Bottlefork

Bottlefork has such a delicious brunch menu. There are so many delicacies it’s just hard to choose. For starters there is a great selection of cocktails. Highly suggest the Cast Iron Baked French Toast with a side of Maple Slab Bacon. For a great appetizer… Go for the Tots in cheese.

A couple friends and I choose Bottlefork to kick off our Restaurant Week experience and we’re so happy we did!
We each decided to do the RW menu since we have very different tastes in food; I chose the Brussels sprouts, burger, and pretzel and caramel dessert. Oh lordy was I in heaven! The Brussels sprouts were cooked to perfection, with a basalmic and oil drizzle that left me wanting more. The burger was a mile-​high pile of delicious toppings, including bacon and a generous helping of cheese and sauce. I couldn’t get enough. Fries were included, so my meal was extremely filling – good thing my friends wanted to pick at everything too! My parfait was absolutely glorious and tasty. The RW menu said it was a «mini» version of their normal desserts but I couldn’t even finish it, though I wanted to. Incredible.
The best thing about Bottlefork is the amazing service. Eddie, our server, was an absolute delight. Friendly, accommodating, helpful, and so so sweet. The hosts were happy and welcoming. Even if I didn’t care for the food, I’d still go back for the incredible service.

I must say the food and drinks were phenomenal!!! The wait was a little unpleasant considering the fact that we had reservations, but the attentiveness and politeness of the staff made up for it. They were offering a special menu for Restaurant Week so I went with the 3 course dinner.
First Course: Brussels Sprouts with Chorizo — Amazing!!!
Second Course: Grilled Octopus and Housemade Spam — Amazing!!! (I will be back next week just for this entrée. lol)
Third Course: Mint Cookies and Cream — Just Ok
Drink: Dirty Martini — Amazing
Overall, I really enjoyed Bottlefork and plan to return soon!

Great food, drinks, and ambience.
Seriously had such a fantastic experience here! We were seated at the bar which was not bad at all as the staff are all very attentive and friendly.
My boyfriend and I went with the restaurant week menu, def worth trying as these dishes are all spot on!
He went with the Korean Chicken Wings starter, Octopus and Homemade Spam entrée and the Mint Cookie and Ice cream dessert. The Korean Chicken Wings were charred perfectly with the perfect amount of sauce and the perfect kick to get you wanting more and excited for the next dish. Great size for an appetizer as well. The Octopus and Homemade Spam entrée was delicious as well! The Octopus was cooked to perfection and just melts in your mouth. The spam was not overly salted and added so much flavor to the savory dish. The mint ice cream was such a good ending to an amazing experience, not overly sweet and extremely delicious!
I started with the Tuna Crudo, Orecchiette Pasta, and the Strawberry and Shortbread Ice Cream. The Tuna Crudo was amazing! The bread that accompanied it was very crispy and paired amazingly well with the tuna and avocado! The Pasta was savory, cheesy, and just remembering t now is making me salivate, seriously. The meatballs in it were salty and paired well with the sauce and pasta! The Strawberry Shortbread Ice Cream was also not overly sweet and just refreshed me after such a fantastic meal!
The décor inside is beautiful as well and just made our experience here so amazing.

A good place for brunch, nothing terrible. In general, food here are just ok.
The crips and egg is the only one we tried that is creative, although the taste is not as fancy as it looks like.

Peaks and valleys. The goods were great and then some things were just ok. Nothing was horrible or offensive but for a Rockit Ranch Productions have come have high expectations.
The ambiance is great esp for a chilly winter night. Its very dark and cozy especially in the back booths. I like that you can see the kitchen from there. We were there after David Bowie died so that was the music. I’m sure they play cool music like that all the time. The host and waitress were very nice and helpful. We appreciated the service.
I started with a Vieux Carre. It was one of the best ones I’ve ever had. Perfectly balanced. Then I tried their Sazerac which was also good but paled in comparison. My boyfriend tried the Big Salty Tears which was great.
To eat we had to start with the bag of chips. They’re awesome. The chips with the most egg on it were the most delicious. The only drawback is when she vigorously shakes the bag I think she breaks most of the chips. We had to eat it with a spoon.
Then we had to try the truffled mushroom flat bread pizza. It was very delicious. The crust is perfectly crunchy. I can tell why they sell out of that nightly.
We then shared the fried chicken. It wasn’t our favorite. The chicken was just ok. Some of the pieces were unidentifiable. The coating needed some pizzaz. Then you get one biscuit which I thought was odd because this is clearly a dish to be shared, but then the biscuit was so dense and heavy that we really didn’t want more. It also needed some pizzaz. I didn’t get the mustard gravy that comes with it. It didn’t taste mustardy to me.
For dessert we had to try the chocolate pretzel soft serve sundae. It was huge! The ice cream and fixin’s were good but the beer foam on top was actually offensive. The taste was bitter and it looked like slime. We had to 86 it. We told the waitress and she said people aren’t lukewarm about it. They either love or hate it.
I’d definitely come back here for drinks and snacks.

Came here with coworkers for a few drinks and apps after checking into our hotel right around the corner. They have a really nice list of cocktails here, and I decided to get the ‘I Hope There’s Always Snow in Your Driveway’ even though it was about 10 degrees out. Loved the flavors but will probably ask for it on the rocks next time since it took a little while to melt down and drink, but definitely great presentation.
For apps, we ordered the braised beef cheeck poutine, which was really good, the wagyu beef jerky which was better than I thought it would be, and the grilled octopus and spam which was surprisingly very tasty. It’s actually made with their housemade spam so it’s way better than anything you’d get out of a can, and the kimchee was a very nice touch.
In terms of the drinks and apps, I’d say this os a nice place to come to start off your night. Not sure how the full meals are but if it’s anything like the small bites we had I’m sure it’s pretty good!

A+
Very impressed. Knowledgable waitress, trendy décor, comfortable seating. I was able to get work done on a Monday afternoon (MLK holiday) without it being too loud or feeling rushed + free wifi– yay! I don’t think you could go wrong on any choices as far as their menu goes… Tons of unique deliciousness to choose from. I did not have a cocktail… Mainly bc I couldn’t decide what one to try! Settled for a nonalcoholic huckleberry lemonade… O. M. G. Amazing… even in the blistering cold. Would be bomb with some vodka + citrus bitters (just saying).
My only complaint was that it was freezing. They seemed to be working on the issue and very aware of the problem so hopefully it gets worked out. Until then… Bring a sweater!

poutine
rioja
great cocktail list
great food list.
friendly bartenders.
lux hipster décor
with no posh attitude.
rich rich food
good for eating
when drinking.

Stopped by during a slushy snow evening and ordered me a Bill Brasky!
$ 30 each, limit 1 per customer and filled with Journeyman rye, Hudson Moonshine, Buffalo Trace bourbon, Bank Note Scotch, Hammer and Tongs vermouth, orange bitters, and, apparently, «the aftershave Brasky used to woo your wife.» The giant ice cube holds a vintage nudie card which is a nice souvenir! Don’t know Brasky?! Do yourself a favor and Youtube the SNL skit which bares his name
4 Stars to Bill Brasky!!!

Bill Brasky is the MAN!
While I didn’t come here to eat dinner, the appetizers were good. I really liked the chips with the poached egg smashed over them, delicious. That with the wagyu beef jerky and some tater tots, we were set for food… our sights were set on beverages.
While the Bill Brasky was pretty pricey, its worth having it at least once. A very good, strong old fashioned in a goblet containing an ice cube with a pinup playing card in the middle. Sounds like my kind of drink! The other drinks were pretty solid, but I think this by itself will have me coming back quite often in the future.
Good food, awesome drinks, great service!

Delicious, but only satisfying because we had a heavy lunch and snacks before. And maybe that’s the way it should be… but the «small and larger plates» are all pretty small. I am always torn when reviewing restaurants that have AMAZING food, but the portion sizes leave you wanting more (but to get more you’re busting your budget).
Ambiance: eclectic, forward thinking, high energy. Dark inside, but in a romantic, low key way that I loved. It was perfect for Date Night. My boyfriend made the reservation via OpenTable and we were promptly seated by a professional and friendly hostess even though we arrived 30min early. Coat check available (which is a plus in Chicago winter). The tables were a little close together, so ask for a booth when making reservations if you have a larger stature. It was loud inside, making it a little challenging to hear my BF seated across from me, but not unbearable.
Food: My BF opted for the «Rich Man Po’ Boy» which was succulent and flavorful. The oysters were well fried and not briny at all. The lobster was juicy. The flavors were wonderful… we just wish they had lasted longer in a larger portion. I chose the «Grilled Venison»…the huckleberry jus, trumpet mushrooms, and greens combined perfectly with the medium rare meat to create an explosion in my mouth. The flavors were impeccably put together… again, leaving me wanting MORE!
If you love creative food, go here. If you want to be full, plan to orders a few items and spend $ 50+ per person,

A restaurant needs to try hard to get this kind of rating from me. Me and my buddy came here Tuesday night for 930pm reservations through opentable (1000 point table) which was one of the deciding factors to come here and its decent reviews.
As soon as we came in, I mentioned the reservation and this guy looks at his computer screen quickly and seats us. More on this later. We are seated and our waitress comes along and asks us about drinks, etc. Not the most cordial demeanor, but she continued to do small annoying things throughout the evening. She brought us room temperature water in a decanter that would only refill our glasses once each. She never refilled it on her own and needed to be told twice by us. Mind you, this restaurant has a minimal amount of people at this time.
We’re ready to order and my buddy gets the pasta with chicken sausage and I get the burgers and we share the appetizer tots. The burger was cooked as requested (medium rare) but I asked for lettuce, onion, and tomato as well. In my experience, usually when you list things out like that, they serve those veggies raw. For some reason, they carmelized the onions. Not what I wanted. I told her the mistake and if she could bring a side of raw onions. 5 excruciating minutes later it arrives. It should have taken 10 seconds especially when the kitchen was literally behind us.
I’ll end this quickly now, burger sucked. Bun was a little burned around the edges and the meat itself, although, cooked perfectly on the inside was too charred on the outside and had a charred burned taste at times. Not to mention I bit into a piece of fat while eating it and needed to spit it out.
The pasta and tots, however, were worth ⁴⁄₅ themselves. Oh, and lastly, I received an email from opentable asking me why I didn’t fulfill my reservation. Bottlefork pissing me off even after leaving their establishment. smh

Yikes!
Let’s start with the positive. The service we received was exceptional! It was sincerely the best brunch service I’ve had in a very long time. The coffee was plentiful, and our server was always prompt and efficient.
Unfortunately the food was lacking. I ordered the Greek omelette. It looked excellent, it really did. But biting in to it was an unfortunate experience. It was utterly tasteless. If a restaurant is going to make eggs the focus, I recommend fresh, farm-​raised, organic eggs. They taste excellent. I can almost guarantee these eggs were not. It was creatively served with a tzatziki sauce, but that too was flavorless. No starch was served with the omelette! Huh? Wha-​wha-​wha-​what??? Who the hell doesn’t give you at least a piece of toast with an omelette? Seriously? My friend gave me his along with the raspberry purée served in lieu of jam or jelly. Gads, the purée was utterly tasteless. The whole thing was bland. I may as well have been sucking on a white wall.
My friend got the eggs and toast with a side of bacon. His food was bland too. The bacon was a very large, thick piece. Now, that’s all the rage these days, and a lot of people like it. But when you go that route, you should tell people it’s not your conventional bacon. When is bacon a pork steak? Thoughts?
We had some fresh made donut thingy to start. They were served warm and fresh, sprinkled with powdered sugar and I believe honey? Anyway, it was bland, bland, bland. Awful and bland.
Kudos to them on serving the most delicious coffee in the city, Metropolis. So, one star for serving Metropolis, and one star for service. That’s it. River North has a lot of amazing places for food, this ain’t one of them.

With reservations we were seated right next to the host and his podium and by the exit. I was worried at first with how uncomfortable we would get but it wasn’t so bad. I’m just grateful we have a table with no wait.
Service here is phenomenal and the staff is very attentive. The place is dimly lit bit at least o can see my food! To be honest it does feel cramped with how the tables are laid out. But don’t worry you’ll be distracted with the amazing food. Here’s what I had:
TOTS — $ 7
Pimento cheese drizzle.
This bowl of what looked more like hashbrown cubes tastes like the wonderful hashbrowns from McDonald’s, but topped with a creamy cheese sauce! I liked it even though it doesn’t taste so fancy.
«BAG» OF CRISPS + EGGS — $ 5
Malt Vinegar Powder + Sea Salt
So this appetizer was presented to us by our server with a poached 45 second egg sprinkled with malt vinegar powder, and a brown paper bag of house made potato chips with sea salt. She throws the egg in, closes the bag and starts shaking it like a bartender! She poured it into the plate. Although the I didn’t taste much egg in this now ooey gooey chips, I thought it was quite tasty! Oh and it was free with Unilocal check-​in!
CREAMED KALE — $ 8
Wild Boar Bacon + Sunny Duck Egg
This dish was not at all bitter. I loved the creamed kale mashed up in the fried egg! The small pieces of bacon reminds me of lardon and I love everything about this dish. And no this doesn’t not count as a salad! Haha!
RICH MAN PO’ BOY — $ 25
Lobster + Foie + Crispy Oyster
Wow this sounds amazing! I was so happy there was 3 of the sliders because there was 3 of us! The bread looked like brioche and it was full of lobster! Each sandwich had a breaded and deep fried oyster with lots of relish/​pickled onion that made it a tad overwhelming. There was a shmear of foie that made it extra salty. I love this and enjoyed it but it was on the saltier side.
LAMB SIRLOIN — $ 28
Moroccan Spiced Yogurt + Shaved Asparagus.
The slices of lamb was very tender but it was also too salty. I thought the yogurt would help that but it actually didn’t. I can tell the meat is good because of how it was cooked and cut, but the flavors just wasn’t doing it for me.
I overall enjoyed this place and loved the branding. Such lovely handkerchiefs! I wanted to order the Pork Shank but it was out :(

This place, though delicious, seems just a tad expensive for brunch. Service is nothing to write home about either. Another reviewer mentioned the waiters kept bumping into his seat at the bar, and I experienced the same, even though the aisle was quite spacious.
I do recommend the Bloody Mary, though. It comes with a quail egg!

Wow! The kettle chips are worth the trip here alone.
Plates are just a bit bigger than tapas sized, so 1 dish per person for a table of 4 (plus the chips of course) is perfect for all to share.
Burger has just a hint of bacon flavor but is super juicy
Rich mans po boy is a must order item, not as much foie gras as you’d like, but the fried oyster explodes with flavor in your mouth.
Fried chicken is falling off the bone, dont be shy about picking it up with your fingers to eat it like you would at home.
There are some great specialty drinks on the menu, forget about ordering your usual cocktail and try something they recommend, you won’t regret it!

Went for brunch with a friend of mine – no wait at noon on a Saturday!
The Bloody Mary is one of the best in the city. I could have done without the quail egg, but the Bloody itself is spicy and full-​bodied with big tomato flavor. Love it!
The food was also great. I was feeling healthy, so I got the kale caesar salad. Boy, was I full afterwards! The salad was huge, and the balance of bitter, salty, savory, and crunchy elements took it to the next level. That, with the free salty, gooey, chewy, and crunchy crisps and eggs, made the meal great. Bottlefork knows how to keep its food and drinks exciting with a variety of textural elements and flavors that lean on savory-​saltiness; I love it. The rest of the menu was a good balance between out-​there items and old favorites — you could take your foodie friend or your parents here, which I like.
Service was just ok. My friend and I felt like we waited a long time for both our food and the checks. I didn’t like that. However, the server was peppy and fun. The place is small, with an intimate, updated pub ambiance. It’s probably not great for groups. The booths-​like the flavors-​are huge. You’ll also spend quite a bit on brunch here, and they ran out of the skillet pancake before we got there.
Even though the service is spotty and the cost is high, you should still go to Bottlefork’s brunch. The Bloody Mary alone is enough to check it out, but stay for the inspired food.

Orange juice was $ 5, and it was bought from a store. Didn’t even taste fresh.
Two eggs and any style was so plain, not worth getting it. Same as the donut holes. It’s pretty tasteless.
The burger was good though, so get that if you want.
They had 4 – 5 empty tables, but seated us at the bar, saying they don’t have any openings.

I wish I would have been more hungry when I came here! Everything we had was excellent! We started with the chips and eggs, the wagyu beef jerky, the deviled eggs and really liked all of them. BF had the rich man po boy and liked it. Good thin it was a small portion as it was very rich. I had the orrechette and spicy chicken sausage pasta and it was very flavorful, but just a touch too spicy for me. It was a satisfying portion, but I couldn’t finish it. We were stuffed.
Interesting cocktail and a lovely wine list. Excellent service from everyone. Loved the atmosphere and all the fun, funky little bits of décor.
Check in on Unilocal for a free chips and eggs. I’ll be back!