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(773) 654-5100
1330 W Morse Ave
(N Wayne Avenue)
Chicago,
IL
60626
42.008
-87.6648
Neighborhoods: Rogers Park, Far North Side
What People Are Saying About Century Public House
The Editor
Fred Schlatter
Citysearch
In Short – The century-old vaudeville house setting doesn't hurt in creating atmosphere, but kudos to designers who overhauled the space with LEED-certified materials, including fell trees for the bar, to create turn-of-the-century perfection. A nude hovers above the broad bar, generous booths seclude groups under sultry lighting, and, when it's show time, the kitchen whirs with efficiency. Chef Peter Camphouse sources local ingredients for all of his food, like fresh catches from Lake Michigan, Wisconsin cheese for salads and Iowa pork for entrees. The bar is proud of its Kentucky…
01/26/09
WE WENT TOO SOON...
by ChitownNeighbor at Citysearch
As a resident of Rogers Park I am always excited when new restaurants open up. We were equally excited about the opening of the Century Public House. When we arrived the restaurant was only half full however we stood in the doorway waiting to be seated for several minutes. Not only did no one greet us, there were staff at the end of the bar chatting who saw us and made no effort to seat us. Finally, a server came to seat us. Once we sat we were pleased with the environment. The lighting was good, the decor suited the space and we were especially excited about the "environmentally-friendly" features of the decor (recycled wood bar, low-energy lighting, etc.). Much to our disappointment our service started off bad and only got worse. When we requested a wine list the waiter had to take it from another table and we later learned it appeared to be only wine list in the restaurant. Once the waiter took our drink order, we stated we were ready to order food. He stated he would be right back but instead proceeded to serve other tables including taking multiple orders of those who were seated much later than ourselves. Although I had only ordered a hamburger and my friend an appetizer, our food arrived 45 minutes later and mine was quickly taken away because they realized an error in it's preparation. However, once the error was corrected our food was very good. They use local ingredients and the preparations are very tasty. Unfortunately our server forgot to deliver my drink until I asked again and had to be flagged down in order to get his attention for a check. To top it all off, I discovered later the waiter overcharged my credit card. Will not return for a while until service can improve.
- Pros: Good Food, Casual and Comfortable Environment
- Cons: Customer Service Needs Work
The Details on Century Public House
When To Go:
If you're up for the whole shebang, buy tickets to a show, make a reservation and be prepared for a nicely put-together evening. But don't think tickets are necessary to dine here; on the contrary, off nights bring in a local crowd and a less frenetic scene.
Where To Sit:
If you don't mind it, the bar is one of the better seats in the house. If you must have a table, or (especially) if you are group of four, request a booth. They are perfectly proportioned and nail that clubby vibe.
The Extras:
Brunch (all weekend long) applies the same local ingredient-obsession to classic dishes, like omelets oozing with Wisconsin cheddar and perfect Iowa potato home fries.
Know Before You Go:
Reservations are absolutely necessary if you are planning on eating before show time. Eating after isn't a bad idea either---just make sure you confirm curtain time and kitchen hours.
Parking:
Plentiful this far north of downtown, although do watch for permit parking and meters.
