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Categories: Lounges, American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Lincoln ParkEvery Wednesday all wines are 50% off and pizzas are complimnetary between 7-8 pm.
North/Clybourn (Red)
Don't Just Wish Someone A Good Holiday, Give Them One With Chili's.
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I came here for my 10 year HS reunion, so I can rate the hors d'oeuvres and the drinks.
The hors d'oeuvres were excellent. I was definitely impressed that they had a mushroom truffle pizza. The beef tenderloin and crab bites were very good as well.
The drinks were also very good. They definitely do not skimp on alcohol in their drinks. I think I'll try this place for dinner another time I'm in town.
I liked it. I liked it a lot.
Service:
This was my only complaint, so I'll put it out there right away....There is a fine line between having attentive service and smothering service. We felt smothered. Ok, so they were slow---it was a week night & it appeared each server only had one table. While our server was very pleasant and professional, he needed to back the hell off. Just a bit ;) One instance: please don't ask me how my food is when you know I haven't even had time to pick up my fork!!
Food:
Mmmm! Really well done.
My dining companion and I shared a variety of appetizers since they all sounded so darn good.
-Mussels were excellent---the broth was delicious and I'm glad we had lots of bread to sop it up with.
-Diver scallop (note the lack of an "s" on the end of scallop) with pork belly. I would have loved this dish had there been more than one scallop--esp. for $12.
-Goat cheese & bacon tart---yum! tangy, salty, delicious.
-Bibb lettuce w/ roasted pear & almonds. Now this is one salad I will eat!
-Kobe beef sliders. Our fave dish. I can't quite describe....you just need to try it :)
-Desserts were REALLY FUCKING GOOD. Choc peanut butter semifreddo. Sweet + Salty +Choc + PB = my favorite thing ever. We also had a nice lemon pudding cake w/ huckleberries. However, the semifreddo won me over.
Landmark isn't cheap. But it's not a place where you will drop 2 months rent either. I'd definitely recommend Landmark for a classy night out with your hot date or a group of friends.
Seems like there is a lot of angst with Landmark, but this review is specifically for Wednesday night, for the grill (and not the bar).
Ever been to dinner at a bar you've been to that's a major clusterf*ck? That was Landmark for me. It seemed a lot smaller without the scores of people crowding the first floor bar. Judging by other reviews, there have been complaints about prices...but I was here for Wednesday, which if you pay attention to weekly specials, is VINO night, where bottles are 1/2 off, and where you receive 1 free pizza/bottle between 7-8p.
We got here a bit early around 630p, our waiter was extremely friendly. Upon a cautious question about the free pizza, he casually said it was fine and that we could go ahead and order the pizza with our vino. The majority of bottles are 40-50 dollars, so do the math, a bottle ends up around $25. The only off-limit bottles are the ones already marked at $25. There are only 4 pizzas to choose from unfortunately: 3 cheese, duck confit, pepperoni, and mushroom. We opted for peppperoni, which was satisfying. Ultra-thin crust, and seemingly coal-fired. I also had an order of mussels, which were good. However, the juice was a bit on the watery side, and while the garlicy bread that accompanied it was tasty, the dipped result was not quite up to par.
The rest of the menu I felt was neither cheap nor expensive. I didn't taste any of it, but prices were pretty run of the mill. Maybe it was a slow night, but I felt we got considerable attention from our server, and he was very pleasant, we never felt under pressure to order more. Wednesday night @ Landmark is rad.
ABSOLUTELY love this place. We have had consistently excellent food, service, and overall experience. As "vibrant" (LOUD) as the downstairs can be, especially like tonight when two parties are going on simultaneously, the upstairs dining is like an elegant relaxed sea of tranquility rising above the hectic roar. We have had unusually excellent servers each time we've gone (it was Nikki tonight, she was extremely helpful in food and wine selections and very attentive but not at all intrusive, great sense of humor too!).By the way, on our first visit our then 19 year old daughter was with us and the waiter was particularly gracious and sweet to her, really making her feel special. Tonight I had a "broccoli ash" salad that was to die for. The broccoli is shaved so fine it is almost like a "dust" thus the name, and mixed with hints of mint, almond cream, candied orange zest and lemon, truly outstanding. The Tuna tar tare appetizer was amazing too and we all raved about our entrees and wine. Love the swivel chairs and the place settings which include individual bread knives. The only change I'd like to see is tablecloths--the rather casual place-mats don't seem to at all go with the ambiance of the room or the elegance of the place settings at all. Or use a dressier more unique place-mat. But that's a small thing, we always rave about our evenings at Landmark all the way home and have discovered that it is even good (probably better certainly more leisurely and relaxed) on evenings we are not rushing out to theater afterwards. The entire staff including bartender/bar servers (often the same person); front door check-in greeter, and restaurant manager all bend over backwards to be gracious Hosts and provide outstanding service. They must take advance yoga because they are outstanding at this bending over backwards skill! They should, however, give yoga classes for their valet parkers who often make you wait ridiculously long amounts of time before they take your car for you (once the manager took it himself when we had waited 20 minutes!) How many restaurant managers would do that on a busy night? Landmark is a jewel.
So like a lot of people, I had been to landmark when it is in "bar mode" but had never eaten there. We stopped in for dinner at around 7:30 with no reservation and were immediately seated upstairs.
Started to review the menu and ordered wine. We picked 2 appitizers based on our servers recommendation that they were meant to be 1 per person. We had the calamari and the polenta pomme fritte. These appitizers were large to say the least. I get the idea that the servers want to upsell but we could have split them among 4 and had more than enough. Good thing we waited to order our entree!
We split the sausage and pepper pizza which was fantastic. The peppers had a really great freshness to them and the pizza crust was super thin.
Dessert menu looked fantastic but we had to refrain due to earlier fried food extravaganza we took part in.
I definitely will go back, but would order a little differently. Lots of other interesting food on the menu that sounded like it would be tasty.
I must admit, I attended a private party here a few months back...and was not impressed. So far as that I would've said (before last night) that I'd never return. Snotty service (though, as I realize now that was a staff person of the event, not Landmark), packed to the gills, sparse food offerings. Mostly due As a result...it's charm and style was overshadowed by mini-skirts, bad bust jobs, and the like. A bad impression to say the least, and with so many options in the surrounding 'hoods...well, you see my point.
However, I never feel it's justified to judge a place based on an event that is thrown by a third party...and held off sharing my thoughts as that was my only experience with Landmark. However, as evidenced by the star-rating, they just happened to (totally) win me over last night.
So why would I go back? Well, my lovely friend's wedding rehearsal dinner was held in the second floor private area. A fabulous choice, as it turns out! Absolutely perfect, actually...
Space: Large enough for a seated dinner for approximately 30. Well laid out, with a private bar (martinis!), and the room feels private while also allowing guests the pleausre of the buzz and energy. No doors blocking it off, etc. Gorgeous decor, deep blues, zebra prints. An elegant mix of modern and classic. Stunning, really...and very neutral. Not too feminine.
Food: A small menu was assembled and every dish was truly a pleasure. A starter salad (a bit over-salted, but I like that!) with pears, almond-ramp chicken with fava and morels (OMG, morels...be still my heart), and the fudgiest, sinfulest, most beautifully displayed brownie, EVER. Brownies aren't generally "pretty," but these were just....breathtaking in a "give me that, NOW!" kind of way. With a carmalized banana and honey vanilla ice cream. Wowza.
Ok, so yes. The space is gorgeous, the location is easy and nice (LP, valet $10, close to the red line), but the true kicker: The service and staff.
It has been a great long while since I've experienced such truly, stellar service. Honestly, I felt as if we were royalty. They were absolutely on top of every minor detail, for each of the 25 or so guests. Immediate, water never left to sit below the half-way mark, all courses came out in waves with at least 5-6 servers so that everyone was presented with food at the very same time. Drinks made and presented quickly. Truly, I was blown away.
Yes, 25 is a large party...and of course I would hope for nothing but the best, but I've experienced much, much less attention to detail elsewhere. This was such a fine example of genius hospitality, I'd suggest this space to anyone looking to plan a dinner party, etc. The head waiter masterminded the entire team, and the execution was utterly flawless.
You know me. I like things, but I rarely rave. This was rave-worthy. I stand corrected on Landmark, and would most definitely be back. And if you're seeking a space for a rehearsal dinner, I seriously encourage checking it out...!
This place is done. No one was there last night and we stayed till close. It was like we had the whole place to ourselves. The drinks were WAY overpriced and awful! I had the worst dirty martini of my life. My friend and I had to keep sending them back because they were so awful! I don't know how you can screw up a belvedere dirty martini, but they did. Then when we would order something simple like a vodka/cran, that drink would be awful too! Its like they use generic cran or something.
Don't go here, it's so dead that it feels awkard.
Confession: I have a stack of gift cards slash gift certificates that total about $1700. After two businesses have closed, I have made it my mission to use them all ASAP.
I hadn't been to Landmark in ages but decided to go there for dinner with another couple because of our gift certificate and it was centrally located between the four of us.
The dinner was really good!! Always a fan of Thanksgiving, I ordered the roasted turkey leg and a side of sweet potatoes. I was in heaven. The turkey was very moist and easily carved right off the bone. The sweet potatoes were naturally sweet so I didn't even have to think about dessert.
My amazing meal didn't stop me from trying my husband's bacon cheeseburger. I haven't had a burger in a long time and I almost didn't give it back. It was that good. I always think of Landmark as a scene-y type place but they really do make delicious food.
Landmark also knows how to make a drink. My girlfriend was enjoying a Manhatten while I was enjoying my Vodka Gimlet made with Rose's Lime juice. (Any restaurant that stocks Roses's makes me happy!) After dinner, we headed down to the bar for another round of drinks. Although we didn't stay late, the place was packed when we left around midnight. I would definitely head back again.
I came here for dinner after seeing a play at the Steppenwolf. All four of us loved our food. I… Read more »
We seldom venture out of our Lincoln Square neighborhood, but were looking for someplace special for our anniversary. A friend recommended Landmark and we couldn't have had a lovelier evening. I had mentioned in our reservation that it was a special occasion for us and the staff bent over backwards to turn it into one--from the hostess to the wait staff to the guy who just opened the front door for us.
Our waiter--Nate--made sure that the dishes arrived in a leisurely manner. We spent 2 1/2 hours dining and never felt rushed once. He made some excellent drink and menu suggestions (and fessed up if we were thinking of ordering something "average"). The polenta frites were positively addictive, my husband proclaimed his steak better than that found at actual steakhouses, and I was thrilled to find a vegetarian entree option (artichoke risotto) that didn't involve goat cheese or a portabello mushroom. Oh, and the chef wrote "Happy Anniversary" in chocolate on our dessert plate. It was a small gesture but shows true attention to detail.
Some other posters have mentioned the after-dinner atmosphere. I have to say, we left at around 11pm (on a Friday night) and it did seem like a different crowd was entering (big hair, short skirts). If you can beat that crowd, you'll have a far more elegant experience.
I wanted to love it. I really did. I am a huge fan of BOKA, and had been wanting to visit Landmark for some time now. We had a office outing here last night, and I was not too impressed.
I like the design of this restaurant. It is rustic and urban at the same time. It almost feels like someone threw some modern furniture in someone's lakeside cabin home. Good job.
The cocktail menu is pretty good. I recommend their ginger cocktail as well as the Asian pear. I also really liked their fifty bottles for under fifty dollars wine list. However, I wish they had more by the glass options.
In terms of food, I only tried the polenta fries (YUM), brisket on brioche dish (eh... just ok) and the mushroom pizza (good, but not spectacular).
I think Landmark is just mediocre. It clearly lacks the sophistication of BOKA, but is still a good option for after work drinks. I might go back, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
A little pricey for my tastes but sometimes you gotta just do it up. I ordered the risotto and the brussel sprouts with bacon. They were both delicious! The service was spectacular. I ate so well. Somebody ordered the turkey leg at our table and it was HUGE, seriously bigger than her arm! She ate what she could but it still looked whole. Also another big plate is the pork chop. It is huge as well! Order those if you are REALLY hungry, both delicious. I had a great time here. After 9:30 the music gets louder and more like you are in a club. But I didn't see a dance floor.
I will def come back.... when my wallets a little fuller!
Valet was $10. Not bad.
I'll start with the good, since this review is going to be mostly negative.... I may have had a one-off bad experience, but it was enough that I will not be returning any time soon.
The Good:
The ambiance/decor is great, and definitely cozy. It's a nice lounge/bar area along with and upstairs and downstairs bar and tables for dining. Our waiter was good, and attentive, and provided us recommendations on the wine to pair with dinner. The bartenders at the bar were also great, and got our drinks quick when we actually ordered at the bar for our pre-dinner drinks.
Unfortunately that's where the good ends.
The Bad:
The food is overrated and over priced for what you get. If you are going to be dropping almost $30 on an entree, you should be satisfied. I ordered the ribs, and they were just "meh". Nothing to write home about, and they were tough. All of us in the dinner party agreed the dinner was mediocre at best for the price. The wine was good, but they didn't make it, that's the nice thing about wine, you get to blame the winery if it's good or bad, anywho I digress.
After dinner, the area becomes more of a bar/lounge and the waitresses that were assigned to our area were full of unnecessary attitude and seemed annoyed that they even had to serve us.
After we placed our drink orders and had drinks in hand, we are then told there is a $25 minimum on the credit cards. Normally this would be ok, but after you've been drinking wine with dinner, you don't necessarily need to be drinking another $25 worth of alcohol when you're still riding the buzz. When I personally only had enough cash on hand to cover the exact cost of the drink, the waitress showed her discontent about no tip. But you know what, I don't carry cash, and I do not like paying huge fees for the in-house ATMs. Along with this, service was extremely slow, and you could get faster service by just walking up to the bar. Not to mention the bitchy attitude which I would have not tipped anyways. I must say, however, the bartenders at the actual bar were not like this.
Regardless, I was there for my friend for her birthday so I enjoyed the company of my friends and the ambiance. I would not come back by choice. Since restaurants are in the service business, I would recommend evaluating how the waitresses are going to treat the customers. There was no reason for the amount of attitude me and my guests received that evening. That is all.
My boyfriend and I went to Landmark on his last night in Chicago before leaving to move to another city.
It could not have been a more perfect night. The service, by far, was the best I've had in 2 years of living in Chicago. The food was also top-notch - some of the best I've had in the city as well. My bf got the pork chop, which must have come from a planet where pigs are the size of mastodons - if you can imagine a piece of bacon that is about 6 inches wide and 2 inches tall, that's what it was.
I got the short ribs with orzo, and it was tender and delicious. The mole sauce was really interesting - very anise-y, flavorful, and inventive. I would absolutely go back. Our server told us they have $35 3-course prix fixe menus on Thursday, so I will definitely be back for that. And Wed. nights they have half-price wine bottles - very reasonable for a place of this calibur. Loved it!!!
Before I came here for the first time I'd heard not-so-great things, and, after eating there last night, I have no idea why! (Could be because everyone else I know who has eaten here are self-proclaimed "Food Snobs," but that's neither here nor there.)
Granted, it was a Sunday night and there were probably about 12 people in the entire place, so the hosts/bartender/servers were all really friendly and nice. I love the atmosphere, seems like it'd be a great place for the weekend because the bar is pretty good sized.
I had the salmon, which came with this really delicious creamy couscous type thing, and I think it had shrimp in it, which I don't usually eat because I think I'm allergic, but I ate it anyway and it was great. Lots of other stuff on the menu looked great too. I'd definitely come here again and see how consistent service, etc is on a busier night.
My husband and I went here on Valentine's Day (Saturday night). They only had room for 5:15 reservations, and although that's painfully early, we took them because I really wanted to try out the place. I loved the ambiance! It was such a great space - we ate upstairs in the balcony - pretty candlelight, modern decor.
The food we had was really amazing. I had split pea soup as an appetizer and my husband had seafood. As an entree I had the chicken with dumplings and it was also fantastic. Our only food complaint was the side order of green bean casserole. It was SO SALTY we literally could not eat it. We aren't sure if it was a mistake, or if it just wasn't for us, but it was truly nasty.
I would have given this 4 stars, at least, except for the service. Our waiter, Alec, was very awkward, cold, and slow.
I would probably go again - later in the evening and with hopefully a different server!
I wanted to try out Landmark since I read about it in CS magazine. Sadly all my friends just want to drink at trendy spots and not eat the cuisine that they are noted for. So this is a review for the bar scene.
Landmark pretty much turns into a semi-club after dinner. Not my thing as it is too crowded, pretentious, and it's impossible to get a drink.
The decor is unique and I love the the space has several levels.
When I eat here, I will update the review.
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8
Just got back from an early dinner at Landmark. We saw a matinee at Steppenwolf and went for drinks and dinner after.
The decor is so odd. On the one hand it seemed utterly tacky with weird bamboo and a palm frond pattern on the booths and yet somehow it kind of worked. It wasn't "themey" at all but just some surprising choices for decor. Definitely a 50's supper club feel.
For appetizer we had the smoked salmon and it was very good, though just a touch salty. the greens that the salmon were wrapped around (some kind of sprout or shoot) were great and the sauce was excellent. We both had the beet salad and it was exceptional. I'm glad we both ordered it because I wouldn't have wanted to share. Everyone has a beet salad on their menu these days and just about every place does the same beet-goat cheese-vinaigrette thing. Here, no cheese but to give it that bit of fat and sweetness they sprinkle a few tiny swirls of deep fried shallot rings (like the cutest tiny onion rings) on top.
Husband had the pork chop, their signature dish, and it was huge and amazingly good. We're both trying to be somewhat thoughtful about what we eat in terms of fat and calories and although the size of the pork chop was WAY out of the portion control zone, it seemed like otherwise a fairly healthy dish, served with a really nice bed of veg and lentils with a kind of bbq sauce.
I had chicken roulettes, also very good and the bean/ morel mushroom side/garnish was amazing. It also came with a smoked chicken/potato cake that was just so so.
The service was excellent all around. From the host station to the water and bread service it was just top notch.
I was dying to try dessert, especially the cider donuts or the lemon cake. But somehow we managed to summon the willpower to skip it... this time.
The wine selection was great because they had a good range of prices, including a section of "wines for $50 or less" and a section of "wines for $25". We ended up with a Spanish red for $37 and it was very good.
Overall experience was great and we'll be back again.
One tiny peeve though. I am usually cool with the single bathroom without the men/women designation, but both trips to the loo this evening required putting the toilet seat down. It's just a little gross.
My first experience with Landmark Grill + Lounge was so great that I went two times in one night. The venue, service and food (get the pork chop and mac & cheese) was fantastic. Rob is a very friendly owner and Mike the manager, Jeff the server and Dave the bartender treated us amazingly well. As great as the service and food were, the venue is the coolest part with three different dining areas, two stylish VIP rooms and a catwalk looking out onto everything. I am looking forward to going back there soon.
I liked Landmark more then I thought I would. The space is huge. When we first walked in I hated the lighting, but that was one of the bar areas. Once we were seated the atmosphere was more to my liking. Our server, Andy, handled the seven of us without a glitch and we are extremely tough customers.
We started off with two pizzas and both were excellent. We proceeded to ordering a number of appetizers including potato latkes, scallops and chive gnocchi, smoked trout, beet salad and caramelized fennel soup. There wasn't a loser in the bunch. In fact I liked all that I tasted. Next came the entrees and they included pork chops, short ribs, lobster club sandwiches and I ordered the risotto. I sent the risotto back because it wasn't a true risotto and didn't have much flavor. I ordered the honey-bacon cheeseburger instead which was amazing. Everyone liked their entrees, but I felt the pork chops were overcooked. We also had three sides - mac and cheese, green bean casserole and whipped potatoes. Most everyone liked them, but my favorite was the whipped potatoes.
We order two desserts - ginger flan and pumpkin bread pudding, but they brought us three more desserts. They were good, but none of them were outstanding. Maybe it was because I was so full by then that my taste buds were on strike.
The food and the service here absolutely match the $ you spend on the meal. It's the perfect spot for a lovely evening out for a special occassion--with a big group or a smaller crew. Plus, stick around for a cocktail afterwards.
I have noticed a curious phenomenon with respect to bar/lounge ratings on Yelp, in that even really decent places seem to have lower ratings, on average, than their restaurant counterparts. I've decided that this is because people tend to downgrade their nightlife experiences on the basis of the sketch/frattastic/shitfaced patrons that watering holes and clubs, by their very nature, attract, and beyond that, can do relatively little to control. Landmark is a prime example of this for me. I attended this year's NYE party and was about ready to deck a strange drunk girl who kept treating me like her personal lounge chair while I was attempting to order at the bar.
All in all, when I force myself to reflect only on the establishment itself, I realize that my experience was pretty great. The bartender who served us that night was friendly, dutiful, and (secret bonus) attractive. Later in the night, at the request of my roommate's boyfriend, a server went into the back and brought us out our own personal tray of "appetizers" -- sliced bread, because it is my roommate's very favorite thing. We all commented that we were impressed that such an odd request was granted, and in such a diligent and energetic manner.
I experienced some of the food (above and beyond the sliced bread) and it was all very tasty.
The NYE party delivered pretty much all that it promised, including a champagne toast that was miraculously passed out to everyone just minutes before midnight. There was a complimentary coat check, too, which was helpful and ran smoothly.
Landmark's best feature is its looks -- this may be superficial, but it's true. The place is fab in terms of decor and layout, and has numerous rooms and hideouts with varying atmospheres and climates to fit your mood.
On a typical night at Landmark, I find drink prices to be a little too high (though this didn't really come into play in terms of the NYE package), and the crowd to be a little too eclectic, in that it is so random as to always include at least some with questionably fake IDs and others who are bordering on geriatric. But, I can't help but love other aspects of Landmark -- and I really appreciate its classiness amidst the many Lincoln Park bars that seem to cater only to college students' minimalistic expectations.
A great place for my 25th birthday (sigh...mid-twenties).
It's just fun that it's such a gigantic space with different rooms. I personally thought it was trendy without being snobby or obnoxious. I think a bonus of the huge space is that apparently there aren't usually lines to get in (the bane of my existence).
The downstairs room was where I ended the night and it really is like a whole different place. Pretty decorations, loud music, dancing like a fool with friends...I'm not so sad about 25 afterall.
As we walked up, my friend said "I hope there aren't all old people here" and I laughed.
I thought c'mon, it's 7pm and we're at a bar in lincoln park, why would there be old people?
The first thing I see when I walk in the door is a couple in their late 70-80s. What a coincidence! but surely this would not reflect the inside....
IT DID! I guess the close proximity to steppenwolf and it being a sunday night persuaded all the post-theatrical geriatricals to come to landmark for a night out on the town (not that there's anything wrong with that).
Anyway, the food was good. I tried the salmon potato latkes, margherita pizza, and mushroom pizza. Oh and the bibb lettuce salad, which was nothing special. The pizzas were good though! not knock-your-socks-off delicious, but quite satisfying.
I don't know what it is with me and service lately, but our waitress had issues. She kept getting confused and stressing about how we would do the bill, etc. She was nice about it, but everything we asked her seemed to be somewhat of a problem. Ah well, what can you do? Perhaps she wasn't used to the late 20/early 30s crowds anymore...
Wow this place has such a fabulous set up....4 different sections...Plenty of space....We had a birthday party in the upstairs section which had Leopard chairs....The drinks were fairly weak until i tipped the bar tender 20 bucks to make em stronger for us and of course he did......
Good music.....pretty good atmosphere.....Very friendly staff.....In a good location...Across from Steppenwolf.....
I haven't eaten dinner here, but the lounge portion was really great.
We came here twice in one night.
First, we had a couple of drinks after a Steppenwolf play. They had just opened and the place was pretty empty. The waitress was really nice... she brought us free chips and gave us a tour of the place. We also had a nice chat with one of the busboys who'd just moved to Chicago.
We left to meet some friends for dinner, but agreed we'd try to come back after. We came back (with our friends) at about 9pm. The place was busy but not overcrowded.... we managed to snag a couple of chairs at the bar. Our waitress from our first visit saw us and bought us a round of shots. The bartender was very nice and the pear martinis were the perfect after dinner drinks.
Shortly before we left, they started offering free scotch (I guess the liquor guy was there). Yuck, but what the heck?
All in all, a really fun place with an attitude-free staff. I would absolutely go back... either early or later.
Very cool for cocktails.
The food is great when I went the last time we had a good mixture of vegitarians and meat eaters and everyone was pleased. We also had a group of meat and potato eaters as well as chi chi eaters and everyone was raving when we left. The service is outstanding we had a table of about 14 people and no one felt that they were not being taken care of even the hostess staff was nice.
The atmosphere is nice...open and not crowded and the menu was diverse and intersting as was the wine selection.
Take your friends hand and go for a filling dinner with good old fashioned friendly service... :)
This popular pre-theater dining spot -- situated as it is directly across the street from the Steppenwolf -- could probably just take advantage of its location, adequately calm the appetites of theater patrons before sending them on their way, and enjoy a tidy profit. Happily, Landmark goes far beyond the easy money.
This place, which has been in business for four years yet has managed to stay off my personal restaurant radar until last night, serves up distinctive American eclectic food, presents it beautifully, and delivers it with impeccable service in surroundings that comfortably and elegantly blend modern style with art-deco romance. The lights are low, the upholstery comfortable, and every surface is visually delightful -- I feel like I could live in this place.
Specifics about the food: I had the short ribs with mole sauce, which were fork-tender and delicious (though a little spare on the sauce, so our excellent server quickly produced more when requested). My girlfriend had the mushroom risotto, which was topped with delicious citrus-dressed arugula; in the cosmic order of things, she felt it completely balanced out a less satisfactory risotto she had been served elsewhere. For dessert, we shared the pumpkin bread pudding with cranberries, topped with a scoop of maple-bourbon ice cream; it was a pleasantly sweet-and-tart ending for a romantic dining experience (though next time, we've been advised to try the peanut butter and chocolate semifredo, and who are we to argue?). We will definitely be back.
Note: Wednesday drink specials make everything go down even easier.
Some friends and I went to Landmark on election night because "supposedly" they were serving free appetizers. We were there for an hour and only saw ONE PLATE of crab cake fritters float by, so we had to get a table and actually order food.
The place is pricey so we ordered off the bar menu. The mushroom pizza was REALLY good- had truffle oil and a wonderful flavor. However, some people in our party were served promptly while we waited for AT LEAST 45 MINUTES for our pizzas. THIN CRUST PIZZAS. Why the wait? It's not like I saw free pizzas being served anywhere.
The 2nd star is for our server who was very nice and comped us one of the pizzas. But the long wait kinda took the wind out of our sails on an otherwise festive evening.
How I managed to overlook reviewing The Landmark I do not understand. This past Friday was my second time partaking, and it was true to its original form. Which is superb- thank you for asking. This trip was solely to sample the starter and pizza menu- both of which I can assure you are well done. The duck confit pizza- prepared in the de rigeur wood oven is not to be missed, and is truly enhanced by the Radish Patch martini. The insightful bartender was more than happy to make recommendations from the cocktail menu, which was very helpful. So if you happen to be seeing a play at Stepp, or are merely in the area, The Landmark is well worth a visit. Although both times i have dined here the play at Stepp has been decidedly average but I'm sure this is not mutually exclusive.
Note: This is a review of early dinner service, not late night lounge / club time.
We came here before a play. The space is mondo cool, and the metallic catwalks reminded me of scenes from Jet Li's Fearless.
They took our jackets and escorted us to the table, and then escorted my date to the bathroom, opened the door, and turned on the lights for her.
For appetizers we had the elk carpaccio and the goat cheese ravioli. Both were delicious. We both had the same entree - the wood grilled tournedoes of beef, and they were perfectly done. We finished off the night with two tasty glasses of 20 year old port.
What solidified the 5th star was the fact that the someone from the staff went next door and retrieved our theater tickets from will call, and brought them to our table. This was paramount since the will call line was long when we actually got to the theater, and we go there just minutes before the curtain.
All and all a great experience.
I was a Landmark virgin before coming here for TheChiGuide launch party. I will disclose that Alex and Rajib of ChiGuide fame are college buddies of mine, but I am definitely not letting that in any way bias my review. Believe me, I don't play that game.
Anyways, we got here around 930, and bought the comfort passes for an extra $10 so we could get in the "VIP area" which was the second floor, so we got a table. Open bar from 9-1030 as long as you ordered drinks with VeeVee organic vodka. As you may know from organic wine, no sulfates or impurities = no hangovers. For me I get a buzz without the sleepy, dazed feeling that usually accompanies my drinking bc I am on medication. Miracles do come from this stuff. Anyways, they made a ginger ale cocktail, a vodka tonic of sorts and a pomegranate martini. They made the drinks well, the service was impeccable considering the crowd on both levels, and there were really good hors d'oeurves going around. I was super impressed by this, as well as the lack of douchebaggery I expect from any bars north of north ave and east of 90/94. When my pics go up on the site, I will post them to my profile. This by far is the best I've ever looked, as I tend to show up to things looking like I rolled out of bed bc I am lazy and don't care.
So to make a long story short, this place is highly recommended. Oh yeah, I almost forgot this. My buddy Zach came here again saturday for his cousin's party and the bartender remembered him - and gave him a drink on the house! How cool is that??
This place was incredible all around. It seemed like we had 5 people waiting on our group of three and they did it well and it was unusual to see servers sharing a table that well. Usually they seem like turf war gangsters.
They were all very friendly and funny and knowledgeable about the menu. Adjectives that come to mind.. young, fresh, seasonal, trendy, very tasty. Basically what I think of when I think of the best parts about Chicago dinning. No I don't work for them but my group of three all thought it was some kind of joke because we were having such a good time and we told the waiters they would get a good review.
The main part of this 5 start review though was the food. We decided to eat Tapas style and just get appetizers and salads. The waiters called the goat cheese raviolis little pillows of love and that was the truth. The mushroom tart didn't blow me away but everything else was great (felt I had to write something I didn't love). We also got some massive chocolate chip dessert which I don't even want to talk about.
My friend and I jumped the line and we said that we were part of the Northwestern Reunion. They didn't even card us at the door, but no worries I'm way over 21....
So, it's completely packed and it's soo hard to manuever inside. I don't know if it's just me, but I felt like I was pushed by people 15 times and most of the time it was from the waitress or busboy. We try to find coatcheck, which is downstairs and $3. We walk back upstairs and check out the scene. It's true, Lincoln Park is hip and happening. There were lots of good looking people. The space is big (3 levels?) and the music was pretty good. I don't know what it is about Chicago, but they love playing outkast. I didn't pay for any of my drinks so I have no idea how much they cost, but they were made well. They made my french martini just right and the same with my chocolate cake shot. It's also open late, I guess till 4am?
I loved this place. I was here for an afterwork event hosted by a friend. The crowd was pleasant, the lighting was just right and the food was amazing. At the bar, I opted for a Knob Creek in the Rocks. The bartendar was cool as hell, and provided me and my friends with a triple serving in these HUGE rock glasses. I was very happy to say the least.
FOOD: I ordered the Arugula Pizza with goat cheese, and the Duck Sausage pizza also. Kept it simple, cos i had another spot to hit up that evening. .....Wonderful stuff.....the toppings were rich, and delicious with an awesomely crispy and just-right crust.
Downstairs is a gem! More private dining rooms, with nice rustic decor.
Parking was a pain tho. Opt for the Valet service.
Will definitely visit again.
Let me just say OH.MY.GOD.
The food was DELICIOUS! I went there on a Thursday night, where they offer a decently priced 3 course menu for about $30 (choice of a salad, appetizer, main course), considering that it's supposed to be more "upscale."
I ordered the short ribs that literally melted in my mouth.
But the best part of my meal was definitely the dessert. Hands down best dessert I've ever had: the doughnut sundae. MMM.
The service was excellent, and the waitress was very helpful. The decor isn't anything spectacular, but it's still trendy. It's great to go with a big group of people. I def. suggest Thursday for customer appreciation night.
Loved this place...we live literally a block away from here and this was our FIRST (??!) time in Landmark. Now...not coincidentally, we have two wee ones, so the bar is unfortunately not a place we are frequenting these days (what an amazing pick-up/singles place I could imagine...it reminded me of Bordo's circa 1998 on Lincoln -- that's a backhanded compliment, I guess). BUT -- the restaurant is what we were going for, and we were completely impressed. From the incredibly friendly host and hostess, to the friendly bus staff to the knowledgeable waiters (including a server who took our initial drink order to help his pal out of the weeds across the way, and still helped check up on us periodically). They all seemed to have each others backs, which -- if you've waited tables in Chicago as I have -- you'd know is not always the norm.
So our actual server came, and he talked us through the menu (I had questions -- lots of organic produce and interesting menu items). He was completely up on all of the information: growers, chef's background (MK), the BOKA connection, the Michigan connection, et al. Very impressed by him (Kyle).
We split an incredible wild ramp, morel mushroom risotto that was legitimately one of the smoothest and most savory I've ever had. The morels were wood-roasted, and added a great smokiness to the oniony-spice of the ramps.
For entrees, Jacky had a Sockeye salmon with ratatouille that was phenomenal -- only quibble here: they served it skin side up which did not make for an appealing plating. Not quite sure of the method to the madness here: why not pretty pan-roasted pink side up?
I had what is sure to be a talked about "signature item" -- beef tournedoes with an organic poached egg on swiss chard and an heirloom tomato relish...or, as the server put with a grin: "Chef Browning's take on steak, eggs and ketchup!" Love it! I hadn't made the connection between the beef, egg and tomato, and that sealed the deal. Turns out it was incredible -- perfectly cooked medium-rare, the poached egg blended with the relish on the plate and almost formed a delicious sauce -- an absolute joy to eat. We also enjoyed a bowl of wood-roasted wild mushrooms, also organically grown and purchased in the immediate area. If you're big on the trend of "low mileage food," i.e., food that has not traveled far from earth to plate, this is your kind of place.
For dessert -- they had an amazing selection of "classic" desserts with modern twists, and we had a Michigan strawberry shortcake with whipped mascarpone and a fresh-baked rosehip scone. Delicious!
Wine-wise, they have a great selection -- really great. Apparently the wine steward (not sure if he/she is a true sommelier) at BOKA picked this list, and they put together a very impressive $50+ list (including our favorite Hanzell Vineyards from Sonoma), and an equally impressive "50 under 50" list that included everything from domestic chardonnays to Italian reds to more exotic climes. They informed us that they have "wino" Wednesdays in the bar early evening, and that even those already discounted bottles are 50% off...AND -- free pizza! We are going to check that out for sure.
As we were leaving, we made our way through the pretty Trixie crowd, and the rapidly developing velvet rope line (so apparently babydoll dresses are all the rage this summer, eh? Seeing 143 of them all in the same cluster looked like I'd walked onto the movie set of a "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" remake), and back to our babysitter and twins...sigh. So we're not part of the Landmark bar scene anymore, but we're definitely cool enough to eat at this restaurant again!
I've been to Landmark Grill & Lounge many times since they opened (probably would be considered a regular) a few years ago, but feel the need to write a new raving review after planning tonight's Yelp bash with them.
A regular Friday or Saturday night at Landmark is always fun, but the most fun nights I've experienced at Landmark have been for private parties (bday parties, Halloween parties, fundraisers, etc). And after planning tonight's Yelp event with them I'm even more impressed.
Katie, their event coordinator, is extremely approachable and on top of things. Landmark and their sister restaurant, Boka, are very popular places with multiple events each week and Katie puts everything she has into each event. In fact my friend and fellow yelper, Mindy S, said the same thing after throwing her boyfriend a 30th bday party at Landmark a few weeks ago. And while I"m at it I should give the general manager, Michael, a shout out as well...he bent over backwards for us at the yelp party all night long!
It's ALWAYS absolutely packed at Landmark so I've definitely waited more than a few minutes at the bar for a drink (usually ordering off their martini menu), but the always serve my drink with a smile....yes, even when making hundreds of mojitos at a time.
Thanks to Landmark for hosting us wild & crazy yelpers tonight...I know I'll be back soon for more fun. And of course thanks to the yelpers for making tonight so much fun!
I did not like Landmark at all. Well, that's not true. I liked the look of the interior...sort of like a hip and trendy ski lodge. I also liked Zig the bartender who was working very hard along with all the other bartenders. Other than that, I did not like one thing. Well, that's not true either. I liked the risotto with salmon on top of it, but it was a tad undercooked. I do not like my risotto to crunch. Also, the mojitos were bad, bad, bad.
I'm giving Landmark and extra star for effort. I'm sure that it's not easy to keep up with 200+ ravenous Yelpers. However, other places that we have been to did not have any problem doing this. Was Landmark unprepared? Maybe. For the life of me, I could not understand why I saw servers with just 3 or 4 mojitos on their trays. In my opinion, they should be walking around with full trays of them to deliver to the tables and any thirsty Yelpers they run into along the way.
What really got my goat last night was the service. Yes, I know it's a big crowd clamoring for free drinks and food. I get that. I was a server at one time. What I don't understand is why the following situations happened...
Upon arriving at Landmark I spotted a server with a mojito on her tray. I asked her if I could have the last drink. Her reply was a snotty "No. This is for someone else" and walked off. Now a nice server who values customer service might have said "I'm sorry, someone else is waiting for this one, but if you wait here I'll be back with some more as soon as I can."
I decided to get out of the crowd and head upstairs. I noticed that there was a bar so I headed over to order a drink. There was someone behind the bar and he said hello and then said "just a minute" because he was in the middle of doing something. Then he walked off. I don't know where he went. I didn't know if he was coming back. I waited with cash in hand for a drink...and I waited...and I waited...and I waited. One of the servers who was nearby finally asked "did you need something?" YES!! I'm standing at a bar, I would like a drink! He told me that the bartender should be back soon. Sorry, no thanks. A nice bartender who values customer service might have said "I have to go {do whatever it was he was doing} but I'll be right back to get you a drink."
That was it. I was finished with Landmark. It was hot and stuffy inside and I wanted to get the heck out of there as soon as I could. Landmark might be a great place when they aren't hosting such a large party, but I'll never know. They failed miserably last night and did nothing to make me want to come back and try them again.
As most that know me, I'm very much the bar-holder-upper, and therefore the service behind said 1.5-2.5 feet of wood is paramount to my decision on liking a place, or not. Landmark have at least one great bartender in Zig, or Zigga as he was allowing me to call him the nights I was there one for Yelp's party and the other on Fri for a follow-up.
As for the Yelp party, No-One could keep the consistency of a mohitto after 2/300 of them have alreay gone out, so its no surprise that I heard complaints about the freebies, though Zigga was breaking his hump to look after everyone with a smile (v.tough). I blame mainly the 10 cane, which I think Jacob mentioned in here.
The management while nice here, did not expect this to be as huge a party as it was and ran out of everything, mint including, and in some cases patience.They should have had at least one more bartender and two floor staff, but perhaps it was their intent not to give out free drinks/food so freely. I have worked these type of parties before, so I know that it is practiced like this frequently elsewhere.
The decor is note-worthy, and this place was definitely filled with a different crowd on its original opening that i attended. Now they have a "frat and sour" crowd with that eerie look, like they've all shopped together at Abercrummie. Pity really but its hard to keep the crowd you want I suppose. When you want the $$ you take the crowd you get usually, not the one you may have wanted originally...
I give Landmark maybe 2 more years before they will need to change their concept to attract the masses.
American Table Menu
Neighborhood: West Loop
Weekend Brunch
Neighborhood: The Loop
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Pubs
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Category: Lounges
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