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Categories: American (New), Lounges [Edit]
Neighborhood: Near West SideClinton (Pink, Green)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Chili's® Grill & Bar is as bold and flavorful as the food it serves. The energetic, fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a... more »
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Simplistic atmosphere with mild noise/crowd w/o being too superimposing/loud.
Tasty, quality mixologist standard drinks.
Great food, hearty American-fresh-sustainable-modern-type.
Love it!
Pleasantly surprised. I was at Sephia with a friend on a Wednesday night and it was a packed house. The atmosphere is rustic with a vintage feel. Not too stuffy. The location used to be an old print shop from the 1890's--which adds to the allure.
Now, the food--We started with the butternut squash flat bread with blue cheese melted on top--DELISH. Next, we had scallops--very tender.
The pumpkin/coconut soup had a very unique taste, as you can imagine, and it was very good! For my entree, I had the duck paparadelle pasta. Simple but filling.
The desserts were OUTSTANDING. We had an almond panna cotta which was made perfectly and apple fritters. YUM.
The service was great too, from the host to the bus boys and our waiter. DEFINITELY NEED to try it out!
Great for a date place or a small get together (a few of the tables are in private little corners--great for a guys/girls night out).
I went here once. Never again.
High end food? What a joke. The flavor profiles never came together, the temperatures were all off, the so called "nouveaux" was like a kid chef's first attempt at going off the recipe book. The flatbreads were like lame crackers. We didn't even bother trying a dessert.
To add insult to injury, we got a parking ticket because the valet parked our car in a no parking zone. Moreover, they never refunded us for it or did anything about it.
Oh, and their website is incompatible with the default MacOS X and iPhone browser, Safari. Attention to detail, indeed.
I know people are infatuated with this hip place. Two words: don't bother.
As always wonderful food, great service, and perfect ambiance. I ended up going here instead of Avec because the wait was insane. After all I'm happier that I went to Sepia. Always consistent!
Thanks.
Good but not great, I wish the prices were a bit lower.
Beautiful ambiance, love the design. I loved the flatbreads, but was disappointed with the charcuterie plate. I had a braised shortrib, that was a very small portion that led me think the kitchen was running out. My wife had pork loin wrapped with pork belly, that missed was disapointing - it tasted very much like just a simple pork loin - somehow adding the pork belly did absolutely nothing to improve the loin. I could have cooked that at home, which to me is a damning statement for a restaurant at this price-point.
Likewise, duck-fat fried potatoes seemed like an incredible waste of duck-fat, we were unimpressed. Much like the pork-belly wrapped loin, surely there is a better use for the awesomeness that is duck-fat.
Our table was dangerously wobbly and risked my my wine-glass taking flight. It took 4 attempts to stabilize it. Perhaps replacing the floor when they renovated would have been a wise choice.
We were disappointed with our wine recommendation after our preferred choice was unavailable. Pinot Noir's should not have the color of kool-aid.
Had the prices been lower, I think we would have been quite happy. However, these prices put this restaurant in a league where everything needs to be perfect. Our evening was not.
_Am
Best cheese plate in the Midwest, good service and impeccable wine list. Flatbreads are amazing.
Rather on the spendy side of dining out, two entrees with two sides (and no appetizers or drinks) was $100. That said, it was delicious!
Our servers were all very attentive and knew the menu, though they seemed quite eager to add alcohol to the tab, which we consistently refused. The porterhouse pork chop was massive - at least two inches thick - and was served on a bed of grits. Perfectly cooked, it was tender and flavorful. The braised pork ribs were excellent, served with red cabbage and spatzele.
The menu seems to change based on what's available, so if they don't have the duck-fat fried potatoes, you'll be missing out. More like really thick potato chips, they are absolutely excellent.
Would I return? Probably not. I was a little surprised by the price.
Came here for my birthday this month. Not just any birthday.. my 21st birthday! Um, first of all... have you seen their website? It's gorgeous.. and I could listen to the background music forever(tried to find the song online, but I couldn't find it! help?) Ah.. anyway, make sure to check out their website. It's alluring enough to make you heart Sepia without dining there! Ha..
So as soon as I arrived, I saw this vintage-y bar and tables set up by the window. The host greeted us and took our coats. He was especially happy that it was my birthday, because his birthday was only 2 days after mine :) We were seated in the dining room, which had a totally different vibe from the front. Sleek, sexy, rustic yet modern, and their chandeliers..oh my..their beautiful chandeliers! The crowd at Sepia was a mix of business people and regulars. As I was making my way to the bathroom, I realized that there were secluded areas.. where it seemed like private parties were taking place... or so I think? The chandelier above their tables were different, so I'm going to say it was a private party area? Anyway, the bathroom had the most amazing liquid hand soap & lotion! My hands smelled like roses the whole night. Looked up the soap & lotion. Costs a pretty penny.
Now about the food!
They gave us bread to start..
Appetizers: (both small portions)
1. roasted baby beets, goat cheese cremeux, walnuts, and arugula (well I'm bias since I love beets+goat cheese)
2. local greens, shallot vinaigrette and pleasant ridge reserve (nothing special)
3. duck fat fried potatoes (It's pretty good)
Entrees:
1. pan-fried trout, black eyed peas, and candied bacon (pretty big, had the head still attached.. which freaked my friend out, but she loved it anyway! haha)
2. pan roasted cod w/sweet corn chowder and mussels (kind of small/looks sort of soup-y.. but it's a surprisingly light dish)
Dessert:
1. trio of sorbets ( skip this, not that great)
2. chocolate mousse cake w/shortbread cookie (mMm)
The food was good! But honestly? The ambiance was better.
I wish there were half stars. I'd give Sepia 4 1/2 !
It was my birthday dinner, and a friend recommended Sepia, so off we went. We were actually seated early, as we got there half an hour before our reservation. I ordered pan-seared scallops with sunchoke puree and Marcona almonds. Frickin delicious. I have tried scallops in so many Chicago restaurants, and nobody ever seems to do it right. Either they're obviously not very fresh, or they are overdone (an easy mistake to make). I like mine translucent. Like, really, just barely cooked. These were perfect. So already, I was impressed.
For my entree, I tried the Gunthorp farms duck with chanterelles and (again) Marcona almonds. I expected some sort of confit, but what I got was an enormous magret done medium rare with a healthy amount of crispy skin attached. It was the most flavorful duck I've ever had, although a tad on the tough side. My boyfriend ordered the Chimay-braised pork ribs, which were also from this same amazing farm. We were both extremely happy with our meals.
The very best part was dessert; my boyfriend had told the maitre d' that it was my birthday, and my pane cotta came on a plate with "Happy Birthday Rehana" written in chocolate icing around the rim. Beautiful! We left feeling quite full but not uncomfortably stuffed. Portion sizes were just right, service was very friendly and attentive, without being at all snooty. My only complaint is that the prices are a little higher than they should be, especially on the wine list (which, however, is very impressive). So I probably won't be a routine visitor. But Sepia is a great special occasion restaurant, and I will happily return for my next big event!
I like the atmosphere. You'll need to pack a sandwich. Sepia keeps you from losing your color over the portion sizes by prettily placing the food on the plate. Their fusions are cool--scallops and black (blood) pudding with celery pate. I mean c'mon, where are you gonna get that? The Sepia Mule (ginger beer with vodka) will keep you feeling photogenic.
Been trying to get to Sepia for awhile, but that damn attractive Sushi Wabi always cockblocks. Today, Dad insisted we dabble in new territory for lunch. For the 17th time, he was right.
The meal was delightfully satisfying and delectable. Started with the sausage and eggplant flatbread, which was a few bites. Nothing extraordinary, but a decent segway to the big hits. The skate wing was spot on- well seasoned, light, fresh, decently sized and appropriately priced. Bait worth coming back for.
The thoughtful décor, prints and accents successfully bring the whole Newsies era to life, all that's missing is Christian Bale and Vinnie from Doogie Howser breaking out in song and dance.
Came here for my mom's birthday when my family was visiting from out of town.
The ambiance was very nice and so was our waitress. She was very knowledgeable with the wine list and recommended something new to my dad, who is a self proclaimed wine connoisseur.
As a table, we ordered:
- mergeuz sausage flatbread
- grilled sweetbread
- pan roasted cod
- pork porterhouse
- flat iron steak
- duck
My steak was perfectly cooked (medium rare) and the bone marrow beignets were interesting but good. Since I am the "garbage disposal" of the family, I had a chance the try out all the dishes. The cod was VERY good and well cooked... as was the duck. The pork was good but if left to sit, got a bit dry.
We ordered a blueberry something (I forget) but it was pretty good too. Our waitress even put a candle on it for my mom's birthday! Very thoughtful. It also seemed that the entire staff knew that it was my mom's birthday since even the manager and hostess wished her a happy birthday on our way out.
I would definitely go back!
While waiting for our seats at Avec, we walked over to Sepia for a drink or two and ended up ordering appetizers as well. Since I don't drink, I can't really comment on the cocktails, but the appetizers were great.
House Cured Sardines - well, sardines are sardines. They tasted like sardines and weren't really accompanied with much.
Duck Pate/Rabbit Rillets/Copa di Tessa - this was my favorite dish (of the 3). The pate was amazing and the rabbit rillets were flavorful. The Copa di Tessa was "interesting", very very fatty for my taste. I've had headcheese before, but not this fatty. Overall, this is a great dish.
Roasted beets - eh. I love beets, but I've also had beets two days this week already, so I wasn't too impressed. Honestly, this dish was nicely laid out (presentation-wise), but the duck pate was a lot better.
Lastly, I want to mention how extremely friendly everyone was. The hostess was full of smiles as was our server. Honestly, when I first walked in, I thought this place was a bit pretentious. Boy, was I wrong!
Special occasion dining has to nail the following criteria for me: atmosphere, service, cocktails, the meal, presentation, and dessert. Sepia came in with a near-perfect score.
To celebrate my dad's 60th birthday, I knew I needed to find something elegant, current, interesting, but not pretentious or trendy. Sepia was recommended to me by a friend, and from the moment we stepped inside and saw the exposed brick walls, vintage photographs, and mesh-encased chandeliers, I knew we were in a good place. It is housed in an old 1890 print shop, and the old vs. new details are in perfect balance.
The cocktail list is inventive and worth a thorough reading. I indulged in the Fresh Fig sidecar that was refreshing and flavorful, and an excellent palate-teaser to start to our meal.
The menu is seasonal and always changing, so take these recommendations as a guide rather than a checklist. We started with the Flatbread with Merguez sausage, Eggplant and Mint that was hearty yet light, and wonderfully flavorful. I had the Crispy Poached Duck Egg which was a beautiful and elegant dish, with lots of runny golden yolk encased in a crispy outer shell, complimented by the earthy flavors of aparagus, chanterelles, and spring onions. Including plenty of bread to sop up all of the goodness was a thoughtful choice - these are dishes that warrant getting every last drop. (see pictures)
For my main course, I had to have the Pork Porterhouse, having read so much about it in the reviews. Wow. It was definitely one of, if not THE best preparations of pork that I have ever had. Juicy, flavorful, tender - it was like pork should always aspire to be. The bed of grits and cherries and greens were a great compliment. The portion was enormous, but I couldn't leave one morsel on the plate.
We shared the duck fat fried potatoes, which were as rich and good as you would imagine.
Desserts were the only thing that I might call lacking, but not enough to take any stars away from this review. I had the blueberry cobbler with sweet corn ice cream, caramel corn, and lemon shortbread cookie. It was certainly creative, but unfortunately the flavor was a little bland and did not live up to the description, with the exception of the sweet corn ice cream which was great.
All in all, a fantastic experience, and a place that I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to both visitors and Chicago locals. I look forward to my next meal there, hopefully sometime soon!
Whoa. I've been to Sepia about a dozen times, always a big fan, but this was my first time going since they got the new chef in May. And it is better...
I had the cucumber mint gazpacho to start that had peekytoe crab rolled in thinly sliced cantaloupe. Peekytoe crab is awesome, and I am currently (and have been for several years, ever since my peekytoe crab napolean at nomi for brunch) obsessed with it. It was delicious and clean and fresh. We shared the agnolotti for our tweener. It, again, was amazing and simple. You could make 6 perfect bites out of the 3 agnolotti (half order). For our entrees, I had the braised halibut with ratatouille and pistou broth. It was so flavorful, light, and fresh. I was pleasantly full after the meal, but not wanting to pass out and die. I really loved everything. But here's why i gave it 5 stars...
I usually always make (or ask) my husband to get things we can share. He is really great about this, which is definitely a part of why we are together. I like to try lots of things at restaurants, but don't eat meat (with several exceptions), so main courses for him are fish. Almost always. I was feeling exceptionally nice this evening and told him he could order whatever he wanted. I was thinking he was going to go for the pork, but he decided to have the trout. The trout is completely deboned and laid flat, cooked on its skin side. The fish is lightly coated in cornmeal. The fish is topped with a very lightly dressed "salad" of green beans, black eyed peas and candied bacon. The vinegar just kisses the fish to make it completely perfect. I tried the fish (no candied bacon) and it was one of the top 10 things I've ever put in my mouth. I actually had a small tear. I get a little emotional about those things. The last fish I shed a tear over was at MK (my favorite restaurant, but one I just can't review) about 4 years ago. It was a special. I had it once. Which is probably best. I think of it often.
Anyways, Sepia has always been great, but I really prefer the food with the new chef. Cocktailks were excellent as always. Have a few french 75s with your meal. I love gin.
Admittedly the 5th star is partly due to my cousin calling the restaurant and buying us a surprise glass of sparkling dessert wine to celebrate our anniversary, but this place was pretty great in itself. They were very warm and friendly, offered to hold my hubby's backpack (came after school), and generally had that extra-mile feeling. The waitress was helpful and friendly without being overbearing, the food was delicious (we ate WAY more than we should have), and the drinks were yummy. The only flaw was that it was a little noisy and lacked coziness, which would have been nice on an anniversary date.
Bottom line, we would go back in a heartbeat.
Table for two, Saturday night 8:15 wedding anniversary.
Starters:
Duck Confit w/fig Flat Bread and Scallop appetizer-Outstanding.
Entrees:
Sea Bass and Halibut. Sea Bass was great. It was very flavorful and seasoned wonderfully. Halibut was lacking. I understand that this fish is very mild but this preparation was almost bland. Side of carrots were also lacking any kind of seasoning and served a little to al dente for me.
Dessert:
Ricotta Pound Cake was unbelievably fantastic.
Service:
Being our anniversary we requested a good table. I was told on the phone that "All of our tables are good". We were sat on a banquette in a row of 2 tops smack in the middle. In all fairness, all 2 tops that night were stuck on the banquette. Bartender was very good (We had cocktails before we sat). In terms of table presence our waiter was obviously a pro and well versed in food and wine. Furthermore, he was a very engaging, polite man. However, the pace was kind of slow.
Our dessert plate had "Happy Anniversary" painted in chocolate. Very nice touch.
Beverages:
If you drink, you are doing yourself a disservice by not ordering one of their special cocktails.
There are a lot of places that have a great wine list and Sepia is one of them. However, Their glass offerings of Wine, Sparkling Wine and Dessert Wines are outstanding and very reasonably priced.
Despite my nit picking, I highly recommend Sepia to anyone who wants a great evening.
I give this a four-star review based on the food and the service. However, with regard to the noise level in the room, a boiler machine factory would probably be quieter (it was very loud and difficult to maintain a conversation at anything less than what would be required to communicate in the face of gale force winds; the noise level was compounded by the fact that a large party ("event") of 20+ was having cocktails at one end of the room. Indeed, once the party dispersed, it was marginally easier to communicate).
The restaurant has a surprisingly lively bar scene. We were promptly seated after arrival for our mid-week dinner. The dining room is well-lit. The food is based on fresh, regional ingredients and is infused with flavor (you're definitely in the flavor-town zone). The wine list is eclectic and has plenty of choices. They did a very nice job with the sausage and lentil appetizer and also with the roasted walleye and brussels sprouts entree.
We celebrated D's birthday here over the weekend and were impressed in many ways, but felt several of the dishes (which sounded to die for) were lacking in one way or another.
I want to be "wowed" when I am dining out and spending a bit more than on an average meal, and we didn't really feel that way on our way out.
We were seated in a back left corner room that was very secluded, which I enjoyed, however half our group faced a server's station with a brightly lit computer in the otherwise dim area. I had to convince one member of the group it wasn't worth requesting another table over, however it was definitely annoying.
We started with the sausage and the pepper and onion flat breads: super tasty, especially the sausage version. We also choose the sea scallop appetizer, which was not overly enjoyed by anyone in the group.
Out of our entrees, we dined on the flat iron steak, duck, rainbow trout, chickpea crepes and halibut. Mushrooms abounded in most dishes, and were delish. However, I found disappointment in the lack of flavor in several of the dishes, especially mine, the rainbow trout. I felt like each entree lacked *something.* Let's call it a generous dose of flavor.
The house cocktails are great, I happen to love mules, so try the Sepia Mule if you enjoy the type.
I would probably give it another try. However there are so many places where I have been constantly wowed, such as Avec and Blackbird around the corner, that I probably would be more easily convinced to be blown away in their dining rooms.
Pricey, but good. Had the duck egg appetizer along with the Monkfish main course (it was big, what with the clams and sausages.)
Noise level went up later, probably same level as Blackbird (or acoustically, West Town Tavern). Still, I think we'd favor Custom House over Sepia.
after a few hours of being forced to smile and kiss each other (otherwise known as engagement pictures), george and i were in need of a strong cocktail. so off to sepia we went.
first off, they make fantastic drinks, rivaling my other favorite place for drinks, boka. i had the french 75 and george had something with a peach and absinthe...both were delicious.
it was a friday night but there was space available at the communal table - we actually pretty much had the whole thing to ourselves - so we opted to stay for dinner. first off, i love the atmosphere in the dining room. fairly intimate with really cool chandeliers...a very cool space. but onto the food. we started with the pate and the beet salad. both were delicious. the pate was especially impressive - i guess it is something the chef is known for.
for our entrees, i had the pork (which is their specialty) and george had corvino (a fish). i didn't try the fish, which george really liked, but my pork was out of this world. and it came with cheese grits which really pushed me over the top. oh, and let's not forget about the potatoes fried in duck fat. i mean, yum.
so let's wrap things up. the wine list is great, very accessible, and service was impeccable and friendly. in conclusion, i say OMG YES to sepia.
Tremendous experience here. The food is incredible but the service was over the top. I can't wait to go back.
On the two occasions I have been to Sepia, I was in the lounge for drinks. The real beauty of Sepia is not evident until you walk past the bar and enter the dining room and take a glimpse of the private dining room.
I have to admit, my first experience at Sepia was not satisfying. I ordered the "You're Welcome" which had veev acai, canton ginger, cassis, and lime. I thought the taste was too straight and boring. On top of that, they did not have the "Hot Buttered Rum" which I was looking forward to. I enjoyed the "Dead of Winter" a little more. The laphroaig rinse added the extra depth I was hoping for.
My second experience was much improved. I tried the "Jalisco Kiss" and "Very Final Word". The Jalisco Kiss has tequila, hibiscus syrup, and maraschino. While the Very Final Word has rye, yellow chartreuse, St. Germaine elderflower, lemon juice. These drinks definitely smoothed over my first impression of Sepia.
They also have a great array of tea. You can ask for a box holding mini vials of tea which you can sniff before ordering. After you put in your order, they bring out your selection in a tea pot. The lychee and tagerine teas were excellent, especially at cost of about $3.50.
I had a truly mediocre experience the first time I came to Sepia, which was right after it opened. I had avoided it like the plague since then, ignoring all positive feedback.
Last night I was buzzed and in the mood for some good food-- the crowd at Avec was too much to handle so my friend and I looped around the block to Sepia. I should mention that the day consisted of a bike bar crawl culminating when my drunk friend ran her bike into a parked car. So we looked a little worse for the wear upon entry into this trendy little establishment.
We were seated immediately in the bar, first success. The atmosphere at this restaurant is fantastic, on this particular trip our server was wonderful and the food was spot on. The veggie flat bread, crispy poached duck egg starter, flat iron steak, mint chocolate souffle... everything was delicious. Their coffee is money too, and it sobered me up.
And as everyone mentions, their drinks are on par w/ Violet Hour.
I think Sepia will be my new bike wreck survival celebration spot.
Sepia ain't cheap, but it's soooo worth it. I was hooked from the get-go, by their fabulously classy and retro website, and my crush only grew.
First of all, the atmosphere and decor have been constructed with such care and class that you can't help but feel like you're in another era. Service was incredibly attentive, could've bordered on annoyingly officious, but was just right.
We ordered several appetizers: 2 of the flatbreads (decent), sea scallops with sunchokes (delightful), and my favorite: the insanely fantastic homemade English pea & mascarpone agnolotti...WOW! I think this could've been my entree alone, it was so satisfying--the perfect savory and textural balance, and the pasta itself was divine.
My entree was a lightly-breaded rainbow trout with black-eyed peas and candied bacon--again, YUM! And it was definitely a lot of food...so much so that we were all too full for dessert. Next time!
The only thing that disappointed me a little was my pricy Fig Old-Fashioned, which basically tasted like all bourbon and 2% fig. Not exactly what I had in mind from the fancy multi-ingredient list (including brandied cherries & rhubarb bitters--again, undetectable), but it was strong as hell, I'll give them that :)
The plan was originally to check out the wait at Avec.. but after realizing that we were too hungry to wait an hour to be seated, Sepia looked like a good alternative to check out.
We were seated immediately (on a Friday night) at one of the mixed tables (I was OK with this, seeing as that we were planning to go to Avec anyway) and the food was served promptly.
The ambiance and decor suits the name of the restaurant - Sepia (Photoshop buffs rejoice) - and the color scheme fit.
Enjoyed the monkfish entree, the cabernet-merlot blend of wine, and the warm brownie with chai ice cream for dessert.
Sexy, sexy, sexy. God, I loved every second of my experience here.
Service - outstanding. I made the reservation through open table, and gave them a heads up that we would be celebrating the birthday of my dinner date, Paige W. When they called to confirm the reservation, they wanted to make sure they had her name spelled right and gave me a heads up as to what they had planned. Impressive.
When I arrived, the hostesses knew us both by name. They took our jackets and my rain-soaked umbrella, and showed us to our table in their very sexy dining room. The chandeliers? Love. The wine bottles in the walls? Love. The leather tables? LOVE. Sexy, sexy, sexy.
This place is all about the details - the menus were embossed with the Sepia logo. The right hand side of the menus had this cool cut out design. The coasters had the sepia photography on them that I love. Even the check presenter was a ceramic dish with a sepia post card design on it. I was so in love with this place based on looks alone, and I hadn't even gotten to know their insides yet.
Our server, Tangie, was the absolute best. Smiling, friendly, and full of recommendations. After perusing their wine "list" which was actually a book, we started things off with a bottle of cava, then ordered up the flat bread with applewood smoked bacon, pears, and blue cheese. I was so excited to try this, but honestly this missed the mark for me, however Paige was thrilled with it.
For entrees Paige went with a dish that I had no idea what it was (I'm sure she'll gush over it in her review), but when I tried it it was surprisingly delicious. I had a little food envy, I won't lie. I had the flat iron steak, and oh my... yeah, that was pretty damn delicious. A huge serving served up in a skillet with new potatoes and knob onions. You know that feeling when you're full, but something tastes so good you don't want to stop? Yeah, I had that feeling with the steak. I managed to tackle about half of it, but man, I just wanted to lick the rest.
For dessert we went with a brownie dish that came with chai ice cream and toffee. It was served up with a candle for the birthday girl (no singing, thank god), and they beautifully decorated the plate with "Happy Birthday Paige" written in chocolate sauce, and they even decorated it with flowers. LOVE. The dessert itself was heaven on a spoon. The brownie was so rich and delicious I could have died right there, and I would have been okay with all I had consumed at Sepia as my last meal.
Throughout the night I was wowed by this place over and over. The decor, the service, the delicious delicious food, even the patrons sitting next to us that chatted with us were super cool. As we left, the hostess chatted with us some more and wished Paige a happy birthday again. The details, people. Details.
As we exited Sepia into the rainy cold night, I left with a huge smile on my face. It may have been cold out, but I didn't feel it because Sepia had left me feeling warm and loved.
The last few times I've rolled around the corner from work and popped into Sepia for a tasty cocktail, I've been so very happy that I did.
Sepia Mule, French 75: you do not disappoint. Our friendly bartender served them up with a chat and a smile, and while cocktails like this do take a little bit of time to prepare, they didn't take forever (while tasting like they could have).
The flatbread with apples, bacon and cheese was quite delicious and my friend's pork rillettes was quite tasty. I absolutely would love to return for a full meal.
The space at Sepia is surprising and worth a spin around (or on your way to the loo, when you have to walk through the room). It seems there is something for everyone in terms of seating. Tall communal tables, small half-booths, rounds, etc. The space is set up nicely and deceptively intimate. And speaking of the loo, it is perhaps the nicest-looking and best-smelling one in recent memory (and if you keep up with my reviews, you know I am a connoisseur of a good loo).
Sepia is a wonderful spot to pop into for a drink if you're out and about in the West Loop. It has one of those types of bars that is great for soloing and great for a date (or an after-work cocktail with a buddy, as it were).
Yay. I am indeed, a fan.
Definitely not for causal dining. This place is fairly expensive. But if you are wiling to splurge- you will not be disappointed.
It has everything: atmosphere, wine selection (with knowledgeable waitstaff) and an amazing menu.
We had two appetizers- one being the sea scallops (which were amazing). The desert was incredible.
All and all my favorite dining experience so far. Save up and head out- it is worth it!
Sepia is a favorite if only by the sexy name (hey, it is the photographer in me), but it does have many other great qualities!
The drink list is fabulous with unique mixes of liquors and beers and juices. Prices are average to upper in cost...around $11, but the bartender is engaging and the service is excellent.
Though dinner isn't something I've been lucky enough to partake, I was lucky enough to nibble on a few items with Colleen and Carol on fine evening. Delicious flatbread and tasty braised lamb shoulder added to the lovely cocktails.
I like a little upscale ambience, so Sepia has a nice look and feel and the folk area also have an upscale look all of which makes this a favorite in my book.
Ooooo, how I love some fine cocktailin'....
1. Sepia Mule. It's such an unattractive name...however, it is an entirely attractive drink. Ginger-infused vodka, fresh lime juice and ginger beer. Whoa. I love it. Sparkly and gingery, and all my nerves were a tingle.
2. Dead of Winter: because, friggin' A, it still feels like. Made with blended scotch, elderflower liqueuer (St. Germain), lemon juice and a laphroaig rinse. Dead is right, deadly. In such a sinful, sinful, indulgent way.
This is Violet Hour style up in here...(drink quality), and despite the fancy digs and downtown location...$10-$12 cocktails. I was tempted to try the "You're Welcome" with Veev, but have not yet wrapped my head around egg whites in drinks. However, perhaps the protein would've helped me to feel a bit less wobbly after consuming the aforementioned. We shall never know...we shall never know.
Instead, I sampled some fantastic little diddies, normally referred to as appetizers. The flatbreads: FABULOUS. I was again shocked at the price, $6...amazing quality. I've had flatbreads elsewhere that shall remain nameless for twice the price, and half the taste. Well done, Sepia. The braised lamb shoulder variety literally melted in my mouth, and the applewood smoked bacon and pear version (with bleu cheese!) was so sweetly, salty and flavorful....mmmm. Perfect. Hit the spot.
In short, I'd definitely come back to dine...but it is a lovely little diversion for a drink (or 2, giggle) with friends at the bar. Our service was impeccable, and the ambience is fantastic.
There is a lot across the street for $5, but of course I decided to go all rebel-parking meter-warrior style on the system, and ended up with a $50 ticket.
Offshoots the unexpectedly medium price level at Sepia...but will not deter me from future trips. I shall cab, and indulge...I am assuming their spring drink menu should be out shortly, and it would be a simple travesty to miss it.
My friend and I decided to venture here for a drink after some previous plans fell through. I remembered reading Colleen's fabulous review, whipped out the good ol' iPhone, Google mapped, and we were on our way.
LOVE the atmosphere. The three french guys sitting behind us immensely added to it. Maybe they should pay these guys to sit in here every weekend? Dark woods, lightly scented candles, natural decor elements... all centered around photography, and more specifically sepia prints.
There is definitely a mixed crowd here. More fancier dressed patrons eating in the back, younger more casual crowd sitting in the front lounge.
I had the Sepia Mule. I was SO excited to try it, and was extremely let down. No ginger fizziness... at all. In fact, had they run out of ginger beer??? All I tasted was lime juice. Lots of tart, hard to swallow lime juice. I am a huge fan of anything ginger, and I was not getting any ginger flavor in this cocktail.
We also decided to try some of the duck fat potatoes. I was also let down in the food department. I have had some completely indulgent duck fat fries before, and these did not compare. More like... very salty potato chips.
Our server was efficient and friendly. So, yay for that.
I would come back here to have a glass of wine, maybe a flatbread, and soak in the atmosphere. However... they better stock up on the ginger beer! No more lime juice cocktails for me, please.
Thanks to my friend Magellan AKA Kelly S. we found ourselves at Sepia in the midst of nowhere also known as the west loop on a weekend night. I think the west loop is full of these fabulous looking little places you don't know about because when will you ever just happen to walk past? Decor and swankiness in Sepia is sexy and cool but overall the place may be a little pretentious.
Would I ever go back? Sure. Sometimes I like to get dressed up, have a drink with the girls, spend more money than necessary and still probably have to stop at white castle on the way home :)
We went to Sepia for Mother's Day brunch- my husband picked it out and the menu online looked absolutely delicious. I'm conflicted in this review because parts of the meal were absolutely 5 star and other parts struggled to even be 3 stars.
It was my first Mother's Day and we brought our 7-month-old son- the restaurant assured us that we could get a highchair and it wouldn't be a problem. We had reservations at 1:30 but as luck would have it, our son decided to spit up on his clothes prior to us leaving home so we ended up getting there a little bit later. The host told us that our table wasn't ready (we weren't sure if it was because we were late or what happened- it was never explained to us). He told us that we could wait a few minutes at the bar- but since it had only stools and we had our son with, they offered to "let us" sit in the front seating area. I was wearing a coat and we were carrying 2 wet umbrellas- no one said a word about these. :(
5 minutes turned into 10 minutes and finally a little after 2 pm (!!!!), we were seated at our table. No one offered us any explanation or even brought us any water or anything to munch on while we sat and waited. A complimentary beverage or even a waiter taking our drink order early would have been appreciated. When dining out with a baby, there is only a finite amount of time before there is potential for a meltdown. Either the restaurant doesn't realize this or they just didn't care since we were only a party of 3 (or 2.5).
When we were finally sat down at our table, we had a pretty good experience. They finally offered to take our umbrellas- but I still had my coat (not by choice). We were brought out water and our waitress took our drink order. I had the special "Mum's the Word" drink which when I asked if it was really sweet, our waitress assured me that it was not- it wasn't, but it was really tart. I enjoyed it but when my husband had a sip, he couldn't stand it.
There was a set menu for Mother's Day brunch- it was only $39 per person and I thought it was an absolutely great deal for what you got.
We chose to have the pork and eggs benedict entrees (and then switched plates half-way through- like we almost always do when going out to eat). Our waitress said those were her favorites.
The pastries were brought out first and were very good- we split most of them into smaller bites because we wanted to try all of them but not ruin our appetite. My husband is normally not a fan of chocolate croissants- but he liked this one. However, we were never offered any coffee to go with them (even though it was supposed to be included in the menu).
The starter courses ranged from okay to great. The quiche was served cold and not appetizing at all. I think it would have been good if served warm- but the cold just made the egg taste bad. The salad was very good- but basic, nothing special. The salmon was great- and the presentation like sushi rolls was something I hadn't seen before. We eat quite a bit of fish (and get it from Dirk's- so we know good fish) and this was definitely fresh. The granola and yogurt was the best of the starters- I could've had an entire bowl of just this.
Next, they brought out our entrees. The pork was absolutely amazing- it was perfectly cooked and the seasoning was so good. The side of green beans and black eyed peas were some of the best I've ever had. The eggs benedict had good parts and horrible parts. The egg was cooked to perfection but the artichoke (if it was that) was inedible- it was pickled or something (we couldn't figure it out) and just ruined the entire taste of the dish. The potatoes on the side were also good.
Throughout the entire experience, it was obvious that children aren't normally at this restaurant (there were quite a few there that day though)- the servers didn't quite understand that it wasn't a good idea to place any plates near our son- he would grab them in an instant. First time, okay, you made a mistake- but when it is done a second time, it just indicates to me that they aren't paying attention. Also, one of the servers gave our son a spoon to play with- a nice gesture, but you need to ask the parents first.
Unfortunately, due to their delay in seating us, there was no way that my son would last through the dessert course. We flagged down our waitress and got them to-go. The mousse was excellent, the fruit tart was pretty good but the blueberry clafouti wasn't that great.
Overall, I do think we will come back to Sepia and give it another chance- I think it anything, just to have the pork again. I'm just hoping that the service and the remaining aspects of our meal will be much better.
Lot's of glitz that will look dated in the not too distant future and another non-committal menu. Whatever -- I have better things to spend my money on.
I don't know, I'm wavering between 3 and 4 stars on this one. Maybe I'll be nice and say 4 because it's really like a 3.5 for me.
I've been dying to try Sepia for a while now, so when Chef Week came around, I jumped at the chance to go. The ambiance is great, very classy, but still lively. Perfect. Our server was friendly and helpful. I appreciated that the entire experience was leisurely and that we were given the opportunity to enjoy.
I started with the cocoa old fashioned, which was very tasty. Especially the brandied cherry at the end. Mmmm. We ordered one of each dish from the Chef's Week menu, but, after reading the rave reviews, decided to try the applewood smoked bacon, pear and goat cheese flatbread. It was very good and probably the highlight of the meal.
The Chef's Week menu was just ok for us. We started with the cream of mushroom soup and the squash salad. The soup was decent, but I guess there's only so much you can do with cream of mushroom. A can of Campbell's would have been just as good. The squash salad was better and surprisingly tasty. For entrees, we had the skirt steak with risotto and the cod with collard greens. The skirt steak was delicious, but the risotto was just ok for me. Crunchy. Interesting. The cod was not so great, the sauce was over the top lemony and overall, not a fan.
For dessert, the restaurant had run out of the bread pudding, so they offered anything on the dessert menu. We ordered the chai creme brulee and the flourless chocolate cake. I was so excited about the creme brulee, that I was seriously sad when the creme brulee was more of a soup brulee. The flavor was good, but it was really watery. Yikes. That just ruined it for me.
The best part of the evening, though, was when we left. We walked out the door to get our car and...no one in sight. We waited for a minute thinking the valet was probably going to get a car or something, but when no one came, we went back inside to ask. The hostess said something to the effect of, oh, these must be your keys and handed them to us. Nice. It was 10:55 on a Friday night. Guess the valet had a hot date. Hilarious.
So yeah, maybe 3 stars after all.
Just what I needed after a long day of meetings in Chicago. Thanks to a recommendation from a friend, my colleagues and I swung by here for some good eats and some bourbon and it delivered.
I was immediately impressed by their philosophy: natural, organic products whenever possible and a commitment to artisan farmers and genuine products. It makes a difference.
Started with the flatbreads - Applewood bacon with pears and blue cheese; lamb shoulder with caramelized onions and olives. The bacon/blue cheese was a little unbalanced with too much blue cheese, but the idea was right on. The lamb was solid. Also got the duck fat fried potatoes. Damn...I think they were cooked with rosemary. Mmmmm.
They offer to serve the bourbon with a "slow-melting ice ball" instead of water or a single ice cube. Never heard of this before, but it works. The fine liquor stayed chilled without getting watered down. More people should serve it this way.
For entrees, we got 3 winners:
-berkshire pork chop with arugula and apples - pretty much perfect. Big chops, but somehow they managed to cook it to the right tenderness and moisture. The Granny Smith apples added just the right tartness and the arugula added just the right bitterness.
-skate wing with braised collard greens and grape-pine nut sauce (what I ordered). The perfect answer to my complaint about the bacon flatbread - absolutely balanced. It was light, but delicious. The fish was superbly seared and the accompaniments created a harmonious mix of subtle flavor. This is the kind of dish I could eat every night.
-roasted cobia, spaghetti squash and wild boar sausage with paprika sauce. I didn't try this one, but my friend said it was incredible.
For dessert, we had the malted milk chocolate mousse on peanut butter crunch with maple peanut sauce and pretzel bark. It kinda tasted like a gourmet Kit Kat bar, but there ain't nothin wrong with that. If you like peanut butter, you're gonna love this.
The service was extremely helpful and pleasant, the environment was relaxed and upscale without being stuffy. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience that I would recommend for a romantic or otherwise social occasion.
I failed to make a reservation enough in advance for my girlfriends and I so we ended up with a 9:30 reservation. I called after I put in my http://opentable.com reservation and the hostess was so sweet. She recommended that we come in at 8pm for drinks and they'd scoot us in once a table for four turned around quick enough. At 8:15 I met my friend at the bar and we asked the bartender....I mean mixologist for recommendations. I didn't wanted something strong, dry and not too sweet. My friend went for the french 75 and I tried the sepia mule. Both drinks were excellent. We enjoyed a conversation with a couple sitting next to us and every sip of our luscious cocktails made us feel as we were drinking our way through a portal taking us back in time to another romantic era. By 8:30 the other two in our party had arrived and the hostess sat us immediately.
The ambiance in the main dining room right behind the walls of the hostess stand and bar was one word: lush. The chairs, large and comfy. The lighting dim and mysterious. The servers - on their feet and at our service. Our server explained the menu head to toe and started us off with a great bottle of french red two orders of flatbreads - the smoked apple bacon and jonah crab. The flatbreads were excellent and left us breathless thinking we could survive the whole meal on just those. But, the night went on and so did our stomachs. My friend and I had the bank cod with saffron noodles. The cod filet was cooked to perfection and the slightly sweet and spicy saffron noodles offered a nice contrast to the salty marinade on the fish. Another friend had the amish chicken - the best she's ever had. She said the chicken was so moist and soft that she could just cut through with her fork. Jamie had the skate wing - another winner. After our entree, we decided that we were perfectly satisfied but not overly stuffed so we ordered three desserts and another french red that came highly recommended by our server.
We had the apple turnover, a chocolate dessert and some other sweet concoction that the server recommended. Come 12:15, the restaurant was empty and we were finishing up! We hadn't even noticed that we were the last ones there. The server never rushed us and the other waitstaff just finished their business quietly as they allowed us to finish our night at our own pace. It was such a great experience!
Be sure to make your reservations at least two weeks in advance - especially if you want to dine on the weekends and during prime hours (6pm-8pm). For the three courses and two bottles of wine we split the bill at $80/person including tax and tip. Well worth every penny!
I really like this place in many ways- the interior, the service (our waitress Tangie: the nicest!), the cocktails, the styles... but ultimately, I found the food... just ok. And that is what matters.
We picked everything the waitress recommended, and though they were tasty, they just didn't knock my socks off. The flatbread was good, but definitely was too small to have as an appetizer (okay our waitress called it a "pre-appetizer," but to have it less filling then a bread portion?). The food was more deliciously described on the menu than it was displayed on the plate, especially the braised beef ribs which my friend had.
We went for a birthday though, and the service was just lovely. Nothing embarrassing for my friend, pretty discrete little birthday candle on his phyllo pastry. More people showed up for drinks, and the staff were very accommodating about moving us from the dinner area to the lounge up front. No one had a beverage that disappointed. The beer selection was great, and there was nothing trite about the cocktails. This wasn't a place for young ones to knock back margaritas, no. These drinks are the kind that are constructed, not haphazardly dashed off. I may come back for cocktails and bar bites, but not likely for a meal again.
As for price, a good deal I think. Fancy two-and-a-half course meal (one shared flatbread, two mains, two desserts) for two + wine + about 8-10 post-dinner drinks came to about $215.
Being a Valentine's Day birthday baby, dinner reservations aren't fun for my mister. So, this year I decided to throw a birthday bash on Saturday and do the Valentine's Day thing on Thursday. To his delight, reservations were easy to get.
So, I've been wanting to try Sepia since it opened. The place is always bustling and the reviews have been pretty good. On our Valentine's Day, we did dinner here. The rich, dark wooden decor is absolutely gorgeous. Sepia oozes modern, high, sexy design. I especially love the chandeliers covered in a plexiglass surrounding. It dimmed the lighting while being very mod. We were seated in the middle of a row of two tops. This is where Sepia lost a star for me. Our dinner wasn't as romantic and intimate as I thought it would be. Though, I found amusing to listen to the conversations on both sides of me and steal shared silly looks with my mister at what we heard.
Onto dinner, we started off with a grilled octopus appetizer. Both of us really like calamari, so we thought that we'd try a different sea creature. The octopus was simply amazing. It's grilled to perfection, so soft, yet crunchy. At first, the tentacles and suckers were a little disconcerting but after one bite, I didn't care it was so good. We also shared a great bottle of white wine from their extensive wine list.
For my entree, I had the pork chop with apple and bacon salad. I love my mom's pork chops, but this had to be the best one I've had. The pork chop was moist and well just awesome. It was seasoned perfectly with some amazing seasoning that just made every bite extraordinary. The mister had the cobia entree. The cobia was extremely light and in no way fishy. The accompanying sauce complemented the dish perfectly. We agreed that the pork chop was the standout dish while the cobia was a close second.
Since it's a special occasion, we both had dessert. He got the bananas foster special while I got the caramel marscapone bread pudding. His bananas foster tasted like a high end Moonpie. There was a delicious aftertaste that just burst with flavor. It's an excellent layered flavor dish. I had the caramel marscapone bread pudding. The bread pudding was homey and heavenly. You could taste the caramel throught each bite while still tasting the soft flavor of the brioche bread. It was a wonderful bread pudding, but not as great as others I've tried. Both of us rated his dessert as the better one.
Sepia made for a nice Valentine's Day not Valentine's Day dinner. I highly recommend the pork chop and octopus. You won't be disappointed. I'll probably come back for cocktails one night because that super sexy decor.
3 Course Thanksgiving Meal!
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Weekend Brunch
Neighborhood: The Loop
Neighborhood: Near West Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Fulton Market
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near West Side
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