Firefly

I love this place so much! This is my first review on Unilocal,so I’m sure I won’t do it justice, but this is one of my favorite places to eat/​drink — anywhere!
I’ve been going for Firefly for probably the last 5 years on a frequent basis. The waitstaff are friendly, the food is great, the atmosphere is –good– but the martinis are EXCELLENT! My responsible limit is 2. 3 and i’m heading home for the night.
There have been rumors circulating that Firefly is closing. I was very surprised to hear this… if its the case, I can’t imagine why. Everything is spectacular and its always busy. I’ll be a patron as long as the doors are open!
I would sum up Firefly this way: the food is good and unique although not too «out there», the atmosphere and crowd is always fun, friendly and energetic, the location is superb, and the drinks are spectacular. However, the venue is small, so make sure to arrive either early or late — or be prepared to wait.

Cute cozy little «bistro» spot in Boystown. Getting a table early on a Friday night wasn’t too difficult, but it did fill up later. Firefly has a great martini and drinks menu, but I went with a full-​bodied Zinfandel instead.
–Duck Spring rolls– great starter dish, a must!
–Tilapia– served on a bed of tasty mashed potatoes, it was a nice piece of fish, but swimming in sauce and vegetables. Needs improvement.
–Grilled pork chop– meat was seared and prepared perfectly. This is a dish to try.
This place is small, but charming. I would recommend it for no more than parties of 4. It’s a little on the pricey side, but definitely a nice place to visit when you’re in the neighborhood.

I was here a few months ago and here is what I remember:
1. High-​backed booths with beautiful curtains
2. Deviled eggs!
3. Little square donut desserts (which were both delicious AND fun to play with)
Honestly, I had some sort of meat dish, but I can’t remember exactly what it was. The restaurant is adorable, the appetizer was above average, and the dessert was awesome. It would be a good place for a drink and dessert if you were in the area.

I recently had a friend visiting the Lakeview neighborhood, and wanted to try a place near by… so we chose Firefly. The concept is French Comfort food and it offers a late kitchen (staying open ’till Midnight or so).
The restaurant itself is visually nice, a little bit on the smaller side, kind of dark with a slick bar and curtained tables lining the wall. They also have a patio area on the sidestreet off of Halsted.
My friend started with a glass of white, I remember she had mentioned wanting a glass of Vouvray but not sure if that is what she had. I started with a «Mango Tango» martini which was vodka based with mango nectar and a champage float. Then moved on to a Bourdeaux which was was nice and soft.
That night they were featuring a special appetizer of fried dates wrapped in bacon with some sort of smoked apple purée, this was very tasty and reminiscent of a dish I’ve had at a couple of Spanish tapas restaurants. We also had duck spring rolls that were served with Frisee tossed in what I imagine was a sort of dijion/​balsamic vinaigrettte.
For the main course we split a side of the Penne Mac n’ Cheese, which I believe was an asiago blend with some peas and herbs and was delicious. The entrée itself left a little bit to be desired. We ordered the Sirloin Au poivre served with haricot vert and pomme frites. The peppercorn sauce had some nice spice to it but the steak itself could have been better.
We had a heavy night of drinking ahead of us so we skipped dessert and opted for a final liquid course. My friend had Liquor 43 wit cream and myself a snifter of Frangelico.
Service was fine, timed properly, etc. However the server seemed to lack personality. Even after we tipped over 40% he did not even swing by to say thanks or give a nod of appreciation. (Unless my friend caught it and I did not).
All in all, worth checking out and I would definitely give this place another shot, would be a good spot to take a date.

A group of friends invited me for drinks this past Sunday afternoon. Since the place is right down the street for my condo I thought, «Why not?» I had never stepped foot in the door and thought it might be a great neighborhood gem that I was missing out on. Nope.
We sat at the bar and ordered cocktails. There was a total of six people in our group after everybody had joined. Mind you… it was downpouring and dreary. Don’t you think you would be happy to have patrons in your place of business. Apparently the owner was not… or at least the woman whom I was told owned the restaurant. She actually SHUSHED us not once… oh yes… TWICE!!! For laughing while sitting at the bar. Hmmmm???
Last time I checked my money was green just like everybody else’s. In addition, I live right up the block and this could have been a great hangout for my husband and I. But there is no way in hell I will patronize this establishment. Rude, rude, rude.

I’ll probably be back, but I’ll be back on a mission to get loaded, not with the goal of getting a solid French meal. The atmosphere is low-​key and darling, and perfect for date night or meeting with a small group of friends. The 10 oz martinis were amazing. We had the parmesan deviled eggs for an appetizer, but easily could have ordered four other appetizers — they all sounded that good.
My entrée, on the other hand, was not so great. I ordered a very standard issue steak frites. The steak was VERY fatty, and in hindsight, I probably should have asked for the bearnaise on the side. I might try another entrée on the next go-​round (my friend’s bacon-​wrapped filet looked awesome), but I will more likely return to get blitzed on fantastic martinis and snack on great appetizers.

So, yesterday I ventured to FireFly for my birthday. I’ve always walked by and thought it looked like a fun little joint, and decided I’d spend the few extra dollars on dinner and drinks and venture out to somewhere new!
Well, I’m glad that I did. I would give this place four stars, if it wasn’t for the fact our waiter was VERY slow in taking our orders, even though there was only one other party in the restaurant. He was very friendly and got everything correct, it’s just that I feel you shouldn’t have to flag down your waiter when he’s only waiting on one other table.
I got the Tilapia there– and it was delish! It was cooked very well, and the lemon-​caper sauce, along with the basil mashed potatoes and sugar peas was just great! I’m going to have to see if I can recreate this myself so that I don’t have to pay $ 18 the next time I want it (which I bet will be soon). The only downfall was that I would have probably liked a little bit bigger portion though. But, it could have just been that I was STARVING when I got there– so I probably could have eaten an entire pizza that night. So, I’m not going to be too picky about the amount they brought out– it was by no means tiny.
I also got the Raspberry S&S Martini– it was great as well! I sort of wish now that I’d have tried one of their more unique mixtures, but it was definitely worth it.
All in all, I would recommend FireFly– I’d just say you might not want to go there when you starving since you are by no means going to get a large portion. I would have given them four stars if it wasn’t for that and the bad waiter.

After months of admiring the atmosphere from afar, I finally made my way through the door! The place was nicely packed for a Sunday night but the tone remained mellow, just like I like it. I hadn’t read that the martinis were a «famous» 10 ounces, but that helps explain how loopy I felt leaving (after only 2.) The drinks were marvelous.
We (two of us) shared the duck eggrolls (impossibly delicious: I will seek to emulate them in my own kitchen), the burger on pumpernickel with goat cheese (perfectly rare like I need it), and the mussels and clams (themselves not perfect but the sauce was to die for — we chalked up the underdone mussel and conspicuous lack of clams to a somewhat green chef in the back who was doing his or her best.)
The booths are wonderful — some day I hope to close those curtains and canoodle! We had a fabulous time and we will definitely go back. Anyone want to go? Call me!
And to those who warn of the owner that I wasn’t lucky enough to meet — why not bring some flowers or find some other way to kill her with kindness? Turn that frown upside down.

Que romantica! I went on a «date» with a friend and much to our surprise, we were the only couple of the platonic nature in the place! Apparently the atmosphere lends itself to a little romance… dark walls, curtained booths… How did we not figure that out? Oh well.
The food was good, particularly the pumpkin cheesecake. Yum! Service wasn’t amazing, but it wasn’t terrible. I lived near Firefly for two years and only went one time. It didn’t quite make it into my regular rotation and I’ve never gone again, but maybe it’s the place for you. It’s worth a shot!

I went here once about 6 months ago and had a dreary experience. I decided to give them a second chance Friday night, it got worse.
Firefly has a great looking interior with booths lining one side of the space and a bar on the other. Sadly, my date and I were once again seated at a small table in the middle of the room between the bar and the booths. Sadly, rather than being a romantic table for two we felt more like we were in the way of the entire restaurant. There were way too many patrons crowding at the bar and people were bumping into our table and the wait staff was always bumping into our table and our chairs as they tried to squeeze by the crowd. This place needs to think seriously about how many patrons they allow in. It was as if we were trying to have dinner at a sports pub with standing room only during a Bears game. I can understand a busy restaurant being loud but this place was THUNDEROUS. Many of the other patrons were on the rude/​inconsiderate side when it came to respecting our space.
Essentially, this place has a serious identity crisis. It acts as if it is a sophisticated restaurant with having big words on the menu and even bigger more glowing descriptions from the wait staff. You would think you were on Iron Chef the way they described some of the food. However, getting bumped around in a BAR with a loud crowd of socialites doesn’t exactly fit the description of «French Bistro» that they claim to be.
As for the food, it doesn’t live up to the descriptions or the hype. It’s ok, but of all the different things I have tried there now, nothing was even so much as memorable.
This place would get zero or one stars if it weren’t for the incredibly friendly waiters I have had both times I have been there. They went out of their way to try to make our evening as pleasant as possible considering the circumstances.
Final word: Go elsewhere. Why waste your time and money on a less than pleasant experience when there are so many other great options in the area?

Eh. I was pretty excited about going here, until I went here. I’ve walked by countless times, and always thought «Oh, cute. Have to check this place out sometime soon.».
So, Saturday. .. college friend in town, we all meet here for cocktails. Our respective patient seven star companions stand by — ever vigilant for precarious and breakable martini glasses — until the screaming and *squeeeing* stopped, as I’ve not seen my fabulous friend since about 1998.
True to form, this review is for the bar area only, as we did not eat here.
Okay. Aforementioned martini. In my study to become a Vodka snob (I am Russian, after all) I opt for Ultimat after I’m informed they’re out of Chopin.
Ultimat is meh. This place is meh. It looks cuter from the outside. The reflected light on the windows apparently obstructs the unfinished look of the dining room. A giant AC is stuck smack dab in the middle of the wall above the bar. The dining booths look like cardboard boxes. Ugly. Not elegant.
So, I was expecting an elegant little French bistro, but the only thing that is here is the ghost of Oh-​La-​La.

If you are getting progressively more discerning (and sometimes more easily cranky) as you grow up, as I am, don’t come here on a Saturday night — not even just for cocktails. It’s too noisy.
Also, I have a bone to pick with the same bartender whom I referenced in my first review of this place.
He was out of Chopin vodka, which puts Grey Goose to shame. He offered us Ultimat — a brand he claimed was as smooth as Chopin and smoother than Grey Goose.
NOT!
Why pretend something is what it clearly is not. Had he tried to sell it for what it is and not tried to pass it off as super high end, okay. But please don’t bullshit me. Really, I should have made him take it back and make me a martini with Grey Goose.
What a dope. Had he been honest about it, he would not have ended up with his establishment having a snarky review like this one.
And it’s not a subjective thing. Will a vodka dinker anywhere please tell me Ultimat rivals Chopin? Because I’ll stand corrected.

Ooo-​La-​La! Firefly is like that little French bistro that you happen upon when wandering through some small french town.
It’s intimate interior with bistro tables and booths with velveteen seats beckon you to sit and stay awhile. The bar is filled with regulars sharing stories of their day. And the outside patio allows for al fresco dining amidst the hustle and bustle of city life.
We started with the duck spring rolls. Crispy and artfully arranged– these were a tasty way to get our dinner off to a good start.
As for entrees– I went with the salad nicoise (seared ahi tuna, green beans, eggs and olives) and my friend had the pork chop with apple stuffing. Both were quite tasty and appropriately sized (so much so that my friend was lamenting that he only had one pork chop– Ha!) But the real pleaser of the evening was the mac and cheese appetizer that we ordered as a side. Penne pasta with 4 kinds of oooey-​gooey cheese and herbs made a perfect side dish. Tres bon!
Finally– dessert. We went with the molton lava cake. Worth every calorie if I do say so myself. Warm from the oven– it was the perfect end to our meal.
Dinner for two with drinks and dessert ran a little over $ 100. Service started strong but got a bit spotty when it got really busy but overall was okay. And if you drive– I’d suggest valet parking at Sidetrack just up the street as street parking is challenging and lots are few and far between.
Go discover this little french bistro in the heart of Boystown. You’ll be saying «merci beaucoup» for my recommendation in no time.

Really great find in boystown. My boyfriend and I went here on a Friday night and really enjoyed it-we’ll definitely be back. We got there around 7pm and the wait was 45 minutes to an hour unless you wanted the table right in front of the door. It was a cold night so we were worried about the door opening and closing but we went for it and it wasn’t cold at all-​I guess we missed out on the booths everyone mentions but we got seated right away and happy with the spot.
I had the Key Lime and the French Kiss martinis-​both REALLY good. The french kiss has a little more kick, just more vodka, but the key lime did still have a kick and tasted soooo good!
We got an appetizer that was on special-​risotto with spinach-​again, really good-​and everything we got was hot right out of the kitchen.
I got the chicken fricasee and my boyfriend got the steak frites with the au poivre sauce and we were both very happy with our choices. Loved the sauces on both dishes.
The only disappointment was that the escargot is no longer on the menu-​our waiter informed me that I was probably the only one disappointed by that but hey, I hadn’t had escargot in awhile and was looking forward to it.
Our total without tip was $ 98 – 2 martinis, 2 cocktails, 1 beer, 1 appetizer, and 2 entrees… not bad at all.

Cute little french bistro in boystown. We didn’t think we were going to get in, with it being valentine’s day… but we just drank martinis at the bar while we waited half an hour for our table. I’m not complaining. Good martinis. I got the French Kiss (raspberry & pineapple flavored with a twist of lemon)
I’ve been looking to try Oysters for a while & when we were given the specials menu I thought, «well, it’s valentines day… maybe MAYBE they’ll have oysters, since it’s an aphrodisiac.» They did! Oysters Rockefeller. It was delicious. I also had a salad that had mesclun greens, walnuts, fennel, & apples with a balsamic vinaigrette. And some tilapia. It was yummy. The atmosphere was nice, & so was our waiter.

My lady and I are that mushy couple that sits next to each in booths at restaurants. We kiss and whisper during our meal and do annoyingly cute and romantic things like feeding each other bites of our dishes.
Firefly was the perfect place to do all of the lovey-​dovey things we do best!
The ambiance here is very smooth and warm. Since Firefly is a smaller venue, I would recommend it for intimate dates and not large groups or parties. We had to wait a bit for a table but once we were seated we cuddled up in one of their large booths and started looking over the menus. Firefly offers a great martini selection along with a long wine list so everyone is covered. Our appetizer came out fast and later our main course was beautifully presented and surprising taste even more amazing than it looked. Try the duck spring rolls, they are great!
A must have at Firefly is the Holiday Martini… It’s amazing!

«I’m sorry but we are booked until 9pm» — that was the response I got after trying to make a reservation for 8 people. Granted, I was calling the day of the dinner, so it was no surprise. But we decided to show-​up anyway. And FYI, the only way to get a reservation at Firefly is if your party is 5 or more.
Luckily, when you come to Firefly, the staff is there for you! After a couple awkward moments, our host simply said «well, we’ll just have to make this work» And he placed us outside. Which was great because it was the most beautiful October night in recent memory. And since my party hadn’t all arrived yet, me and a couple of friends had a nice pre-​dinner drink at the bar. This is probably the best and worst thing about Firefly: its a small intimate place. So, its great for a date, but its also great to take a group for a more relaxed feel.
Now for the food: I would echo everything Karen T. said in her review. Yes, some of the food was a little salty, but overall it was delicious. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the deviled eggs, the pumpkin-​pear soup, and the mussels. If you’re on a budget, try one of the sandwhiches. They are cheaper, but WAY worth the price. And take advantage of the drinks! This is a great place to get «frou-​frou drinks» as my cousin would say, but they are divine! The pink flamingo, lemon drop, sidecar, french martini, and wicked were all great! I also ordered 2 rum and cokes which were very strong.
In sum, Firefly is the perfect spot when you want a calm dinner for two (or 8), or if you just want to ease your way into the boystown scene with some pre-​party drinks. I ended up doing both, and will definitely come back for more! Much love to the Firefly staff and our waiter for being so attentive and hospitable!

This cozy little American-​with-​a-​French-​twist bistro is perfectly nestled right into the background of central Boystown (fiercely fabulous and flamboyant). With soft, dim lighting in the restaurant and a candlelit patio adorned with greenery, you could have almost mistaken this past October weekend for early June — or all year round in Santa Barbara. Thanks to one of my GBFF’s Sixto M., who was so insistent that I get out of the condo and go out /​review something that he invited me along to a fabulous dinner party for 8 at Firefly. My first comment:
«How many times must I have walked up and down Halsted and never noticed this spot? I’ve been coming to Boystown for the last 4 years!!»
«Well, how many of those times were you sober?»
Touché.
The food is great albeit a minor salt issue here and there — more is not always more. Just ask Jerell from Project Runway. That was the downfall of their soup special and spring rolls for the night. I was also slightly underwhelmed by the baked brie. But among the array of appetizers were some fantastically prepared Parmesan deviled eggs and tender scallops.
The pan-​seared tilapia and basil mashed potatoes didn’t have the greatest presentation (the accompanying caper butter turned the potatoes into more of a poorly textured purée than anything), but the fish was cooked/​seasoned well. And their chocolate lava cake for dessert was moist and ridiculously rich. Friends raved about their pumpkin cheesecake and bread pudding.
To all the seafood aficionados but just can’t seem to find it in Chicago simultaneously fresh AND cheap: Firefly boasts the tastiest mussels I’ve had since Belgium. Succulent, not too fishy, not at all gritty, and perfectly seasoned.
Finally, my inner lush reviews: martinis were top notch. Lemon drops were garnished generously with pink sugar rims, a French martini was sweet yet sauced me up superbly… and friends picked some great wines/​liquors as well. It was just what I needed to get back into the Chicago scene. And with this review, I must announce my return to the Unilocal scene: Ladies and Gentlemen… I’m BA-​ACK! (=

I have been here a few times and was starting to enjoy the place. But, last night sort of ruined that for me. Two of us went and we ordered two appetizers, the escargot and the brie. The brie was this teeny oily mess that was hardly there and was about three bites each. I have had it other times and it was a larger hunk o’ cheese. The escargot is served on a puff pastry, and this too is something I have ordered in the past and been happy with. The dish came out lukewarm and the pastry mushy. I pointed out both these problems and the server couldn’t have cared less. He took back the escargot and said he would fix it, but brougth out the same serving with two bites out of it, which he must have popped in the microwave to heat up. Thanks for caring so much, buddy.
Drinks and entrees were both decent, but the guys attitude put me off. My filet was cooked perfect and pretty good, but the asparagus on my plate was overcooked. My boyfriend’s steak sandwich was pretty good, too.
I have lots of other options in this city and in this hood, so this place is on my shit list for a while. Thsoe appetizers sucked almost as much as the service there.

What a wonderful and cozy little place!
Firefly was pretty busy when we walked in on a Friday night, but we waited just a few minutes at the bar and got seated promptly. The service here is very friendly and the atmosphere is perfect for casual dinner with great food. I recommend the booth tables for groups.
Firefly has a wonderful martini menu, but we stuck with wine for the evening. We started with the mesclun salad — very basic greens, tomato and peppers in a light balsamic dressing. For the main course, we both went with the filet. I am not a big meat eater, but the piece was cooked perfectly. Comes over a bed of potatoes mashed with bleu cheese, steamed asparagus and porcini mushrooms. Fantastic dinner. I definitely recommend it. YUM.