The Boarding House

I have visited a handful of times over the last few months for drinks and small plates to full-​fledged dinner. After the multiple experiences I have settled that the Boarding House is a great spot for small-​plates and drinks downstairs in the awesomely unique bar area. Dinner upstairs is a beautiful experience, I just wouldn’t be as quick to put dinner on the must re-​visit list while I would definitely re-​visit the bar area on a «go-​to» basis.

Boarding house was my final stop yesterday on my restaurant week tour. I had reservations at 6:30 and arrived a few minutes late, but was still seated promptly. The waiter came over and introduced himself and we chit chatted for a bit and then told him we were going to do the restaurant week menu and that we’ll need a few minutes.
I personally ordered the hen egg and polenta fries for an app and for my entrée I had the half Amish chicken. My friends ordered the octopus app and a salmon entrée. We also placed an extra app order for the burrata off the regular menu.
What I really liked about this particular RW choice is that I did not have wait forever for the food to come out. The apps came out pretty quickly I really liked hen egg and polenta fries (I will definitely get that when I come back), I was not the biggest fan of the buratta; I feel that the jam that was paired with it was too strong of a flavor, and there was a strong taste of vinegar coming from somewhere that I was not a fan of. Once we finished the apps we had a few min to chit chat and then our entrees came out. I really enjoyed my chicken choice (I rarely eat chicken out at restaurants because I tend to cook with it a lot, but the way it was described on the menu sounded like a no brainer choice). The chicken was very crispy on the outside and soft and moist in the inside, PERFECTION. I tried my friends salmon choice and unfortunately I was not a fan, it was a tad bit fishy for my taste, but both my friends enjoyed their salmon choices.
We finished off the dessert which was a trio of a chocolate cake, carrot cake and I believe an oatmeal cookie. I loved the carrot cake and chocolate cake but did not like the flavor of the oatmeal cookie.
Overall I enjoyed sampling the RW menu.

This is a review for restaurant week. The ambiance here is great very pretty restaurant but I would say a nice place for a girls night. I wouldn’t say it’s romantic it’s kind of bright I prefer a darker lighting. Service is great but food was so basic. I had the hen egg as first course, Amish chicken as Second course and then the variety of deserts. The hen egg was tasteless the Amish chicken was juicy and the potatoes were tasty probably the better flavored plate I had here. Now the desert was so basic and cold. Tasted store bought. I would return for a drink with a friend for the ambiance but wouldn’t eat here.

This is a great place for early evening or late night cocktails.
We stopped in for an after dinner cocktail close to midnight on a Saturday night and it was moderately packed with good reason. It was my second time visiting, with the first being at least 3 years ago with a girlfriend who raved about their signature cocktails.
My beverage of choice a few years back was a half bottle of Veuve Cliquot Rose which I admittedly planned to order again. The fact that it is no longer on the menu was a bit ideal in that it compelled me to try something new.
I decided on the Szeiger Brut Rose (Sparkling) $ 15 per glass/​$ 60 bottle. It was slightly dry but a perfect sipping beverage which would also be my choice with a light seafood or veggie only salad. I then eyeballed a cider (spelled Cyder) made in England. After ordering, I was informed it had to be retrieved from upstairs. While tempted to change my order, I am rather glad I waited. The color was different from any other cider I have tried but it was amazing. Sweeter than Crispin yet not as sugary as Angry Orchard and was well worth it’s $ 10 price tag.
During Happy Hour (430−630p weekdays) all wines by the glass are half off.
Valet parking is $ 14.
If dining or drinking on the first floor (bar), seat yourself. If you have reservations for dinner upstairs or are attending a private event downstairs, notify the host upon entering.

I had heard a lot of really good reviews about this restaurant so decided to give a go during restaurant week. It ended up being the evening the evening of my husband’s birthday. We enjoyed a three course meal and added the wine pairing. He is such a oenophile. For his first course he chose the Braised Octopus, Fingerling Potatoes, Grilled Frisee, Nicoise Vierge, Squid Ink Vinaigrette. This was an outstanding dish. Well composed and balanced. He loved it! I chose the sunchoke soup with crab. It was really terrific. I loved the creaminess of soup and the decadence of the crap. They had a few thin slices of radish in there too. I think for crunchiness but it didn’t really add anything and just ended up being superfluous. The mains were a bit disappointing. He had the grilled salmon with curried cauliflower and turnips. The salmon came out pretty much raw. We had to send it back. We were told that it is cooked to medium rare unless requested differently. This wasn’t medium rare. We know medium rare. This was raw. When it came back out, though a fresh piece, it was now over cooked. Ugh. I had the mushroom risotto with truffle cream. It was okay. The rice could have reached a creamier texture and the food itself should have been served warmer. It was just barely room temperature. The dessert — chef’s assortment — were back on a high note. One oatmeal cookie, carrot cake and flourless chocolate cake. I can’t even pick a favorite they were all outstanding. They even overheard me mention that it was my husband’s birthday and they put a candle on the plate for him!
Service was outstanding! Loved our waiter and he knew so much about wines! He was more than happy to share his knowledge with us and didn’t get impatient when hubby wanted to talk specifics!
Definitely worth another shot. I would go back again.

This is a beautiful restaurant which is a definite must for drinks and appetizers. Dinner is a different story… we weren’t blown away with our dinner. Again, the ambiance was nice. The drinks were strong. The service was excellent. I wish I could give it another star just for those three reasons. However, the food was uninspired and mediocre at best. Would I recommend, yes but not to a true foodie.

I was looking for someplace special to bring in the new year and The Boarding House surpassed all my expectations. The food, the ambiance and the staff was everything we could’ve asked for. I made my reservation through open table, requested a table on the 3^rd floor and was seated no problem.
To start, the options on the prefix menu were Delish. All of the courses came out in a timely manner, perfectly cooked and we did not feel rushed at all. (Which was a big plus for us). The staff was very friendly/​knowledgable and made some great recommendations. All in all it was a great night and can’t wait to go back again. Thanks!

I loved the space and how can you not appreciate the cool wine glass and wine bottle artwork?
We wanted to come here for a while after walking passed it a couple times so my fiancé brought me here for my birthday.
It was a weekday night and not crazy busy so we came to the upstairs dining room to be seated right away.
The décor is stunning but I wish they worked on ambience a bit more. It was really bright in the space we sat. I place so elegant should be a bit more mysterious and sultry.
Our service was nice and we ordered a few drinks, apps and entrees. Everything was good. I just wish it came out a bit slower and the evening didn’t feel so casual or quick. We could’ve taken some more time enjoying the place, drinks and food.
Don’t miss the dancing queen at her desk across the way — she knows you’re watching and she rocks out regardless. Guess being at work at 8pm needs to be spiced up a bit!

Love love love this place!!!
A perfect NYE Dinner for us.
My husband and I decided to spend 31^st of 2015 enjoying some good food and excellent company :)
They had a great selection for the pre-​fix menu (6 courses) with an excellent wine pairing (optional)!! Lots of options for vegans/​vegetarians as well.
Our personal favorites: Beet root salad, salmon tartare, Tagliatelle and seared scallops. Highly recommend the wine pairings… Chef Alpana singh — being a master sommelier, paired some beautiful wines with each course.
Thank you for an excellent service :) Hope to see you soon!

We arrived at about 5pm for a pre-​theatre dinner (show was at 7pm). We were pleasantly surprised that we were one of the first tables to be sat, which was great, since we wanted to be sure and make our show. The previous reviews mention the confusion between the downstairs bar and the real restaurant on the 3^rd floor. Not sure those are accurate. It’s clear one is a bar and the host/​hostess stand for the restaurant is right in front of you when you walk in.
The wine list is, in a word, extensive. In another word, diverse. There are more than 500 bottles that range from run of the mill to unique. I suggest ordering a cocktail, picking what you want to eat, then diving into the wine list — it’s that big. I think the server even referred to it as a «book.»
For a starter my wife had the burrata and I had the agnolotti. They were both delicious. The angolotti comes in two size. I opted for the smaller one and it was perfect. For the main, I had the venison (very filling) and my wife had the scallops. Both were also fantastic. I recommend the venison as rare.
The service was great, but there were not a lot of people so early on New Years Adam (30 December), so it’s hard to say what happens when it gets busy.
Overall, a hit that we will try again.

We came here for my birthday dinner. The service was excellent but the food was just OK. We had the burrata and the polenta fries for our appetizer– and they were all right. Kind of just meh. For dinner we had the steak and the pork chop– both were well prepared and just kind of standard. Cocktails were lackluster. They had an impressive wine list. Maybe next time we will try something else– or we may not return because it was just all right and there are thousands of good options steps away.

The food was excellent, the service was not.
I came here with my family on a Monday night. The ambiance is great, and we all enjoyed the décor. My food was delicious; I ordered the Amish chicken.
The service was worse than what you would expect at an inexpensive chain restaurant. Keep in mind that it was a Monday night, and the restaurant wasn’t completely full or even busy. Our waiter didn’t remember who ordered what, and placed all of the drinks in front of the wrong person. Then when we asked for refills, we were brought the wrong drinks. We had to ask twice for the bread service we ordered. My father ordered a coffee with dessert and it was never brought to us, however it appeared on the bill regardless. Throughout the entire dinner the waiter was inattentive and unfriendly. It was difficult to believe that such a nice restaurant would employ such a horrible wait staff. The waiter wasn’t always the person who brought our food and drinks, so it’s hard to pinpoint who exactly was at fault for the errors. But either way, you would expect more.
Not that this is entirely the fault of the restaurant, but we wanted to use the valet service and had to wait minutes in the cold for him to show up.
I would consider going back for the food if there weren’t already so many other amazing restaurants in Chicago.

We went here for my friend’s birthday on a Monday night, so I can’t say how it is on the weekend.
First off, it’s beautiful inside! Nice, clean, & sleek décor. I also really liked the creative ceiling fixtures (bottles, wine glasses, etc.)
Things we ordered:
Braised octopus, stuffed calamari, seared scallops, venison loin, flat iron steak, chocolate bar, espresso gelato truffle, & carrot cake.
The octopus & calamari was really good. A little pricey for the portion, but the taste compensated for that.
I can’t comment on the scallops or steak, but the venison was so delicious! It was flavorful & the dish had raisins in it, which I usually hate, but loved in this dish! Order it. You won’t be disappointed.
Bless the creator of the espresso gelato truffle. My God, was that the best thing I ever put in my mouth. Soooooooooo good. If you’re here for dessert, order that. For yourself. Don’t share.
Our waitress was phenomenal! She gave us shots for my friend’s birthday & the desserts, comped. She was great! I can’t remember her name, but I’ll update if I ever remember.
Bravo Boarding room! I’ll be back! (I can’t resist a charcuterie, which I’ll try next visit. :P)

How did I not know this place even existed??? Went here for a private party in the cellar for a work function, and I’m super impressed. First of all, how can you not love the bunches of glasses as a decorative ceiling? I mean, seriously, brilliant. Such an inviting space overall.
Pinot grigio and a pinot noir were selected as wine offerings, and both were delicious. You know I had to try both, being the little wino that I am! During the cocktail hour, we had carpaccio, smoked salmon and portabella mushroom puffs. All were tasty. Nothing special. For dinner, we could choose between the short rib, the chicken or the salmon, and I opted for the salmon, which was phenomenal. Several others got the chicken, which they said was equally delicious.
For dessert, I was BLOWN AWAY by the lychee mousse!!! I’m not completely certain it was lychee, but that’s what it tasted like… could have been passion fruit, though, now that I think about it. Whatever it was, it tasted like MORE! We also had chocolate covered macaroons and some sort of truffle. Very tasty.
I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to try this place. Definitely worth a return with the hubs!

A fabulous remodel has been done on this gorgeous historic boarding house. Each floor offers a different experience, from the cellar, to the ground floor bar, to the beautiful 3^rd floor dining room, and private dining on the other floors.
It’s hard to ignore the dramatic chandeliers fashioned of wine glasses and bottles, which set the tone for an exceptional wine list.
The menu is divided into starters and main courses. We began with a bread service, fluffy pull apart rolls served with two butters, one sweet, one savory. Our first courses were good, if not spectacular: burrata cheese with toasted baguette slices, and octopus with new potatoes.
Entrees were very good. The venison was meaty without being gamey, and was served on a delicious combination of fall vegetables, cranberries, ham and other goodies. Scallops were perfectly cooked, served on a sweet purée with nicely caramelized Brussel sprouts. If I had any complaint it was just that both dishes were a bit on the sweet side.
Service was friendly and efficient, and the room volume was great, even when completely filled, as it deserves to be. A very neat environment for a pleasant meal.

There was a group of 6 of us and all of us were not from Chicago. The Boarding House was a fantastic experience, the food was delicious and the service was awesome. We had a fantastic waiter, Brian, who gave us great recommendations, kept the wine flowing, and provided an excellent dining experience overall. The décor of the restaurant was great too.
Let’s start with the appetizers (ranked in order of deliciousness):
— Hen Egg & Polenta Fries: delicious. Great texture between the creaminess of the sauce and the egg paired with the crispy polenta fries.
— Beets & Goat Cheese: I am not a beets person, but this dish changed my opinion on beets. The goat cheese is excellent (and I am not even a goat cheese lover). Creaminess of the goat cheese paired with the citrusy beets. Very good.
— Bread Service: highly recommended. I know, paying for bread… but it’s worth it.
— Baby Octopus: Tasty. You can’t go wrong with squid ink and well cooked octopus.
— Soft Egg Spinach Raviolo: solid dish. I love truffle. :)
— Merguez Stuffed Calamari: in my opinion, the least tasty of the appetizers. Not bad. For me, it was a little plain. There was not a big sausage flavor and the calamari was a bit tougher.
Entrees:
— Get the Scallops! Perfectly cooked scallops on top of risotto that had beautifully roasted brussel sprouts that were a little sweet. I love sweet and savory.
— Pork Chops: the braised red cabbage was delicious. The acidity of the cabbage paired well with the pork and sweet of the apples.
— Venison: highly recommended by Brian and it did not disappoint.
Dessert:
— Get the Espresso Gelato Truffle! I wish I had a photo. This was the perfect ending to the delicious meal. The gelato was the perfect mix of bitter and sweet and it had little crunchy chocolate bits with a delicious pistachio sauce. YUMMY!
— Oatmeal Raison Cookie Sandwich and the Chocolate bar were both good. But did not excite me like the gelato.

We sat upstairs in the main dining area. it was a lot quieter and conducive for girls night chatter than the lively but loud bar area downstairs. the menu is the same in both areas.
The Good:
— Service was awesome. they kept the wine pouring while we caught up.
— Scallop entre — I liked everything in this dish
— spinach ravioli appetizer — I was in awe with the yolk oozing out when you cut into the big ravioli.
The meh:
— The barramundi was only okay. I didn’t care for the jus that came with it.
— the carrot cake was okay… nothing much to talk about
— the portion of the burrata was too small for the price.

Wandered in here while walking on Wells a few weeks ago, sans reservation. We were seated at a table near the bar on the first floor. (The main dining areas upstairs were full.) Okay by me, as I couldn’t take my eyes off the spectacular wine glass chandelier. The pictures don’t do it justice. And even though the bar room is large, it has a surprisingly intimate feeling.
My friend and I were in the mood for a lite meal. Truthfully, my jeans were tight (again), and that’s my clue to cut back. So we decided to share everything.
Started with the beets and goat cheese salad, which was excellent… it combined three kinds of beets with pistachios and zest. We chose the grilled flat iron steak for our entrée, and it was cooked perfectly… the oyster mushroom reduction sauce had a lot of flavor without a lot of salt.
And since my friend was in the mood for carbs, we ordered the truffle fries with garlic aioli sauce. I sat and watched the entire bowl of fries disappear, all the time trying to visualize how porky I’d feel the next morning if I lost my willpower and dove in.
We lingered for about a half hour enjoying our coffee and never felt rushed. Kerry, our flawless server, refilled our cups twice. Since this is within walking distance of my condo, I’m sure I’ll be back soon. Next time, I want to try one of the rooms upstairs… and the carrot cake.

Came for our anniversary, which was acknowledged by both host and server. Started with a cocktail in their main bar, which is extraordinary due a ceiling covered with wine glasses. I enjoyed The Midnight Manhattan, a perfect blend of bourbon, Amaro Nonino and sherry, plus bitters and topped with cherries.
We took the elevator to the main dining room and had a table on the mezzanine level at the railing. Easily the best seats in the house as you are perched above the dining room.
Started off with the bread basket and Maplebrook Farms Burrata. You pay for your bread here which is unusual. A pan of freshly made brioche rolls with two butter selections. It was good but nothing special. I would pass on it and save room for what’s to come. The Burrata on the other hand was a meal highlight. Grilled peaches, prosciutto, and Burrata over greens with a hazelnut vinaigrette.
Followed with sweet corn soup which was excellent. For my entrée, the Bone-​in Berkshire Pork Chop. One word, amazing! Cooked and spiced perfectly served on white cheddar grits and roasted Brussel sprouts. Topped with chopped apples. Also came with two pieces of pork belly. Only had one as it was too rich for me by the end of the meal. My wife had the Salmon and enjoyed it.
Service was exceptional. Patrick was our waiter and did a fine job. He steered us through the menu and assisted us in making wise choices. We will return!

We sauntered in here after dinner at MK and got into a lively conversation with the bartender after witnessing a customer come up to him and say, «Server, the check.» Cue roll eyes. Who does that? LOL.
We were talking about our visit and how we weren’t having as much luck finding places to eat «on the fly» using the Unilocal app. The bartenders told us «People don’t take Unilocal as seriously here» when we told him of our mishap with the Mercat restaurant (it had mucho stars that it simply did not deserve).
He then proceeded to wow us with amazing bourbon-​based drinks, friendly chatter and great recommendations on where to go/​eat. We promptly followed his blueprint and it completely changed the direction of our trip for the better :)
In addition to the swanky atmosphere and the conversation-​worthy wineglass chandelier, the Boarding House specializes in concoctions that taste swell and pack a punch. The specialty cocktails listed on their wallboard were created by our friendly bartender.
We were proooobably a little drunk by the time we left here (extra pours of bourbon kept coming), but our overall experience was definitely as good as it gets!
#betterlatethanneverreview