could keep writting, but I guess you get the point: DON'T GO ... ever !
Mmm. The most romantic place on the planet, hands down. I love Gejas. The only complaint I have is that the small 2-person tables can be a bit cramped (that and hearing the d-baggy jerk failing to impress his date sitting at the table behind us), but if that's the only complaint, I'd say they're doing everything right!
The cheese fondue is... so... good. The meats are amazing (and a lot, so be hungry), and holy cow- that chocolate fondue at the end. Mmm.
The service is always stellar, ambience is amazing, and I always leave very full and happy. :) I love you, Gejas!
This place is sooo fun to go to on a date. Just know that it's totally possible that you won't feel like making out after eating a ton of fondue. And I wouldn't get crazy dressed up to come here as you will be cooking with hot oil. This place is like a cave with excellent dipping sauces and good tasting meat and seafood. Excellent cheese and chocolate fondue. We sat in a booth and felt closed off from things. I loved that and I will make sure I sit at a booth the next time I come here. I can see how not being in a booth could make Geya's less than wonderful. I think this is a perfect place for first time Fonduers.
I don't usually do fondue, but here it was fondue well done. :)
This definitely rates above a 4. I'm always hesitant to give out 5's though.
Came here last night with my sister for our usual date night and was pleasantly surprised by the wonderful service, very nice atmosphere (we had reservations and they gave us a comfortable booth), and the abundance of food.
We did the premier dinners, the vegetable dinner and the beef tenderloin & scallops dinner which came with a cheese appetizer course and a dessert course. More expensive, but worth it. Also comes with coffee too.
I enjoyed my experience and i would come back. Just to note, if you do a full course selection, dinner will take longer. We sat down at 8:20PM and finished around 10pm. Valet costs $10.
If you're searching for an exceptionally romantic restaurant in Chicago, this is it. Geja's Cafe is a dark velvety cavernous lair of love. I'm convinced that fondue is one of the sexiest styles of dining out there, and once you've dined at Geja's, you'll agree. Bubbling pots of liquid, dark chocolate rippling over fresh fruit, your significant other's face glimmering from the incredibly flattering candle light... yeah, clearly not a first date sort of place. Go if you're in love. Go if you want to make someone feel special. Just go.
Oh, and if the L word hasn't been dropped just yet, it will be. Geja's will make it happen.
I can't think of any reason why someone would give this place less than 4 stars.
Candlelit cave + flamenco guitar + wine and fondue = 4 stars in itself.
As for the food, the premier dinners ($45-50 per person) are the way to go if its your first time because you'll get a taste of everything.
Appetizer: cheese fondue w/ a basket of bread cubes, grapes and apples.
Main: (whatever premier dinner you select with a side of vegetables) and 8 different dipping sauces.
Dessert: melted chocolate fondue pot with a generous plate of pound cake/apples/pineapple/grapes/melon/toasted marshmellows
If there is anything overrated about this place, it is probably the portions. The appetizer and dessert are well sized for you to feel that you got your fill and money's worth....the main, not so...I did expect them to serve more lobster and steak, sadly, half the plate was filled with veggies.
Nevertheless, if you're a small to normal-sized eater, i'm sure you'll be very satisfied. Guys, you'll probably still have room for a cheeseburger after the meal.
Most definitely a charming and romantic little cave.
Tip#1: most tourist magazines have $25-off coupons floating around for this place, which brings the bill down by quite a bit!
Tip#2: if you're big and clumsy, you might want to request for a booth to avoid invading the space of other diners.
Geja's Cafe is hands down one of the most romantic places I have been too. I'm not sure if I equate making your own food with romance, but I still love this place. While people say it is small, I think that gives it a more intimate setting.
We were a few minutes early, and still waiting for one of our party members, so we waited around the bar area, and took in the beautiful flickering candles and general ambiance. Once seated... we were in a comfortable booth, which was perfect because their were 4 of us. Our waiter was very helpful, as we had never been there before. He explained all of the different dinners and combination.
Fortunately, I was with a group that really liked to eat, so we went all out and ordered the Prince Geja's Combination. Wow, talk about a lot of food: We started with a salad and the cheese-fondue... the melted cheese was full of flavor! Very good! Then came the meats: Aged beef tenderloin, lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, Atlantic sea scallops and boneless chicken breast. I especially appreciated the variety of assorted dipping sauces that accompanied the dinner course. Once word: ridiculous. But in a good way! It was a ridiculous amount of food and it was ridiculously good. We enjoyed doing our little meat-cooking session, even though we were all a bit apprehensive at first. Our waiter answered our questions and was very helpful. All of the meats/seafood were excellent, it was hard to pick a favorite!
We all ate so much, it was difficult to eat much dessert, we all had one or two dips of the yummy flaming chocolate dessert fondue then had to call it quits before the food-coma set in....
Geja's Cafe will always have a spot in my heart.... and I will be visiting this exceptional restaurant again soon.
Geja's Cafe is a pretty darn good fondue restaurant and don't let anybody tell you otherwise. What it lacks in space it more than makes up for in ambiance, food quality, and service.
Upon entering you are greeted by the Maitre D' dressed in a sleek suit and are asked if you have a reservation. Our reservation was for 8:30 on a Sunday night. We arrived around 8:15 and were told they were running about 10 minutes behind. We were pointed to the lounge area (more like a small bar with a few seats and a table in the corner) and we waited there until the Maitre D' called our names around 8:45.
We were seated at a small table towards the back of the restaurant and while we had enough room to be comfortable, we could tell that people in other sections of the restaurant were crammed for space.
A quick look over the wine list (they had a pretty decent selection, though nothing to write home about) and we were ready to order our wine. My GF ordered a glass of the sweet Riesling and I ordered a glass of the pinot noir. The pinot was delicate though not terribly complex (to be expected from a $8.50 glass of wine) and my girlfriend's sweet Riesling was, well, sweet (I'm not a huge fan of sweet white wines).
We ordered the Connoisseur for dinner which was a combination of the cheese and chocolate fondue, a side salad, and the beef tenderloin, shrimp, and lobster tail for the main.
The cheese fondue came out at the same time as the salad which was a little upsetting because I wanted to enjoy the salad first but the cheese fondue was quickly heating up to the point of almost burning, so I wanted to get to that quickly. The salad was actually delicious for as simple as it was. Just mescalin greens with a mustard vinaigrette. The cheese fondue was a Gruyere cheese and was absolutely fabulous. The breads and fruits that came with it were very fresh.
The main course was next and there was plenty to share for two people. Everything was very fresh which was much appreciated and, as instructed, everything on our plate (with the exception of the potatoes) was able to be cooked in 2 minutes. The cooking oil was the proper temperature and we were each given 4 skewers for multiple items. The plate came with a ton of veggies (all of which were also very fresh) and everything tasted delightful.
I should also note that during the main course I ordered a glass of the red Zinfandel from California and I have to say that it was much better than the pinot noir. Great spice in this wine with dark fruit flavors and a deep ruby color. Very pleasant.
Finally, on to dessert. The meal comes with a chocolate fondue which they flambee with orange liqueur for a minute or two and invite you to toast your marshmallows in the flames. You are given an assortment of fresh fruit, pound cake, and marshmallows, all of which taste amazing in the chocolate. The meal also includes their coffee which is very tasty and we ordered a glass of sparking dessert wine (don't remember exactly which one) which was great.
All in all, a terrific meal. The only thing that was not to my liking was that we were not seated on time and that the restaurant on a whole was very cramped.
My g/f chose this restaurant for my birthday dinner since I had never been here before, and it was the perfect choice! Everything was done right: The cheese fondue was tasty (only wish was more apples), salad for being as simple as it was was great, for the main course we had the Prince Geja's which was fabulous, and the chocolate and coffee at the end rounded out the meal perfectly. They even brought me a little cake with a candle for my birthday. The atmosphere was very romantic, it's a dark place so be prepared, and we were at the dark table so we had an abundance of candles for our ambient light. The guitar player was not too over powering either.
I loved the food here and will definitely be coming back.
It was about like this:
Husband @ 30 seconds: This is pretentious and shady. Why are we going underground?
Husband @ 2 minutes: I could read the menu cover to cover and still have no idea what's going on. Please order for us. Is there adequate ventilation here? We're sealed in a cave with camp stoves; we're all going to die.
Husband @ 10 minutes: This cheese stuff on the apples is pretty damn delicious.
Husband @ 40 minutes: I am a grown-ass man toasting marshmallows over a tablecloth. This is the best date I've ever been on.
Husband @ 1 hour: This chocolate fondue has changed my life. My wife is exquisite and brilliant for coming up with this. I will now sip my coffee like an adult and praise her.
We went for their 44th anniversary = 44% off promotion and got the cheese + chocolate for two. I saw people muscling through three courses, but we were overstuffed with these.
The kitchen let me mix and match the veggies I wanted to add on (broccoli + cauliflower + mushroom), though the menu doesn't mention that the charge for the veggie additions is per person. Then the proportions were off, and we ran out of cheese way before we could finish the veggies. We had started rationing the cheese early, which made that course pretty anticlimactic and damn near stressful.
The salad is nothing to yelp about, but the coffee is delicious. Loads of freshly whipped cream to dollop and heavenly with a few spoonfuls of chocolate fondue (of which there was plenty; it outlasted the dippers). This course was really well done--the pound cake was my favorite, with toasted marshmallow with a cherry on top as a close second.
The servers and bussers were excellent. The cell phone-free + kid-free environment was a big plus. Getting a $25 gift certificate for birthdays and anniversaries is a huge plus--that's a BOGO for what I just discovered the maximum I can comfortably eat in one sitting. I will be back on my birthday.
I LOVE this place. I have been here about 5 times-always bringing someone different-my husband, sister, friends, and so on. I love introducing new people to this place! Make reservations because this place has a wait. Very cozy and romantic. Come hungry-you will leave stuffed! Best fondue place hands down! LOVE the flaming chocolate fondue!!
For our anniversary, my boyfriend surprised me by taking me to Geja's Cafe for dinner. I had been craving fondue for a while now and was SO excited at the prospect of dipping food into yummy cheeses and chocolates.
We had reservations, but when we go there we were invited to go the bar for a drink so we could wait for a private booth. It's pretty dark, but I thought it was romantic. We were seated about 10 mins later and immediately became intrigued at the pot of oil over a flame in the middle of our table. We grabbed our menus and pondered over them until our very friendly waitress came to explain it all to us. We ordered the Premium Dinner-- which includes cheese fondue and a salad for an app, you and your companion's (separate) choice of meats, seafood and veggies for the main course and chocolate fondue for dessert. It runs an average of $45 for each person depending on what you get.
I am a Fondue novice and was comfortable when they brought the cheese fondue and bread, grapes and apples to be poked and dipped. The cheese was so delicious...it went so well with everything on the plate. Next came the main course, which made me a little nervous because it was basically a platter with raw meat and veggies to be dipped and cooked in the now boiling oil on our table and then dunked in the 12 dipping sauces offered. This was very new to me. Our waitress was so nice and explained cooking times and tips for all of it. It took some time to get the technique down, and though many a vegetable was lost in the bottom of the oil, the dinner was really yummy and quite entertaining. My favorite was the shrimp.
I was so full after dinner that I could barely choke down the flaming chocolate fondue and fruit, cake and marshmallows that came with it. But oh, it was so good. I would definitely just come back for dessert so I could enjoy it properly.
All in all it was one of the most fun dinners I have ever been to, and highly recommend it for a special occasion. However, if you're looking for a super mellow evening and are not into literally working for your yummy food (or being semi-awkward), then you might want to venture elsewhere.
This place was so much fun!!!! Our server was very helpful, really taking time to explain menu options and make recommendations. The decor was great. I loved the intimate table settings. Our Saturday entertainment included Flamenco guitar, which was probably not necessary, but nice nonetheless. The staff offered to us on numerous occasions to bring us extra vegetables and potatoes if we finished what we had, but alas, we were too full!! The meals highlights were the cheese fondue with grapes and the frangelico cappuccino - very much worth the extra $$.
I love Geja's because I'm a dipper! What's not to love about dipping bread/fruit into bubbly melty cheese, meat /veggies into hot oil and then dipping them into sauces, and then fruit/poundcake into chocolate.
I love the choice in sauces, and their selection of meats and high-end seafood like lobster. I don't love how I smell when I leave there...like I've been baked in oil for an hour.
It's nice for a splurge. I've been here 5 times....and I love it each and every time.
This is my favorite date place! Uber romantic.
While waiting for our table, we sat at the bar and had a couple drinks. The bartender was great suggesting wines for us.
We had the cheese, oil, and chocolate fondues. Really, the food isn't the most amazing meal you'll have and you end up smelling like something fried by the end of the night, but the ambiance is totally worth it.
Best part - the flamenco guitarist playing in the background!
Fantastic place for quality of the fondue and the romantic atmosphere. In my experience, great fondue is a hard thing to find- not present in New York for example. Geja's gives you the epitome of fondue- real equipment with a powerful flame; quality meats and breads. Good wines. Reservations are needed (on opentable). Location is great as well since you are close to unique Armitage boutiques.
The best restaurant on the planet... at least in my opinion. I've come here on dates, with family, with friends and it's always the right fit. The menu is killer... fondue is such a fun, communal food. The cheese fondue is so amazingly delicious, and the breads they serve it with are sooo f-ing good. Love the sauces they serve with the meat course as well. They make it such a treat! And, the flaming chocolate dessert course is just retardedly good. Oh yeah. I always leave here with a fully belly and with a smile on my face.
I've been wanting to go to this place for a long time and finally got the chance to last Thursday night. I've had fondue before, but never been to a fondue-specific restaurant, and my friends had talked this place up so much that I was pretty excited to check this place out.
We made a reservation for 8PM and when we got there were given the option to hang out at the bar and wait a little bit longer for a booth because they were more private. No biggie so we grabbed two seats and two glasses of wine at the bar. The atmosphere was much like everyone has said; dimly lit, soft overhead music, 6-inch voices of people, etc. The decor was straight out of the 70s (well, what do I know since I was born in the 80s, but that was it seemed like!) and I took particular notice in the bartop which was covered in little tile hearts. Ooo la la. The wait was a little longer than we expected so we ended up ordering a bottle of the Geja's house cabernet at the bar and took it to our table.
The hostess came up to the bar and took us to a booth. It wasn't entirely private, but much better than being right on top of another table. It was difficult to read the menu because of the poor lighting, so I'd suggest taking a look online beforehand to plan ahead. Depending on how hungry you are, you can order things a la carte; if you are hungry, order one of the premier dinners because it comes with the cheese fondue, a salad, your meats/veggies, and the chocolate dessert. We were hungry so we went with two premier dinners: the beef tenderloin and chicken, and the beef tenderloin and lobster.
The cheese fondue was awesome. The waiter brought out a post of hot cheese and a decent-sized basket of breads, grapes, apples, and other various foods. I LOVE LOVE LOVE apples dipped in cheese, and I'm a HUGE fan of pumpernickel bread, so I went to town. It was quite filling, but I couldn't stop eating, and hoped that I would have plenty of room for everything else that was coming.
Once we were done with the cheese fondue the meats and veggies came out. WIth that came a huge pile of assorted veggies and 8 dipping sauces (props to the spicy garlic sauce - YUM). To be honest, I was a little surprised at first because it didn't appear to be a lot of meat. There were the 4 rows of meat and about 4 chunks per row. Since I'm a big eater I expected a bit more, but once I started digging in I was pretty fulfilled. Since the meats and veggies take a few minutes to cook in the oil, it was a slower eating process, so by the time we were done I was full. They said to cook the meats for 3 minutes or so, but to get mine closer to well-done I let them sit a little longer. I also made a new discovery - broccoli is super tasty when you cook it in oil!
A few minutes after finishing the meats the chocolate fondue and goodies came out. I am not a big fan of chocolate, but seeing it right in front of me with a plate full of pound cake and assorted fruits was too tempting not to indulge. After we made it through about 2/3 of the plate we hit the wall and were DONE.
With two premier dinners, a bottle of house wine, 2 additional glasses, and a $40 gift certificate, our bill still came to about $85... so assume about $75 per person with tip if you dine like we did. The experience was top-notch, the food was great, and the staff was friendly. It an every-so-often type of restaurant, and I wouldn't suggest bringing large or loud groups of friends to this place.
The only oddity of the night was the couple to the far right of us in a booth on the opposing wall. I couldn't help but notice the awkward lack of conversation and staring over at our table. I'm not sure if it was a bad first date, a breakup, or what, but that being said, Geja's really isn't a place to stage either one of those two events. Hopefully everything worked out between the two of them!
This place just doesn't live up to the hype. If you like the experience of cooking your own food, not getting any service, sweating at your table and then paying big bucks this is your ticket to fun. And that's if you can even see. Our waiter needed to to do more waiting and less socializing with the other employees.Maybe he just couldn't see our table.Our cooking oil never got really hot - so some of the food was sketchy to eat at best. We would have requested new burners but that would have meant our waiter would have had to come to our table to serve us which he didn't. On the opposite side I will warn that if you have a large party and a booth as we did those burners put off enough warmth to make you really uncomfortable.I thought we were going to lose one of our dinner party to heat exhaustion.Of course it was so dark you couldn't tell if it was really cooked or not.
I know this is supposed to be romantic place but its still a restaurant so service is expected along with enough light I can see the raw shellfish and poultry I am paying to cook-myself! Candle light is romantic, cave dark is a bit to creepy..
Geja's was alright. Out of all the fondues, my favorite was the cheese fondue with bread. The meats and seafood were just plain-tasting....although I did enjoy the shrimp. I did do some dipping sauces to give it some flavor, but I just wasn't feeling it. Chocolate fondue was okay....nothing compared to Melting Pot's.
The place was dark and you do come out smelling like the restaurant. As for the romantic atmosphere??? Um, I don't really know. I went with my fiance and it didn't feel romantic. Maybe because we didn't have a booth but were instead seated at a small table right by the entry way (crappy area)....I don't know. Or maybe it was because we were dressed like bums.
Thanks, Groupon, it was fun, but the food isn't really worth a second visit.
One thing I learned about fondue in general....only go for the chocolate fondue and only go to Melting Pot. That's just me.
WOW.
I bought a Groupon for Geja's a few months ago and it almost expired before I made it here but boy, am I glad I managed to squeeze it in. Geja's is an amazing little maze of a restaurant. Whilst mostly a date spot, I actually went with two friends, and it wasn't entirely awkward. In fact, I would recommend breaking the norm and bringing your friends along for the experience!
Everything about Geja's is wonderful. The atmosphere, the service, and most of all the food. Like I need an excuse to eat melted cheese or fry things in hot oil? Step out of my way, I've got my bib on already!
Geja's has a fairly extensive wine list but if you have trouble picking I recommend ordering one of the wine flights. They do a fairly good job of pairing your wines for your meal in this regard and I found that their selections were both appropriate and entirely YUM. Of course, you can always make your own selections, or, should you prefer, ask for assistance in ordering from the regular wine list.
The booths are backed by shelves of wine bottles and highly uncomfortable, and the place sounds and smells of sizzling hot oil, so I would hardly call it the most romantic restaurant in Chicago...just a decent one-time experience. They also keep it really cold inside...which makes sense later when you have to cook your food in a vat of hot oil in front of you...but I was freezing at first. Not romantic.
I suppose the most romantic aspect of it all was the interactive dining. Having to cook our own food kept us pretty busy throughout the meal, and we found it to be a rather fun experience. The meals come with eight dipping sauces, and it was a good time mixing and matching and figuring out what tasted best with what. I suppose I might recommend it to those with poorer social skills (and deep wallets) who need a place to take a date.
The food by itself, however, only tasted okay. It's just stuff cooked in oil - LOTS of oil. For the cheese fondue, I found the bread a bit stale, and some of the fruit in a questionable state. For well over $50 per person (excluding wine)...this shouldn't really happen.
One of my all time favorite restaurants in Chicago... I insist on going there for my birthday every year. The combination dinners are the way to go. I personally don't care for the chicken... it gets too dry and I don't think it stands up to the oil as well as the beef, shrimp and lobster. The dipping sauces are incredible... I love the dill and horseradish.
I always recommend this place for a first date. It's really interactive eating which is always good to keep conversation rolling. It's also a longer dinner... I have never spent less than 2 hours at the table.
The wine selection is intense but the waiters are always good for a recommendation.
Note: They don't allow kids there after like 6pm. It sounds mean but really, a bunch of kids running around with hot oil and on every table... not a great idea.
Still the Sybaris of Restaurants...
The first thing that hits you upon opening the door - the oily, fishy smell. The same odor you take home with you, and can only get out of your clothes after taking your clothes to the cleaners. Seriously. Almost had an oil accident, with the oil popping uncontrollably. Oil splashes on clothes, and on the mirror next to the table. Terribly unromantic.
And the bloating caused from all the oiled food wasn't terribly romantic either.
The Sybaris of Restaurants....
$30 per person for about 6 oz of protein, some bread (unlimited…
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Gejas is by far my second favorite resteraunt in chicago, its a fantastic intimate ambiance that is great for dates, celebrating anniversaries or other intimate affairs.
The decore is dimly lit by candles and low lighting creating a romantic mood and the decor is nice with shelves of wine bottles and paintings.
i would definatly recommend this to anyone who looking to take someone on a special date.
The staff is extremly friendly and the food is wonderful especially the cheese coarse. You will leave this place full as full can be.
i would highly recommend you make a reservation for this place and ask for a booth.
My husband and I came for a romantic dinner this weekend. What a mistake, but that was entirely my fault!
I've had better fondue and certainly more reasonably priced meals, but the ambience here was just lovely. I liked the décor and enjoyed the live music on Friday night. The wait wasn't terribly long and our waiter, Jason, was fantastic.
The food was good, though the chocolate left something to be desired, but still we left stuffed.
And therein was the problem with our *romantic* date night.
We were too full to do anything but roll ourselves into a cab and melt into the couch at home.
If you know what I'm saying...
And I think you do.
My girlfriend and I decided to head to Geja's Cafe for our 4-year anniversary after some helpful research online(thank you yelpers). I'd say we had high expectations given some of our previous dining experiences in Chicago and Boston. Well, these expectations were definitely met and surpassed. I would not compare it so say...Everest as they are completely different. Geja's was definitely one of the most memorable and easily makes it into my top ten dining experiences.
We walked into the restaurant and were directed to the bar as I had a reso for 8:00pm, but the hostess suggested we grab a drink or glass of vino because a booth would soon be available. If you're presented with this option, I would highly suggest waiting it out for two reasons. First, the non-booth seating looked a little tight for a fondue experience. Second, the bartender was extremely helpful and pleasant. He suggested trying a glass of wine that we enjoyed so much I went with a bottle of it for dinner(some syrah-combo).
The waitress was very nice and attentive(but not too attentive). My girlfriend and I decided to go with the premier fondue flights which we well worth it in my opinion. I cannot recall which of us ordered "PRINCE GEJA'S COMBINATION" and who ordered "THE CONNOISSEUR" as we both shared the entire meal.
This was sooooooo much food and definitely somewhere fun and romantic to spend an entire evening. The fruits and breads were a great start with the Gruyère and Brandy fondue. The main course was a massive presentation of meats and seafood. I was a little skeptical of the seafood(scallops and lobster) given that I live in Boston now and am surrounded by some of the best seafood one could find. My skepticism was quickly squashed as the scallops and lobster were top notch.
I believe I read earlier in a review that you should be careful about what you wear as the oil can splatter. I wore a nice tie and blazer and walked out unstained (a feat I was quite impressed with myself since we had an absurd amount of wine and complimentary champagne). So I would not worry about leaving Geja's cafe stained unless you plan on throwing your food at your date.
The meal finished up with pound cake and fruits with the decadent Belgian chocolate. Feeling like gluttons, we ignored how full we were from the meal and indulged in the perfect and overwhelmingly chocolaty conclusion to our meal. The waitress heard us mention it was our anniversary and the next thing we knew she was back at our table with some complimentary champagne.
We struggled to finish the chocolate fondue, so the waitress wrapped it up so we could take it home and heat it up later. I'm only mentioning this because I was surprised to see this at a fondue establishment.
The bill was modest when you think about how much food and the great experience we had. In all reality you could not find a better meal for the price range at Geja's (around $200 if you go all out for two of you).
In summary:
Atmosphere: 4 stars(I thought it was a bit warm at times)
Food: 4.5 stars
Service: 4.5. stars
Overall Experience 4.5 stars.
Fondue is fun when dining out with a group and I find that it always makes for good conversation. The Chicago Tribune named Gejas Cafe the Best Fondue Place in Chicago and since I walk past it every single day I decided to gather up a crew and give it a whirl. To people who have never gone the fondue route before, be prepared to drop some dough. If you add in alcohol, tax and gratuity to your meal, it comes to around $80/per person. It's really an experience like no other and I think everyone should try fondue dining at least once and Gejas is the perfect place.
Lets just start with the ambiance of Gejas. It's almost like you are walking into a romantic cave when you open the doors. It's dimly lit with candles on the walls and tables, live music was playing softly in the background from a man with his Flamenco guitar. They have these beautiful curtained booths which are perfect for dates and their little bar is tucked in the back. I wouldn't mind coming in for a glass of wine sometime. It's such a charming little place with a lot of character.
I had a group of 5 people and we were sat at a larger table in the middle. We were approached right away by a very friendly waiter who took our drink orders and shorty after that, the wine began to flow.
The menu has several options that come out in different courses. Every premier dinner that you order comes with a cheese-fondue appetizer, salad, an assortment of fresh vegetables, eight of their classic dipping sauces, and a flaming chocolate dessert fondue (yum!)
I chose The Connoisseur which is aged beef tenderloin, jumbo Gulf shrimp, and succulent lobster tail and it will run you $48.95 per person. The meat was wonderful and the lobster just melts in your mouth. They have so many different dipping sauces and it's so fun just to try out all the different combos.
Everything was so wonderful, I loved dipping the strawberries in chocolate at the end. What a treat. Overall I had a great time with friends while eating great food and drinking fine wine. I will be back.
We went to Geja's Café (pronounced Gay-Ha's) for my girlfriend's 25th birthday. I had a $25 http://Restaurant.com gift certificate (actually I bought four thinking that the bill would be around $100 until I realized you can only use one at a time, d'oh!).
First things first - they have valet for a reason. It is impossible to park over there even on a Wednesday night. We eventually did find some meters along Clark St which wasn't too far away. Beware the LAZ parking meter rates though (25 cents for 15 min until 9pm).
The building that Geja's is in is shared by another restaurant. Just remember to go down the set of stairs rather than up them. When we entered, the place seemed a bit cramp. The Maitre'D recommended we hang out at the bar which we did. The bar was small but had assorted crackers and a bowl of this delectable cheese spread which was delicious.
We were seated shortly after at a booth. This gave us time to check out the atmosphere. Although the place seems cramp, it seems that it was part of the master plan. Everything about the place invokes intimacy. From the Spanish and Moorish décor, subtle lighting (maybe too subtle, more on that later) and Flamenco guitar (live on some nights) playing in the background, romantically challenged guys could breathe a sigh of relief. It was definitely more romantic than the only other fondue place I've been to (Melting Pot).
Our waiter was Ramiro - who every waiter should model themselves after. I would say his charm and inviting demeanor made half of the evening.
I ordered Prince Geja's Combination - beef tenderloin, lobster tail, jumbo shrimp, sea scallops and chicken breast. My girlfriend ordered the International - the same as Prince Geja's but without the lobster and scallops. The first course of our meal was a cheese fondue dip that was a mixture of cheese and white wine - it basically tasted like a much better beer cheese. On the side was a plate of grapes, apples and white and dark bread. Who knew fruit and cheese went together!? Everything went together perfectly. I give this part of our meal 5 stars.
The second course of the meal was our main dishes. Ramiro came out with a large platter - our meat on one side, vegetables (onion, mushrooms, red/yellow/green peppers, potatoes, and broccoli) on the other and 8 different dipping sauces in the middle (horseradish, sweet chili sauce, teriyaki, barbeque, can't remember the rest). Our waiter was very thorough about how long to cook everything - very important if you are wondering why your chicken is way too chewy. Then the fun began. It was little tricky getting the food on the prongs (especially the meat), but we managed and dropped them into the pot full of soybean oil. Tip: To keep the more tender meat from slipping off the prong while cooking, add a vegetable to hold it in place. Of course, as fondue beginners, we ended up with pieces of food at the bottom of the pot and had to fish them out.
Now as far as the food went, I must say that I did not enjoy this part as much. I think it required way too much coordination - 1) Wait, how long have I had it in for? 2) Is it cooked? (I couldn't tell because it was so dark in there) 3) Did I touch the raw meat with the fork I'm about to eat from? See what I mean? Anyway, the sauces were such a life saver as they helped mask my fears of contracting mad cow disease. I would say in this case, this portion of the meal was 4 stars - just because I was eating in the dark so to speak.
The last course was a chocolate fondue dip which was awesome. Ramiro brought it out and set down a platter of strawberries, pineapple, pound cake cut up in cubes, marshmallows and cantaloupe. Then, the highlight of the evening for me - he lights the pot of chocolate on fire and tells us to roast our marshmallows like we were camping. Too cool. I think I was having way too much fun when my marshmallow lit on fire and I sorta freaked. Anyway, at that point our bellies were way past capacity and we ended up getting the dessert to go. I give this portion of dinner 5 stars.
The value of dinner was pretty good - great ambience, a lot of food, presentation and welcoming staff. We ended spending a total of ~$105 w/ drinks and without gift certificate deducted. I only gave it 4 stars because of parking, the price and the restaurant being too dimly lit for my liking. Overall a great date night.
Perfect place if you want to impress your date. My husband brought me here for our one-year anniversary and I loved it. Very romantic and cozy. We were at a table but would have loved to be seating at the booths. Definitely need to call a couple weeks in advance to reserve a booth. We were sitting so close to the couple next to us that we could overhear their entire awkward conversation (I think they were on a first or second date).
We got the beef and chicken fondue dinner, with cheese and chocolate dessert. We were definitely full with the three course meal. I loved the choices in dipping sauces.
There was a guy playing flamenco music on a classical guitar throughout dinner which added to the ambiance.
John and I have been here at least five times in the past year or so now and it's great every time. It's wonderful just the two of us to have a nice long delicious meal. But it's also a good place for a special dinner with friends.
If you go early in the evening you can get a booth (which is much nicer than the tables) without a reservation. Otherwise definitely call ahead. The service is always top notch when we've been here.
Once things pick up there is a live Spanish guitar performance up front (which you can hear through out the restaurant). That always sets the mood for a relaxing night out.
The food and wine list are always great as well. I won't stop recommending Gejas!
We came here for the Chicago Restaurant Week special. I really enjoyed the dark ambience and the food, my husband wasn't such a fan of the dark but really did love his steak and scallops. I loved the shrimp, and I really did enjoy the cheese fondue. I just wish the bread was toasted... that would have been amazing. The dipping sauces were also highly tasty, and the portion for the dinner special was just right.
The service was great, and I would definitely come back here with a group!
One little tip... it seems obvious, but the trick to fonduing well without losing all of your food, is making sure that the fork angles up when you put the food in... that way it won't slide off when you grab it. It took me a while to discover that pearl of wisdom. ;0)
LOVED IT! Celebrated an anniversary here with the bf. It was a great fun experience - something new and different.
After reading other reviews - I requested a booth for the romantic atmosphere...the booth was great - but it is SUPER DARK! It was hard to see well! But guess that adds to the mystery and romanticism. We went on a Wednesday at 6:30PM - when we got there, only a few other patrons were there - by the time we left it was fairly busy! And they also had a guy playing the guitar. Adds to the cute atmosphere.
They have valet service, but when we got there there seemed to be a lot of street parking available on Lincoln on that cold, snowy day.
Our server was great - it was our first time there so he explained everything really well from the food available to the cautionary message of not using the same fondue fork to eat off of after putting it in the hot oil. :)
We ordered the premier dinners. It's great because you can each pick your own premier dinner! We just happened to get the same beef and scallops dinner with vegetables.
Our dinner started off with a small basic salad and the cheese fondue with bread, grapes, and apples.
Then the main entree came with the dipping sauces that everyone talks about - try them all to find your faves! It's nice b/c our server told us which goes best with what food. Our dinners came with about 3 big scallops and 3 pieces of beef - seems small but with all the other food I think it's a good portion b/c it's not like you will be taking that home as leftovers! For the veggies - they served onion, green peppers, potatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. They were all great except for the broccoli!! When you cook the broccoli, the florets hold all the oil - so when you eat it you sure do get a whole mouthful of oil! But everything else is awesome - I loved the crispy potatoes. The onions are good but only if they are cut wide enough - otherwise when you spear them they break and it's hard to do anything with them.
For dinner they give you instructions of how long to cook everything...like 3 minutes for the potatoes, 1 min for all the other veggies and scallops, 2 mins for the beef tenderloin... They're smart to tell you to add a veggie under the scallop so the scallop doesn't fall off your fork, and not to eat off the same fork that you just cooked your food with lest you want to burn your mouth! The tips are all helpful.
The chocolate fondue dessert ends with marshmallows (the fondue has alcohol in it that they flame so you can roast the marshmallows first!), strawberries, honeydew/cantaloupe, pound cake, pineapples, bananas and apples. What an awesome way to end the meal!
Oh and their coffee comes with a cup of whipped cream! Delish.
I'm sold. It was a great place to go to - especially for a special occasion. It's also good for small groups of friends because it's fun. Children under a certain age are not allowed.
And yes - wear casual clothes ~ the smell does stay with you for the night!
I have never given any restaurant 5 stars. Gejas Cafe deserves it. From the moment you walk into this restaurant, your tension, if you have any, is released. You immediately hear soft music playing, sometimes from a live flamenco guitarist, and sometimes from a music trac. Either way, it is relaxing and inviting. You check in with the host/hostess, and usually have to wait a while for a table. It is soooo worth it! If you continue on through the restaurant in the back, you will find the small bar. These people are known for their knowledge of wine. Take their advice, trust me! You can snack on cheese and crackers at the bar while you wait.
Once seated, you can choose from a wide variety of foods from their wonderful menu. I usually have the connoisseur. This consists of beef, lobster, and shrimp, and a variety of fresh vegetables. They set up the oil pot, so it is hot enough when you're ready to start cooking.
Your meal starts with delicious cheese in a pot, and a basket of grapes, apples, and pumpernickel bread. You also get a salad to start. Once you are finished with that, they bring your entree. They fully explain how to cook it, and how long to cook each thing. It is fun, even when you drop food off of your skewer.
The perfect ending to your meal is a pot of chocolate, and a basket of chunks of pineapple, pound cake, strawberries, and bananas. Oh, and I can't forget marshmallows. They light the liquor on top of the chocolate on fore which burns for a short time, so you can roast them. This is the best meal I've ever had, and the service is impeccable!
You do walk out of there smalling like the oil, but it is well worth it! Don't look for street parking, you probably won't find any. Valet the car, and you'll enjoy the evening much more.
We gave Gejas a try again, this time on a week night. I made a very last-minute reservation (only about an hour or two ahead) and requested a booth. They said they couldn't guarantee a booth but would try to honor the request.
After a brief wait, which was useful because my friend hadn't yet arrived anyway, we were seated at a lovely booth. The service was outstanding, and the food was quite good. In addition, the food somehow seemed to be a better quality. We weren't upset to our stomachs like we had been last time. We're not sure if this is because we were a bit more careful with how much we were eating, or whether the food was a bit fresher, but at any rate, my husband, my friend and I all had a good time and a good meal.
Now I know *how* to get the best out of Gejas... Like requesting a booth ahead of time and being willing to wait for it, and perhaps avoiding heavy-volume evenings. It's likely we'll return.
Gejas is not the place for New Year's Eve. The last time I went to Gejas was about seven years ago,… Read more »
I can honestly say, in my many years as a professional diner that I have never experienced fondue.
Fon-due, "what's that"?
I never knew that it was an
interactive dining experience to be enjoyed by all at the table.
I actually thought that it was similar to the experience Benihana gives to its patrons. They cook. We enjoy the circuses. We have fun.
We were a party of four and were entertained by the charismatic waiter Jason who treated us like royalty. He was confident in his suggestions, paired the wine appropriately, course by course and even shared humorous stories regarding the life and longevity of Geja's!
Though it is dark in this romantic catacomb, the four of us never felt out of place, as we were all friends enjoying our time with each other,and not a couple on a secretive getaway from the chaos of our lives.....
My only disappointment is that I lack the skill, precision and timing of the cooking process.
Yes, we were educated in the finer points of fondue, but when I am engaged in intense conversations of fodder, I do not have the mindset to think --"okay three minutes for the steak and 7 minutes for the vegetables, and 5 minutes for the pork, and shit I forgot to cook the chicken".
It is too consuming for me.
The entire experience was enjoyable----and we loved our waiter Jason---
But the next time we go in there, we are hiring one of the staff members to do the cooking for us!
I wonder if $20 a person at a table will suffice.
Someone could have made $80 + a tip from the four of us and we would have given the restaurant another star!
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Fondue
Chicago, IL
Category: Fondue
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Chicago, IL
Category: Middle Eastern
Neighborhood: Lakeview
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