Gene’s Bistro

Interior
Interior

**** (4 stars)

Poor airport restaurants! They get no love. I suppose it's because people are in a bad mood trying to catch their flight, and are bothered if it takes a few minutes to get service. But Gene's bistro is actually a pretty nice place to eat. It's light and airy, and has decent service.

The menu was very limited on the day I was there, with about half of the items not available, but I was warned in advance, and advised to have the pulled pork sandwich. This was a great recommendation. It was well stuffed, had a good bun, and a delicious barbecue sauce. In fact, I had barbecue in Chicago just the day before, and the sandwich at Gene's was much better.

Of course one can always complain about the fact that a rather meager size glass of Chardonnay costs $25, but it is an airport.

Gene’s Bistro
5770 S Cicero Ave
Chicago, IL 60638

https://www.yelp.com/biz/gene-s-bistro-chicago

Sheffield’s Wine & Beer Garden

BBQ Combo with pork and ribs, beans, coleslaw, corn muffin
BBQ Combo with pork and ribs, beans, coleslaw, corn muffin

*** (3 stars)

Decent barbecue in large servings, but nothing really spectacular to recommend the food here.

Service was good, although I always wonder about places where the employees are complaining about other employees.

The outdoor dining area is really pleasant, but there are bees.

If you plan to come here early or late, be sure to check whether they're actually open. The times on Yelp, Google, and their website all disagreed, and none were correct.

Sheffield’s Wine & Beer Garden
3258 N Sheffield Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sheffields-wine-and-beer-garden-chicago

Lost Reef Lounge

Interior bar
Interior bar
Exterior
Exterior
Eel
Eel
Tuna tartare
Tuna tartare
Shrimp Cocktail
Shrimp Cocktail

**** (4 stars)

This place has excellent ambiance, especially for fish lovers! The saltwater aquariums are beautiful, and some feature living coral, which you don't see often in private tanks. The vibe is different from a Tiki bar, but along the same lines, and there is little or no Tiki influence in the drink menu.

The signature cocktail offerings are terrific. If there is a shortcoming, it is the food. Because it is a "cold kitchen" nothing is cooked, and this creates some limitations. While the sashimi is excellent, it is a bit repetitive, and the charcuterie boards are just okay. Although the concept is sharing plates, many are actually fairly difficult to share. It left us craving a final, heartier course. We ended up going next door, to Cheesies (ironically, the same owners!), for some chicken tenders.

Service is friendly and helpful.

Lost Reef Lounge
964 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/lost-reef-lounge-chicago

Itoko

Interior
Interior
Interior
Interior
Three piece handroll set: scallop, salmon, spicy tuna
Three piece handroll set: scallop, salmon, spicy tuna
Gyoza!
Gyoza!
Ikura sashimi
Ikura sashimi
Cold scallop dish
Cold scallop dish
Bluefin Tuna with Apple
Bluefin Tuna with Apple
Shitake Robata
Shitake Robata
JEWEL BAKO  "CHIRASHI DON STYLE"
JEWEL BAKO “CHIRASHI DON STYLE”
"Donatsu" (chocolate filled) with matcha semi-fredo
“Donatsu” (chocolate filled) with matcha semi-fredo
Munu 5/24/3023
Munu 5/24/3023
Munu 5/24/3023
Munu 5/24/3023

***** (5 stars)

Toko is a fantastic addition to the area’s sushi scene. It’s a “cousin” to Momotaro, but I actually think it is better.

Everything we tried was a home run, so it’s hard to pick favorites. Certainly the shitaki robata is the best mushroom you will ever eat. The way the Jewel Bako was served was remarkable: like a chirashi on rice, but as a kit with nori so you could assemble your own hand rolls. The three-piece hand roll set was a good way to experience the variety of what they can do, and the horizontal handrolls are so much more complex, yet easier to eat, than the conventional cones. I’m not normally a big fan of gyoza, but the presentation and flavors here were amazing.

Service was great. A particular shout out to the bus staff, who were very knowledgeable, and extraordinarily attentive.

The only downside is the noise level. Even at half full, this is a boisterous space, so don’t plan a romantic night out here. But for great sushi, it’s hard to beat.

Itoko
3325 N Southport Ave
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/itoko-chicago-2

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

Exterior
Exterior
Interior
Interior
Salmon
Salmon
One of many rooms
One of many rooms
Tortilla Española
Tortilla Española

***** (5 stars)

I’ve been to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba several times, but my latest visit was particularly good. We must have tried about half the menu, and everything was really a home run. Highlights included:

stuffed piquillo pepper
deviled eggs
goat cheese baked in tomato sauce with garlic bread
tortilla espanola*
fried shisito peppers
grilled beef skewer*
tinned yellow fin tuna*
bikini sandwiches*
roasted chicken empanada
iberico ham croquetas
roasted dates wrapped in bacon

Everything was great, but I’ve starred my very favorites.

Our server was terrific, making sure the dishes came out properly spaced.

A pitcher of red sangria is a great choice to share three or four ways.

And of course we finished with Olorosa sherry.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
2024 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60614

https://www.yelp.com/biz/cafe-ba-ba-reeba-chicago-3

Cesar’s Killer Margaritas – Broadway

Interior
Interior
Entry
Entry
Bar
Bar
Queso dip
Queso dip
Costillas en Salsa Verde - Baby back pork ribs in green sauce - AMAZING!
Costillas en Salsa Verde – Baby back pork ribs in green sauce – AMAZING!
Super Burrito
Super Burrito

***** (5 stars)

I've been to the Cesar's that was on Clark many times, but this was the first time I've been to this one. I was expecting it to be the same, but it is much better. It's more intimate, and cuter, with smaller dining rooms on different levels.

Note that the online menus don't really reflect the current menu for food or drinks. It's not a problem, it's just different.

To start, the signature margarita was fantastic, with just the right balance of lime, tequila, and sweetness.

I never liked the nachos at the other Cesar's, so we tried the queso dip, and it was very good, even though it looked a bit like movie theater nacho cheese rather than true queso blanco.

But the show stopper was the Costillas en Salsa Verde, which was a half slab of baby back pork ribs simmered in green sauce and topped with onions. Wow! I'm originally from Southern California, and have had thousands of Mexican meals in hundreds of Mexican restaurants, and this is the single best thing I have ever had in any of them. Order it!

Cesar’s Killer Margaritas – Broadway
2924 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/cesars-killer-margaritas-broadway-chicago

El Mariachi

**** (4 stars)

We ordered delivery from El Mariachi, and I was very impressed by the condition the food arrived in. Everything was hot, and didn't look like it had been shaken.

For me, the highlight was the tortilla chips. They're extremely light and crisp, yet sturdy enough for dipping. And the guacamole we dipped them in was quite good.

All of the standard Tex-Mex dishes were very good, and the tamales were a real stand out.

El Mariachi
3420 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/el-mariachi-chicago

SUSHI-SAN

Interior
Interior
Mega part 1
Mega part 1
Mega part 2
Mega part 2
Mega part 3
Mega part 3
Delivery Box!
Delivery Box!

***** (5 stars)

It's been a few years since I tried Sushi-San, and on a cold winter day we weren't in the mood to go out, so we decided to order delivery, even though it's about 30 minutes away.

We were super impressed with the condition everything arrived in, thanks to wonderful packaging. Everything came in its own tray, soup was hot, sushi was not, and best of all was the deliver box, which looked like a 80s boom box!

SUSHI-SAN
63 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60654

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-san-chicago

Yellowtail Sushi Bar and Asian Kitchen

Inside Area 1
Inside Area 1
Tuna Tartare
Tuna Tartare
Yellowtail Carpaccio
Yellowtail Carpaccio
Spicy Scallop and Mexican Dance Maki
Spicy Scallop and Mexican Dance Maki
Shrimp and chicken yakitori
Shrimp and chicken yakitori
Handroll
Handroll

***** (5 stars)

Excellent quality fish is the highlight of this popular Broadway sushi bar. The maki is great, but it's plates like yellowtail Carpaccio and Tuna Tartare that really let the fish shine through.

Surpisingly, though, the very best thing we had came from the robata grill: two skewers each of chicken and shrimp. The proteins were great, but it was the bed of sauteed onions and jalapenos that really took this dish over the top.

Service was friendly, and it's BYOB.

Yellowtail Sushi Bar and Asian Kitchen
3136 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL 60657

https://www.yelp.com/biz/yellowtail-sushi-bar-and-asian-kitchen-chicago

Hinoki Sushiko

Downstairs
Downstairs
Upstairs
Upstairs
Chopstick rests
Chopstick rests
Omakase menu and cocktails
Omakase menu and cocktails
Yuzu Suika
Yuzu Suika
Scallop, kinmedai, sea bass
Scallop, kinmedai, sea bass
Ora king salmon, Tasmanian ocean trout, kanpachi
Ora king salmon, Tasmanian ocean trout, kanpachi
Grilled toro, chutoro, akami tuna
Grilled toro, chutoro, akami tuna
Oyster and pearls, Sawara, Shima Aji
Oyster and pearls, Sawara, Shima Aji
Neigiforo (basically odds and ends between akami and otoro), black cod
Neigiforo (basically odds and ends between akami and otoro), black cod
Tomago
Tomago

***** (5 stars)

This is a delightful omakase experience upstairs, and a really cool space downstairs. I liked that the omakase was available with table seating, as I prefer to spend my dinner chatting with my companion rather than focused on the chef, but here you have both choices.

The omakase consisted of 13 pieces of nigiri and two maki, plus a small bite for dessert. The quality of all fish was good, although I have had better — and better compacted — rice elsewhere. Since the chef took responsibility for the saucing and wasabi, a few pieces seemed perfect, others somewhat bland. This is not the level of fish you are going to get at a place like Kyoten, but it is also about a third the price!

A wine pairing is available, but we opted for a bottle of Cremant and one of White Burgundy, and they provided perfect pairings at less cost, and allowed us to avoid wines we aren't interested in.

Service was attentive and charming.

Hinoki Sushiko
1465 W Willow St
Chicago, IL 60642

https://www.yelp.com/biz/hinoki-sushiko-chicago