Reviews of Bandera (Restaurant)

Jan Ertl

Always awesome...although some difficulty/discrepancy with reservation and seating time. Great drinks and great food....first stop on first day in the great city of chicago....

Victoria Andrews

Banderas is fantastic with great food and jazz.

Michelle Mccarville

Really great food, cocktails are on point, but friendliness and a sense of welcome could improve. We found this restaurant on Google, reviews are high, but if you are stopping in for a great meal, you will find it, but if you are not looking like money or have kids with you, don't waste your time. My money is just as good when I look on point or when I am traveling and sightseeing.

Tara Childers

Beautiful, calm atmosphere. The crispy chicken sandwich was delicious!

Adrienne Jackson

My second time there the food is great!

Edna Diaz

Food is good but prices are high considering the service and facilities.

Christoffer Strauss

Great mature restaurant with a fantastic ambiance and live jazz music. Cocktails were good and the food excellent. Service was all you could ask for, though it's a busy place so your waiter can take a minute to reach you.

Debra Harrington

Excellent food and service! We had the cornbread which was fresh and piping hot out of the oven. They turned it out of a cast iron skillet onto the plate and it was delicious. We also shared a truly yummy Caesar salad and had the chicken and rib combo while a lovely jazz trio played in the background. (Good sized portions-today's lunches are covered.) We'll be back with friends!

Steven Gomez

Great atmosphere with live jazz, terrific service and delicious food

Kyle M

Bandera is awesome. Reasonably priced too

David Blaut

Great vibes, service, food and live music. I highly recommend the French dip sandwich and the lamb sandwich is very good too. This is a great place to go with friends, a date or solo.

Josh DePasacreta

It was wonderful. The service was wonderful (thank you Dylan!), the food was cooked to perfection, and the flavor of the French Dip Sandwich was amazing.

Christopher Reynolds

We come to Chicago once a year and always make a stop at Banderas... the smoked Salmon is amazing as well as the beef dip sandwich. Great decor, amazing food and top notch service

Roslyn Renard

Love the ambiance, the jazz live music. Small menu but its phenomenal

Dyfed Richards

One of the most consistent and best restaurants in Chicago. Never had a bad meal, drink or experience here in over 20 years. We go svout 8 times a year.

Bryan Leavitt

Good food and nice atmosphere. A little loud next to the piano.

Stuart Berman

"Elegantly casual" dining with live jazz and great American classic food. The ribs are a standout.

Jesus Alcantara

Wonderful restaurant! Went on a Saturday night and didn't have to wait long for a table. The service was quick and the server was very nice. The live band was loud but not so loud that I couldn't hear my date. Didnt get to try out the corn bread but definitely going again.

Yan H

I thought this place was great. Stopped in for a beer and a burger, you'll always get at least 4 stars from me for putting a perfectly cooked meat patty on brioche. To be honest they need to drop the cheap mustard, tomato and pickles and instead load this thing with Wisconsin cheeses plus BBQ sauce.

Vessel Of YAH

So I haven't been to this place since Scottsdale and it is a huge difference unfortunately. Came after work with my mother for a early birthday lunch/dinner. We got there around 4:40ish and was seated. Nobody was in there so no wait. The hostess gave us a lunch menu and stated since we were in before dinner we would use this menu. So we had Shannon and ordered a old fashioned, elder collins and 2 rotisserie chicken meals. I couldn't eat the side that came along and asked if it could be substituted for another side and if so would it be a extra charge. Shannon stated no and also told us that we could pick between white dark or mixed. So I ordered white meat and the mashed potatoes and my mother ordered dark with fries. Food comes and its pretty tasty after adding seasoning that Shannon recommended. Fast forward to finished meal and check comes. We were charged dinner prices and a extra charge for the white meat. So I tried to flag Shannon down regarding this and she never came but another server saw me and I told her the issue and asked for a manager. So Makala comes over (manager) and stated that she couldn't change the price due to the computer and that we were given the wrong menus. No accountability on it being their mishap but left to feel like it was our fault. Makala stated that she just took the old fashioned off to balance it out which was $13 but still did nothing regarding the extra $5 charge that wasn't stated for the white meat but in a nice nasty way told us she would talk to Shannon and walked off in a very brush off rude way. So now Shannon finally returns to collect payment and instead of being apologetic she gives us a lesson on what's HIGH QUALITY VS LOW QUALITY. AND STATED THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED WHEN YOU DINE IN THIS TYPE OF ESTABLISHMENT. Wow is all I could say about this is snarky comment. I have been to truly 5star and above restaurants and have never been disrespected in this manor. Luckily for me I DO HAVE A RADIO SHOW THAT'S NATIONALLY AND A BLOGGER TO EXPOSE SCUMS LIKE THIS.... CAN'T BELIEVE SCOTTSDALE IS EVEN CONNECTED TO THIS BRANCH. TOTALLY DIFFERENT

Kathleen Monaghan

Relaxing warm ambiance. Cornbread appetizer was indulgent and so worth it. Added avocado to the housemade veggie burger, which is incredible...the beets made it almost red in color. The tabbouleh was balanced and so flavorful.

Raymond Croteau

I don't usually give 5 stars.. this place had it all. Staff so attentive. Food & drink was spot on. My wife had the veggie burger, as recommend by our Uber driver. It was the best she ever had. I had a REAL burger. It too was top notch. Live jazz music playing as we ate. I tell you, if you haven't visited it, add it to your list.

Theresa Theisen

Food is delicious. Service is awesome. However, I made reservations a week+ in advance. We were seated right in front of loud band. Could not hear server or each other in conversation. Ate quickly and left.

Toni Pearce

Went here on a Tuesday night with a reservation. We were seated within minutes of our arrival. A talented trio (pianist, bass, and drummer) were playing relaxing jazz. Our server was attentive but not over bearing. We started with their guacamole and queso. I would say the queso is more like a pimento cheese dip, but none the less was delicious. I was a little disappointed they were out of the salmon, however, the server was quick to help with an alternative selection. We tried the burger, pork chops and french dip, all of which were amazing. This is an excellent place for a date night, work dinner, or place to unwind after a long day of shopping on the magnificent mile. Can't wait to go back!

Ben Husmann

Classic live jazz lounge restaurant ecexuted PERFECTLY. Great jazz nightly, at a volume that'll move you without keeping you from conversation. The salmon appetizer is absolutely delicious and the cocktails are excellent. Service and everything is on point here. It's expensive but it's on Michigan Ave folks with legit jazz combos nightly. Book a reservation.

Jenn Rynkiewicz

Consistent, great service, food is good, not great, but again, consistency. Nice cocktails, good views and location.

Julie McCarville

My daughter, her three children, and myself were at Bandera at 3 00 on August 18th. To start we were made to feel like thieves for eating chips and dip that were placed on our table as we were being seated. To end the meal, I was served the wrong cocktail and told it was my fault because my daughter had changed seats with her son. I have never left a negative review for any restaurant as I think it is unfair to do so but this visit was too unpleasant to not note for others.

Cheryl Campbell

One of my favorite places to go in Chicago

Drew Freeman

Madison, our server, was incredible! There's a beautiful view of the street, the lighting was wonderful and warm, and the food was top notch. Live jazz added greatly to the ambience and I would definitely come here again!

Aashish Jain

Visited here with some folks from work for dinner. There place has an upscale feel to it - live music and so forth. Nice intimate seating. I'm a vegetarian and they have fair bit of options plus the server seemed very accommodating. I strongly recommend the jalapeno queso - it's really different. The veggie burger was truly one of the three better ones I have had and the fries were crispy and just salted right

LAUREN ALLEN

Amazing date night experience. Romantic ambiance. Casual feel. Live Jazz gives it nice character. The food made me sit back and close my eyes and make a “thank you Jesus” face..

Amber Porter Telfer

Love this spot. Live music, great staff and quality food. Love the Southwestern flair and art too.

Kevin Duncan

I would like to give place 5 star for their delicious good and fast services. The place was cool and the infrastructure was amazing. The staff was nice with us and their communication was also good. Recommended place.

Freddy Vega

We went without reservations and found some seats at the bar while we waited for our table. Had not even sat for a minute and our table was ready. In terms of food quality everything was delicious and up to par. The restaurant ambience was awesome and included live jazz! Our waitress and all supporting staff always maintained a genuine smile! Restrooms were squeaky clean. Overall a great experience that I recommend to anyone visiting Chicago. Don’t miss the opportunity to dine here.

Molly Spears

Dinner was amazing and the staff was excellent! The atmosphere was so romantic. It was nice to getaway for the night.

Emma Wright

Favourite restaurant in Chicago! From the g&ts (I bring my own tonic) to the finest steak - hands down the best! Comfy red leather booths with low lighting and live jazz. What's not to love...

carrie eargle

Place came highly recommended and I can see why! Filet mignon was out of this world. And the margaritas were supreme. You will not regret it!!

Stephen Cote

It was amazing, best meal I've ever had!

Kevin McKay

Great sandwiches! The burger, the chicken, and the French tip we're all well loved by the people I was there with. Also, great view of Michigan Avenue. Worth doing.

Dalt Brewsher

What a vibe this place has! Great for a date night. The atmosphere was romantic for the evening, low lights and candles and a piano player and base violin....jazzy music. The food was fantastic, get the Macho salad with extra cornbread croutons. Also, the French dip is to die for!! Key lime pie not to be missed! Make a reservation though... otherwise long long wait!

Lakrecia Thomas

Atmosphere was AMAZING, we ordered spinach dip for an appetizer which was amazing, I had the ribs and fries which melted in my mouth, so tender. My significant other had the lamb burger which he loved, I also had a margarita which was really good. Our waitress was amazing, very tentative, my overall experience was amazing. Can't wait to return.

Kim Love

Fabulous service!! Salmon,OH MY GOODNESS!! I brought some of it home . Way to much for one person as an appetizer!!!

Jean-Philippe Body

Great food and awesome live music, worth asking for a table close to the band even if it means waiting a bit longer

Tarek Azoz

Great place, all items we ordered were delicious. I had the French dip and it was great With a side Caesar salad. There was live music, service was great as well. Will come back for sure

Damian Vazquez

american food and the feeling at this spot is great. Staff is always timely even when they have a full house. Service is typically good. The place has a great atmosphere.

KENYANA MITCHELL

Very beautiful atmosphere the food was absolutely phenomenal especially the rotisserie chicken and the bread plate oh my God their bread is so delicious, wait staff is very professional and fast, we were a party of 6 and we received all our food at the same time. Ask for a table near the window, I found the view of Michigan Ave and all the people moving alone to the restaurants Jazzy music playing in the background very therapeutic!

C W

Very relaxing place to enjoy a good burger. Jazz live music is a plus, great service, and overall good ambiance, not too noisy you can have a conversation without yelling :).

lindsey johnson

Classy atmosphere, great service, live Jazz! The French dip is one of the best things I’ve ever had in my life! Good size for splitting (even though I didn’t want to!) Lol

Mason Parker

Very positively surprised for a place right on the Mag Mile. Upstairs, so you get natural light without feeling like you are on the sidewalk. I go to Hillstone near my home in NYC and I guess these are related. Some of the same items on the menu, but more importantly they have a similar service style (i.e. professional and efficient). And the food was great. Strongly recommended.

Glen Mon

Overmade a little bit. But still good. Lot of waiting somedays

Mark Cawley

Still great after all these years!! The skillet cornbread is still to die for and the rotisserie chicken is also as good as ever. I miss the rotisserie display window but otherwise still a great experience.

J Vandergraft

Bandera is in my top 3 restaurants of all time. Food, service and atmosphere are all fantastic! Located on the second floor with only access by street level door. The view from the window seats are worth it during the holidays. Michigan Avenue is all lit up. Its expensive but in line with Chicago pricing and definitely worth it. Nightly jazz music provides the perfect ambiance for dinner. Overall: outstanding!

Deonna Melton

What can I say. They will need to upgrade their food if they plan to continue to compete with ALL the options here in Chicago. The bar is top level, great drinks, great drink options, talented bartenders. But the food just seems a little dated. I had the salmon which used to always be great, but they recently changed their preparation of it and now I dislike it. Great atmosphere, great location, great music. I just hope for a overhaul on the menu. Like, Soon.

Poorya Kashani

The service was great. Jim was taking care of our table and he was professional, polite, friendly and fun at the same time.

FreshBison

Great restaurant, live music, active service, the lighting is generous on the eyes, and the food is delicious with something for everyone.

Ruthvik Mandava

Appetizers tasted good. It says live Jazz music on google, but they don't always. When we asked for it, they said the musicians went for a quick break. We almost waited for an hour and left. Also it highly depends on where you are placed, as all the tables are not properly arranged to have a look at the performance

Lu L

Macho salad and grilled veggies are consistently delicious. The cornbread is super delicious but they need to take an extra minute mixing the batter. We had to send ours back twice because there were pockets of uncooked/unmixed cornmeal mix

NotEasy 2Please

Two adults, Thursday evening in August. Wonderful start to finish. An hour wait for a table so we ate at the bar. We had Iron Skillet Cornbread, Shrimp Louie Salad and Dip Duo. The queso for the Duo Dip is a blend of fresh cheeses, not melted, the guac was also fresh. Louie had several pieces of jumbo shrimp on gorgeous green lettuce with tomatoes and avocado pieces. The cornbread, oh the cornbread, heaven. More like desert. The best I've ever had. The service was fast and pleasant. The professional jazz trio played just loud enough so that conversations could be held without resorting to lip reading. We will return.

Raghuram Ananthasayana

Great dinner with a live band! Decent number of veggie options -we had the super yummy chips with guacamole and queso, corn bread and veggie burger (great fries). Great service too. Will definitely come back!

Linda Larkin

One of my very favorite places to dine in Chicago. Food and service doesn't disappoint. The salad with dates and avacados is my favorite. Makes me happy just thinking about it, and the company was amazing too!

David Perry

Warm decor, great acoustics for conversation, wonderful piano trio, food very good.

Jamelyn C

The kale and chicken salad is one of the best salads I've ever eaten...YUM! The service is phenomenal. This place never disappoints and always a go to when needing a great place to take friends or work colleagues

Swaroop Singh

Great restaurant for late lunch. Luckily we did not need reservations. However, we missed the nightly jazz. We loved the house specialties - Bean soup, Crispy Chicken Sandwich and rotisserie chicken. Their cornbread is just amazing. Will go again.

Claes Brameus

The food was excellent and the service really good. we also loved the atmosphere and the live music. we will definitely come back

Sandra Biles

My husband and I enjoyed their lunch menu. Spinach Dip, Barbecue Combo and Apple Walnut Cobbler. It was absolutely delicious and our waitress “Tori” topped everything off. She was friendly, attentive and considerate. Highly recommended...

Robert DS

AMAZING artichokes. A great restaurant right in the heart of Chicago - and the prices are really reasonable!

Carlos Tyree

The food is very good and the service top notch! Our server Nick was truly one of the best I've had. My wife and I had the spinach dip, arctic char, veggie burger and it was all delicious! Highly recommend!

i House

I am giving 5 Stars mostly for the beer- Chimay! The food was very good. Kale salad was very good. Chicken was excellent! I would highly recommend this place for a night out on the town or a great romantic date.

Steve Wakeland

Nice live jazz music, great food and wonderful ambience. We had a really nice time here. My prime rib steak was particularly good.

Micah Alton

We love this place! We always sit at the bar. The bartenders there are very nice have great attention to detail and know their menu/wine. They always have a band here playing background jazz music. Its the only place we drive across town to go eat at on the regular!

Sevenda Augustwari

Limited menu, high quality food. A short walk from the John Hancock Building and the 360 Observation Deck. This second level restaurant offers low lit high lighting with an eclectic jazz genre playing in the background. Much attention to detail in the food quality and servers that work as a team to meet your needs for both space and attention. The wine list is definitely original but yet serious in selections. Check it out for yourself.

turron surf

Great place with excellent food. Live jazz too. I would visit again.

Bre Anne

We were visiting Chicago from Florida and found this restaurant on Yelp, the food was delicious and the service was INCREDIBLE. Our waitress Blanca Rose was so attentive, friendly and genuinely a pleasure to be around. We will definitely return to Bandera!

J T

Amazing food selection, excellent drinks and the bar had plenty of room to come in and sit down immediately. Great service as well, really was impressed all around.

waimee72

Neat restaurant overlooking Michigan Ave. Had the Macho Salad for lunch, and it was delish! Generous portion, decent price! Would like to come back to check out the nightly jazz and the dinner menu.

Samuel Waggoner

Bandera is located right on Michigan Avenue on the Magnificent Mile. It has some interesting variations of traditional cocktails, and the Old Fashioned version I had was excellent. The menu looks like a BBQ menu with ribs and chicken options, but I selected a ribs and chicken combo and the presentation was amazing, as was the food itself, with tender meat falling off the bone, and a tomato mozzarella served with the meat that was fresh and delicious, too.

Brantley Ward

Excellent place for quality american food. I wanted to post a food pic but it looked so good I couldn't stop. Had a sister come into town and asked me to take her here again. The bill was fair for the quality of the food. Atmosphere is similar to a cafe in San Jose I loved.

Quintin Williams

Cool spot. Savannah behind the bar is delightful! Solid cocktails. Great music. I did notice they weren’t concerned with men not wear collared shirts, but I would recommend it. It’s a nice place. The bartenders are wearing buttoned up suit jackets

Tara Coleman

Clean, great food and very professional

Karen Wiley

A delicious dinner and our server, Jasmine, was exceptional!

Linda Bryant

Nice spot for quality American food. Entered near ten, it was not crowded. Really nothing but great experiences here, so I will be back. The bill was reasonable. Menu is similar to a restaurant in El Paso I liked.

Valerie Baker

Loved the atmosphere, the staff was attentive. We sat at the bar for drinks and appetizers, because we had a 30 min wait, which was actually about 40mins. The amaretto stone sour was one of the best I've had. The smoked salmon was very good. Other than it being a little slow for seating, I'd definitely recommend this place.

Ashley Wolfe

Limited menu. Not recommended for families with small kids or those under 21. Most drinks are alcoholic. Dim lighting and live music is played. Great for dates or small celebrations with adults. A bit on the pricey side, but nothing unreasonable.

Deamber Clopton

Amazing restaurant! Great location, atmosphere, and live band. The service was fabulous and very knowledgeable about the menu, and made great dinner recommendations based on what information we gave. The bar was full service all the way around and was a great start for drinks while we waited on our table. Went to dinner with friends to catch up and will definitely be returning!

Matt Peppes

Great spot for lunch, right in the heart of the miracle mile! They have a great assortment of tasty dishes. We started with the spinach artichoke dip, which was amazing, and then I ended up ordering the burger. It was cooked to perfection and came with a great amount of fries.

Jeff J

I love this place. The service is always top notch, food is very good, and it's super cozy. Nice jazzy, dark, and a subtle ambiance. We went on Valentine's Day weekend. We made reservations, and we were seated in a timely manner.

Cheryl Bacigalupi

Hands down the best French dip I’ve had. I come here every time I go back to visit my former home of Chicago. But if you don’t want the French dip, never fear everything else is too notch. Get the chips and dips appetizer for sure.

Michel

Solid place with high quality food, drinks and professional service and we love the live jazz music!

Chris Gass

Great restaurant on Michigan ave. Good options for food and a lively bar.

Ronn E.

Just like the one in Sacramento. Tremendously delicious margaritas! Nice steaks and salads too. Crowd is 40ish. No millennials and no children. Sweet!!

Paul Carter

An elegant ambience paired with a refreshingly uncomplicated menu, matched with fine service, makes this an easy choice for lunch or dinner. Add to that some well favored jazz standards offered in the evening by live musicians, and dinner just elevated one level.

Markus Heid

Very nice atmosphere with friendly staff and good service. Food was very good and sometimes a review should stop right here.

Scott McCormack

Outstanding food, service and atmosphere. Good jazz band at the perfect volume level. Not a big menu selection but everything our party of four tried was excellent.

Sneha Malshetti

The place is classy with nice jazz music... The food was good... The veggie burger was filling n tasty at the same time ...

Walter Oles

Great spot. I recommend the macho salad.

Jones Reece

Chicago fine dinning. Every experience to entry to placing our selections and it was 5 of us they prepared the order to each persons taste buds. Such as no salt or dressing salad on the side desserts ok best part that instead of taking a cab to our hotel we walked mesning it was good for digestion.

Sean Ray

A must go! This is the best restaurant I've ever been to. The staff was amazing and extremely kind. You can tell that it is a great place to work because they all worked together like a well oiled machine. They all helped out and made sure that you were doing okay. If you don't have reservations, don't worry. They don't mind you hanging out at or around the bar until your table is ready. Even the bar tenders were also. They all had amazing and infectious smiles and very welcoming. The live jazz music was amazing and wasn't too loud; great musicians, very professional. The food was amazing and not overly expensive. I had the artic char and it was like butter in my mouth. I tried someone else's steak and it was also incredible. This restuarant is definitely my number one favorite of all time!

Patricia Farnan

Great atmosphere with the jazz music, lovely staff, and great food. We started with some drinks at the bar (vg G&T) while we waited for our table, then we had the cheeseburger, the ribs and the chicken. All delicious. Comfy seating and nice toilets.

Adam Graff

You need a macho salad in your life.

michael brcic

The beef ribs are excellent. They changed the coleslaw, still very good but the old one with the peanuts was to die for. It is a little pricey

GOLNAZ AKHGAR

Excellent food. The salads were some of the tastiest salads l have ever tasted. The artichoke and spinach dip was super tasty.

Harris B.

Excellent food. Prices are reasonable considering it is on Michigan Ave.

Nelson Williams

Good food and good jazz in a beautiful setting. However, the draft beer selection was abysmal, the menu was limited, and on a cool night, the bar area was uncomfortably hot. This could've been a five-star review with a few simple changes. For starters, adding several local beers to the draft list would help.

Rohan Luthra

Had a lovely time here. The waitress was smiling and cooperative. The staff in general were very nice to us. The food was great and had big portions.

Zach Wroblewski

One of the better meals I’ve had in Chicago, the service from Shannon was great. Will definitely be going back!

C F

Delicious food. Sophisticated Upscale crowd. Great service. Prices are reasonable

Luis Morales

Love the amazing music. Waiters are extremely friendly and the food was tasty!

Jennifer Hersh

Great food and atmosphere! They make the best margaritas in Chicago and the emerald salad is terrific!

Joanne Clifford

Live Jazz, delicious food, great service. A classy place

Paul Carrano

Great food, solid cocktales and amazing service. Live jazz makes for great ambience. Good romantic spot or for dinner with out of town friends.

Gina Friend

Love Everything about Bandera! Employees, Food, Atmosphere, Live Jazz. I've brought many friends here. Cheers!

J Scott George

I ate there the other night with my parents and, while the food was fantastic, what really left an impression was the staff. Unlike any other restaurant I've ever been to, they have a sort of teamwork thing going on. Nick, our server was great and friendly, but in addition to all that he did, it seemed as though every other employee came by our table at some point. The second food was ready, or a drink was made, it was immediately brought to the table by whomever was nearby instead of leaving it sitting until our server took the orders of other tables. There was a young lady standing at the counter at all times and coordinating everything that came out. Even the hostesses were bringing food and drinks to various tables. I've never seen such efficiency and teamwork in the industry setting. I just booked another reservation there for tomorrow night.

M. R. Atchison

Love, love, love. However, our server gave us the wrong bill that was twice as much as what ours should have been. For that I couldn't give a 5 star.

Greg Sanders

Bandera has a great atmosphere, good acoustics that allow for conversation, good food and drink, skilled wait staff. Live jazz music several days per week. Located on Chicago's Magnificent Mile, this is not an inexpensive place for bringing the family. It appears to cater to a business clientele. So a great place for a business lunch or dinner, on the company card.

Ashton Willcox

Didn't eat it had an hour wait but please note it's on the second story so look up, it took us 30 minutes to find it because we walked around it for so long. 4 stars while I was in there it looked almost worth the wait

Megan Kilman

We loved the hostess! She made our night completely!!!

Tracy Brown

Excellent food & great jazz. Highly recommended!

Saverio Pascazio

Ups and downs. The spare ribs were nice, but the chicken was badly cooked (the meat next to the bones was still red). The salad was too watery. The French fries were nothing special. However the (live) music was nice and not intrusive and the service very careful. One of us gave 2 stars, the other one 4. Balancing all aspects, let's say 3 stars.

Ken Burnett

Wow! Felt like a hidden gem on Michigan Ave. Live music, great service, and good food. We didn't have a reservation on a Fri night and they still were able to accommodate our party of six right away. Very good experience for us. Thank you!

Dana Keys

Delicious food! Service was great and we loved the jazz music. Definitely recommend this place.

Hildy 243

Good service but we had to wait 30 minutes to get our table of 4. The food is really good and they do a great job with gluten free.

Chris Bunge

Lemonade was actually fresh and amazing. The dings chicken sandwich was delicious. The fries...were poor. Since that was half the meal they get a 3. I feel hitting so hard on the other points they could make a decent/fresh fry. Kind you I got there at open but their fries are like steak and shake (yet somehow worse). Gives be some parmesan sprinkle on a thick, frankly sliced potato with just the right seasoning and you earn a 5.

Anne-Gaëlle MORVAN

Great menu, food, prices, service and jazzy mood.

maria hamilton

Amazing food! Live jazz. Wonderful atmosphere

Mauro Hernandez

Great vibe. It’s a very nice restaurant for a date. A bit pricey, but the food is worth it. Our server was delightful and the Jazz was great.

Linda Doherty

I have been going here for years and the food, service and live jazz trio make this an unbeatable combination, especially along the Mag Mile.

Archit Jha

Upscale spot in the loop for American food. Lots of good fish options. I especially liked the Emerald Kale and Chicken Salad. They have live jazz music every day which is pretty cool, made the ambience a whole lot delightful. Service was quick and staff was very professional and welcoming.

David

I cannot rate this place high enough. The food is absolutely amazing and the service is as efficient as it could possibly be. Try the French dip sandwich, if it was human I would marry it.

Carl from Chicago

Bandera is one of our favorite places in Chicago. They have excellent food, good drinks and a nice jazz combo in the background that doesn’t take over the place. Great chicken and beef and sandwiches too. If it is busy you can eat at the bar.

Tyler Cash

I always visit this place when I'm in chicago, fantastic cocktails, food, and live jazz music every night. Can't go wrong.

Stevan Haiflich

Great dining experience. Beautiful setting overlooking Michigan Avenue. Delicious steaks cooked to your taste. Shrimo Louis is out of this world. Live jazz in the evenings. Music is easy listening and a place where you can have a conversation over dinner.

Matthew Connors

When I make a reservation, I expect there will be a table available when I arrive. My wife and I waited over 25 minutes after our reservation to be seated. At that time, they were sold out of the main specials and ~5 other items on the menu.

Anthony Hernandez

I had the ribs, salmon, & margarita. They were all fantastic! Very friendly staff and excellent service!

The New Radar

Really don't have anything bad to say about this place. The food and service were both really good! Staff was friendly and appeared to take a team service approach (we sat at the bar). Be prepared for a little wait during busy hours. Recommend calling ahead. The highlight foodwise for me personally was the fact they had beef ribs. Doesn't seem like much, but they don't serve them at most restaurants and they aren't usually that tasty. The fries are a must! They have some secret dipping sauce that you could put on anything you don't like and you will love it. So good! All the salads were super solid and filling. Atmosphere is cool and dark. Very swanky and upscale, but still a place you'd feel comfortable being casual. It's a little pricey, but felt like it was worth the experience.

George Fuller

One of our favorites every year when visiting Chicago for RSNA. Food is great. Ambience is better, especially tables overlooking Michigan Ave in December when it snows during the holidays.

Isaac Alvarado

The food here is amazing. Must try the skillet cornbread app. Cocktails are on point. Service always has been great.

Sandeep Kumar

Bandera is right on Michigan Ave and it is such a delight to have had lunch here. We ordered a sandwich and a salad and I can honestly say that it was among the best food that I have had till date. The place also has great ambience and is indeed very romantic. A light background music plays during afternoon but I wish I could go back for dinner when they have live music playing. All in all, a great place and a definite visit is warranted.

Jérémy Walther

Great place and staff. Food is delicious and the lounge atmosphere with the jazz band playing is great. We had the bread plate, the cheeseburger, and the ribs and everything was good and tasty. Just one thing weird : the bottle of diet coke is about half the size of the regular coke bottle for nearly the same price... Could have been good to have the option to get a full size bottle.

Jonathan Carter

Being from Dallas we frequent R+D, Honor Bar and Houston's so we were eager to see what Bandera was like. It is a bit of a blend of R+D and Honor Bar, which is a very good thing! We were seated at the window right by the jazz trio which is something neither of those Dallas locations has. The food and service were just as good with a handful of staples from both on the menu, but some new tastes as well. I had the lamb sandwich and it was quite good! Bandera is definitely worth adding t your list of places to eat while in Chicago.

Carlos Salgado

Amazing. They have something for everyone and the margs are like no other

Sandra Collins

Cool spot with a great experience and corn bread that you will enjoy!

McKenzie Phelps

Fantastic restaurant in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. It’s great for date nights or special events. Excellent food and drinks

Eman Alkaba

If you are looking for a good jazz live music then that is not the place to go. Overpriced food. I had their famous corn bread and hated it. The desert is also a disappointment as well as the ceaser salad

Stacey Miller

Been going here for years..changes have been made to menu that I don't like. Mashed potatoes aren't as good as they use too be. And they don't serve Prime Rib anymore!!!! They have a Prime Rib Filet..or what the waitress said was filet mignon! Me going there in the future will only be for cocktails.

Karl Hanson

Excellent food. Great service. We were next to the piano which was a bit loud for conversation but a minor issue. Would definitely go again.

Nathaniel Jones

Absolutely fantastic! The food was great and the service was amazing. I got the rotisserie chicken and it was the best I have ever had! The atmosphere is pleasant, especially with the live smooth jazz playing. This place is squeaky clean and you can tell they put their everything into every dish. The food is pricy but 100% worth it, I highly recommend Bandera!

Dana Barnett

Great service & atmosphere. Fantastic trio band. Spinach & artichoke appetizer was delicious. Kale & Rotisserie chicken salad- best salad I’ve ever eaten. Special of the day was prime rib, bone in: flavor & temperature was very nice...meat was chewy. We notified the server. (No credit was wanted). Management never acknowledged the “chewy meat”. Would definitely come back. Just expected to be able to cut my prime rib with a fork and not have to fight with it.

The Great Purple Fishlord

BEST FISH IN THE WORLD. I have been to three continents, over 20 countries, and without a shadow of a doubt the best fish I have ever eaten was the tuna at Bandera. Please don't let the "live jazz" advertisement fool you: This is a serious restaurant that happens to have a some talented musicians playing in it, not a jazz club like I was expecting, but boy, I didn't leave disappointed!