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Categories: Southern, Cajun/Creole [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideWe serve up our Heavenly Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 2pm, featuring live music on Sunday 'til 3pm.
Grand (Red)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Having grown up on Southern style food, my expectations were really high.
We came here after a movie (and I don't think there is any way I'll ever come here again unless I'm at that exact theater again). The food was just... spicy. Not flavorful or exciting, just the flavor of spice.
The martini's are only $6.50 which was a major upside. The service was alright, but we were here late night.
Heaven on Seven is definitely a 2.5. In comparison to other Southern Style places in the city, I think you'd be much better off at Wishbone if you're looking for something good and genuine.
This place should be called "Heaven Unleavened" because it falls flat when it comes to flavorful, authentic southern / cajun food. I should know as I come from Louisiana and trust me, this place has nothing on the real thing.
It's not that the food is bad. It's just not what they purport it to be. The Mardi Gras beads and the various outrageously named hot sauces that line the walls are almost blasphemous to the great creole and cajun food that Louisiana is known for. Maybe I'm being to hard on these guys, but c'mon--if you're advertising yourself as "the best Louisiana cooking outside of New Orleans" then your gumbo should taste at least as good as my dad's, who by the way, makes the best gumbo stew in my opinion. I just hate when restaurants slap cayenne on everything and call it Cajun. There's much more to it than that.
Aside from being severely disappointed by the food, I will say that the service is great. The waitstaff are friendly and the place itself is pretty nice. And even though the hot sauces don't do much to lend credibility to this restaurant's cajun roots, they are fun and entertaining to read while you wait for your food to arrive.
I should also mention that the butter they serve with the bread is really tasty. It's like a sweet honey butter or something. All I know is that it's good.
As I said before, the food isn't bad and if you don't know real cajun, you'll probably be satisfied with your meal. If, on the other hand, you're ragin' for some cajun, don't expect the real deal here.
Location, location, location - that's basically what this place has got going for it, making it so overrated online. The restaurant itself is huge, and easy to get seated at quickly, even on busy nights -- and there's something to be said for that.
The food is generally inoffensive, but sort of overpriced for what you get. I felt like everything I tried -- the famous cheddar jalapeno cornbread included -- gave you just enough flavour to tempt you, but just didn't finish, leaving you unsatisfied. Meh.
I can see how this place is appealing if you're visiting Chicago with a family and kids for a few days, but with all the other actually phenomenal places around, I think you can do SO much better in this area.
I have been to New Orleans a lot...that said, people assume I am somewhat of an expert on Creole/Cajun food. When I have visited New Orleans, food was really just intended to absorb my Hurricanes, Hand Grenades, and Tropical Itches (my 3 drinks of choice)..so really, sad to say, I wasn't very picky about what or where I ate - the food was background noise (one day I WILL go back there and eat well..). So I can't really compare "the real thing" to Heaven on Seven...
But I like Heaven on Seven, even if it is less than authentic to some. I like spicy food, and I crave their gumbo. The shrimp with cheese grits, andouille with grilled shrimp, fried oysters, red beans and rice, and fried chicken breast all get the thumbs up from me. They have a family-style all-you-can-eat dinner which is a great bargain and a nice way to sample some different things if you can't decide what to get and/or if you are not familiar with Cajun food. Or if you want to eat til you explode. The only downside is that the whole table has to participate in the "buffet" - but that's not unreasonable on their end. I have always had good service here and never found one reason to complain. I know this style of food is not for everyone (but they do have plain old cheeseburgers on the menu...) but if you like spice and want a change from Mexican, give it a shot.
I love this place, they have large quantaties of food and a wide collection of hot sauces, other people say this doesn't compare to what they have down south, I'm a Chicagoan so...but anyway the Jamaican jerk chicken was great, but yes it is kind of pricy for Cajun.
the foods generally pretty good.
gumbo and the pasta is good.
I tried the spicy pasta, I have to sign a waiver. it was quite spicy.
the service is slow, but the food is good.
I've been coming here a couple of times.
This is an acceptable attempt at Creole/Cajun food. I was expecting more to this establishment, but I was not thoroughly impressed given that the owner was paired with such greats as Emeril and Prudomme. Although he is associated with these Cajun legends, he did not fully translate these tastes into his foods.
His gumbo is great... the roux is done well and I am a little impressed that there's okra inside the gumbo. Outside of that, everything else is average and over-priced. Fried catfish should not be over $10 nor should fried shrimp. Plus, the shrimp looks like it came from a frozen bag. I suppose fresh shrimp (which does not look like it came from a freeze dried bag) and catfish are luxuries we have down South, but they should not cost this much.
Additionally, chicken fried steak, which y'all Northerners don't know about, should never cost $17. Chicken fried steak is normally a fried cut of round steak, which is a cheap cut of beef. Simply put, all of this costs too much for Cajun food. Cajun food comes from the soul and should be "feel good" food, and not about price. But, I do understand that these foods may cost a good dollar to ship...
To be honest, this is somewhat close to true Creole/Cajun food... so I give them props. Plus, they have Abita beers (which is Louisiana's crown jewel) and a ton of hot sauces. Also, the atmosphere has the feel of New Orleans preparing for Mardi Gras. This is a good taste of what you can get in Louisiana, but this does not compare to what's down South. Simply put, it's a good substitute, but where's the gator, crawfish, and boudin?
Once in a while, I am in the mood for cajun/southern food. If you like collard greens and jalapeno corn breads, go to Heaven on Seven.
My other favorites include the gumbo...po boy sandwiches...and fried oysters.
And go watch a movie after, if you are not in a cajun food coma!
I know New Orleans cajun creole cooking and I am sorry Heaven on Seven you ain't even close. I ordered the po'boy which at $12.95 is far from being po. They have an impressive hot sauce collection. Service was average and took longer than I am used to for lunch. If you are visiting the city you have to ask yourself: "Why am I going to a New Oreleans themed restaurant in Chicago? Should I go to a Mexican Restaurant when I visit Japan?"
With that in mind if you are a local it's probably the closet you will get to creole cooking I am afraid. Good for lunch. Dinner - meh no.
The jalapeno cheddar corn muffin is good. But it's the only thing here that is both good and reasonably priced. I like the gumbo and fried oysters, and the fried chicken ain't bad -- but the prices are seriously double what you'd expect them to be. Po' boy sandwiches for $14? Service is average.
And beware the beer prices, we each had a few beers one night and the bill was ridiculous, I think they were $7-8 each and we couldn't find it printed anywhere. Basically, everything is fine until the bill comes out.
We were a group of seven one week night celebrating a birthday. Cool Creole/Cajun vibe creates a unique and relaxing atmosphere with a huge menu. Lots of different martinis head the cocktails offered along with nice wines by the glass. Entrees come with soup or salad, and our waiter raved about the gumbo. It was packed with flavorful and spicey ingredients balanced with a dollop of white rice on top. The tilapia and halibut were excellent fish choices which filled the plates providing lunch the next day for most of us. Shellfish lovers will enjoy shrimp offerings as ewell. The server brought a delicious chocolate mousse cake for the birthday woman along with seven forks for tastings. Cake was rich and delicious. This is a good choice for a unique dining experience.
I always try to give one tourist trap place a try and each time I do, I remember why I give it one chance. Just one. This is going to have to be one of them. This restaurant has been a staple in the downtown area since I was a little kid and each time I tried going, it was closed or my friends didn't want to give it a try. I should have thanked my friends for always pulling me away from this godforsaken place.
Texas de Brazil was closed for lunch so we decided to take a chance on this place instead of going to CPK or Big Bowl since we're not big restaurant chain fans while on vacation. The signs placed along the path to the restaurant read, "Try the Gumbo! Our Gumbo is Great!" It seemed a little kitschy and gimmicky but we still gave it a shot and walked in. The hostess was apparently on her lunch break and got up from eating at the table that sits front and center and sat us along the wall of hot sauce. (It needed some dusting by the way 'cause there's no way I find dust appealing with my gumbo."
I can now say I've tried the gumbo and it's absolute crap. I say that mainly because the temperature was barely over luke warm. Most restaurants keep soup in a warmer and many servers forget the ever important detail of stirring the pot before serving it and our server did just that also. I would have sent it back to get it reheated by our server but she was busy walking back and forth in the back. It wasn't a big deal so I continued eating it.
I ordered the lunch special ribs plate that came with brisket, pulled pork and coleslaw with a Dr. Pepper since apparently they don't serve sweet tea in a restaurant specializing in Creole food.
..."I'm not sure what to drink."
(Server stares at me)
..."Where's your list of drinks?" I ask as I flip the menu over.
"We have Dr. Pepper products."
"Do you have sweet tea here?"
"No."
"Well, then I guess I'll have a Dr. Pepper."
That was basically the gist of what great service I got from our server. With no silverware on the table, I jacked the roll-ups from the table behind us after the entrees were dropped off. I only managed to eat half of the meal as the bbq plate was just drowning in bbq sauce and the beginning of the ribs were indistinguishable from the end of the brisket. Also, pork gristle wasn't mentioned on the menu so I only ate about half.
Not wanting to get dessert for fear of more bbq and pork gristle, we opted to pay for the check and get out. The hostess was apparently still enjoying her 30+ minute lunch break as she was still sitting there eating a bowl of pasta. But what do I see on the walls on the way out? A gigantic advertisement for their sweet tea. Some Gold Rush something something Sweet Tea. She must have been new.
This was the first place for dinner my g/f and I ate at while on vacation..we were pressed on time and I love cajun style so we gave this place a stab
--I went with the jambalaya..i've had lots of jambalaya and this one actually is pretty good...it was more spicy in comparison to others but I still enjoyed it thoroughly..dish came with choice of soup or salad..I opted for the gumbo..overall, it was okay..nothing special but okay
--I had a taste of the jerk chicken from my gf's dish and that's where I had to knock off points..granted the chicken tasted fine..it was well cooked, not too dry..but it had no spice whatsoever..and I mean none at all..if that's the case, you should never pawn a dish as "jerk chicken" if it has no kick by any stretch..dish came with collard greens and yams..yams were sweet and tasty..greens had way too much vinegar on those
--despite my gf's dish, I was going to give 4 stars but it took very long to get the tab, which really annoys me..i'm talking a good 15 min waiting and waiting and waiting
Once again I'll support my original review. Chicago's best choice for when you have a cravin for Cajun.
They overwork the New Orleans atmosphere, but the food is spot-on. Exactly what you'd get at a mid-priced big volume restaurant in Nawlins. The standouts are the gumbo and the jalapeno corn bread.
When you miss Cajun cooking, stop in Heaven on Seven.
This is the real stuff. Not the top end…
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Wanted Giordano's, but the wait was too long for my stomach (and I've been there quite a few times before)...so we went from pizza to Cajun.
Now, I'm a fan of New Orleans. And it seems that you just can't get the real thing unless you're there. This place tries.
Our server was a bit of a tool, and didn't seem to know how to handle my needing more time to decide. There is lot to look at on the menu.
The jalapeño cheese corn muffin was tasty, though a little dry. The lemonade was waaaay too sweet. The coconut shrimp was good. The red beans and rice were so-so.
I liked the hot sauce collection. Prices are a little too high. $59 for two lemonades, a muffin, a salad and 4 shrimp with a side of red beans...I wasn't blown away enough to justify the cost. This is probably acceptable Cajun fare for Chicago, but if your expectations are high...save them for a trip to NOLA.
I didn't even realize there were so many types of hot sauce out there! I like spicy foods and what I ordered had some twang to it. I ordered the craw fish ettoufee (spelling?) and it was quite tasty! You could didtinctly taste the diferent herbs and spices! Loved it! I have not bben here in a while, but will definitely go back!
I'm by no means an expert on this style of cuisine but I have been known to enjoy it. I've only been to a couple of places and I've never actually been to the source but I thought that this place was really good.
The place was packed on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. It didn't take long to get seated but the service thereafter was rather slow.
I ordered the Jambalaya and tried a bit of the gumbo soup that the other member of my party ordered. Both were excellent! I didn't find that it was too spicey from the get-go but there were hot sauces abound- I experimented with five or six that were placed on my table and really enjoyed one made with scotch bonnet peppers.
Prices seemed pretty reasonable and I actually wasn't able to finish my portion of jambalaya so I took it to go.
Word of the wise: if you're going to go clothes shopping afterwards with your girlfriend, don't put the garment in the same bag as the container of jambalaya. I don't know if I got a defective container but it spilled out and damaged said garment. It was also on Valentines day. Yeah, that was an interesting experience to say the least!
When it comes to cajun creole style, Heaven on Seven has an impressive interior design. It's just a shame that the food doesn't match up to the decor. Especially for the cost. It's not hard to find another local place that will provide a higher quality flavor with less impact on the wallet.
If you are thinking this is a good place for tourists, you're wrong. New Orleans would be a good place for tourists to try cajun creole food. Chicago serves deep dish and dogs; or the confusing likes of the Italian beef.
Aye aye aye! I love spicy food and this place didnt disappoint. Like others have mentioned, the array of hot sauces on the table is really fun. Me and my lunch mate had fun trying them all while we waited for our food.
I had the "angry shrimp" (I think thats what they were called)... They were spicy and pretty good. The sauce was a little gooey, but it tasted alright. I didnt have the gumbo, but my bf did love it... so I guess its famous for a reason.
The service was ok. It wasn't good, but it wasn't horrible... it was just there.
The food... please! The crawfish was way over-cooked. Mushy meat, not enough juices.
The gumbo was ok, but the sausage was over-cooked.
The Black-eye peas, rice and Andouille sausage had good flavors, but the again, the sausage was over-cooked. No meaty texture, but more of a melt in your mouth texture.
Based on this first visit... it's my last visit, I'll fly to New Orleans for the good stuff.
Came for a friends birthday relatively early (like 4pm) and I unfortunately had to work at 5, so no getting tipsy for me. That turned out to be a blessing because the drinks were pretty pricey for what we got. My rum and coke was alright, not worth the price though. Also got a beer that was on special (I forget what it was, but it came with an orange slice. Shows how classy I am). I got the crab cakes which were decent, I wasn't a fan of the tartar sauce they were served with.
One interesting note is the insane amounts of hot sauce they have. I love spicy food, but I like it spicy with flavor, not just pure heat. A lot of their hot sauces were so hot it I didn't want to finish the piece of crabcake I dipped in it.
Decent place, I'll skip on most of the hot sauce and the drinks, but the food is pretty nice.
As a fan of Cajun food, Heaven on Seven has never let me down.
Even yesterday, after not having frequented since the economy really started going south, the food was still good.
The gumbo and Crawfish tail appetizer was great. The Bayou Punch drink is a hidden gem (especially if you're a fan of Green River). I went outside of my comfort zone last night, however, and decided to try Cajun-style scallops. To my surprise, they had all the flavor of scallops plus Cajun seasoning.
I was also happy to see 20-30 tables flip while I was there so its good to know that they're not going anywhere anytime soon.
Now, if they only had Gator tail...
Holy cholesterol....... quite possibly my new favourite restaurant.
The service was amazing, really friendly waiter who helped with my approximately 512 questions about the menu and was generally very affable. I'll let him off for trying to sell us cornbread - seriously, we would have exploded with what we ordered PLUS bread. And also for showing us the dessert menu which had us completely torn between 1) death by eating and 2) leaving without having dessert. Normally the decision doesn't cause such mental anguish, but the menu made my mouth water and based on our entrees alone, I HAVE to go back.
The good things: sweet potato polenta, etouffee, ribs, fries, coleslaw, ribs, catfish, greens, ribs. Everything we ordered was magnificent, and it was such a good meal as we got to try so many things. Did I mention the ribs?
The decor is hot-chilli-sauce-modern, a new style I'd not seen before, but I like it. I'd even go back for a drink at the bar on a busier day (we went Sunday night) before eating.
Starve yourself all day to go here.
Great ambiance and tasty food but it's way too pricey! Should a side of jambalaya really cost $8.95 when it's the size of a small cereal bowl?
I have no quips about the quality of their cooking -- we ordered a Louisiana Soul Deluxe plate with cup of gumbo, a side of Mardi Gras Jambalaya , an Angry Chicken Po' Boy, and finished with a slice of chocolate pecan pie. All were tasty and satisfying (I would order the entrees anytime again) BUT it was hard to swallow a $60 lunch bill....
Several fellow friends and I descended here last night to get our fill of some fiery food. A fellow hot head, Carolynne R was able to get the Chicago location to host a tour of heat for us. They normally do a hot head event in their Naperville location, but for us lucky, (or unlucky depending on when you talk to some of us), they created one for us downtown.
The space is tucked away off of Michigan avenue, (you can get discounted parking which is right off of Rush, right across the street), and located on the second floor. A little touristy feeling, but when I looked at the walls and walls of bottles of hot sauces... I was in hellish heaven. I quickly spied my friends at a table they put together for us, baskets of bread, several bottles of heat and several excited smiling faces. Service was great, Carl was on top of all our needs and made sure we had refills of soda, and for those who needed it, milk. As well as making sure we knew what each dish was and any information we needed to know about it.
Our first course was a hotter version of a jalapeno popper. A stuffed habanero with jalapeno Mexican cheese. Seeds and all. This was by far the hottest dish, but one of the best. Perfectly breaded, filled with cheese and packing a punch! Second course was a ghost pepper corn chowder. Sadly, this was fairly mild and not the throat grasping heat I was hoping for, however, after that first course I wasn't too upset. Yet flavorful none the less. It was a roller coaster of heat for the rest of the courses, but all had great flavor and certainly I was sweating by the end of most plate.
I applaud the staff and the chefs for trying to put us down in tears, I powered through and got through each course. I look forward to coming back and trying my hand at some of the other dishes, the non spicy ones that is... or to at least try some of the hundreds of hot sauces they have on hand.
Thankfully I had Tums with me though... today, the following day.... well.. this will be a different challenge in itself.
The menu for the Hot As A Mutha! event on 3/29/09:
First Course- Hot As A Mutha! Habanero pepper stuffed with Jalapeno Chihuahua Cheese garnished with a peach mango salsa.
Second Course- Ghost Chile Corn Chowder Sweet Corn, Poblano Chile, Potato, Red Bell Pepper and Onion
Third Course- Garlic-Chile Chicken Wings With Thai Bird Chile
Fourth Course- Chicken Fried Steak Pequin Chile marinated New York Strip Steak lightly dusted with flour, fried and served over Lime Rice with Thai Bird Chile and Red Jalapeno Salsa
Fifth Course- Jimmy's Flamin Pasta Linguine Tossed with Hot as a Mutha Sauce and Chicken
Dessert- Habanero Flan The traditional Mexican custard infused with Habanero and drizzled with a Jack Daniels-Habanero Crème Anglaise
How it rated:
-5 stars for the service and effort of the staff, execution and flavour of the dishes.
-1 star for bringing out the 1 million Scoville hot sauce AFTER the chowder (I had nothing I could stir it into after that so I couldnt try it! *pouts*)
-4 stars for the non-subtle gaping of the kitchen and waitstaff as we ate. Hilarious!
-2 stars for the actual heat level. Yeah, the stuffed habanero rocked, but I never even shed a tear, so thats simply not hot to me. (My other dining companions may disagree with this, however!!!) But I could also be spoiled from my experience at the Naperville HAAM event...
-5 stars for the company - a fabulous night out!!! So much fun!!
My night started great. A Hurricane and "Cajun" Iced-Tea were excellent, not too strong, but after 2 I had a decent buzz, until the bill came, definitely a buzz killer to find out the drinks were $11 each. I think it should be a law that the price goes on the drink menu.
I started with a cup of gumbo, it was decent, had good flavor, but could taste a "floury" hint to it, like it was thickened with the roux or cornstarch alone, there was no undertones of file (sassafras) powder
at all.
The shrimp and grits were excellent, soft rich velvety grits with parmesan and romano cheeses, just the right touch of butter. It was a bit surprising to get fried, instead of sauteed, shrimp, but the extra crunch was a great contrast to the grits, overall the dish was very well executed.
I decided on bread pudding for dessert, which sounded great on the menu, but was a bit of a disappointment when it came to the table, it really wasnt pudding style, and was served looking more like "French toast" slices. 2 kinds of bread were used, the darker i think was a pumpernickel and didnt match the bourbon sauce which was too strong, it overpowered the entire dish.
I comment on this to the manager and he just blew me off, what a dick.
I will probably return here if someone else wants to go, but not on my own will, eventhough the food was relatively good, it was overpriced, bill came to $50 with tax & tip for 2 drinks, soup, entree & dessert, and I cant get over how pompous and over-zealous the manager was.
Heaven on Seven is a great spot for an informal dinner with great food. I spent more than half of dinner staring at the hot sauces and trying to try all of them. Some of the actually looked like they had been there for years but I didn't notice that until the *end* of our meal. bleh.
I thought everything we ordered was really good especially the pork po boy and andouille sausage. I thought the prices were reasonable as well. We ended up spending around $10+/person. I thought the gumbo was just alright.
There's not too much to say about this place, I guess I agree with the others when they say it feels a LITTLE bit like a chain (probably because the decor is kinda cheesy and over the top) but sometimes that's what you want. But I think people should check it ou because it's unique enough and the food is pretty good too.
FYI... The entrance is actually on the corner through mall
doors and you have to go up a set of escalators to find it.
2.5 Stars
I miss good Creole cooking. I was very excited to eat at Heaven on Seven when my friends suggested the spot.
Everything on the menu looked appetizing: Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade, Barbeque Ribs, Grilled Gulf Shrimp and Andouille Sausage, Jambalaya.
In the hands of a skilled chef, Creole cooking can be one of the most gratifying cuisines in the world. Otherwise, Creole food can be very unspectacular---a difficult thing to achieve when some dishes are characterized as "blackened."
Heaven on Seven does create the feel of the Bayou. Hundreds of bottles of hot sauce line shelves around the restaurant's walls. This is a touristy type of restaurant so beware.
The food didn't satisfy my craving for Cajun fare. The fried green tomatoes were heavily underseasoned. Too bad. They were crispy. My Jambalaya, on the other hand, was a bit too salty. The flavor lacked the smokiness from the sausage and the sweetness of the shrimp. There wasn't enough spice. The rice was a tad bit undercooked.
It's a good place for large groups. I likely won't be returning.
Back story.
Today I thought I remotely smelled Black-eyed peas. I kind of went on a salivating rampage, even as far as to call my mom to ask her to make some this coming weekend. I really wouldn't let it go and asked around to see if there was any Cajun place near this area that I could go to. I knew it wouldn't be my mom's but hopefully it would suffice.
Present time.
We traveled here (actually I dragged my companions) on our lunch hour. I ordered the Hoppin' John (Blackeye Peas w/ Andouille Sausage) with a cornbread muffin.
"Mmmphmmphmmmph."
That was my response when companions asked how it was. So. Damn. Good. The black-eyed peas were not overcooked nor was the sausage. The cornbread muffin was moist, sweet and delicious. The spiciness of the black-eyed peas complimented the muffin perfectly.
The only thing I was meh on was the jambalaya. It was kind of bland and dry.
Service was speedy and our waiter was super friendly.
On a side note, I am not a big dessert person when going to a restaurant but I have a piece of deep dish pecan pie waiting for me when I get home.
I have a food baby and am quite proud of it. I highly recommend coming here if you're in a Cajun kind of mood.
I actually was pretty darn surprised by my visit to Heaven on Seven. I thought it would be just like every other tourist trap off Michigan avenue with a ridiculously long line and mediocre food (see this is a problem, as I'm not a tourist looking for some prepackaged idea of a major Chicago restaurant). However, my experience was quite pleasant, and delicious.
Now, I'm not going to say this restaurant is as good as the others I've given 4 stars, but I am going to preface that rating with the fact that I had 3-4 beers at Harry Caray's before hand and I'm a lightweight. Also helping out my review are the amazing cornbread/muffin. We ordered 3 for 5 people, but I'm pretty sure I ate a one myself... It has flecks on jalapeno in it (but not spicy) and is served with some heavenly honey butter. Don't miss out on the cornbread!!
I ordered some kind of hurricane drink to keep things going, and it came out in something resembling a souvenir glass from an amusement park. No so... I couldn't take it home with me : ( The drink was probably the only part of the meal I thought was overpriced, but I think that's the case in all downtown Chicago restaurants.
Anyway, back on point, I ordered the scallops, which were served with mashed potatoes and a pulled beef atop. They were really tasty and not too spicy for my pallet. I also thought they were pretty reasonably priced at $22 for 5-6 scallops, a generous enough portion for leftovers the next day. I bet dessert would have been great, but there was no room after all that food (and a bowl of chips at Harry Caray's...)
Our server was nice and helpful with menu selections. He steered my friend away from a too spicy dish and toward one she really enjoyed. There was absolutely no wait at 8:30 on a Saturday. The only drawback is that I'm sure that meal brought me one step closer to clogged arteries and my first heart attack... but what else can you expect from southern cooking/ soul food? I'll be back, if only for the cornbread....
How to say this...Not worth my time. I just didn't like the place that much. Granted, I went in with high expectations for some good southern creole cooking. Instead, I got overpriced lackluster food.
Maybe we ordered the wrong items for lunch, but to be honest, that shouldn't matter. I got a Cajun shrimp pasta and my friend got the shrimp po'boy with the "Cajun" coleslaw. For dessert, I tried the Key Lime Pie.
The shrimp po'boy was nothing special at all (13.99). The pasta was simply shrimp, capers, and a Dijon mustard mixed together...once again nothing special.
I might try this place again, but probably not for awhile.
Second trip here (once for dinner and once for lunch) and both times I was pleasantly surprised with the number of vegetarian options. The veggie po boy was good and the cole slaw was great. The fried green tomatoes weren't remarkable and the stuffed habenero was good, but not something I'll order again.
Our waiter was very attentive and the overall speed of service was good. It's always great having a table full of different hot sauces to try! I could see stopping by again on future trips.
I love it that they have countless brands of hot sauce bottles on the wall and a lock box with the hottest sauces inside it. Our waiter was truly great - friendly, knowledgeable and didn't rush us even thought the place was packed.
The gumbo is amazing and I'd go back just for that. The jerk wings are also delicious. I had the tilapia for my entree and it was dry and not very flavorful.
My friend got the jalapeno cheddar corn bread and said it was to die for.
It is worth checking out if you live or work nearby since it is one of the few Cajun/Creole restaurants in River North.
Went here on New Years Eve before heading over to Navy Pier. Wasn't crowded when we got there, so we got seats right away, but it started getting really busy and filled with people ringing in the new year. I got the pulled pork po'boy. I've been to Louisiana before and what I got was not what I was expecting. I'm not complaining, it was tasty. The gumbo was also very delicious!
I went with three friends who are from Louisiana and they know Cajun cooking. Our entrees didn't really compare to real cajun food from N'awlins according them, but it wasn't bad either. The gumbo was probably everyone's favorite though.
We sat along the wall of hot sauces. Pretty cool, but it was not nice to eat next to molding black hot sauce in a dusty bottle. ick.
Good southern food, lotsa hot sauce available. And by "lots" I mean they have a flipping 15foot wall covered in them. The gumbo is great and my friend really liked the turtle soup. (not sure how many turtles may have been harmed in the making of the soup however)
Over all its a good warm heavy meal for a cold winter night.
I had the turtle soup and fried green tomatoes (with soft shell crab on top). The soup was exceptionally good, but I was disappointed with the serving size vs. the price I paid for it. The tomatoes were also good; they worked well as a pairing with the soup. I was again disappointed with how much food was provided given how high the price tag was.
Two friends and I shared a pitcher with our food while waiting for our 11:00 PM. movie to start. On a Saturday night this place wasn't very crowded, yet our waiter still managed to disappear when we were ready to pay (minutes before our movie was scheduled to start).
You can do better with pricing (even in the same downtown area), but you can't beat the convenience of having a restaurant in the same building as the cinema to help curb your late night cravings before going to a late night movie. The food quality is perfectly fine, however, and while the atmosphere is gimmicky (to draw in the tourists), you can't blame the restaurant for that.
I had to bump up Heaven to an OK place. I was here recently and I must say that the food taste so much better. The service was good and drinks we're yummy.
I still love me some of that jalapeno corn bread...yum!
I've been to this place twice and I'm not much of a fan but I do like that Jalapeño bread and… Read more »
I came here for dinner on Friday night with my husband. We were celebrating on his behalf and he loves this place so that's why we ended up here. The place was decked to the nines for Mardi Gras and it gave the restaurant a cheerful lift! There is an entire wall of every hot sauce that you can think of. Each table has about 15 varieties to choose from as well.
Started out with catfish bites, very good! I had the coconut shrimp with rice for dinner and my husband had voodo chicken enchiladas. Both entrees were very tasty. Why the 2 stars? I have been sick since I ate here and I can't shake this bug. I think I ate something bad here and I hope to back to my normal self by tomorrow. I will never go back just because I have been sick for 4 days now. Enter with caution!
If you're craving New Orleans chow but do not have the means to travel there, Heaven on Seven offers those of us who crave Cajun food some comfort, especially during the cold Chicago winter months.
I never in my life thought I'd find good gumbo in Chicago (I'm taking recommendations, so please send 'em on to me!). :) But HO7's gumbo, at least last night, was really tasty and they weren't afraid to add a spicy kick to it. The catfish platter was also quite good. It's prepared different than how it's usually served down south. HO7 served one HUGE breaded filet of catfish with Red Beans 'n Rice and slaw. In New Orleans, I'm used to getting breaded nuggets of catfish. However, both are great.
I wasn't too hot on the Hurricane at HO7, but there really is nothing like Pat O'Brien's Hurrican mix.
Of all things at HO7 (my apologies to those who dislike acronyms), the TATER TOTS rule!!! Perfectly crispy and served hot. I highly recommend. Napoleon Dynamite would eat here daily.
"Napoleon, give me some of your tots!"
"No, go find your own!"
"Come on. Give me some of your Tots."
"No. I'm freakin' starved. I didn't get to eat anything today!"
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Cajun/Creole
Naperville, IL
Category: Cajun/Creole
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Restaurants
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Streeterville
Category: Desserts
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