Matisse Tavern & Grill

Stopped into Matisse Tavern & Grill for a drink before another dinner reservation. We were short on time but that was no issue for our bartender! Along with speed of service, our drinks were incredible. Highly recommend their martini menu ESPECIALLY the Kucumber Kiss

Great food, good drinks, exceptional experience dining last night at Matisse. It exceeded my expectations. The staff was prompt and friendly. Can't wait to go back again. Highly recommend!

Went here at 11pm on a Sunday (New Years day) as it was the only place around open. They have a large beer selection and food options. Seating looks limited, but obviously was not full due to time. Good music, good vibes, good service. No complaints here! My bf said the burning house burger was the perfect spice level. I had a classic grilled chicken avacado sandwich that was top-notch. Definitely recommend the pretzel bread! A side was included and the fries were a solid choice.

It was my first time going to Matisse Tavern and the service was just great!! Super friendly staff, great drinks options. For food we had the quesadilla and the burger and they were both really good. Cute and cozy ambiance, definitely recommend it for a date or just if you wanna grab something to eat.

A perfect Chicago night accompanied by delicious food. Had the Mac & Cheese and it’s delicious. Fabian was fantastic. Pointed me in the right direction for food and drinks little red dress was a perfect Monday night drink. Checked in a perfect amount of times for how long I was there. Overall the service was quick but chill. I didn’t get his name but the bald man who greeted me as soon as I looked at the menu is the reason I had dinner here. Just a wonderful dinner.

I have been here / multiple times - each in different attire and different levels of “messy”. Each time, I was greeted with a smile, respected, served delicious food and drinks and thoroughly enjoyed my experience - even enough to sit and dine in (that doesn’t happen often). I have not had one thing on this menu I didn’t like - both drinks and food. But I came back for the wontons a few times ;) Thank you to victor, Jorge, David and staff 🌻

Went late night after a Cubs game and staff welcomed our ridiculous orders. Bartender Vicktor went above and beyond making me a collaborated cocktail. Food was absolutely phenomenal. Priced very reasonably. Paid $150 for 4 apps, a few beers and cocktails, plus a burger.

Matisse is the definition of a hidden gem on Chicago’s North Side. From the moment we walked in, the vibe was warm and welcoming, and the service was spot-on and attentive without being overbearing. The food? Incredible. We started with the garlic parm wings and quesadillas, and I’m not exaggerating when I say those wings are some of the best I’ve had in Chicago! They were perfectly crispy with a garlicky kick. For mains, my friend ordered the beef tenderloin (melt-in-your-mouth good) and I went for the Devil’s Chicken. The chicken was juicy and bathed in a tomato sauce with olives, capers, white wine, and garlic…… an absolute flavor bomb. Drinks were another highlight. They make their own syrups and juices, and you can taste the creativity in every cocktail. Dessert sealed the deal: the bread pudding and mango crème brûlée were both outstanding. Bonus points for the heated outdoor patio that stays open until November and their late night hours which is perfect for lingering after a night out. Matisse has been holding it down in the neighborhood for 24 years, and it’s easy to see why. This place deserves all the love.

My wife and I have been here a few times, and we love it. The food has always been delicious, great cocktails, and the service is delightful. Shoutout to Fabian, who was incredibly nice!

I went to your once and I really enjoyed it, they had a burger there that had a flambe pear on it and it was to die for!! I love that it's open late. Cute patio.

We had an outstanding time at Matisse. The atmosphere is very cozy and offers a great intimate experience. You can actually have a conversation without too much of background noise. The craft cocktails were extraordinary and the food was delicious. Service was amazing. I can't wait to come back.

Great location and atmosphere. Our server was Fabian and he was amazing from the moment we sat down. I never had an empty drink and we were made sure we had anything we needed/wanted. Hats off to Fabian and his team! My wife even approved of the spicy margarita saying it had just the right amount of heat. We will be back next time we are in the city.

Food was great and service was top notch. Moscow mule was great, terrific beer selection and the burger was so good I could see through time!!! Hit this place up!!!

It was our first time at this place. It was wonderful! Good service, lively and fun atmosphere and delicious food and drinks. We hope to come back again soon!

Absolutely the best hidden gem in lakeview east!!!! The BEST find I’ve had in a long time! The service was so helpful and knowledgeable(something that isn’t too common) and was cheery with recommendations. Food was incredible. I had the steak and it was perfectly cooked and high quality without breaking the bank. Dessert was bread pudding and by far one of the best break puddings I’ve had in Chicago. Great vibes, great people, and surely great food. Must visit place!

I may get the spelling incorrect.. however, we just had the best servers in town. Favian, Alex and Lucas - Thank you for helping us celebrate the newest addition to our family. It was such a special day and the hospitality and friendship you all brought made it that much sweeter. “Eat well. Drink better” - couldn’t be more true.

My partner and I went in thinking we’d split a burger - once we saw the cocktail menu though, we knew we were in for a different experience. The drinks were incredible, the burgers were amazing, the potatos were perfect. We left saying we’d be back, and I can’t wait for our next trip here.

Great service! They had a really nice beer and martini menu. Food was really good. We had an assortment of apps and everything was great. Really quick and came out hot! Will definitely come back for dinner and drinks! Fun outdoor space too!

Fabian & victor are amazing. 100% recommend the Mac and cheese, wantons, and the wish you good luck cocktail. So good. Thank you for feeding us when we were hungry! We will be back!

Such an amazing place! We stumbled across it on our way back from the pride parade and let me just say: best restaurant experience 1000/10! The food was so delicious! I was nervous about trying new things because I’m a picky eater, but the Shrimp Tacos were phenomenal. The sweet potato fries were like dessert! Our host and server were so charismatic, friendly, and helpful. They truly made the experience worthwhile. If you are in Chicago, PLEASE give it a try! Such kind people and great food/atmosphere!

Carmen was a gd GEM. We were so hungry searching for food at 10pm on a Sunday and came across this place. We were seated fast, given a big welcome, received amazing recommendations, shared laughs with the staff. We will certainly be back!

Fabian is one of the best servers we have ever had. The food was amazing and the bartender was great! Fabian was so friendly and knowledgeable , great recommendations, and very generous! Will absolutely be back!! Thank you!!

A few friends and family recommended this place and I damn near wanna say I’ve had the best steak of my life! Took my girl on a dinner date and from entrees to dessert it was a whole course! Highly recommend the beef tenderloin!

Viktor S is a phenomenal bartender and was very kind to my wife and me. He truly embodies what hospitality is supposed to be. The vibe here is great and every employee seemed invested in the experience of the customer. We will absolutely be back and highly recommend this establishment!

We stopped in as a party of four after an event in the city. None of us had eaten here before. And it was a phenomenal experience. It's a small and intimate space. The service was excellent and attentive. But the food was the star here. I mean everything we had was incredible. At our table we ordered the rosemary chicken with potatoes -- heavenly, the beef tenderloin, which was prepared perfectly--a beautiful qiunia salad, and another had the Mac and cheese. We ordered the brussel sprouts appetizers and finished dinner with the creme brulee. In addition they have an extensive drinks list. I'm sorry I didn't think about taking pictures of the food. We definitely will be back.

WHOA!!!! Came in last night after work with my partner. We've been here a few times and I usually get the salmon which is really good but I was craving a burger and decided to go with the "SWEET PRECISION AND SOFT COLISION" burger. It was incredible. I love off the cuff burger builds and seek out unique burgers and I would say this burger was in the top three of any burger i've tried. Please please don't take this off the menu, I can see making special trips here just for this burger.. pears on a burger sounds weird, but it was so good. Try it with the sweet potato fries, the seasoning on them is nice and the sweet potato fries pair super nice with the sweet savory burger!!!! Can't wait to come back!!! 10/10.

So glad we found this place! From the get-go Alex, the manager, was incredibly kind and informative for our first time in. Our server, Carmen, was efficient, friendly and very attentive! The food is incredible and we will absolutely be back for more on our visit to Chicago. We shared the brussel sprouts and a pasta that was to die for. The cocktails were also amazing and we even got a shot and a small mule on the house as a taster. Overall very cozy and intimate vibe with amazing service and delicious food. 10/10

If you’re in Lincoln Park, this is the place to go. The 4 of us sat at the bar, and Jesler was our bartender and he was absolutely fantastic! The atmosphere was great, the food was delicious, and the music set the perfect vibe. Everyone was super friendly and welcoming. Definitely check this spot out—sit at the bar and ask for Jesler!

Awesome spot with amazing food. We had the wontons, beef tenderloin and pork chop. Everything was delicious. Very well cooked with tons of flavor. We will be coming back for sure. Both very excited to try the pasta with bacon!

We loved our dinner and cocktails! Shrimp tacos, burgers and smoked cheddar garlic mac and cheese were all delicious. Staff was enthusiastic and timely! The fresh house made ginger beer was stellar in a mule and the blackberry cocktail was amazing too. Everything was super fresh and delicious! Highly recommend!

Dive bar friendliness with five star food! Absolutely insane selection of drinks with something for everyone, and George the bartender was knowledgeable and delightful. Cuban wontons are mouthwatering. 50% industry discount on sunday and monday nights!! I was blown away by my experience here and I will definitely be back!

Very nice! Excellent burgers, tacos and salad. Def recommend. Recently dined again on the patio. We ordered the pecan crusted pork chop and pear salad with salmon. The enchanted forest cocktail was very good. Not overly sweet, very flavorful. Wait staff was prompt and friendly. Very enjoyable experience.

Overall an okay experience here. Environment is not all that big especially if it's packed. Some tables are to close to each other and they tried seating us in front of the washrooms (Not very pleasant smell when your eating). Street parking is not easy to find since they don't have their own parking. Environment is clean but not a lot of space. They do have a bar. Service was great. Food was tasty. Prices are fair. Overall not a bad experience.

A respectable bar, adequate food, if the occasion is important you may look for something else (?) but first dates, casual drinks, or mid-afternoon snack’n’a’beer? Perfect

Great bar with truly awesome staff and very reasonable drink prices. Some if the food is fantastic too, but I'll be the first to say, not all of it. They have a really amazing patio upstairs and their indoor area downstairs has a pretty good feel too it too. Their taco Tuesday special is pretty good. $7 for three generous tacos and salsas, $4 margaritas. Everything was delicious and service was wonderful!

They really pressure you to sit outside to keep the tables inside for reservation which was okay. But the food is good and drinks are fun and unique. I recommend! If you go outside of happy hour is can get a little pricey, but I would go again.

I’ve been to this place a total of 3 times now. The first 2 times I had an amazing experience and the food was really great. All 3 times I’ve ordered calamari as an app. I have to say this last time on Saturday I was extremely disappointed with the calamari, it was honestly the worst I’ve ever had anywhere, and the smallest portion also. Don’t know if there has been a change of owners or in management, but the quality has declined exponentially. My beef tenderloin was very tasty, but found the pork chops my partner ordered to be too dry, despite all the apple sauce, pecans, etc. I would try Matisse again out of convenience since I live very close by, but certainly will never be ordering calamari from you guys again. The calamari portion looked like it was a portion made for 1 person only. I didn’t bother taking a pic because I was embarrassed after raving so much about their calamari to my partner only to be disappointed from when the order arrived at our table.

We visited Matisse Tavern and Grill on a Saturday evening and chose to sit outside. Even though it was a bit chilly, the outdoor heaters did a good job of keeping us comfortable, which made sitting on the patio enjoyable. The atmosphere outside felt relaxed and welcoming, and it was nice to watch the neighborhood go by while waiting for our food. We placed our order around 7:25 in the evening. Unfortunately, the wait for the food was much longer than expected. Our meals finally arrived at about 8:30, so it took around sixty five minutes for everything to come out. That is a long time to wait, even on a busy Saturday night. The one thing that softened the frustration was that the manager came outside, apologized, and explained that the kitchen was very busy. That personal touch was appreciated and showed good hospitality. For the food itself, I ordered the Masterpiece Burger. It was juicy, flavorful, and cooked very well. The toppings worked nicely together and made it a satisfying choice. My friend ordered the Bistro Steak Sandwich on ciabatta. The steak was fine but did not stand out. The meat could have been more flavorful, and overall it was just okay compared to the burger. I paired my meal with an Allagash White beer, which reminded me of Blue Moon but lighter and easier to drink. My friend had the Whiskey Business cocktail and enjoyed it a lot, calling it smooth and well balanced. Overall, the long wait for food was disappointing, but the burger and drinks helped redeem the experience. Matisse Tavern and Grill has a nice atmosphere and friendly service, but the timing and consistency of the kitchen could be improved.

We ordered calamari and blue mussels. Both were extremely salty. The waiter claimed the restaurant makes its own ginger beer, but it was hardly noticable in the Moscow Mule. I'm not sure it was even added to the drink. In hindsight, I think sparkling water was used in place of ginger beer. There is quite an enjoyable terrace to sit at between the front and the sidewalk.

I’ll definitely return for the food! Sat at the bar and tried the El Niño, way spicier than expected. The lively vibe and intriguing menu make it worth another visit. Packed place!