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Categories: Asian Fusion, Hawaiian [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near North SideChicago (Red)
Chicago (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon. 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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I'm here to sing the praises of the entire staff at Roy's.
Nov 21st was my birthday. My date made the reservations for Roy's since he received a glowing recommendation from his father.
We got there a bit early and I noticed the place was packed on a Saturday night and filled with beautiful people eating and drinking. Some were dressed causally while others dressed in suit and tie.
We were seated a few minutes ahead of our reservation and got a chance to take a look at the full menu while eating delicious warm, salty/spicy edamame.
We both ordered from the fall prix fixe part of the menu which included an appetizer, main course and dessert for 35 dollars. I ordered the salad which included Kobe Beef Carpaccio Pears, Arugula, and Horseradish. My date got the grilled endive salad which was sweet and crunchy with apple slices and pomegranate. We sampled each others dishes and both were mouth watering and so so good.
For drinks, I tried the guava martini which was tasty but didn't seem to have much alcohol to be called a martini. I'm still glad I ordered it though.
One of the owners came to check on us and assured us that it only gets better. He was correct! (He also spoke to other diners and cleared tables. How cool is that?)
Unfortunately, they were out of the fillet. So, the entree' for both of us was Peppercorn Mélange Crusted Salmon
with beets and greens. The salmon was a perfect combo with the beets.
Now, here comes the party where I tell you the core of why I will recommend Roy's to any of my friends. Not only is the food delicious but the staff is absolutely amazing.
While I took a few bites of my salmon, I noticed my tongue begin to tingle and itch a bit. Which indicated that I was having an allergic reaction to the the fish or maybe the sauce. I was surprised and a little sad because the food was so good and even though I've never had a problem eating salmon before I couldn't finish my meal. (On my BIRTHDAY).
I told our server, Amanda what was going on and asked if I could order something else. She looked concerned for me and let me know that it was no problem for me to order something new. She asked if I needed benedryl or anything else before she left. Then- a few minutes later the manager, Emilio comes over to check in on me. My date asks if there is a convenience store close by so that he could purchase the benedryl for me and Emilio refused to let him get it. Moments later, he comes back and hands me 3 pills while I waited for my meatloaf.
We were both just really touched and grateful at how we were treated at Roy's. It was all so unexpected. Amanda assured us that there was no need to be so grateful but the truth is that we've both had some bad experiences with restaurants not really giving a damn about the comfort of their patrons in this way. The service here is top. Our glasses stayed full, we were treated with sincere respect and kindness by *everyone* from the busboys to the owner.
After taking the anti histamines and drinking a couple cups of coffee (even the coffee was delicious) my allergic reaction didn't escalate at all and I was happy.
My date ate both our orders of salmon while I ate the meatloaf, which was good but not nearly as good as the fish.
For dessert, I was greeted with a serving of cheese cake with raspberry sauce with the words,'Happy Birthday' written in icing on the plate.
I recommend the chocolate souffle for dessert. It was warm, sweet chocolate heaven.
Roy's is an authentic high-end Hawaiian fusion restaurant that happens to be a chain.
Everything we had here was delicious, including the expertly prepared guava martini. We ordered the spare ribs (a little salty) and the Ahi tuna appetizer. The tuna was flown in from Hawaii earlier that day, and was a completely different texture than any Ahi that you get at a regular sushi restaurant.
Don't miss the chocolate souffle, as it's not overwhelmingly chocolaty nor overly sweet.
I've been back to Roy's twice in the last month and my 5 star rating still stands.
The pineapple martinis are still yummy, the service is very good, and the food is consistent. I ordered the scallops on fried green tomatoes and pumpkin mouse both times, and each time they were both absolutely scrumptious!
PS. My friend ordered the ribs as an appetizer and they were very good, but very salty. I'd take a pass on these in the future.
I'm hesitant to give a chain 5 stars, but I love the pineapple martinis THAT much!
Besides that, the…
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Good as hell. Seriously. This place sells delicious food. Instead of chips and salsa, they give you edamame on your table for 'free.' That stuff is delicious (sort of), and it is good for your innards (per Dr. Mehmet Oz).
I ate the filet on a recent journey to this place. It was good, and I really appreciated the cow that gave its life so I could have a nice meal. Thanks dead cow!
My date had a nice piece of fish, which I believe to have been mahi-mahi. I tried some. It tasted more like Dorado to me, but it was awesome nevertheless.
I would suggest eating there at once.
Lived in Chicago for 6 years, saw this place and always thought it was some sandwich shop or diner-I mean the name "Roy's" doesn't really sound like a decent place to eat-
Couldn't get reservations until 9, so when we did arrive we were promptly seated-Our waitress Holly was very nice and was very helpful, probably one of the nicest waitresses we've ever had-
FOOD:
Started off with the Lobster Dim Sum, to me it was like lobster dumplings on top of a lobster bisque, good I would order again-Wish they had lobster bisque, b/c I know it would be good-
I had the Misoyaki Butterfish, (Black Cod) it was cooked perfect-It was served on top of a bed of black rice, which had an al dente texture, when mixed with the wasabi sauce it had great balance-
My husband got the Pulehu Siroloin, which was served with a potato croquette and cauliflower au gratin-He truly enjoyed his meal and we were impressed they cooked his steak to a true Rare +, most places mess up-
ENVIRONMENT:
Spacious, not too loud-I kept hearing sizziling in my right ear and it was from the kitchen, the sound was hitting off some art decor and bouncing into my ear, I swear it sounded like I had a grill next to my ear ;0
I would eat here again, maybe next time we'll try the Prix Fixe-I think for the price and the amount of food you get it's not bad at all-This place is right up there with the fresh seafood you can get at fine dining establishments in Chicago-
I don't really know why this place gets such fantastic reviews. I mean the food is great but its a little pricey and nothing I can't find somewhere else. The dishes just don't quite possess the creativity required to charge such prices despite it being quite good.
I don't think this is a bad place, Hawaiian fusion and all, but it just didn't really impress me. I got some braised short ribs, some raw fish type appetizers, fish and other small dishes to share with friends and I only remember the butter fish being quite excellent, the rest was only ok. I discovered that there are actually a handful of Roy's everywhere in California as well but I just don't really attribute the type of dollar signs that Roy's is to the quality of food and service. I find this to be more of a casual restaurant than a super nice, fancy sit down place. I wouldn't mind coming back, but always with the note that it's a little overpriced.
Best service in town! Food was great. Guava Martinis are a must try. Above all, the service was truly spectacular. We had a birthday party and they included a special birthday greeting in all the menus. In addition to giving a free delicious desert to the birthday boy they surprised him with pineapple fried rice, which the birthday boy really wanted, but wasn't even offered on the menu anymore! Our server was excellent and played a joke on one of our friends with a special martini glass for reaching the 5 drink limit! We had a great time and will continue to go back time and again!
I just moved to Chicago from Philadelphia, and I now live in the building above this Roy's. Honestly? Part of the reason I chose this building is bc I LOVE the Roy's in Philadelphia.
Sadly, the food here just does not compare. For me it's a convenient brunch or dinner option, but not nearly on par with the Philadelphia Roy's, or the Hawaiian one for sure!
Roys is delicious. Being from Hawaii and having grown up with fresh fish...getting good fish is such a treat. What I love about Roys is though it's a chain..they treat each restaurant so well. There are different menus but the one thing they have in common: the butterfish.
Misoyaki Butterfish is heaven in my mouth. It;s flaky, soft, melts..and just delicious. Not to mention they have seared blackened tuna...one of the few places you can get it actually properly seared. What can I say, you grow up on an island and you expect good fish. Plus Roys is very inexpensive for the quality. How I see it, I'm willing to pay more if it means good food. It's not "trendy" but I love the vibe of this whole place. The manager came by asked us how we liked the food and was so nice. The entire staff from hostess, waiter...was just professional but so warm and friendly. I will be back...especially for the flourless chocolate cake.
Roy's is absolutely amazing! Went there last night for my birthday dinner. Their excellence started when we opened up our menus and each of us had a Happy Birthday Tim on the left insert. Our waitress was fantastic and made solid recommendations. They have one of my fav wines, Seven Daughters which is a blend of 7 red grapes.
The lobster dim sum app is 5 stars alone and is really what got us into the restaurant in the first place. They were handing these out at the Green Tie Ball and it was by far the best thing served there out of at least 25 restaurants. We also had the spare ribs and the maki roll special, both great.
The entree... I had the Butterfish and wow was that flavorful and paired well with the black rice. My friend next to me had the crusted mahi mahi and that was great. Everyone's entrees were liked.
We finished off with dessert and had one of each. The plate was well decorated and even had a Happy Birthday personalized for me in chocolate on the plate. A couple of my friends enjoyed the bread pudding, but I gotta go with the chocolate souffle which was hot in the middle, but I was warned by our waitress. The coconut ice cream was awesome too. We devoured all of the dessert!
The night didn't end yet as head chef Kevin came over to our table to wish me a Happy BDay and ask us how our evening went! Of course raving reviews for him, his staff and restaurant!
Oh, and... how could I forget the waitress taking a pic of our group at the table and giving me a cardboard frame with the picture inside with our dessert!!!
Truly a wonderful restaurant and have already recommended it to most friend's and coworkers I talked with today.
Thank you so much for a wonderful bday dinner, it will not be forgotten and we will be back soon!!!
I walked by Roy's almost every day for a year before finally going in for dinner- what were we waiting for? I had been in for brunch and loved the mimosas, the muffins, and the amazing French toast. After seeing Roy Yamaguchi's turn on Top Chef Masters, we were finally inspired to get in for dinner.
We had reservations on a weeknight, but the table wasn't ready until twenty minutes after we arrived. We ordered drinks at the bar and had friendly but slow service. The 1988 signature cocktail was tasty but sweet and not at all strong.
For dinner, my fiance started with- and raved about- the Maine lobster dim sum. I had the wild mushroom ravioli- not sure how it fit into the Hawaiian-Asian fusion theme, but it was delicious! As a vegetarian, there was very little for me to eat on the menu, and our server said the chef would be happy to whip up a noodle/vegetable dish for me. This was a nice gesture, and the entree was totally acceptable and good but not memorable in the least. I had expected more. Fiance ordered Roy's classic trio and had nothing but good stuff to say, especially about the famous butterfish. The wine list was long and the house wines were tasty. The chocolate souffle is simply not to be missed! Make sure you order it ahead of time as it will bake all during your meal.
Overall, the lack of vegetarian options up to par with the rest of the food at Roy's prevents me from ranking it any higher than three stars.
Portions are all on the small side, but the food was very good. Instead of bread they put out edamame. We skipped the appetizer and each had a very small baby greens salad with an excellent creamy basil vinagrette dressing. I had Roy's Classic Trio with salmon, butter fish, and ahi and it was served on what I would consider to be an appetizer plate. The chocolate souffle was excellent as well. I guess I should probably eat smaller portions like this every night so I don't have to workout so hard every morning.
Came in having heard great things...didn't love the experience.
I have been to Roy's before, and to be fair, remember enjoying the food significantly more the last few times.
Started off the meal sharing lobster pot stickers and two sushi rolls. The sushi was fair - nothing all that exciting or flavorful, but fair. The lobster pot stickers, on the other hand, were actually pretty fantastic. Too bad I only got one. :) They were crispy, and had the perfect amount of warm lobster and vegetables inside, and the flavor of each ingredient was able to shine through. Perhaps the best part of the evening...
I ordered the shellfish combo - and thought that it was average. There was a smear of pesto on the plate which I found very odd - it didn't work with either the shrimp or scallops, so I wasn't entirely clear on what it was doing there in the first place. The food was cooked a little too well, and sat on top of creamed corn, yet another oddity added to the plate. The risotto cakes were tasty, and were the first thing picked at by my neighbors. :)
Also, I had one of the mango mojitos - purportedly one of the signature drinks, though had an extremely mint-heavy taste that was off...seemed very fake to me, and not fresh at all.
Hoping for a better experience if I do go back...sigh.
I like this restaurant a lot. Maybe because I feel I like I'm back in Hawaii. For a chain, I think they do a great job. As everybody says, the chocolate souffle is terrific. I think it's worth the $$$...but I'd rather be in Hawaii spending it at one of the Roy's there!
Clarification: A Butterfish, is NOT like a butterface. Everything is good about the butterfish. I would even go as far to say that it was so good I licked the plate. in public. at a fancy restaurant.
Ok, now that I put that out there, let's continue.
We went to Roy's for a birthday dinner, and when we made reservations we told them this. So when we got there, inside the menu it said something like, "Roy's is happy to welcome the X party. Happy Birthday!" And then they offered to give us the announcement. So right from the get go, I knew I was sold.
We all split the Kobe beef sushi, which might be the best sushi I've ever had in my entire life. I am pretty sure I could do nothing everyday but eat that, and still feel I lived a completely fulfilled life.
My friend ordered the Butterfish, I ordered the scallops and thought we'd split. The scallops were great, but from the minute the Butterfish hit my tongue, I knew I was in for a fight. It was a classic battle...I had a bite, she has a bite; taking our time between bites, trying to feel one another out. Each bite getting smaller and smaller so we can have the last one. I knew she was thinking she deserved the last bite because she ordered it, but I was not going to give in so easily. I pretended to be done with the scallops...offering her the last bite. But she didn't fall for it. Foiled again!
We didn't order the chocolate Soufflé, but since we were there for a birthday, they surprised us with it. Normal restaurants you have to ask for something like that, but not with this one. They did it on their own. I was speechless, not only with the action, but with the Soufflé.
So why would I only give this place 4 stars? 1) They say Aloha too often and it got on my nerves. It's cute at first...but by the end of the night I was Aloha'd out. 2) Its pretty expensive, and I'm not baller.
I'm bumping Roy's up to four stars. I received a call from the General Manager within 2 days and he asked for more details on my experience. He then sent me a gift card for $50 so I would give them another chance to make things right.
That is the correct managerial response to a customer complaint. I would have been cool just him asking about my experience but he went the extra mile.
Posted below is an email I sent to Roy's regarding my experience:
My friends and I ate at your…
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Our first trip to Roy's was a month after our honeymoon in Maui, as I was trying to get back some of that warmth on a chilly Valentine's day.
We have been back to celebrate a few landmarks in our relationship, including our first anniversary (!) as well as a handful of what we like to call "Date" nights. My husband deems any night a "Date" when dinner surpasses the level of, say, T-Bell or our local Chinese or Thai take-out!
We have a regular, awesome waiter/server/food guide at Roy's so that really helps put it at the top of my list of favorite places to dine. Also helps--the pineapple-vodka cocktail, butterfish and chocolate souffle. Really I just need the cocktail and the spicy edamame :)
We are continually impressed with the high quality service and cuisine--and my husband is a stickler for service!
I always look forward to our "Date" nights at Roy's!
Butterfish. Chocolate Souffle. Enough said... In all seriousness, I always order the butterfish and the chocolate souffle when I go to Roy's. I've ordered a few of their other items before to try something new but always ended up with food envy and regretted not ordering the butterfish. The only reason I open the menu now is to look at the appetizers and the wine. Remeber that you need to pre-order the souffle with your meal.
So, I've been to the Roy's in LA plenty of times and so when my fiance told me we were going to Roy's with his colleagues for a business dinner in our new home town of Chicago, I was excited because it meant butterfish and souffle time! I found the food to be pretty consistent in Chicago as LA except the butterfish is served with a wasabi ginger cilantro cream in Chicago and a soy vinaigrette in LA.. they're both good but I prefer the soy vinaigrette over the cream sauce because it's lighter and more refreshing finish. My fiance ordered the filet with porteguese sausage and it was delicious.
I totally pulled a Jessica Simpson at dinner when my fiance's colleagues asked me what type of fish butterfish was since I was raving about it so much. I proceeded to tell them it was a white fish that was flaky and soft, similar to chilean sea bass. Well, then the waiter came around and explained some items to the group and it turns out that butterfish is just the nickname of the fish because it melts in your mouth like butter and it's actually a black cod. Oops....
I think your experience depends on what you order. Roy's is not at the top of my list by any stretch, but I still regarded it as slightly above-average. Maybe that's because of the awesome company I had (like Sara F...my sister). :)
I agree that the sushi wasn't fantastic. It's a waste of money and just not that good. I took a sip of Sara F's mango mojito and I actually liked it, haha. Well, I'm drinking artificially flavored seltzer (the Target Brand...so good) right now, so maybe that makes sense now...
My entree was the surf and turf. It was pretty good, just nothing that wowed me. I was impressed by the tenderness of the filet, but I got a few bites with some fat. (I'd expect that more from prime rib or something, but isn't a filet supposed to be lean?) The mustard sauce was pretty good, and the presentation was lovely. I liked the shrimp that they served - it tasted somewhat blackened, but not too much. I wouldn't put this place at the top of my list...but I wouldn't say "no," either, especially if I didn't have to pay for it. :D
my oh my. Roy's definitely out did itself for me and my family! I was looking for a great restaurant to take my family to after my hooding ceremony, and thought they would enjoy Roy's. My family is from Texas, so I'm sure there aren't many French-Hawaiian influenced restaurants over there. I wasn't worried about the food, I knew it would be great. I was worried about the service. My mom used to be a waitress for over 10years, so she is one picky customer in terms of service.
Luckily for my Mom (and for Roy's) the servers were right on point! They were friendly, attentive, and catered to my family's every whim: which is how it should be! They even surprised me at the end of the night with a mini molten cake with the word "Congratulations" written on the plate. Well done! And if you have kids, the children's menu is the best! Kids have a prix fix option for $12! You can't beat that!
Roy's is the best!
What a great place! I had been wanting to go to Roy's for some time now, and luckily for me, my bf… Read more »
Roy's used to be my favorite restaurant, however, I overdosed and now I'm "Roy'd" out. Of all the times I've been there, I've never had a bad meal or bad experience. Service is always friendly, the decor stellar and they offer creative menu items with gorgeous presentation. It doesn't just look good, it is good! This is the place to go to get the more exotic fish.
My most recent visit was this past Easter for brunch. As usual, everything was stellar down to the kir royale. I could eat that lobster dim sum all day long!
Keep in mind, all of my visits were b.b.--before baby. My little lad is used to dining out with me so I thought nothing of it when his godparents said we were meeting there for Easter brunch. I probably wouldn't dare bring him in the evening, but I can say that there were several children there. Mine, being only 2, got a little antsy and wanted to start throwing his crayons. Instead of being huffy, our waitress was right on it and --get this--gave us a dvd player with our choice of cartoon. Who does that? That seemed to settle him for a bit. He was the hit of the restaurant! I was sooo grateful and wanted to yelp the place just for that!
Parking is a bitch, but the dining experience is well worth the costiness.
Always a treat. Love the Asian fusion menu. They do some amazing risotto that is fantastic.
Always have great service, even when it's crowded on a Saturday night.
Dessert. Easy. Ask for the Choclate Soufflé. It has to be ordered BEFORE dinner becasue it's made fresh for you. By the time dinner is done, it will be too.
Friend and I walking around on a gorgeous Chicago afternoon ran into this cute restaurant that had outdoor seating. We weren't too hungry so we shared an appetizer: Roy's Canoe Appetizer for Two Tempura Spicy Tuna Roll (soooo delicious!), Vegetable Spring Rolls (good), Coconut Shrimp(also very good), Wild Mushroom Raviolis (delicious!).
If anything, the trip was all worth it for the Chocolate Soufflé. AMAZING.
As is typical with restaurants in the area, we still had to wait 20 minutes for our 8pm reservation. At least the hostess was apologetic.
They usually have a prix fixe menu every season. I had the tiger shrimp for the appetizer - WOW, so delicious. Salmon for my entree - again, lovely.
But the best was the dessert , the chocolate souffle is to die for! All 4 of us ordered our own souffles and everyone finished them off! Wonderfully gooey chocolate with a lovely raspberry sauce.
The food here is simply fantastic. When I have guests in town I'm trying to impress, or for special occasions looking for great seafood, great service, this is where I go. Hands down, I don't need to think twice about it. I have never been disappointed. The prix fixe menu is a nice plus if you want to give the place a try without breaking the bank and to see if you will enjoy the Hawain fusion flavors. I guarantee you will return and little by little will come back until you have tried every dish on the menu as they are all so different. What always impresses me is the choice of fish that you can't find anywhere else and they are always delicate, fresh tasting and nicely presented.
You can't go wrong here. Treat yourself to Roy's once in a while, you won't regret it.
My man and I went to Roy's off a recommendation from some total foodie friends of ours. We were warned that it was a chain but that you'd never be able to guess from going there.
We arrived on a very cold & windy March night and we're desperately hoping to valet the car but to our surprise, there was no valet sign nor valet man waiting so we had to meter park it. FYI- meter parking there is one quarter for 7 1/2 minutes... we had a few quarters but defo not the 16 quarters we would need to have an enjoyable 2 hour sit down meal. And the restaurant said they could only give us up to $1 in quarters... interesting policy. PS- the meters now run 24 hours over there... sooo Chicago; everyone's a crook.
We went in without a reservation but also thinking that at 8:30 on a Wednesday night we prob wouldn't need one and we were right. The place had a reasonable amount of diners there with a mix from business meetings to romantic dinners, to a family birthday. It was a nice crowd... except for the 1 family that had brought their awful child to the restaurant to talk loudly to herself, dance around other tables, and I kid you not, she was probably 9 or 10 and still drinking out of a bottle... parents of the year. People, please leave the kids at home for Roy's.
Getting past that, the food was delicious. I'm a vegetarian that recently gave up fish but found that there were no non-fish & non-meat items on the menu besides the appetizer salads. Not wanting to ruin or be picky on my BF's b-day I sucked it up and ate the fish.
For an appetizer we got their aloha roll and poached pear salad. The salad was delicious but defo smaller than what I thought was going to come... the server said it was huge and enough for 2 people. The sushi roll was very large for it's price and had large thick pieces of ahi tuna. I was very surprised and pleased with the bang for your buck factor on this item.
Oh yes, we ordered a bottle of wine. We generally don't because wine is so insanely expensive at restaurants and really, we're satisfied with the $3.99 stuff on special at Trader Joe's but it was my man's b-day so we splurged a little and got Roy's $50 bottle of Shiraz. I'll admit, it was very good but in the future I just can't justify $50 for wine without a very special occasion.
For my meal I got a crab risotto and my man got Roy's trio platter. We are used to not-so-fine dining restaurants that way over serve portions and we were both taken aback with how teeny, tiny their "platter" was. It was honestly, 3 shot glass sized portions of fish and a 1/2 shot of rice on coffee saucers. We were defo disappointed in that... even for someone used to finer dining, that couldn't possibly be enough food.
For dessert we ordered the chocolate souffle. It was delicious but honestly, I think it was a single serving type thing. Defo not big enough for the 2 of us to spilt and be satisfied. I mean, maybe small desserts are romantic but we've been together for a while and not that we don't love romance, we just love big dessert more.
After all that we were still hungry and still had about 20 minutes left on our meter so we decided to order 2 more sushi rolls, another Aloha & the the Sunrise roll. The aloha was again, very delicious but the sunrise tasted like bar food a bit with the way they were fried. We both kind of choked that down but were now happy to be full at the end of our meal.
The bill for the 2 of us with tip was $210. It wasn't horrible for the quality of food we got but it's defo not something I could justify for any non-special occasion.
PS- the service was great. Fabulous people.
Hawai'ian fusion? Yes please! I have been several times and always have a great time. The service is fantastic, food is well thought-out without being over the top. This is the only place I've had macadamia nut-encrusted Mahi Mahi outside of Hawai'i and enjoyed it. I also love their fresh-caught fish specials. Their house-made desserts are redunkulous and the management is great as well. I always look forward to a trip to Roy's!
I was in Chicago for a business trip. Reserved Roy's for dinner based on the wonderful reviews from Yelp.
Last week was Restaurant Week in Chicago. Dinner was $32 for a 3-course meal (two of my co-worker got that). They also have a winter prix-fixe menu for $35 (one of my co-worker got that). And I got the regular menu (entree and dessert). Menu: http://www.roysrestaur...
Comp. edamame was great with a coating of salt, sugar, kayan pepper...gives it a little kick... YUM. We asked for an extra bowl...and we polished that off too!
Entree: ROY'S CLASSIC TRIO
Hibachi Grilled Salmon, Roy's Original Blackened Island Ahi & Hawaiian Style Misoyaki Butterfish - $29.95
- This dish was perfect - Three pieces of medium size fish. I personally loved the butterfish (cuz it smooth as butter!), then the ahi, the salmon.
Dessert: Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé
- OMG OMG!!! I haven't had a good souffle for a long time. The melting choc was hot, thick and delish...and great with the vanilla ice-cream!!! To Die For. Must order if you like choc.
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It's a bit pricey to dine here. But I think it's all worth it, for the great service, great food and great decor.
*sigh* Roy's. I love Roy's. Roy's never disappoints.
I've been here a handful of times and always walk away very very happy. The food here is absolutely amazing. The menu here seems to change slightly every time i visit so there's plenty of variety.
Recently, I tried the Aloha roll. eh. decent but this place is definitely not a place you go to for sushi.
Entrees, on the other hand, you can't go wrong.
i've tried the butterfish, shortribs, a couple different salmon dishes, and this weekend the sirloin. Everything has always been cooked and seasoned perfectly.
Peppered Sirloin: For some reason most restaurants can never get my steak medium rare, but of course Roy's gets it right. nice and tender and still ever so juicy. the truffled potatoes that came with it was one of the best potatoes i've ever had. crispy but yet soft. sweet and savory all at the same time.
I've also had a salmon(?) dish here that i haven't seen on the menu in awhile. i think it was salmon. but it was some fish in a corn puree with other veggies with a basil-y sauce. one of my favorite meals ever. I only wish they would bring back the dish!
everyone talks about the chocolate souffle, it was ok. it's more like a chocolate molten cake than a souffle. (for the best chocolate souffle, check out le sardine *heaven*)
the dulce de leche cheesecake was the best way to end the meal. it overshadowed the chocolate "souffle" by a landslide. very light and creamy and the perfect size for 1- my husband and i are dessert sharers since i dont have a sweet tooth, but i can easily eat a whole serving of this. it's THAT good.
Service here is usually good. This past weekend it was still good, but it took FOREVER to get our food. appetizers came out quick, entrees took at least 45 min after we finished our appetizers? yes they were busy, but it's always busy and i've never had an issue. the manager came over to apologize but the food totally made up for the wait.
Prices are decent for a more upscale restaurant. they always have fix prix $35 with a limited menu, entrees average $22-35. This weekend: 1 appetizer, 1 cocktails, 2 entrees, 2 desserts- a tad over $100. worth every penny.
caution- Roy's is one of those restaurants that is about quality and not quantity, so patrons, don't expect a huge plateload of food. it's definitely enough to fill you, but if you eat with your eyes, you may be disappointed.
My boyfriend and I went here on February 13th, and I'm very glad we did. First, I was immediately impressed with the nice surroundings. We were in the back of the restaurant, where it was nice and quiet, and we had some romantic lighting. Lovely! Second, I was impressed with our waiter. He was informative, polite, and we didn't need to look around for him; he knew what we needed. Amazing.
Now, on to the food. We got the lobster dim sum, which is totally worth the hype. The dumplings were super soft and warm, and the sauce was incredible. The truffle emulsion looked cool, but I don't know if I was able to taste it.
We also got the sushi roll with Kobe beef wrapped around it. It was very flavorful, and I think the beef was the best part. The crab part inside was so-so, but overall, I really like the roll. It was nice and small and tight. No awkward chewing with huge mouthfuls in front of your date! Also, don't use the soy sauce. Use the sauce they give you in little dollops next to it.
For the main dish, we both got the butterfish, after confirming that it is NOT escolar. It came out and looked gorgeous. I liked how easily you could eat the fish with the fork, and I thought the combination of the fish with the thai rice was excellent. I'd love to get this again.
For dessert, we got the chocolate molten cake. It was great. Definitely a step above all other molten cakes because you could tell it was made fresh, and the chocolate sauce was really baked into it, saturating the inside of the cake gradually until you get to the delicious center!
Finally, we ordered the Hawaiian martinis. It's pure alcohol, and I've never had such a delicious beverage. Pure heaven, worth the $11.
In sum, I really loved this place, and despite the cost, I'd definitely go again for another special occasion. I also did not find the portions to be too small; I was full at the end of the meal.
Ok, finally got around to it.
We visited Roy's for early Sat dinner (6:30pm) on a nice June weekend.
Sat outside, it was very pleasant and un-crowded. Décor, meh. Nothing to standout or remember - but the street view is great for people-watching.
Bathroom is noteworthy; great selection of lotions samples (lint brush!) and other sundries normally available with attendant, without the latter.
Place is very spacious, modern but a little dull IMO.
Service, fast but very prompt and friendly. The valley guy was a doll; we forgot our jackets in the car which he brought to us.
First things first - drinks. MaiThai - pass, not great, but good.
Pina Colada - fail.... Missing pineapple juice as well as liquor or so it tasted.
Edamame - yum, just perfect. Appetizer of calamari, fine; so was the salad - the *poached* pear was a canned variety.
Entrees - have a gripe here. My butterfish was great - our favorite there, actually. His tiger prawn/scallop (only 3 of each) combo was silly. I'm all for spending money on good grub and we gladly do; but Roy fails to deliver as far as value goes. There was 3 of shrimp (not prawns... and yes, I've eaten enough of both to know the difference... you'd expect Red Lobster to use the term interchangeably, but not someone who claims excellence).
The sides to both entrees were somewhat bland and unmemorable, esp. dry risotto cakes.
Dessert; got the soufflé cake. It was great; but once again, better (and 4 times the sizes) soufflé at L Woods, and probably many other spots around Chicago.
Overall, it was a great evening. But again, I think Roy is a poor value. For $ 150+, I expect better food quality. For that, it gets 3 stars overall.
I'd be ok with Roy's dinner for about $70... not ecstatic, but ok.
It is a cute place however; great for first dates or out- of-towners.
Amazing seafood, great atmosphere.
Absolutely adore anything with lobster in it. Order it at Roy's.
Nothing else to say...if you like seafood you will love Roy's.
I have never had better tasing food and better service in any resaurant I've been to. The flavor of each dish is supurb. The fish is fresh and the varieties of fish is impressive too. You will likely see seafood dishes on the menu you're never seen anywhere else.
THE SPECIALTY DRINKS are OUTSTANDING!
Wait staff are all so friendly.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Just there last night celebrating my mothers birthday. Well, its just dark in there, I understand about mood lighting, but when you are over 40 you need a little more to assist you with things like, looking at the menu!! Our server was more than gracious, in fact that was the only saving grace about this place. Had a group of 7 people, and everyone ate the food and had a look on their face like, "is this it"? My husband's pot roast was so tough and stringy you could not cut it or chew it too well. I had the scallops and shrimp combo, and its nothing to write about at all!! I do this better myself at home. Now my niece had some sushi, and this seemed to be where they scored high marks. In fact that is probably what they need to focus on and push as their main venue. Overall, I felt the food was extremely dry and bland. Yet the server Kathy was a beautiful, knowledgeable person, who saved the day and understood our concerns and tried her best to rectify the situation.
Would I suggest anyone going there.. Not really! Except it is somewhat attractive on the inside, just lighting needs to be kicked up a notch or two. And someone needs to stop overcooking the food.
Had a wonderful time at Roy's.
The food and cocktails were superb. Service was most pleasant and very knowledgeable and genuine.
Jennifer B., as a vegetarian, should be rating vegetarian restaurants and not seafood establishments when she wants impromptu menus..
We ate again at Roy's on Friday the 13th (to avoid Valentine's Day traffic) and had another great… Read more »
My father lives down the street from Roy's, and he seems to be obsessed with this restaurant. Seriously, I think he eats here or orders take out at least once a week. So I've eaten here several times (pretty much whenever I visit), including once even on Christmas Eve! While I don't exalt this restaurant NEARLY as much as Dad, I think it's a good Hawaiian place. I love sushi, and I think their sushi is delicious. I'd be content just coming here and just living off the sushi for weeks! The entrees themselves range from excellent to average, depending on what you get. I've always been happy with the great service I've received here... although that could be because they see my father so often that they know him by name and want to keep him coming back. Anyway, I like this place, although I think there are other restaurants in the price range in Chicago that are as good or better.
I love Roy's! Love, love, love Roy's. I was introduced to the restaurant this year during restaurant week and have been in love ever since. The food and service is always top notch. Our server last night was awesome - her name was Molly and the girl knew her sh*t! I went with 4 others last night and we started with the Lakanilau Roll
and Blue Crab "Dynamite" Scallops (as recommended from our server, Molly). They both were awesome - the scallops especially. Just melt in your mouth goodness with a little bit of spice. SO good!
For an entree, I ordered the Garlic Tiger Prawns that came with gnocchi - it was very good! One of my friends ordered the Roy's Classic Roasted Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi Mahi and I was very jealous that I didn't order that for myself. It was amazing - so fresh and light, and the nuts gave it the perfect amount of crunchiness and the sauce made it all just melt in your mouth. I had one bite and I now know what I'm going to order the next time I go. Everyone else enjoyed their dishes as well - this place has great seafood and the short ribs that my aunt ordered were just as awesome as everything else.
For dessert, of course we had the chocolate souffle. It was good and I'm a huge chocolate dessert person - but I had one bite of this and it burnt my tongue...I guess that is a sign I should stop eating when I'm full! :-)
I will definitely bring friends and family here - it can get expensive after drinks - but $35 for a prix fixe with 3 courses is a great deal.
Finally got to to try the famous Roy's for a work celebration dinner.
Started with the Original Hawaiian Martini at the bar. It was like heaven in an ice cold martini glass. This girl loves her pineapple and booze. Nice little bar area separated from the dining room. Perfect for waiting for your table.
We were seated as soon as our whole party got there. The dining room is fabulous. Rich colors, large open windows with a view of the hustle and bustle on State Street and luxurious high-backed soft chairs. Loved it.
Then we proceeded to indulge in a fantastically huge meal. My boss is a frequent dinner here and we were sent some Lobster Dim Sum to start with in a tasty truffle sauce as soon as our butts hit the chairs. We also shared the Brie and Wild Mushroom ravioli (surprisingly hearty for an appetizer but the perfect combination of cheeses and mushroom), a huge spicy tuna roll and some type of ceviche styled raw tuna that you put on potato chips. All the appetizers were HUGE portions and absolutely delicious.
I am not sure what everyone else ordered for dinner as I was completely engrossed in my crusted Mahi Mahi with whipped mashed potatoes with BACON. The portions for dinner were much more manageable and complimented the richness of the dish perfectly.
The service was great. As we were having somewhat of a work/social dinner, I barely noticed the servers as they filled glasses and took away plates. Very friendly and very efficient.
I would most certainly recommend this to people looking for unique Hawaiian experience here in Chicago.
I had high expectations for Roy's and while it did not disappoint, it didn't quite live up to what I had hoped. The service was very good and the wine list was more than acceptable. However, I thought the appetizers were a little bland, we ordered the Lobster Dim Sum and it just tasted salty to me. We also had a sushi roll which was mediocre. The main dishes were quite good however. I had the black miso fish which I cannot remember, but it is their speciality and was excellent. We skipped dessert, but it did look good. Overall, the place has a cool atmosphere and tends to get crowded, so it can be a fun place to be seen at, and the food isn't' half bad either.
Very delicious. Came here for the prix-fixe menu (which did look good) but ended up being swayed by the other delicious menu options. Pretty sure that's their strategy.
Started off with the Maine lobster dim sum - so good. I split it with my friend but you could definitely do the whole thing yourself, even though the waitress said it was a sharing portion (not really).
Friend had butterfish with a cilantro sauce, and even though I don't like cilantro, it was really good. I had the scallops - delicious and perfectly cooked. Finished with the bananas foster which was also very good, but more like a creme brulee than what I thought was a traditional bananas foster. I think it's so cool when they flambé tableside. Sadly, Roy's didn't do that, which was kinda lame. But the food was still really delicious so no hard feelings.
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
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Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
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