03/23/09

Great neighborhood spot with great food, low price.

by harader

This is a hide-away with extraordinary food well prepared in classic french style and an extensive list of affordable wines. We live in the neighborhood and love this restaurant. All I can say about the previous review is that homophobes should maybe stick to the suburbs where they belong. As for the sighting of the "usual household pest" have you ever heard of the term "projection"? Peace.

• Pros: Unique location
• Cons: May soon be discovered by out-of-towners

10/24/08

The worst place i've ever been at!

by windygirl

I went there with my husband for a romantic dinner in april 2007. I searched the web and found this place. It had good reviews, was supposed to be romantic and unexpensive. When we got there i got a little scared. The place was really tiny, it looked like an appartment and smell there was horrible. The only too stuff members were two guys. They seemed to be not straight, which is OK with me, but my boyfriend wasn't happy with the way they looked at him. Forgot to mention that we were the only two customers at the place. We were seated at the table and i saw the "usual household insect" running down the wall. By that time we already ordered the food and didn't feel like complaning, so we just changed the table and sat in the middle of the room. Food was horrible; potatoes smelled bad and vegetables were not fresh. I'm highly consearned with the person who wrote positive reviews for this place. There is nothing good in it. Don't waste your money and don't go there.

10/17/07

Great Date Spot

by mojavedesert

We went for our anniversary and this was hands down our favorite restaurant while in Chicago. The food is out of this world good and the prices are so reasonable. We had the steamed mussels for an appetizer. God bless Chicago and its love of bread because the broth that the mussels came with was even more delicious when we dipped our bread in it. Okay, we shamelessly sopped it up and had to ask our waitress to do an intervention and get it off the table! Our waitress Christy was delightful - she explained the menu, suggested a wine that would compliment our meals and checked on us but never hovered. I highly recommend the chicken crepes and the creme brulee piled with fresh berries. The restaurant is charmin - only 14 tables. But it does not feel crowded or cramped. It is warm and cozy. The evening was perfect -romantic, enchanting, great food, atmosphere, company... We will definately be back on our next visit.

• Pros: Great food, ambience, service, perfect date spot
• Cons: None

08/12/07

red rooster wine bar and cafe

by gerilyngmg

My husband visted this website and we decided this place sounded wonderful.

We arrived on a Saturday night at 7:30 and were seated promptly.

If romantic is a priority, come on a weekday or after 9pm. There was only one waiter for twelve tables(he had one helper). The specials were displayed on a chalkboard which were difficult to read, and since the waiter was busy, he had to race through them. A better presentation would help this situation.

We had to ask for bread three times and it arrived after we were done with our salads. I had to ask for another glass of wine since he was too busy to notice it was empty for a while.

The salads and dessert were excellent but the entrees were average.

When we got our tab , in his rush our waiter had added an extra item which he removed promptly when we pointed this out.

The ambiance was the best part of our experience on this place.

Gigi

• Pros: ambianace
• Cons:  not great service on prime saturday night hours

10/16/06

Great cozy restaurant in Lincoln Park

by raylsu

Fantastic ambiance at this quaint Lincoln Park establishment. The food was outstanding and the prices were great for the quality of food and service. Wine list is pretty good and the atmosphere is fantastic for dates or a dinner with a small group of friends (6 would be the max) b/c of size of restaurant. It makes it even better that it is tucked away and you have to know where it is to find it. One of our great finds in Chicago from a dining perspective.

• Pros: Location, ambiance, food

09/08/06

Great food, romantic atmosphere with a European touch!

by love2go

I was looking for a place in Chicago to have a nice romantic dinner for New Years Eve. This was one of the highly recommended restaurants on this site (also one of the few that wasn't completely booked) so I thought I'd give it a try. We loved it! The food was delicious, the service superb and the atmosphere very romantic. Candles on every table and they played the whole Tidal cd by Fional Apple and Tori Amos now everytime I hear a songs off those cds I am transported back to our romantic dinner. The wall our table was on had this charcoal sketch of a French villa it was very charming. I would go again for sure!

08/16/06

Amazingly romantic and quaint

by crazeblnd

I flew to Chicago from Washington State to meet a very special friend of mine I hadn't seen in 8 years. I found this incredible little restaurant by clicking on a link to "places to eat" within walking distance to the theater. We arrived and looked at each other as if to say "uh oh." But when we walked through the door we were swept away into another place, away from the hustle and bustle of the streets outside. The waiter (owner?) was an amazing host. The food was to die for as well as unique (soft-shell crab). We were well-taken care of. Be adventurous and keep an open mind when visiting this little gem of a restaurant. You will not be disappointed. I can't wait to come back and visit again! Thank you so much!

05/03/06

A rustic setting and simple, inexpensive French fare make this a great cheap-date place.

by Contributor

The Scene
Nestled behind the comparatively posh Cafe Bernard, this dark, tiny dining spot exudes unpretentious country charm. Copper pots hang alongside strings of garlic and Indian corn, while charcoal pastorals are drawn right on the wood-paneled walls.

The Food
Red Rooster's specialty is simple French classics at "is-that-a-typo?" prices: You'll get steamed mussels for $6 and escargots for less than $7, and few entrees exceed $15. It's good, too: Those snails are plump, tender and drowning in rich garlic butter; hearty, cheesy baked onion soup satisfies, too. Straightforward entrees come with basic vegetable garnishes and include a powerfully peppery pork loin and tender grilled salmon in a light, sweet cabernet sauce. White-chocolate mousse with berries is a must for dessert.

• Pros: romanticinexpensive
• Cons: tight space

04/14/06

Unpretentious French Food and Romantic Ambience

by hydeeho75

Impressed. A small place with outstanding french food this side of the Atlantic. Service was prompt and my fiance and I enjoyed it thouroughly.... my fiance was so happy with the food, he was humming throughout his dinner. I couldn't believe how buttery and light the salmon in cabernet sauce was--- and the accompaning vegetables were perfect. Romantic setting- we didn't feel rushed and were able to relax and have quiet conversation in the dimly lit room. The value is unbeatable.

• Pros: AWESOME Food, Inexpensive, Romantic

03/07/06

Hidden Gem

by ange83

I'm not sure if it's quite that hidden anymore, given the citysearch following. I went there based on reviews I read here and was blown away. I opted for the prix fixe menu w/ wine and could not believe the quality of the dishes at that price. Very highly recommended. The restaurant is contained in one room centered around a huge bar and is located behind Cafe Bernard. Don't go up more than a few stairs, the first time I went my date and I made it to the 3rd floor I think. Although the room is dark and simple decorated, the place has a wonderful atmosphere.

• Pros: REASONABLE prices, Ambience, Delicious!
• Cons: Space