Nice alternative for lunch to the more formal Smith & Wollensky menu upstairs from the grill. Portions are large, staff is friendly, food is delicious. Valet parking available. The views from the dining room are really great.
(5)
Carin F.
Cocktail and bar area downstairs is fine and service is good. Actually, its so-so and a little pricey. The waitstaff really want to be "upstairs" and that's a problem since downstairs appeals to a very different market segment. Get your act together folks!
(3)
Sarah C.
I wish I could give Wollensky's Grill a better review because they did really try, they just missed the mark. Instead of ever asking what we wanted, they just assumed incorrectly. The service was very slow. It took maybe 10 minutes to order a drink, maybe 20 for food. They were not busy at this time. My drink, the "L" car, said it had a ginger sugar rim but arrived with a cinnamon rim and float. Strange. It was average, I didn't taste any ginger (there was also to be ginger liqueur.) We ordered an appetizer, the bbq beef spring rolls, which were the best thing we had. Filled with beef, the sauce was good, and very filling, we couldn't finish them and still have room for entrees. After we had been seated an hour, we asked about our entrees. The server said they wait until the appetizer was finished before bringing them out. (One would think if we were sitting with the appetizer untouched for awhile we might be done.) He then asked if we wanted our food and we said yes. 20 minutes later our food came. My burger (med-rare) was completely raw beef pulp inside, and my boyfriend's chicken was extremely salty. Given that we had about 10 minutes to eat and were relatively full from the spring rolls (I had 1/2 roll,) we didn't eat much. The manager asked how everything was and we told him average. We told him the service was slow and about the chicken (I didn't even mention my burger or the wilted and mostly brown asparagus.) He graciously took the chicken and our drinks off the bill, and said they wanted to keep a customer for life. I appreciate that and his efforts, and he is the only reason they get 2 stars instead of 1.
(2)
Tammy M.
I have gone to Smith & Wollensky's about 20 times this past year and I must say that I absolutely love to see the update to the downstairs bar area. I've always been a huge fan of sitting outside on the river during the summer months to share a bottle of win ... or two but avoided the cave like downstairs bar until now. I have been 4 times since the remodel it's a great meeting spot for a quick beverage before heading out for the evening. When you visit ... make sure to say hello to Mike. He is the friendliest bartender that I have met in River North in a long time. The menu has my new favorite shishito peppers, just ask for light salt!
(4)
Caroline F.
We only each had two drinks and an appetizer. The appetizer was pretty on point. It was the Cup O Bacon...really that sums it up. We had two Moscow Mules which were decently tasty and strong. The bartender was nice and we even enjoyed a Little show...Some drunk business man fell off his chair.
(5)
Susan K.
A very special thanks to Kevin Dillon the General Manager at Wollensky's Grill for making my husband's 50th birthday dinner there so special. They made us feel like VIP's and could not have done more to make the evening more special. Add to that our wonderful meal and service, and it made for a perfect celebration.
(5)
Maria F.
Everything was delicious but I love love the beef bacon and the lobster corn dog. Great atmosphere overlooking the Chicago river.
I've eaten at many fine dining establishments, stateside as well as international. This tops the charts as one of the worst, and it was truly one of the most memorable, disgusting places. First off, the Bloody Mary that one of the people I was dining with ordered was complete tomato water, and they described the taste as 'tomato urine'. When it was brought to the table, it was spilled and they made no move to say sorry or clean it up. Second off, we ordered the roasted romaine hearts, and they were horrible. They were completely soggy and seemed like they had been soaking in water for hours. Next, I had roasted tomatoes and part of them were crunchy. Then, for our next course, someone I was with had days old shrimp that had no flavor and was yellowing, and the best part about their meal was the caper berries that were on it as a garnish. Other than serving is disgusting old shrimp, we were all served completely raw potatoes. What we had ordered were baked potatoes, and we first noticed the issue when we cut into them and they were rock hard. How trained professionals can screw up a baked potato is beyond me. Another one of the people who I was dining with was served an overcooked pork chop that was drowned in what seemed like apple syrup on on top. The pork chop was supposed to have apple sauce on top, but it tasted like apple juice with simple syrup and corn syrup all mixed together. Then, as they were cleaning the table off, they spilled sugar packets all over one of those poor souls who had to endure this restaurant with me. They did not apologize or clean them up. After all this, even with things taken off the bill, it was still fairly expensive. The only people I would recommend this culinary disaster to are my worst enemies. Never eat here unless you feel like throwing up all your internal major organs after.
(1)
Michelle A.
I have been going to S&W for many years and was very pleased to see the current incarnation of the lower level. The bar is twice the size and almost every table has a view looking out over the river. What a refreshing change! And the menu is all new as well. There are smaller plates at more affordable prices. The duck & chicken liver mousse as well of the choicess of burrata plates are outstanding. The drink and beer selections have really brought Wollensky's grill into Chicago's restaurant scene. You must give it a try.
(5)
Joshua E.
Decent drought beer prices for the city and the bar tender was pretty attentive. I didn't get to sample their fare, but the kitchen stays open late into the night if you need some food before heading back to your home or hotel.
(3)
Donni T.
This review is for a dinner I shared with my daughter January 23rd, 2015 -- sorry it is late! We were in town for one night. Drove in from Minneapolis for an audition or my daughter. Wasn't sure how audition would go, and I know she loves a good steak more than anything in the world (except maybe her phone and her boyfriend, but I could be wrong there), so I knew that even if the audition bombed, a steak would cushion the low. I was right. Steak was so good, she didn't even care about the audition! Service was impeccable -- no one looked down on a mom and her daughter. Wait staff so attentive and helpful and friendly -- but not overly so. Seated at a great corner table by the wall of windows. Worried we might've been cold (January in Chicago, ya know), but not the case at all. They have an awesome wine list, and I was thrilled to see they had an extensive list of half bottles. Rewarded my long drive with a Chimney Rock cab --yum! My daughter declared the steak te best one she had ever had. Still talks about it. Can't wait to go back. I also had a steak -- with chimichurri sauce and a side of Brussels sprout and potato hash. Wow! My only prob was that the hash had a fried egg on it, and I don;t do eggs. Oh well: I ate around it. And when the meal was over, I asked the waiter if he could save my leftovers, but remove the egg. No problem, he said. We kept our food carefully packed in ice on the long drive back to Minneapolis the next day, and we happily ate it all as soon as the car was unpacked. For sure going back in fall when my sn graduates from navy boot camp!
(5)
Robert S.
The service was flawless--drinks were filled, food came promptly, the hostess even came over to ask how our meals were. But the prices for this late night tourist trap* are exorbitant. I've never seen a $20 salad, but you'll find it here. And $5 sodas, $15 desserts...you get the idea. Nice, but I wouldn't do it unless I was desperately hungry for filet mignon after midnight and everywhere else was closed. *The entire Loop & River North area turns into a food desert after 10 or 11 pm, so you're sort of stuck with this place since they're open until 1:30am.
(2)
Paul K.
There for conference event. Nice view. Food fine.
(3)
Steve M.
Wollensky's Grill is as expensive as their main restaurant in Marina City. But I guess all good steakhouses do not come cheap. The filet mignon au poivre was served as ordered. Great flavor. Our waiter was very attentive and explained all the dishes. Spectacular river views especially at night.
(4)
Michael J.
Went to the restaurant for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. It was during the time that "Transformers" was being filmed in the area. The waitress had interesting stories about the action near the river and bridges. The space was nice and we got seated at the window. My wife ordered a crab cake sandwich, which the server recommended and it was served cold, one of the cakes had exploded(lost its shape) the waitress noticed and commented but did not offer to take it back. I ordered the steak sandwich with Gorgonzola sauce. The steak was excellent I didn't like the cheese sauce, personally. The other thing is it was called a sandwich and it was served open faced. I wasn't expecting that. I really wanted a sandwich that I could hold in my hand so I was disappointed. Both of our meals were served with fries and they were greasy and cool. We were there at the open of business and maybe being the first customers is a bad position to be in, obviously the fryer wasn't up to temp and the product suffered. We have eaten at the restaurant upstairs and I have never had a better steak anywhere. The Grill is a whole other thing. Expensive and not worth it.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Accepts Bitcoin : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Eva V.
Nice alternative for lunch to the more formal Smith & Wollensky menu upstairs from the grill. Portions are large, staff is friendly, food is delicious. Valet parking available. The views from the dining room are really great.
(5)Carin F.
Cocktail and bar area downstairs is fine and service is good. Actually, its so-so and a little pricey. The waitstaff really want to be "upstairs" and that's a problem since downstairs appeals to a very different market segment. Get your act together folks!
(3)Sarah C.
I wish I could give Wollensky's Grill a better review because they did really try, they just missed the mark. Instead of ever asking what we wanted, they just assumed incorrectly. The service was very slow. It took maybe 10 minutes to order a drink, maybe 20 for food. They were not busy at this time. My drink, the "L" car, said it had a ginger sugar rim but arrived with a cinnamon rim and float. Strange. It was average, I didn't taste any ginger (there was also to be ginger liqueur.) We ordered an appetizer, the bbq beef spring rolls, which were the best thing we had. Filled with beef, the sauce was good, and very filling, we couldn't finish them and still have room for entrees. After we had been seated an hour, we asked about our entrees. The server said they wait until the appetizer was finished before bringing them out. (One would think if we were sitting with the appetizer untouched for awhile we might be done.) He then asked if we wanted our food and we said yes. 20 minutes later our food came. My burger (med-rare) was completely raw beef pulp inside, and my boyfriend's chicken was extremely salty. Given that we had about 10 minutes to eat and were relatively full from the spring rolls (I had 1/2 roll,) we didn't eat much. The manager asked how everything was and we told him average. We told him the service was slow and about the chicken (I didn't even mention my burger or the wilted and mostly brown asparagus.) He graciously took the chicken and our drinks off the bill, and said they wanted to keep a customer for life. I appreciate that and his efforts, and he is the only reason they get 2 stars instead of 1.
(2)Tammy M.
I have gone to Smith & Wollensky's about 20 times this past year and I must say that I absolutely love to see the update to the downstairs bar area. I've always been a huge fan of sitting outside on the river during the summer months to share a bottle of win ... or two but avoided the cave like downstairs bar until now. I have been 4 times since the remodel it's a great meeting spot for a quick beverage before heading out for the evening. When you visit ... make sure to say hello to Mike. He is the friendliest bartender that I have met in River North in a long time. The menu has my new favorite shishito peppers, just ask for light salt!
(4)Caroline F.
We only each had two drinks and an appetizer. The appetizer was pretty on point. It was the Cup O Bacon...really that sums it up. We had two Moscow Mules which were decently tasty and strong. The bartender was nice and we even enjoyed a Little show...Some drunk business man fell off his chair.
(5)Susan K.
A very special thanks to Kevin Dillon the General Manager at Wollensky's Grill for making my husband's 50th birthday dinner there so special. They made us feel like VIP's and could not have done more to make the evening more special. Add to that our wonderful meal and service, and it made for a perfect celebration.
(5)Maria F.
Everything was delicious but I love love the beef bacon and the lobster corn dog. Great atmosphere overlooking the Chicago river.
(5)Esmé C.
I've eaten at many fine dining establishments, stateside as well as international. This tops the charts as one of the worst, and it was truly one of the most memorable, disgusting places. First off, the Bloody Mary that one of the people I was dining with ordered was complete tomato water, and they described the taste as 'tomato urine'. When it was brought to the table, it was spilled and they made no move to say sorry or clean it up. Second off, we ordered the roasted romaine hearts, and they were horrible. They were completely soggy and seemed like they had been soaking in water for hours. Next, I had roasted tomatoes and part of them were crunchy. Then, for our next course, someone I was with had days old shrimp that had no flavor and was yellowing, and the best part about their meal was the caper berries that were on it as a garnish. Other than serving is disgusting old shrimp, we were all served completely raw potatoes. What we had ordered were baked potatoes, and we first noticed the issue when we cut into them and they were rock hard. How trained professionals can screw up a baked potato is beyond me. Another one of the people who I was dining with was served an overcooked pork chop that was drowned in what seemed like apple syrup on on top. The pork chop was supposed to have apple sauce on top, but it tasted like apple juice with simple syrup and corn syrup all mixed together. Then, as they were cleaning the table off, they spilled sugar packets all over one of those poor souls who had to endure this restaurant with me. They did not apologize or clean them up. After all this, even with things taken off the bill, it was still fairly expensive. The only people I would recommend this culinary disaster to are my worst enemies. Never eat here unless you feel like throwing up all your internal major organs after.
(1)Michelle A.
I have been going to S&W for many years and was very pleased to see the current incarnation of the lower level. The bar is twice the size and almost every table has a view looking out over the river. What a refreshing change! And the menu is all new as well. There are smaller plates at more affordable prices. The duck & chicken liver mousse as well of the choicess of burrata plates are outstanding. The drink and beer selections have really brought Wollensky's grill into Chicago's restaurant scene. You must give it a try.
(5)Joshua E.
Decent drought beer prices for the city and the bar tender was pretty attentive. I didn't get to sample their fare, but the kitchen stays open late into the night if you need some food before heading back to your home or hotel.
(3)Donni T.
This review is for a dinner I shared with my daughter January 23rd, 2015 -- sorry it is late! We were in town for one night. Drove in from Minneapolis for an audition or my daughter. Wasn't sure how audition would go, and I know she loves a good steak more than anything in the world (except maybe her phone and her boyfriend, but I could be wrong there), so I knew that even if the audition bombed, a steak would cushion the low. I was right. Steak was so good, she didn't even care about the audition! Service was impeccable -- no one looked down on a mom and her daughter. Wait staff so attentive and helpful and friendly -- but not overly so. Seated at a great corner table by the wall of windows. Worried we might've been cold (January in Chicago, ya know), but not the case at all. They have an awesome wine list, and I was thrilled to see they had an extensive list of half bottles. Rewarded my long drive with a Chimney Rock cab --yum! My daughter declared the steak te best one she had ever had. Still talks about it. Can't wait to go back. I also had a steak -- with chimichurri sauce and a side of Brussels sprout and potato hash. Wow! My only prob was that the hash had a fried egg on it, and I don;t do eggs. Oh well: I ate around it. And when the meal was over, I asked the waiter if he could save my leftovers, but remove the egg. No problem, he said. We kept our food carefully packed in ice on the long drive back to Minneapolis the next day, and we happily ate it all as soon as the car was unpacked. For sure going back in fall when my sn graduates from navy boot camp!
(5)Robert S.
The service was flawless--drinks were filled, food came promptly, the hostess even came over to ask how our meals were. But the prices for this late night tourist trap* are exorbitant. I've never seen a $20 salad, but you'll find it here. And $5 sodas, $15 desserts...you get the idea. Nice, but I wouldn't do it unless I was desperately hungry for filet mignon after midnight and everywhere else was closed. *The entire Loop & River North area turns into a food desert after 10 or 11 pm, so you're sort of stuck with this place since they're open until 1:30am.
(2)Paul K.
There for conference event. Nice view. Food fine.
(3)Steve M.
Wollensky's Grill is as expensive as their main restaurant in Marina City. But I guess all good steakhouses do not come cheap. The filet mignon au poivre was served as ordered. Great flavor. Our waiter was very attentive and explained all the dishes. Spectacular river views especially at night.
(4)Michael J.
Went to the restaurant for lunch on a Tuesday afternoon. It was during the time that "Transformers" was being filmed in the area. The waitress had interesting stories about the action near the river and bridges. The space was nice and we got seated at the window. My wife ordered a crab cake sandwich, which the server recommended and it was served cold, one of the cakes had exploded(lost its shape) the waitress noticed and commented but did not offer to take it back. I ordered the steak sandwich with Gorgonzola sauce. The steak was excellent I didn't like the cheese sauce, personally. The other thing is it was called a sandwich and it was served open faced. I wasn't expecting that. I really wanted a sandwich that I could hold in my hand so I was disappointed. Both of our meals were served with fries and they were greasy and cool. We were there at the open of business and maybe being the first customers is a bad position to be in, obviously the fryer wasn't up to temp and the product suffered. We have eaten at the restaurant upstairs and I have never had a better steak anywhere. The Grill is a whole other thing. Expensive and not worth it.
(1)