Reviews of Acadia (Restaurant)

Scott Suchyta

To start, this a very high-quality, two Michelin Star restaurant. I was not disappointed, but my review reflects how I found the quality and meal experience relative to expectation and cost. It was a very enjoyable meal, with great service. But I didn't feel very connected to the kitchen/staff and I didn't feel like there was a narrative to the meal. The food was very good, but it didn't feel like there was one perfect dish. Overall, everything felt very good but not great. I left having had a high quality meal, but without feeling like I want and have to come back.

Michael Puzen

A truly amazing experience. The food lived up to accolades. We started with cocktails at the bar and everyone was hand crafted. Mine even have fresh smoked wood in the glass before the liquids made their way. Would recommend grabbing a drink before your meal. The tasting menu we had was set up for a corporate event and very well done. My personal favorite was the lobster bisque. Definitely head there for an amazing meal and wonderful service.

Corey Becker

Start saving now, because it's not cheap, but it will be an unforgettable meal that you'll be talking about for years. So much thought and attention is put into every dish that they all turn out perfectly. Service is impeccable. Food is life-changing. What else do you need? Oh, that's right, several hundred dollars for 2 people. Still worth it for a very special occasion.

Cynthia L

Phenomenal food and service!! From lobster rolls to desserts, always an amazing experience! They deserved their Michelin *s

Niharika Malhotra

Impeccable from start to finish. An experience to splurge on. The service was flawless and the food from the first canape bite to the last petite four was to die for. Our sommelier was knowledgeable and the wine flight was beautiful. I was so impressed with their attention to detail. Thanks for a wonderful night.

Michael Melzer

Well earned reputation for fantastic food but the real gem is the bar - contender for best in the city

Hexu Wang

An OK Michelin 2 stars. Very good service, detailed explanation and introduction. Tho food is just not very impressive, love the foie sundae, and this is the only dish I want to try again, and also the only dish I remember few days later. However, fast and easy reservation. The bar is also a nice place to hangout, light mood vibes. Excellent skilled bartender here. Old fashioned is my standard drink, and their Rich Gamble (I think it their kind of old-fashioned) fits my taste.

Caroline Thomas

This is a 2 Michelin star restaurant and for me although the food was very beautiful and it was good, it just wasn't truly epic. We were slightly disappointed in the flavours and execution. Fair warning I had vegetarian menu and it was lacking but husband had regular and he wasn't impressed. Most expensive meal we had but not the best meal we had in Chicago.

Arkadiy Malyutin

Fabulous experience. Very upscale nice and professional service, modern and elegant ambiance, and incredibly creative and delicious food. From start to finish our experience was pure delight. The only sorrow in the eye was the view of reconstruction that you can't help but see through their windows. I understand that it's not the restaurant fault, but the issue is easily correctable by covering the window glass with a design window glass cover that is sold in any home improvement store. This solution would be affordable and used temporarily if not needed any more. If it wouldn't be for the view our experience would be just perfect and in spite of this tiny flaw we plan to return when we are in Chicago.

Corey Simons

Good food, a gem in south loop

yannis guerra

Great quality ingredients, innovative approach to dishes, great wine pairing

Cale Cote

Normally I would have given this place 3.5. It was nice, but was pretty expensive. $175 for the 10 course isn't cheap and my expectations were higher. The carpeting and lighting seemed harsh and not up to par with other restaurants on food or atmosphere. El Ideas and almost any place on Randolph was much better, and I would recommend it first. The food was overall underwhelming, and every course but one was cold, I'm not sure if this was intentional or not. Our drink order was also messed up twice. It wasn't till the end of the meal that I was surprised. I remember looking over at the table next to us and I was excited for a steak looking course. When I wasn't served, I assumed the other table had gotten the 5 course so we had different meals. While leaving the hostess gave us a menu of the meal we had just had. Once I got home I read the menu and realized we never got the Veal Sweetbreads. It's shocking that this could happen. I left disappointed in the meal, but was more frustrated after reading I missed a course. I would not recommend this restaurant.

Julie Begley-Schmidt

The food was good. The appetizer and dessert were really good. The service was outstanding. It was hard to hail a cab after dinner because it's in the far south loop, but the valet stood in the middle of the street to hail one for us.

Ilhan uzel

Interesting experience to say the least. Went there during a short trip to Chicago partially based on persistent promotion of their dishes on official Michelin Instagram site. Tasting menu was overwhelming in two ways: too many dishes and too many ingredients for each dish , some of which were fine but not memorable enough to go back . I’m not sure how Michelin rates restaurants objectively but two stars in France, NYC and Chicago are not equivalent.

Philip McGilvray

I was lucky enough to partake in a full tasting menu experience at Acadia and I won’t soon forget it. Every piece was perfect, the food, the service, the pairings, perfect. Additionally, I’ve had a number of exceptional nights at their bar room; where the food is the same quality and, I would argue, very fairly priced for what you receive. The cocktails are second to none, and the bar staff are a treat. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Chad Smith

Best dining experience I've ever had!

Brad Carson

Go to the bar (no reservations) get the Acadia Burger ($15 and one of the best in the city). Thank me later.

Tricia Santana

One of my top spots for american food. Service is awesome even when they are busy. This place has an awesome atmosphere.

Lucy Xiao

Very creative presentation with well balanced flavour. The vegetable dishes won my heart even though I'm a meat lovers. Lovely experience over all!

Jimmy Willingham

Wonderful

Mitchell Lee

Great new spot! Wonderful food and an incredible atmosphere to dine in. I felt really comfortable here, even though it was a nice restaurant. Only downside is that it's a little hard to find.

Bradley Rose

Impeccable from start to finish. An experience to splurge on. The service was flawless and the food from the first canape bite to the last petite four was to die for. Our sommelier was knowledgeable and the wine flight was beautiful. I was so impressed with their attention to detail. Thanks for a wonderful night, I'll be back!

Pat Diaz

What a wonderful experience we had. First off be ready to blow $500 per person or don't go. By far the most expensive meal I've ever purchased but worth it for a truly special evening. We went with the tasting menu with all the add ons and everything was amazing. Each dish was incredible both to the eyes and mouth. I also enjoyed the wine pairing with it and that really made the flavors pop! If I were to do it again I would split the add ons as we couldn't finish all the food. At first I felt like we were rushing through the menu as I'd never had an experience like that before. Nope it took 3.5 hours to eat dinner and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Kelsey Reitz

Smashin' cocktail, Lobster roll, Lobster pie - all yes. I wasn't a fan of their Old Fashioned - too many bitters for me. Service was very good. Also, noticed that there is a private room for groups which I thought was interesting. Next time I go back, I'd like to sit at the bar and try the burger and some of their other cocktails!

Michael

Food = Great Service = Great They made a memorable night even better. They are down to earth people with upscale food in an upscale setting.

Anthony Jacko

An amazing experience!

Torrie Boyland

Very exquisite reasturant you must make reservations. On the expensive side.

Matthew Waldrop

2 stars because I'm holding it to the standard of a Michelin 2 star restaurant. I would probably give it 3.5 stars if it didn't have any Michelin stars. To begin, we had a reservation for four for the tasting menu at 5pm on a Friday night. We arrived about 10 mins prior to our reservation only to find that the door was locked. We noticed a couple sitting at the bar inside and there was staff walking around but we were forced to wait outside in the bitter cold until 5:02 when the doors were opened. Prior to the beginning of service, our server confirmed that we had one individual in our party who had a gluten allergy. To a preference for no gluten, but a "I will be in the bathroom all night if I eat gluten" allergy. Then the amuse bouche comes out and lo-and-behold it's sitting on a fried pastry shell. We ask the server if this contains gluten to which they respond they don't know and will ask the kitchen. They return to say that there is only a small amount of gluten and "you should be fine". I felt that if this would have been a peanut allergy, it would be absolutely ludicrous for a chef to say "there is only a tiny bit of peanut in there, you should be fine", but that is the response we received. This process would repeat itself again when the petit fours were brought out and one consisted of a layered chocolate tort. We again asked if it contained gluten, the server returned to the kitchen to ask pastry and then come to inform us that pastry said there was only a tiny bit of flour and that it shouldn't be an issue. Our last service issue was when our second dessert course was brought out. It consisted of ice cream, with a white chocolate sphere, and what I believe was green matcha bread. The bread-free plate was served to me and not the individual who was actually allergic. I didn't notice until I was almost done with the dish and looked around to see the matcha bread on other peoples plates but not mine. The individual with the allergy received the plate with the bread. My wife and I have dined at a handful of Michelin stared restaurants to include Alinea, Per Se, Le Bernardin, Joel Robuchon, and Boca. All in all, it was just not service that one would expect from a Michelin starred restaurant. We are not pretentious when it comes to fine dining and I have never actually complained to a restaurant because I don't think I am qualified to critique a chef, but if there was ever a time when I wanted to more than ever it was during this dining experience. As for the food, it was very underwhelming with one dish barely palatable. The standouts for me were the lobster in the Tom Kha inspired sauce (I'm a huge Thai food fan so me enjoying this was surely a given) although it's presentation left a little to be desired. The other was the main dessert course discussed above. The pasta dish with white truffle and bonito flakes was insanely over-seasoned. The truffle was not fresh and provided no savoriness to the dish, and the dish was extremely over-salted to the point that it was inedible and I like salt. Often in my cooking my wife claims that I over-salt my dishes but this dish was on another level. Lastly the Wagyu supplement for $65 was not only a waste of money but was a terribly composed dish of what is otherwise a great cut of protein. The beef was literally served between two pieces of grilled white bread accompanied by some mayo and greens with a lemon. I lost a little faith in Michelin that night as a reliable restaurant reviewer. Had this restaurant not had any stars and was a quarter of of the price I would have chocked it up to be an off night with a new kitchen possibly rolling out a new menu. However, when a restaurant has two stars and you are paying what you do, you expect to have a level of service and food that is commiserate with their Michelin rating and for Acadia, they just did not deliver.

Ryan Brunner

Delicious food, friendly service, and wonderful ambience. I just took my wife here the other night for an early Valentine's Day date. We sat at he bar this time. The two bartenders were both entertaining and professional. The cocktail menu is wonderful, and the tasting menu varied. We got the burger, which was AMAZING. Seriously, top 5 I've ever eaten. We also got the Lobster roll, which was delicious, but pretty small. Understandable I suppose, I just wish there was more of it. Still, this is an amazing restaurant, and we love going here. Totally worth the money!

Megan Price

The food was delicious. The atmosphere was very nice. I would definitely go again.

Van Tran

Love this place. Although we only got to sit at the bar but the food was still phenomenal!!! I had the lobster sandwich and the steak tartare - Perfection!!! Will definitely come back for the 10 course menu the next time I'm back in Chicago.

John Rosensweig

Went for the Shanghai New Years event. Worst meal I've ever had at a Michelin restaurant and one of the worst meals I've ever had period. Not worthy of the $175 per person on NYE. Frankly, I wouldn't pay $20 per person on a Tuesday for this meal. The service and food were so bad it ruined my New Years. I can't say enough negative things about this place. There are so many good restaurants in Chicago. Don't waste your time with this place. They don't even deserve a Michelin Bib, let alone two stars. It's a disgrace to the Michelin Guide that they've recommended Acadia.

James Winthroop

Delicious red meat. Enough said.

Alexander Beck

The service here was second to none. Seriously flawless.

Julie Cogan

The restaurant was beautifully decorated. The service was impeccable and the burger was the best I have had in chicago.

Yibin Yang

Great place. The service and environment are both excellent, and the dishes are delicious in general with a few that are outstanding, such as the risotto and the chili macarons.

Nancy Antunez

Great for a food experience and excellent service!

Dalt Brewsher

After having visited an exellent 1-star in NYC a few months before - This fantastic place topped it. The experiments with the food were just right. The service was good. What really amazed me was the Wine pairing. It added a dimention to the experience I have not tried before. Will highly recommend to everyone who appriciate gourmet food with some experimental touch and appriciate fine wine.

Jon Tomell

Can I give it 6 stars? When I asked the bartender what he liked he said "the grilled cheese will change your life!" I can honestly say it did. Great cocktails too

Phillip Knoll

Fantastic gourmet cuisine with exquisite attention to detail, knowledgeable staff and expert wine pairings. Well worth the price and worth a return!

Linh Huynh

Everything is top notch!

Kristopher Kubicki

Had a decent lobster roll - I'd come back again.

Neamen Lewis

I left this place hungry... Ok so I'm not a foodie so take this for what it's worth. So I had heard great things about the burger at Acadia so I decided to make reservations before a date to the movies. When we arrived we were sat quickly and the wait staff was very professional and attentive. When the menu came we had already knew what we wanted because we were in the mood for their burger. Well when we opened up the menu the burger was no where to be found. I guess we were in the dining room and the burger and lobster rolls were on the bar menu. So we asked if we would be able to order the burger. The waiter informed us it would be a $5 up charge to order from the bar and we had to also order an entree from the dining room menu. No big deal. I ordered the fish and she ordered the burger. We were brought some type of starter which was one spoon full of some tasty pickled cauliflower. Then we were brought one small piece of bread with delicious sugar butter. When the entrees came they were very flavorful and had a great presentation. But I was thinking.... Where is the rest of the food? Needless to say the waiting staff here is great, the food tastes great but is expensive. Make sure you have a bite to eat before and after dining here.

Nadachii

I went there for my birthday. The food was amazing but the service wasn’t great for a 2 star michelin.

Stephen Wunker

Extraiordinary food and service. We had the 9 course menu plus 3 additional optional add ons. Having eaten at top restaurants early the world, this is surely one of the best. Beyond words. Cannot recommend it enough.

David Swanson

Very good tasting menu, great service, 9 out 10 courses were great. Allow 3 hours for the dining experience

Renee Burnett

One of my favorite locations for tasty american food. Don't worry if it's busy, it is worth the wait. Looking forward to coming back with my friends. Bring your appetite because portions are generous.

Edward Yu

Acadia provides your standard fine dinning experience. great tasting menu with excellent service. Nothing that stands out or is arguably unique about the experience allowing you to focus on the food.

Janine Ashley

I recommend the tasting menu- super good and had a great flow to it. Had excellent service here and loved the atmosphere.

Vanessa Jacobs

One of the worst Thanksgiving meals I ever had left me and my husband feeling ripped off and still hungry. They advertised a menu that was different then what they served. A lobster dish was mostly pasta and I could not find but two small pieces of lobster. The turkey entree reminded me of a stouferrs frozen entree from the freezer section in Kroger. The service was terrible and snooty they seemed indifferent and unattentive. We were seated near the back next to the kitchen and maybe being an interracial couple we were offended. The 21 percent tip they added to the bill without my input was a total ripoff. The only thing we enjoyed was the $300 bottle of wine.

Sunny Liu

A pricy high end restaurant, food was great, service was great too. Tasting menu was very interesting. It is the exhibition of the art of food.

kenneth grunke

Came here with a friend to see how this place compares to other culinary treasures like Grace in the city. Unfortunately, despite the 2 Michelin star rating - Acadia has much work to do to truly realize its full potential - and justify its existence among some of the great restaurants in Chicago. The welcoming reception was very friendly and inviting - but after that - the missteps began. The music did nothing to elevate the ambiance, but rather became an overly boisterous, obnoxious and rather annoying distraction to compete with for simple conversation. The sommelier was not as informed as well as we had hoped - especially when my guest had to correct him re the origin of the stahl steep slope muller-thurgau - embarrassing for the sommelier who tried to compensate midway, but was unsuccessful. While much of the menu was rather delicious, certain items were "off" to the taste in so many ways - the lobster roll was missing a "punch" and the caviar potato was nothing to write home about. The biggest disappointment was the pheasant ravioli (just one??) in which you couldn't even savor the Parmesan consommé, which was to die for (no spoon). This coupled with the fact that we didn't receive a simple sugar tray for our espresso when asked, waitstaff that were very robotic in approach and mannerism and not genuine and a bathroom that was horrendous (cloth towels ran out so they moved to paper and the floors made you not want to return to your table). The "de" icing on the cake was a poorly printed menu we received as a "momento", which must have jammed in the printer as the words started to angle across the page the further you read it. Looking for a "fine dining" experience? I would move on until Acadia can get it's act together and raise its profile to obtain that third Michelin star it is striving for.

Pan Fayang

We were there for a five course tasting menu, but the experience is like a ten course... The food is of course, delicious in so many inexplicable ways, and the service is of course, done very delicately, but one thing I'd love to mention is the presentation of the food. It's just... so creative and natural. Some small bites were presented on a log, and some were on a plate that look like a pond. They have barley crackers that look like tree bark, and puree that look like snow. If you close your eyes, the seasons are melting in your mouth. Wonderful dining experience.

Monica Connor

Dinner of a Connecticut style lobster roll and fries was rounded out with a transcendent dessert complete with spruce ice cream in a seasonal dessert that’s also a feast for the eyes. Service was impeccable, even at the bar.

Michelle Owens

Looking for a glamorous spot to enjoy a smart cocktail and delicious food? Acadia's bar offers both. Watching the bartenders craft unique cocktails provides atmosphere and entertainment, and the most basic of american foods - the cheeseburger - becomes a gourmet treat.

Chris K

Food wise it is amazing if you do not take into account two Michelin stars. The Thanksgiving menu was only a one star adventure. Good restaurant overall.

Nate Greene

Stopped in for dinner on a Sunday night. The drinks were good, but nothing too amazing. The food is where the kitchen really excels.

Nataly

The Bar at Acadia provides great fare and lovely cocktails for a reasonable price. When you enter the space there is a traditional bar and seating as well as four small tables with chairs. Because it's a bar atmosphere, service is on the slower side for tables, but I think if you sat at the bar you would have a different experience. The burger was tasty, but personally I thought the patties over powered any of the other exciting, albeit subtle, flavors, like bacon onion jam, I was hoping would balance the bite. And the last few bites were inexplicably, super salty. Overall I would visit again for a couple of cocktails and the grilled cheese, which looked quite enticing.

Monica Stevens

The service was impeccable without the snobbery. What a remarkable 3-hour experience. First time dining at a Michelin star restaurant and I'm looking forward to going back and eating at the bar. Different menu but same quality is what I'm told.

Micheál Ó

I love this place. Mitchell and I have eaten in all of the best restaurants in Chicago, and this was the first, for which reason it maintains a special place in my heart for the really wonderful meals we ate, and how we were treated. They didn't have the wine I wanted, which was on their list, so they offered several TOP NOTCH choices of similar wines that were priced a lot more, for the same price. That's classy! That's why I brought them a gift bottle of wine from a top notch Rhinegau estate that was the gift of Theresa Breuer, which they were interested in considering for inclusion on their wine list.

Jake Fishbaugh

Excellent experience. Wonderful people. Delicious food. Artful wine pairings.

Scott Harney

Michelin classic in Chicago. Definitely will have 3rd

Jason Hoffman

Impeccable meal with amazing service.

Shirley Ai Yan Wu

The food was great - each dish had unique combination of ingredients, the garnishes in each dish worked surprising well with the main ingredients. I really liked the desserts, not too sweet and very refreshing. The only disappointment was the black garlic & ocumare creameux cookie - nothing special and very unimpressive that each came in very different shapes for the table. Not to mention the complimentary miso caramel truffle chocolate really saddened my kidney, not sure if the chef is aware of the salt content in it. However, the horrible service made me give the 2 stars deduction. I just felt like the team is completely new and they appeared to be clumsy and not very attentive to details. Over the course of the dinner they made multiple mistakes, something not seen in other fine dining restaurants.

Nick Tanner

The food is astounding and the service is world class.

George Dachno

Best dinner in Chicago

George Chen

Excellent service and innovative dishes. Worthy of the second star!

Rui Xiong

Our flight was delayed and Acadia is very accommodating and changed our reservation to 3 hours later. The food is delicately made and of course delicious

Christine Coleman

Never fails. They always have a great selection of ice cream and served in a wonderful setting. We love this place, and so does most of the island

Christianna Klangides

Absolutely love everything about this place. Fine dining without being stuffy. Great team and amazing experience.

Eric Olson

We had the tasting menu and were really impressed with the taste diversity and creativity of the menu. Really wonderful touch to give us a take home brownie for later.

Zack Hyung Sup Bhan

We had my father's 70th bday here and it was awesome! Best restaurant ever! Not only was the food great, lasting over 4 hours of delicious course cuisine, but the waiters were all very professional, generous, and kind. They even offered my father a tour to the kitchen. Would recommend to everyone!

allergic to grapes

Good food. Good service. Good taxi delivery. Good coat exchanges. Good restroom. It’s all good at Acadia.

Laura Stangler

We ate in the bar and had an amazing time over spectacular food and drinks. Despite the shorter menu offered at the bar, we felt welcomed and had great service. Our group got four different dishes and each of us insists ours was the best, and the drinks were creative and delicious. Even with all the restaurants in the city, I can't wait to go back!

Sebastian Krupa

Amazing food and impeccable service! They made us feel completely at home, from remembering all of our names (in a party of 7!) to bringing out a special homemade tonic to help stop one of our crew from coughing. The presentation was stunning and creative. Special night.

Christina Smith

Lobster rolls are amazing! You can get them at the bar! Lost one star for mediocre service

Steve Alvord

Sat at the bar. The burger was very good. The environment is nice and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable.

SJ Marie

Fabulous experience! The food and service was outstanding. I've been to other progressive dinners in the city, and this experience beat them hands down. Loved the vibe of the environment as well.

Paul R

Usually when a tasting menu has such small portions it's due to the food being immaculate to make up for the small portions. Most of the food tasted like something I could make at home or get at a much cheaper restaurant. Many of the dishes in the 5 course menu used the same ingredients. I would have given it 1 star but gave it 2 due to the fact that the service was very good. My fiancé and I were completely disappointed.

Robert Merryman

Great food, great drinks but gets my highest praise for this : Server: Would you like an after dinner drink? Me: do you have Sambuca ? Server: of course Me: if you put coffee beans in it please just.... Server: Two? me: how did you...... Server: well how many did you expect? It’s a sambuca

Samuel Waggoner

All the stars to Acadia for making our 5 years anniversary unforgettable. From the moment we walked in everything was perfection, everyone was so accommodating and so nice and professional,the service was top of the top and the food was a dream, every single course was its own story its own amazing taste and we loved every bite. To all of you at Acadia thank you so much for making our special day unforgettable

Ricardo van Dijk

A once in a lifetime opportunity to taste an awesome burger at a 2-star Michelin restaurant at a very decent price! The Maine blueberry cheesecake ice cream with lemon mousse was also amazing! Definitely worth the ride to the South Loop!

Joseph Bauer

Absolutely amazing! Ate up front casual walk-in on a Saturday night at the bar... Rob took GREAT care of it. Fantastic drinks, best burger in Chicago and attentive and educated service that were best in class!!

Tiffany Moy

We came here when Acadia was one Michelin Star and again when it became two Michelin stars. It was equally consistent both times in food portion sizes (small), quality (very high), and service (superb). This place is the whole experience, many small plates, white linen table cloths, choreographed service. I wouldn’t come here after running a marathon and was starving because I’ll probably have to stop by McDonald’s afterward. What is one of my favorite parts of this restaurant is their bar menu. Their drinks are phenomenal and the bar menu (not found in their reg restaurant menu) is really good. They have one of the best burgers in Chicago in my opinion.

Nik Kalmakov

Avoid at all costs...awful experience that led to food poisoning the following day. Visited the restaurant with my girlfriend and two of our good friends selecting the 5-course tasting menu. One of the dishes was raw Japanese Wagyu beef lightly charred on the outside. Both my girlfriend and I woke up the following day with symptoms of food poisoning (diarrhea, abdominal pain and nausea) and suffered for the next 36 hours. I contacted the restaurant for an explanation on what happened but received zero response. Another dish (1 out of 5) that I was served since I am lactose intolerant was a shaved raw carrot instead of a scallop (white creamy sauce was poured on the side of the scallop dish). Highly disagree with the 2 Michelin star rating considering the overall taste of the food was mediocre at best. Update: After completely ignoring my original email for over a week, chef finally responded with a rude and arrogant email banning me from the restaurant. Classy move!

Chris Blattman

A surprisingly poor meal. We sat at a table in the bar area. The service was fine. The cocktail was excellent. The short rib was almost inedible. Tough and difficult to cut, flavorless. The fish was grossly undercooked and we had to send it back (they were gracious and brought another). The Brussels sprouts and shishito were fine, but hard to mess up those. I was surprised and disappointed. I’d recommend Momotaro or Sepia for reliable cuisine.

Steven Cobb

Excellent burger and great inventive cocktails.

Caroline Camp

This place looks so delicious and I would love to go soon!!! I have heard so many great things about it and it just looks awesome!!

Andrew Lindquist

Sat at the bar with my girl and had an excellent date night. We had the Warm Olives and the Charred Cauliflower then their burger and grilled cheese, which were all excellent. Our bartender, Jacob, was super friendly and informative along with being creative with a carte blanche cocktail. We'll definitely be going back.

Simon Sperling

The dining room is very comfortable and relaxing with beautiful living art work decorating the walls. The staff are simply outstanding in every category. They were warm and friendly, knowledgeable, accommodating and very professional. The restaurant manager/sommelier Jason Prah is a terrific gentleman whom I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with. His wine pairings were so engaging and meaningful. The food was sublime although I felt a few items were slightly underseasoned. The presentation was beautiful, uncomplicated and very memorable. I would like to say thank you again for a wonderful experience at Acadia.

Briana Kline

We live in the neighborhood and have been here several times. We've done about every variation of dinning possible here: They use to offer an a la carte dining in the restaurant and the tasting menu and eating an app and drinks at the bar and tonight, last minute, we came in for a bite in the bar area. I wished we had sat at the bar as we did in the past. Their bar tenders are so fun to watch, true mixologists. Our server tonight was not Acadia quality, but nice. And everything else was wonderful as expected. I had heard so much about the lobster roll, I tried it today. It came out and I was totally underwhelmed. It looked small and basic! When I ate it......it was delicious! We also got the mac and chess to split, a prefect accompaniment to the lobster roll. The souffle was great! Of course I would love to do the 10 course meal every time I go but we would not be able to afford our home if we did that. So once in a blue moon for that. I wish they had more vegetarian options and alternatives to their tasting menus.

Brandon Williford

The service was like watching a performance. They were impeccable. The wines were very tasty. The plates were beautiful. The only thing that was lacking was the flavor of the dishes. Several dishes were just off and unflavorful.

Jackie Marzano-Lopez

Every weekend my husband and I love to try tasting menus at upscale restaurants. Acadia being a 2 star Michelin rated restaurant we figured it would be delicious. Unfortunately, we couldn't have been more disappointed. My 2 stars rating is mainly for the amazing service and for how understanding the manager handled our feedback. Food: While there was GREAT flavor... every single piece of meat and fish was BEYOND over cooked and I typically order my meat well-done. However, the scallop, Wagyu beef, duck breast, and octopus were so chewy I had to turn away my octopus as I almost choked on a small piece. The lobster trail was the only thing not over cooked (but it had a thick bloody vein running through its back which leaked all over my dish). I would love to give the chef the benefit of the doubt because there were 2 moments while dining when it smelled like something was severely on fire in the kitchen. If that was our food I really wish they would have remade the dish. I had brought my concerns to 2 servers at which both responded with, "I will bring it to the Chef's attention". Neither of which returned with a response. There were a few things that I did enjoy. The hot cocoa with a marshmallow was ABSOLUTELY delicious, I'd buy some by the pallet! The macaron was perfect. The single brussel sprout left me wanting more. The tapioca with champagne bubbles was so good. Service: The servers moved and operated like something out of the movies. Almost a Men In Black and Matrix feel. It was definitely a unique experience with no complaints. They really were terrific. ***After reaching out to the new Manager and just giving my feedback she later emailed me after leaving the restaurant with another nice apology and a small credit to cover the cost of our drinks. This was very kind as I have read some previous reviews with arrogant responses from the "owner". Come to find out they were likely from the previous restaurant manager. I foresee the new Manager doing great things for Acadia.

ME FLEX

Excellent service and great food! Honestly this restaurant met my expectations but did not exceed them. It is what you would expect from a Michelin starred restaurant but does not go beyond to really revolutionize the art of food. Overall, if you want to eat great (Michelin starred) food then it is a good place to get started (given the strong/bold flavors are very subtle), but that is it. There are other amazing places where the food can really 'blow' your mind.

emily dewees

This was the best food and service I've ever experienced. I made reservations for my fiance birthday. He's a chef so I wanted to take him to a 2 star Michelin rated restaurant. The design and atmosphere of Acadia was welcoming and warm. Our server was on top of his game the whole time. Each course was described in detail and all were delivered perfectly. I absolutely loved each course. They were all different and delightful. I would go back again and again. Definitely worth the money.

Irene David

My top spot for tasty american food. everyone at our table was quite pleased. the service was very helpful and observant. it has a good feel to it.

David Brenner

Excellent service, delicious interesting food

John England

We had a wonderful dining experience. Truly not to be missed! Thank you, Ronan and Will, for a spectacular evening!

Amanda Deisch

Nice upscale place in the South Loop

Anthony Kasper

Excellent fresh and innovative preparations. Lobster rolls was as good as any east coast establishment. Awesome tartar with foie gras. Price was very fair for the quality. Wonderful service and unpretentious.

David Ortiz

2 Michelin stars that are well deserved ! Great tasting menu and service is impeccable!

Mary Anna

Treat yourself with delicious food and relax in cozy atmosphere of this place)

Stuart Conover

OK. Do you know what's annoying? Finally trying Acadia after I moved when I used to live a 5-10 minute walk away. I mean seriously. Why did I find out about this trendy little spot later. The prices are decent (for the bar menu, though the tasting menu is a little pricier) and the food is outstanding. I've eaten here twice now, once off the bar menu and once off the tasting menu. So to start with the bar menu: the bread and butter pickles, lobster roll, and pho glazed pork belly banh mi are all fantastic. (My wife and I were splitting everything.) For the tasting menu the risotto is awesome, the lobster and wagyu are also both fantastic. For desert the Black Strawberry and Summer Field were both winners. While I probably wouldn't overly go here for the tasting menu (don't get me wrong it tasted fantastic just for the price I'd probably go elsewhere) but the bar menu? For the price it's just full on pleasure in your mouth and not breaking the wallet while enjoying it. If you live or work in the area - make sure to stop in and check it out. You won't regret it in the slightest.

Mallory J. Strawn

I loved this dining experience. I sat in the lounge area and did the tasting menu. Jason Prah, the sommelier, was superb! Also, my server, Ian, was fantastic and guided my meal spectacularly. I really enjoyed this establishment and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the Chicago area.

Pablo Macías

Burger was delicious... But french fries were $9, salty as the dead sea... We also tried brussel sprouts and they were delicious

Timothy Faraci

Great experience and meeting the folks there. Food and manners were also amazing.

tom lee

A bit pricey for a 2 star, but the food is tasty. The bar serves pretty good cocktails and the food menu there looks pretty good

Belit Rodriguez

The tasting menu is a must. Excellent service and ingenious elaboration makes the price worth it.

E A

Very disappointed in the Thanksgiving “stations” - read, buffet. Much of the food was barely warm, the vegetables were undercooked...not at all what we expected from a Michelin starred restaurant and ridiculous for the price.

Mark Erdmann

This is a review for the bar menu. We arrived around 5:30pm on a Friday and had no trouble getting a seat. The two standout dishes of the evening were the Connecticut-style Lobster Roll and the PB+J-inspired dessert. We tried the bar tasting menu, which included canapes, egg yolk ravioli with truffles, roast quail with savory bread pudding, and the PB+J-inspired dessert. We also ordered the cauliflower dish and the famous Acadia hamburger. I would come back in a heartbeat for the buttery and delicious lobster roll, and we also left with the impression that the pastry chef is very talented. Outside of those dishes, however, we were disappointed by the execution and felt a little surprised that Acadia has two Michelin stars. Many of the hot dishes arrived cold and tasted like they weren't seasoned carefully. The service overall was excellent. Our waiter did forget to light our candle after we asked him about it, but of course that was a minor detail. I think the Michelin stars carry so much mystique that we noticed those little details more than we usually would.

Daniel Hollich

Excellent service and food. Nothing much more to say, other than it was a more enjoyable experience than some 3 Michelin Starred restaurants at which I've dined. Just superb.

Justin

We are at the bar. Burger was good, but the lobster roll wasn’t as good as others I’ve had in town and way too small. Fries were great but a tad spicy. Service is just way too pretentious. I understand that there’s a two Michelin star restaurant connected to it, but you’re serving burgers and you have PBR on the menu. Lighten up a bit. Also the host/hostess didn’t even bother to say goodbye or thank you when we left.

Dan Gray

Fabulous food. Friendly and attentive service. Failed to relay we had a person who doesn't eat meat until last minute. Understandable it's a pain and difficult to deal with at such a restaurant, but chef was so kind to accommodate. It was greatly appreciated.

Matthew Baldassarra

I have never been so disappointed by a dinner. We did the five course tasting menu. One of the courses was bread and butter. I was underwhelmed by the variety of food served and left feeling ripped off and hungry. Service was great.

Tom Guglielmi

Wow. This was a once-in-lifetime experience- some of the best service I have ever received, and the food is a series of taste explosions. Save up and go - this was amazing.

jas

I read a mixed review about this place. The 9 course dinner turn out to be grrreat! The foie gras is optional addition and it turned out to be the best. other worth mention items: Daikon (braised, pickle), caramelized onion, served with mild cream of broccoli, with drops of dill oil Truffle ravioli Lobster in creamy thai curry sauce Braised Pork belly with drips of sauces and caviar. And desserts are delicate and artistic. Sum it up: like Acadia better than Grace.

Katie Davis

Amazing tasting menu! Every dish was exquisite!

Deadmaulace

The food was really good except for a couple courses.but even those couple were good. The service was wonderful but there were so many courses that by the end I couldn't eat the last few.

Franklin Vargas

Very good fine dinning restaurant. Tasting menu is around $140 per person but well worth it. If you decide to get the wine pairing they are not stingy with their pours and you will leave happy and full.

About Time

So perhaps being a vegetarian and spending $500 on dinner may not be worth it. The dishes were unique but not impressive.

Catherine Cederoth

Horrible experience. 45 minutes late in seating us. 45 minutes after to get the first course. 7:45 reservation and walked out at 12:15 still never having gotten desert.

Candace Drimmer

Outstanding service, attention to detail and unique taste mixtures, Acadia is a splendid addition to upscale dining in Chicago. The seasonal menu offers wonderful options. The tasting menu runs over $90, with with wine pairings another $65 but for a memorable night worth the price.

Alexander Wright

Ambiance:5/5 Service:5/5 Food:5/5 Drinks: 6/5 This review is for The Bar, as we have not had an opportunity to try the Tasting Experience. The food is always fantastic, and I would argue that Acadia has the best burger in the City. The setting is low-key chic, perfect for a late meal and drinks. The drinks are top-notch and the conversation with the bartenders is great. Don't expect a cheap meal, but you will get what you pay for!

Gustavo Alanis

Its a Very Nice and fancy placer dinner was just fabulous

Matt Pollack

Outstanding burgers and lobster rolls in the bar, accompanied by fantastic cocktails

Miguel d'Escoto

Easily one of the best burgers in Chicago. Lobster roll can't be beat. Excellent service. You can go casual in the bar or fancy in the dining room. Some the same great dishes and drinks in both. Chef McCaskey and staff are always on their game. Bo at the bar is the best!

Joseph Randall

Arrived about 5:30 finished about 9:30 with a party of 18. All food was very salty including dessert plus the food was cold even cooked items. Servers did a good job just not very social. Prices are so high I don't know what to say but ouch. The mix drink I order was so bad I ask for a soda instead. Finally they filled my water glass about a dozen times through out the night which became annoying. Would never go back

Eugene Novikov

Delicious food. Second to none! Service is absolutely impeccable! I have some dietary restriction and the Acadia staff went above and beyond to accommodate and substitute. The waiter was very attentive and anticipated our wants.

Misty Patton

My favorite part south area family restaurant. Great spot to spend a nice lunch or casual early dinner.

Elton John's Dildo

Low quality service, Incompetent staff. Coming here is a waste of time and money.

Elise Scott

Wonderful food, lovely ambiance, absolutely shocking price tag.

Jack Van Orden

Acadia was a superb dining experience from start to finish, I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone looking for a delicious, intimate, completely accessible "flite-based" meal (there are two options, a 5-course meal and a 9-course meal, I had the latter) via Chicago restaurants. The food was spectacular, the flavor profiles were rich, varied and diverse. The quality of the food was top-notch and presentation of the various dishes was gorgeous and there was an excellent dynamic between seafood (the Stonington lobster was heavenly), Midwestern staples like beef (the Wagyu beef stroganoff literally melted in your mouth) and pork, and several amazing vegetarian dishes (the goat cheese panacotta was the best goat cheese dish I've had). There was a full wine pairing available, and the alcoholic beverages were just as varied as the food, as well as two special non-alcoholic beverages, both of which complemented the entire meal quite well. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming, and all were experts in what was being served and at making sure that guests had everything they needed at all times. I can't recommend Acadia enough to anyone looking for the best of fine dining in Chicago, phenomenal.

Sondra Ilnicki

Michelin must have had an over supply of stars to award this restaurant 2. 0n the positive side the fries were very tasty. The lobster roll was ordinary. The drinks were good. However, the short rib advertised as cooked for 18 hours was a RARE tough piece of whatever. The lobster gnocchi was minute. The service was spotty. The check when delivered was from the wrong table and not discovered until it had been charged. While we were eating a wait staff put a reserved tag on our table. How classless. I sent a letter to the manager outlining the problems, not asking for anything but did not receive the courtesy of a reply. Just a word to the wise. Order a hamburger and fries and enjoy the company you are with.

Stacie Robles

One of my favorite places for quality american food. nothing but pleasant experiences here. prices are fair.

Max Dang

This restaurant is not worthy of two Michelin stars. The A5 presented to us was older than acceptable, the meat had turned brown. The crab dish served in the bone was also old, as evident by the odor it gave off when presented to me (like a teenager after running the Pacer test). The foie gras dish with the strawberry jus was also not up to par, the use of kosher salt both on top and within the foie made it much too salty to be balanced by the strawberry sauce and crumbs it was plated upon. It was such that I did not finish my portion of foie gras. Let that sink in, a bacon-loving, A5-worshipping American boy in his 20s DID NOT FINISH THE FOIE GRAS. That's how unbearable the salt level was, it really could give one kidney stones. The June menu has a problem with salt in the entire second act. Without any bitterness, or even any other flavors, to counter the salt, one gets fatigued very quickly. This is partially remedied by the dessert act of the course, as the sweet and tart flavors were like the first, desperate breath one takes after nearly drowning. If this was the chef's intention, then I remain adamant in my disappointment. This is the Michelin guide we're talking about here. Pierre in Osaka, Japan also has two stars, but there was never a dish on their course that I did not like. Heck, there wasn't a dish that I thought was "just ok". To top it off, there was no dish in Acadia's course that made me think "oh my God, this is why Michelin recognizes the talent". While at Pierre, the main course of "olive-beef" filet mignon was a heavenly piece of gastronomic engineering. Pierre made a filet mignon taste fatty and flavorful, while managing to reduce the texture to tofu-levels, without the use of butter or any other animal-based lipids. There is no such creativity at Acadia. Spend your $300 elsewhere.

Eisar Lipkovitz

This place deserves 6 stars, especially on value for money. I've paid 2x-3x for this kind of experience. We had the 5 course menu , mostly because we didn't have 3-4 hours. We actually got probably close to 10 different dishes, the other 5 smaller bite size. Everything taster between great to amazing. They had a A5 Wagyu beef from Japan, which was perfectly prepared, and the first time I've tasted Japanese quality outside that country. Terrific value for $100/pp

Bill Liu

This American restaurant in Chicago creates luxurious bites like wagyu steak, oysters, and octopus. Though prices on the menu are expensive, there are great facilities at this restaurant like convenient table service and accessible seating.

Sen

Great food and atmosphere. Best lobster rolls in town.

Chris Vaillant

An outstanding first-time Michelin Guide dining experience.

Matt Lingner

One of the worst Michelin experiences I have ever had. From the "A5 wagyu" that was overcooked and chewy to the basically raw asparagus, the bland food was a complete disappointment from beginning to end. There were no positively memorable dishes. A soup early in the menu and a lobster course with Vietnamese flavors were the unenthusiastic highlights of the night, but even these were nothing to write home about. An oyster completely overpowered by celery was another low. I've been to many two- and three-starred Michelin establishments, and this was the first time I was completely confused about the rating. Maybe we went on a particularly bad night, or maybe the inspectors went on a particularly good one. I'm not sure, but I do know we were sorely disappointed. The professional and attentive service was the only redeeming quality, but even then, I can't in good faith recommend going to Acadia.

Mike Kesner

Not the place to go if you have any food allergies. My wife and I live in Houston and made a reservation online stating my wife's gluten allergy. We were going to Chicago for a business trip and decided to stay over another day to experience Acadia. Got a call from the restaurant the day before the reservation, after we were already in Chicago, saying that all of their dishes have gluten in them and they would not accommodate and were cancelling our reservation. We have been to many Michelin Star restaurants all over the world and they all have accommodated my wife's gluten allergy...but not Acadia. Very disappointing.

Justin Loucks

We believe that fine dining should be an experience, and this experience was exceptional.

Michael Edwards

Outstanding burger. I only ate at the bar but the food and the bartender were top value.

Owen Karr

A tad on the fancy side, but the best eel custard in town.

Paul Jacoby

Lobster roll was best ive ever had. Ive only had 6 but it was the best ive had. Lobster was awesome as was the bread The bartenders make some exquisite cocktails Best ive ever had Beer was a lil pricey but your in a 2star Michelin restaurant and the food was reasonably priced Burger was very good but it was too juicy The first bite was amazing but by the end the bun on the bottom had completely disintegrated. After first bite i though wow thats one of the best burgers ive ever had but i cant say that upon finishing it. But it was still a great burger. Maybe too much meat caused too much juice

Barret Pfeiffer

Wonderful Experience from beginning to end..Impressive Presentation, exquisite flavors, and top notch service.

Chris Tso

Very nice Easter brunch. Lots of shellfish including king crab. The kimchi friend rice with crab and uni was the star of all the offerings. Service was excellent. Kitchen staff was great. Will probably return for the regular tasting menu at some point.

Charlie Dulberger

This high class, "preppy" feeling new restaurant is a must. Best lobster I've eaten in my entire life and I grew up on the bottom of the sea with Patrick the starfish. Seriously though, great feel, great service and super good food with a surprisingly light bill for what the quality of food you're getting.

Adam Mitchell

This review is meant for the bar dining area. My GF and I had a poor experience unfortunately. The way it was explained to us was that if you order anything that's not on the bar menu its a 17.00 charge (titos and soda). In addition, my beer was incorrect and when brought to the servers attention his reply was "must have pressed the wrong button. However, the difference between the buttons were my 10.00 beer and a 25.00 beer. On top of the that our food took unexpectedly long. The server had to return to our table twice to inform us that the food is taking longer than normal. Food Quality is superb however the over experience was very poor. We wanted to test the waters before dining in officially but will have much hesitation for future dining. Cheers,

Carrie Black

american food and the scene at this location is excellent. I love this place, excellent food & service.

Jon W. Lee

Great service, presentations and delicate food but not the best taste. We did 9 course plus 3 supplement courses. We spent close to 400 per person and with this kind of money I expect the best from every aspect. During this trip I visited 3 Michelin starred restaurant and Acadia was not the best one. I wish they can work on the flavor so it can match up with their presentation. Good experience in overall but won't go back for a while.

Bella Simmons

A favorite location for quality american food. quick, helpful, and friendly service.

Tony Schmidt

We had the chef's week tasting menu. Some excellent courses. The dessert was outstanding.

Valerie Sherman

Truly outstanding experience! Interesting ingredients, wine pairing one of the best I've had

Harsh Koppula

One of the best restaurants in Chicago (Michelin starred). Terrific chef and great service. Very inventive tasting menu. The bar serves light food that comes from an amazing kitchen - worth trying. A must try in Chicago as it is a foodie destination

Shu Liu

Seafood and dessert are perfect. Service was great. Most Foods looks nice. The only problem is taste are not as good as they look like. To be honest, one star would be most it worth.

Kyle Gray

Service is exceptional, food is interesting, desserts are phenomenal

Howard Goldsmith

Beans and caviar are amazing together, who knew?