Eatzi’s

Kinda overpriced. But this used to the BEST place to pick up a quick ready-​made salad and some «chef eats it everyday» beef tenderloin.
I would come by on my lunch break for a quick salad, but it appears that the quality is dramatically declining. Sad.
For instance: Went to the bread section last month and there were gnats in the ciabatta! Gross! I haven’t been able to motivate myself since to go back…

Eatzi’s is a great spot for any exhausted guy or girl looking to have a delicious and inexpensive hot meal. In addition to their meals as good as Mom’s cooking (the macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes are to die for), they also have chefs that prepare gourmet salads and sandwiches. There is a deli with delicious meats, fish and of course amazing desserts. If you’re looking to prepare your own meal, there is a good selection of grocery items, cheeses, and wine. For those who are in a hurry, they can grab one of the many frozen meals or hit up the salad bar for a few veggies.
It’s not super cheap, but I spend the same on a meal here as I do at Panera and it’s much more satisfying. It’s on my way home from work so I tend to stop in every couple of weeks to treat myself!

I heart Eatzi’s. When I lived in Lakeview this was such a great go to spot for a quick meal or coffee in the morning. My top favorites would include the mango chicken quesadilla, the cookies they make, any of the pasta salads, the carrot cake and their fresh fruit salad. A friend of mine got a burrito there and said it was delicious as well.
Price wise-​no more expensive than something like Panera, and such a huge variety of dishes that you should be able to find something that fits your budget.

I used to work in Century, and when I first saw it, I thought «Man, I wish that was there.»
But after being there, I really don’t wish that.
I don’t particularly like the atmosphere of it. The trendy East Lakeview/​North Lincoln Park workers who clearly didn’t have enough to do, so they made casual conversation amongst themselves while following you with their eyes was a bit disconcerting.
As to be expected, the prices were high. And the thought crossed my mind «Well, it’s a by-​product of the neighborhood.» But, really, overpriced is overpriced, regardless of whether it be Pilsen, Lakeview, or the Gold Coast. The items are too expensive for what they are.
My spicy cobb salad was pretty bad. Really, it shouldn’t have been called that, as the only cobb salad ingredients which were the same were lettuce and tomatoes. Different kind of grilled chicken, no cucumber, egg, bacon, cheese, avocado. Instead they had their own ingredients which did not work (spicy pumpkin seeds? bleh), and an okay dressing. I should have got something that I could count on liking, I suppose, but I figured I’d give their flavor combo a try. Whoops.
It had a very good selection of Vitamin Water and uncommon sodas which is why it gets two stars, but not one.
But really, aside from buying some tasty soda to sneak into the Landmark, I doubt I’ll ever be frequenting Eatzis again. Sorry.

Man, some people are just so critical with their reviews! This isn’t a sit down restaurant people! I have loved this place since I ate at the first one in Dallas on Oak Lawn. Great «gourmet» counter food and as one reviewer said…“Any Trader Joe’s /​Bristol Farms /​Whole Foods /​Wild Oats connoisseur would feel right at home here, as they have exotic and imported wines, sparkling water, sodas, fresh meats and fish, and pastries, breads, etc.” This is was the only place I could get Smart Water, before all the grocery stores finally started to carry it. And expensive? Well, if you are looking for cheap fast food… go to burger king. It is totally reasonable for what you get. The only reason I didn’t give it a full 5 stars is that it is in a shopping center without it’s own parking lot. Other than that… I can’t complain.
Favorites: hot-​counter fresh sandwiches and ready to go crème brûlée! Oh, and I love Zaps (a New Orleans speciality) and can’t always find them in the local markets…

I haven’t been to Eatzi’s since I lived in Atlanta. I recently learned they have all closed down with the exception of this one, and one somewhere in Texas. How did this happen?
We stopped by there today for lunch and I remembered how much I missed it. The roast turkey sandwich? WOW… Better than I ever remembered. It’s cranberry-​orange bread with maple-​whipped cream cheese, spinach, and roasted turkey. Might sound weird, but trust me, it’s heaven. We topped lunch off with a gigantic brownie and some pomegranate tea. I might have to go every week in case they decide to close their doors too!

Good place for take out but not thing outstanding here
I tried their bread, sushi, tiramisu … they were all okay.
Unfortunately, last time I bought tiramisu their. It wasn’t as good as usual. I don’t know why … topping cream of my tiramisu had hard-​chewy gelatin in it and all I can say I was disappointed. I better go to Buca @ Nordstrom for tiramisu next time :)
plus new Whole Foods in lakeview also has a huge take out sections so I gotta go check out how good it is!

Hope you’re not in the mood for a cold drink with your food because all of the sodas on display are rather tepid.
Thankfully the pre-​prepared food is colder. I’ll be back, but I feel very wary about this place for some reason.

Good but used to be better. I’ve tried many thing from here over the past few years and they’re hit or miss. Their mac & cheese used to be divine, and I’d go out of my way to stop by and get some. Now I don’t even get it when we’re there. The bread is ok, it doesn’t have much for a shelf life though. The beef fajita burrito is great. My BF & I split it to finish it. The salad bar isn’t anything worth writing about, the sushi is overpriced and doesn’t look appealing. The potato pancakes are great and the desserts are insanely good.
FWIW — about an hour or so before closing they put things on ‘red dot’ special, and it becomes half price, or buy one get one free — depending on what it is. It’s a good time to stop by, then it becomes reasonably priced.

I think this is a great place for a quick bite to eat in or take home. The food is fresh and there is a great variety. The prices are a bit high.
And after 8 p.m., bread and pastry items are buy one, get one free.

I’m in the middle with this place. Clean and tidy store, super friendly staff and even tho they have a great selection of items nothing really jumps out at me especially at those prices.
Will definitely keep Eatzi’s in mind when packing for a picnic or want to try and find something different to take to a potluck.

Expensive. Like, «you want me to pay HOW MUCH for that?» expensive.
Granted, they have things that you’re not going to find other places grocery stores. Then again, you probably know that going in… Expensive? At Clark and Diversey? My heavens! But it’s really just a deli counter with a limited specialty grocery attached. Like a super-​duper White Hen with a Euro feel.
Be that as it may, it’s a decent place to grab a quick something or other. The GF and I usually stick to desserts there, as they can be pretty reasonably priced for what’s really 2+ servings. Another thing to know is the 2-​for-​1 red dot special on things like breads and cupcakes an hour before close. That makes for a pretty decent deal.
So is it someplace to grocery shop? NO. Someplace to have your socks knocked off by exotic delicacies? Not really. «The best» anything? Probably not. But someplace to grab something every now and then that’s quick and easy… and likely pretty good? Sure.
And they carry H&H bagels, some on NYC’s finest.

This is Whole Food’s prepared food deli area on steroids.
Gourmet fast-​food.
Great presentation, great fanfare, lackluster seating accommodations, but you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll like.
You’ll pay accordingly.

What’s this? A new salad bar?
I was excited to glance down and see this addition to Eatzi’s, me being a healthy-​type person. Also, it feels a bit weird to usually just be drooling over the pastries and cheese when I’m still in my gym gear (sweating off… um…pastries and cheese.)
I ventured downward, but realized too late — it’s a trap! This was no normal salad bar! I’ve actually been transported back to a bad potluck in 1987 where the dishes are ‘interesting’ and ‘heart friendly’ and nobody brought actual food.
«Wow, Janet, you made your ‘carrot, raison, and almond’ medley! Again! Just unwrap it and put it next to Susan’s ‘Bulgur Surprise’! There’s a box of Franzia in the kitchen, make yourself at home! I think Bruce is about to put on that new Steve Winwood album — what a treat!»
I’m just saying: approach at your own risk, people. The pasta bar is right behind you, it looks safe, and it doesn’t involve anything identified as ‘beet slaw.’

Picked up some food here recently to take home after a film and while it was good, I’m certainly not raving about it to all my friends.
It’s a large, clean store with tons of options and a fairly large staff ready to help whenever possible. The food was fairly expensive, but that didn’t stop us from picking up a few things to take home and enjoy.
One thing I thing would improve the experience would be to offer up serving suggestions for the items. For instance, we got a double-​cut, grilled pork chop and some flank steak. I took them home, plated the meats and popped them in the oven to reheat. (Don’t get me started on my disdain for meat in the microwave.) Now, I know it’s my fault for not realizing, but I both items in for the same amount of time. The thinly-​sliced flank steak was a little overcooked by the time the 4-​inch thick pockchop had been reheated. If I’d had a nice little reminder on the label saying «Take it easy with Flank Steak, moron, it’s thin and will heat up quickly», I would have found that useful.
I haven’t had the Potato Latkes yet, but the Red Velvet Cupcake we split for dessert was good. (And speaking of prep, how do I reheat these latkes for the best results? I could pop ‘em in the microwave, but maybe it would be better to reheat in a pan with a little olive oil to get a bit of crispness at the edges. Thoughts?)
All in all, it’s good, but just not worth the price, in my estimation. I will probably go back, but my visits will be considerably spaced out.

They keep sending us coupons for «$ 20» — not «$ 20 off» of «$ 20 with a $_​_​purchase» — just «$ 20» in free food things. They’ve sent us a half dozen of the things now and I love it.
Can’t beat free delicious things, right?
We never go there without the «$ 20» coupons though. The food is expensive enough to warrant strange feelings of regret when purchased with ‘real’ money.

Tried this for dinner and got alot of food for the money. It fed two people easily. I had the chicken w/​broccoli and green beans. Tasty!
It has a wonderful variety of foods that I will have to try soon!

This is a good place to grab a bite before you go see a movie… they have pretty much everything, from sushi to fresh salads and sandwiches. They’ve also got an assortment of drinks and it’s fast because you don’t sit down and get served, it’s like cafeteria style but a little nicer!

This outlet has laid claim to the lower level of the Century Mall, and so far it is a hit. It is like a market with fresh foods that you can eat at one of the side tables around the atrium, or just buy things to take home. The layout of the store is nice, but I do think the newspaper ads are really stupid and corny though.

Really great eatery that is super healthy too! You can choose from their pre-​packed salads or have one made in front of you.
And their selection of cheese is awesome, its the perfect place for a true cheese addict. And you can even carry out for a cool take-​home meal!