Boka

After a wonderful time last year, Boka is still my top 5 meals in Chicago. Restaurant week this year did not disappoint.
We didn’t get the best seats this year. We 3 girls were lead to a table right near the bar area which was frankly a bit loud to have a conversation. Our waitress was a bit robotic and regurgitated descriptions when we asked what was popular. We tried to make the best of it all.
I tried the Hamachi (well balanced possibly better starter than last year). the seared scallop was on point. Lightly Smoked Arctic Char was not too overpowering in smoke. it tasted quite like a mild smoked salmon. We tried all 3 desserts. personally, the coffee and hazelnut was the best and I don’t even care for anything coffee. The mango dessert is quite tart and the dark chocolate mousse was too dark than sweet :)
I forgot how great the cocktails were at BOKA. I tried Right on Time with the guava was not too sweet but just right. The Pushcart was a slight contrast. it took me few sips before I enjoyed that too.

We were here for a restaurant week and agree with all the other reviewers.5 stars for the service and the flavors. I had Roasted beats and husband had Marinated hamachi. Both were delicious and savored every bite if it. Seared scallop was start of the nigh. It was delish. I am little disappointing with the portion sizes of the entrée. Yes I know its restaurant week but really? such small portions. I think they can do better here .
Drinks were fab and the mango dessert was to die for. I think its better than the chocolate one :) Chef got his thing right. the flavors of each and every dish was incredible.

I can’t get enough of Boka, I went a second time this time for my birthday. Every dish is thoughtfully prepared with interesting flavors and unconventional tastes. My favorites of the Restaurant Menu would be the heirloom carrots, roasted beets, slowly poached egg, venison sausage and hot chocolate mousse.
My favorite was the heirloom carrots with pistachios, roasted bulgar, and smoked goat cheese. The title may be unassuming, but mind you it’s quite the eutrophic crunch for your umami and sweet senses.
February 2016 Restaurant Week. I’d also highly recommend the roasted beets for an interest palate of yogurt annealing nutty crumbs, almonds and pistachios.

Here for Restaurant Week and my friend’s birthday. Between the intricate flavors of each dish and the outstanding service, we were both blown away by our visit.
Drinks — ‘Monk’s Foresight’ (one of the best gin based drinks I’ve ever had) & ‘Right on time’ (fruity — not my fave so that’s all I have to say)
Cold app — Hamachi (small portion but full flavor and melt-​in-​your-​mouth) & Roasted Beets (fabulously prepared, I typically hate beets but this dish convinced me they could actually be delicious)
Hot app — Poached Egg (loved the egg and squash pairing) but Seared Scallop (was definitely the winner here, seared to perfection!)
Entrée — Arctic Char (surprisingly sizable piece of fish, fatty — in a great way — and full of flavor) & Pork Neck and Belly (loved the neck, I’d pass on the belly)
Dessert — Dark Chocolate Mousse (I’m a dessert kind of girl and a chocolate kind of girl so this made me tear up a little in delight) & Mango Bergamot (wow! it was tart for sure, especially after the dark chocolate but holy cow is the flavor powerful or what)
Other notes — We almost walked into an apartment complex thinking it was the restaurant… the entrance is not the easiest to find so watch out! Our meal started off with pretzel bread and house made lemon-​topped butter — both were delicious, and we were offered seconds. My friend’s birthday was celebrated with a lovely birthday note and candle with the dessert. And finally our four-​course meal was finished off with deliciousss passion fruit truffles too.

My friend and I came here for restaurant week dinner — boka literally took me by surprise! Décor was low-​key but nice and service was great: we were given complementary champagne while waiting for our cocktails to come. I particularly loved the pork neck & sausage — it’s not as oily as it seems tbh. By the time we finished our meal, we were already thinking about a second visit!

I had a incredible dinner at Boka for restaurant week. The tasting menu was delicious! Everything was perfectly cooked with multiple layers of flavor. The seared scallop with morcilla was my favorite. I also recommend the heirloom carrots and pork belly dish. All the desserts are going to wow you. I had the praline mousse with vanilla ice cream. I really enjoyed it. I don’t really think you can go wrong no matter what you order. I highly suggest you try Boka for dinner. The food was amazing and the service was excellent.

Super worth it to go during restaurant week. My choices were:
Marinated hamachi — tasted super fresh, and the combinations of flavors and textures were great. The grapefruit was an especially nice touch.
Poached egg — was highly recommended and met most of the hype, but if I could go back, I would’ve picked the scallop instead. The egg and the squash were excellent; the crunchy bits (grains?) were a peculiar texture I would describe as ¹⁄₃ popcorn, ¹⁄₃ Rice Krispie, ¹⁄₃ styrofoam?
Lightly smoked Arctic char — practically melts in your mouth. I was a little jeal of my friends who got the shortrib, but overall happy with this choice.
Dark chocolate mousse — ahh, amazing, I would almost tell you to come here just for this. I tried a bit of the coffee & hazelnut and the mango bergamot as well. I’m personally not a fan of the sweet/​salty combo, which is what the coffee & hazelnut was, but the mango was great — light and refreshing.

5 years ago, I went to Boka, ate scallops, got food poisoning that lasted for 3 days (which I probably should have gone to the hospital for), and never looked back. To the restaurant’s credit, when I contacted them about what happened, they refunded the meal completely AND sent a gift card for the same amount so that I’d come back and give them another chance. It took a very long time, but I finally went back last night. Between last year’s reopening and it being Restaurant Week (and the fact that it’s been half a decade!), I decided it was a safe time to return. I am still scarred when it comes to ever ordering scallops anywhere, but I’m happy to say my experience from this visit is much more positive!
We were seated at a table that was nice and cozy, particularly because the leather chairs were so comfortable. Our server (as well as the bussers and food runners!) was very friendly and helpful. Also very patient since he’s obviously answering the same exact questions for 2 weeks as Boka is not offering their regular menu during this time.
Skipped the optional wine pairing and ordered the «right on time» cocktail, which was sweet from the fruit purée, but not overly so. My husband got one of the whiskey cocktails, which he really enjoyed and was along the lines of a manhattan or old fashioned.
Our meal started with some complimentary pretzel bread. It was a mini roll and somehow they were able to replicate the taste of hard pretzels, while keeping the roll soft and fresh. The lemon zest in the butter had a nice flavor too.
COLD: I had the roasted beets, which I really liked. I’m a big fan of beets in general, but the yogurt and almond made them taste even better.
My husband ordered the heirloom carrots, which were even better, but on the sweeter side.
HOT: Celery root soup. Ok, but kind of boring. If you don’t like root vegetables, I don’t recommend it, because the flavor is strong. And it is a cream based soup so was a little filling.
Slow poached egg. Good and also filling thanks to the grains.
ENTREES: Arctic char. I really liked this partially because of the «lightly smoked» aspect and partially because of the sauces. Also a pretty decent sized portion.
Pork neck and pork belly. I didn’t really try this one, but my husband said he really liked the flavors so there ya go.
DESSERT: Mango bergamot. So light and fresh aka my favorite kind of dessert as a non-​dessert liking person.
Dark chocolate mousse. So many chocolatey flavors in various forms. I am not a chocolate person so I basically just had a tiny bite to try. Based on my husband’s completely empty plate though, he was a big fan.
We were also given 2 post dinner passion fruit filled chocolate truffles. I am, again, not a chocolate fan, but my husband had both and didn’t complain.
I’m glad I got the courage to come to Boka again as we really enjoyed our evening. The service is top-​notch, location is easy to get to, and I’m hoping to be back again sooner :)

Checked out Boka for Restaurant Week last night and I’m looking forward to coming back to try out the full menu! The abbreviated menu was pretty expansive making it hard to make selections, I ended up with the following: Hamachi, Scallop, Chicken and Dark Chocolate Mousse. All were great.
I was really impressed with the scallop, the combinations of flavors in the dish was awesome, really enjoyed that one. I typically don’t order chicken at restaurants but the explanation sold me on it this time around. Brined for day, then dry aged to give the skin a nice crisp, it was great.
The dishes came out a little slow for our later reservation on a Wednesday night, but everything was great! Servers were all very nice and helpful!

So I have been wanting to try Boka for a while now. It’s modern American fare that goes above and beyond the typical roasted chicken or steak and potatoes. Frankly, I would say this type of food is typically out of my comfort zone, but the reviews and chef reputation really propelled this restaurant into my «top try» list. Boka is participating in Restaurant Week this year, and the menu on the Choose Chicago website looked really amazing, so we made reservations well in advance and went to dine here.
One thing to note, the location is recessed away from the street, right next to Capri (which has a much bigger sign than Boka). We actually drove right by it the first time and had to circle the block. Valet is $ 14.00.
We were seated almost right away for our reservation — a high top booth across from the bar. I actually liked this location a lot. It’s both in the heart of the restaurant and not. You can people watch without getting right into their business.
We were handed menus that are printed new everyday on fine stationery cardstock which was impressive. However, the first thing I noticed was how different the courses were to the one I saw on Choose Chicago. This is really important because I based my visit on a couple key things that they weren’t offering this night! Unlike other restaurants featuring RW menus, theirs DOES change with what is fresh that day. (I told them they should really disclaim that on the RW menu that they submit… just to set the right expectations.) We ended up ordering and the manager did offer to make an accommodation to create one of the items that was removed from the menu. Kudos to Boka for that.
Between the two of us, we had the Marinated Hamachi (best thing EVER), Heirloom Carrots (who knew you can fancy up carrots?), Seared Scallop (perfectly prepared), Poached Egg (meh), Grilled Beef Short Rib (omg — this is the best short rib I have ever had), Slow Cooked Pork Neck & Belly (belly was amazing, neck was meh), Dark Chocolate Mousse (wow), and Mango Bergamot (also wow).
As you can see, everything was quite delicious. It’s probably one of the top 10 best meals I have had ever had. The only «miss» was the egg. It was an egg. No matter what you do with it, it still tastes like an egg. It wasn’t bad, by any means, but just «okay». And while portions were on the smaller side (possibly due to Restaurant Week), we both left with a full stomach after this 4-​course meal. I would think that with normal menu items, sharing an entrée instead of ordering separate ones or ordering just 3 regular sized courses would get you to the same point.
Sometimes restaurants don’t put their best foot forward for RW, but Boka really shines through here. Very good food, good service, and an overall fun ambiance. Still dreaming about the hamachi and short rib (which is currently replaced by pork). I would not hesitate to return on a normal night. Simply amazing!

My husband and I just returned to Chicago after being overseas for a year. Our original reservation was for 8:30 but due to jetlag, we arrived a few hours earlier and just dined at their bar.
We normally don’t eat at the bar but it was cool watching the mixologists do their thing & at the same time, super hospitable to us during our dinner.
they only serve restaurant week menus during restaurant week but you can also order a la carte if you feel the portions aren’t enough. For us, the portions were great. We started w the heirloom carrots & hamachi. I recommend the carrots! For our hot appetizers, we both ordered the scallops :) so good! Our mains were the Arctic char & the beef short ribs– I enjoyed the ribs more. The salmon seemed watery. We ordered the chocolate & hazelnuts dessert along w/​the mango. Overall, our tastebuds were satisfied.
Btw, we totally missed the coat check at the door! And bathrooms are downstairs or by the kitchen. The entire staff is friendly and always ready to answer any questions!

I was here for Restaurant Week last night, and I am so on the fence about what to give it — most of what we ate was a solid four stars, but there was one dish that was like… zero stars??? If we had just had cold apps, entrée, dessert, frankly, this might have been a five-​star experience. The hot app course was not only not as good, it was actually bad.
COLD:
Heirloom carrots — delicious, even if (like me) you don’t like carrots
Hamachi — also good; a smaller portion, but really light and bright
HOT:
scallops — just okay. the scallop was cooked really well, but the stuff around it (the sauce, etc.) was just really meh
celery soup — my friend who ordered this described it as «warm v8.» this was the zero star dish
ENTREE
short ribs — really, really great. everything on the plate was delicious.
arctic char — also really good, but kind of strong. i only had half, because we split it, and i’m not sure i would have liked it as much had i had the whole thing.
DESSERT:
chocolate mousse — divine
mango bergamot — the best dessert option hands down
coffee & hazelnut — also good, but a little too sweet
Service was great and very fast, our water glasses were kept topped off, and we got seconds of delicious pumpernickel pretzel bread with lemon butter. Plus, they didn’t seem bummed that we literally asked for every dish to be explained to us, since we couldn’t identify any of the component ingredients.

Came here during restaurant week and had dinner with friends. Our reservation was at 5 pm and we had one person still missing so didn’t get seated until 5:30 pm. The restaurant was accommodating considering it is restaurant week. Our waiter was great; two of my friends didn’t like their Malbec’s so the waiter let them change free of charge. The ambience is beautiful, moderate noise, food was amazing from hot, cold, main dish, and dessert. The presentation and different ingredients were perfectly blended. This is a great restaurant for dates & intimate gatherings with friends. I saw one baby at the restaurant; not sure if they have high chairs for older babies.

I’ll probably never fulfill my dream of being a guest judge on Iron Chef, so I’ll settle for Boka. I mean that in a good way. Boka serves wildly creative dishes pairing expertly crafted cocktails to compliment each flavor profile. I admit not all plates are mind blowing, but even the not so great dishes are still interesting. I’d recommend as an impressive date spot or just for drinks at the bar with the fellas.

I do love the creative idea for the carrot dish!
P. s. got to know that one of chief chef from EL Ideas joined Boka recently! Excited! A revisit is a must!

My boyfriend’s and my anniversary is on New Years, so you can imagine how hard it was for me to find a reservation at 6:30 PM. Boka was one of the few places with an open reservation and it was bookmarked on Unilocal :). We get there a little late and basically was treated like special guests. Everyone was so attentive to us.
We decided to go for the 7-​course tasting because we have never done that before. The portions were all small but they all add up. Besides, there were a few bonus food/​dishes, so don’t be so confident. By the fourth dish on the tasting, I was stuffed and my dress was feeling a little tight. :D
Out of all the dishes, I loved two the most. I liked the squab dish and the Uni sauce dish. The waitress was very descriptive, but I could not tell you what other flavors there are right now. Whatever else was on there complemented the squab so well. It was crispy on the outside and rare on the inside. Yummy.
I had a fabulous try and was very thankful to do my first tasting there. It was new and experimental. I loved the different experience. The tasting was $ 115, which I think is a fair price for this meal.

This was my second time at the restaurant and I have to say it was a bit disappointing. I thought that it would be better since we had ordered the tasting menu but it was not.
The tasting menu was actually very mediocre and I kept waiting for a big bang of flavor that never came. I have to say that after eating here I felt as if I needed to make a run to McDonald’s for a cheeseburger or hell even chicken strips. I can’t say I would ever recommend the tasting menu here.
It was very underwhelming overall. This is with the wine pairing mind you. I paid extra for the «reserve» wine pairing it was quite mediocre. Don’t waste your money there are so many restaurants in Chicago that are way better than this.
I will say service was spectacular. Servers are very attentive. The sommelier is very knowledgeable. We did not wait long for service and all of our questions about the wines and courses were answered. He’s very enthusiastic about their selections (I don’t know why) and he clearly enjoys his job.
The pour for the wine pairings was super stingy. For $ 115 you would think they’d be a little more generous. I know a proper pour is 3 – 4 ounces but I was getting like 2 ounces maximum on the «expensive» stuff. Also it’s not unusual to get up to 5 ounces in a pour; many high end restaurants do this. So yeah the wine pairing upgrade isn’t worth it, imo. My boyfriend had the standard pairing and there were a number of times that I preferred his glass of wine to my more expensive versions and he received more generous pours.
You’re not slick Boka, I noticed. I’ve always heard it rumored that restaurants give men bigger pours since it’s assumed that they’ll be paying the bill so they want to keep them happy, lol. Not saying Boka did this but … I noticed and I paid the bill.
Don’t think I’ll be coming back here the next time I’m in the Chi.

Overall this was an exemplary and exceptional dining experience.
I suspected it would be.
We had a party of four on Sunday night. From the moment we walked in, the service was outstanding. The house filled up by 6 PM. The restaurant is sleek and dark, romantic.
Appetizers:
Heirloom carrots were delicious with a little goat cheese, flavored and complimented perfectly.
Chestnut ravioli, well, this is when we were just savoring every bite (we did refrain from licking the plate, cue social norms and decorum).
Cauliflower soup was creamy and savory and like drinking velvet (this makes sense but it doesn’t, I know, ahh, the perplexities of life).
Dinner rolls were great, two selections, hearty, and with house made butter.
Main Course:
The grilled beef short rib was amazing. Tender, flavorful, melt-​in-​your-​mouth, there-​will-​be-​no-​sharing type. There will be no sharing. #thatgood
Desserts:
Because the bar is set high by now, right? We tried the pumpkin beignets and milk chocolate. Both were beautifully presented and delicious. The milk chocolate was a blend of several chocolates and a little taste of orange.
Overall, this was a wonderful dinner for four of us during the holiday season. We enjoyed it completely from the ambiance to the service to the valet parking to the divine food. Not outrageously priced, and lovely enough for a celebration or date night.

Boka didn’t rock my world, although I recognize a beautiful restaurant when I see one and impeccable service when I receive it. But the food was hit or miss. Dinner one night started with an excellent citrus-​based cocktail at the bar. Dinner rolls were served next, rye and pretzel, along with a great tasting cream of celery soup. Then came good chestnut ravioli in a creamy foam or emulsion, along with a glass of cava. So far so good.
But the main course disappointed. Poached sea bass was inexplicably dry, overcooked, undersauced and underseasoned, served with mussels and fried endive – two items that added nothing to the dish. For dessert, two excellent mini-​treats were presented, a slice of fudge and a truffle.
Courses came and went at a good clip, and all the servers were pleasant and friendly. So yes, I would bring my out-​of-​town foodie friends here without any hesitation and they would be impressed with the aspirations of this restaurant and by the service, but not always by what is delivered on the plate.

I came here for an anniversary dinner with the boy at the beginning of the month. It started off great with a complimentary glass of bubbly. We decided to order the tasting menu for the both of us. There were some standouts such as the madai, the custard foie gras and huckleberry coffee cake. The skate was a bit salty, 50 day dry aged beef was meh (better at Boefhaus) and tomato and watermelon salad seemed boring.
Overall, I would recommend Boka for a special occasion. The service was really impeccable. She recommended a bottle of Sancerre and it was great. If you’re not feeling adventurous via a tasting menu, I’m sure the regular menu will suit your needs.