Elske

Reviews 18

AS

Ashley Perrotin

Best dining experience in a long time. The entrance is on the side of the building, past a great smelling, crackling outdoor fireplace which adds to the wonderful ambiance of the restaurant. It feels so easy to relax and enjoy yourself because the restaurant has a special kind of warmth. We were lucky enough to be seated with a view of the kitchen. Our server could point to specific sections of the kitchen to explain how the vegetable tea was made. Elske offers great choices from the tasting and a la carte menu. Elske recommends the table chooses either one or the other so your company is not watching you eat while you wait for the a la carte items. They let us bend the rules. We ordered the tasting menu and two items from the a la carte (Grilled sepia with kohlrabi and freekah and Soft scrambled eggs with confit chicken thigh and crispy grains). We were blown away. Everything was delicious, presented beautifully, and the perfect portion. None of the items had me feeling like I could make it at home! My favorite was the Grilled sepia from the a la carte and the Tea of lightly smoked fruits and vegetables from the tasting menu. I went to Alineas re-opening week as well and Elske blew them out of the water for nearly a tenth of the cost. Thoroughly impressed by how well they trained their staff, designed the restaurant, and created the menu. After searching for a critique, the only thing I could think of would be being seated too close to other tables in the booth section. It takes away from the intimacy. Would give them 10 stars if I could. HIGHLY recommend.

---

KE

Kenn Stern

Seems to be part of a trend of well appointed dining rooms and exprienced waitstaff, but a kitchen that doesnt quite have the chops. I wont complain about portion size becuase this aint Burger King or an All You Can Eat Buffet. Portions can be quite small during an 8 course meal, so long as - I dont know how to put this more simply - the food tastes good. My wife and I dined here last night and were sorely dissapointed in the quality of the food. Generally, dishes were either undercooked (warm leek salad with hollandaise and cheddar cheese), over-salted (cod) , or just did not taste very good. (ice cream desert of some sort - not very memorable) At about course three, I just wanted to go home and have a bowl of Raisin Bran. I should mention that the waitstaff was very effective, and the restaurant itself pleasantly decorated and comfortable. But I really came for the food. And on that point, this was an extreme dissapointment. Wont be back.

---

CU

Curry Glanton

This restaurant was so hyped that I was really looking forward to our dinner. We did the tasting menu with the wine pairing. Initially, the price for the tasting menu seemed like a great value, but after eating there, we changed our minds. The two main courses (swordfish and then something like short rib) were very good. The other courses (3 small courses to start, a vegetable dish and dessert) were just okay at best. No one in our party left feeling "satisfied." We all felt like it needed another savory dish. The staff was friendly, but didnt do a great job explaining the dishes. The atmosphere was great, but in the end, the mediocracy of most of the dishes didnt justify the price.

---

BI

Bill Wachs

definitely coming back!! Sat at the bar, my wife and I enjoyed the tasting menu with excellent wine pairings. Even with cold December temps and snow falling - or maybe because of - the beautiful outdoor fire place and seating was an inviting setting. Flavors were delicate and ranging - the roasted veggies and smoked tea starter set the bar and continued to be raised with a brisket and creamed Brussels sprout serving as a well matched pairing. Our dessert may have been the most pleasant of surprises. A lovely setting (snow falling adding to the feeling we could have been in Copenhagen) and friendly and knowledgeable staff.

---

CH

Chris K

The food is fantastic but the portions are really tiny. We left the restaurant semi-hungry after the tasting menu. Quality wise only one out of 8 dishes did not really fit our tastes. Note though that first three dishes are finger food - more like pre-appetizer rather than first course. Wine pairings were excellent with fantastic Riesling to start. Overall I think they will get first star in next Michelin round but they could really improve the size of dishes.

---

JO

John Sweetwood

Very high quality food and excellent service but the portions are SMALL. I enjoyed my dinner and the ambience but I could have had two of everything I ordered. Have a snack before you go and everything should be fine. A beautiful space for an intimate dinner if the austere Scandinavian thing is your aesthetic. If not for the very small portions it would be a 4+.

---

WE

Wesley Muirheid

Food was good, but it took too long to be served between courses. 4 people ordered all 10 a la cart items and it took 2.5 hrs. Plus we had to point out we didnt get one of the courses. Our waiter was friendly and attentive. It seemed as though he had too many tables to be as effective as we expected the service to be for the hype of this restaurant.

---

ST

Stephen Suydam

The staff was amazing and the smells are terrific. The interior is extremely bland and we were misled by the portion sizes. We were told 4 plates would be good for two and it was insufficient. The food was average except for the deserts. Those were amazing. If I go back it is for cocktails and desserts and the delicious smell of wood fire.

---

PA

Paquita Poindexter

Food was lovely blend of flavors. We did the al a carte menu. The celeraic risotta was a tasty surprise. The pork went vwry well with sunchokes and quince. Service was perfection. The staff does the little things. For example, the hostess had my coat ready as I walked up to the desk.

---

CH

Chris B

Very cozy place with great cocktails. The food was amazing and enjoyed the brisket and pork. I was not disappointed by the main food choices. I would skip the dessert as we tries the cheescake and rye bread pudding. Some people with a more refined palette might enjoy the desserts.

---

DA

Dahneeel Thorne

Had a great experience @Elske. Great soft lighting (ambiance). Had the tasting menu. I enjoyed the 8 courses. First time experience. I was able to enjoy different and new flavors. I recommend you experience this @Westloop.

---

BL

Blaine Willhoft

Excellent, well-crafted food. The portions are not large - go for the bread at the beginning, its good and will help - but it was enough for us. We had a great evening and would definitely come again.

---

AL

Alexander Beck

There were a handful of hiccups in terms of service. However, those were more than made up for by the quality of the food and the genuine care of the staff. Definitely worth a visit.

---

MA

Matthew Guth

Friendly knowledgeable staff, beautiful atmosphere, and amazing food and drinks. I can see why they are on the top lists for Chicago restaurants.

---

EU

Eugene Lorman

Great atmosphere indoors and on the patio. The tasting menu was very imaginative yet familiar. Great service to match the food and decor.

---

JO

Joey Hogh

Would describe Elske as average. Considering the hype I was expecting more. Pricing is excessive. Chicago offers better options.

---

CO

Collin Waters

Celebrated our 12th anniversary here - beautiful outdoor space, great staff, and delicious choices. A great cozy night

---

JU

Julie Krueger

Amazing. Completely unexpected food quality. Great vibe. I cant wait to come back in the summer to do e AL fresco!

---

---