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Monroe (Blue, Red)
Washington/Wells (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Pink)
Madison/Wabash (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
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Good food, but not a place I would pick if lunch were on my dime.
A former colleague invited me for a working lunch at Nick's. Even though I've been un/under-employed for a while, I don't think it was odd that I had some major sticker shock when checking out the menu online.
My friend ordered the lobster rolls on special and I went with the tuna melt. Her dish came out as three mini sliders with some fries on the side. It didn't look like a whole lot of food, especially for something I am sure was quite pricey. My meal seemed more generous, the tuna steak was huge, but worth the $19 price? Debatable. My fresh ahi tuna melt was more like a grilled tuna sandwich, which was fine, but for $19 I expected more. My tuna came out very rare, I wouldn't even call it seared since it wasn't browned; I was a little surprised I was never told how it's normally prepared and asked if that was ok, fortunately it was. The sandwich was good albeit messy, the oven roasted tomatoes were a bit too thick and kept shooting out from the bun no matter how much I wrestled with them. The wasabi aioli made the sandwich; without, it, the seemingly unseasoned piece of fish would have been quite bland.
Their dessert selection is impressive. I didn't get anything, but the cart they rolled out had at least 8 different options in addition to the ice cream and sorbet you can get.
Service was ok, I didn't really click with our server despite her politeness. We obviously weren't in a hurry to get through our meal and I felt like she was trying to rush us along; even dropping the check without asking if we wanted anything else (we did).
Bottom line: It's a safe choice, but after two visits I fail to be wowed by anything other than the prices.
Tuesday night, 7:00pm, business dinner, 7 guests.
There are a few disjointed things going on here and they don't connect to the price point of this place.
The upstairs bar area is great, clean lines, intimate seating areas, windows that open up to the street. I wish there were more Loop after work drink places like this. Of course you have the obligatory TV sets blasting the game in your face at every angle; but that's Chicago, I've gotten used to it and can't mark it against them.
So after a drink we head downstairs to the dining area. So bizarre. You take an escalator to what looks like the entrance to a mall parking garage or subway. I thought it was a joke and we were going the wrong way. But then the entrance to the dining room is off to the right and you see it once you get down.
The downstairs dining room has a cafeteria feel to it; way too bright, the tables are spaced out to fill up the room. Another weird thing: the Banquets are raised higher than the main floor so they look over all the other tables. Guests in the banquets are sitting side by side so I felt like we were at dinner theater and my party was the entertainment!
Another strange item: The restroom area. The restroom are outside the dining area and I guess they share them with the McDonalds next door and the Salvation Army??? They are totally gross, not clean, and when I went to the bathroom there were 2 homeless people and someone puking in one of the stalls. Remember how much you're paying about $40 bucks for a piece of fish here....
D- Bread... They give you a dinner roll at the beginning. They should finish baking them before serving.
B+ Oysters Rockefeller. Not a big fan but they were tasty. I scraped off the congealed yellow cheese sauce they had sitting on top.
B- Tuna Sashimi. Nothing special here. You're paying 14 bucks for a few slices of raw tuna. You can get this at any sushi place in town.
C+ Escargot. A disappointment. A giant puff pastry filled with a heavy cream sauce that had just a light garlic taste... snails interspersed within.... It reminded me of a chicken pot pie. We called it the Swanson's Frozen Dinner Escargot.
B Filet Mignon. A nice cut of meat. Plenty of food here. I asked for rare and got medium-well. Great garlic mashed potatoes and crispy greens. Not over salted! Kudos.
C Deserts. They bring a tray over with samples of all their deserts which is a nice touch but maybe they should forgo that because they all looked gross. Sort of like the stuff you get at TGIF... All with a heavy hand and everything drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce.
C Service. Like other reviewers have noted we had about 4 waiters but no clear idea of who was in charge of our service. My wine glass stayed empty for a long time even though there was a bottle of chardonnay chilling nearby.. I didn't feel like they were trained well.
The average entrée price is $40 and the average appetizer is $15. Plus drinks and gratuity you're looking at $100 a head. The service, dining area and other misses doesn't add up to the price.
My bf and I went to dinner here tonight and it was pretty good. We sat upstairs in the bar area, which had its ups and downs. We were served our food pretty quickly, but there was also a loud obnoxious woman sitting in the booth next to us which was much too close.
The food... we ordered the crab cake appetizer, which was pretty good. Nice and crispy on the outside, with big flaky pieces of crab on the inside. Only downside was... there was only one of them. What's with that new trend? One crab cake... sheesh...
My bf ordered the creme of bacon and onion soup at the utterance of the "bac" in bacon... it was good, but definitely needed the bread accompaniment. I also had the lobster bisque, which was very tasty. I didn't realize how salty it was until I had scarfed numerous spoonfuls, but it was nothing some water couldn't fix. And it didn't deter me from eating more of it.
The entrees were a big hit and a miss. I ordered the big-eye tuna with the asian bbq preparation. The tuna was cooked nicely but the sauce was sickly sweet. It was too bad, the spots of tuna not smothered in brown goo were delicious. Fortunately, the blackened grouper that my bf ordered was FANTASTIC. Sometimes thick cuts of fish just get cooked to hell, but this dish was perfect. The french fries were also good... the onion rings (too thickly breaded, I prefer the shoestring myself) and the potato croquettes were passable.
The only other weird thing was that we had two waitresses... there was clearly some turf war going on that we caused. It was awkward, but it didn't end up affecting our order at all.
The lobster bisque is delicious, pretty much pure butter & cream & sherry... fattening and perfect when you meet a friend for lunch because you're having a crappy day. (In Mean Girls terminology, we're the girls who eat our feelings.)
The salads are great, too - the salmon salad is amazing - very fresh-tasting and seems really healthy. The Louie is so good, though not the healthiest option due to the eggs & creamy dressing. It's way better than Petterino's Louie salad.
If I wanted a really super lunch, I would go somewhere else. But I've never had truly great lunch food in the Loop, so of the medicore options, this is one of my favorites.
I love Chicago. I am absolutely, unabashedly smitten with the food, the people, the shopping, the energy - just about everything about it.
Unfortunately, I can no longer say that I love Nick's in the same way. Nick's! You are letting Chi-town down!
I ate at the Nick's in Rosemont a few years ago on a rare trip outside the city proper, and remembered it quite fondly, and have eaten at Nick's on Clark quite a few times as well - so, when I needed to make a last minute reservation tonight and take out a big group that wanted seafood, I thought of Nick's.
I was wickedly disappointed. The food was still quite good - I have no complaints with the kitchen at all. But what was once a special, great experience along with the food is gone. Our service was seriously off - to the point where I thought for a second, "Am I in a Red Lobster, or a restaurant?" Everything was rushed, service was non-solicitous, just all in all really disappointing. For nearly $100/head, you just expect a little more class.
And - it wasn't from being too busy. The restaurant (we ate downstairs) was probably at 30% capacity tonight.
So, as good as the food was, I wouldn't recommend it. That pains me - but this is Chicago. There are too many good restaurants to waste your money at one who can't bring the experience to match the price of your meal.
If you must come here, the Dover sole and the sea bass are very, very good. Just don't expect much else.
Yikes, I was broke...and hungry by the time I left this place last night.
My meeting ended a little early, so I decided to have a drink at the bar while I waited for my party to arrive. The ambiance was nice, dark setting with romantic lighting. Attractive men in suits chit chatting at the bar.
The glasses of wine started at $9... So, here's a little tip I got from an employee at Nick's (I can't reveal names becaues he/she may lose his/her job)...Ready?
Their happy hour specials are $9.00 Martini's from the menu made with Svedka vodka, yuck. The same martini's (without happy hour special), are made with Grey Goose vodka range from $1-4 more. So basically, you are getting ripped off if you order the happy hour martini special.
Here's the real kicker! The flavored martini's, aren't actually "flavored" if you order the happy hour version. For example:
"Blueberry Muffin" is supposed to be made with Stoli flavored vodka. if you get the $9 special, you only get a "muffin" martini made with regular wells vodka. They don't add special flavoring to make up for the missing blueberry part.
"Peach Champagne"--This martini is not made with special peach flavored vodka either, but it's the same exact price ($9) on the regular menu...So basically, if you order the Peach Champagne martini, don't order the happy hour version, because you can get the real version for the same price.
I wasn't impressed with the over-priced bite-sized appetizers either...It was a tease. As I mentioned above, I left this place broke and hungry.
It was fun checking this place out, but I can't afford to keep coming here on my nonprofit salary.
Holy delicious lobster bisque.
Amazing, fantastic...wow. Lobster bisque...I loved it, as did my four dining friends.
The entrees were also great. We ate in the downstairs dining area and enjoyed every bit of our meal.
The fish wrapped in parchment paper was so moist. Melt in your mouth kind of fish. Yum.
We ate in the downstairs dining room. We were somewhat early, so felt pretty empty.
I would like to try some apps and drinks in the upstairs bar area.
Lunch was busy, I snagged a spot t the bar. I went for the tuna melt sammich with fries $16.00
I had thought it was going to be a little expensive until the thing arrived, a nice soft bread bun, light mayo and a huge fillet of grilled tuna! - side of fries were crispy and hand cut, awesome.
This meal was very high quality, filling and a nice surprise, what more can you ask?
The food at Nick's Fishmarket is great which is why I sat and wondered why the place was empty. Empty! Just us and another table that walked in as we were leaving.
Maybe most people chose to eat upstairs which is the more casual Nick's Grill as there were people there. But we wanted to sit in the dining room which was empty. Granted it was the Tuesday before Thanksgiving- but I felt like I was at a party that no one showed up for.
The good news? Service was amazing. We had 4 different servers taking care of us so my bread plate (with these amazing garlic butter rolls) was never empty, nor was my water or wine glass.
Started with some oysters (Blue Points, my fav!) and some ahi tuna tartar. Very good. There was also a salmon "lollipop" (their word not mine) that had some kind of cream cheese in it. Like a "Tootsie Pop" made of salmon. Odd but good.
The real star of the night was the lobster bisque. OMG! It was absolutely the best bisque I have ever had. Smooth, creamy, perfection in a bowl.
I had the Chilean Sea Bass which was good served with mashed potatoes and my dining companion had the lobster thermador (so rich, so fattening, so good)
All in all- a great dinner served by people who wanted to make our evening memorable. Check it out. They obviously can use the business if last night was any indication!
By far the best service in Chicago. The atmosphere is so romantic. My husband proposed here and we sat in the love seat by the window, it was perfect. They can dim your table lights, when you get up for a second they cover your food and fold you napkin. I can't say enough good things. The food is obviously good. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone!
If you need to hold a private party somewhere in the Loop, I strongly urge you to check out Nick's. I have oddly, in all my time in Chicago, never eaten here before last night, and as it was a reception I did not get the true sit-down meal experience, but if the service and quality is any indication of what I could expect in a normal meal, I will absolutely be back.
The staff is just impeccable. My lovely coworker, who was in charge of the event, and I arrived before the guests and were prompty asked if we needed drinks, had chairs brought up to our greeting table, and had a steady stream of staffers asking if we needed anything else before the reception started. Before I even finished my first Diet Coke, another was brought out to me without even a request.
The food service was also timed really well. The waiters seemed to be in a constant stream of rotating the passed appetizers (more on those later!). There were no weird breaks in which no food was coming or points at which too much was going around to handle. And I adore them for the fact that they stopped by our table before heading back to serve the guests so we could take a crack at the food while tied to greeting duties. It is nice to feel loved :)
The back room in the downstairs restaurant area is also really helpful for the traffic flow. If you have to organize events like these, you might notice people either congregate near the entrance or the bar. Somehow, the folks at Nick's got our people to eventually move towards tables and the back of the room. There was no bar for people to crowd, as drinks were brought out by the staff. The feel of the room is a little swank with the lighting on the walls, but it is not going to be off-putting to anyone. I also had no idea this whole downstairs even existed- it is quite cool with the view of the fountain in the Chase plaza and everything. Feels like it gets away from the hustle and bustle of the Loop.
As for the food itself: bacon-wrapped scallops- oh lord were these good. I don't even like bacon but popped more than my fair share of these. However, I think the cheese puffs were my favorite part of the evening. Wow. Who would think that little puff of cheese on a little toasted piece of bread would be so amazing? Lots of people were commenting on these on their way out! We also had the bruschetta (good size for eating standing up- not nearly as messy as bruschetta can be), some kind of mini burger (didn't try those being a non-red meat person), buffalo shrimp flatbread (not really my cup of tea but still really good), crabcakes (also seemed really popular but I don't like crab so I can't comment) and california rolls (which were pretty much the same as any other california rolls I've had at cocktail receptions- nothing like a real sushi meal, but still good. They put a little too much wasabi on these suckers (instead of putting it on the side of the plate, a dab is just on top of each piece) so watch out!)
Our folks seemed exceptionally happy with the event on their way out (in contrast to an event the previous week that was a ltitle lackluster).
Nick's Fishmarket really goes above and beyond in their service- you will not be disappointed with a private party here!
I also am highly intrigued about happy hour deals I've heard mentioned, which involve those cheese puffs....hmmmm.... :)
I had a really hard time rating this place because my food was delicious (I had the fillet mignon), their service was top notch, everything that came out of the kitchen smelled amazing, and the deserts looked tasty. The reason I couldn't give it 4 or 5 stars is because everything was a bit too expensive for what you got. I have no problems paying $40 for a dinner, however for whatever reason I just felt like everything was about $10 too expensive.
I think the solution for me would be to order the meals upstairs where they are less expensive, and from what I heard, the same portion sizes.
On a frigid winter night, we decided to Blue-Line-it up to Nick's.
The layout is very unconventional. The main floor boasts a huge dining area with a majestic view of buildings, statues, and more buildings. Nestled in the corner is a bar. Take the elevator down one floor to find another even larger dining area and bathrooms.
***Helpful hint: Seat yourselves on the main floor in hopes of being served by an extraordinary waitress, Suzie.
I don't know Suzie, but I know indifferent restaurant service, and her service was anything but (indifferent). Spot-on drink suggestions, prompt service that never felt rushed, and a friendly rapport that never felt cloying or smarmy. It really seemed like she knew the menu inside-and-out. We noticed the respect that her co-workers showed her, which surely was attained from years of superlative work.
Now for the spot-on suggestions: My wine knowledge stops at seafood = white wine. We mentioned that we were interested, and took her up on her recommendation. She predicted that we would notice fruit notes, specifically, pear. Moments later, these notes became very apparent to our eager taste-buds. Seriously, I hope they are paying her extra for her work as a sommelier.
Then, her suggestion of the lobster bisque was another slam-dunk. Not too salty, not too creamy. Just right.
Many restaurants can be hit-or-miss. Nick's Fishmarket, with the expert advice of a waitress who went above-and-beyond, hit a grand-slam clear over the center field fence.
Nick's is in my building and I've been there probably 50 times in the past several years. The economy must be impacting them because it's gone substantially downhill in the past couple months. They are known for their lobster bisque, which normally is served with a croquette on top. The past couple times the bisque has been minus the croquette, but even wiorse, minus the chunks of lobster.
They have also downgraded their serving and waitstaff and it takes way too long for them to get to your table. Unfortunately, even with the convenient location and the price-fixe dinner menu in the bar, a bad meal is a bad meal. If you eat in the bar area, stick to the happy hour $5 bites and the flatbread pizza.
Flew up to Chi-town to surprise my girlfriend of 10 years with a wedding proposal. I got the neccessary info. I needed to find her and surprise her at the hotel. I got so hammered at the bar waiting on her I almost forgot why I was there. Anyway, she was on her way back, completely oblivious that I would be there...blackout drunk that is. I surprised her, puked on her shoe, lost the ring, got in a fight with the bartender, flirted with the other bartender, broke my nose, and she dumped me
I love Chicago.....Nick's is pretty damn good too!
Possibly the best clam chowder I've ever had outside of New England, and that's saying a lot.
A beautifully located restaurant that has a to die for view during the christmas time. Floor to ceiling windows make you feel like you're dining in a forest covered with white christmas lights while the city's skyscrapers reach up to the sky. I loved just sitting there and soaking the atmosphere in.
The wine menu was decent, the beer menu even better, and the fish was fabulous. A welcomed respite during a hectic week. I'll definitely return on my next visit.
Nick's Fishmarket is a solid place to eat, but not somewhere I'll be yearning to get back to.
**Big Caveat -- I ate in the upstairs dinning room (called the Chicago Grille) which is more casual, not the downstairs main dinning room. It's my understanding they have different menus.
Background: Dinner on a Tuesday night, 7:45
Food:
Everything I had was fine, but nothing really stood out. I went to Nick's with a few friends. We sat in the upstairs dining room, next to the bar. They had great happy hour specials on apps from 4-8 on weekdays. We tried the oysters, shrimp cocktail, tuna spring roll, and the mini beef sliders. Oddly enough, the sliders were the best app we had - they were well seasoned and not overly heavy. Also of the note, the oysters were seriously lacking flavor. I'm willing to give them a pass because oysters are out of season right now, but I explicitly asked the server how the oysters were and she said "oh, they're fantastic."
For the main course I had blackened catfish, mashed potatoes, and the seasonal vegetable (basically a vegetable medley). The fish and vegetables were fine, the mashed potatoes were quite good. The individuals in the party who ordered the Salmon with lemon caper butter and the Rustic Turkey and Brie sandwich raved about their food. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong thing.
Service:
The service was generally good. The server was prompt in bringing us drinks, filling our waters, and checking back with us. We did however have to wait 25 minutes for apps to come out, but this seemed to be a kitchen, not a server, issue.
Also, it was a bit odd, we had two different servers working our table. It didn't seem like it was planned, but it all worked out.
Cost: We actually visited Nick's during restaurant week. They offered an app, entree, and dessert for $32. Since we were in the more casual dinning room, it was actually less expensive to order off the menu. Apps were a good value during happy hour, otherwise they run $10-$15. Fish entrees ran $16-$22. Fairly typical for the seafood category.
Quite a throwback.... To those weird hotel/conference center restaurants that you would run past as a little kid as you run away from your parents towards the pool when you stay in a big hotel near the airport on your way somewhere with your family when you were 7 and everything was a mystery.
Saturday night dinner in the bar - depressing. And the dining room is like a subway stop (submarine stop)?
Play a little game- see if your server notices that you've filled your bread basket with McDonalds sandwiches. You can get them without leaving the building.
Now :
The food was really good. Grade A fixture/standard seafood. Get the Beurre Blanc Mustard sauce on your fish, ask specially for it.
First of all, I have never eaten dinner here and I never will. It doesn't seem worth it. I would adjust your expectations accordingly.
For lunch, ahem, liquid lunch...it is good.
Once and a while, work becomes so taxing that my co-worker[s] and I require a sit down lunch rather than a takeout sandwich, etc. For this purpose alone, Nick's satisfies. The decor is nice; lots of great windows for staring at passers by. The service is excellent and the food is at least better than your downtown alternatives.
I might advise against the tuna sandwich; but everything else I've seen and eaten was quite good.
I wish I could give Nick's 3.5 stars, because it was better than average, but given the price, I expected more for it to earn that fourth star.
I went on a Saturday night for a nice dinner out with my mom before the symphony. We made reservations that morning and arrived at 6.15. The dining room on the lower level was more than half-full, but not packed. It was an elegant room -- white table cloths, a nice view of the plaza with the Chagall mural that would have been lovely on a nicer day, I'm sure.
We both ordered from the special menu--Mom got a stuffed salmon and I chose grouper on a bed of couscous with shrimp and scallops, all wrapped in parchment paper. Mom had a caesar salad and I had the lobster bisque. I'm not usually a lobster fan, but I'm a soup fan, and I think the lobster bisque may have been the best bowl of soup I've ever had. My mom loved her salmon, and I had a bite of it and agreed that it was very good. My meal was also good, but I found the couscous, shrimp, and scallops more flavorful than the grouper. I can't remember ever specifically ordering grouper before, so it might just be that I didn't realize that I wasn't a grouper fan, but I thought the fish was a bit bland and dry. It was a large portion, though, which was nice, since I had hardly eaten all day. Overall, I'd give the food four stars. The lobster bisque gets five.
However, I expected far better service from a restaurant this pricey. It began well--right after we sat down, a young man came over to rearrange our table and asked if we wanted to order any drinks. We only asked for water at that time, which was filled immediately by another young man. Then we had to wait between 5 and 10 minutes for our waiter to arrive with the menus. He did come back quickly after we set our menus down, though, and took our orders.
The real issue began after the soups and salads were finished. A young man rolled over a cart with my meal on it, cut open the parchment paper, and handed it to me. He then asked if we wanted an extra plate, and we were a little confused, but accepted it. He didn't have any other plates on his cart, so I figured that he just had to go back and get my mom's dish. I wondered why he wheeled the cart over with only one dish, but didn't think too much of it, until the next cart came out--and went to another table. We both stared at my plate for about 5 minutes, wondering if we were going to have to flag someone down to bring my mom's food to her. Meanwhile, our waiter walked over to the table next to us and said something to them, but passed right by us. Finally, another cart appeared, and the server handed my mom her dish. No apology for the wait. If our entrees had been in the $10-$15 range, I would have been less annoyed, but we were paying $35/plate, and I expected better.
It took too long for our plates to get cleared after we finished, and our waiter only came over once after our food was served. Mom was starting to get worried about getting to the symphony, so she mentioned to the man that cleared our plates that we had a performance to get to at 8, and we needed our check. He said that he would let our waiter know. After that, we were able to pay quickly, and made it to the symphony.
My mom paid, but I believe that dinner for two was about $135--for two entrees, 1 soup, 1 salad, and 2 glasses of wine. So while the service wasn't terrible overall, I did expect more. There just seemed to be a lot of sitting and waiting (for menus, for my mom's entree, for the waiter to ask for our check) for this calibre of restaurant.
I just went to Nick's for the first time for lunch and was a fan of the food (Ahi Tuna melt). Service was very good, too. However, the sandwich was way too pricey ($19). There really was not anything on the menu substantially cheaper. Not good value.
Good place for lunch, especially on a day with decent weather (rare though that might be). No jumbo capers, but who am I to complain about small capers.
I've been to Nick's twice and will most likely be back considering it's across the street from my office.
First time:
Lunch upstairs with friends. Good times and great food. I had the "Legendary Larry's Salad" sans avocado. It has shrimp, tomatoes, hearts of palm, feta, and had an awesome dressing with capers. Highly recommend this!
Second time:
Work cocktail party.
We reserved the area behind the upstairs bar. The location, drinks and service were all great, but most of the appetizers were so disappointing that I feel the need to list them....
The sushi was all rice and no fish.
Salmon lollypops (salmon covering a ball of cream cheese - yuck),
3 different flatbreads. I tried the shrimp and the veggie - both very bland.
Chicken quesadillas - looked awful so I didn't try
Bacon wrapped scallops - greasy mess over a tiny scallop with raisins. Why add raisins?
Something that was simply hot cheese whiz on a crouton.
Oysters - okay no complaints on these :)
Kobe Beef Sliders - I didn't have one, but they were actually big hit.
I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but I have to go with 3.
Atmosphere: Amazing, Elegant, love the outdoor fountain!
Food: Perfect
Price: Expensive
Service: First Class
I've not been since they remodeled, I know about 10 years! Place looks great, food is excellent, service was spot on!
Party of 5 at 5:30pm, great table with view! Escargot, Oysters, Smoked Salmon all excellent and fresh!
Grouper, Sole, Salmon and Mahi all very good!
A group of friends and I came here for restaurant week last night, and the overall experience was very disappointing. We came here for restaurant week on a Friday night, so they were busier than usual. Plus, perhaps since we were "restaurant week" customers, they did not give us the service they might have given other patrons. A run-through of the night:
-30 minutes after being seated, the waitress finally came by to take our orders.
-Wine - We had to ask for a wine menu. She came back with a menu of wines by the glass. (We look young, even though we're all in our late twenties, but that was a bit presumptuous). We again requested the full wine menu.
-Appetizers (service) - They brought the salads out first and there was a 5-10-minute lag before they brought out the soups. The waitress explained that they needed to bring the soup from downstairs, so it takes a while.
-Appetizers (food) - The caesar salad was decent, the lobster bisque was pretty good, though a bit heavy on the bourbon.
-Entrees (service) - They brought out 2 out of 7 entrees first. The table next to us complained that they had been there earlier and still had not received any of their entrees. Then, we received another 3 entrees about 15 minutes later and the final 2 entrees another 10 minutes later. One of the entrees had the wrong side with it.
-Entrees (food) - A mix of experiences. One girl's grouper was overcooked. Another grouper was fine. The tuna was bland, and the accompanying tropical sauce did not bring out much flavor. The peppercorn crust sauce and the lemon & capers sauce were both too heavy on the lemon. The rice pilaf was also too heavy on the lemon. For a "fishmarket", the fish was disappointing.
-Dessert (service) - Another 20 minutes later, we received our desserts. Again, they did not come out at the same time. Plus, one of the bread puddings had a squashed look, and the vanilla ice cream that was supposed to be on top was on the side.
-Dessert (food) - The apple tart and the bread pudding were both quite tasty and probably the only highlights of the meal. The key lime pie did not have the tartness that a key lime pie should have, but it was still decent enough.
In the end, they knew they provided inadequate service. They comp'ed our non-alcoholic beverages. However, the food still did not make up for the poor service, and I cannot give more than 2 stars.
Went here for lunch and this place was pretty darn good. I really like the decor of the place. He gargantuan windows really gave the smaller upstairs dining room a very open and airy feel.
I ordered the Kobi burger which was tasty. It was not the best but one of the better burgers that you can find in the Loop. The fries were very good as they were crispy hand cut fries. They started us off with these AMAZING biscuits that were warm, fresh with a hint of garlic. My girl Lara (that hot gal) that I was dining with had a Pomegranate Chicken Salad In my personal opinion and not affecting my review this thing really looked awful. I guess the combination of ingredients just was not my cup of tea. It seemed as if she enjoyed it and whatever makes my baby happy is fine by me.
I was disappointed in the service though with this being such a reputable place I was really expecting better. Everyone was friendly but we had 2-3 different people waiting on us. We had to ask for silverware and then we had to ask again for napkins.
Overall it was good and the burger was tasty but I don't feel it warranted the $14 price tag.
Let me preface this by saying we sat in the upstairs bar part.
We ordered the lobster bisque soup (YUM!!!!!), a made to order fish dish and salad with shrimp, avocado, cucumbers, tomatoes, asparagus, feta and lettuce. VERY good. Both of them.
We had the trio of creme brulee for dessert. Again, yum.
The food was very, very good. The shrimp on my salad was amazing. Butter and salt = heaven.
The service was a bit slow, tho. I don't think they were staffed adequately, it seemed there was only one or two people upstairs plus the bartender. While they weren't totally full, the servers were on the go the whole time.
The bar looked like a great place to pop in for an after work drink. I saw half price wine night deals, so we're going to try it out again.
I'm surprised that I didn't see a category for Nick's Bar and Grill located in the upstairs of Nick's Fishmarket. It's the lounge that serves lighter fare and cocktails.
They have a pretty good happy hour for those folks in the loop that are looking to grab a drink and some light bites before heading home. They have a happy hour menu where the items are all $5 and the choices are actually really good. My favs include the crab cakes with mango salsa (you get three and they're about the size of golf balls) and the mini burgers (tuscan sliders) are really good. Actually you can make a meal on the two.
The drink specials are good too. For $6 (used to be $5) they offer a different special nightly and I've had some really good drinks. They had a strawberry champagne concoction a while back that I loved. And I think once a week they have a wine selection.
I've eaten at Nick's downstairs and it's true that it's very pricey. It's also true that the lobster bisque is amazing. I'm sad to see so many people comment on the bad service. The last time I was there not only was the service attentive, but when I had to get up to use the washroom, a bus boy (or someone in a suit) came out of nowhere, offered me his arm and escorted me to the ladies room. He also waited for me to finish and walked me back to my table. That's something I've never experienced before.
Although there are a lot of other restaurants I'd choose if I knew I was going to lay down that kind of cash, I'd definitely suggest meeting friends for happy hour at the upstairs grill.
I came here with a $75 gift certificate. I don't see myself paying $30 for a piece of fish. The rolls that come with dinner are great! Those might be the best part of the dinner. I had a martini that was similar to a cosmo, EXCEPT that it tasted like cough syrup. GROSS!
The steak cobb salad was pretty tasty though. It was pretty hearty. The crab cake was good, but a bit expensive. I guess when they say "JUMBO" crabcake, I'm imagining something huge, but that's probably not reasonable. The crabcake did have a lot of crab though. I hate when it's mainly bread crumbs and other filler. The blackened catfish was tasty, but I can't say it was worth the price. The funny thing is, the next day I was in the suburbs with my mom and we stopped at a neighborhood Applebee's for a quick lunch, and they had a similarly cooked fish, for $8.95 and it was surprisingly tasty.
Overall, I think the food was pretty good, but I not worth the prices. The place was pretty much dead @8:30pm on a Friday night. It seems to be more of an after work place to go. Maybe I'll try happy hour some time.
In the past, I've gone to Nick's for the upstairs bar. They have a great drink special, a great bar menu, and the service is usually good. I love their chicken nachos-they have a great guacamole cream sauce and the lobster bisque.
Last time I was there, I got a 30th anniversary coupon with my bill for $30 off. So, I went last night with the bf to use it. It was FREEEZZZINNNGG outside, so I don't know whether the restaurant is usually that quiet, but it was a great dining experience.
We had 3 servers. Again, not sure if it was b/c the weather was preventing people from coming, or b/c that is the norm. We started with the Nick's Nevada Salad ($9) which was really really good. It comes chopped and mixed filled with blue cheese, tomato, bacon, shoestring potatoes on top, and other vegetables. It was a great tasting salad, and I would highly recommend that to start. We also got the lobster bisque. I LOVE this soup. I also found that it was chunkier downstairs than when you order it upstairs.
I asked for help choosing an entree and two servers, without hesitation, suggested the Denver Sole ($48). They steered me away from the Kona Kampachi, fyi. It was good, just not what I was in the mood for. When they kept saying light, they meant light in taste and NOT light in texture. There was no fishy aftertaste at all and tasted very clean. They take out all the bones table side and then serve you. It was served with fingerling potatoes that were smothered in butter (yum) and some vegetables. I just had a taste for a flakier fish, which the Denver Sole is NOT. It is a heartier fish.
My bf got the Chilean Sea Bass ($37). I asked one of the servers about the Chilean Sea Bass being over fished, and he said that they are NOT. Nick's did in fact take them off the menu for a while when that was a "trend" and he said that they later found that the fish was not in fact endangered, so they put it back on. Not sure how much of that I believe....Regardless, this was AMAZiNG. Perfectly cooked and resting in a ginger based sauce. It was great, just wish I had ordered it! :)
For dessert, we went for the standard Key Lime Tart. This is one good tart. You should get it if you like Key Lime.
Overall, the service was great, the atmosphere friendly, and the menu overpriced. However, if you can get your hands on a coupon to offset the bill, it's well worth it.
I love Nick's; whether it's for lunch or an afte dinner drink, it's a cozy place with yummy fare and of course only a quick jaunt from my office.. easy peasy.. (is that a word?)
I recommend the after work cocktail, with cheesy puffs. Delicous.
Calamari with dipping trio is awesome. And fried parsley, who would have thought it was this good.
Great service but get a reservation... although it's well worth the wait.
For the Bar and Grill upstairs.
Nick's has a pretty great weekday happy hour special - drinks and small bites at discounted prices from 5-8pm. My friends and I decided to try everything on the happy hour menu (don't worry it is only like 6 items). These are small bites that range from about $3-$5, but it gave us a range of food. The mini crabcakes and cheese puffs were good. Surprisingly, I have had better oysters at Mortons. I know it does not make sense to me either.
Service was good and food came out promptly, but I would more likely come back for the actual restaurant than return to the grill.
I like this place. Enough to go back. Enough to recommend it to others. But not enough to give it 5 stars.
What is keeping it from that elusive category? A number of things, probably. Service that is good, but not great. A menu that is way too pricey for the Loop at lunch. A subterranean location where I get to watch pigeons come perilously close to crashing into the windows.
It is probably the price though. I just can't justify spending that for myself. When entrees run from $25 to $55 at lunch, you better be getting something spectacular. This just doesn't quite live up to that, sadly.
Come here for good seafood. Come here for a good lobster bisque. Don't come here to spare your wallet though. Do come here if this is on someone else's dime ;)
Love Nicks! Especially for Lunch!
My bro and I dine here pretty often, great way to catch up over lunch and enjoy a meal- makes it feel special without breaking the budget. Not too pricey for lunch!~
Lobster Bisque ~~ oh.. makes me hungry now..
I am also a salmon fanatic-they do quite well!! Service is luxurious,makes you feel like you have really had a wonderful break from a busy day. Well spent hour, without too much $.
I have only been to the upstairs (cheaper) Nick's. It's my understanding that the quality is comparable.
It's weird to say this about a seafood joint but my boyfriend could not stop raving about the Kobi burger; it was $14 but really outstanding. We also enjoyed the calamari & Pecan Crusted Tilapia. For lunch, they have very good salads, and a molten chocolate cake so good it will curl your toes.
The service is fine, but not particularly fast; I suppose it doesn't need to be.
Nick's Fish Market is one of the best seafood restaurants in the city and is located in the loop, so it's not surprising that lots of power lunches take place here. It's also a great option for pre-theater dining (close proximity to the LaSalle Bank Theatre). Dine upstairs in the bar and grill for a more casual dining option, or downstairs for a more formal atmosphere.
All the food is fabulous, and it would be difficult to go wrong with any selection. However, if you have a big appetite, start with one of the fabulous soups, such as clam chowder or lobster bisque. The salads are some of the best in the city; try the Nevada Nick's salad, with bacon, hard-boiled eggs, stilton blue cheese, tomatoes, and fresh avocado. If you go for dinner, get the New York strip. And of course, you can't go wrong with the sea food either.
So this place kind of inspired my joining yelp. I've seriously been nursing a grudge since Valentine's Day... My husband and I go here with a gift certificate we'd received-to enjoy a lovely romantic evening together; I'm handed a rose as we enter, and then it just kinda goes down hill from there.
Service was unbelievably poor and food was mediocre, while being extremely expensive. The $20 salad we split was tiny and the waiter rudely shoved my plate to the side, as I apparently had not finished in time for the entree. My mahi mahi fish entree - which I had been told came with vegetables - was just fish and rice. When I pointed out the lack of veggies, I was - quite awhile later - brought a plate of overly salted and cooked carrots and green beans. For upwards of $30 an entree, you'd expect more. My husbands lobster dish was however tasty, although extremely rich.
Later we considered dessert and coffee. 15 minutes later... several attempts to flag someone down, we manage to order coffee and ask if we can see the dessert menu. 15 minutes later.... no coffees or dessert menu. It's like the waiter's specifically dodging us. My husband has to get up and walk across the place to find our waiter - who's hovering in the back - just to get the check. I'm furious at this point and the bills huge of course, and then as we're getting our jackets on a guy comes up and puts bread on our table like we'd just gotten there. ???
If this is what a fine dining experience is I will gladly stick to $5 burritos and noodle bowls for the rest of my life.
Had reservations here and just before leaving I lost my wallet, parents went ahead and since there were a few empty tables they held our table. So I show up an hour late and the staff came over right away and got us started on a belated dinner. They made sure our now very necessary appetizer came out right away. The food was excellent and service is great.
It's been awhile since I went there, but I don't recall enjoying the experience.
I went out to dinner at a restaurant nearby, because we knew the prices at Nick's would be a bit too cheap. We decided to go to Nick's for dessert and cocktails. I don't know if it was because we weren't eating dinner, but we got a bit of the cold shoulder from our server.
I'm probably paranoid. Seriously. But I got the sense that this guy was actually looking down on us. I know, I know, I'm paranoid.
I stopped by Nick's w/ a couple coworkers during a business trip in Chicago.
Decent food. Great service & ambiance!
You definitely get what you pay for b/c it is pricey!
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Hotels
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Restaurants
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