(312) 361-8458

465 E Illinois St (McClurg Court)
Chicago, IL 60611 41.8911 -87.6167

Get Map & Directions »

Neighborhoods: Near North Side, Central

Hours:

Mon-Thu 5pm-10pm

Fri-Sun 5pm-11pm

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 7.09.09

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Late Night Dining, Fine Dining, Outdoor Dining, Notable Chef, People Watching, Date Spot, Group Dining, Bar Scene

Cuisine:

Latin American

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About De La Costa

Featured Review

Fred Schlatter

Contributor

The Scene – Decor here uses location wisely, highlighting the River East Arts Center's generous exposed brick and weathered timber. Grotesque masks line the stepped entrance, the foyer opening to the bar area decked out with mod white shelving and striking mobile lighting where an attractive crowd jockeys for drinks. Further back, copper-topped tables make for a loose dining area, two C-shaped booths the obvious prime spots. Further still, a bar-equipped lounge runs parallel to the river. Large windows provide excellent cityscape views. – – The Food – Several creative…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Chef Douglas Rodriguez is well-versed in Nuevo Latino---many credit him as the genre's forefather---and his Miami and Philadelphia restaurants are consistently packed.
What to Drink:
Signature cocktails are well-constructed and creative. "Poptails," like the tasty coco-lime, arrive in squat martini glasses garnished with flavored alcoholic popsicles.
Parking:
Valet parking is $10.
Where to Sit:
For ultra exclusivity, book the private wine room with space for 18 guests or a cabana in the solarium. Each cabana has its own bartender.
ambiance
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “This place has a great location, atmosphere, even the wait staff, but the key to a great restaurant is the food.”
  2. “Unlike the review we had read, the atmosphere is just ok, there was not a DJ spinning the latest music, in fact, the music was somewhat bad, and most importantly, our appetizers were inedible.”
  3. “Great decor -- the artwork reminds me of Tim Burton's style.”
  4. “The atmosphere is also very fun (not stuffy at all), however all the times I have been there, the service is on point.”
  5. “Great food, great music, great atmosphere and awesome service.”
  6. “Service was good and atmosphere is great.”
dessert
37.5% positive
  1. “Sounds fabulous, but the smoked chocolate was the worst desert I have ever had in my life.”
  2. “Smoked chocolate that tasted like smoked Salmon (left a bad taste in my mouth for the next 3-4 hours).”
  3. “The worst was the finale, smoked chocolate truffle with poblano ice cream.”
  4. “We decided to order the chocolate flan and the coconut and lime.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “The drink menu is terrific and the bar is nice and big.”
  2. “It's a great place for cocktails but go anywhere else for dinner!”
food quality
85.29000282287598% positive
  1. “Main courses were an improvement, flavors were good, but the meat was somewhat dry.”
  2. “Generally, I like my fish; fressh with lemon or lime and wouldn't dare order it any differentely.”
  3. “Great food, great music, great atmosphere and awesome service.”
  4. “The food was overpriced and terrible.”
  5. “There was a sprinkling of about 10 fava beans between the two pieces and some mashed up luke warm grapefruit sections mixed in as well.”
  6. “it was good and it came with an interesting grapenuts-like side-dish.”
  7. “... everything was so delicious going down!”
  8. “Everything was great, no wait, cute server, tasty food.”
  9. “Definitely for a more hip crowd that does not mind spending your money on good food and a cool experience.”
  10. “My favorite dishes are the Fire & Ice ceviche, the shrimp appetizer and the adobo rubbed seared tuna.”
  11. “delicious 8 oz lobster served over 'shredded' coconut chicken with a bacon wrapped banana on the side.”
  12. “... but, the steak was the best entree at the table.”
  13. “They have amazing food with great flavors that is so completely different than all of the the other fine dining places that are out there trying to compete to see who can make the best science experiment out of their dinner!”
  14. “Great food and Le Reve Champange is on the menu and that's a big plus!”
  15. “worry about expensive restaurants because oftentimes the food is not very good.”
  16. “Sound yummy?”
  17. “This place has a great location, atmosphere, even the wait staff, but the key to a great restaurant is the food.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Great food and Le Reve Champange is on the menu and that's a big plus!”
  2. “The drink menu is terrific and the bar is nice and big.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “great place for a girls night out.”
  2. “This place has a great location, atmosphere, even the wait staff, but the key to a great restaurant is the food.”
  3. “It's a great place for cocktails but go anywhere else for dinner!”
  4. “By far the best restaurant that I have been to in Chicago.”
service
80.0% positive
  1. “Great food, great music, great atmosphere and awesome service.”
  2. “The atmosphere is also very fun (not stuffy at all), however all the times I have been there, the service is on point.”
  3. “This place has a great location, atmosphere, even the wait staff, but the key to a great restaurant is the food.”
  4. “The service was horrible.”
  5. “Everything was great, no wait, cute server, tasty food.”
value
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. “The food was overpriced and terrible.”
  2. “worry about expensive restaurants because oftentimes the food is not very good.”
  3. “Definitely for a more hip crowd that does not mind spending your money on good food and a cool experience.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

01/02/09

Motivation to stay in for pizza every NYE!

by isu888 at Citysearch

Okay, let's be honest De La Costa's atmosphere is superior, but their New Years Eve execution was a train wreck. We sat down at 9:30 for 9:00 reservations, fine no big deal....We did not receive our 6th course until 1:15am!! We waited over an hour for one course, which honestly we weren't really hungry for at that point. The worst was the finale, smoked chocolate truffle with poblano ice cream. Sounds fabulous, but the smoked chocolate was the worst desert I have ever had in my life. I have also been physically ill now for two days and keep smelling and tasting the smoked chocolate.

This place has a great location, atmosphere, even the wait staff, but the key to a great restaurant is the food...so this place will not stay afloat.

1 Star Rating: Poor

01/02/09

Worst NYE Dinner ever

by curtcha at Citysearch

we were seated at 9:30PM for a 6 course dinner seating. it took over 90 minutes between course 2 and 3 (i am not lying) and the sad thing was the 3rd course was SOUP!!! when it came it was cold. At this point the whole meal was over in our minds due to the fact of the long wait. We did not get done w/ our meal till 1:10 AM. The dessert was the most dissapointing. Smoked chocolate that tasted like smoked Salmon (left a bad taste in my mouth for the next 3-4 hours). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not go to this restaurant it give chicago a bad name. Worst restaurant experience i have ever been too

  • Pros: NONE
  • Cons: EVERYTHING
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

11/10/08

Wow this food has flavor!!

by JennaV at Citysearch

This has to be one of the best additions to the Chicago dining scene. DeLaCosta is easily one of the best Chicago restaurants out there. The experience id totally complete. They have amazing food with great flavors that is so completely different than all of the the other fine dining places that are out there trying to compete to see who can make the best science experiment out of their dinner!! The atmosphere is also very fun (not stuffy at all), however all the times I have been there, the service is on point. You have to snag a seat in the back dining room that overlooks the River. My favorite dishes are the Fire & Ice ceviche, the shrimp appetizer and the adobo rubbed seared tuna. Moy mouth is watering just thinking about the food.

  • Pros: Food With Flavor, Fun Atmosphere, Great River View
  • Cons: Slow Valet
1 Star Rating: Poor

06/18/08

Would Never Go Back for Dinner....

by ovalerie5 at Citysearch

I had a large group and we tried about 12 items on the menu. I prayed they would get better as the night went on, but overall a huge disappointment! I would never return for the food - only for drinks. Service was good and atmosphere is great.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/30/07

Beautiful restaurant and dining experience.

by alphachiomega at Citysearch

There are few places that excite my tastebuds like this place does. De La Costa is my new favorite restaraunt in Chicago. When money is no object or when a freebe is thrown your way, order it up and try the Lobster Xim Xim. A delicious 8 oz lobster served over 'shredded' coconut chicken with a bacon wrapped banana on the side. The flavors are spectacular and is by far the most delcious entree I have ever had. A close second is the chorizo encrusted Halibut. Generally, I like my fish; fressh with lemon or lime and wouldn't dare order it any differentely. The Halibut took about 5 seconds to be completely eaten..yes it was that good! Now to back track a little, the ceviche. I like ceviche to be very delicate with more citurs then spices. De La Costa's was not what I expected, but was none the less tasty. I would highly recomened the Hamachi, but the other two were just a little too "meaty" for my liking.

Ok, back to the best parts of the meal. Entree's were... FAB U LOUS. We decided to order the chocolate flan and the coconut and lime. To my dissapointment they just discontinued tres leches(grr), but these desserts were phenomenal. I do not know which one I liked better..they really were that good.

If you go into this place wtih an open mind you will be pleased, if you go in thinking "ick, that sounds gross," it probably will be. De La Costa is not for everyone, but for those with an adventerous spirit this is the place to go.

Decor=5

Food=5

Ceviche-3.5

Entree-a billion

Dessert-5

Waiter=5

The Details on De La Costa

Place Categories:

  • beautiful restaurant
  • great place
  • great atmosphere
  • good service
  • great everything
  • cool experience
  • fabulous sound
  • great music
  • great flavors
  • somewhat dry meat
  • great location
  • tasty wait
  • best additions
  • best chicago restaurants
  • warm sections
  • beautiful dining
  • great decor
  • bad taste
  • big plus
  • delicious oz lobster
  • like fressh
  • wonderful dessert
  • great food
  • nice bar
  • great wait staff

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

Chicago

Advertisement

Lists In Chicago

Recent Reviews In Chicago

1 Star Rating: Poor

La Fiesta

3333 W 111th St, Chicago, IL

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

Chicago Chop House Inc

60 West Ontario Street, Chicago, IL

3 Star Rating: Average

La Scarola

721 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL

4 Star Rating: Recommended

Salpicon

1252 N Wells St, Chicago, IL

Advertisement