Reviews of Smyth (Restaurant)

Anand Brahmbhatt

A very unique experience. Almost everything we ate was truly incredible. The drink pairings were very well thought out too and enhanced the experience

Vance McMurry

It is difficult to find the words to describe our evening at Smyth. The meal brought me to tears on a few occasions. The experience of unprecedented balance, flavor, love, passion and presence in just one bite. An explosion of life in a single bite. A single bite brought clarity and presence to life and forced me to be present not just with this meal, but in life. Thank you Chris, Jacquie, Kyle and the entire Smyth team.

Bruce Anderson

Upscale restaurant with amazing food.

Niharika Malhotra

Great service, great food.

ABN522

I don’t understand the hype. This was our first Michelin Star restaurant and while the service was A++ the food was not worth the price.

Jesse Badger

Do yourself a favor and get the 12-course tasting menu. Probably the best in the city.

Cynthia Daniel

Totally amazing!

Jonathan Zielke

After every dish, I would say to myself "that is the best one yet" and somehow, they would top it...Absolutely amazing

Ted S

Amazing!

Aniko Öry

Incredible food, incredible wine, warm ambience, thoughtful service. Thanks, Smyth!

Yuliya Sannikova

I was really looking forward to dine at this restaurant to celebrate my birthday. I noticed that the reviews were mixed but I still decided to give it a shot. I have dined at Michelin starred restaurants with a tasting menu in the past and always enjoyed it. Not this time.. The food itself and presentation were fine but I had a feeling they could have served either more courses or have slightly bigger portions. It looked a little overpriced for what it was comparing to other Michelin starred restaurants. However, the biggest disappointment was the service. The staff was impersonal and cold throughout the whole dining experience. I would think that the staff would be more engaged since it is a unique & creative cuisine. The restaurant asks you if you celebrate an occasion which I did and indicated it but does NOT do anything more than you would get on a regular day visit. Why do you ask then?? No one greeted with a smile when we walked in (the host actually looked bothered), no happy birthday wish, no welcome drink or a candle with a dessert. NOTHING! Just a simple card signed by the staff on a table. Can you, explain why do you ask if you are not going to make it special? I could spend 3 times less going at a good steakhouse and get outstanding food, service and attention. Not impressed...

David Scaff

Amazing experience. Authentic vibe in a Michelin star setting

taylor edwards

This is the best tasting menu experience in Chicago if you’re a true food fan. Very progressive in all the right ways. Come with an open mind and experience the awesomeness. Food is absolutely dreamy, fantastic service, great pairings, and course options that allow you to craft the type of meal you’d like to have. 100% a must.

Tori Murphy

The food is nothing short of incredible but one of my favorite parts was the service! They were so warm and welcoming and were always willing to take time to answer any of our questions and go in-depth about the wine pairings, the partnership with the farm, even the music playing. I loved the relaxed atmosphere. The dining room and kitchen are beautiful but very inviting. I had so much fun and can't wait to go back!

Daniel Wile

Totally inventive without being contrived or self absorbed. Big, open relaxed dining room. Very nice, very committed staff.

X X

I didn't particularly care for the booth directly next to one of the chef's doing some sort of prep work - at first I thought it would be neat to observe him work, but actually we couldn't really see what he was doing while seated and it felt a bit like we were being eavesdropped on because he was so close and not interacting with anyone. Tasting menu was excellent, and we really enjoyed the explanation of the inspiration behind each dish as well as a bit about how it was prepared. Wine pairings were good too. I appreciated being handed the bottles to inspect at my leisure.

Ralph Jackson

IMHO if you could give 6*, I would. This was the proverbial dining experience! Each dish was a blast off into creativity and flavor. There is a theme to the insane dishes. And, the wine pairing is genius! I would do it all over again when in Chicago. I'm sure there are a lot more hits to come!

Geoffrey King

Hands down best meal ever. The service is phenomenal and the experience altogether is fantastic. Get a reservation ASAP you won't regret it.

Gavin C Henderson

Good food and nice vibe.

M. Kamran Aslam

Great variety and ambiance. Great addition to loop.

Sam Le

I don't think I have ever had service or food this good in my life and I don't think I ever will. You would think a two Michelin star restaurant would have a very pretentious vibe, but it doesn't have an ounce of it. The service here is remarkable, with everything feeling choreographed in a beautiful way. The servers are very nice, and you can really see their personality shine when they talk to you. There are not enough kind words in the English language to describe this place. When I die, this meal will flash before my eyes, it was THAT good. Just go here, you own't regret it.

Abby Rodgers

Smyth was an incredible experience! Great for a date night or special occasion. Everything was delicious, and they were also very accommodating for dietary preferences.

Patricia Saunders

This place was AMAZING!!!! My partner and I celebrated our one-year anniversary together, and we both had the best beef *and* the best salmon in our lives. The service team signed a cute little card for us and wished us a happy anniversary. The atmosphere was cozy, but not too serious. Definitely worth a visit!!!

Adriana Luzardo

We celebrated my 45th last year, travel from Miami. It was incredible, it is one of my favorite places in Chicago. Food is spectacular and the service is outstanding. Coming back for more this year.

robert elkins

I was skeptical about the almost perfect ratings however the sophistication of the food and incredible service and general all pervasive upbeat tempo. Wow

Iurii Chernyshov

I usually don’t write rewiews, but my 1 star is for drinks. Ordered non alcohol drink pairing and more weird stuff never tried. It was salty/sour •, brine stuff that was impossible to drink. Water was good:) Food was good, but not for 2*. Ok to try. Nothing about money, for this value its ok, but drinks impossible to drink:)

Justin Maurinus

One of the worst dinners Ive had here in Chicago. Blackbird crushed it compared to Smyth. 3 of 8 courses were aspargus. 2 of 8 were oyster. My only beef dish was used with beef fat. The Brioche was soggy and just made me feel disgusted.

Cameron Full

Killer dining experience. Great progression. Absolutely would recommend. A+

Xuankang Lin

First time a Michelin experience

meagan nguyen

What I liked: Service was excellent. I appreciate that they didn’t stand around watching me like hawks (which was how I felt at Alinea) but they were very attentive. The aged ribeye was out of this world incredible. Just give me 10 more ounces and 10 of those brioche doughnuts and Smyth may have gotten 5 stars. Desserts were enjoyable and innovative but… What I didn't like: Desserts didn’t sit well in my stomach—may have been the egg yolk yogurt. One of my parties got a replacement for the ribeye course. She got some type of steak with “charred” asparagus. She didn’t care for this dish so I ended up eating it for her. Steak was amazing but the asparagus did not work for me. Flavor-wise, it was ok and not bitter but the texture was of completely burnt veggies. All other dishes were unimpressive in terms of flavor, and quantity. If I hadn’t eaten dinner beforehand, I would have been very disappointed because this was a meal for barbies. Overall, meal was only worth half of what I paid.

chefyoma

Top two best dining experiences I’ve had. Highly recommended.

Danae Marin Urueña

Great restaurant. Spectacular tasting menu with great wine menu around the world

Chris Ching

An absolutely spectacular experience. We did the Omaha experience and the food blew me away with unexpected flavor combinations and impeccable quality. Service was also top notch and I highly recommend dining for special occasions

Dom C

Best meal in Chicago so far. Checked all the boxes.

Paul Cote

Service was excellent, food was amazing, and the wine pairings were spot on. Can't wait to get back to Chicago to experience it again.

Lingxiao Leng

Amazing experience!!

George Chen

Reviewing Smyth (the upscale fine dining part of the restaurant) here: husband and wife chefs with great pedigree creating their own version of fine dining that's paired with comfortable atmosphere and high quality service. Definitely worthy of its Michelin star and as deserving a visit as any of the top Chicago restaurants

Miliana Johnson

Wow

Tony Schutz

Amazing service, very knowledgeable about all the great courses and what pairs with the dish and the wine's origin. Oysters so fresh they were like they were directly from their source.

Gilbert Schultz

My wife and I were excited to try this establishment for the first time, but were ultimately left feeling unsatisfied. Everything from the wait staff to the ambiance fell far short of expectations. As for the food, again, mediocre at best. It would be difficult to convince me to try Smyth again with all of the other choices available in Chicago. Sorry, Smyth - you simply didn't do it for me.

Joshua Shaver

Dined at Smyth On 3/30. The attention to detail is everywhere. Loved everything until the last bite, so that was our lasting impression unfortunately. The service was spectacular- Kyle, Claire, and Jackie were great. The menu had a nice progression, and the wine pairings on point. Favorite dishes were the uni, steelhead trout, and beet. Everything was cooked to perfection. The only disappointment was the last dessert trio. Kombucha ice cream sandwich, seaweed tart and sour squash curd. The three together was just over the top with earthiness. The tart had way to much seaweed which rendered it inedible. Overall we enjoyed ourselves, so we will have to try again; hopefully the pastry station just had an off night.

Chuck Stapleton

Amazing food and the service is excellent. They accommodated a change in our schedule and our dietary restrictions. Will definitely be coming back!

Anthony Dimicco

Absolutely incredible dinner. I am not one to write reviews as I frequently dine at amazing restaurants, however this is one of the best dining experiences I have had...ever. Wine pairings were spot on and while the food was was extremely creative and innovative I loved that the focus was still flavor and preparation. Will be back again!

Brandon Williford

Chef John Shields is a culinary savant! He pushes limits and expands flavors as well as anyone in the nation. Every course was loaded with creativity and flavor. The wine pairings and sake complimented the dishes well. The staff was very knowledgeable. The vibe there is unlike most other fine dining restaurants. It’s much more laid back and you feel almost like your sitting in a friends house. From the first bite through all 12 courses, Smyth is a true culinary experience that doesn’t disappoint.

Skylar Kramer

Great spot to get some food when in a hurry. The service is swift, prices are affordable, great atmosphere. Will come back again

Thea Stack

The most wonderful meal of my life. Truly.

Josh Yates

Fantastic meal. It deserves another Michelin star!

Ronit Roy

OUTSTANDING! The food was exceptional, the entire team was delightful. An amazing evening. Thank you for a very memorable night.

Don Sherman

Great service, the wine pairing was top notch. Our tasting menu contained more raw seafood than we expected. It was all delicious but some of us were expecting more variety. It's still well worth the trip.

Yuanbo Liu

good. I like the Thanksgiving Special Menu in 2018. I will go next time.

Scott Schwartz

Innovative, delicious food. Definitely a special occasion.

ToKyo Lee

I ordered 5 courses. It took one hour to finish all dishes. This place is very organized, kind. The food was also good

Grass Cat Lu

My friends and my family and I came here for a 5 course tasting experience. We really enjoy the awesome night! The first dish is astonishing! The sour radish and apple stimulated my taste bud from time to time, arousing my impulse to have a big satisfactory meal. My heart was melting when I ate the oyster, a fresh sea taste with a little seeweed! The second dish is completely different from the first one but complementary to the first one. The taste of the second is rich and mellow. Crab is tight and fresh mixed with mellow Foie gras. I will keep some mystery of the other 3 dishes for you to explore. Don't forget the egg yogurt which is hot over the Instagram. By the way Sam is very polite and friendly to us.

Larisa Kova

I actually enjoyed this diner, the food is remarkable, as well as the brooms were tidy. It was a little cool indoors, so yeah, it was not the very best. The waiter is excellent as well. I will most definitely consider returning once more if I get the chance. Me as well as my pal bought the pizza as well as we were not let down. My one recommendation is to maintain the cool outside. Come again!

David Ortiz

One of the countries greatest restaurants! Amazing tasting menu with a wine pairing to match!!

David

Super duper

Nelson Chua

Elegant yet casual. These seemingly contradictory traits sum up what Smyth’s philosophy is about. To create the exquisite textures and flavours with such humility and warmth is a grant achievement, yet the atmosphere is modest and down to earth. I enjoyed every moment.

Pierre C.

I had dinner here 5+ times, when they had zero stars and one star. I always thought that I had 3 stars in my plate. Now they have two, and I won't be surprised that they'll get 3 soon. Taste is amazing and so well balanced, this is one of the best restaurants in my rich experience. Then comes the service. When I told them I was moving out of town, they offered us some extra wine despite that fact. I wish I still lived in Chicago just to go here once in a while. Great job guys, I am happy to pay your not-so-expensive bill when I get this good food and service. Cheers

Sarahi Wilson

GOODNESS! WOW. GEE-WIZ! SPECTACULAR. If I could give 100 stars I would. Here's the thing, you get more than what you pay for. My date actually tipped $100 to the waiter, Kyle, and let's just say going to places like this isn't a regular occurence for us. We're actually from Oklahoma. Let me try and make it short. Smyth was a Christmas present to my boyfriend while we visited family in the North. I won. Their food is exquisite. There's nothing I would change. I would honestly say if you have any restrictions, they will do great, but you're missing out on the full experience. I was full from dinner which I hear is rare. We did the classic menu with the basic wine pairing. The atmosphere was great! Those little touches like the personalized card, the decorations, cleanliness, etc was perfect for both date nights and group dinners. We did the wine tasting which was paired well. Finally, the staff dominated life. Everything from a glass of champagne for our wait, suggestions, conversation, offering to take pictures... I mean the list goes on and on. They made us feel special and unique in more ways than one and we didn't even get the most expensive menu. Kyle actually raved about the burgers at their downstairs bar (which was an experience on it's own and reasonably priced) and actually gave us one on the house! We will be back. We would like to make them family. It wasn't just dinner, it was an experience.

Tamar Bobys

The attention to detail from the moment we walked in the door until the time we left was amazing. Personal attention, doting service, sublime food, minimalist decor that is cozy and inviting. I highly recommend this experience and I will be back.

Doug K.

I say Smith.

Raymond Tan

Excellent food and service.

Miaoye Que

This place was AMAZING!!!! My partner and I celebrated our one-year anniversary together, and we both had the best beef *and* the best salmon in our lives. The service team signed a cute little card for us and wished us a happy anniversary. The atmosphere was cozy, but not too serious. Definitely worth a visit!!!

Jackson Flores

One of the most memorable meals of my life, and the service was exceptional.

La Toumi

This was a really nice and highly recommended experience. We took the small menu and really enjoyed the courses. Nice service people. Because of the open kitchen you can watch the chefs while they‘re cooking and preparing.

Darran Harris

I had dinner here many times,Taste is amazing and so well balanced, this is one of the best restaurants in my book.Then comes the service.Thank You!!

Habib Al Mulla

Although it is deemed a fine dining place the atmosphere is casual and relaxed. The service is very friendly and attentive. The food is creative but it falls short from wow. There was not a single dish that was memorable. I am not saying it was bad but the taste was bland. However I have to admit that the chocolate dessert was divine.

sebastian bach

First of all, it was a pleasure to dine in a comfortable and casual atmosphere. You feel at ease to try all the unique. combination of tastes. Each dish was a surprise. Nothing you would expect in fine dining. Worth every dollar you spend.

Ravi Chopra

Comfortable, not overly-formal service, without leaving you wanting for anything. Exceptionally thoughtful wine pairings which compliment the food beautifully. Very clean, pure, and true-to-the ingredients food. Creative, occasionally surprising, and ubiquitously delicious. Not overly elaborate. An easy recommendation.

SeFok Chan

Definitely one of the very best in Chicago. Ordinary things are made into something extraordinary.

John Weigelt

OUTSTANDING! The food was exceptional, the entire team was delightful. An amazing evening. Thank you for a very memorable night.

Ryan Hylas

One of the best meals my life! Surprisingly innovative dishes, perfectly prepared. Oyster paired with berries in a shooter was the perfect way to start this wonderful meal at Smyth. The most tender shrimp I've ever had, inspired me to get an immersion circulator to sous vide shrimp myself. The candied egg yolk blew my mind. The wine pairing was excellent. Has the potential to be a 3 Michelin star restaurant.

Johnny Lee

Excellent tasting menu, very unique flavor combinations and in a comfortable and friendly service environment.

Al Patel

The oyster with radish & strawberry is to die for!

Jim Na

This was our fine dining experience during our current trip to Chicago, celebrating our 15 year anniversary. The restaurant is in a relatively quiet neighborhood. Inside the dining room is spacious, with probably around 12 tables, all with views of the open kitchen. The ambience is definitely one of comfortable coziness. We opted for the 5 course menu (we have an eight year old), no wine pairing. Below are the courses and my impression. First course: Salted raspberry and watermelon radish with seaweed and oyster. The saltiness of the oyster went well with the sweetness of the sauce to make a tasty bite. I thought it was good even though I don't really like oysters. Second course: Gulf shrimp with fermented asparagus in malted cream. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, and eaten together with the cream and asparagus made a very tasty bite. The cream sauce has a taste of caramel which my son appreciated. Third course: The farm potato with yeast, spring onion and trout roe. Basically a cooked potato with a mild sauce and roe. The roe added saltiness to the otherwise bland potato, not a really flavorful bite. Besides my eight year old, wife and I really didn't like this course. It was a substitute for a lobster course (according to the website menu) and was underwhelming. Fourth course: Beef ribeye with sprouted wheat and sorrel, served with brioche donut with aged beef au jus. This was by far my favorite dish. The beef was tender and flavorful, and dipped into the au jus which took three days to age, made it even tastier. The donut was a bit greasy and I didn't think it belonged with this dish, even dipped into the jus as suggested didn't really make it that special. Fifth course: milk chocolate with raspberry preserves, shiitake and kelp, egg yolk soaked in salted licorice with frozen yogurt meringue. The chocolate was served before the meringue, and it was not your usually bite of chocolate as it tastes sweet and salty at the same time. Good but not really special. The egg yolk meringue was unlike any dessert I've had, and all ingredients eaten together was very tasty. The only drawback was that the licorice was a bit too sticky and stuck to my teeth (wife had same complaint; she was also not a fan of the yolk). Overall it was definitely a memorable dining experience, with at least three dishes providing memorable tasty bites, especially the perfectly cooked ribeye. Service was attentive without being intrusive, and the ambience definite added to the fine dining experience.

Yao Wong

One of Chicago's finest tasting menus (make sure to go for the complete experience). Staff are friendly and knowledgable and the restaurant is just beautiful, warm and inviting. Beverage pairings are strong as well. John and Karen Shields have created a wonderful restaurant.

Tom Templeton

Had the 8 course menu with wine pairing. Absolutely amazing.

David Lee

the prix fixe here is truly an adventure. one of my favorite places to come to in Chicago

Shaley Sogan

deserts are my weak spot at his place. stuff is nice and friendly

Chris Oseto

We have been fortunate to have dined five times at Smyth over the past five months and each time the chef has created an amazing gustatory experience without the gimmicks. The food and its preparation are the focus of Smyth and its amazing staff. Each time we return we are made to feel as if we were family enjoying an innovated and transformed dining experience. One does not "eat" at Smyth but rather experience the food with all of one's senses. Dine at Smyth's now because once they receive another Michelin star, it will be difficult to get reservations. I have dined at Charlie Trotters, Tru, Alinea, Next, and Oriole and Smyth has set the standard to which other restaurants aspire.

Rob Birse

Best meal we've had in the US...the flavors were divine and the service was impeccable while still being friendly. In our humble opinion the up front cost is well worth the investment for that special occasion or if you just want to impress. We got a kick out of the turntable and vinyl collection, and the willingness of the staff to find a favorite track or 3 :)

A Beautiful Disaster

Enjoyed a romantic birthday dinner, service was impeccable and the food was delicious. We look forward to visiting again when we are in town.

Rachel Letizia

Hands down the best ribeye I've ever tasted! We did the five-course menu and each and every dish was delightful and extremely interesting. I would have never imagined the combinations but they were delicious! We split a wine pairing because I didn't want to drink too much, and they were so accommodating.

Michael Bevan

We did the 5 course experience. Everything was excellent. Would definitely recommend.

Wilbert Tien

Amazing food, a true 'suprise from the chef' experience. Will definitely recommend to others and come back. $300 was a very good price for the food given.

Greg Taylor

Phenomenal experience from start to finish. Friendly, attentive service. Knowledgeable about each course, ingredient and wine pairing. Bursting with flavor and creativity.

Chris Tso

Best restaurant in the city.

Jonathan Davidson

Holy f-word! Well worth the $$$$

Brian Montana

Service was fantastic, they carefully guide you through the meal and pairings. The beef donut is

Jabez Guanga

Spectacular experience.

Susanne Dershaw

A must do! The most incredible and unique food experience.

Ilana O

I still think about the first bite - an oyster, deliberately dressed with a bit of sweet and a bit of tart, presented on a bowl of ice. By the time we got to the rib eye, I was getting pretty full, but everything in between - the salmon - melt off the fork - the brioche and au jus - warm, flaky, savory goodness - it was all delicious. The wine pairing complimented each dish, but again, was a bit too much for the volume capacity of my stomach; my date had no problems, so chances are you won't either.