Verified
Not worth $1500 for two people. This is Michelin 3 star dining at its worst.
All the dishes were overly salty, flavors were too heavy, and the ingredients were chaotic, with no harmony or balance in the pairings.
The only decent dish was the white truffle bread, which required an additional $195 per person (excluding tax and tip). It didn't even have a strong truffle aroma, but everything else was so disappointing that this dish stood out in comparison. Still, it was definitely overpriced.
The appetizers failed to whet the appetite, as one salty dish followed another. The only thing enjoyable was the first caviar dish.
What really ruined the experience was the main course featuring Wagyu beef. Growing up in Japan, I can't understand how someone could serve Wagyu cooked to well-done. It was likely not a premium cut, which is why they cook it well done. They paired the Wagyu with Okinawa ingredients, claiming they were a highlight, but the result was a disaster. Each Okinawan ingredient, on its own, is delicious, but when combined here, the flavors became inedible.
The final main course, featuring squash, was the worst of all. The sauce on top was disastrous. Who thought pairing black truffle with vinegar was a good idea? It was truly the most unappetizing dish of the night.
The desserts looked beautiful but tasted average.
The service was subpar. At most Michelin 3 star restaurants, they realize by the second course that I'm left handed. Here, it wasn't noticed until the 7th course. Perhaps service standards in the U.S. don't emphasize these details.
Save your money and your special occasions for somewhere else.
Verified
Just as background, my son is a fine dining Chef and I am a foodie and have eaten at numerous high-end and Michelin restaurants in the US and Europe.
Occasion: Early 60th Birthday party and guys trip for 3. Fall 2024
Restaurant: Restaurant was sleek, upscale but welcoming.
Experience: I am not sure how to write this review. It was a dining experience, a show and just fantastic.
Wine Pairing: We ordered the middle level wine pairing for our dinner which I think was about 8 glasses and around $250. The Master Sommelier was tremendous and listening to him was quite educational (as I not a wine guy). Each of the wines went very well with each of the course.
Food: Again not sure what to say. They accommodated all of our food requirements. As with any multi-course tasting menu there are items you really like, some are good and some not your favorites. I have to say with the exception of maybe 1-2 items all items were excellent. The food items that Chef Achatz and his team created were excellent.
Service: Service was prompt and what you would expect for this type of restaurant. It was not stuffy and the table captain and her staff were very friendly and talkative if you wanted. Some of the best service I have had.
Chef: Like I said my son is Fine Dining Chef and when he was learning his trade and in culinary school, Chef Achatz and his creations were what gave him a spark. The staff and Chef were kind enough to allow us meet Chef. this was the highlight of my son's trip.
Overall: The best dining experience I have ever had and has spoiled me when eating at other restaurants. It is far more than a meal, it was great food, great wine, outstanding service and a show that made you use all of your sense. Chef Achatz and his team are truly exceptional. Would go back, but I have the greatest memory of dining here.
Verified
After years of anticipation, my dream of dining at Alinea finally became a reality, and it was nothing short of extraordinary. My wife and I opted for the 13-course tasting menu with wine pairings, and the entire evening was a masterpiece of flavor, artistry, and impeccable service.
The experience began with Krug champagne and caviar--a luxurious and unforgettable start. Each one-bite creation that followed was a symphony of flavors, perfectly complemented by an impressive selection of wines from France, Spain, and the U.S.
A standout moment was the opportunity to step into the Alinea kitchen. Watching the culinary team orchestrate their craft was awe-inspiring, like witnessing artists at work. One particularly memorable course was the rabbit bomba with sofrito, paired with a warm saffron and sherry drink--a creative and harmonious combination.
The service throughout the evening was flawless. Every detail was thoughtfully executed, from the meticulous presentation of each dish to the new wine glasses and silverware introduced with every course.
This 3-Michelin-star experience is one that everyone should have at least once in their lifetime. Alinea exceeded every expectation, and I am already looking forward to my next visit for another magical journey through the world of gastronomy.
Verified
I've spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to say here. I was hesitant to try Alinea, believing the 'reputation' and the price point would make my expectations unrealistic. This December I finally gave in & I'm glad I did.
This is a dining experience. I know this is a somewhat frustrating sentence, but it's true. Did I have the best bites of my life at Alinea? No (and quite honestly- the chicken course might have been one of the worst). That being said, there were a lot of really interesting and delicious bites. The service was nearly flawless and the theatricality made it a truly memorable experience.
I would encourage anyone considering Alinea to watch the episode of Chef's Table - it does a really good job of explaining the philosophy of the restaurant and managing expectations.
Verified
Came to Chicago for a conference and was lucky to get a reservation at Alinea for the Salon experience on October 22nd. The tasting menu was around 13 courses and the 3 Michelin star restaurant was amazing from start to finish. My favorite courses the pork belly with lobster, Wagyu beef, and the hot and cold potato with truffle and of course the paint which was earl grey and lavender ice cream art work dessert! The execution, quality, presentation and the deliciousness were on a world class level. The service was impeccable and we truly enjoyed the entire dining experience. I would like to come back and try the Gallery experience which I heard is a multi sensory experimental dining experience. I highly recommend Alinea!
Verified
Ever since I watched Chef's Table, I have been wanting to dine at Alinea. Such an inspiring story. However, I may have built up higher expectations. Food overall tasted great, but I think there are more innovative restaurants in 3 Michelin Star calibre that give you tastier food and better experience - but hey, I am no food critic :)
Dinner service started with caviar - a good spoonful of royal osetra caviar! Delectable.
Then continued on to truffle raviolo, such a flavor explosion in your mouth. Progressed to potato and cheese and truffle.. this was ok! Each table had this hanging piece of a surprise, making everyone curious what that is.. I had suspected a cheese possibly.. it ended up a pumpkin that was butter poached, and went with the cheese course. Then there was a fish dish, with a hidden surprise of gelatinize trout roe when you flip the dish over :) The dishes incorporated really intriguing visual and textural elements (e.g. plate for caviar having some caviar texture, or the chicken dish servers with a glass chicken centerpiece which brings you a shoebun filled with foie gras (looking like an egg).. And of course the dessert plating with the famous green apple balloon.. Some dishes blew it out of the park, some missed their mark. Overall definitely worth a visit!
Verified
What a surreal and commercial experience. It is difficult to have credible criticism of a restaurant that literally has a wikipedia page. Three Michelin stars is no joke. Or at least, that's what I've been told. But can so many people be wrong about a restaurant?
I think the first thing I noticed was that the staff seemed nervous. I'm hesitant to say this because I feel like these sort of reviews can come back to staff, and I don't want to make their lives more difficult. They were doing their best, and they were doing great, and it was what people want. Yet, something was off. If something about the presentation was just a little bit strange, like a napkin under a dish just a little too sticky, there was an anxious laugh and disarming comment, almost without fail.
There was a reason for this, and I think it's the clientele. I missed it, but my wife told me that a couple at the table next to us had asked the waiter, who had mentioned that they were here for an anniversary, to guess what year this anniversary was. His tactful and kind response told us that this was not the kind of question he was unused to hearing, but also not entirely comfortable answering, nor should anyone be comfortable answering. That's a kind of messed up thing to ask a professional who is juggling a lot of plates - literally. If you can't understand what it is I'm trying to get at here, then I guarantee that if you go to Alinea you'll 100% have a 5-star experience. Someone else told the staff, "I appreciate what all the staff do here - in the front and in the back" - but the way it was said, it was like -- yes, OK, you've seen the Bear. (And then afterwards, try asking ChatGPT to explain "power dynamics" to you.) But this was the vibe the entire night, and it's not something I'm comfortable with. And it's not the restaurant's fault, either. And DEFINITELY not the staff's fault.
Enough about the bad taste in my mouth. The food was dang good. But nothing crazy or daring, just your expected molecular gastronomy where they distill your ingredients down to their base and play around with the texture and what not. I don't get a lot out of this because I've spent 5 minutes watching mindful eating TikToks and I know what chicken tastes like. If you spend 10 seconds chewing something, it will feel like puree, but they go ahead and do it for you ahead of time. However, the ingredients were top notch and the presentation was very interesting. But, maybe bland at times.
They did a great job of upsetting expectations of a meal in engaging ways. *Spoilers ahead* They bring you down to the kitchen and you get to see how the food is made. There was this dish where the next course was actually underneath the dish of the previous course, suspended in a jelly. THAT was insane! And they also had you move seating positions at the table, which is an assumption about dining that I had never thought could be disrupted. One of the last dishes was hanging above us the whole time (an obvious but playful, good-spirited gimmick), and we got to guess what it was. That's pretty crazy too, and all of this was novel and fun.
*End spoilers* But, personally, I don't need to be entertained to enjoy a meal. Good company (100% not up to the restaurant), good food, and professional, prompt service is really all that is wanted by me. And all of which I got by the end of the meal, and why ultimately this is a 4-star review.
The decor was millennial gray. And "hyper seasonal." And otherwise unremarkable. However, the cutlery and tableware was great. Like Georg Jensen, with good weight, and well proportioned.
This was never the kind of experience I would have sought out for myself, because it prioritized things I don't particularly value about dining.
I don't think I've ever been to a restaurant with so many instructions about how to eat the food, and what flavors you should be tasting.
I feel like a brat writing this, and it was a kind and generous gift that someone paid for our meal here. But I love to complain and be critical, and getting the chance to write a snobby, snotty review about a place everyone gushes about was a great gift as well. And, don't get me wrong, the food IS good.
I just think that there are more worthwhile culinary experiences to be had at this price. And, perhaps, culinary restaurants where the staff can feel more supported and authentic. Which I have seen, many times. And this wasn't it.
My ultimate impression was that this is a place where people that have something to prove go. I won't come back.
Verified
Amazing dinner experience (and our first Michelin star restaurant). I grabbed a reservation several weeks in advance when the month opened up (and prepaid for the dinner but opted to select if we would do a wine pairing the day of). Other than the valet sign there isn't much to show you where the restaurant is, so I had to sort of guess.
The hostess greeted us warmly and we had a couple of minute wait before we were led to our table. The food was amazing (and just slightly more than enough, we left very satisfied but not overstuffed). The chosen ingredients really shine, especially the truffle (which showed up in a few forms - a "truffle explosion" and fairytale pumpkin with truffle sauce). Everything we ate was incredible and the presentations were super creative. It was awesome to end with the signature tabletop dessert and the edible helium balloons were a funny touch (and it was fun to watch - and hear - other diners enjoy that too).
I don't think we'll be back soon (it's an expensive experience, but you get what you pay for) but it was everything we expected!
Verified
The single best dinner experience of our lives.
It has taken me a while to remember to post this review. We went to Alinea in May of 2023. After seeing the restaurant and chef Grant featured on Netflix - a chefs table. This became a bucket list experience for us, and it did not disappoint!
From the moment we sat down, until we left, everything was absolutely perfect. From the music playing in the background that seemed catered to us, to the custom tableware made for each dish. The way that the service staff / sommelier / Kitchen all work in unison is absolutely mind blowing. Everything was served at the perfect temperature, and the restaurant has a way of making you feel comfortable and not "stuffy"
Without spoiling the menu, I will say there are some dishes that evoked unique moments from our childhood, as well as some unique surprises along the way. By the end of our meal everyone at the table had agreed it was the best dining experience we have ever had.
The only thing I would caution you on is that, ever since our dinner at Alinea, no other Michelin rated restaurant has come even close to providing the experience we had.
Cannot wait to return!
Verified
It's been years since I have wanted to come here and I finally made it! The experience was amazing from every detail. I was nervous the whole time because I really wanted the helium balloon but from the reservations - they said no guarantees. I sat down and asked the hostess she said no guarantees. I saw an earlier table next to us finish and leave and they had no helium balloon!! Finally I asked another server if we don't have it as a course can I we order it separately and she finally told me it's part of the experience! *phew!
All the dishes were very creative and loved the kitchen tour part as well! though I have to say the wine pairings were a bit disappointing as it felt like they were trying to introduce newer more unknown wines. It's all from recent years and newer wineries.
But customer service was great and they even got us a reservation at the aviary afterwards!
Verified
I went with my fiance. We ordered 'the salon @ Alinea' and 'reserve salon wine pairing' for both of us. Service was good but not polished (I've been to two other 3 Michelin star restaurants all within the last few months, and service at alinea was fine but clearly not polished.
The wine pairing quantities were very stingy. Additionally, out of the 8-10 pairings of wine we got, I asked for additional wine on only one of the pairings; I got a small refill, my finances glass was empty, and the staff pouring my wine noticed but did not offer or ask if she would like some more. For a total cost of close to $800 per person, I would have expected at least to be asked if she would like some more. The other 3 Michelin star places were asking if you'd like additional wine, if they noted an empty glass, but not at Alinea. Poor basic manners in my opinion.
The food was too experimental for me- difficult to describe if you haven't been there, but for example we were at Le Bernadin in New York, which was creative French sea food or at Benu in San Fransisco which was Japanese fusion. Difficult to categorize Alinea, which other customers may enjoy, but not for me.
Lots of theatrics when presenting food as well which to me, takes away from the food. Almost like a fancy circus that serves expensifood.
Overall, service fell short for a 3 Michelin starred place, the food was good but not to my taste. Certainly not worth the hype or cost.
