Pearl Tavern

Not a fan of this restaurant. Love the concept of a seafood restaurant by the river. Love the wooden accent and gold printed words on the mirrors, but not a fan of the food which should be the main feature of a restaurant.
The half dozen oysters from both west and east coasts were small. The sauces used to compliment the raw oysters weren’t very tasty.
The scallops jamalaya were succulent as I had hoped. The rice was undercooked as the tips were still hard, but the sauce coating over the rice made the rest of the rice taste like porridge.

I brought my friends birthday party here this year and I have to say that Brigette is the most talented events coordinator in the City! I know she over see’s many venues but her suggestion to bring our group here was perfect. She was onsite that night of, took care of the birthday boy, and was the penultimate example of professionalism and what a party host should be.
The food & service was excellent. The views can not be beat here either!
This is a perfect spot for anyone that is in the downtown area for lunch, or to especially host a private event. Ask for Brigette!

I used to come here for happy hour drink specials and food but I see that they’ve revamped the food menu and drink specials. Before, the happy hour drink special offered a great a variety of beers (i.e., Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and Not Your Father’s Root beer) for $ 3, which was a fantastic deal for the location. There small bites and bar snacks available for sharing.
Now, it’s more heavier or larger seafood entrees and the happy hour special is $ 4 for beer (two options only). I get it, you guys are trying to attract a different kind of crowd. I’m just not into the new direction but good luck!

Must be a new chef here. The salads are now half the size and have nothing in them. I got the Tuna avocado salad and there was no avocado (our sever brought it after we pointed it out but just brought out one plate of a few cubes), some spinach, a few cashews and tuna. For $ 18/​salad I’ll go elsewhere.

One of my go-to’s for a sit-​down lunch during the week or a drink after work. Good food (the charred octopus and salmon burger are some of my favs), good cocktails, and a classy but not fussy atmosphere. They also have a small outdoor space with a few tables along Wacker Drive in the summer. The windows along the back of the restaurant overlooking the river are also nice and pull some light into the space.
I’ve brought a few groups here and the staff have been very accommodating. Their service is probably a tad slow, but nothing bad enough to be a deal breaker. Will certainly be back soon.

Should have tried the Lobster Mac, which is my fault for not reading reviews first. Amish Chicken Rolls were definitely on the dry side. Always a next time.

Met a friend of mine for a late dinner this past Monday night. He is visiting from out of town and knew I had to take him here.
Pearl is one of my favorite restaurants in the east loop if not my favorite bar in the loop. Our waitress seated is right away and was, as always, knowledgable about the drink and food menu. She pointed out they were between menus for the bar/​drink list but thankfully that didn’t have an effect on what we were going to get (Bourbon neat and manhattans). I have to note that their bourbon selection is one of the most top shelf in the city.
We started with the Tuna Poke and it was great as always. Both of us got the burger and they were cooked exactly as we expected. Their burger has to be one of the best in the city… coming from Wisconsin, I know my cheese and I know my burgers.
I only put down 4 stars because we were slightly rushed out at the end of the night. I knew they were going to close in 10 minutes but it was apparent they were ready to close up shop. Regardless, still one of my favorite spots (top 5) in Chicago– period.

I attended lunch at the Pearl Tavern. As it was selected by another I just showed up and was pleasantly surprised by the food and décor overall. The high top tables aren’t the best for a business lunch, but service was prompt and bathrooms were clean.
We started with a trout ceviche. It was light and tangy with capers — really nice and beautiful presentation, but could use more cracker/​chips to put the ceviche on. I ordered the salmon burger which was okay — I thought the butternut squash slaw would have been a side, but found it on the burger. I didn’t care for the gardenia on it either, but the bun was nice.
Overall a good experience and I’d like to go back to try oysters!

I was really disappointed with my experience at Pearl. I was expecting fine dining and instead got horribly awkward ambience and an unacceptably low level of service.
Some of the unapologetic lowlights:
1) An obnoxious happy hour crowd and disco music inexplicably blaring
2) Rude hostess who abandoned her post to socialize, had to physically track her down after waiting 10 min to get seated.
3) Our waitress was not rude, but totally inept and clearly had not been trained. I had to get out of my seat twice to flag her down.
4) For a place that specializes in oysters, they only offered two types of oysters.
I really wanted to like this place. Would not recommend.

Found this gem on Unilocal,and saw they had lobster roll. Went there with friends that night. We walked in and said for party of 4, the host says okay, then turns around and ask if we had a reservation. Wouldn’t you think I would of said I had one once I had walked in? They way she said it was kind of rude. Walked us to a high top at the bar. The place is tiny, mainly high tops and two or three booths in the back. There is also out side seating.
The server comes, and ask us what we would like to drink. Being we’re from out of town and just sat, we didn’t get a chance to look at the drinks so quickly. She stood waiting and then said I’ll give you some time with out a former greet. All she said was hi, I’m so and so what would you like to drink. For a fancy place like this, I would of thought maybe a menu tour of we have this and this and this is popular? Nope, she looked annoyed and walked away. The boys ordered beers we then proceed to order food. We all got the lobster roll and and order of lobster Mac and cheese. Both $ 19 each, filling portions, both amazingly great. She never came back to check up on us if we liked our food. She ask if we were doing ok after 15 – 20 mins. Over all food great, service sucked. Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention. Why did the host ask us in a Friday night for reservation and that place was completely empty??? I saw one table had a reserve sign on it. Maybe if your costumer service was better more guest would RSVP. If I lived in Chicago I would order take out than deal with them again. I left 4 stars for food, and took one off for the service. Don’t worry guys don’t rant and not tip, I still left her 20% cause karma is a bitch.

I really am a fan, excited to go back.
Came here for a weekday lunch and had the pleasure of sitting outside. Even right on Wacker, the traffic did not seem too loud or a distraction. My guest and I split a dozen oysters, all delish & a fruit/​shrimp salad. We also had cocktails, don’t tell my coworkers.
Eager to come back and try more — I feel like we just grazed the menu!

I came here yesterday and was a bit disappointed. I am not sure where all the great reviews on Unilocal come from: my experience was different.
First of all, «view of the river» is, to put it gently, an overstatement. Although we were seated at the back of the room next to the windows, the supposed view turned out to be blocked by the very sofa we were sitting on and limited to a tiny bit of sky and buildings. Not so romantic, to be honest; plus, there is a giant TV in the middle of the room, which lowers the date-​night potential of this place even more.
Our server was gracious and friendly; though she did not say much about the food, she advised us for the cocktails and they were quite good. The service, however, was way too fast (I know, I never thought I’d say this). We were barely half-​way our starters that the mains arrived and dessert solicitation came only 5 minutes after. Now, I appreciate they don’t want to waste my time, but, please let me eat in peace! I had the impression they wanted us out fast. Not so pleasant.
As per the food, we had the oysters and the ceviche as starters, and the lobster roll and scallops as mains. I have to say that the fish was tasty and fresh, but the portions were so small that I felt almost made fun of. The ceviche had more onions and fried tortillas than anything else: for barely a teaspoon of fish, I think 16 $ is a bit too much. Same goes for the scallops: 3 scallops, 26 $? Are we serious? That makes almost 9 $ a scallop, a bit of a rip-​off.
To cut a long story short, after a speedy 40 minutes dinner, we left and were tempted to pass by McDonald’s on our way back home — I think that says it all.

WOW! What a gem on the beat of Wacker Drive.
Picture it: my birthday, my partner and three other friends, looking for a place after work which is 3:30. We had a cool Tiki place in mind but later realized it didn’t open until 5 — back to square one. Though I passed Pearl everyday walking to work I never really gave it a thought to stop in. First, I imagine there isn’t anything vegan there and second, I’m in such a daze to get to and from work that I never really thought about stopping in for a cocktail.
So off we went, on a new adventure to the Pearl. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted at the door and whisked away to a cool, semi-​private area overlooking the bar. Our server was phenomenally awesome. We ordered our craft martinis, turns out everyone of us had been eyeballing the same martini, and enjoyed each other’s company. Apparently the mixer for our martinis had ran out so they had to get/​make more. Our server dutifully kept checking in on us to make sure we were ok and up to date on the status which was really refreshing. Once the drinks arrived… Oh. My… Gawh!!! So good! We ordered another round and they were just as good as the first! So I am hard-​pressed to say that you could go wrong ordering a drink here as I bet they are all pretty amazing. I can tell you that I will be back to sample everything on the drink menu so I can report back in future updates — I feel it’s my duty as a responsible Unilocaler :)
Highly recommend making this a regular spot to enjoy some downtime after work with friends/​coworkers/​strangers.

After years of working out at Bar Method next door I finally made it here for a happy hour!
Cocktails and fresh bites to eat. Who can beat that?!
I started with the La Perla — Beefeater Gin, Muddled Cucumber, Ginger Beer, Fresh Lemon Juice. This was light refreshing a great way to kick start the evening after work.
For bites to eat my friend and I shared the Crab Empanadas with Avocado Mousse and a Coconut Curry Vinaigrette, Blackened Tilapia tostadas with Avocado Purée, Pickled Red Onion and a cilantro Yogurt and lastly who the frites with old bay mayo.
The empanadas were a brilliant combination of flavors. The creamy avocado and curry blended very well. The tostadas were made perfectly. With pickled onions and cilantro yogurt they had the best blend of tang/​tart and herb for the blackened tilapia. And of course how can you go wrong with fries?! These were perfect with every bite! Not to thin and definitely not cut thick. Bay mayo was a perfect dip of flavor for these addictive fries.
I washed it all down with a second cocktail of The Franklin — Ketel One, Triple Sec Liqueur, Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice, Strawberry & Guava Purée. Not too sweet and perfect summer drink.
Overall, I had a fabulous time and would definitely go back with better weather to sit outside. Unfortunately, the only reason for taking away a star was our long wait in between ordering beverages. Our waitress seemed out of sorts with no desire to serve as many tables as she was serving. But I will definitely still come back for round two! The vibe is great and the crowd is easy on the eyes!

Strike one. The first time I went here, they were closed for a private party. Darn it! The second time I went here, while the website said they were open, it’s 10:30 and they were closing. Strike two.
Strike three.…keep reading as this is where it gets interesting. We stop by again after the Opera and laugh that once again we will probably not be able to get a glass of wine in this place. But this time the door is open and we get a seat at the bar only to be told that they are closing. But when we laugh and tell the bartender our sad story of all of our other visits, Frankie (?) takes pity on us and pours us a glass of wine! Yay! After three tries we finally got a glass of wine.
But given the bartender saved the day, and the place is so cute, we decide we want to come back another day for dinner.
So on the following Friday, we go for dinner before our theater tickets. We had an early reservation so now I know when everyone packs this place– 5pm on a Friday! Good thing we had a reservation as every seat was full and the cute little dining area that overlooks the river was full as well. But they had an intimate table in the corner for us and we began to look over the menu.
Know that the menu is quite light. . think of it as fish inspired bar food. There are a couple of different types of fresh oysters you can order (we did and they were terrific!) We also ordered the poke (the best thing we had) and the ceviche (on the night we were there is was made with tilapia which made for a very unappetizing, mushy dish so pass on this one)
For our entrees, my friend had the lobster mac and cheese which he said was quite good and I had the fish tostadas which were also pretty tasty. Service was very friendly and quite accommodating.
I loved the ambiance, with the tin ceilings and interesting light fixtures. And there is an energy to this place after work which I really liked.
But I think they are missing the mark in terms of business on being open nights when the Opera, which is right down the street, has a show as there is little else in the area to grab a glass of wine afterwards. Too bad as this would be my «go to» place as I linger in the area to wait to grab a cab. And their light menu would also be a perfect snack at that time.
Parking is pretty impossible in this area so grab a cab and leave your car wherever it is.
And don’t say I didn’t warn you if you try to get in this place after 10. It’s pretty much up to the bartender as to whether you’ll get that glass of wine or not! But if you do…you’ll enjoy it with some friendly employees in a lovely little space that reminds me of years gone by.

So disappointing. I was hoping this would be a good place to get a drink and some oysters after work. I was very wrong.
The drinks were ok, nothing to write home about. The service was not good. The oysters were not what we ordered, not shucked well, and not impressive. The atmosphere was overwhelming. The whole thing made me sad.
I understand it’s a historic building and the tin ceiling is beautiful and the way it’s set up can’t really be changed, but none of that makes it enjoyable to be at Pearl. It was so incredibly loud we were literally yelling at each other from two feet away. The oyster bar has a few seats at it, it’s a little quieter over there, but then you have to listen to the man shucking oysters interrupt your conversation to chat with you. This is not my idea of a relaxing drink after work.
The oysters we were given were not what we ordered. I realize not all oysters are made the same, but I have never been to a restaurant at this level that serves those so tiny the tiny fork is too big for them. Toss those puppies aside and serve your guests (who are paying a not so small price for them) the oysters that are a decent size. The mussels were just hard to eat. The pot they came in was too deep to get to the broth and stuff at the bottom and there was no bowl for the shells. Am I supposed to just pile them up in front of me? Maybe put them in my martini glass that’s empty since the server hasn’t come by to ask if we want anything else? Toss them at the guy shucking the oysters when he interrupts me again to tell me about the new chef? I’ll never know, I didn’t try these options and I’m not going to go back to find out.
Maybe it’s better at lunch? Something tells me I’m getting my hopes up thinking that might be the case.

Came here for a lunch with boss and co-​workers, and we all loved the look and feel of Pearl Tavern, but felt dishes and service were just a-​okay. It’s a cute place, and we were seated in the back ‘library’.
I ordered the fish tacos, and with a jalapeño on each one, they had a nice warmth to them. Glad they weren’t the deep fried fish tacos, which always seems to be hiding a bad piece of fish, IMHO. Co-​worker not wowed by lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, other co-​worker not wowed with their dish. We had no complaints, but weren’t wowed by the food.
Several other things on the menu I would like to try including ceviche and spare rib burger, and bar looks like a fun place to hang for a drink after work. A perfectly fine addition to the Wacker Drive neighborhood and I’ll be back for an update.

Pretentious. The most embarrassing fine dining restaurant in the loop area. A one-​star diner disguised as restaurant with marble counter. Check out the warming plate shelf at the Oyster Bar.
LOBSTER TACO ($ 19) — good texture and flavor. Sloppy food presentation. Which ingredient is worthy of the $ 5 per taco? The small lobster claws are pathetic. When the lobster size is too small, it is sad to serve the fingers as it is spongy… it becomes an ingredient filler.
RAZOR CLAMS WITH ABSINTHE — still on the chalk board. Highly publicized. NOT on menu anymore.
HIGH TIDE COCKTAIL ($ 12) — tasty. Competitively price. One gulp portion.
PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE — hilarious! LOL. I can swirl peanut butter and chocolate on a cheesecake for $ 2.
COFFEE — it’s good to be locally sourced. Drip coffee only. I told you it’s a diner!
VENUE — empty yet cluttered. If you are seated at the Oyster Bar, all staff will be walking between you and the post even though there are plenty of open space.
SERVICE — IF they notice that you are still alive, you will be served 10 mins after. Sparse patrons, yet staff acts like its full house.
I dare you to «dive into a new experience»! LOL.

After having been here a couple of times I was expecting the same level of food & service. Today’s lunch sadly let us down. We arrived a little before noon and there were only a few tables. Our waitress whose name I’ve forgotten took our orders. I had the lobster roll which I’ve had before. It was average at best. Unlike the time before. Not much lobster and barely dressed. There was hardly any slaw and the fries were cold.
Our tables biggest complaint was the service. We were basically ignored after we placed our order. Our water glasses sat empty the entire meal, our empty plates say there well after we had finished eating. When we finally flagged down our waitress to order dessert they bring it without any forks. We had to get up from the table to get a waiter to bring us some.

What a Georgeous Wacker Drive bend treasure! $ 13 Swordfish is a generous chunk of deep water delight flanked by tasty eggplant over arugula and the $ 12 herb scallops in a light sauce is a perfect match for the Sauvignon Blanc poured.
This restaurant is GEORGEOUS. I’m entirely in love with the beautiful marble top bar, black painted walls and brass rails. Someone really got this right.
Pearl’s servers don’t come on too strongly but provide what you need rapidly, based on my early lunch experience today.
So why the hell is the rest of this Lyric Opera neighborhood a glut of shitty fast food chains and goofy bars?
Pearl Tavern is hopefully leading the way.