Reviews of Ada Street (Restaurant)

Radim Svoboda

Eclectic food, delicious and always very tasty, fresh made. If you get a chance to sit by the chef's table, take it. You will be served with priority and won't have to wait. Order 4 dishes if you came in a couple. A single portion won't satisfy you. The vibe here is really nice too

grace kim

Delicious as always. Scallops and the lamb ribs are a must try!

Ellybeth Castaneda

I just want to say woow and I'm impressed! First and foremost I want to thanks Scott for accommodating my boyfriend and I. We were strolling around the area and decided to drive back to this location. Not realizing it was restaurant week Scott was very pleasant and helped up get a table on such a busy night. I'm very happy at his level of service to a customer. He explained what was going on, specials. Theme, it was a pleasure to meet him. I would also like to thank Autumn for serving us along with Mr. Han Solo. I loved that the employees all work as a team! Scott delivered our drink and some food same thing with Solo and Autumn. Overall, we both were very excited we chose this location and food was satisfying! Thanks for such great service and a special night!

Tom stephansen

Hidden gem! Went for restaurant week, the food and drinks were amazing. Awesome atmosphere

Daniel H.

Have only been once but Ada Street left a favorable impression. Excellent service and an extensive drink list to choose from -- the meal plates were smaller and for that reason it might make for a better date night spot than in a larger group. Overall, great atmosphere -- Ada Street provides a unique, off-the-beaten-path feel without being pretentious.

Amy

Great food, dark dining room. The service was amazing.

Chris Wegren

Cool small plate romantic space

Emi Day

This is a true gem! Cozy, moody, and unique in the entrance approach. The bartenders are true artisans. Surely a memorable night for two.

Nima Shams

A really, nice hidden spot in fairly restaurant dense part of town. The meals are well-portioned, and the ambience is perfect for a variety of types of nights. The service and food is great!

Sophia Zuganelis

Wednesdays are half off wine with a great selection. I recommend the hangar steak for dinner. Vinyl records playing all night!

Nudge Perera

Fantastic place in a somewhat obscure location. Cool vibe with record player and records on the wall as you enter. Shared plates. Gnocchi is amazing

Lucas Larson

Service and cocktails were amazing. Food was over-priced and the lamb was sickeningly raw.

Nicholas Hoggan

Very good experience. Good delivery from server. Very professional. Plates were tasty.

andrew fedorowski

A fun, speakeasy sort of place. Limited menu but excellent food, great cocktails, friendly attentive staff.

Grant Wiersum

Ada Street is consistently one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Their creativity of the flavors developed is matched perfectly to their all-vinyl soundtrack and the precision of their staff. The cocktails are, like everything else, perfection.

Walt Bay

Grear meal with tmely service

mbillars

My husband and I ate at Ada Street last night and were blown away. The food, cocktails, service, and atmosphere were all amazing. We split five very different dishes and everything was fantastic...some of the best food I've had in Chicago. The staff was friendly and unpretentious. Can't wait to go back!

Karlynn Neu

The environment of Ada street was suprisingly hip, with a very low key vibe and exceptional dishes. The food is small plates, so you need to order a few, but everything we tried was wonderful. The staff was very friendly and two different chefs came by the table while we ate to explain dishes and be sure we were enjoying ourselves.

Kevin Brand

Came for restaurant week with the Star Wars theme. All the food was delicious and cocktails were great

Nicholas Johnson

Atmosphere is a combination of converted warehouse and cozy. Staff is friendly and fun and the cocktails are inventive - the bartender asked us what we liked and made us several off-menu drinks. We loved the black eyed peas, squash and burrata salad, steak tartare, and chocolate ganache and pretzel bread pudding for dessert. Reasonably priced with healthy portions. One of our new favorite spots.

Michael Liepshutz

You just have to go there if you are into small plates. It has a gritty but refined ambience.

Madeline Williams

I give this spot a thumbs up. I've had nothing but enjoyable experiences here and plan to keep visiting. Not close to my job, I wish it was.

Jack LoRe

While the food was good, we were in the "private room" that is simply very dangerous between the dark lighting and numerous tripping hazards. That room should be repaired or closed.

Aaron Miller

5 stars on service alone. Alli and staff did a great job. Food was great, and desserts were excellent. Nice change-of-pace place to go. I would highly recommend this experience.

Mike Schmidt

This place is amazing. Hidden in the industrial corridor. Really great service. Cocktails and food are amazing. A ton of Vinyl records. Pick one... they’ll play it. Rightly recommend a spicy mezcal cocktail in the summer (el Diablo I think). My 2 favorite appetizers are the Black Eyed Peas and the Shishito peppers (made in Miso butter).

Joseph Stark

Great food. Great ambiance!!! Will be back!

Kati Paiz

Coming to Ada St has become a birthday tradition. My partner and I made reservations and Autumn, our server, remembered us from our last visit in March. She made my birthday dinner extremely special. Her attention to detail, her sense of urgency, and the way she represents customer service for Ada St is unmatched. The food is phenomenal. I recommend the salmon and scallops. Thank you for making this a special date night!

Mike Smith

One of my favorite spots in Chicago! Ada Street has a true speakeasy feel due to its random location and long dark (almost too dark!) hallway before you reach the restaurant and bar area. The food and cocktails are amazing. The vibe is very hip but not too hipster. They are constantly playing good music from their extensive collection of vinyl which you can peruse yourself... They take requests! In addition to all this, they also have a fully enclosed open-air courtyard for dining al-fresco when the weather is nice.

Alexei Marshakov

Delicious food, great cocktails in an inventive setting. Beef tartar is amazing.

Crawford Apostolic

Been here once and I loved it! Chef Joanna and the bartender Ronnie are the best!

chad svastisalee

Hidden gem. Everything about this swanky restaurant is too notch. Menu, servers, drinks, all come together to make a perfect evening. Plates are meant to share, the Salmon and Scallops are out of this world.

Yusef Jacobs

This place is amazing. It’s like a speak easy kinda place. You dont know what to expect when you enter, but it turns out to be excellent. Super recommended. I can honestly say it was the best place I ate in my visit to Chicago. The food, the atmosphere and the service was amazing. Absolutely coming back when I have the chance

Jr Murd

Ambiance dark and warm, romantic but can be loud. Food and drink average.

Tom Yaeger

Went for restaurant week. Cocktails were great, and the chefs know what they're doing. I'll be going again.

Ashley Greene

Ada Street is really fun and a great place to go on a date. They have really good food to share and really good greats. It is a great atmosphere.

adam callif

Love this cozy gem.. "speakeasy"

Marisa Marco

I had my 30th birthday here & it was perfect! Even though it was a hot & steamy day in June, the back patio was amazing. I love the fake grass, the ping pong table, the picnic tables, the strung lights...oh yeah and the food! The small plates were tasty & the drinks were great as well. Tucked away past Elston, this little gem is a new favorite of mine & I can't wait to be back. What to order: Lamb Ribs & Crispy Black Eyed Peas Tip: They have ping pong tournaments going on until the end of summer...check their website for details

Katie Bak

Crazy location but cool spot once you find it and go in! Nice servers, they were still working out a few kinks with it being their first restaurant week but all was good. Would be interested in going back for their regular menu!

Andrew Gordon

A truly hidden gem. Don't be turned off by the location. Go eat and drink. It's fantastic.

Shiloh Purkey

I could die here and be happy. Not a single thing left me wanting. 12/10 will go again

Matthew Reisinger

Great small plate menu. Items were a little pricey but the food was very delicious. They have a great vinyl collection that you can pick from and have it played.

Jose Luis

Mixed feelings despite the five star review. The food was delicious. We tried most of the items on the menu and they were all fantastic. As far as tapas-style plates go, they were on the pricey end. We also waited between 30-40min at the bar as our table was not ready at the reservation time. The staff felt so bad for making us wait so long, they offered multiple plates on the house. In short, despite some less than ideal circumstances, the experience overall was a positive one. Personal favorites: black rice, scallops, bread pudding-- but choose anything on the menu and you won't be disappointed!

Jacob Seguino

Nice place, good food, nice staff, good drinks.

Javi B

Good food. The mushroom bruschetta was great. Scallops cooked well. Cocktails were great.

Russell Baker

One of the best gastronomical experiences. Delectable food, great service and a beautiful atmosphere.

Daniel Ireland

Wow...all I want to say is wow! I'll elaborate a little though. Ada street is definitely off the Chicago beaten path, but that's part of its charm. The food was undeniably outstanding, but it was the craft cocktails that won my heart! They took their time, but it was for a reason.....this level of service and food quality is beyond reprisal!

derrick bradley

Good food, wonderful atmosphere, and great music!!

Mike Zaruba

I stumbled upon this place for restaurant week a few years back and have henceforth made an effort to come a few times each year and always bring someone new. The location is both a pro and a con: good in the sense that it stands out, but your options are limited if you end up having to wait (note that you can call ahead up to hold your place in line up to an hour in advance). At the same time, great things are worth waiting for. DMK is really doing something interesting here. The music is great and employees are encouraged to play their own favorites. The service, atmosphere, drinks and food are all great. I do, however, wish that there were more menu options given a few favorites endure all menu changes.

narni ilagan yoder

Fun -- limited menu, but got a cute flaming rosemary herb drink!

Erin Grossman

Came here during Restaurant Week and had a truly memorable experience. Situated in a nondescript location in what looks like the middle of no where Ada Street shines! Once you walk in you are greeted with an awesome space, the back room is open and industrial like, just like the area. Our waitress was amazing, great recommendations in addition to the special restaurant week menu (black eyed peas, anyone?). The food was unique and delicious, our plates were licked clean. Can't wait to come back and try the regular menu and sit outside!

Nick Hork

This is another one of those places that I love because of the space itself. The food was really good, and the slew of small plate options make it the perfect spot to meet for drinks. The cocktails are interesting, and I particularly liked the smokey options. The back courtyard during the summer makes you feel like you are at a food magazine photo shoot (in a good way).

Bryan Berend

Great spot tucked away in an industrial area. Great cocktails and small plates

Christina Huynh

The ambience is amazing, but I thought the food could have been better, not quite worth the hype or wait. The chicken was dry. The sea bass and scallops were "fishy". I prefer the taste of sister restaurant Ema better. Pricey.

Xavier S

Third time here and I’ll be back. Their food is well thought out, and has enough vegetarian options for me. Service is always friendly and fun. I love the outdoor space with table tennis. Their cocktails are incredible too.

Jamie Thatcher

Great food, excellent service, and vintage style with great ambiance. Gluten-free options/variations available.

Peter Swanson

Hosted son's wedding reception. Great service and great food.

Seth Baker

Excellent food. All sharable plates. Limited food options but that's part of the vibe. Great place for a 3rd or 30th date. Decent drinks but I was really more interested in the food.

Nick,Nabih Kanaan

Disappointed yet again.... Originally went here with a small party with lackluster service and menu changes. We decided to have our dinner here because we really loved the place. It almost seemed as if we were putting the staff out, when we had reasonable requests. Recently went back to give it another try but very slow service, steak not cooked to temp and definitely getting skimpy on portions. Saving grace is the drinks

Anthony Staffa

This place is what is hyped up to be. I love the hidden aspect of it, and the idea of customers picking out a vinyl for them to play. We went here for a birthday party in the private room. I suggest you do that sometime here. I will be going back to experience the actual dining room/bar.

Steve Vice

Went here on a Saturday night. It has the vibe of a speakeasy in an old warehouse. Hidden in an industrial section of town west of Lincoln Park. Fantastic food, service, and ambiance. We will definitely be going back.

Angela Leone

Excellent hangar steak and fun cocktails in a space with nice chill vibes.

Arthur Butler

Love this place!! The food is great and the ambiance is even greater. Perfect even just for drinks.

s goldenberg

Restaurant week was a fun star wars themed menu, waitress was knowledgeable, attentive, and fun. 2/3 of the meal I loved (the other third was good, but not

Crystina Williams

Bless this place

Peter Bock

Absolutely wonderful. Food was incredible, but the best part is getting to pick a record out to play when you enter.

John scully

Sit down with four and order the whole menu. Michael timed each course perfectly. He was forgiven for the slow drink service. The place was jammed

Jinhwan Kim

Visited weekday night. Spacious and cozy place to dine. Service and food are perfect!

John Hall

The service was top notch. The ambiance was very swanky and alluring... The bartender made me the most amazing scotch concotion that I have ever had. I would recommend this to all my friends.

joseph guerrero

What a cool place! Dim, sleek, expertly staffed, and chock-full of wonderful cocktails and delicious, beautiful food. It's small plates, but 5 items were enough for the two of us. The pao de queijo were an awesome starter. The gnocchi was perfect. The octopus was dreamy, with a fabulous char and a little crunch from popped amaranth. Both cocktails we drank were on par with upscale cocktail destinations. The only weakness encountered was the forbidden rice, which although it had an awesome texture it didn't offer much else; it was a small serving, there were very few mushrooms, and the sauce was too reminiscent of a heavy-handed teriyaki sauce. All things considered, easily 5 stars and we'll definitely return here.

Tommy Guns

I have dinner at ADA once every 2 weeks or so, I love this place

Eric Gould

Ada Street is consistently one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. The food is delicious, the service is top notch and the cocktails are fun and inventive. This restaurant is my go-to place to bring out of town guests.

Anderson Vu

I recommend the Shihito Peppers for anyone who is looking for something ultra delicious and to clear their sinuses. You're rolling the dice everytime you bite into one, and it makes for a great appetizer. Pasta was also delicious as well. Cool aesthetic and vibe for a younger crowd.

Denise Powell

This place is a diamond in the rough. Beautiful, cozy and dark atmosphere. Great for date night! Food is excellent especially the fried green tomatoes. Gnocchi melts in your mouth.

S G

Great service, ambience, food and cocktails. It’s such a neat set up - reminded me of a speakeasy. The food was delicious and eclectic (limited menu but they all looked like amazing options). We had the fried green tomatoes, elote dip, forbidden rice (which was our fav) and gnocchi. Can’t wait to recommend this to friends!

Lucas Hammer

Fantastic small plates here. Plenty of craft cocktails and wine to choose from. It's a great place for a special occasion.

Emanuel Azcona

Great private dinner spot

Stephanie F.

My tummy was very happy. Burrata was delicious with the jam.

Andre Kazimierski

Fantastic tapas style food and ambiance with a solid beer & wine list. Don't let the location fool you, this is one of my favorite spots in the area

Eben Via

This is a little hidden gem, but absolutely worth checking out! It's off the beaten path, but a great tapas place for a special night. The atmosphere is amazing and they have a outdoor enclosed patio which is opens up to the sky and makes it seem like you are far from the city

James Bernath

Fantastic food and cocktails. Great atmosphere. Friendly service. The scallops and forbidden rice are delicious! Looking forward to going back.

Catt Daley

We were a little skeptical about the location of this establishment but once we walked inside, we were welcomed with a warm and sophisticated speakeasy vibe. The crowd was young and lively, despite the what the exterior surroundings of the restaurant suggested. Tapas style food - gnocchi was delicious and scallops were great, although a little pricey. Hummus was spicy and unique. Drinks prices were reasonably priced - they have a fine selection of wine. Service was great, and despite it being busy at 7:30pm on a Thursday, we still got a table quickly, with additional bar seating as an option. This is a great spot to bring someone to impress - we’ll be back soon!

Stephen Ziemba

We were here for dinner about a year ago and it was great. We just re visited for a friends wedding on a Monday and it was even better. It's off the beaten path but we love it

Ashley Henry

Excellent food and excellent service. I would suggest making a reservation.

Josh E K

We love this place! Great food and drinks and the backyard is amazing

Eric Snyder

A little off the beaten path but well worth it. You enter through a non-assuming door into a darkly lit hallway filled with intimate, private dining rooms for individual parties, very Mediterranean-esque. If you continue walking, it opens up into a more relaxed, yet formal atmosphere with a covered dining room and bar as well as a turf seating area under the open sky. Plates are tapas-inspired, so small, but very good and reasonably priced. Same with the cocktails. Highly recommend

Kendra Purscell

Cool small plate restaurant with cocktails for anyone's taste. Walking in is a little strange (the door doesn't seem like a main entrance, and once you go in there's a long hallway before you are greeted by a host), but once you get in, it's pretty cool! The patio is lovely.

John Perez

Ada street is a great small restaurant hidden in an industrial corridor. You wouldn't see it if you didn't know about it. They have a well trained staff that's very kind and attentive. Food and drinks are amazing!

Ashley Glassman

This is a destination location. When I pulled up to the place, I wasn't sure if I was at the right place. I went there on a Saturday night and we were able to sit outside and play ping pong while waiting for your table. I was with a large group of people so was able to try a number of times. I would go back anytime

S. Pandya

Wow great food

Cody Wittenkeller

Really love the venue and the romantic space. We loved our cocktails and loved the wide variety of small dishes to share.

Leighton Mann

Secluded in the back of a back street building, not near anything of similar significance other than the Hideout, Ada St. has the mysterious qualities of Violet Hour with more emphasis on meals and wine pairings. They have a great service industry night and treat everyone to amazing service. Deep fried black eyed peas, and sea-salted olive oil chocolate? Yes.

Matheus Schmidt

Below my expectations: hard to make reservations (we had to call 3 times); we had to wait 20 min for our table (staff was not very helpful / friendly). We were even told that that there was a 90 min dining policy (nobody mentioned that when we made the reservation). Service was quite slow.. drinks were good. Food was OK.

Corey Brashinger

We really enjoyed our experience at Ada Street! I’m not a great photographer, especially when I’d rather be eating, so let me just TELL you what we experienced: a wide range of dishes that can be shared but would also be big enough for those who prefer to dine off their own plate only (boring!). The menu was true to the website so you can look ahead. The steak, gnocchi, heirloom salad and buratta were all stand outs. We also ordered a fried green tomato appetizer and the ribs which brought my only ‘complaint’— too sweet for me (but fall off the bone perfection otherwise). We ended with a chocolate ganache which was amazing. The drink menu is also extensive so cocktail lovers, beer nerds and wine snobs can all enjoy! Service was also top notch and attentive. I’m already making plans to go back....

Salvatore Consalvi

No idea why they ignored me to the point of leaving without paying for the one beer I had. I wanted a meal and couldn't even get past one drink. Was out the door before realizing I skipped on the check. Maybe the t-shirt was too off. Maybe I'm too old or brown. But I didn't belong. Seriously ignored ...

Scott Krueger

A delightful surprise. Great food, urban chic decor with super cocktails. A little off the path but totally worth it.

Geoff Godwin

This was a great find. The food was delicious, the atmosphere intimate, and we were given free access to a comedy show quite literally one block away after our meal. We will be visiting again soon.

Bill Jones

I'm a really big fan of this place. Took my wife there for our anniversary because it was recommended as something with a romantic atmosphere. I had read, in particular, about the wine library and how cozy it felt. Turns out that's part of what you walk through on the way into the restaurant. Much to my surprise (a pleasant one), The Clash was rocking over the speakers when we got into the dining room. Turns out they also have a record library, and you can bring vinyl to the bartender to spin while you're eating. The food is prepared in small plates, so you can share and try more. Absolutely loved a few of the dishes we tried (the warm goat cheese and strip loin were both gold), and liked much of the rest. The kitchen staff was also more than willing to accommodate an idea we had (to mix the warm doughnut holes of a regular dessert with the maple whipped cream of another) and we rewarded them by having a six-pack sent back (that's a thing you can do here). It is romantic, but also fun, and the cocktails (some house specials) play a big part. The garage-like door in the back also opens to an outdoor area for the nicer months. Definitely plan on going back here.

kwaltonverner

Love the ambience! Great drinks. Food serving size left a lot to be desired, portion size too small. My hunny is still hungry. But tasty though.

Al Clay

Hard "meh" Not sure what all the hype is, but seems like everyone's just in on the bandwagon to give rave reviews cause they'll look dumb if only they had a bad time. Paid near $50 for those tiny plates of mediocre sauced up appetizers and I'm still hungry (I'm not even fat). It doesn't taste bad, but I feel like they strand you in the middle of nowhere so you feel the sunk cost fallacy of time, like you made it this far so might as well stay.

Charlie Dulberger

Very interesting restaurant location with a great feel...industrial and urban. Food is killer good, small plate style. I recommend the lamb ribs, very lean and delicious.

Tyler Engh

Really cool location and unique interior. Food is good, but the expectation builds it up a smidge too much.

Neal Sullivan

The location is cool, ambiance is great. Service is good and the drinks are fun (if not a little weak, but that could be a bonus for some?). The food is ok. There isn't a lot of focus in the menus so it's almost always a gamble between 'yeah ok' and 'damn! That was unexpected'

Crystal Abbate

Loved this place! Love they have records you can choose from to have the bartender play. So cool. Great atmosphere. We sat at the bar and loved watching the bartenders work their magic with the many interesting craft cocktails on their menu. We snacked on the polenta fries and scallops. Both were delicious but especially the bacon jam that came with the scallops. Soooo good! I would love to come back and try more menu items. Can't believe I've waited so long to check out this place!

ashley schimmel

Absolutely phenomenal service and food. Excellent gnocchi with rabbit that melted in your mouth, baby octopus with bacon, duck egg rolls. This place needs to be tried. So inventive and delicious.

Nick Tejeda

Maybe the best overall dining experience I've had in the city. The food was incredible and I loved the overall vibes in the restaurant. The music and layout (while small) created a really warm feeling inside. I went with my girlfriend and the waitress recommended 3 plates per person. We had 5 total and that was plenty. The plates are a little inconsistent in size but skew bigger than the make it out to seem. Also, go on Sundays....$5 cocktails. These aren't cheap cocktails either. Such a great deal.

Oscar Ramoneda

The place, atmosphere and service were great! It was a very promising place for a date until the food arrived. We followed recommendations and ordered several things... pao de queijo, ceviche, house pasta and the New York strip steak for around $100. All of them really disappointing. I would only come back for drinks as the place has very good vibes.

Sam Roecker

Great date spot with an unexpected but surprisingly cool location. Food wasn't remarkable but the atmosphere makes up for it.

Ken Zeller

I'd like to keep it my own little secret,but you really have to experience this place for your self.The food is delicious and creative. I've tried just about everything on the menu.Even things I thought I didn't like. And ended up becoming my favorites. But,it's the entire staff that seems to love serving you. And that's is what keeps me going back. Special thanks to Scott and Michelle