Tru
| Address: | 676 N St Clair St, Chicago, IL 60611, USA |
| Phone: | +1 312-202-0001 |
| Site: | trurestaurant.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | Closed 6–9PM 6–9PM 6–9PM 6–10PM 5–10PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 9
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Juan Placencia
I remember when my wife and I were first dating Id often be on the search for interesting places to take her. Invariably Id end up reading some article or review or restaurant list singing Trus praises, but one look at the "$$$$" symbol told me Id have to wait for the bank account to be a bit more robust before I could indulge. Weve been married 10 years now, and I figured it was time to finally book that elusive table. After so many years, I suppose my anticipation was high, yet every single expectation was met and exceeded. From the moment the valet met us outside Trus doors to when the host escorted us back to our car well past midnight, the service at Tru is impeccable. Never intrusive but always prompt, the staffs attentiveness hinted we were about to experience a special dining experience. The staffs attention never seemed forced, rather, it seemed everyone involved had a vested interest in our enjoyment. The pace of service, too, was perfect. New dishes came out at ideal intervals allowing time in between for conversation and sips of wine. Trus wine list is vast and seemingly overwhelming, but the sommelier, obviously well versed in the cellars holdings, made a flawless recommendation after asking us a few appropriate questions about our preferences. Furthermore, a cocktail I ordered was delicately mixed and we were delighted to find Tru carries one of our favorite mezcals. It would have been a shame had the cuisine not matched the superb service, but no worries at all here. The caviar we sampled (Italian Royal ossetra) had a rich palate, was beautifully presented, and matched extremely well with the unfiltered sake we were recommended. Henceforth, we were treated to the varied profiles of Chef Anthony Martins prix fixe menu. We found each successive dish to be a victory, but especially memorable for me was the butternut squash soup, smoked trout roe, duroc pork belly, quince champagne sorbet, the white truffle. Summing it all together, Tru proved absolutely unforgettable dining. It was a joy from start to finish, and Im glad I found the restaurant cost-prohibitive in my youth as Im certain the younger me wouldnt have appreciated the finer points of the experience. Bravo to Tru: a Chicago treasure.
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Stephen Alpern
Tru aims for perfection and comes pretty close. We dined here on a busy Saturday night. First, the room is beautiful and you are immediately made to feel welcome. My wife and I had the 11 course "Experience" with wine pairings. Most of the courses were truly outstanding and the rest were extremely good. The pacing of the food was always almost perfect and unlike some tasting menus the portions were not too large. The service was almost always spot on. To be hones we did have a couple of glitches in the service, but when they were brought to the attention of management, they were extremely apologetic and committed to making things right, which was done. Every restaurant makes mistakes. The real test of a great establishment is how they deal with them and Tru met the test. We would recommend Tru without hesitation to anyone who wants an exceptional dining experience.
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A Private User
I am 21 and went there for my birthday and a former culinary student. The waiters didnt know what to do with me due to my age and they seemed to think I was stupid! Honestly I can make most of the dishes they served me on my own. They dont give you enough food and then try to compensate by filling you up with cheap substandard bread. Also, god forbid you drop crumbs anywhere on their white napkins because the crumb waiter will come out of no where and begin to anally sweep the crumbs off your table. I felt like I was getting gang banged by the waiters who thought I was an idiot. I understand that its fine dining but there should be a picture of that place next to the word "pretentious" in the dictionary. The upside was the one waiter who was african american and he treated me like an adult. I wouldnt go back there again.
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A Private User
Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice - never again. Gave TRU a second chance and they proved the first one was not an anomaly. Very simply - food is creative, tasty, great - service and attitude was terrible the first time and worst the second. Our servers tried extremely hard to make us feel unwelcome, and in fact, acted as if they were barely willing to do us a favor. For us, you can offer mediocre food with great service and we will be back. Offer great food with absolutely terrible and unappreciative service - FORGET ABOUT IT! What made this a particularly painful experience is spending over $700 for 2 at a second rate place!
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Gina Hellman
I have a mixed feeling, very complicated mixed feeling toward this place. I am impressed by the service and wait staff, yet disappointed by the cold and uninviting interior decor. Sure, they probably strive for the minimalism, but minimalism does not conflict with being warm and inviting. Not to mention you are bound to sit there for at least three hours and to drop more than a few hundred bucks. A warm and fuzzy feeling isnt too much to ask, right?! Food and presentation are substantial, but yet to be exquisite. Good backup plan when you cant get reservation at Alinea or Next ;)
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A Private User
This was probably the most expensive restaurant I have ever dined in. If you are going for the food, dont bother. However, the dining experience is superb! The miniscule portions arent meant to satisfy your appetite, nor was it particularly flavorful. However, the presentation and service from the wait staff was the best Ive ever seen. This restaurant is meant for that "special occasion". With all of that said, Tru wasnt really my "style". If I was looking for a good time, with a relaxed atmosphere, there a number of other fantastic Chicago eateries I would recommend!
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Amy Ravit Korin
The final stop on the Google Chicago Keepin It Classy Crawl was truly a special experience. Seated in the lounge, our group of 12 enjoyed a new cocktail, "Scottsmen can Take A Punch," consisting of Glenmorangie 10 year, Chartreuse, Green tea and Ginger. So great, I had 2! I pushed my culinary threshold a bit further trying for the first time white sturgeon "caviar" with avocado and hazelnut. So rich and delicious that I finished off my husbands and cant believe how much I enjoyed this delicacy. I love the modern art on the walls and the plush velvet chairs, classy & comfy!
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A Private User
Let me start with the good parts. Its a really nice place, and the service is excellent. The food however, nothing to write home about. The lobster was chewy and overcooked, the beef was flavorless and the gnocchi were just average. The positives - Excellent wine list. The caviar was fantastic, and they offered a great selection of cheeses. Maybe Monday was a bad day? were they training people in the kitchen? I really wasnt impressed at all by the food. Not on par at all with other fine dining in Chicago that is a little less expensive.
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Cathy Kempf
sleek, luxe interior and expertly attentive service. servers & some of the presentations can be intimidating (just how do you gracefully eat a staircase of caviar that looks as if it arrived from las vegas?), but we made it our goal to get the staff to laugh (ok, smile at least). if you show enough interest, expect an invitation to tour the amazing kitchen. spectacular, inventive and artful mixing of flavors and textures. dont skip the finishing cheese course ;it was the best weve ever had. of course, the wine selection was oh-baby.
