Ada Street

It was a little disappointing. Walking in, it was literally a mish mosh of the haunted mansion from Disney world meets a stereotypical trendy restaurant. For restaurant week, the portions were small, so we left hungry. I’m actually picking up a pizza right now as we speak after our meal there. The tomato soup was decent, but the flat bread was way too spicy. The ribeye was very good, but there was more bok choy on the plate. The kinder surprise was meh. The place was so small, it was hard to walk around. People were even eating in the hallway.

I came out with a group of girlriends for resturant week and loved it. We had to wait a while since we had a large group. The place is pretty small and tables don’t move quickly so prepare to wait. I ordered the flatbread, teriyaki ribeye which was amazing and then finally the surprise egg dessert. I split my desert with my friend who got the green tea ice cream and if I had to do it again I’d do the ice cream instead. Overall incredible food I’m sure I’ll be back.

I went to Ada Street for restaurant week last week. It’s a hidden little spot with a metal door. Be sure to make a reservation. I over heard the host saying to some it was at least a 90 minute wait. It was 6:30 on a Sunday mind you. I believe they only take reservations between 5:30 –6:30 each day and the other times are walk-​ins only.
Upon getting seated, they welcome you to look through there records. They will play your choice during dinner.
For restaurant week I chose le roule cheese flatbread, teriyaki ribeye and the chocolate «surprise» egg. To be honest the best thing about this entire meal was the glass of wine I ordered and the chocolate «surprise» egg. The flatbread it’s self was good but ingredients on top were nothing to talk about. It tasted like they poured a bottle of giardiniera and smeared cream cheese on it. I asked the waitress if I could get my ribeye more on the well done side and she said no. They only service it medium. I did wind up getting it expect it was not medium it was rare and I couldn’t eat it. Probably my fault and I shouldn’t have got this entrée.
All in all. I may go back for drinks but not food most likely.

The «Restaurant Week» food was very good but more than that, the service was outstanding! Our bar server/​waitress was 5-​Star

HYPE. We went for restaurant week and called in advance. Unfortunately, since we live on the opposite side of the universe (AKA the south side), we arrived over an hour after we called and had to wait for a table anyway. The hour and forty minute wait wasn’t horrible – good time to catch up with the wife and have some great drinks (two have mezcal and I’m really happy to see mezcal on more bar menus). The waiting area is cramped and awkward.
When we were finally seated, we tried the following featured for restaurant week: the flatbread and the shrimp cakes for starters, the ribeye and the chicken masala pie for the entrees, and the green tea ice cream and the chocolate egg surprise for dessert. With the exception of the ribeye, which was truly exceptional, every thing else was just ok. I felt overcharged and bamboozled for giving up over two hours of my life for what I thought was just an ok meal.
The records are cool, but like being seated, there was a wait and I didn’t get to hear my selection. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. The drinks are fantastic and the ribeye was outstanding, but otherwise, totally not worth the wait or the price tag.

Ada Street has my heart. What can I say? They came through for us when our wedding venue fell through about 6 months before the big day. We thought of Ada Street because we were smitten with them from the first time we sat at the bar with Scott. They quickly won our hearts with their personable service and our stomachs with delicious dishes.
Chef Zoe Schor assembled a perfect wedding menu for us based on foods from our relationship: the first time we met, first date, and dishes we have all the time and have become meaningful to us. Scott even made a cocktail for me called «Rosemary Me, Yvonne!» now tweeked and renamed «Twentynine Palms» on the regular drink menu. Everything was incredibly thoughtful, chill, and fun.
Soon after our wedding it was announced that Chef Zoe was leaving Ada Street and that Chef Joanna Stachon would take her place at the helm. Now we’ve returned during Chicago Restaurant Week and we were delighted that the food, drinks and service continued to be excellent. Here are some highlights:
Creamy Tomato Soup: literally the best tomato soup of our entire lives. It was smoky, mature, and soothing. It was the leathery hug of a grandfather who smokes a pipe on the front porch and tells you adventures from childhood.
Ribeye: perfectly cooked and seasoned. It was amazing. I could hardly get M to share only one bite with me and then that scrumptious moment was gone.
Green Tea Ice Cream: the ice cream was very true to the name. It tasted like matcha which has a very strong, earthy (sometimes with a hint of delicate floral) flavor. The whipped cream on top helped to cut the earthiness and then the caramel drizzle (served in a plastic syringe) added a nice sweetness. It was absolutely lovely.
Chicken Tikka Masala Pie: The server Ally told me that this was her favorite Restaurant Week menu item so I HAD to try it. I can understand why. It’s super interesting. The crust is sturdy and with a slight crisp to it and inside is a sweet chicken filling. At first I thought it tasted like apple pie but then I realized that the sweetness came from the dates. The tart yogurt and fresh parsley were necessary contrasts to the rest of the pie. It was very well composed, multi-​faceted dish.
Shrimp Cakes: I really enjoyed these. They were like crab cakes except with shrimp and you could taste the shrimp.
Although the food is top notch, what really keeps us coming back to Ada Street is the people. They are a cohesive family and they genuinely appreciate their customers. When we went to Ada Street on Wednesday and sat at the bar, it just felt really good. It felt comfortable, homey and happy.

Ada is a great atmosphere with good food and great service. The Chef is creative and the food is outstanding. The staff is attentive and down to earth in their approach.

You can never judge a book by its cover. From the outside I had no idea what to expect, but once you get inside this is a very cool little restaurant.
I went here for Restaurant Week and loved it!
The menu for 2016 was based off famous concert rider requests which I thought was a very unique cool twist.
First
Creamy Tomato Soup (inspired by ZZ Top) — This sounds boring, but it was Not, it had good spice and excellent flavor
Second
Teriyaki Ribeye (inspired by Rush) — Awesome! was perfectly cooked, and love the teriyaki and wasabi butter
Dessert
Green Tea Ice Cream (inspired by Prince) — Really unique, fun and tasted great
We also ordered not one, but two orders of the Polenta fries with chipotle purée.
The food portion was perfect, I think this was the first time in awhile I haven’t left a restaurant feeling like a stuffed turkey but rather content with the portion and amazed by the taste.
Ada Street is a true Chicago hidden gem. The perfect place for a date night or intimate dinner with friends.

The flavors at Ada Street are very well thought out and come off as effortlessly creative. I loved how delicate yet rich the flavors were; however, out of personal preference, I wasn’t a fan of every single combination.
Gnocchi: I loved the flavors of the this dish – the pearl onions brought nice bursts of sweetness to the squash purée, which had just the perfect level of richness; however, I wasn’t a fan of how soft the texture was – it almost felt as if the gnocchi was cooked far past al dente.
Brussel sprouts: Initially, I really enjoyed the flavors of how the blue cheese complemented the brussel sprouts and the sweetness of the onions, but the strong flavors became a little overwhelming after a while, especially since I’m not really a fan of blue cheese.
Prime flat iron: Definitely my favorite of the night. I loved the elegant touch of brown butter and oregano to what is normally paired with heavier flavors.
Panna cotta: Nothing really special here. The panna cotta was a little too rich for me, and the apple jam and cookie crumble resembled the flavors of an apple crisp – good, of course, but not amazing.
Overall, service was good and timing of the dishes was excellent. Objectively, the food and was well executed, although perhaps not to my personal preferences.

I give Ada St. 4.85÷5 — but even then I am reaching. This is a great restaurant with fantastic ambience, wait service, drinks and food.
I went there for my birthday with a large party (~12) so we were given a private room away from the main dining/​bar area. Note that there are two time slots on Saturday (everyday?) for this booking — 6 – 9 and 930 – 12 with a $ 500 minimum. Needless to say the wait staff was very friendly and accommodating.
The drink menu has selections for every taste and if I remember correctly, the drinks are stronger as you go down the list. I tried the TwentyNine Palms with pineapple infused mezcal, green chartreuse, lemongrass, and lime. I am not going to pretend that I can adequately describe the taste, but it tasted really good. There are definitely professionals working behind the bar as the general consensus of our crowd was positive.
Which brings me to the food. Everything is tapas style so we ordered several dishes and the staff brought about four orders of each.
WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER NON-​NEGOTIABLE:
Goat and Bison stuffed cabbage rolls — tied for my favorite item there. Had a nice kick to it — not too spicy, but very flavorful.
Prime Flat Iron — perfectly seasoned and cooked. Slightly pricey as you receive 5 medium slices for $ 24 — but soooooo good.
WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND:
Polenta Fries — perfectly fried and seasoned; sauce was a nice addition.
Snail Bruschetta — don’t have too much experience with snail but the garlic cream worked well. For those who are hesitant, just try it, they taste earthy like mushrooms.
Parisienne Gnocchi — I love gnocchi and this was slightly different in that the gnocchi was much softer than what I am used to. The red kuri purée makes it though.
Pretzel Bread Pudding and Panacotta — both were very good for dessert. Some members of my group thought that the panacotta was a bit too sweet but I did not agree.
I was urged to try the Chocolate but I was disappointed to hear that they were out of it for the evening.
WHAT I WOULD PASS ON:
St. Andres Cheese Toast — There was something bitter and off about this dish. Maybe an acquired taste, but I definitely was not a fan. The table seemed to agree.
Pan Seared Diver Scallops — Personal preference as I am not a fan of scallops. The sear was perfect and the sausage was good, but these did not do it for me. There were mixed reviews with my group.
Shaved Brussel Sprouts and Kale — This was mostly the reason for -.15 in my review. This dish came last before dessert (after the steak). I wish for one that it was brought out earlier as it is more of a salad dish in my opinion. Also, it did not really have much flavor as the kale overpowered everything. Did not get much of the vinaigrette either as it was pretty dry. We would have been OK if this dish was not ordered.
Overall, I loved my dining experience and would definitely return for the cabbage rolls and the flat iron, if nothing else.

Perfect hidden gem with a cozy speakeasy feeling, great for a date night of to show friends a fun new joint. My boyfriend and I sat at the bar on the time we went, chatting with the friendly bartenders, drinking some nice strong cocktails and sharing some great small plates for dinner.

I can’t say enough wonderful things about Ada Street. I worked with them to arrange private dining for my 11-​person party on New Year’s Eve. Michelle (manager) and Sarah (server) were a joy to work with, and the chef’s menu was absolutely on point.
Do yourself a favor: start the night off with the Because the Night cocktail, and don’t leave that restaurant without sampling the Flat Iron steak. Exquisite.
I loved this place before, but I’m really grateful to them for helping us have an amazing evening. Thanks guys!

I planned a surprise birthday dinner here for a dear friend. The dinner went on without a hitch. Our server was friendly and accommodating. The food was good and presented beautifully. We were a party of 9, so we basically ordered the whole menu. And everything was good. We brought our cake, and they sliced it for us. Their cake cutting fee is $ 2 per person I believe. They split our checks with no problems. Overall, a good experience.

Great atmosphere great service and food I will highly recommend this place worth while

Fantastic. Food, drinks, service… all were great. We were celebrating my friends birthday here, he picked out the menu with the head chef. They kept the food coming and it was amazing. Escargot was perfect. Charred broccoli and tahini was one of my favorites, I could have eaten the whole thing all night. Roasted brussell sprouts were perfect. The steak was the best of the night. Cooked perfectly, seasoned nicely, and with the spaghetti squash, it just melted away and made the night great. The Chocolate Ganache was incredible, and I could eat the whole panna cotta.
Great atmosphere too. You can pick out some vinyl from their huge collection, give it to the bar and they will spin it all the way through.
Cocktails are truly expertly crafted. We let them pick some for us and it did not disappoint.

Fantastic cocktails and food! I can’t sing higher praises. They are constantly rotating their menu and its become quite the love affair for me to come by and explore. If you’re feeling romantic or fancy definitely come by.
Right now I’m in love with:
–Meatballs
–Charred broccoli
–Linguine
–Gnocchi (literally melt in your mouth!)
–Panna cotta (brought to me for free for my birthday!)
The service is excellent and you can choose from a wall full of records for them to play. Also they have a ping pong table you can play outside during the summer!

This place is great… cocktails, food, service, atmosphere… loved it all. You pull up to an abandoned looking warehouse, but as soon as you get inside, it’s warm and inviting with cool décor and great music. They play all vinyl records and invite you browse through the library and pick out some tunes. The front of house staff and bartenders were also super nice, taking the time to walk you through the menu and offer suggestions.
We really liked all the cocktails we had, my tried and true favorite, an old fashioned, was great. We also had a couple starters that were super delicious… The snail bruschetta had a yummy creamy garlic sauce and was a nice unique option. Also had the stuffed dates, these were pretty big and rich, so you def only need one per person. Overall a great place for drinks, food and atmosphere. Good spot to bring a date you want to impress with something different.

It’s just a door on an industrial street. Where’s the restaurant??? That’s what we thought when we got out of the car. We then stepped in to a dark room with a hostess stand in front of us. We were immediately greeted by a friendly face and quickly escorted to the bar in the back while we waited for the rest of our party. The walk to the bar is interesting as you pass the wine area and shelves full of vinyl records. Sadly we didn’t have time to peruse the selection and ask to have a song played (next time for sure)! The bar area shares the room with the main dining area. The back wall completely opens up (garage door style) to a courtyard with outdoor seating and of course a ping pong table (will have to take advantage of that next time as well).
As for the food… Yum yum yum!!! Went here recently and wanted to try everything. We ended up sharing 9 dishes amongst the three of us and had a few rounds of drinks. I think my favorite dish is a toss up between the meatballs and the scallops. I highly recommend going to this place with an appetite and a few friends so that you can taste several dishes off the menu.
Definitely looking forward to visiting Ada St. again soon.

I really enjoyed my experience at Aa Street! We stayed in the patio/​1 It is so cool, there is also a ping-​pong table and a guy grilling our food. You really feel like it is a pic-​nic.
The environment is very relaxed! Service is great! Fast, careful and nice!
We were three and got 6 plates althought he server said 2 – 3 per person but 5 was more than enough! We tried the ribs, the octopus, mexican meatballs, whitefish and the gem salad. All were delicious but the octopus was just amazing!!!
I will definitely go back there!

Ada Street, I love you! It’s just what I had envisioned, only better! As most have mentioned Ada St. is located off the beaten path… on, who woulda thunk it, Ada St. It’s secretly fabulous location lends itself to ample (and free) parking — huge plus right there.
Upon walking in you are led down a very dark hallway which is both eerie yet cool at the same time… then all of a sudden. Boom you hit the chic vintage record player which our hostess told us we could scroll through and grab a record to play. And that is Ada St.
Upon being seated, we were greeted by a very kind and knowledgeable waitress who pointed out certain delicious items to note as it was both my girlfriend’s and mine first time here. The menu is focused on small plates and we ordered the following:
Crispy duck egg rolls
Gruyère fondue
Kohlrabi salad
Baby octopus
Gnocchi with braised rabbit
Wagyu hanger steak
Buttermilk panna cotta
Each dish was packed with flavor… it’s hard to say which I loved the best but the duck egg roll, gnocchi, and the octopus are standing out in my mind. All were fabulous… I would highly recommend any and ALL of these dishes. Oh and the panna cotta was out of this world creamy. I can’t even.
Overall Ada St. is a must see. The food and ambiance are top notch. I will definitely be back to enjoy their cool outdoor space that you would never even know existed unless you were inside… how neat right?!