Acadia

Outstanding food and service. Possibly the best meal I've ever had!

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

The service and food were all amazing although my wife and I each had a dish we didn't like (different dishes for each of us) but that's sometimes the way it goes with a tasting experience. We did regret getting the wine pairing as that ended up being more than either of us can handle anymore, but the wines did nicely compliment the foods so that regret is more on our metabolism and not a fault of Acadia's (my starting with one of their great cocktails was also probably a mistake). Overall, it's well worth a visit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This place is just amazing, the food and service are really superior. Since the pandemic hit, I have ordered their takeout meals and they are an incredible value. Great quality food, curbside delivery, and as always friendly professional staff. Just had the do it yourself barbecue. Once again exceded expectations. Thanks!

Amazing. The presentation of the food is pure art to behold. Incredible combinations of textures and temperatures . It's a sensory experience. Absolutely killer burger too! Very big bucks, but worth the splurge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Me and my first and last time... We placed an order and were very detailed in the special instructions when placing our online order. I ordered crab fried rice. In the note section I asked for no onions,bean sprouts and scallions. When received everything I asked to be taken was not. I ordered and lobster roll and asked that it be warmed it was not. I also ordered a burger. In the note section I requested well done no pink in the middle. The burger still had blood coming out. We were served what the cook wanted to serve. Although I got a refund my reasons for the 1 star is when I called in to tell them my order was wrong the person on the phone acted like he was doin me a favor with the refund even though on my receipt all the instructions were on there. He says well because of our limited hrs (Chef) can’t accommodate special requests. First of all how would I know that if I did know I would’ve ordered something else. Second the professional thing to do would be to call and tell the customer instead of giving me what you wanted I could’ve been allergic to the ingredients I noted to take out. Note when ordering online check your order before you leave.

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