Rural Society

AMAZING food if you have the cash. The meats are all perfectly seasoned and grilled. I especially love the lamb chop and the sausages. The potatoes are delicious too. The drinks are always strong, and will get you slightly drunk if you are not careful.

The steak was one of the best I have ever had and that is saying ALOT. The malbec was great and crema for a side– you cannot go wrong. Very nice place located in Loews Hotel building. Excellent service from the time you get there until you leave. Well done.

Beautiful restaurant, nice bar area and dinning room. I was there on a Sunday night. It was very empty and no energy at all. I like lively place with beautiful people. Food was very good, but nothing that I remember of the top my head that I would go back for. Worth the price? Not for me.

I tried to book a private party with Rural Society. Tried being the key word. After calling, emailing and leaving multiple voice mails I finally gave up. I can’t imagine spending thousands on a party with a restaurant /​special event group that can’t return a call after a week!

This is a delayed review. Overall, it was a decent place. I would categorize it as a «scene» restaurant. people watching, there were many people having «date night.» Happening, nice décor, and an unexpected woodsy scent. I like nice wood.
Our waiter, Troy, absolutely loved us. He loved us so much that he never came to the table. I assume it was one of those relationships where you have to work for their affection. It was like a tough-​love mind game, except with more hunger… Literal hunger games. I think he is one of those people who has a hard time expressing his love. Like, when he sternly kept telling us about the corn tamales, I knew that was his way of shedding love and light upon our booth.
Ask for Troy. And make sure you ask about the corn.

Located in the loews hotel, this is an amazing Argentinean steakhouse. Because my wife is vegetarian, they give us a deal on the chef’s tasting and we both loved it. The double cut lamb chops were to die for. The lengua a la vinagreta (veal tongue) was delicious. My wife had the remolachas and noqui-​con hongos. We shared the papas crema. For veggies we had calabaza verde. We also tried the argentinian pizza, which is called alcachofas Overall, it was expensive but we were stuffed and the quality was good. The server even gave us free rosé for my wife’s birthday. Lastly, the ambiance was amazing. Good music, dim lights, über romantic experience

Need one word to describe this restaurant? That word would be
Deee-​licious!
My roommate and I came here for a Unilocal event and we both could not resist their lamb chops. Their lamb chops doesn’t have that lamb taste or smell which makes it so good. They were to die for– along with their pulled pork and asparagus ! Not to mention their selection for wine that night mixed well with the dishes being served.
This place is pretty fancy. We had to dress up for this event, but we didn’t mine. It was fun and I would say this is perfect for a dinner date. The ambient was very nice and cozy.
The staff were really friendly and courteous– always asking if we need anything or if they can do anything for us. They always come to us and asked if we wanted more wine or if we wanted more lamb chops because they knew we loved them so much. This is a must try place. I highly recommend this place to everyone

Ben is the charming manager who shared a tip with me and now I am going to share it with you. The best night for Rural Society is Wednesday. The chef acquires a single type of animal from a local farm and prepares an entire pre fixe menu around it. M and I went for rabbit.
I started the evening with a Martinez. It was a bright, light and mature beginning to a lovely evening. The bartenders patiently waited for me to select one of their tantalizing beverages that evening. I already knew that I loved the coffee based cocktail and wanted to try something new. They let me try the 5 Rabbit «5 Vulture» beer which was a sure winner. I sipped on that during my meal.
The meal was heavenly. Everything we had foudroyant, evoking a sense of whimsy in both of us. Each dish utilized rabbit in a unique way and was fundamentally different. Our taste buds skipped from epanadas to ravioli to a spread of bare rabbit. We road the waves of intense and then delicate flavors and interesting textures. On other nights I’ve savored the richness of ¾ cheese mashed potatoes and truffle mushrooms (sounds redundant but is incredible). There are plenty of options for folks who are meat-​shy; however, I am in love with their blood sausage!
The atmosphere of Rural Society is appropriately varied. You can wait for your party in the bright and modern hotel lobby. Then you enter the bar that is dimly and seductively lit and pucker your lips on a cocktail. There are stools at the bar and standing tables. Finally, you go to the albumen of the dining room which is decked with semi-​circle booths and an open kitchen at the end. The kitchen is illuminated like a stage.
The service was spectacular. Besides the manager Ben, I appreciated the keen attention from the bar tenders, server, bus boy and even the chef! They all carefully discussed the dishes with us and expressed genuine enthusiasm and pride for their craft. Our server surprised us with a superb sparkling Malbec. It was effervescent and flavorful and a sure elevation of Champagne.
We contrasted our delight at Rural Society with the superfluous bovarism of Fig & Olive. They are comparable in price but Rural Society delivers a superior experience. M’s tastes have been leaning toward vegetarian so it would follow that her preference would be for Fig & Olive; however, Rural Society was such a pleasant surprise that she came away saying that she could never give up meat. Thank you Rural Society. Thank you.

Just walking in I was greeted with a smile by the host! She was wonderful. My date and I went to have a drink after watching The Lion King. The staff was very welcoming and attentive. We tried the empanadas, the spinach was my personal favorite! Must try!

I ate last night with my husband for date night. The vibe I get is that this is still a relatively new restaurant with a few kinks to work out. We showed up at 7:29 pm for our 7:30 pm reservation on a Wednesday evening. The hostess was very friendly, but said our table wasn’t ready yet which surprised us as the dining area certainly was not full. We were seated within 5 – 10 minutes at a booth in the main dining area.
Décor:The décor is rustic… based off of a rural village in Argentina. Open kitchen concept.
Service: Less than desirable. I don’t know if it’s because the restaurant is understaffed, but it took a while for us to be greeted by our waiter. We did look for him several times throughout the night to order food, get our drink order, get our bill, etc. That being said, he did seem to be busy. They definitely need to hire more people! The busboy who put together our leftover food put all the meat in 1 container and all the sides in a 2^nd container which is alright BUT he didn’t place it properly in a bag big enough. When we got home, all our food had slid and basically turned into a mess since our containers were placed vertically in a bag.
Food: Inconsistent. The complimentary bread and malbec butter was good! For an appetizer, we ordered the mixed sausage platter (blood sausage, chorizo, chorizo and cheese, veal and sweetbread) which was hit or miss depending on your palate. My husband and I split the ribeye which was cooked perfectly medium rare. Our sides were the asparagus (yummy!), mushrooms (yummy!), and the cream potatoes (incredibly gluey in texture and too salty). For dessert, we split the torta which was good but not at all what we expected. It was describe as a cake with goat cheese fondant, but the dessert was more goat cheese than cake.
Overall: It certainly has potential but there are so many other great steakhouses in Chicago that I likely won’t return.

I came here for the Unilocal elite event! Such a cute place/​feels like a hidden gem. It’s in the Loews hotel and I must say the food is amazing. The mashed potatoes were to die for. As a vegetarian, they had a good mix of veggie options and meat, although known for their meats. The drinks were great and ambiance was awesome! I can’t wait to check it out again. I for see it becoming a hot spot either before or after checking out the rooftop at Loews in the summer!

Amazing restaurant. The food, service, and ambiance are excellent. I had succulent pork chops, roasted piglet, and delicious asparagus. I highly recommend this place!

I was lucky enough to attend the Unilocal Elite Black Thursday event at Rural Society. I even got to bring my husband as a bonus! Not only was the décor just beautiful, the service was impeccable, and there was live music. The cocktails and wine were quite nice — totally what I’d expect from a restaurant of said quality! I really enjoyed the strawberry caipirinha! I was most impressed by the food — a spread of tasty asparagus, truffle mushrooms, cheesy mashed potatoes and suckling pig! I would definitely come back for dinner, cocktails, or both!

I went there yesterday for a Unilocal event. It was very well organized!
The ambience is nice and has a very good vibe! Stylish, fancy but bit pretentious…
We had the opportunity to try: lamp, sausage with cheese, blood sausage with chestnuts, grilled asparagus, sauteed mushrooms with truffles, mashed potatoes with cheese and piglet.
Everything was good, especially the grilled lamb. Overall, i would say that food was a little too heavy… a little fatty. the stand-​out of the night were definitely the asparagus, the mushrooms and the lamb. The rest was ok!
I wish that we could have tried more of the Argentinean parrilla with some beef… which is what I like most in their grilled meats.
There were a lot of nice drinks. I had a very good Malbec. I also tried a white sangria which I do not recommend though.
One small note, I love dulce de leche, I wish theere had been some dessert bites to conclude the evening… that was the only regret :-)
Overall, a nice place. I would definitely go there for a dinner again!
Thanks for the invitation!

Came here for a Unilocal event and was so impressed by the entire set up! I loved the wooden décor and ambiance.
I got to try a myriad of things and found everything for the most part to be very tasty. The grilled lamb was perfectly cooked and I was obsessed with their cheesy mashed potatoes and truffle mushrooms! We also tried the suckling pig, which unfortunately was a bit dry, but the skin was delicious! The red and white sangria’s were good as well, but nothing memorable.
I would definitely come back again for dinner, possibly just for the mashed potatoes!

This rustic, romantic, mysterious atmosphere is the perfect spot for a date night!
Walking in, the hostess takes your jacket/​coat and tuck it away in a coat closet. Especially in the winter time where your coat is super bulky, and you don’t know where to place your awkward jacket… this service totally took me by surprise.
They said «everything is Malbec» and I highly advocate it. Argentinian steak with Argentinian Red Wine is clever and very true. It makes the Argentinian experience that much more authentic.
Their Chorizo con Queso is decadent. I was expecting just spicy sausage with cheese. No… the flavors are very subtle and every bite explodes with a little bit of that cheese. Their Morcilla Sausage had notes of clove. I’ve tried many a blood sausages in my day, and I gotta say it was the first time a blood sausage had a sweet and savory taste. A pleasant surprise. Don’t let the color deter you.
Definitely get vegetables with your Carne. You won’t regret it. Their Esparragos and Crema potatoes is just perfection. The crema potatoes is cheesy, hearty, and very creamy. i could eat a bowlful of this and be completely content. And who doesn’t love a perfectly charred, grilled asparagus?
And get the lamb chops. Perfectly seasoned with a little salt and pepper, topped off with house made chimichurri sauce. The lamb is tendor, and not tough. Cooked rare, and melt in your mouth.
I’m getting hungry re-​visiting my experience here.

One of the best meals I’ve had in in the city! Try their tasting menu… It may blow your budget but will also blow your mind!
We sat real close to the kitchen– it was cozy, fun. I loved the wood décor all around. Service was just great, but also we were spending $ 300 a piece. Meal was fantastic, A+.
I wish people with good experiences came out here and wrote more positive honest reviews. A great restaurant should’t get dinged because some hangry Unilocaler went and the server forgot their cappuccino. It’s a cappuccino. Address it with the server, get your coffee, and get on with your life. Don’t ding a great restaurant.
I had a fantastic experience, wish I could meet the owners, and really just hope to be back!

The hubby and I had a long deserved date night and decided to check out Rural Society. The décor was very well done which made for a warm, inviting and intimate dinner.
Our server, Marcus, was very knowledgeable and led us to some of the best dishes on the menu. We had the octopus carpaccio and the empanadas with wagyu beef belly for starters. Both were delicious! The free bread also needs to be recognized as it came with this creamy malbec butter.
For our mains, the hubby and I split a steak (I think the rump) as well as the Nury Potatoes. These potatoes are essentially hassleback potatoes which are like mashed potatoes in the inside and crispy on the outside. Divine! Came with truffle hollandaise sauce.
Overall, a fantastic meal which we had with malbec wine. Service was fantastic! I’d definitely like to return and try their tasting menus.

This surprisingly large restaurant, as the name implies, strikes a balance between rusticity and sophistication. As soon as you enter the smell of the wood grill sets the tone for the highlights to come.
The décor features many private booths in curtained alcoves, although they are for parties of four or more. Couples are seated in the middle, where the acoustics seem like they should be good, but were defeated by a very large party seated nearby. Already several drinks in when they arrived, they should have been placed in the empty adjacent room. Ah well.
We decided to try the tasting menu and accompanying wine paring. This turned out to be a great way to sample much of the menu, and it’s a good buy compared to the individual food pricing. It’s available in two versions. We went for the upgraded version, which features more premium ingredients and better wines.
The tasting menu is billed as four courses, but it’s actually a dozen, since many plates are served for each course, and staggered preparation means that not everything arrives at one time. The accompanying five wines were excellent quality, almost all from Mendoza, and were full pours. We particularly loved the Alma sparking Malbec, a blanc de noir that was mouth-​filling with a crisp finish.
We began with Focaccia bread with Malbec butter, which went great with the sparkler.
Empanadas filled with Braised Wagyu Beef Belly were indeed savory, and improved by some of the salsa condiment. It didn’t particularly go with the accompanying pinot grigio.
Braised Octopus with Tomato Escabeche and Malbec Chips was an interesting combination, more about the accompaniments than the octopus.
Roasted Red Peppers were a surprising standout. Thin sliced and served in oil with Whipped Eggplant and Anchovies, they were quite complex.
Roasted Beets were served with an amazing Orange Coriander Vinaigrette that elevated the beets to something quite interesting. I was wishing I had some of that sparkler left for this course, although it somewhat matched the pinot not that was served.
The Seafood Pasta with Cockles wasn’t my favorite, although the past was nicely cooked, and the bits of Rock Shrimp were tasty.
Grilled Wild Mushrooms were laden with butter, and absolutely delicious.
The final course consisted of three items from the grill. Maine Lobster tail was split in half and served with a piece of claw meat. It was a straightforward preparation that let the flavor of the tender lobster come through.
Although I’m not usually a pork fan, the Pork Chop was actually the highlight of the meal. It was a thick chop, sliced into succulent pieces, each with a charred crust. This is the only item I could not find on the regular menu, and I wonder if it was a special or a variant of the stuffed pork tenderloin.
I’m pretty sure the tasting menu we had included the Prime Dry Aged NY Strip. Whatever the beef was, it was exquisite, and perfectly matched by the malbec/​cabernet/​syrah blend that accompanied it.
Crispy Roasted Potatoes were pre-​sliced into thin wafers held together only at the bottom, which allowed them to crisp around the edges. The accompanying Hollandaise was suffused with Truffle.
We finished with a rolled up crêpe-​like pastry accompanied by Tres Leches ice cream. I felt it was the weakest course, although we were stuffed at this point, and the final wine, a delicious late harvest Malbec, made up for it. It was like drinking chocolate mousse.
Service was friendly and efficient.
While Rural Society isn’t cheap, It is a good value for the money, but if you plan to order the tasting menu I suggest you arrive very hungry!

must have:
Rural Society Chicago opened March 2015 and still has a few menu issues to work on, but is otherwise excellent.
The wine menu is strong, but emphasizes bottles. Most varietals only have one choice if ordering by the glass, but the Chardonnay I ordered was excellent and to my preference– strong oak, rich, and buttery.
The asado mixto is excellent and worth the splurge. You get full servings of the sausage varieties, which includes a classic beef and pork sausage, blood sausage (my first!- it tastes like Christmas!), a cheese stuffed sausage, and sweetbreads (also a first– so good!). The table bread includes chimichuri sauce, focaccia, cheese bread, and Malbec bread and is excellent.
We ordered the entrana medium rare, which they roll out and serve to you table side. It was excellent.
My dinner partner and I thought some of the supporting dish flavors were underdeveloped. The choclo pizza had a heavy hand on the toppings and red pepper, so you couldn’t tease out the delicate flavor of the crab. The beets were not appetizing. They came with an orange sauce so simplistic that I thought it tasted just like orange juice. The dish was also topped with at least a tablespoon of whole, raw coriander seeds, which overwhelmed the balance of the ash-​roasted beets.
Service was great and attentive. He explained all the dishes, which is helpful for someone unacquainted with Argentinian food. For two people with normal appetites, two small plates and one of the beef entrees is a good-​sized meal.