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The 44th Ward Dinner Party - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Lounges American (New), Lounges [Edit]
3542 N Halsted St(between Brompton Ave & Addison St)
Chicago, IL 60657
Neighborhood: Lakeview
(773) 857-2911
- Nearest Transit:
-
Addison-Red (Red Line)
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
165 reviews for The 44th Ward Dinner Party
Review Highlights
"Happiness comes in the form of a grilled cheese."
(in 129 reviews)
"For the side, we both ordered the sweet and savory fries."
(in 13 reviews)
"For dinner, I had the "build your own."
(in 23 reviews)
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165 reviews in English
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Review from Santiago A.
Chicago, IL
5/30/2010
I love grilled cheese... so by the transitive property I should like 44th Ward, right? The math never lies. It was dang good, but I didn't need a cheesy postulate pun to guess that a hip place that makes their sandwiches with loving dedication would be a safe bet.
I love how they have a nice, long bar and unique seating arrangements throughout the two main spaces. Usually with a smaller space, like this one, places tend to try to maximize seating. Here, they let style take a front seat, and it works well. One day I hope to sit in the one outdoor table, located in a small patio. The sliding glass door makes it almost look like a glass case displaying the lucky couple chosen to dine there.
All their menu items are delicious, but I find the way to go is to visit on Wednesdays and let the sandwich gods dictate your fate. They have a $5 special that lets you randomly draw for your meal. Whatever item you pull is what they'll serve up. It's both A) a money-saver B) fun and C) safe, because you can't go wrong. Whether it's the Belmont Harbor, The Rooftop, The Bleacher Bum, or anything else you're sure to get a satisfying choice.
Also, if you're here for drinks, late-night, on the weekend, they serve up traditional grilled cheeses for just a buck each. They curb your drunken hunger AND keep you from your usually ritual of leaving a bar to abuse your body with the Taco Bell dollar menu. It's a win-win!
Caution: closed Mon. and Tues. -
Review from Alexis B.
Chicago, IL
5/17/2010
*Update: Apparently this place is now closed. Hmm, I wonder why.*
The 44th Ward Dinner Party is a head scratcher. When I first heard the name last year, I honestly thought it was some fancy schmancy ongoing fundraising event being thrown by Tom Tunney. When I found out that it was a grilled cheese bar, I was a little bit let down (I like wearing dresses) and a little bit excited because I like a good grilled cheese.
I finally made my way down here last night for a frate (friend date) with another lovely Yelper. She had arrived a few minutes before me, but was easy to spot because the place was completely empty on a Thursday night. We were both confused by this. Wasn't this the hip new place that all the kids were trying?
The decor was cute with the low lighting and dark mahogany furniture. If Ron Burgundy was a real person, you'd imagine he'd hang out in a place that looked like this. The elegance juxtaposed with such a simplistic menu was pleasing to my taste in humor. They were starting Rock 'n Roll bingo when we arrived, but half of the pictures on the bingo cards were so small and pixilated that we couldn't say for sure if they were who we were hearing. It's a great concept, but maybe they should stick to solo artists since a 1x1 black and white copied thumbnail of a 5 man band isn't so easy to see in low lighting.
To start, I ordered a Lakeview Lemonade that had just the right amount of sweet from the mix and a nice kick of whisky. Well done on the drink. We decided to try the onion rings of fire and those also were a hit. Rather than individual large rings, they were small hand battered strings with pieces of fried jalapeno and cilantro. They were really good although not as spicy as the menu would have you think.
For our sandwiches, my buddy ordered the Bleacher Bum and I choose to build my own sandwich merely because I didn't see any named sandwiches that came on a pretzel bun. I went with said pretzel roll with tomatoes, bacon, swiss and cheddar cheese. It was pretty good. I can't say that I can really rave about it, because it was exactly what I'd expected it to be. Would I say it was the best grilled cheese I've ever had? Maybe. But in all honesty, it's really hard to go wrong with a grilled cheese. It's kind of like asking if a glass of orange juice is the best I've had. Sure, some are better than others, but the difference between the best and the worst is marginal.
I will say the "sweet and savory" fries were a bit of a let down. They were basic shoestring fries with a faint sprinkle of sweet and salty rub. I only really noticed the sweetness because it was noted on the menu. I also felt the portion was also lacking. When I'm eating bread, cheese, and two slices of bacon, I'd like to have a bit more than what would be a Mc Donald's small to substantiate my meal.
Based on food and cuteness, I'd have given this place 4 stars because I like the concept. There's also tiny outdoor area with one table that can be reserved for intimate dates. I couldn't help but think that the place as a whole was a perfect casual first date place because it looks fancy, but in actuality is extremely casual. Serving only grilled cheese sandwiches is pretty light hearted and it's a cheap date that doesn't look cheap.... er wait a minute. Does that bill say $58?
Yes my friends, this is where the 3rd and 4th stars get lost. I don't consider myself to be frugal. Truthfully, I know what I expect to spend when walking in an establishment, and am only ever price conscious when I am dining lavishly on another's dime. That being said, I understand how 2 martinis and a mixed drink can be $28. I'm not new. What I don't understand is how onion rings and two grilled cheese sandwiches amounts to $30. Bread + 2 different slices of cheese+ Bacon+ Tomatoes+ 25 french fries =/= $13. Did I just unknowingly order room service? I'm not sure who got screwed more because my friend paid $7 for a slice of cheese and tomatoes. Hmm. No, it was definitely me because I paid almost double her price for the same plus a slice of swiss and bacon.
It makes a lot of sense that we found the place empty on a Thursday night. Hey! 44th Ward! You guys have such a cute thing going on, but your price points are all messed up. It's not that a $13 sandwich is unheard of, but come ON.Listed in: DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!
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Review from Melanie S.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2010
Ever since I didn't get into the Yelp event at 44th Ward, it's been bookmarked for me to try, and last night, I finally did.
I had plans to meet a Yelpette here last night and when I walked in, my initial thought was that the layout was just strange. You walk in, and the bathrooms are RIGHT there. Then you're not really sure where to go and there isn't really a host stand. I walked up the stairs and the bartender greeted me and told me to sit wherever I wanted. He also mentioned the rock n roll bingo that night, which sounded fun, so he gave us two bingo cards. I was expecting this place to be packed at 7:00 on a Thursday night, but the only occupied table was the one outside.
I grabbed a spot and looked at the menu while waiting for my friend to join me. The cocktail list was rather gimmicky, but I decided on a Wrigley Martini, which had vodka, peach schnapps, raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice. The drink was good; it had a sugar rim and it wasn't too sweet.
My friend arrived and ordered a Lakeview Lemonade and while we looked at the menu, we ordered the Onion Rings of Fire. These were quite good; just greasy enough and mixed in with the onion rings were strips of jalapeno and cilantro.
I ordered a Bleacher Bum which sounded delicious: American cheese, roasted tomatoes, garlic infused butter on Texas toast. She opted to "build your own" sandwich, and buy the time she was done with all the extras, her sandwich quickly morphed into a pricey one.
Our food arrived quickly. My sandwich was fine. I wasn't blown away; I thought it was a little bland and the sweet and savory fries that came with it were a bit misleading. I was expecting a mix of sweet potato and regular fries so I was a little disappointed.
We finished our food and stayed there talking and playing rock n roll bingo. We're both pretty music savvy, but the pictures of the bands were so blurry that we had trouble making them out. Eventually we just gave up. The free shot just wasn't worth it at that point.
Our tab came to nearly $60, which was about half alcohol and half food, so watch those "build your own" grilled cheese sandwiches. Before you know it, you'll rack up quite a bill and have one hella expensive grilled cheese on your hands.
I'm glad I gave 44th Ward a try. I wasn't wowed, but I wasn't disappointed either. I'd give it another shot.Listed in: Stuck in the Middle with You, All Things Must Pass
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Review from Unity O.
5/11/2010
SOS, SOS...help, help, help....someone please call the lactose police....there is a dire situation that needs to be attended to STAT!! Unity has almost died of stomach pain due to over indulgence in cheesy gooey goodness. Note to self....bring along some Lactaid next time.
Why Oh Why can we not be given the chance to give 1/2 stars?!?!?! Yelp please make that happen. This place is a solid 3 1/2 stars but no option to give it that, I give them 4 stars as 3 stars just seems a bit harsh for the experience had there.
So the deadline to use my groupon (I heart them!!) was fast approaching and I needed to get my behind there so as to not waste the hard earned money. So it was DATE NIGHT for the hubby & me (yay!). We arrived on a Friday night around 6:45pm...silly me for thinking that we would not have to wait long since it was only an hour after opening and a bit early for a dinner crowd. Alas, this was not the case & we waited for about 45 minutes for a table. Not a problem since we got to sit at the bar, get some drinks & have an appetizer while we waited. The bar tender & manager were more than accommodating & made sure we were well attended. The staff of 44th ward are awesome & will very much make you feel at home. PLUS, they do not rush you even though this place is not so big.
The atmosphere of this place is lovely...has a vintage coziness to it that gives it a very intimate feel. Now the space is not the largest thing you will ever come across and the tables are set fairly close to each other so if you wanting to have some private conversation...that won't happen. This place is more for having fun & just hanging out.
The food...hmmm, this where they lose me just a little. While I love the novelty of a place dedicated to grill cheese, part of me thinks it could be better. First off, we started with the Mac-n-cheese appetizer which was surprisingly lacking in flavor. Even though it had charred onions & bacon on top, there was a lack of salt to it, I found a bit strange and it could have used a bit more cheese....I felt it was a bit dry.
We did not let this deter us as we were excited to try the sandwiches. Now this is where they win some points...they do grill cheese very well. Not the greasy mess you expect from other places & it has a finesse to it that is completely unexpected. It is like designer grill cheese. I had the Red Line (per reading Nick M's review) and my hubby had the Rooftop. Both very tasty...I would note that the Red line felt less like a grill cheese sandwich & more like a regular sandwich. We both got the sweet & spicy fries to go with it; I was not such a fan of them as my hubby was. Plus, I was feeling all convicted that I should have gotten the side salad instead...ah well next time.
Overall a great experience, but I feel that the food could be a tad better for the price you pay. I am bit hard pressed to pay $14 for a grill cheese, but the service and atmosphere do make up for that. I will happily go back to 44th Ward & try other things especially since 2 of my favorite peeps live near there (Hi Val & Lindsay!!). -
Review from Matthew S.
Chicago, IL
4/30/2010
If Matthew were to open a little place for dinner - I would pause and say "Someone has done it for me".
First - the decor : William Morris-esqe wall paper, proper ambient lighting from gorgeous light fixtures, a mahogany bar, and elegant seating. As you walk in you are greeted by a french settee, and a mirror to check yourself out. Up a small flight of stairs - into the heart of elegance.
The fun part is, there is a MacBook-DJ spinning from the small drinks lounge behind the dining and bar area. The music is mostly contemporary pop - and while a little louder than I'd like - I find myself breaking out my Lady GaGa lyrics while seated.
The drinks are actually good. I take away the one and only star, because they serve cocktails out of plastic cups. They look like the real thing - but they are plastic. I bet they have a lot less breakage, but c'mon guys. To me, its like knowing a classy old lady who wears Chanel perfume secretly buys her lipstick at the drug store. I do say, one friend was a bit astonished by this - and when he asked to have his cocktail put in a GLASS glass, they made no ifs and or buts about it. They immediately put a fresh drink in a glass for him.
The bartenders are very sweet. I've never gone in when one didn't have a conversation with me. The waiters and waitresses are equally charming. Especially the one who wears a short necktie. He taught me the secret of the oversize knot and wide tie when I asked! *thanks guy!*
The menu is a fantastic list of comfort food. You can't order something that will leave you dissatisfied. And the service was really quick.
I have gone here several times with friends. Its classy, eloquent - and always a great start to a fun night out. I'm surprised the place isn't more packed - but with the outdoor patio - the people have ample space to spread out.
Gather up your friends, dress up a bit - and head to 44th Ward Dinner Party. -
Review from Heather B.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2010
...a fitting name for a place that serves prison food (or at least what I imagine it would be). You would have to be incarcerated or mentally insane to eat here. Yes, it was that bad.
I had eaten here once before, but probably closer to the time it opened. I was there with a large group for a birthday party, and I remember our experience being a pleasant one. We were well taken care of and the grilled cheese I ordered was pretty great.
Well I'm not sure what happened over the past year, but Gordon Ramsey needs to pay a visit to this place, it was AWFUL and OVERPRICED.
My friend and I both ordered the tomato bisque soup. This is a soup I order at a lot of places, so I consider myself pretty knowledgeable in the field... and well, this was horrendous. My friend made the mistake of ordering a whole bowl to start off her meal. Oops. She ate three bites and stopped. I asked her how it was because mine came out later with my grilled cheese sandwich, (oh I'll be getting to that sandwich later). When she shook her head and replied with, "it's pretty bad." I knew I was in for a treat.
While she stared at her bowl of "soup," I had a basic mixed green salad. It was fine, nothing mind-blowing. And then, drum roll please... our grilled cheese sandwiches show up. My friend ordered the $11 Diversey Parkway sandwich, (which is where they probably found it), with a side of mac and cheese. I ordered the Traditional, just cheddar cheese and bread, with a side of tomato bisque. Can't screw that up right? WRONG. For a place specializing in grilled cheese, you would think these would be off the charts. Mine consisted of one small slice of cheese between two overly toasted tiny pieces of white bread that the probably bought at the 7-11 next door, and sans butter. Who doesn't put butter on the bread? These folks.
It was the worst grilled cheese of my life. I've had better grilled cheeses made for me by a drunk person at 3 AM. The soup? My friend was correct. HORRIBLE. It was tasteless, chunky, and barely edible. Her mac and cheese was bad too. It seems the people at this place don't know how to handle cheese in any form. I didn't know that was possible.
This is my first yelp restaurant review. I have never had a significant enough experience at a restaurant that warranted my writing a review until now. I woke up this morning thinking about how bad this meal was, and was angry at how much it cost! I will never be going back there again.
Oh, any pros? The front door. -
Review from Italo C.
Chicago, IL
5/17/2010
The 44th Ward Dinner Party is a spectacular idea, and oh my god did I have great expectations. The entire concept is just flat out AWESOME. Grilled cheese, that nostalgic childhood home-from-school-sick or sunday lunch with a twist that left my stomach in a grotesque craving it was climbing its way out of my body to get a table! Decorated extremely well, I had even more hopes of a great dining experience.
Little did I know I was in for a brutal ride through the seven layers of HELL.
1) The menu-- It seems someone picked up some cooking classes from the food network, and with an inflated ego decided the 3hours they sat in front of the tube stoned was enough for them to buy some chef pants and call it career training. This individual has undoubtedly ended up at 44th Ward. I base this conclusion on the fact that not only is the menu a naive and grossly thrown together, narrow scope of the power of cheese, nothing is paired with a drink and the side options include only fries or a salad (maybe mac and cheese)...(what is this, TGI Friday's)
2)Only satan would fool the average citizen with such a lovely and inviting appearance, then suck all your money for what would better be a pile of feces between 2 slices of toast.
3) Ok, so I accepted the fact that these sandwiches were about as good as my 6 year old self was making when I beat my parents home from school in 1st grade and decided to settle on one. I got that one with cucumber and something else (you'll know what I'm talking about). I was hoping this would be an interesting selection, and for $11 bucks or something, IT BETTER HAVE BEEN....You know where this is going.... The sandwich was appalling. I don't know how much more I need to say, except this sandwich had made me want to kill myself more than being that kid everyone picked on at age 13 (around the time this style of sandwich was in my lunch box).
4) The waitstaff-- I really don't know how to eloquently describe how indignant the waitstaff at 44th ward makes me. It seems the chef (mentioned earlier) stood outside at 4:30am on the corner of Rush and Division on a monday and scooped up whoever was crawling home with their tights at their ankles, drunk from not sunday, but Saturday night.
5)THAT ASIDE.... None of these individuals seems to understand the concept of seating, greeting, or serving. Only looking at you with a blank stare. My girlfriend and I were not notified about the special of the day. When we (by ourselves) found the special included a free beer with our sandwich , we jumped on that. At that point, we had just started on the cocktails we ordered. Moments later, we received our beers, without regard to the amount of cocktail we had consumed. To me, and I would assume any average citizen, signifies either that this particular server had not paid ANY attention to her only table, but that she was either accustomed to having two drinks at one time (this supports my hiring scenario) or does not belong in foodservice.
Before we reached layer 6 or 7, we opted for the bill, which in hindsight probably saved my life from eternal damnation.
44th Ward has a lot of potential. Fire everyone that works there, and read up on chesse and bread. As modernist theory is famed for positing, 'less is more.' The more simple the presentation, the more the mistakes and flaws become apparent. Here's a starting point....BRIE. -
Review from Lauren D.
Chicago, IL
8/16/2009 ROTD 10/13/2009
When I was first informed that I would be attending the 44th Ward Dinner Party, I began rummaging through my closet to find an appropriate cocktail dress. I'm not going to lie - I definitely thought I'd be attending some sort of soiree in some glamorous ward of Chicago I'd never before heard of.
When I found out that this place was actually a bar on Halsted, I was a little surprised and maybe a bit overdressed, but this was 10 times better than any black tie dinner party in the 44th Ward!
Very quaint, charming, unexpected find in Lakeview. Build your own creative gourmet grilled cheese or go for the Basique on wonderbread with American cheese. You have to get the sweet n' saucy fries because they are ridiculously tasty. The tomato bisque was also delicious and their drink/martini list enticing. And the fried ice cream dessert is out of this world - 3 different flavors of ice cream coated with cereal (sounds weird I know) and then flash fried. YUM. Our server was great and I'm definitely coming back! -
Review from Royal L.
Chicago, IL
4/3/2009 ROTD 4/20/2009
Uhh, pretty much my new favorite restaurant. Where to even start. First off, 44th Ward is the brainchild of Nick Scimeca of the Pete Wentz/Fall Out Boy friend-crew. The guy had a genius idea for a restaurant and it is totally amazing.
The fare, mainly grilled cheeses and grilled cheese derivatives, is unique, but not to the point where no one would want to eat it. Who doesn't love grilled cheeses? I had the "Belmont Harbor" which was smoked bacon, cheddar, and apple slices on a crusty white bread. Delicious. Had tomato soup for an appetizer, also delicious. Salad was really good, but they lacked a choice of dressings. Maybe get an italian or even ranch on the menu?
They had these home made potato chips that were amazing. Probably the best simple potato chips I've ever had. They were warm and freshly cooked and were even a little soft, I loved them. It was like a cross between a chip and an au-gratin potato, really really good.
Dessert was great, too. Fried ice cream is something I don't quite understand, but then again, if it tastes good, who cares?
The service was really good, our waiter was super nice and attentive. Empty bowls and plates were cleared quickly (this is kind of a pet peeve of mine for some reason) so that was good. He even gave us the chips for free.
The decor in there is also pretty much amazing. Earthy colors. Greens, tans, browns, and black tables. Lighting was just perfect. There's a sweet living room type area up front that will be fun to hang out in as the night goes on, I'm sure.
All in all this place is super awesome. It's definitely going to be one of my new favorite places. The food is amazing, the service is what it should be, the prices are reasonable, and the atmosphere is great. My only complaint was not enough salad dressing choices (my friend agreed) and that they need a few more sandwiches/types of grilled cheeses on the menu. Also, espresso/coffee drinks for after dinner would be nice, too. That's about it. Great place, go there! -
Review from Mesum N.
Chicago, IL
1/4/2010
Worst freakin place for a first date in the entire city of Chicago. Hands down.
Where should I start? Let's start with tables. So we get in, host asks us how many and then sits both of us down on a table that has to be at least 4 feet wide in the middle of 2 other big groups. We had to yell at each other during the whole dinner like "SO WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE ALONE?!?!", "I SAW THIS GUY LOOKING AT MY BOOBS AT THE PARTY AND IT WAS SO CREEPY".
Anyway, towards the end of dinner, I remembered that my parking meter is about to run out and I needed some quarters to feed it so I told my date to order desert while I feed the meter. I walked up to bartender and asked for couple of dollar worth of quarters. This is what he said "We don't have quarters". I was like "You're saying your tilt doesn't have any quarters?"
Him: "Nope, we don't keep any quarters in the bar". I found that statement more odd than the gypsy lady who told me in 49B bus once "You look like someone who will kill for pleasure but not for love".
Anyways, bless my brown brothers who work at the gas station next door and offered as many quarters I wanted. Went to meter came back and see my date sitting on the bar, upset like she's about to cry.
I go "What's wrong? Did you order desert?"
Her: "No I closed the tab because I didn't think you were coming back"
Me: "Why would you think that?"
Her: "Our waiter told me this story about a guy who did that to a girl on a first date and she ended up paying the whole bill"
Who the fuck does that to people? Did the waiter had hots for my date? Did he not like seeing a brown well hung brotha having a good time with his date?
Never, ever again. -
Review from Jelena Z.
Updated - 8/28/2009
Remember a few months ago when I reported change was in the air at 44th Ward?
Well then it was good. Now? Sigh... I'm a bit downhearted, actually. My friend and I came in for a chat and a sandwich (she: hungry, me: not) She ordered her usual, ate it with the same impassioned gusto, and then came the check. $20 for a grilled cheese sandwich and a Guinness.
Huh? Well, here's the math:
Grilled cheese sandwich with bacon, cheddar and goat cheese: $10 ($6 for base including one cheese, $2 per add-on)
Fries: $2
Guinness CAN: $8
Fries no longer come with the sandwiches (supposedly wasteful as 'not everyone eats their fries'... huh?) and come on... $8 for a can of Guinness? Not even draft, but a can? Look at it this way: the can goes for the same price as a glass of champagne. May as well live the high life, baby!
The food is definitely still unbelievably delish, but sandwich and a beer (as in one single beer) night for $25 including tip makes it difficult to justify returning despite our hot and heavy affair. Guess it was just a summer romance. Sorry-- I'm bummed too.Listed in: Alfresco? Al Yesco!, The Sandwich Club., Fries, please!, Grilled Cheese Sammies., Off the 152 Bus Route
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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5/20/2009
Hey naysayers, times are a-changin' at the 44th Ward.
Substitutions are now allowed and they've added… Read more »
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Review from Kyle C.
Chicago, IL
3/30/2009 ROTD 7/3/2009
What is more comforting than a good ole grilled cheese sandwich (known as a cheese toastie to us from central Illinois).
The 44th Ward dinner party has dedicated their menu to exploring the relationship of bread and cheese, and I couldn't be happier with the results! They offer a number of creative combinations, all named after local landmarks or streets. You also have the option to choose your own bread/cheese/topping combinations and build your own sandwich!
My friend and I arrived a bit after 8 on a Monday, and were the only customers in the joint. After being seated our lovely, funny and helpful waitress brought out a plate of complimentary homemade potato chips that were fantastic. A tasty and unique way to start off the meal.
My friend ordered the Belmont - Sourdough, thinly sliced apples, and cheese (I can't remember what type of cheese). I had the Sheffield and Waveland - Cheese (once again, I can't remember what kind) red peppers, cilantro and grilled avocado on a flour tortilla. It was delicious - very much like a fancy quesadilla. Sandwiches are served with either a salad or fries - I highly recommend the fries. They are slightly sweet and really compliment the sandwich (as did the glass of Cabernet that we ordered).
There is one option on the menu for dessert - fried ice cream. We ordered it, and I was delighted to see what a unique spin they had placed on the dish. It consisted of three scoops of fried ice cream - the first was vanilla and covered in frosted flakes, the second was chocolate covered in cocoa crispies, and the third was Strawberry covered in fruity pebbles. Delicious!
I can't say enough good things about the 44th Ward Dinner Party - it is an addition that was sorely needed at the north end of boystown. The decor is fantastic - classy and sophisticated - perfect for a date night, but not so stuffy that you'll feel uncomfortable grabbing a meal with your friends. Lakeview Broadcast Company, which it replaced, will be missed, but in its place is a great restaurant (with a mouthwatering theme) which will be the go-to starting point of anyone's night out, or a quick place to grab a bite mid bar-hop. -
Review from Lindsay K.
Chicago, IL
5/8/2009 ROTD 12/23/2009
When I'm feeling cold-ish or just plain depressed, nothing makes me feel better than a grilled cheese sandwich with some tomato soup on the side (to add that extra bit of my child-like character I float some cheddar Goldfish in my soup!).
When I learned what LBC was becoming I got all schoolgirl giddy! Grilled cheese restaurant? Why has no one thought of this before? More to the point, why didn't I think of it? In any case after three failed after work dinner plans to get here we all finally managed to arrive in the same place at once.
Very small and intimate. I love the whole ambiance of the place. Having never been in LBC, I would have thought it bigger. But I loved it. Downstairs with the awesome set up next to an open window, bookshelf so tall. Upstairs reminded me of an old mansion. Eerily beautiful.
Now the food. The potato chips they put out before you order. Delicious!! Should have gotten the 1/2 priced app of them after they quickly disappeared. No, there was no drink list, which yes, is annoying. But they were pretty full up on the bar. I asked what beers they had and the list kept going and going until he said my favorite Texas beer, Shiner, and this grilled cheese fantasyland became perfection.
I had the Sheffield and Waveland, which was like a quesadilla with avocado, roasted red pepper, Chihuahua and pepper jack cheese. Wonderful!! My dining partners both had the Belmont Harbor which they couldn't get over either. Fries were oddly sweet and the little mayo/sour cream thing on the side? Yummy!
After hearing horrid things about the service here, I was expecting it. But then was pleasantly surprised. We were the first in here and it filled up after about an hour and half later. They checked on us constantly. Very friendly and polite. Eager to please. Perhaps they pay attention and share their Yelp reviews? In any case the service was if anything sometimes too much. But I think that was our group. We're easy to please and just there to chat!
So after this whole long diatribe, all-in-all this place has one thing and does it spot on! The only bad thing about it...it's a half a block away from me....this is going to be BAD for my weight! But oh so good for my wallet at these prices! GO before there's a line out the door or Guy Fieri or someone else puts it on their show!Listed in: On the hunt for Shiner, RotD Love
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Review from Brett D.
Updated - 5/26/2009
I feel another star comin' on............
Yep!! There it be.
My second visit to The Ward has me much more smitten. To start with, a cocktail list has finally crash landed... please pick up your mixologist approved poison at baggage carousel #4. Is it full, robust and phenomenal? Not so much, but it exists. Hey, 10x improved!!
The transformation of the initially fumbled (and rude) service was another thing that took the star-o-meter up a notch... my unimaginably hungover group (BrettBQ, anyone?) was treated super kindly and doted upon lovingly. Extra bleu cheese dip here, no snickers on our umpteen Diet Coke refills there... even an appreciative thumbs up on my DIY eggplant/cheddar/goat combo. Atta Girl!!
Music was still danceable as ever and with a happy belly, I also managed to figure out where the hidden photobooth lies... Next time though, the only posing I'll be doing is with my glorious grilled goods. Mmmm in intimate, dark confines? Oh yes, the better to eat you with my Dear!Listed in: Where would I be with no Yelp?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/1/2009
A handful of girlfriends and I descended upon 'The Ward' this week to get our hands dirty in some… Read more »
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Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
5/4/2009
I've been stewin' on this one for a bit...
I've come to a conclusion, which works well for semi-hipster bars that serve a variety of grilled cheeses...but also for many other instances, experiences and life living in general.
Managing expectations is a tricky pickle.
Ya see...had I just stumbled upon this little diamond at the north end of Boystown, with no expectation of "World's Greatest Grilled Cheese" or "Best Bar Ever!" or "The Music will make your ears fall off its so good" kinda stuff...well then, you know...I'd have been pretty thrilled.
A whole menu dedicated to grilled cheese with sorta fancy fixin's and a whole side of the menu to build-your-own? Yes, please. Applewood smoked bacon and granny smith apples atop sourdough bread, drenched in ooey gooey cheese? Ahem, yes. For under $10? Yeah, you heard it. However if grilled cheeze ain't your thang, chicken wang...you are straight outta luck. You might be able to get by on the pretty delicious creamy tomato soup, but not for long...after all though, if you don't like bread and cheese...you probably aren't human, and I probably don't even want to know what deep inner demons live within your soul. Really. If cleanliness is next to godliness, grilled cheese is next to PBJ in my holy book.
Whoa, digression.
Anyway, the grilled cheese =good. Obv.
The drinks? Eh. Need some work, but I do believe it can be easily remedied. $7 Stoli + sodas make me bored and tired. For $3 they make me bored, tired...but I have more money. Smart little drinks with some punch and kick, now that will get me talkin'. I'm giving this fourth star on the condition that a cocktail list be composed. IN addition, please print a beer list. I cannot remember 12 beers when the waitress rattles them off. It's a nice effort, but I still can't remember it. A list works well, trust me.
The tunes: right up my alley, keep 'em coming. Whoever thunk up this here playlist has auto-rights to hijack my Ipod (wait, I don't have one), but if I did...they could hijack it and I'd listen to my "44th Ward Dinner Party" soundtrack all the live long day...jonesin' for some throwback tunes. Indeed.
The vibe is good. Laid back. Cool. Needs a bit of tweakin', but then again...the expectations may have been just a little sky high for this little place manufacturin' grilled cheese for the faux-hipster set. It is what it is, and if they make grilled cheese with bacon and stuff, I'll go back.
Just fix the drinks. Pretty please.Listed in: Best of Boystown!
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Review from Angie M.
4/30/2009
I like what The 44th Ward is trying to do: Specialize in one menu item (grilled cheese) and make it fantastic while delivering great music and a moody/chic atmosphere all wrapped up in a late night location in Boystown.
Sounds fabulous, right?
Well... there are still some things 44th Ward needs to work on before they reach late night grilled cheese Nirvana.
Before I get bitchy, I really must commend 44th Ward on the absolutely delectable grilled cheese sandwiches. I ordered an aged cheddar, bacon and Roma tomato grilled cheese on whole wheat bread. Probably the best grilled cheese I've ever had in my entire life. And priced exceptionally well. I was charged for a $2 "Classique" and then $1 for each ingredient, being bacon and tomatoes. That's one cheap sandwich! Since my diet was thrown out the window with all the bacon, cheese and butter, I decided to hell with it and ordered the fries. The menu says they're shoestring, but be forewarned they're actually a thicker cut fry.
Now, my issues.
1. No drink menu. Let me say that again... No.Drink.Menu. Not even a listing of beers and wines, let alone any kind of specialty cocktail list. I suppose I could deal without a specialty drink menu, but really, a restaurant needs to list out their beers and wines. How could a person possibly order wine without a wine list? And while we're at it... beers on tap would be nice.
2. The staff needs a bit of improvement. Our service was touch and go at best. Our waitress flat out ignored one of my friends when she asked her questions... multiple times. I know it wasn't that loud in there last night, Honey.
3. The crowd. Um, there was none. I was anticipating a bumping crowd, but it was just a smattering of a few tables. Nothing to see there, folks.
So while the grilled cheese is absolutely amazing and the music (which I can't believe I haven't mentioned yet!) was top-notch, I think I was expecting more. Perhaps 44th Ward is better on the weekends? -
Review from Beth M.
Chicago, IL
4/30/2010
Love the idea but I have to agree with several other reviewers in that I think the sandwiches are overpriced.
I made my own--okay, basically it was the Belmont harbor but with classic american instead of sharp cheese and tomatoes instead of apple. It was good but I think I could have made it better at home. The husband got the 90/94 and really liked it. The tomato bisque soup was just okay as was the cheesecake. The spicy mac & cheese sticks (WTF?) were underwhelming with the best aspect being the sauce with "kick."
44WDP was good to try for the novelty but I don't think I'm in a hurry to go back. -
Review from Carol J.
Chicago, IL
5/1/2009
When you only have one item on your menu (give or take the apps and soup) you should, without out a doubt, be able to excel at its execution. There were just so many negatives that took away from the decency of the sandwiches. Which were fantastically cheap. I would have paid triple to have better service. There are just some things that I am a stickler for.
Like the service. If you are in the weeds with four tables, and you seat a party of 5 at a 4 top because you don't want to lose a table to imaginary (and non-existent) guests, shame on you. (My restaurant training ingrained in me the fact that you cater to guests that are actually IN FRONT OF YOU, and deal with the ones who aren't when and if they arrive). If you are missing for fifteen minutes from a 10 x 20 room and all other tables have their food, shame on you. If you don't bother checking on your table because you are too engrossed in conversation with the barkeep and the light dimming manager, shame on you. If you can't be bothered to check back after serving something, shame on you. Call guests at your table by "Mamma", super classy.
Yeah, the waitress pretty much is the bane of their existence. Decor direct from Ft. Pitt and charging me twice for the same can of Sugar Free Red Bull were just bonus points. Forget the fact that they have the words "dinner party" in the name and don't have a wine list. But serve white zinfandel and no Absolut? Card every single person that walks in for dinner? (Although the bartender was super nice). Sounds like a nightclub to me.
Don't believe the hype. I think the grilled cheese is just a rouse so they can have an incidental liquor license while operating a bar. My two cents. Really 2.5 but no benefit of the doubt here. -
Review from Frank A.
Chicago, IL
4/12/2009
Definitely an upgrade!
Most people might know the location as the old LBC, but the new owners did a great job of redecorating and re-branding The 44th Ward Dinner Party.
I had the opportunity to visit yesterday with a group of friends after pre-drinking in the Meat Packing District. At first everyone was hesitant because not everyone had fond memories of LBC. But after much discussion we got in a cab and headed to Lakeview.
The first noticeable thing is the new decor. They are going for a Victorian theme and they extended the main bar and got rid of the bar in the backroom, making more space for dancing. The drink special was $5 well drinks, which was within budget. And they make the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever tasted. Wow, my taste buds were extremely pleased.
I definitely recommend you get a group of friends and check out The 44th Ward Dinner Party this upcoming weekend. To the new owner's I send a shout out, GREAT JOB! -
Review from Mary T.
5/15/2009
Riiiii-co-laaaaaaaaa!
Riiiii-co-laaaaaaaaa!
It's nice to see that this place has taken some notes! I had read some reviews and heard from others about their less than stellar experience here and I have to say my dinner tonight was pretty darn good.
My roommate and I rolled in around 8:15 on Thursday for dinner. Sadly, all of the tables were occupied by lingering groups so we grabbed a seat at the bar. I was a little apprehensive when the bartender ignored us for over 5 minutes, despite being smack dab in front of him, and then acted like we just sat down. Fortunately, it was not a sign of things to come.
We probably waited about 30 minutes for a table our server and another guy (manager maybe) checked on us regularly and apologized profusely for the lingerers. The one table had finished when we arrived, but was still at their table by the time we left!
I ordered the Belmont Harbor, 86 the bacon; my roommate got the Rooftop. We both really enjoyed our food, we got the fries as our side which have some amazing seasoning on them and come with a bleu cheese dipping sauce.
Here are some improvements I noticed:
* Drink list - the menu must have been updated to include a full drink list including some specialty drinks. They still fall short on wine selection - 1 red, 1 white and 1 white zin.
* Service was amazingly attentive and friendly. Our server and the other guy came by our table regularly to check on us, refill our waters, etc.
Here is one majorly needed improvement - sound levels. Turn the f-ing music down about 4 clicks; there is no reason the music needs to be deafeningly loud! We even asked for them to lower it a touch twice, which was barely noticeable; we resigned ourselves to leaning in and screaming through the rest of our meal, the alternative - eating in complete silence - just would've been too weird. They should bring the check with complimentary Ricolas or something to soothe your throat.
The decor was ok, nothing to write home about. The entryway makes you feel like you're in an old lady's living room. Upstairs the bar/restaurant is dimly lit and pretty lackluster, I wasn't digging the paisley wallpaper. They should spring for some sort of host station or at the very least a sign. When we got there we stood confused trying to figure out where to put our name in or if it was every man/woman for themselves, that would've been fine I can throw a mean bony elbow. I wasn't sure what their style was, our server and the bartender were in shirts and ties and the other guy looked like the lost member of Fall Out Boy; no biggie, just interesting.
Bottom line: I'd go back, the food is good and the prices are decent. Just be warned seating is sparse so don't expect to waltz in and grab a table during peak hours!
P.S. The menu online is smaller than the actual one.Listed in: Closing Time
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Review from Michael S.
Denver, CO
5/26/2009
Want a full-on view of a dirty bathroom as soon as you walk in?
Want to experience an approximate 15-degree temperature increase from the downstairs entry to the upstairs bar, as if they forgot it's no longer Winter, but Memorial Day?
Want to leave and try somewhere else? -
Review from Erika G.
5/27/2009
Seriously? This place doesn't live up to it's admittedly well designed signage out front. From the look of the signage, I was expecting a sexy little bistro. Low lighting, soft music, perfect for a latenight tryst with a delicious paramour.
You walk in to the former Bangkok Noodle space, and still there's the same little vestigial, useless, mostly bare 'lounge' area in front. A bathroom smell greets upon entering. Nice. Very "where do we go from here" feeling.
Upstairs, just another bar with faux-ironic turned wood barstools. And climate problems. And the music pretty much blares. The bartender was nice enough, I have to give the staff props. It just wasn't sexy.
*sigh* Not sexy at all. And I LOVE sexy.
And seriously, I know all the "kids" today think that a grilled cheese sandwich on Wonder Bread is such a cool and ironic thing to eat (it's not). But, for someone who has never ingested Wonder Bread (fine, call me a snob), the appeal is puzzling at best. -
Review from Carolyn S.
Chicago, IL
4/11/2009
Best grilled cheese sandwich ever! I am CRAVING one right now. You pick your bread, cheese, additional toppings and spread. I had mine on pretzel bread with pepperjack cheese and tomato. The parmesan spread was served on the side and it was amazing to dip my sandwich and fries in.
This place is the reincarnation of Lakeview Broadcasting Company complete with bougie hotel like style. I am going to miss the backroom of LBC that had concrete floors and some basic benches. It was the atmosphere of your Mama's basement and was the perfect atmosphere for crazy dancing. Now that this place is pimped out with nice hard wood floors and a much classer style, I hope it will inspire the same quality of crazy dancing. -
Review from andrea m.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2009
I came here with a large group of friends for a bachelorette party. We had the entire back room reserved, and it was really nice to have the space to ourselves. We were still included in the musical bingo game that was going on. Our server was friendly friendly and attentive, and we loved (and used the heck out of) the photo booth!
Ya know, I wish Yelp allowed .5 stars, because this place is definitely 3.5. I did have a really great time here, but the food and drinks were just OK. We bought a few bottles of champagne which were really good, but I got the 773 (one of their signature drinks) and I really didn't like it that much, it was way too sweet. A few of the girls were less than thrilled with their grilled cheese and the only fried ice cream dessert that was good was the vanilla (the other ones were way too rich). For my sandwich, I got the Belmont Harbor, minus the bacon and on a pretzel bun. The server told me that if I ordered it as a "build my own" it would be cheaper, and I appreciated that. I enjoyed my grilled cheese, but I know it was because of the pretzel bun (I loooove pretzel buns!). I also got the mixed green salad which was good but HUGE! Two people could easily share it.
I'd definitely go back here to try more of the menu, play bingo and take more photo booth pictures, but it's not the type of place you hang around much after eating. -
Review from Amy H.
5/29/2009
Finally!!! After hearing all the rumpus about 44th Ward Dinner Party I was finally able to visit. And I liked it!
First of all, the venue is too cute! It really is like walking into someones house. The staff was so nice and friendly. My first impression was a great one.
The menu is 90% grilled cheese sammiches, so if you're looking for something else be forewarned. I spent literally a half an hour looking over the menu trying to decide what to order because there are so many options. If you can't decide on a signature sammie, you can build your own from a list of ingredients, breads, and (drool) flavored butters.
After I discussed all of the options with the bartender I decided on the Belmont Harbor. Bacon, sharp cheddar, and apple slices on sourdough bread. Uhm...yum! I would have liked for my sandwich to be a little more cheesy and a little more melty, but it was still good. The apple slaw on the side was phenom! I also loved the blue cheese dipping sauce for the fries. I washed it all down with a few Broadway & Belmont cocktails and I was a happy happy (full) girl.
Cheese makes me smile. -
Review from Adam M.
Chicago, IL
4/11/2009
My friends and I found ourselves here Friday night after we left a party at a dance club where there was no dancing. One of my friends had recalled the rockin' dance room at LBC, another friend said 44th Ward was open, and we were on our way north to check it out.
Wow - the updated decor here is beautiful and well conceived, turning a retro 80s feel into a saloon inspired bar and restaurant. Well done. Getting back to the reason we came in the first place - the dancing. The back dance room is still here and with the booths, benches, and back bar gone - there is now room for some serious grooving. (The beats? Still bumpin'.)
And onto the reason 44th Ward gets a full five stars.....those grilled cheese sandwiches! My group had started early Friday so by the time we all arrived, everyone was a bit peckish. Thankfully the bartender came to the rescue by suggesting we try some of their grilled cheese sandwiches. I admit, I was a bit skeptical, but these bad boys are no joke. Each one I tried was warm, melty, delicious. My favorite was one served on pretzel bread - genius. In my hungover haze I woke up in this morning, that cheesy pretzel bread was still calling to me from the night before.
On top of everything the service was great - I will be back some weekend very soon! -
Review from Jackie P.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2009
Happiness comes in the form of a grilled cheese. And for a mere $4.00 you can get the basic grilled cheese and fries or a salad.
Looking for something a little more exotic? They got that to. Speciality drinks and cleverly named sandwiches increases my happiness.
If you want to know happiness go to the 44th Ward. -
Review from Lisa K.
Chicago, IL
12/13/2009
I was *so* excited about checking out The 44th Ward Dinner Party and now that I've eaten a meal there all I can do is shrug my shoulders and say "eh, it was OK."
First, as others have noted, it wasn't at all like I imagined it would be. The restaurant is located in a very small space that used to be a bar. There are, what, 8 tables total? This is kind of a bummer, too, since they don't take reservations for groups under 6. In busy Boystown, you've pretty much got to hold your breath that you're going to get seated in a decent amount of time.
Luckily, waiting for a table for 3 was the least of our concerns. We sat down and had a very friendly waitress that immediately took our drink, appetizer, and dinner orders. We received drinks and appetizers almost immediately. The four-cheese french fries were AMAZING. The mac and cheese was good. The volume in the restaurant? Miserable. The DJ kept getting progressively louder, even though we showed up at 8 p.m. and the restaurant hadn't yet gained a big "bar" crowd. Everyone was still eating dinner. Everyone at my table had to scream at one another to be heard.
We finished our appetizers and then waited ... and waited ... and waited for our entrees. The waitress kept apologizing and saying the kitchen was getting backed up. Maybe I'm missing something but it's a grilled cheese restaurant. Even if the kitchen is backed up, there are only 8 tables and grilled cheese takes approximately 3 minutes to make. We waited AN HOUR for our entrees, and this was AFTER our appetizers.
Our sandwiches were very "eh." I wanted to be in love since I LOVE grilled cheese. But... I could have made a better sandwich at home. There was one very thin layer of cheese, one very thin layer of apple, and greasy bacon. The bread was also very greasy. The side of tomato bisque I had was tasty but not anything to write home about.
After we finished our entrees we'd been sitting at our table for nearly 2 hours and were just ready to go (our throats were sore from screaming). The waitress insisted that she comp us a dessert to make up for the dreadful wait we endured. We said yes because the waitress was very nice to us and was very insistent. She brought us the fried ice cream trio, which was tasty. But then on the second bite I pulled a big long hair out of the ice cream... and that was that.
I'd hoped to make The 44th Ward Dinner Party a regular dinner haunt, but sadly, that is not the case. I might recommend the experience, but certainly not the food nor the atmosphere. This place was just a disappointment. -
Review from Greg M.
Chicago, IL
4/23/2010
I was really excited to check this place out after I bought the Groupon a few months back, but it was sadly not what I expected. I got the LSD (pepperjack, cucumber, and bacon) and while the first couple bites were great, the rest was basically just bread and nothing else. I had seen reviews on here complaining that they don't put enough cheese, etc.. in the sandwich and I can verify that. If you're going to pay $8-$15 for a grilled cheese there should at least be enough cheese to cover the whole slice of bread.
Also, i opted for the side salad instead of fries which was a big mistake. Not that the fries were that great (i had a few bites off a friend's plate) but the salad was small and pitiful.
The marcaroni n cheese sticks were ok for an appetizer, but you only get a few and the flavor was pretty bland except for a little spice and the marinara dipping sauce. Again, barely any cheese even in the mac n' cheese.
We would have tried the Trio-something dessert, but we were told they were out of it. Which is wierd considering they only have two dessert choices on their menu.
The service was decent but nothing special. It wasn't even that busy but the waitress seemed rushed and was slow on getting new drinks.
Finally, it was Thursday so they had playlist-bingo where you get a card with pictures of music artists and when their song comes on you cross them out. If you get Bingo you get a free shot of booze. Well each of our cards exactly the same, and after about a half hour the same artists started repeating so we were always one away from a free drink. Seemed kinda shady.
So while its a decent place, its not worth the money or trip out to Boyztown in my opinion. Plus I know the wait can be 1hr plus on the weekends, which is in no way worth it. -
Review from Nick B.
Los Angeles, CA
4/18/2010
I was extremely disappointed with The 44th Ward Dinner Party. For those that follow my tweets, probably had a play by play of what was going on.
A group of 4 of us stopped by last Friday at around 8PM. Initially, we saw a load of tables open, stopped by the host (or whoever ran up to us), and he mentioned that they were all reserved and we'd have to wait 20 minutes. OK, 20 minutes isn't bad, especially on a Friday night. So we waited. And waited. 2 hours and 16 drinks later between the four of us, the nervous waiter approached us and offered us coupons for 25% off your meal...but Monday-Thursday, not a Friday. What good would the coupon be? Why should I come back? After another half hour we were seated and rushed.
The waiter reported that "the kitchen" was closing. Unless I'm completely off point, I thought their "big special" was $1 grilled cheese after midnight. I may have become delirious after waiting nearly 3 hours for a grilled cheese. After being hustled to order, I decided to build my own with the vegan light rye and American soy cheese. Simple, right? Of course they didn't have the bread and I let out a snicker because it seemed like a joke after all this time.
The only reason I didn't storm out after an hour of waiting is because once they do get down to making the food, it's fantastic. My simple grilled cheese and sweet potato fries were amazing. The vegan/vegetarian options also saved this from getting into negative star territory. It's just a shame, and a concern I share with other Yelp readers, that the service is just completely backwards. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Chicago, IL
4/20/2009
I wanted to love it. I really, really did.
The fact that no other reviewers have complained about the excessive noise makes me think that we were either there on a particularly loud night or that I'm just getting old. I like a lively atmosphere and don't mind a buzzing restaurant, but I really don't appreciate having to shout in order for my dining companions to hear me. When we left, our ears were literally ringing and my throat was hoarse from yelling.
Strike two was the service. Three of us ordered custom sandwiches that all involved sourdough and cheddar, with variations. When the food arrived, a young man in a faux hawk (not the person who took our order) held up one of the sandwiches and said "Um....this looks like some sort of cheddar sandwich? With sourdough? And maybe something inside?" I'm sorry, but that's not how you deliver food to a table. As it turned out, we had to open each sandwich to investigate the contents, and then do some swapping amongst ourselves. One of the sandwiches was not what my friend ordered but by that point, we were too worn down to complain. Overall, it was a really disappointing experience. -
Review from Michael G.
Rockville, MD
1/24/2010 1 photo
Fake-on...*pant*...fake-on...fake-on...*pant*...fa ke-on...FAKE-ON!
I would seriously go all Beggin' Strips commercial dog on this place if given the chance! I've only had a chance to go here twice, but I swear that even after those two brief encounters, their fake bacon haunts my dreams! If they would let me wait outside in the back alley like Tramp in the Disney film, I would just go to town on the leftover fakeon each night right there! If they let me beg at the front door for it where it's more comfortable, it would be even better!
On one of their vegan sandwiches (they have two!), the Diversey Parkway, it provides a nice savory flavor that many meat eaters would not be able to differentiate. But, I have a secret to reveal. On the Belmont Harbor (possibly the world's perfect grilled cheese sandwich), they'll let you sub in the fakeon if you're so inclined for health, religious, ethical, whatever reasons. After all, this is Boystown, they don't judge, well...on the basis of food choice anyway...
Anyhow, they really will accommodate guest here in general. I went last time with a meat eater who happens to be lactose intolerant (yeah, we planned the excursion well). They substituted soy cheese on her grilled cheese sandwiches that didn't ordinarily include it as well.
The tomato bisque is a perfect compliment to the sandwiches (it's like a classier version of what it served at Noodles & Co.). They give free orders of their homemade potato chips now (some of the best deep fried skins I've ever tasted). *pant*
Now, this ain't your mama's grilled cheese and it can get a bit pricey, but three of us dined here on the recent $45 Groupon and we undershot the limit (even with a $3 PBR can and soup ordered by yours truly). I repeat. We undershot it and were all full!
Now that's a somewhat affordable evening of cheesy goodness! And this is coming from a real cheesehound - in whatever definition you choose to use that in!Listed in: Lakeview Schmakeview, Get Your Group-On, Seriously!
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Review from Wayne C.
IL
5/19/2009
Holy shit, I've thought about the grilled cheese I had there for, like, four days now. We went at night and it was super dark which maybe could have been romantic if I was with someone romantical but the music would have killed that - it was pretty loud.
Their new sign says "Dinner. Party." which is a pretty clever use of periods, if you ask me. It suggests, "Come, have dinner. Then party." Cute. But I don't think I'd come here to "party." But I would come here again and again to eat really fucking delicious grilled cheeses (I got the pretzel bun with goat cheese and pepper jack and a heavenly slice (?) of avocado - a suggestion from the very attentive waiter) and then if I was drunk enough ($5 well drinks - not bad for the neighborhood), maybe rub my junk on someone.
Also, I hear they give out FREE grilled cheeses on Thursdays after midnight! -
Review from Adriane P.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 12/20/2009
The Rooftop is the best sandwich on the menu. Dang good! It's followed by the Belmont Harbor.
The atmosphere and decor is still sexy as heck. The service. . . the male models in Zoolander didn't die in a freak gasoline fight accident! They found a second career at 44th Ward. In other words, they are as stylish and on the ball as those cats. I've been here on dead, empty nights and still have them forget our drinks, mess up our orders or check. When reminded they sheepishly shrug or become cutely overwhelmed, but hey, they're stylin' and profilin' and kind at heart. Sometimes they're so befuddled, we don't even bother to say anything, One night a server messed up our drinks and both our meals, but fubbled a lot and stammered constantly, so we bit our tongues. The messed up drinks and meal plus his awkwardness could of killed our evening, but we were hot enough to persevere that obstacle.
When done RIGHT the food is GOOD and decor and vibe oh so hot. Plus, it's a block from my place. I wish I knew how to quit you.Listed in: I think I'm funny but looks…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/5/2009
Everybody was kungfu cheesin....
I've been here three times now and I have always left with a happy… Read more »
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Review from Sarah S.
Chicago, IL
10/24/2009
I mean, sure. It's a small, dark hole-in-the-wall in Boys Town that serves gourmet grilled cheese and ice cream covered in Frosted Flakes and Fruity Pebbles. And I'm a twenty-something who likes gimmicks and loud Lady Gaga.
I wouldn't recommend it to a family after the Cubs game, but for locals who want to try something new? Sure.
Food: Small-ish but tasty and different. Love the "design your own sandwich" option! Bleu-cheese with green apple and vegan bacon was delicious (though my boyfriend felt the focaccia tasted like potpourri).
Drinks: The mixed drinks are a bit expensive and mostly ice. Pass.
Service: The staff seemed more interested in each other than the guests. It's nice that they're friends and all, but c'mon. It took forever to get the check.
Atmosphere: Sure. -
Review from Kelly M.
Chicago, IL
3/25/2010
It pains me a little to give a 3-star review to a place that seems so cozy walking in, and more importantly, that focuses so heavily on cheese-based meals.
I was simply less than blown away by the food. I am not sure what I was expecting, but maybe too many months of having it on my to-do list ruined it for me.
I came with a Groupon, so that helped. My Redline was tasty, and I probably would have been impressed with it had I not been in a place that specializes in grilled cheese. I wonder if the "build your own" option would have been better. I got the side of mac & cheese and it was the definition of "eh, whatever" to me. I found myself wishing I was at Blue Line Club Car for their fried mac & cheese bites sadly.
Ambiance is adorable though- I thought it was great physically for a date. Small, not too loud, dimly lit.
My Broadway & Belmont drink was really tasty. At $10 though, it was teeny tiny. The waitress did mention the $5 mixed drink deal for Friday night, and my date took advantage of that.
I may or may not be back. No objections, but no need to go that far out of my way for an overpriced sandwich. At least now I finally know. -
Review from Kyung P.
Chicago, IL
9/24/2009
Yeah, I don't understand the hype. The food wasn't spectacular, and it was overpriced. Don't get me wrong, it was edible, but I can find edible food anywhere.
We got a couple of appetizers to start, and the potato boats were decent, but the mac & cheese was a joke. A sad, depressing joke made of bow tie noodles with a artificial cheeeeese-y sauce on top. The appetizers also took forever to get to our table.
I had the red line as my sandwich, and it was eerily familiar to the roast turkey sandwich at Lula Cafe - just not as good, smaller, and more expensive. The apple slaw was pretty decent, but nothing else comes with these sandwiches.
Oh well, at least I gave it a try! -
Review from Rachel R.
Chicago, IL
5/5/2010
I had no idea this place existed til about two weeks ago (yes, I'm clueless - it's even in my own neighborhood)
Our party probably had all the cards stacked against us from the start - not enough people to make a reservation, showed up at 745pm, on a Friday no less. Three servers studiously ignored us for about 5 minutes while we waited to put our names in, and when the guy finally came over to tell us about the 1:45 wait - he seemed rather disappointed that we decided to stay ("rather disappointed" is giving him probably way more credit that he deserved - more like "super disappointed").
We were directed to the "lounge" in the back to wait. There were three wing chairs (already occupied), and two tall tables, with no chairs. Oh, plus four little square ottoman thingies. And of course we hunkered down on those.
Despite the inauspicious start to the evening - a couple of drinks later we decided to get some appetizers from the bar. This place has seriously the greatest fried mozz sticks that I have ever eaten. And I would have never thought to pair it with blue cheese. Our server (I wish I'd have gotten her name) was aces. :) So much nicer than mister crankypants up front. But I saw him later drinking and chatting up some girl - it must have just been near the end of his shift or something.
Our wait ended up only being 1:20 instead of 1:45 (yay!) and we got to take over the big bench table in the middle of the room. Holy crap on toast is it loud in there. The music was up so high that people had to shout to be heard. So it was full of loud music and shouting. But it was also full of cheese!
Our table ordered: 2 of The Belmont Harbor, the 90/94, The Rooftop, and of course the Tomato Bisque (we skipped the mac n cheese b/c we'd had the fried mozz - but next time I'm totally getting the mac n cheese - it looked SO TASTY) Everybody's food came quickly, and was extra delish. Plus our server was attentive without being totally pushy - which was a super bonus.
Overall I'd TOTALLY go back. But probably I'd go with less people and maybe not on a friday night.
Also, just a suggestion to the people in charge - maybe snag some chairs to go with the tables in the back if you're going to have waits that exceed an hour. -
Review from Albert K.
Chicago, IL
4/26/2009
Came here with a friend to meet up with another who was hosting a small party in the backroom. Since it was a fairly new place with a lot of buzz, I was surprised that it wasn't hard to book a room on a Friday night, but the staff was flexible and attentive.
As you walk in, you're greeted with charming modern Victorian decor and sexy lighting. I'm surprised no other Yelpers have posted pics.
We ordered the Belmont Harbor, Sheffield & Waveland, and Market Days dishes. The Belmont Harbor was AMAZING, with thick juicy bacon and crisp apple slices on perfectly toasted buttery bread. The Sheffield & Waveland was good, but was pretty much a glorified quesadilla. The Market Days was better, especially with the tomato focaccia. The fries that accompanied all three were particularly amazing.
$5 well drinks were the special that night, but I made the mistake of ordering a dirty martini with well vodka. Never again, but that was my mistake. Friends had good drinks with good, hefty pour-tions.
Service was excellent, the staff was always walking by and asking us if we needed anything. Food was served quickly as well.
The music was a great mix of stuff I like (Phoenix - Everything is Everything) and stuff I would be interested in listening to again. Also, there's a photo booth in the back that I will have to give a whirl next time.
I'm coming back for the Belmont Harbor and the visual/aural experience. Hopefully I can still find a seat next time!
Would be awesome if they opened for brunch? Please? -
Review from Jordan B.
Chicago, IL
4/26/2009
My initial impression of the LBC makeover was a fantastic one. The new decor is great and honestly I'm a bit of a grilled-cheese-aholic. Indeed I was not to be disappointed and the food was very good. It did take an unusually long time for them to prepare two grilled cheeses for us though - considering we were the only two people in the restaurant at the time.
Went back for some drinks since then and had a great time. The music was fun and the dancing was good. I was a little upset though that they had advertised free vodka drinks from 9-10 and when we arrived there they told us that it was a misprint and that was actually from 8-9.
If they can get the operational side of things together they have the food thing nailed. I'm not too optimistic though, they already seem to be marred by the same problems that were common at LBC.
