Kelsey "The Wikiwanderer" C.'s Profile

I usually tend to go with the trend when it comes to my opinion on Yelp, but I have to respectfully disagree with my Yelping peers.  We had the most fabulous experience dining here last night and would HIGHLY recommend it.  When I lived in the South Loop I always wanted to go here but had neither the occasion nor the moolah to do so, but when we needed a good steak house for a birthday we jumped at the chance to form our own opinion about The Chicago Firehouse.
We walked in and were pleasantly greeted by the manager who personally seated us.  Our SA filled our glasses within 30 seconds of being seated and our server brought us the wine list as soon as everyone had settled in.  He was very knowledgeable about the wine selections and offered to let us see the bottles as well if we weren't sure which we'd like.  Being both foodies and winos, we had no problem selecting our wine for the evening but we did ask for his suggestions on entrees.  We ordered the Ahi Tuna Steak, lamb chops, filet trio, and bone-in prime rib.  The Ahi was pepper crusted and was served rare.  The pepper added a nice dimension to the slightly-sweet steak and it was incredible.  I LOVE lamb chops and wow, these were perfection.  The were very lightly seasoned and so tender that they practically melted in your mouth.  I've had good chops before, but these were better than those at David Burke's Primehouse, Morton's, Wildfire, or Keefer's.  The filet trio used great cuts of meat and their flavors were each unique and delish and the bone-in prime rib was marbled perfectly.  For sides, their mushrooms were fresh and awesome and the cream of spinach was surprisingly awesome, seeing as how I'm not usually a big fan.
The wait staff was incredibly attentive, the decor stunning, and the food was second-to-none when looking for a quality steak house.  The best part?  The entire staff knew that there was a birthday at the table and they took time to wish him a Happy B-day as well as bring him some homemade cookies, but there was no creepily uncomfortable song along with it which is greatly appreciated.   Two really big thumbs up!

Wow, is the staff helpful here, or what?!?!  We've never been there for grooming, but we've gotten a bunch of treats there and they have offered to order our dog's food for us and even price match!!  WOW!!  Blown away!  They also do $10 nail trims which is great.  They're completely professional and all around awesome.  LOVE YOU, SOGGY PAWS!!

We were looking for a good BYOB in the area and we heard from a little birdie (Yelpers) that this place was a spot to check out.  The food was good, but not the best that we've had in the city.  The decor was really dynamic and I liked the dividers so that each table felt a little more private than other spots in the city.  I really do have to agree with everything that Rob L says though.  It did feel slightly sterile and it was dark.  The dishes were also small for the prices, which seems to be an annoying trend lately.  Just because you're making awesome food and using great techniques doesn't mean that you need to have to make the dishes super tiny.  You're already charging a premium for the work you're putting into them, give us a little bit more so we can not only enjoy it, but also feel somewhat fed.  Yes, I know, it's European to do smaller dishes, and that's great, but FEED us.  By the time I got into my SUPER delicious lobster enchiladas they were almost gone.  

The food was great and I would recommend it, but not on a night where you go there really hungry.  We really enjoyed the pumpkin flower and cream cheese taquitos, seabass al pastor, figs and coconut ante, and pineapple rice pudding.  When you look on their website, it gives you a good idea of their menu but you have to keep in mind that they do buy a lot of their products fresh, so their menu frequently changes based on what is freshest that day.  They will have what is on their site, but they will also have other dishes.  Ask your server what they recommend because they will most likely be able to figure out what's best on the menu for you.  ENJOY!!

This place was totally great and I hope that Kzoo can support it.  The atmosphere channeled the spirit of city wine bars and the staff was friendly and knowledgeable.  The prices were a little high for Kzoo with the small plates that were served, but they weren't unreasonable.  I'm really glad that there is another great downtown option for a night out.

We ordered the ceviche, the caprese, and the portobello ravioli.  All were great, although it's hard to hard to really judge the menu because it is seasonal and changed frequently.  The only advice that I would give the owners is that the tables can be small for food, so staggering the dishes a little bit more would make for easier dining.

We went there for a Saturday breakfast and was excited by the decor.  See, from my past experiences, the places that appear somewhat questionable serve the most delicious dishes.  We sat down for some rooibos tea and our pleasant server was patient with our utter indecision.  We took forever to order, but she didn't seem to mind one bit.  I made my own spin on the Greek crepe and it was great.  I had them make mine with egg whites and spinach and they did a great job.  The olives were Greek-style but had a chutney-inspired flavor.  We also ordered a crepe nutella, which I highly recommend.  Brought back memories of living in France and anytime that a creperie can bring back those memories, it's a good thing.

I went to the Ruby Room thanks to Groupon and I was thoroughly impressed.  I got a 90-minute massage and the therapist was attentive and thorough.  The staff there was all very helpful and I would recommend their massages to a friend.  Their prices were high, but I wouldn't say that they were unreasonable. Show owner comment »

We ordered from GrubHub tonight and the food from Thai Aroma was pretty darn good.  Good enough to order from there again, but not good enough to order from there if we're in the delivery range of The Spice on Milwaukee and Diversey.  Good?  Yeah, I'll give them that.  Awesome?  Nah, not so much, but good enough to order again if we're in their delivery  area.

Okay, so I like it, but Danny's is a really, um, strange-ish place.  Talk about hipsters unite!  I like the prices of the drinks here, but the music was okay, the scene was unique, and it can best be described as an experience.  It reminds me of what I picture a lot of bars in this area to be like about 20 years ago.

We went there on a random, blustery weekday during my stint as a "full-time student" and we met some regulars who were great.  It's pretty tiny, which puts it below the Ohio Dog Park and it doesn't really have any amenities like the Churchill Dog Park, but it was great for meeting some new dogs and getting some exercise.  We'd definitely go back!

I have no idea how one can earn a 5-star rating for being a laundromat, but 4-stars seemed appropriate.  It was impeccably clean and well-managed, the machines were great, and the staff was helpful.  I despise my ridiculously tiny washer/dryer combo thingy a little less thanks to Spin Cycle!