Atelier Restaurant

"Overall I quite liked the experience at Atelier, with a warm and interactive service and a creative and experimental menu. I heard they often rotate new dishes in and out weekly or biweekly. One thing to note is for at least the non alcoholic pairing, most of the beverages either are dull or clash with the food dish it's paired with. Portion size on the smaller side. Also cute silverware and custom dishes."

"This was for a review on a weekday and we came for a birthday. We called ahead a couple times to make sure they knew it was a special occasion. This is a brand new spot for us in our neighborhood so we wanted to give it a try. You have to prepay for the entire course ahead of time and for us it was two months. When we first came in we were greeted by a really nice lady who was nice to take our coats and sit us at our table. The place is pretty bare with some art pieces and that’s about it. The kitchen and dining is all in one room which is pretty fun. We started out being asked for any drinks we were interested in and they made a few non alcoholic options. I was a little surprised by the cost $14 roughly for non alcohol. But all good. We did not go for the pairing and also I personally wish someone would give us a little more info about why the menu was the way it was - it seemed all over the place and I had no idea why. I wish the ambiance was a bit more romantic and at times it felt like a casual sit down spot rather than a 1 star Michelin rated restaurant. Waiters and waitresses did not have any uniform which is fine but it was a little strange to see some people just walking around and I couldn’t always tell if they were working or eating here. We also almost never had the same waiter come by to serve the food or take the food. It almost seemed like it was a bit of a large chaos. On several occasions no silverware was provided. On several occasions I had to look for our waitress for help. Not sure if they were too busy or what. We also had dishes served where in the beginning they explained it all to no explanation at all. The service people were all super nice but just sadly totally inconsistent throughout the whole menu. Now on to the food The highlights were in the following order Crab Lasagna The disappointing dishes in order from worst to ok Gelato - Was not a gelato at all. Texture was not correct and flavor profile left a lot to be desired just from on spoonful. Mousse Tart I’m all for experimenting but this dish was not ready. The flavors felt like they clashed and this was sent back after a few bites Scallop The scallop itself was nice and sweet but the combination with the side they provided was offensive to our pallets. Our mouths were literally on fire and ordered a pallet cleanser just to be able to try the next dish. The textures of the scallop to the crunch of the side just seemed off. I saw the vision here but the execution just did not work. Pork I wasn’t really sure how to eat this but my meat felt way overcooked and not sure how it connected with the lentils. If the meat was on its own maybe but the combination was not worth the time The remaining dishes were an interesting take. Between the inconsistent service and the food all over the place I would not recommend this. I think it’s a fun experience but it’s not worth the time and money."

"Our anniversary time and we came there to celebrate, the experience and food really made our day. The customer service was above and beyond, our host and servers were always kind and explained every single plate, the food was incredible, we were traveling throughout the world with every single taste, we loved the combination of flavors and textures. The best they help us to customize our menu to provide us vegetarian options We plan to come back, they change their menu frequently"

"All around incredible experience dining at Atelier! From the moment you walk in through your last bite, the experience does not disappoint. The dining room is small, no more than 10 tables. It’s not too loud and it’s not too quiet. The music is great. The kitchen is open and in full view, yet it’s not distracting in any way, it doesn’t consume all of your attention. It’s still fun to take a peak and see what’s being cooked up next. The tasting menu and wine pairing were incredible. Michelin star caliber. There wasn’t a bite that left me disappointed. The chef drew inspiration from cuisines and meals from different restaurants around Chicago, but all with a clear fine dining twist. The pairings were all extremely well thought through and explained with great detail and passion by the sommelier who picked them. The orange wine was unique and a definite hit! I’m excited to join Atelier again soon for their dinner with what I’m sure will be a unique menu. Things seem to change constantly with what they’re able to buy at local farmers markets. Highly recommend and excited to see the accolades Atelier will earn."