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Category: American (New) [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideSunday through Thursday
10% off any wine priced under 195 dollars.
25% off any wine priced 195 dollars or more,…
Chicago (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
"wowza. i love this place. ive eaten here twice and ordered the same thing - center cut filet with mashed potatoes and spinach with a nice…" read more »
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My favorite spot for a romantic dinner, hands down. A sure-fire winner if you need to impress.
Ambience - spacious, lively without being noisy (a difficult balance that mK strikes wonderfully). I prefer the tables upstairs for couples; the tables on the main floor are best for groups.
Wine list - a definite strong point for mK. The list is extensive and well organized. The sommelier, Patrick, is helpful and truly listens to your feedback. Be clear about what you're looking for, and he will take it from there.
Food - excellent. The dozen or so entrees I've tried have all been delicious and well portioned. May be a touch pricey, but you are rewarded with a superb dish. TIp: splurge on the appetizers. They are well priced and also come in decent portions, an excellent way to savor some of the great tastes on the menu while staying budget-conscious. The grilled octopus and ravioli are favorites. Save room for dessert - you'll be glad you did. The cake & shake is a must.
Service - the real highlight of a night at mK is the people who help make your evening special. Everyone I've had the pleasure of getting to know at mK has been a delight. The staff is well educated on the menu, attentive without being overbearing, and happy to go out of their way to make things perfect and memorable. They are especially adept at tailoring their service to the mood of your party; whether you are conversational and looking to engage them, or would prefer a more private affair, they do not disappoint. For those who have the pleasure of visiting mK every so often, I guarantee they'll make you feel like a regular, someone they look forward to seeing. Consider it a special treat if Sergio and/or Enrique look after your table when you're there. They are truly the most professional, gracious, friendly, caring people I've ever met in the restaurant industry.
If, somehow, you're still not sold on mK, check out their "Wine on Wednesday" events. Every Wednesday, you get to try three wines and three tastes for just $25 - unbeatable.
Looking forward to my next trip to mK,
Joe
We went there last weekend with the A la card Chicago's deck: $10 off. I had the tasting menu: 4 course: $45: pumpkin soup, red snapper, squab and maple fig persimmon. I love the soup and the fish. The squab was ok. The dessert was too simple with a pound cake.
Dishes from the main menu also look great (and for now I think it's better to order from the menu instead of the tasting menu). Meat dishes there look amazing. My friend had Veal which was really good. We also tried the famous Pomme Frittes. The fries are kinda greasy for me but its sauce is good though, very light and great taste.
Desserts from the actual menu look great though. My friends had 'Cake & Shake' which was great. The chocolate cake was very rich and the shake was also very yummy. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. Given the price, I expect more from this place though :(
One of my absolute favorites.
It really does pay to have a cousin that works here, they really take care of their employees.
That aside, I watched how they were with their other customers. Very attentive and hospitable. I don't remember the last time someone draped my napkin over my lap for me. All the dishes are very innovative and the presentations were inspirational.
Frites with truffle aioli: SUPERB. they're delicious. So delicious that I had to make them myself a few days afterwards haha.
Oysters served w. mignonette: Really good quality. Extremely sweet and the liqueur from the oysters were still in tact.
Foie: I love myself foie gras and they do it right here at MK.
Hamachi crudo: probably one of my favorite dishes of the night. Really delicate flavors with citrus notes that highlight the beautiful taste of the hamachi.
Scallops: I've had a lot of scallops and they did a pretty damn good job. I really liked the wilted spigarello greens.
Rabbit 3 ways: I presonally liked the fried preparation, the others were okay. The grits are to die for; soo creamy and rich. and the cherry mustard reduction was an excellent accompaniment.
Bison: my first time with bison. Really tasty meat. Very hearty as well. It was prepared in a manner which I took a liking to.
Squab: Very similar to quail in my opinion. Good execution. Tasty. I'd order it again.
Those were some of the many plates we indulged in for the evening. Everything was excellent although some of the sides were a tad over seasoned. But if you paired it with your entree it mellowed out. The chanterelles were a delicious treat.
Fantastic, from soup to nuts. Literally. Fantastic atmosphere, fantastic service, ridiculously fantastic food. I can't believe I'm just falling in love with MK before I move away. The restaurant gods are cruel that way. Two Bananas Walk Into a Bar may be the best dessert I've had in years... do not hesitate to order two. You'll find room, trust me.
Service---OK. My Steak---OK, Atmosphere--romantic. I kept on hearing that MK was SOOOO good, "you gotta try it". I've made better meals (but then again, I am a pretty damn good cook). My steak was very salty and bland at the same time. I dont even remember the appetizer or dessert we had---what does that tell you. I am willing to try it again sometime and will update this if my review changes but just A-OK.
I had a very nice night with a group of frineds coming from Europe. It's always difficult to pick a place that can accommodate the taste of everybody and it seems that this time I made it.
Food was excellent and with the right portions, service was attentive and fast. i loved the wine choices. I asked for suggestions and I received some tastes of very unusual wines. I love wine and this has been a great plus. Certainly a place to suggest.
I really enjoyed the food at mk: great presentation, wonderful mixed and creative flavors, and everything cooked as ordered. However, there wasn't anything I'll crave in the future and drool over as I reminisce about my dinner. That doesn't mean I didn't love the total experience, which is why I gave this place 5 stars, instead of 4.
AWESOME service!!! Everyone was accommodating, even the bussers. They were so welcoming, not snooty. My fiance ordered a fish dish and 10 min later, when he saw another table getting a pork chop dish, he excitedly said "Man, I wish I ordered that." The server must have been at least 15 feet away and rushed over to our table and asked if he wanted to change his order. Attentive!!!
I was also surprised about the $ value. Totally worth it! I got the Autumn tasting: $45 for soup, fish entree, squab entree, and dessert. And they weren't dinky portions. YAY!
As a hardcore foodie, I can say with total honesty that mk is an unforgettable restaurant. I tend to try more adventurous food, and have never been disappointed. The food is elegant and simple, and most importantly: unpretentious. The brussell sprouts sauteed in truffle butter are especially fantastic.
The biggest reason to eat at mk is Tony the pastry chef. Every ice cream he makes, from banana to cream cheese to chevre, is comforting and exciting at the same time. You have to try it.
I couldn't wait to try MK and was not disappointed when I finally did. I went here for a friend's birthday and the staff could not have been nicer. Our server was accomdating and attentive and the food was fantastic. I thought it was going to be a lot more expensive than it actually was- awesome!
We had a large group and the chef brought out different dishes for the whole table to sample, a small bite if you will. One was a scallop dish and the other was a salmon mousse something or other, both fantastic.
My friend and I split the halibut and the heirloom tomato appetizer.
I cannot remember what everyone else had, but there was not one complaint. The food and drinks were flowing throughout the night and we all had a great time!
I was really excited about coming to MK after reading all of the reviews; word on the street is that this place is awesome. Mk totally lived up to what I hoped for: a delicious meal. The staff was very friendly and not at all pretentious. Everyone that we encountered from the host to the wait staff treated us like royalty, even though it's probably pretty obvious that we are not high rollers.
The layout is really open and the bar area is upfront near the entrance. Came here with a friend on a Wednesday evening and ordered some cocktails. Highly recommend the 'Gin and Juice' (go ahead, sing some snoop dog to yourself, I did). We split an appetizer (grilled ocotpus) and ordered two entrees (the bison and tuna) and 1 side of pomme frittes. It was my first time having grilled octoups, it was really tender and flavorful. The kitchen sent out some other dishes for us to try, on the house. They included a salad with blue cheese, apples, and pecans, as well as a side-dish of zucchini and squash. Both were yummy! The waiter was happy to split the salad and octopus appetizer between the two of us.
Oh, I can't forget dessert. We shared the 'two bananas walk into a bar' and it was absolutely heavenly. I wish that we wouldn't have shared it because I could easily have inhaled a whole one by myself. A small tray of miniatures was brought out as the final item, with lemon jellies, brownies, and shortbread cookie.
There are some fine dining places that you go to once and enjoy, and then there are other places that you want to come back to more often. MK is going to be an often place, for sure. Shout-out to MK, please keep gin and juice on the menu!!
Good old time favorite. Always quality, always polite, alway delicious. Every time we have visitors or something special, we take our guests to MK.
Very polite and friendly and on top of everything!
The best of the best their fries, come in a big glass with cream truffle sauce on the side. I even dipped my scallops in that sauce, that is how delicious it is. I think I saw my girlfriend dipping her bread but I could be wrong...
Cake and shake absolute favorite of the desserts. Main room is great but they also have a more intimate room that overlooks the main dinning area if you want it to be more quiet and private.
Excellent Chicago staple!!!
So, what do YOU think of when you hear MK... Mortal Kombat, Miss Kitty, Marvel Knights, Medium Kick, Match King, Milton Keynes, Macedonia, Michael Kornick, Mind Kontrol, Mama Knows, Mystic Klan, Maledictions Kurse? OK, well if you ARE thinking any of those things, maybe you need to talk so someone. Besides, some of those words don't even start with a K...HELLLOO!!!
Anyway, back to MY review... when I think of MK, I think of the restaurant. This place is so unassuming from the outside, that you'd never know how great it is on the inside. The service is outstanding, and the food is just as yummy. The bar area is very lavish and comfortable, so if you have to wait for a table, you won't mind. And what place that serves fancy food, also serves french fries with it? MK that's where! Very cool place!!!
Everything about MK feels exclusive. And not in an ostentatious way, but from it's gritty location to its unassuming exterior, one might start fretting over not remembering the password to get in.
It's unquestionable that the food is the star of the show. And people are willing to drop big, big bucks on kobe and crawfish. Hundred dollar bills fly about like ticker tape, but even if you lack name brand and karats you are treated with respect. At least until you're seated.
I went here for my 30th birthday, with my two favorite people, Marc and Mom. We sat for hours chatting, marveling at the crowd, the sweets, the savories. We wanted to put MK in our top five dining experiences (Crush in Toronto still leads the pack for me), but what makes it more top ten is the service.
There was nothing about MK that went above and beyond. If you want to rival five-star restaurants in the city you have to do more than just check the box on making a fantastic meal. Service only glinted, it didn't shine. Our waiter was visibly irritated with his staff, and though our runner more than made up for his attitude, we were feeling a little left behind.
Maybe we should have ordered a bottle of wine? Lost 60 pounds and shown some cleavage? Stopped by David Yurman on the way in? I don't know what he wanted from us, but I know the relationship was more give than take.
But the chef is getting it right, and he ought be lauded. Praise be for the truffle fries. Praise be.
Great french fries. Very trendy and expensive. I don't think the food here is anything that special though compared to other higher end fine dining restaurants. The food itself I would give 4 stars. When I add on the service and value components, the overall experience comes down to 3 stars. Service was mediocre for this price range.
I would come here if someone else was treating, but I wouldn't go out of my way to come here.
Kudos to the pastry chef.
My birthday dinner at mk was delicious. We would definitely go back. My scallop starter was amazing and the duck, very good. Dessert was phenomenal and there was a very enticing cheese menu. The food was delicious, well prepared, and beautifully presented. You can get great food at that price point other places so it's not a must visit but I wasn't disappointed. For dessert and coffee in the lounge, it's well worth your while.
The crowd is older (not like early bird special older, but 30s on up). I wish that we had taken time for a drink in the bar/ lounge area first because it looked very cozy but our table was ready so we sat down. The service was good but not outstanding (I expect outstanding when paying that much for dinner) and the tables were a touch too close together. I heard too much of both neighbors conversations. The four course tasting menu is very moderately priced at $45 for an affordable option.
So, so , so good.
So my fam took me here for my 30th b-day. I had the whitefish and lobster in addition to about 10 different appetizers for the table. The menu was inventive and fresh and there wasn't a bad item in the bunch. The scallop appetizer can't be be beat and even the pastas were great . They WERE out of the tasting menu. . . .which was odd since we had a 6:30 reservation. Bummed out a few people at our table for sure.
They actually made me a birthday cake that was a "cupcake cake". I am not normally a cake person but this was fantastic. Restaurant sent over a bottle of moscato on the house for dessert as well. . .can't beat that!!
The service was really great as well. Came by just enough and all of the dishes were timed perfectly. WIth so many places vying for my food attention, I would definitely consider MK for a repeat performance.
Oh MK, how delightfully and simply you eased into my Top Five favorite dining experiences. From attentive, kind service to your brilliant use of charcoal to prepare our savory, delicious meats of octopus and lamb.
The rich fettucine with earthy, perfectly-seasoned mushrooms, the frites with delicate and ethereal truffle cream, the ramps, the peas, the morels, the most delicious scallops, the crusty, meaty halibut, the amuse which was spring-in-a-spoon and onto the delicate, rhubarb soda with strawberry ice cream.
There were moments during this meal where all I could do was sit back and let a dreamy smile spread across my face. Every course was preceded by excited, foot-tapping anticipation and none disappointed.
Service and management took extra special care of us, and that added to my already fully-stocked compliment bin. In fact, it was overflowing by the time dessert and comped glasses of dessert wine hit the table.
This review may not be funny, cool or even all that helpful but what it is, is a little love note to MK. What started as a mild flirtation a week ago left me looking over my shoulder longingly and lovingly as we walked out the door.
Personally I think MK is a bit overrated... I do enjoy their food tho. Not sure about the dinner wine selection but after dinner wine (ice wine & ports) is excellent. MK is good for power dinners! Give them a try.
This review is utterly futile: nothing that I write will render justice to the experience. And besides, my exact thoughts and feelings have been more effectively and eloquently expressed in another recent review. But yet, I soldier on...
I almost never rate a restaurant five stars after the first visit, but really, the entire evening here was perfect.
Elegant and handsome, but not sleek and pretentious; intimate and comfortable but not dim and stuffy...I loved the feelings that they engendered right off the bat and maintained throughout the meal. The service was impeccable: warm, confident, and helpful. Our server sent out a couple of extra items on the house. We also had two visits from the manager, bearing gifts of wine. I loved that they double-plated each course separately, without us asking. They took very good care of us and I can't praise them enough for that.
The food was amazing; everything was wonderfully balanced and composed and ultimately, almost trascendently delicious. Amuse bouche, scallops, octopus, halibut, cheesy pasta, truffle frites, veal porterhouse, and a morels/ramps/sugar-snap peas side dish...whew! That's the recipe for gustatory ecstasy that MK whipped up for us that evening. The dishes included a lot of springy items such as trumpet mushrooms, green beans, and spinach, and a few other brilliant touches such as meyer lemon puree and cognac/green-peppercorn sauce (fantastic). Even the two breads and the salted butter were first-rate (I asked for a second basket). They have some intriguing desserts, but after being stuffed to the gills with culinary expertise, we chose the nice, simple strawberry ice cream and rhubarb soda.
Easily one of the top ten meals that I have ever enjoyed. Thank you, MK.
Outstanding meal. We arrived a bit early and had to hang out in their cushy bar area. Lovely wine served by knowledgeable Molly (Paul Scott Pinot Noir, 2007, Cuvee Martha Pirrie, Willamette Valley, OR). We were lucky enough that Molly stayed with us through the meal -- even contributing a glass of Kracher Cuvee Beerenauslese (NV, Austria) to go with my foie gras. Other tasty bits of the meal were my softshell crab and my colleague's skirt steak, our side of Shitake & onions, then "almost carrot cake" for the finish. Creative and tasty!
High quality and flavor across the board.
Unmemorable experience - considering the cost and unimpressive food, we left disappointed
Cool, comfortable atmosphere makes for a casual cosmopolitan setting. We loved the bar/lounge area and the giant skylight above the dining area the wood ceiling enhanced the overall atmosphere. The design, décor and architecture of the restaurant was my favorite part of the dining experience.
The service was fair at best. Although the servers were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, numerous times I had to wave one of them down and ask them to do something that should of already been done. Our dinner plates where left in front of us a unusually long time after we finished our meal. Lots of water and repeat coffee requests. We felt rushed at times and at other times received no attention. They seemed like they just did not care.
This next issue was a bit bothersome. There were 3 of us in our party we all had first courses and entrees but I was the only one to have a second course( I love to eat ) in the middle of my second course the waiter brought out our entrees when he saw I was still on my second course he continued to walk by and returned to kitchen. It seems their timing was a off and although I don't think it effected the food to much I don't want something like this happening at a expensive high end dinner it seems more a rookie restaurant mistake.
THE FOOD
First course - Foie Gras - I remember the first time I tasted foie gras my eyes rolled into the back of my head and I said oh my God. Since then I have considered the increased risk of cardiac arrest a fair trade off so I could experience the rich creamy bold melt in your mouth flavors of foie gras. I did not experience those feelings with the Foie gras at MK. Although it had a nice presentation the foie gras did not have that explode in your mouth flavor it is known for. Lastly the foie gras had a stringy texture which I think has a issue to do with the grade or cleaning.
Tuna Tartar - Nothing special at all a huge serving looked to be almost the size of a hockey puck. Served with cured olives that totally over powered the tuna. Not much interesting and seemed wrong flavors were paired together. Rather than being neatly cubed, the tuna was in randomly sized layers, many too large for a single bite.
Second course - The Lobster Soup - The soup was served table side with the waiter pouring the liquid into the soup bowl that contained the lobster and other components. I love table side service so I enjoyed this but the flavors were one dimensional and not leaving me wanting to get every last drop before the waiter removed the bowl it was not that special taste that makes you go MMMMMM in a public place. The soup was listed on the menu as lobster medallions which got me excited and what drew me to order the soup but when it was served the lobster medallions were only small lobster pieces not medallions at all.
Main Course- Sirloin Steak with wine Syrup - This is my favorite cut of steak I ordered it just under medium and it came out to the correct doneness. At a cost of $48 I expected nothing but the best steak. Price wise $48 is on the high end of the scale for this cut of meat and actually priced higher then most of the best steak restaurants in the city and even country. When the steak arrived it looked beautifully charred contrasting the red wine syrup it was resting on but when I cut into the steak it did not look juicy or moist or have that flavor full look great tasting steaks have. When I bit into the steak it did not melt in my mouth it was tasty but not a great steak. My favorite steak is the Bone in Kansas city strip at Tavern On Rush which price wise is $42.95 and melt in your mouth tender delicious and oozes with juice and flavor when bit into every
time I have had it.
Side Dishes
Pommes frites with truffle cream - Awesome crispy potatoes cool presentation in a tall glass with white paper to make a cone so the fries cascaded over the side . The truffle cream was wonderful if I ever drown I want it to be in the truffle cream sauce. Id die with a smile on my face for sure. Don't miss these
Caramelized Brussel Sprouts with Truffle - Very good even the people that normally throw them under the table would like these.
I think a restaurant at this level and price needs to be on its game all the time. Any mistakes that might be made are so small they are forgotten because its the great things that are remembered about the meal. unfortunately this was not the case.
Across the board: excellent.
Atmosphere: sophisticated and inviting.
Menu: A joyous read.
Service: Attentive without smothering.
Food: The best part.
MK never fails! Took my husband here for his30th birthday. I knew we'd want something relaxing but not completely dead, and that's hard to find on a Monday night in Chicago, but MK was perfect. We sat in the front of the restaurant/lounge area with a glass of champagne and I gave my husband his gift. The maitre'd noticed right away and while my husband was in the restroom came over to ask his name, I assume, to wish him a happy birthday.
We sat and were immediately approached by the waiter who was very pleasant. We had 2 or 3 people taking care of us all night, including the maitre'd who told us how appreciative he was the we joined them at MK for our special occasion. We ordered a bottle of wine and barely had to pour our own glasses, there was always someone there to top us off. I really can't say enough about the service, it's impeccable.
Food wise, everything was great. Delicious fresh baked bread, a yummy shrimp amuse bouche. I had a soft shell crab app, my husband had a salad, both great. For the mains I had the duck, he had the kobe skirt steak, also both very good, cooked perfectly. We got the legendary truffle fries on the side and some zucchini. It was perfectly filling but not too much.
All in all MK is still 5 stars to me!
Delicious! Creative, comfortable and super high end farmers market freshness!
I think yelp needs a different rating system for restaurants. They need a special "10 Star" rating for places such as French Laundry and Alinea which shouldn't be in the same category as anyone else. 99% of other restaurants for me would fit into the usual 5 point scale. However in my opinion, MK would deserve 8 stars.
The ambiance, decor, vibe, lighting, seating, artwork were all just ideal for me. It's such a beautiful and lively place without being loud or overcrowded. I like the smart casual theme versus other places that tend a little more to the stuffy side. MK is by far my favorite in Chicago in terms of ambiance.
The wine list is out of this world. I found numerous favorites, they have great coverage of all the best varietals and regions and with reasonable prices.
The service was simply flawless. On a par with Trotter's and Alinea. Our server Tino was helpful, attentive and knowledgeable, efficient and friendly. Couldn't ask for better. Also, the servers and other staff were professional and unobtrusive as one would hope.
The food was sensational. It is one of those menus that just tickles me where I itch. I could have ordered any of 8 starters and almost all the entrees, which is very rare for me. Since we were having a phenomenal White Burgundy, we opted for mostly seafood. Our appetizers were each better than the next. And my pepper crusted yellowfin tuna was the best tuna I've ever had. Everything on the dish was in perfect harmony.
Finally the bill was WAY less than I expected for the amount of food, wine and the high quality. I was also impressed that they have a $45/per person three course chef's menu. I look forward to trying that out.
All in all, I think MK is my new favorite spot in Chicago. Yes, I think Alinea is the best there is for special occasions or for a transformational culinary experience, and yes I think Les Nomades is the best for an intimate and romantic French dining experience. But for a lively, fun place where you can get a world class meal with world class wine at a very reasonable bill, MK is it for me. I hope to be back many times over the next year.
After a lovely meal at Kiki's up the street I decided to have a drink at MK and though I didn't have a meal there, I did peruse the menu which looks fantastic!
Julie Chin was our bartender and was very friendly and great about answering questions about the menu. I look forward to providing an update in the near future on the food.....stayed tuned.
This is mostly a review I wrote in 2006, with a few alterations where time clearly has made it incorrect. Caveat lector!
mk is restauranteur Michael Kornick's main presence here in Chicago, although his glitzier offering, N9ne, might have more nameshare, especially with its trendy ghostbar. Still, the roots of Michael's approach is in the food, and (at the time) Todd Stein was at the helm of his flagship restaurant (a change formalized at the end of 2005), Michael, of course, had nothing to worry about. Todd won a number of "Best New Chef" awards for 2005 (odd, since he's been in the industry for a while, and even Chicago before, but who is he to argue with a little press?) and they were well deserved. He keeps his food simple, but with a robustness of flavor and a solidity of presence. His line is well-trained, consistently turning out dependably good meals - and as a catastrophe with a recent fellow diner's sweetbreads showed me, Todd is not above stepping in on the line himself when something has to be corrected. Todd is a fan of preparing foie gras and he does it right; he also makes sure to stock a proper sauternes or two to pair it with. They often have good solid Italian and French reds there, even by the half-bottle, and fairly reasonably priced at that. His sauces are often intense, even heavy, but always complementary to the main ingredient at hand.
Todd's philosophy of dining carries over to his whole restaurant, and I think it serves him well: "Use great ingredients and treat them well. Respect is key. Dining isn't just eating. It starts from the moment you walk in. It includes the service, the flatware, everything." That's the case at mk; the service is dependable, friendly, and in all ways engaging. The room has a bit of a New York feel to it; it's large, open, with broad strokes of black (but not drearily so) and soft uptempo ambient or synth music in the background. The menu is reductionist, tongue-in-cheek, with all-lower case dish names like "lobster" and "lobster again"; desserts are handled similarly (if slightly more loquaciously) by the talented Kate Neumann, with dishes like her signature "one banana, two banana" and "cake and shake".
David was our absolute favorite waiter there (he since moved on to Blackbird and other restaurants), and (wherever he is now) you would do well to sit with him; his suggestions are nearly always dead-on, he remembers your preferences and knows a palate after he starts to work with you, and he's a lot of fun without being at all overbearing. Oh, and trying the pommes frites is worth it, but do yourself a favor and order an extra truffle cream from the start. You'll each want one, trust me, and it only comes with one to start.
Pros: Solid, intense food, changing menu, excellent chef history (I don't actually know the new one), great service. Offers foie gras, morels, and other "exotic" ingredients that make life worth living.
Cons: Food can be a bit heavy for lighter eaters. Not inexpensive.
Summary: A dependably good restaurant with a touch of New York, right here in downtown Chicago.
One of the best meals of my life!
I was the lucky recipient of a birthday dinner (mine!) this past February, and we had a tasting menu - but not only did the two of us get several amazing courses, we EACH got our own separate menu! Twice the tasting, as we shared our way thru each magnificent and well-timed course!
Service is spectacular.
Wine selection is top notch.
Food was stellar. I loved the Kobe beef above all, but the hamachi, ravioli, and the huge sampler plate of desserts (I lose count - banana shake, chocolate cake, though, were the best!).
Check it out!
Best restaurant in Chicago. Period!
The food here is still as wonderful as ever. On this visit we had raw oysters and tuna tartar to start (always delicious!) and the bison and veal as our entrees (perfectly prepared!) The sides of garlic mashed and a cauliflower combo were also tasty.
But what put it over the top for me was the service! First - a thanks to Caroline the bartender who went out of her way to take care of us and welcome us back to MK. The manager, Patrick, was also delightful- bringing us complimentary champagne to go with our oysters and thanking us for our visit.
But who really blew me away was Leslie, our server. This woman recognized us from a restaurant that she used to work at and even though she hadn't seen us in 9 months, she not only remembered us, but our favorite wine! That is truly the sign of an amazing server! Our evening was that much better because of her.
You can bet we'll be back- and sitting in Leslie's section.
Haven't been here for many years but stopped in for dinner last night.
The food was as good as I…
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I took my husband to mk for dinner this week to celebrate his birthday and couldn't have been happier with the choice. Honestly, this meal was in the top five dining experiences I've ever had. Scratch that, top three. Note: I'm a picky, picky bitch who can be dissatisfied in an instant.
mk has a modern urban feel, with brick walls and a lovely lofted area that has roughly 10 more tables. Since we arrived right on time for our reservation (valet parking for $10 if you can't nab a meter spot nearby or are running late), we were seated immediately, but there is a bar/lounge area where I wouldn't have minded waiting at all.
We were in a great spot along the rail of the loft, overlooking the restaurant.
Sergio, our server, greeted us promptly and gave us time to look over the wine list and menu. I can't say enough about how wonderful Sergio was personally, and how exceptional the service was overall: wonderfully paced, attentive without ever being obnoxious, knowledgeable without being at all pretentious. I loved that he could give detailed feedback on dishes we asked about, was well informed on wines they offered, and had a demeanor that was inviting and calming. I would request a table in his section again.
We got the party going with specialty drinks: mk 10th Anniversary martini (me, and I loved it) and an Adlib (him, and it was rum heaven). With Sergio's input, we decided on our menu.
Our first course was compliments of the chef: a King Salmon tartar amuse-bouche. I don't eat salmon, but my husband eagerly snarfed them both down and the look on his face said it all. From his feedback, "citrusy, clean, awesome."
We moved on to the next course: Goat Cheese Ravioli. Holy shiznit. It was perfection. The perfect balance of the creamy delicious tang of both goat cheese and talegio. Each bite melted in my mouth.
Next up was the Belgian endive salad with apple, watercress, green beans, blue cheese, and bits of toasted pecans. I'm not sure what the dressing was on this salad, but I'm certain it contained crack. Wow. Divine.
My husband, who is never served seafood at home, went the expected route and ordered the whitefish / shellfish dish. A shellfish broth was poured tableside on a beautiful dish of whitefish, poached lobster, mussels, and clams in the shell. He raved, and I trust his palate.
Based on Sergio's feedback, I was pumped to get my New York Strip. I ordered my steak medium, which no one seems to get right, and I could've cried when I saw the color of my steak- char on the outside, pink throughout, then a hint of red in the middle.... ::angels singing:: It was tender to the point of melting in my mouth, and plated with a red wine reduction that was heavenly...notes of cherry, sort of sweet but still sour. Perfectly balanced flavor that was an ideal compliment the cut of meat. Served with sugar snap peas and cipollini onions. Wonderful with the bottle of Sharecopper's Pinot Noir we ordered (all bottles under $125 are 10% off, and this one was $56. Great wine list, but I'd like to see more options under $75).
Is it wrong that I'm still fantasizing about the pommes frites and truffle cream?
We were stuffed but contemplated dessert. While we talked, drank, and discussed dessert, our very astute server let us know that he asked the kitchen to prepare a special birthday dessert for us...on him. Holla!
Minutes later we were presented with "two bananas walk into a bar"- a scrumptious
banana soufflé, banana ice cream, toasted marshmallow, macadamia nut crumble, and chocolate sauce.
Perfect end to a perfect meal.
My husband and I had a lovely dinner date at MK last night. I think I would give it 3.5 stars, but have bumped it to 4 stars based on the service, atmosphere, and appetizers. Here is a rundown on our dinner:
We got there early and started off with cocktails in the lounge area. I had the pomegranite mojito -- SO yummy! The restaurant space is really cool, and we both liked the open ceiling and exposed brick decor. I had called ahead to ask if we could sit on the upper level, and they gave us what looks like the best seat in the house. It is a 2-seater on the upper level that allows you to look down at your fellow diners. Great for people watching!
The bread and butter they bring out is yummy, and they also started us with an amuse bouche of raw salmon that was delicious. The appetizers were the highlight of the meal for us. The tuna tartare was very fresh, and the waiter had it split into two separate plates which was a nice touch. The fois gras was fabulous and by far my favorite part of the meal. It came with raisin bread which did not go with the fois gras at all though, so we stuck to the bread in the bread basket. On the side of the fois gras plate was a delicious citrusy/tart/spicy salad that we loved. There was some yummy honeycomb on the side as well.
After that, though, our meal went downhill. We were both very disappointed in our entrees. I had the whitefish/shellfish. The lobster chunks were generous and tasted good, but not great. The whitefish was just okay -- nothing special. The broth surrounding the dish was very good. But the mussles and the clams were both way too fishy! I almost had to spit out one of the mussels -- it tasted so overwhelmingly fishy. Yuck. And I will add that I love mussels and eat them often, but these were really gross. The clams were equally bad. My husband ordered the pork which was cold and flavorless. It was surrounded by some mushrooms that were very earthy tasting which did not appeal to either of us. He was disappointed and regreted not ordering the steak.
We declined dessert, which the waiter seemed surprised at, but we were both very full at that point. They still brought us out a small sampling plate of mini desserts which was very good and leads me to believe their desserts are worth ordering.
As others have mentioned, the service was impeccable. We were very pleased with our two waiters. The meal itself was surprisingly reasonable for the level of restaurant. The bill for four drinks (three cocktails and one glass of wine), two appetizers, and two entrees, before tip was $165 -- not bad.
We both agreed that we would be willing to try MK again as we have heard so many great things about it, but we would definitely try different entrees!
Could fine dining get any better? Possibly. Perhaps if the venue was just a little bit more jazzy or modern looking. Other than that, I have absolutely NO complaints.
Not only was our server Julio amazing but every single course was spaced exactly as far and close as I could have hoped for. We turned out to be the last couple in the restaurant and still did not feel rushed.
It was an experience to never forget. All throughout the meal we just kept saying things like, "Unbelievable...amazing....this is heaven....."
Things you MUST try:
*The MK Pinot Noir
*Oysters
*Gnochhi
*tuna tartar
*banana desert
Everything we had (3 desserts and a few more courses!) was phenomonal- just enough flavor, never to much garlic or salt-everything melded perfectly.
A great special occasion.
MK offered the ideal balance of top-notch food, comfortable ambience, and attentive (but not overbearing) service. Both of us were impressed with the seasonality of the menu; lots of ramps, morels, spring onions, asparagus and the like. Lo these many moths later, I *still* remember the fresh porcini salad.
Okay, so eventhough the food is the BEST part, I have to first start by talking about the parking. Park on the street! I saw so many people using valet on Friday night and just around the corner there was a whole block of meter parking. It was really close and we only paid 75cents :) Plus its free after 9pm!
Okay so now onto the good stuff. The host was very nice and we didn't have to wait to be seated. (we did have a reservation, but you know how that goes) We got taken to our seat and seen by our waiter as soon as we got settled. Our waiter's name was Toni - I think. He was great. Really personable, older gentleman, and totally not snobby. In fact, as nice as this place is nothing and no one was snobby or uppity at all. That was such a relief.
Okay so we ordered the Fixed Price menu for $45/ person. I was really surprized at how reasonable that was, especially when many entrees in the menu were in the $30 range.
We got the bread basket first which had really delicious homemade fresh bread that we loved, then we got a little complementary small plate that had shrimp and cinnamon and something else, really good.
Next as part of the prix fixe we got the pumpkin soup. At first when they brought it out I wasn't so sure it was the pumpkin soup as it looked like just a bunch of raw pumkin pieces and green onions at the bottom of a bowl with some foamy stuff on top. Then they poured the soup into our bowls simultaneously out of little pitchers. Best pumpkin soup EVER! It really blew my mind.
Next we got the scallops which were perfectly crisp on the outside and then totally and literally dissolved into your mouth. I really couldn't believe how soft they were inside. It was like they dissapeared every time you took a bite. We were really impressed by these.
For our entree we had the duck. It was really great and had cloves and cinnamon and really amazing. I was REALLY full at this point.
And for dessert we had the blood orange cannolis. These were great. I have been looking for the best cannoli in Chicago and although this was not traditional, it may have been the best I've had. Instead of the traditional shell, this was made of burnt sugar and filled with a soft, sweet, warm ricotta cheese with a blood orange syrup. Amazing!
Then we got some free little tiny desserts after everything else. We could hardly eat them but... we HAD to! I can still remember how those little strawberry gellies tasted. Yum!
All of this plus a shared glass of white and a half bottle of red for $178. And since I had a $10 off coupon through Ala Card Chicago plus $150 in gift certificates from my brother (Thanks Kev!) it ended up only costing us $10!! Hurray!
This two and a half hour meal was totally worth it and I will definitely and absolutely come back.
Top notch service, delicious food from start to finish, expertly paired with wines...what more could you want.
Went here on a tuesday night for my girlfriends birthday. Wasn't too hard to make a reservation (thanks opentable) but the place was totally full for a tuesday night. Sat down and were immediately welcomed and offered a beverage. Service the whole night was great from the waiter, to the servers.
We started off with the scallop appetizer which was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. The basket of bread as other had mentioned is insanely good, paired with salted butter...um yea i'll take at least three baskets please. For dinner I had the tuna which was seared, served with mashed potatoes and spinach. Tuna was rare and flavorful and the dish was well presented. My girlfriend had the rabbit which was moist and very flavorful. We ordered two side dishes which were also very tasty.
For dessert we ordered the cake and shake. the cake was delicious, though the frosting wasn't to my liking. However, I could have had a gallon of the malt shake...soooo creamy and good.
I have to thank yelp on this one, not many of my friends had heard of MK but after trying it out, i'm spreading the word. And i'll be back for more bread and a steak!
Absolutely wonderful, from the greeting to the food to the service. I took my husband here for his birthday, and it was by far one of the best dining experiences we've had together.
I am a very indecisive food orderer, and I often ask our server to choose for me. Our waitress was Leslie, who was just awesome. She asked thoughtful questions and chose my pre-dinner cocktail, appetizer and dessert for me, and did a great job.
I had the MK 10 year anniversary drink to start, and the hubby had an Elliot Ness. I am hesitant to order martinis because they are either too sweet and not boozy enough or so boozy you have to choke it down. This was a grapefruit based cocktail and was very refreshing.
I had the MK classic tuna tartare with celery root remoulade and nicoise olives as a starter. It was very fresh with clean flavors. I loved it, as did my husband. Mike had the curried cauliflower and lobster bisque, which he liked very much. I couldn't taste due to my allergy, but he said he was really well seasoned and served HOT. Cold soup is a pet peeve of his, so he was happy.
For the entrees, I had the bison filet and Mike had the veal porterhouse. I am not a big red meat eater, but I love me some bison. This was perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned and had just the right amount of charcoal flavor to it. It was exactly what I always want my steak to taste like at a restaurant, but very rarely get. The veal porterhouse was also very good (although I am not a big veal fan). We shared an order of the famous pommes frites. I've never met a french fry I didn't like, but these were out of this world.
We had a very nice bottle of Cotes d'Rhone with our meal. At $49, it was one of the more inexpensive offerings on the wine list. If I had one complaint, it would be that the wine list is on the pricey side. However, there are still plenty of bottles under $50 on the list to choose from.
For dessert, we gave Leslie three options and had her surprise us with a dessert to share. She brought us the Two Bananas Walk Into A Bar with two glasses of muscato d'asti. A perfect ending, the dessert was just sweet enough to be satisfying without being too heavy or overly sweet. Also, it was perfection with the muscato.
The crowd on this particular night was interesting. We watched a couple throw a huge bitch fit about being seated at the back of the restaurant, and we enjoyed watching the early 20-something kid at dinner with his parents repeatedly go to the bathroom to take a little bump (hey buddy, the nosebleeds make it SUPER obvious what you're doing...) We had a lot to look at and a lot to discuss in the cab ride home.
We love dining out, and it is very rare that we return to a higher-end restaurant twice, as there are tons of places we still have yet to try. However, I don't think we will wait too long to return to MK.
Good food (not excellent), great staff, nice variety of items on the menu & seafood was tasty without too much sauce. Not an everyday type of restaurant b/c it is pricey but for special occasions, it's wonderful. Decor is minimal yet trendy and the restaurant looks like an old warehouse loft but cozy at the same time.
You can find a lot of street parking too around the restaurant if you are not up for the $10 valet (just bring quarters).
Umm, it's INSANE.
Took my beau there for his birthday. He got the venison and I got the salmon. Both were out of this world. I wish I could eat that fish every day. We had the most extraordinary bottle of wine. List is a little intimidating but extensive. I'm a cab fan and we got "Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc". If you're fans too, it's lovely.
Yikes on the price though. Did not anticipate giving him that much of a birthday present but probably one of the best (if not runner up) meals I've had in the city.
Service, impeccable. I forget both of our servers names but hey were lovely, helpful, endearing, prompt.
Interior, tasteful sophisticated. Not much of a theme and that's okay.(Poor choice in music though -no thought put into it at all).
Liked it's tucked away address. Feels very NYC.
Don't leave Chicago without going once...or twice!
My sister brought me here for dinner as my Christmas gift, and I had a wonderful time!!
Service was INCREDIBLE! I felt like I was being pampered and loved every minute of it. The waitstaff was friendly and very good about filling up water, answering questions, making suggestions, and asking if we were enjoying ourselves without being too intrusive. One of the waiters in particular had such a happy attitude about him that it made the dining experience more enjoyable. Oh! And even though we weren't dressed too too well, they still treated us like royalty which I always appreciate.
The food was good. They started us off with crostini? and a potato/catfish spread that was pretty good, and some regular breads with a butter that had sea salt on top (my sister devoured the butter and the spread ha). Then came a sample of their beet salad. Turns out I like beets! Turns out I still don't like bleu cheese. I ended up eating both our shares.
We got the seared scallop as an appetizer (comes on their tasting menu but they made sure we knew that everything was customizable, so the tasting menu items can be ordered a la carte, and the a la carte menus can substitute other items on the tasting menu.. how great!!). The scallop was tender and seared perfectly and came with a lemony sauce and on top of some crispy proscuitto and mini cubes of roasted potatoes. The potatoes were a bit undercooked for my tastes, but overall a great dish.
For the main course, I got the seared yellowfin tuna that came with delicious savory garlic mashed potatoes and spinach and a sweet red wine sauce. I all but licked my plate (classy :D). My sister got the salmon that came with shitake mushrooms and bok choy. Not a big fan of salmon myself but she enjoyed it and I liked the Asian-y sauce it came with.
We also got a side of pomme frites with the white truffle sauce, and they were so good! Yes, they're french fries, but 1. they were good french fries (and salted perfectly!), and 2. the truffle sauce was wonderful (when they first came out I thought I was going to end up asking them for ketchup, but I didn't have to lol).
I ended with the warm brioche banana bread pudding with the dark chocolate sorbet and the salted caramel sauce. Pretty good, but the bread pudding wasn't the best I'd ever had (not rich enough maybe?), and the sorbet, if you don't like your chocolate dark, don't try it (I do so this wasn't a problem for me really).
I don't know if I'll be back because it was pricey (about $70 pp inc. tip/tax) and there are lots of places I want to try and nothing to me was so craveable that I NEED to be back. Nonetheless, all in all, it was a FANTASTIC dinner, I found nothing wrong with it, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a nice place to eat with great service and food! (Check out the pictures I took if you want an idea of what some of the food looks like!)
3 Course Thanksgiving Meal!
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Weekend Brunch
Neighborhood: The Loop
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: French
Neighborhood: West Loop
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
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