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Categories: American (New), American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Near North SideEvery Sunday and Monday evenings, we feature Chef Art Smith's famous fried chicken.
Come feel the love, people!
Clark/Division (Red)
Mon-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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My husband and I went here for our 1 year wedding anniversary a few months ago, and here is the brief summary - the food was reallllllyyyy delicious, drinks were great, excellent service, nice decor, and we were extremely impressed by the fact that Art Smith (owner/chef) came to visit with each table in the restaurant (including us!!) while we were there. As we went on a Sunday evening, the hubs and I both had the fried chicken supper. Oh my gosh, it was so good. Best fried chicken I have ever had - hands down.
We were given deviled eggs (with a garlic chip on top) and cheesey biscuits to start. Both were very tasty, and I think I could have eaten those biscuits all night. For an appetizer, we had the Fried Green Tomato Napoleon. Very nice balance between the creme fraiche and tomatoes - not too light and not too heavy. Main course was fried chicken, which I have already raved about. Soooo good. The sides were also killer - we chose mac & cheese and the maple glazed sweet potatoes. The mac & cheese is definitely not good for you - but it was smooth, gooey, and awesome. Sweet potatoes were also good. Some of the potato chunks were cooked better than others, which was kind of weird, but the glaze was excellent and made up for it.
In terms of drinks, we started with some cocktails - which were delicious. The "standard deviant" was wonderful - but then again, I love anything with amaretto in it. When we moved on to wine, we went by the glass because I tend to like sweet white wines, while my husband goes for red. I had a chardonnay and a Riesling - both were perfect.
For dessert, we tried the 12 layer chocolate cake. I am a dessert person, so I tend to be really picky when it comes to this point in the meal. I thought the cake was just average - not bad, but not knock my socks off. What made up for the dessert, however, (and what kicks this from a 4 star to a 5 star review) was the fact that Art Smith came out to talk with us during dessert. My husband and I were so impressed by his thoughtfulness to personally greet his guests and take the time to meet with each table. Art was very personable, down to earth, and engaging. For Top Chef nerds like us, meeting Art Smith made our night - and I have to say it made for a very memorable and special 1 year anniversary dinner!
I'm hoping that it will be easier to get reservations here in the future, because I can't wait to go back. We actually lucked out when we went -we live in the neighborhood and were walking our dog around 5pm when we passed the place. On a whim, my husband went inside and asked if they had any last minute openings. Lucky for us, they had a 6:45pm opening, which was perfect - since it was the actual day of our anniversary and we didn't have plans.
Overall, we had an excellent time at Table Fifty-Two, and we will be going back sometime in the future. What I really like about this place is that I felt comfortable there - decor was charming but not stuffy - and the food was approachable and delicious, not over-thought or too complicated. I would definitely recommend the Sunday night supper here - we had a great experience.
I have been to many restaurants with an attitude but Table 52 wins the all time prize. There's an old saying that you can be a jerk and be great or you can be nice and not-so-great, but you can't be a jerk and not-so-great. This place is billed as 'upscale Southern', but it's really just over-priced and not-so-good comfort food. Our experience was disappointing in almost every aspect possible. Here is a sampling of the grievances:
o Hostess with a major-league attitude problem (I guess we should have been grateful they were letting us spend our money there).
o Waiter with an MVP attitude problem.
o Martini's came in ridiculous stem-less glasses and were definitely watered down.
o Wine list that way over-matches the quality of the food (i.e., I don't mind a good expensive wine list, I just don't care to match it with basic comfort food).
o 2 of the 4 entrees came to the table lukewarm. When we complained they graciously offered to have them warmed up, only to have them returned to us at exactly the same temperature. Seemed like they were more intent on making sure the mac & cheese was roof-of-the-mouth burning hot.
o I can get catfish prepared the same way at dozens of places in Chicago at a fraction of the price.
If you want to try 'real' upscale Southern, then I suggest you take two drives (one long and the other even longer). Try Jonathan's in Lexington, KY and Julep in Richmond, VA.
Found out about this place from my best friend in my mind. Oprah. I went on a Saturday evening and it was packed. The bf and I had reservations.
The complimentary biscuits. Forget about it! Those things? don't get me started. The deviled eggs were good too. I also had the catfish and cheese grits with collards which is a standard dinner in my family. I am soooo offended that someone referred to the collards as chard????? Anywho, It tasted just like my mom's and grandmother's who are both from the south. We had risotto croquettes and crab cake to start with, both were very good. Then my and my bf ordered mac and cheese and manchego fries. I liked both.
The unusual thing about this place was that we had several people serving us. I had never experienced that anywhere before.One of our waiters recommended an awesome dry white wine with our dinner, then I also had the best whiskey sour ever!
The pecan pie was just like my grandma's. My grandparents have a pecan tree in their yard, so I could tell the pecans used were from somewhere in the south. My only problem with this place is the size. It's very tight, I could've done without hearing EVERYONE's conversation. But the food and service make up for that. I especially appreciate the beautiful art Mr. Smith has around his restaurant paying homage to the origin of soul food. I've lived in the south back and forth my whole life. If you don't like heavy, perfectly seasoned soul pleasing food Table 52 is not the place for you. It's clear that a lot of the reviews being left have no real clue or understanding about how southern or soul food is prepared, so a lot of the good dishes are being dismissed as "not good", which is just not true. So if simple, flavorful food is what you prefer you'll love this spot.
Overall an okay experience. Service was great, ambiance was romantic, food was typical southern fare.. there was no wow factor in any dish from the fried green tomatoes, jambalaya, fried chicken or dessert...
I just had to try this place after hearing so many good things about it. And who wouldn't want to try out Oprah's chef!!
We were greeted right away and sat at a cute little table then served with their yummy goat cheese bread! Or at least I think that was what I was eating! So good. The tables were a bit too close for comfort hence why my husband told me I probably shouldn't talk about lingerie when our table neighbors are probably listening!! haha.
The deviled eggs they also bring you complimentary are very good. I had the night's special of Snapper which I absolutely loved. It was light and the perfect amount of food. My husband had the pepper crusted pork chop which was also lovely.
Since we heard the mac n cheese was to die for, we order that and some sweet potatoes. The mac n cheese was just ok and I'm sure people want to kill me for say it but I mean what is the big deal! Its a bunch of plain noodles with oil and cheese.
The sweet potatoes were excellent though and I would definitely get them again.
It was then time for dessert and I had to try the famous hummingbird cake which was the best choice of the night!!! I absolutely loved it and my husband who doesn't even eat sweets, ate half the cake himself!
This is definitely a place to try as the food is great and you will not be disappointed.
Don't believe the hype. I actually joined Yelp so I could write a review of this very disappointing experience.
The restaurant itself is very intimate and tastefully decorated. It's kind of like visiting someone's home. The dishes are gorgeous and all hand painted.
The complimentary biscuits were flaky and warm, however, I have had better. The deviled eggs were bland.
My husband ordered the fried chicken which he was not impressed with but I thought was pretty good. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it was NOT the best I've ever had - which was fine as the dish was not that pricey. I, however, made the mistake of ordering the lamb chops- overcooked, luke warm and lacking in any flavor. Not to mention that the were quite expensive. The saving grace of the meal was the amazing hummingbird cake. It was moist, unique in flavor and generously portioned.
The service was decent but barely. For a restaurant of this caliber, you'd expect much more attention to detail.
Overall, not very good at all. I'm sure there are many other restaurants in Chicago that could blow this place away. I think Art might want to spend some time there and whip the place into shape.
Outstanding meal. Everything we ordered was amazing. It's not often you get a notably great dish at a restaurant, but everything from appetizer to desert knocked my socks off.
I see some people here complain about the service. The service was fairly subdued, but as long as you're not looking to become best friends with the waiter, you're in for a good meal. I recommend this place for a Sunday type of meal rather than a Fri-Sat night experience - it's easier to get reservations too.
This place has great charm, with none of the problems of trendy restaurants such as neighbors too close for comfort or music too loud to hear over. Lovely rooms.
The amuse-bouche, a duo of deviled eggs lightly flavored with white truffle oil, was actually the hightlight of the meal, both in taste and presentation. The biscuit was very good, but I'd say they're still beat by the one at Wishbone.
We tried the Shrimp and grits on the presumption that a Southern Chef would do best at southern dishes. While he definitely took grits to a new level, this dish was served lukewarm, which kind of ruined it. Also, I thought that they should have included actual corn kernels to take it to the next level.
Our salad, the argula with blue cheese and pecans was good. Fresh arugula, lightly dressed, and tossed with the nuts and cheese was refreshing, but was not improved by the pears that went with it, which were dull and flavorless - they were so un-fruitlike that they actually almost tasted like jicama.
We came on a Sunday so we tried the famed fried chicken, which by now is no longer $18, but $24. It was good, but no better than I've had elsewhere. It came with mashed potatoes, which again were nothing special and lukewarm.
The biggest disappointment, however, was the size of the wine pour. Wine by the glass is expensive (we paid $15 and $14 for each glass) and I swear they poured us maybe 3-4 oz. At first thought that's just how they pour, but I looked around and my glass was 1/3 less than the others around me. That's just ridiculous- next time we would have to order the bottle, since we can't trust the pour.
Overall, it has a lovely atmosphere and I may go again but only if we ordered wine by the bottle.
Hard to believe this was the same restaurant that I visited last year. On this visit, all cylinders were firing and firing hard!
We got a great table out on the patio with no wait at all. They were flexible as I was running about 30 minutes later than my friends and they seated the group AND brought them those amazing cheese biscuits and deviled eggs while they waited.
The food was still stellar- fried green tomatoes with bacon and goat cheese, Berkshire pork chop coated with a chile sauce and some the of best mac and cheese known to man! And for dessert? Pecan pie in a shortbread crust (you can just taste the butter) drizzled with caramel sauce. Egads- I think I just ate my way to another hour on the elliptical machine!
Art Smith (owner/chef) came out to greet us and check on our experience which was also nice and completely unexpected.
But the real winner of the night? Justin, our server. Now this is what service is meant to be. This guy knows his wine and even found us the one remaining bottle of Sancerre that they had in the place. He had terrific wine pairing suggestions for our food and steered us to some amazing entrees.
All in all, an amazing night out, with great wine, wonderful food and an overall experience that will have me coming back for sure!
After you wait for two months to get into a place- your expectations are set pretty… Read more »
I really, really wanted this to be an exceptional dining experience. It was good, don't get me wrong, just not exceptional.
We had reservations six weeks in advance and were seated promptly. I have read reviews that state that the neighbors weren't too close. That review must have been talking about the actual neighbors of the restaurant because our table was about a foot from the next table to us with a wall on the other side.
We ordered drinks which were obviously very measured. I only bring this up because it wasn't a strong drink nor was it weak. It was however (I didn't know when ordering) $15 a pop and it was small. When seated they give you a deviled egg and cheese bread. The egg was ok and so was the bread. Hardly anything to write home about. The Fried Green Tomatos appetizer was just ok as well but I have had better.
I ordered the Maple Ribs and my girlfriend ordered the Pork Chop. The rib portion was small. Not tiny but at $39 a pop I think they can muster up more than two one and a half inch by three inch by half inch thick pieces of meat. It was good but tasted more like a pot roast than a rib. The girlfriends pork chop was alot better and again for what it costs I would have rather had more substance over style(the potatos are done in a waffle iron and stacked nicely on the plate). We also ordered the Mac and Cheese which I have actually made better myself. It was a case of how much cheese could they put on it, not how good they could make it taste and at $12 for a small bowl...
For dessert we had the cake that everyone raves about and again it was good but nothing spectacular. We also ordered a piece of the Pecan Pie and again same story.
The shining light on this whole evening was our waiter, Michael, who was as professional as they come. the service was excellent as was the rest of the front of house staff that we encountered.
Ok, to be honest I grew up in New Orleans, a place that is known for it's great food, so when I sat down at Table Fifty Two I was expecting something on par. It was not. It is good but for what I spent ($216.78 with tip) you can get a lot better. I think Art needs to spend a little more time in his kitchen.
Would I go back? Sorry to say, no.
In a word...disappointing. We went into this dinner beyond excited after seeing Art on Top Chef Masters. We booked the reservation months in advance. The first communication should've tipped me off. A woman left a very snotty sounding message telling me that they needed to hear back from me to confirm our reservation. I understand that but did she really need to be so unpleasant about it? Jeez.
Next on to the actual meal. Our server was fine and seemed to be a pleasant gentlemen, but overall it was a rushed service. We sat down and BAM amuse bouche came right out. Wine was served when I wasn't even completely done with my cocktail. The appetizer came out super quickly and was actually the most enjoyable dish. We had the flavorful fish and grits. Too bad the rest of the meal didn't follow suit.
For my entree I had the scallops and one barely had any color...overall not very appetizing. I think the menu actually refers to seared scallops but instead it seemed like they were steamed and lacked the crust that should've formed had it been cooked properly. I will say that the veggie hash that came with it had a good flavor profile.
My husband had the catfish and it was exceptionally bland. Literally didn't even seem to have basic seasoning. The chard that came with it was very good but the fish was completely devoid of flavor.
We also ordered the manchengo french fries if that's what you call greasy potato sticks with a bit of manchengo dashed on the top. We didn't enjoy this dish at all as it went back into the kitchen completely full.
We ended with the hummingbird cake and it was everything a cake s/b and more. I personally enjoy less frosting but I can see how most folks would like it as is.
For the price, this food totally wasn't worth it. I think we had literally 2-5 mins between each course...it was very fast fast fast. We were out of there in just over an hour. Definitely not the pace of other fine dining restaurants I've enjoyed.
Heck, we want to J. Alexander's for lunch the next day and had a better meal at a fraction of the cost and trust me...I'm a food snob!
The food was extremely salty, and tasted like Kentucky Fried Chicken gourmet style. This place is for Southern food fanatics.
His portions are huge so the cost is relatively inexpensive to the amount of food he provides for you. You'd probably spend about 100-120 for two with wine and dessert.
The ambience was very southern and homely.
Art Smith greeted us and said "hello" which was a nice surprise.
My lovely and talented girlfriend took me here for my birthday as a surprise. We had the shrimp and grits appetizer which was fantastic. She got the pork chop, which we both agreed was the best pork chop we had ever eaten. I got the jambalaya which was just ... OK. Not bad, but just sort of bland. We had mac and cheese and fried okra as sides, both of which were great (esp. the mac and cheese). We had the "root beer float" which is not really a float but more of an ice cream sandwich, but was fantastic (it's one of those "deconstructed" things, I think; I'm still working on my Top Chef lingo). All portions were generous, but not obscene.
The service from the valet to the hostess to the waiter to the bus boys was fantastic.
My only knock was that the jambalaya didn't wow me, but the service did. And I'd frankly rather have great service and a pretty good meal than crappy service and a great meal. So 5 stars. I'd definitely go back, but I'd get the pork chop this time.
Art Smith should be the reason to go here. Not the fact that he is Oprah's chef , or because the Obama's went here for dinner.
This place is a very small, warmly lit fine dining, southern style. Sure everything is heavy but its upscale southern food. It has the feel of a bed and breakfast on the inside
First off I would recommend calling way ahead to get a reservation, the dining room is very small (maybe 50 people).
The staff is super helpful and attentive. You don't really have one waiter, you have the whole staff rotating.
They start you off by bringing you warm, fresh out of a brick oven goat cheese biscuits...wow, these are amazing. They also bring you deviled eggs which is very odd but they are pretty good, but not even close to the biscuits.
I will tell you now to save your money on apps unless you really want one. The biscuits and eggs can sit heavy so there might be no need to order and expensive appetizer. That said we ordered a few apps like dummy's. We got the fried green tomato and the risotto croquettes with corn and mozz. The risotto was the winner of the pair. Warm, not overly chewy and the tomato puree was a nice touch to the dish.
For entrees I ordered the short ribs, served with a sweet but savory maple glaze over a bed of cheese grits. The shorty's were unreal, no knife needed, so tender and delicious. The grits tend to serve as a waiting area for the grease from the short rib and should have been eaten quickly. I don't think they are a reg on the menu but if they are there do it. Some of the other dishes i tried at the table were the pistachio crusted chix...eh it was OK but chix is boring. The jambalaya was outstanding, scallops, crawfish's, chorizo, yum. a bit too salty but nonetheless good. lastly I tried the halibut special which was just OK, mainly because they overcooked it and it didn't really pick up the other flavors of the dish like it normally should. We also had sides of collard greens cooked in smoked turkey...if you are a southern/soul food eater you will be insulted by this. greens, whether collard, turnip or mustard should be cooked in one thing, and one thing only, PORK FAT. these were the healthy version and lack flavor. We also got mac and cheese which was a loaded heaping pile of penne pasta covered in cheddar and some other cheeses but the cheddar was dominant. Good if you can handle all that cheese. We lastly got a side of roasted sweet potatoes that were the hit of the table. A touch of honey and tasty
I saved the best part for last...mind you I'm not a big sweet guy but the "Art's Hummingbird Cake" is the best cake I've ever had. Cream cheese frosting, a hint of banana and pineapple, DAMN its good.
I gave it 4 out of 5 based on the fact that the ambiance and the service were outstanding and the food was overall really good. A fun, but pricey dining experience. The type of place you bring a GF, not a date or your parents to. I look forward to trying the "Sunday Supper" which features Art Smiths famous fried chicken dinner.
Table 52 was an incredible overall dining experience! From the minute you walk into this renovated home, you feel like you have taken a trip down South to a very elegantly appointed residence (especially upstairs). The staff is very accomodating, connective, warm, and highly attentive in every aspect of your experience, from the front door, to your table, and all the way until you are walking out the front door.
To start you off, the biscuits that greet you just before the deviled eggs, are the tip of the proverbial iceberg of a stupendous dining experience. The southern flair of the menu is really wonderful and so comforting and well balanced. Many of the appetizers are superb, including the fried green tomatoes, the beet salad, and the soup and appetizer of the day have been pretty incredible both times that I have visited! (Last time the foi grois was truly spectacular!!!) My partner and I and some friends enjoyed mouth tantilizing and juicy fried chicken, the braised short ribs were so incredibly tender and oohhh soooo flavorful with its sweet maple glaze, and the bone-in rib eye was probably the most wonderful piece of juicy and satisfying steak that any of us tasted in a really long time!!! As always, the macaroni and cheese was so rich, cheesy, and baked to perfection that not one of us was ashamed to scrape, peel, and pick at every last morsel of comforting greatness... no one was willing to let any of it to go to waste. To top it all off, the hummingbird cake was moist, flavorful, and refreshing all at once, as it always seems to be!!!
YOU HAVE GOT TO GO HUNGRY, cause you need to try all of the delights that I just covered!!!! You will be amazed and ready to book your next reservation...ENJOY all of the LOVE that Art Smith puts into every dish that is served at Table 52!!
If you don't have an old Southern grandma with a well-seasoned cast iron skillet to make you some homemade fried chicken, then this might be pretty dang close to the way that would taste - but it will cost you, oh my freaking lord it will fricking cost you.
Chef Ray (Ray? Yeah, Ray - you know Art Smith isn't in there frying up chicken, right?) told me that the chicken is a three-day process in the making, which I figure is about two-days of marinating in something like buttermilk and another day more for some accountants to figure out how to charge so much for it... (thank you, thank you very much, I'll be here allll night...) But he graciously readied a batch for me after I called him earlier in the week, even though they usually only make it on Sundays (special orders rock, so thanks!)
The crust has the color variations - over-done spots, less-done spots - of having been cooked stove-top with a skillet, instead of just being dropped into a deep-fryer. The meat is beyond moist, almost broken down by the marinating (if that makes any sense) and perfectly and simply fried. The pieces are cut in an odd, but delightful kind of country way - no full breasts, wings or legs, but all with larger pieces of meat attached and the breasts seemed all cut in half, and I liked these rougher cuts a lot. Really, really good stuff.
Although I'd arranged earlier in the week for an 8 piece for $26 as a take-out order (already a bit ouchie in cost after getting a 2 piece for $2.49 at Uncle Remus), when my check first came it was charged as if it were for three sit-down, 3-piece orders of their chicken - $80! For 9 pieces of chicken! Holy fucking shit!! I know I'm fat and brown and all, but I am NOT OPRAH and I did not steal her wallet, either, so they had to revise that mofo, which they did easily after correctly guessing by a look at my worn out, Champion brand shoes that I don't really roll like that. But all of the people were very cool and down to earth at the front, which was refreshing for such a fancy place on a Saturday night (btw, this place is teeny tiny)
Definitely on my list of places I will quickly suggest if somebody else and/or their expense account and/or Oprah is paying, I would gladly eat here again in a quite possibly fat-slowed heart beat.
(Stop #7 on the Great Fried Chicken Crawl of Chicago.)
PS - those goat cheese biscuits are no joke. I almost got in a fight over one. Just saying, fricking amazing.
*sigh* another one of those restaurants i really wanted to like but disappointed like crazy.
Oprah's chef. Obama's visit here. No reservations for weeks in advance. Art Smith also beat out my favorite Chicago Chef on Top Chef Masters (Roy's). has got to be out-of-your-mind good right? eh.
Decor: cute. it's a cute little house on Elm and you would totally not expect a huge name restaurant to be located here. Crammed seating- i felt like my butt was in people's food as i squeezed in my seat. overall feel is very southern charm meets a slight class.
Appetizers:
-complimentary deviled egg- sorry, my deviled eggs are much better. husband agreed. lacked a lot of flavor.
-complimentary goat cheese bread- read great reviews on yelp regarding these, was so disappointed. it's good, but not great. i recently went to madison for a weekend and went to their farmers market where they sold this amaaaazing cheesey bread- THAT tasted better.
-crab cake- awesome. so much sweet crab meat. i dont think i've had a crab cake that was so stuffed with crab, usually it's just a bunch of fillers.
Entrees and Sides:
-Pistacchio Chicken- kinda dry and not much flavor
-Catfish- catfish had no flavor though was cooked very well in a light breading. the grits underneath were AMAZINGLY good. very cheesy and flavorful. it totally made the dish
-Bacon Cornbread- dry. no smokey bacon flavor. lacked the sweetness that most cornbread have.
-Mac and Cheese- good, but not great. first, it comes out piping hot! i burnt my tongue cause i was so excited. the selection of cheeses that went into it were a little bit too overpowering- too many bitter flavors to it and very dry which kind of made it taste like cheap cheese. My husband said Whole Foods mac and cheese is better.
Did not have room for dessert, but the table next to me did not like the cake they had- yes i was that close to hear them complain to each other about it. disappointed also that the tea was not sweet tea though they give you simple syrup to pour in. if it's authentic iced tea, it needs to be sweet tea.
Service- eh. asked for syrup for the tea and had to ask again before we got it. i didn't feel like they went above and beyond for service.
the popular fried chicken is only served on sundays and mondays. we missed it by a day. perhaps i would come back just to try that to see if it lives up to all the hype. but other than that, probably wouldn't come back again. sad. i expected much more from this place...
I was so excited to try this restaurant partly because of all the publicity Oprah and others generated as well as reading some reviews on Yelp! Visiting from California, I knew there would be no shortage of good restaurants in Chicago. I wish I could give this place a 3 rather than a 2 because it is truly is a beautiful restaurant: warm, welcoming, and cozy. A little too cozy-in my opinion. The hostess had to move the table out and I still bumped my butt in someone's face. The tables are too close together along the wall. On our way out, my hubby again bumped another lady on the shoulder by accident.
Here's what I had:
1. Goat cheese biscuits (beyond salty for my taste but good.)
2. Deviled eggs? Huh? Isn't this fine dining? Fun, but weird.
3. Corn meal crusted catfish- I think it was prepared nicely with the cheese grits and the collards and a hint of bacon but I wouldn't order this again. It didn't blow me away like everyone said it would. I would like to try something else if I could.
4. Mac and Cheese- I know it's supposed to have a lot of cheese but it was just too much cheddar! Again, heavily salted.
I should know that southern-style of cooking is heavy. I know it's salty so I feel a bit guilty for crucifying them for that. However, I was so disappointed on the signature items (Goat cheese biscuits and Corn meal crusted catfish) that everyone, including Oprah said we "had to try."
Also, for the price of the food, I wish the waiter had more wine knowledge and pairings or at least try to recommend something. She was very fast but not so friendly. The descriptions for the specials were way too long that I tuned out. (not her fault)
I wish I had room to try the dessert. Overall, I think you should give this place a try and see if it fits your palate. It just didn't suit mine.
We arrived at 3:50 for a 4pm reservation and we were seated right away (I was worried they'd make us wait outside after reading other reviews...) The restaurant is easy to miss, since the only thing that marks it as a restaurant is a small menu posted outside. The inside of the restaurant is small and pretty cramped. Also, all of the waiters are hot dudes. Can't fault Art Smith for that I guess, as you can bet if I owned a restaurant my staff would be speedo-clad fireman.
Here's what we ordered:
Fried chicken (amazing and delicious, although greasy even for fried chicken)
Jambalaya (spicy--a good thing--but a little dry)
12-layer-chocolate cake (nothing special)
Hummingbird (banana) cake (quite possibly the best cake I've ever eaten and I've always though that fruit-based desserts are best served in hell)
Overall, we were pleased with the food and the service was good. I'd give this place three and a half stars. My minor complaints are that our cocktails were served in plastic glasses, and the manager stood around eyeballing everyone but never came by to greet us. Geez, even the flair-clad manager at TGI Friday's comes around to greet you.
Did we have a good experience? Sure. Would we come back? Nope.
I'm going to make this quick.
Meal = 5 stars
Fried chicken is phenomenal, so was my friend's fish and I've had the pork chop in the past, it's no joke. Complimentary goat cheese biscuits and my favorite cake on the continent? 5 stars. Period.
Service = -2 stars
It was seriously awful, including extra charges on my card after the waiter disappeared for 15 minutes w/ it (no exaggeration). You don't fuck around w/ someone's debit card. I do believe he was new, and wait staff comes and goes, who cares.
Ambiance = +1 stars
I love the decor at Table 52 more than any restaurant I've been in Chicago. The downstairs area is a country kitchen, upstairs a southern estate- not that you have a choice. But the place is gorgeous.
don't be put off by the snotty host, or the server whose new to our country. give this place a try. I've been lucky enough to walk in both times once for lunch once for dinner. the seats in the place are super close to each other so dont be surprised if you end up talking to the people next to you. The food is really good, as is the schlitz beer. I have had the jumbalaya, the pork chop, the spinach n garlic pizza the mac n cheese, the apple crips the pecan pie, the whiskey...oh the whiskey. so if you have a chance go here but just know that these kids are snooty in the front of the house....and as a sidenote.... if you smoke pot, the people next to you will know, because the seats are that close. I don't but my friend does.
Solid 4 star place. Very intimate - 14 tables. Of course I watch Top Chef so as a surprise for my birthday, my fiance took me to this little gem. It is adorable, very warm - you would think you were in Paula Deen's kitchen with the down home southern feel and menu.
Down to the food!
amuse bouche - deviled eggs - yum!
apps - fried green tomatoes AND fig and pork belly pizza - tomatoes were tender which is a plus the goat cheese a minus. i heart pork belly not so much here. the flavor was right with the sweetness of the fig but the texture was a bit too gelatinous from the pork belly. better pork belly or pulled pork would have made it 10x better.
entree - fried chicken (Sundays & Mondays - YAY for my bday falling on a Sunday) basic frying technique - you have to brine - you have to soak in buttermilk...well Smarty pants Art Smith said lets brine it for a DAY and lets soak it in Buttermilk another FULL DAY. It had a little spice, a little...my guess clove, a lot of crunch... YUM YUM!
Side - Collard green. Hands down the best Collard Greens ever! If its on the menu it's a must. If you don't think you like Collard Greens think again. Great flavor - it had all the texture of properly cooked collard greens (over cooked is mush) they were bright and beautiful. The sweetness of the red onion and the sweetness/acid of what I am assuming is balsamic vinegar was out of this world.
Dessert - i'm not 100% of its name now. It was banana cake with pineapple lets call it compote and a side of gelato. Very good. I would have preferred the pineapple in the layers versus on the side. But if you slather a rock with cream cheese frosting i would consider eating it.
The service was great - very attentive and friendly. Had a quick chat over the fantastic music selection. They use pandora and they had it on the Chaka Chan station. I will be back!
FRAMING: 11 year anniversary dinner. Last year we went to Alinea. This year we tried table 52 and were extrmely pleased. Final bill was $250, including appetizers, entered, two sides, bottle of wine and shared desert plus 22% tip.
DECOR: Quaint, a bit cramped, upstairs looks better than downstairs. We ate downstairs. Love the crowd. Not pretentious, foodies who love to discuss menu choices with their neighbors. EVeryone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
SERVICE: friendly and not overbearing. Everyone seems equal amongst serving staff. No busboys who can't to anything but refill water. Everyone could help in whatever way they were needed.
FOOD/WINE:
Malbec wine we had was awesome. I need to find out what it was.
Lobster risotto was like butter.
Sweet potatos were amazing.
Goat cheese bread should be sold in bakeries.
Mac and cheese was STUPENDOUS!
Have u ever had catfish that melts in your mouth? I did, and it was on top of collard greens and okra.
My other half had steak that was perfect.
Food here was best Southern food I have had in ages.
OVERALL: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Very Happy with the Table Fifty-Two experience over all.
We wanted to sample the menu a bit so we ordered the Risotto Fritters and Fried Green Tomatoes for apps and the Arugula salad. For dinner we split the fillet and had a side of mac n cheese. I was so full, I couldn't enjoy but only a few bites, Next time, I will just order the mac n' cheese. Definitely my favorite, but not to take credit away from the other dishes which were all outstanding.
I used to live in the south, so the decor reminded me of a place in Savannah, GA. Quaint and intimate. I just booked the reservation as a recommendation from http://Opentable.com not realizing the notoriety behind the establishment, Oprah, Obama, Top Chef etc., which was good not to build up to much anticipation. Afterwards I recalled the E.C. from the Bravo series and he was hilarious.
Next time I will try one on the unique cocktails, if only they had a big porch and rocking chair!
I guess I should tell you that I am not a southerner or a connoisseur of southern food, so I was not measuring my meal against childhood memories of eating fried chicken in my grandma's kitchen or what have you, but I was hoping for a good dinner and I didn't leave disappointed.
We started our meal off with a Margarita and a Tradewinds Sour, an excellent concoction of rum, lemon juice, peach bitters, and tarragon syrup. I was a bit wary of the tarragon syrup, but it played its part nicely and didn't try to upstage the other ingredients.
The deviled eggs they brought out were lackluster at best, an oddly mediocre beginning to our meal. The goat cheese biscuits were excellent.
We ordered the risotto fritters as an appetizer, amazing! Probably my favorite part of the meal. So you get this crispy little fritter and then slide your fork into its creamy risotto center with brie and eggplant and the garlic cream. So good!
Then we had the arugula and blue cheese salad which was pretty standard nice restaurant fare, not bad but not fabulous.
For our main course we had the jambalaya and the halibut. I liked the jambalaya but wasn't crazy about it. The seafood was very fresh, but the overall texture of this dish was crunchy (it was made with wild rice and fresh peas) rather than creamy, which I would have preferred. The halibut was topped with a wonderful egg-less bernaise and had a nice crust, but it was kind of dry.
We finished our meal with the chocolate cake and the stone fruit tart, both were great.
I really loved the decor which I would describe as cottage chic, it is cozy without being cramped, quaint but upscale. The service was also excellent. The prices also weren't outrageous, most entrees were in the $20-$30 range. I would definitely go back.
Ducking incredible!
My parents are Southern, and I've been going down South to visit the extended fam every summer for as long as I've been alive. Table 52 really dresses up southern food, and takes
it from "comfort food" to utterly amazing.
The room is small and intimate, the servers warm, and the decor is sort of modern meets traditional southern country dining room. Lots of brick, yellow with green, and polished copper.. a cool look for a dining room.
When we sat down (mom, dad and I), the kitchen sent out these goat cheese buttermilk biscuits in mini cast iron skillets that were so amazing. They really primed me for what was to come next.
We all split some appetizers. My dad got the country ham risotto which was absolutely killer, my mom ordered fried green tomatoes - fantastic, and I got a simple arugula salad with blue cheese and walnuts. It was dressed lightly, but ended up being the perfect amount.
For the main course we all ordered the fried catfish, and it was SO GOOD. Catfish is one of those Southern dishes that can be a bit pedestrian, but Art Smith killed it. It was lightly fried, and presented in such a way that screams gourmand/genius in the kitchen. It came over cheese grits (!!) bits of bacon and other garnishes that really tied it together.
Near the end of the meal, the man himself, Art Smith, came over to our table to say hello. He was exceedingly friendly, and told us of plans to build a new BBQ place where Tsunami (around the corner on Dearborn) is. He told us about opening Table 52, what it was like to have the Obamas eat there, and about working for a kids' charity organization. It was truly a highlight that lasted a good 10 minutes or so. It felt like he was really befriending us, rather than paying lipservice to customers.
As a wrap up, we all split the hugest slice of Art's Hummingbird cake. Rich, but so delicious. After the meal, I bid adieu to my parents, went home and slipped off into a full, happy sleep.
1,000% recommend this place to anyone who loves Southern or American food. You won't be sorry.
I took my parents here as a treat during their regular June visit and we were very pleased with our meal. The dining room is VERY small (less than 50 tables) so when we arrived early, it was a tight fit along the side of the restaurant.
There is no formal bar, which is nice because it keeps the dining room from being very loud. It's an older crowd and nice to be in a restaurant situation where there isn't screaming kids or people being overly loud or drunk.
The waitstaff was very helpful and attentive to our table. I was actually impressed with the high level of service we received and how polite everyone was too.
The food was VERY good but definitely go hungry. The crab cake appetizer is perfect to share and the amuse bouche of deviled eggs and cheese biscuits were great.
I had the pistachio-crusted chicken was nice and flavorful, despite not being a big pistachio fan. I also split the three-cheese mac with my stepmom and it was MORE than enough to share. It was great but very heavy and decadent. My dad like the low-country jambalaya a lot too, along with the fresh-cut fries.
For dessert we had the hummingbird cake, which is another must-have when you go. The banana/pineapple cake go well together without being overpowering and the cream cheese frosting is a great touch.
I would definitely go again. If you go, definitely plan to share sides and an appetizer, the food is FILLING
It pains me deeply to give them such a mediocre review but frankly, it is what's merited based on my experience. This place -- at least on the day I was there -- was a total 180 from what I experienced at Art & Soul in D.C.
I took my dad there for his birthday. We went for Sunday evening supper, which begins at 4 p.m. We arrived at 3:52 p.m. on a howling, blustery and freezing rain day -- and were left outside until 4 p.m. on the dot.
Strike 1.
The coach house has very meager, tarp-like protection, so we were really not protected from the elements at all. The joint was empty, the tables were all set, the weather was inclement -- it's a no-brainer: Let us in! But no, non-forward-thinking staff left us outside.
The appys were less than sterling. My mother made better deviled eggs than the ones we were served, and the goat cheese biscuit was good, but overdone. The table next to ours complained and got a fresh batch. We didn't bother. We were ready for our entree.
My dad got the fried chicken dinner and I got the catfish. I shouldn't have. The breading was soggy, thin and tasteless. I've had better catfish at JJ Fish on the South Side, had better catfish at fish fry's in my uncle's backyard. This catfish was CLEARLY made by someone who had no idea how "low country" catfish should be done.
When our server (finally) came back to us I had him take it back. Even he agreed that it was poorly done. He offered to give me the hummingbird cake for free. Um, what? You want to give me a $9 piece of cake to make up for a shitty $26 entree? I don't think so.
Strike 2.
By this time my dad was virtually done with his dinner so I asked for a redone piece of catfish to go. Of course when I ate it, it was a soggy and lifeless as the piece I had directly from the kitchen. My dad liked his chicken dinner but he wasn't blown away by it. He is a Depression era baby and doesn't believe in wasting or complaining about food. So the fact that he even said aloud, "Not bad, but not the best chicken I've had either..." spoke volumes.
I ordered the mac n' cheese side dish, remembering how outstanding the mac n' cheese was at Art & Soul. It was ok. Not nearly as inspired as what I had at Art & Soul.
We kept trying to be polite for the sake of the occasion, but even our server could tell that we were disappointed. He kept trying to push the hummingbird cake on us, but we were both really just ready to get out of there.
As we were exiting and waiting for the car, my dad fell clear off of the stair and of course, no railing to catch him. So he had to go home on his birthday from a very expensive, mediocre dinner WITH a bloody leg. You think anybody came to check on us?
STRIKE 3.
Yes, it's a renovated coach house and I'm sure is grandfathered in from making certain kinds of upgrades. But that doesn't mean you make no concessions at all. The area with the steps needs a railing -- immediately.
Table 52 is a perfect example of hype-gone-wrong around a celebrity chef. Oprah and The Obamas be damned, if you can't provide consistent service, great food, and an outstanding experience from beginning to end, you're not doing your job.
I have to wonder if the reason why Art & Soul was so good the night we were there is because Art was there and because it was the night before the Inauguration. Maybe if Art hangs around Table 52 a little more, he can whip the troops into shape and get that catfish recipe together once and for all.
So so yummy from start to finish. Service was good overall. People that have had trouble with service or bad food - maybe the problem is they are going during peak hours and days. I went yesterday - a Tuesday at 6:30. Everything went smoothly, nothing felt rushed- it was a very pleasurable experience. Maybe the key is to go on day that it tradionally less busy and skip Thurday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday if you can.
FOOD-
The amuse bouche-as others have said were very tasty. I especially loved the goat cheese biscuit- we could not get enough of it.
Started with the green tomato napoleon - was great.
Entree- the pock chop- very tasty. Meat was flavorful all throughout and not just in the crust and it was well cooked. Husband had the beef tenderloin- thought the flavors were right on.
Side- shared the mac & cheese. It was easily the best mac and cheese I have had the pleasure of eating in this city . Combination of fine cheeses with a browned cheddar crust.
Dessert-Hummingbird cake - huge piece - very good- could use less icing. Loved my husband's dessert- Root Beer float. It was 2 root beer infused sugar cookies sandwiching vanilla gelato - WOW. It was so so good.
I had food left over from every course except my app - so I just ate that for lunch today and it was great all over again.
Highly reccomend for a high end southern food experience in a quaint and comforting atmosphere.
Art is the man!
Barely gets 4 stars, just barely.
It's a small place and it's essentially a house turned into a restaurant. Everything about it was cozy and comfortable. The service was great - they were attentive, generally left us alone (which I like), but were happy to offer recommendations when asked.
It started with goat cheese biscuits and deviled eggs, both of which were very good. One side got pork chops, the other side got the fried chicken which apparently takes 3 days to make. While the fried chicken did not blow me away, it was surprisingly good - breaded and fried well, very little grease, decent flavor. The pork chop was pretty good too. We got some sides as well. The mac n cheese sucked - I just didn't like it despite the server highly recommending it. The collard greens were good, no complaints.
The desserts were decent. We got a hummingbird cake and the 12 layer chocolate cake. Again, no complaints but nothing memorable.
And that's about it. Great service, great decor, but just decent food. Three stars. Still the vibe was good, I had a great time and the prices are decent so I'll give it four. I'd say definitely worth trying, may or may not be a place you'll go back to soon though.
I always pass by Table 52 whenever I go to the Barnes & Noble at State Street and always been intrigued by the cozy look of the restaurant's exterior. Likewise, I have always wanted to eat at Table 52 after hearing about Art's famous fried chicken which happens to be my favorite food. As a matter of fact, I can live the rest of my life eating only fried chicken. Even though it might contribute to a short-lived life, but I will die a happy and full man who have eaten some good fried chicken. So one evening, after seeing the movie about Julia Child, with no plans of dining out, I decided to try Table 52.
I saw an empty 2 chair table outside and so I decided to dine al fresco. Nearby seated next to my table was a young family of 3 who all seemed to enjoy their dinners. The lady was having fried chicken which made me even more excited to taste Art's fried chicken. Armed with a copy of Elle decor, I waited enthusiastically for my order to arrive. First to tickle my appetite was a devilled egg of which kind I'm not sure because it was smaller than an average chicken egg and no bigger than of quail. The small potato chip on top of the egg added a nice crunch to the creamy-soft texture of a very southern amuse-bouche. The waitress then next announced a second complimentary by the chef which is a warm goat cheese biscuit. Yommy, I devoured it instantly!! So far, I was enjoying my experience and at that point was really looking towards the progression of the meal. And after several sips of my iced-cold diet coke, the fried chicken arrived. Three nice pieces of chicken: a leg, a breast, and an unidentifiable third were all TENDER and JUICY,however,lacking in flavor. Even the side dish of potato salad was bland. The waiter arrives again to confirm if i was enyoying my meal and I just responded by saying that the chicken was TENDER and JUICY!! The waiter then proudly describes how they marinate the chickens overnight in buttermilk which sucks in all the juicy goodness and makes it TENDER and JUICY once fried. After finishing all 3 pieces of chicken, I decided to have the 10 or 12 layer cake topped with vanilla ice cream and small pieces of berries which was OK. Overall, my meal was average. The service was great and I liked the smell of the Jo Malone soaps they have in their tiny second floor rest room.
I ate here a while back when it was still possible to get a table less than a month in advance. The food is tasty in the way that food drenched in butter, cheese, and cream always is. It almost seems like cheating to cook using so much fat. Of course people will like it on some visceral level, but that doesn't make it particularly innovative, interesting, or inspiring. I'm not opposed to cooking with fat, but when that's all you can taste...
If you're not used to eating "southern comfort" food regularly (and most of us who are not morbidly obese are not) then you might have a bit of a tummy ache afterward. I actually felt like I needed to loosen my pants. Yikes!
I was very excited to try Table Fifty-Two after seeing Art Smith on Top Chef: Masters. I took my boyfriend there for his birthday, and we were only able to get reservations at 5:45 on a Monday.
My first communication with the restaurant was calling in advance and seeing if they could do anything special for his day. I was told if we ordered dessert they'd put a candle on it. No free dessert (oh well), but at least they don't sing (bf would hate that).
Smallish restaurant, very cozy, only about 15 tables maybe. However, the closeness to my neighbor didn't bother me, as it wasn't too loud.
Now for the food and drink...in one word, fabulous. To start off, we had the amuse buoche deviled egg, and the goat cheese biscuits. Both were delightful. I ordered the Cherry Blossom cocktail, as I am a big fan of St. Germaine. Highly recommended. For the rest of the meal:
Fried green tomatoes - one of the best appetizers I've had. Perfectly fried, and the tomato and olive tapenade, bacon and goat cheese were such a good combination. I wish I had more.
Art's fried chicken - as other reviewers have said, it's a must. The chicken was SO juicy and flavorful, I could tell it had been marinating for days.
Cornmeal catfish - BF ordered this and loved it. The sides (bacon collared greens, fried okra, hush puppies) all awesome.
Twelve layer chocolate cake - delicious, highly recommend it, and even had a candle like I wanted.
Overall, I would come back in a heartbeat. Everyone around us ordered the mac and cheese, and I would try that next time.
This is a small and elegant place to dine and the food is very good. The menu is very diverse, but with a Southern flair. We started with the risotto fritters - more please!!! I got the shrimp and grits as a main and my friend got the pistachio crusted chicken - both were mouthwatering-ly good. I really want to come back to try all of the other entrees because they all sound delish!
I wanted to like it more, especially when I saw the bill, but there's something missing from this restaurant. The dinner started off on the right path, those amazing biscuits that melt in your mouth and the deviled eggs were nothing to complain about.
The ambiance is cute its like your in a little house and the first appetizer was good the rock shrimp and grits. We got the chicken and catfish and both of those were nice size portions and tasted fine. And the mac n cheese side was tasty. The hummingbird cake at the end was delicious and definitely put me in a good sugar overload.
So if I liked all the food why the low review? Everything was just ok, it tasted good but it didnt set my taste buds ablaze. When you're paying this kind of money you should expect something that rocks your world and I didnt have that experience. If pricing was different maybe I would have given it a higher score but overall I just wasnt satisfied. I felt like I've had much better meals for less of an impact on my wallet. I will probably never return here but I do hope I can buy his biscuits from the store one day.
Seriously, the meal I consumed on New Year's Eve with my partner and 4 other friends is probably the most enjoyable and most delicious meal I have ever consumed, though yes, it was also the most expensive.
The moment we walked in the door (20 minutes early) we were whisked upstairs to the sitting lounge and ordered a bottle of wine. From our first contact with the maitre d, the sommelier, our waitress and the flurry of helpers (and Art himself on a couple of occasions throughout our almost-4 hour meal) this experience was purely magical.
The prix fix dinner was 4 courses (2 choices for each course) for $120 per person, and with drinks and bottles of wine and champagne, our bill for 6 people (including tip) was almost $1400. Every person at the table agreed that it was money well spent. I had the seafood appetizer, a wild mushroom soup, grouper for my main course and Bananas Foster for dessert. I seriously could have eaten the whole thing twice and then eaten a whole 'nother set of the other choices I didn't make. It was that good.
Some of the other reviews about the service received are perplexing, given my experience. It was friendly, personable and we interacted several times with everyone up to and including Art himself. It was fantastic in every sense, and it never once felt conceited or snobby, just warmly welcoming and attentive.
Just don't go to Table 52 because Art used to be Oprah's chef, cuz you'll probably never get a glimpse of her. :)
Next - Saturday morning for Fried Chicken and Waffles!
I just want to clear this up now. There is no 2 or 3 month wait. I made the reservations on a Monday afternoon and was eating there on Thursday night.
Walking in this restaurant, I was delighted at the welcoming atmosphere and exquisitely appointed rooms. I felt like I was entering a lovely celebrity home. The bathrooms, the linens, the hand-soap, the art work, the wallpaper, the crown molding -- all thought out by someone who knows what they are doing.
I was part of a party of four. We received the famous deviled eggs (best I've ever had) and the Parmesan dinner roles (have had better at Red Lobster, quite frankly). Bloody Mary was done to the tee. A perfectly spicy, delicious homemade drink.
Waiter did not ask someone in the party what they wanted to drink, but got everyone else one. I had to ask. Odd.
Fried green tomatoes. Yum, yum, yum.
Three cheese "macaroni" (it's actually penne) that everyone raves about was pretty good, but not nearly as scrumptious as mine (Tyler Florence recipe).
And now, the star of the evening: The Shitakke Risotto. Can I just say, this risotto should receive an Oscar for best performance by an appetizer. Eating this was a religious experience. I wanted to give the restaurant a higher rating just because of this, but then I recalled the fried catfish. It tasted like it was caught in a swamp. Fishy taste overpowered any seasoning that was used. Caveat: This was the first time (and last) that I'll ever order catfish. It's simply not my cup of tea. Another person in the party was perfectly happy with theirs, as they love catfish.
Here's where things started to get sketchy.
The person who never got asked about their initial drink ordered a steak medium rare. It was cooked perfectly but came to the table on the cold side. The waiter said, Oh, you don't like the way it's cooked? No, I said, it's cold. Please heat it up. And that's what they did. When they returned with the steak, it was cooked more and less pink. Not quite medium but eh, why not just offer to cook up a new steak. The person who ordered said no thanks, but this is Art Smith's place -- they should have offered (if not insisted).
Desert was nothing special at all. Pecan pie tasted fine but a bit on the gluey side, a somewhat congealed store bought consistency. The twelve layer cake was a big disappointment -- the texture was very grainy, like sand. Who wants sandy cake? Our cappuccinos arrived 10 minutes after we started eating dessert. I still tipped well because although the waiter wasn't on top of his game and/or didn't care as much about us as he did about, say, his coiffed hair, the supporting staff (aka the busboys) were hard working and very welcoming and friendly.
At the end of the day, I wish their food and service were as lovely as their decor.
Perhaps one day I'll return for the best risotto I've ever had, but that's probably not going to be anytime soon.
Been wanting to try this place even before the Obamas dined in during Valentines day. Finally did and I thought it was fine. Loved the decor and ambiance of the restaurant. Loved how it feels and looked homey. We had a reservation and we were way early so they directed us to go to the bar next door and hang out for a bit and they will call us when it's close to our reservation time. And they did! They sat us upstairs and we found out that the Obamas dined on the second floor as well. We asked our server where they sat but they would not disclose that! Gee! What's the big deal?--- ahh they sat over there---ok----no big deal--what do they think people would do if people knew which table they sat? LOL.
Anywhoo, loved the complementary deviled eggs and biscuits! Portions were way too small for a serving! We had made their appetizer risotto dish to an entree and it looked liked an appetizer still! I ordered the lobster salad and it was fabulous! The pizza was nothing to be talked about. The fries was a bit on the salty side. The soup and the salmon dishes were great. And finally the birthday cake for me... which I thought was complementary but it wasn't. Staff were ok.
Would I go back? Maybe...
We went to Table Fifty-Two the other night for my aunt's birthday dinner. She had been there the year before, but went on a thursday and was unable to have their famous fried chicken, so we went on a Sunday because we had heard that they only serve fried chicken on Sunday. The chicken is in such demand that now they serve it on Wednesdays and Sundays. We were told that it is a three day process to make the chicken, and it would be too hard to make every day of the week.
We got there about fifteen minutes before our reservation, but were promptly seated upstairs regardless of our timing. When we sat down, we were given biscuits and deviled eggs. The deviled eggs were fantastic, but I thought the biscuits were just okay. Almost everyone else at the table loved them, though, whereas they didn't opt for the eggs.
I ordered a mushroom risotto with a scallop for an appetizer and the fried chicken for dinner. They were out of scallops that evening and offered a small piece of grouper instead. I'm not a fish eater, but I really felt like having a scallop that night, so I was a bit disappointed in the grouper, which was nothing particularly special. The risotto, on the other hand, was creamy and delicious, just the way a risotto should be.
The fried chicken was out of this world. It was light, tender, moist, and melted in my mouth. The sides that we ordered were good; the macaroni and cheese and the mashed potatoes.
Finally, I ordered the warm pear compote with vanilla ice cream for dessert and my aunt had the hummingbird cake. Both were absolutely delicious, but I do have to say that the fried chicken was the best thing I tasted all evening.
Also, Art Smith went around and said hello to each and every table in the restaurant (there aren't that many), and refilled my husband's water glass. Art Smith is a chef-celebrity, and that's the last thing we thought that he would be doing. It's good to see that even after cooking for Oprah for years, and flying out to Washington DC to cook for the Inauguration (they'd had the biscuits), that Art Smith hasn't let all of it get to his head...He made sure that we were very comfortable, and it was an extremely pleasant experience.
I look forward to going back to Table Fifty-Two for my aunt's birthday next year!
If you want great comfort food, this is the place. Scott was so nice to get us a table for 4 on short notice. We went on Monday night for the fried chicken. While I didn't try it, others in the group did and thought it was excellent.
We ordered way to much food and left feeling overly full, but got a great sampling of the menu. For starters: fried green tomatoes, shrimp and cornbread were excellent. Then, split pea soup, tomato salad and organic field greens for the table to share. I didn't care for the chilled soup and this would be the one course I would skip.
For my entree, I ordered the pistacchio crusted chicken, which was excellent. Had a thai flavor, which was a little odd in southern place, but it was still great and I would order again.
Dessert was the best...even though I was stuffed, I tried samplings of other's root beer float cookie, pecan pie and Hummingbird cake (pineapple and banana with cream cheese frosting). Delicious.
The staff was nice and even let us bring a bottle of wine in (with a $25 corking fee which was expected). Definitely make a reservation early and go with an appetite!
Six Bucks Before Six
Neighborhood: South Loop
Free Aperitif On Arrival!
Neighborhood: Roscoe Village
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Seafood
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