Rustik

I really enjoyed this restaurant the first time I ate there. Great salad, super knowledgeable and friendly staff and yummy stuffed burgers.
But I think i know why its a «super secret» brunch spot.
Our group of four was seated in what was an essentially empty restaurant. Yet it took about 20mins for someone, we thought it was the busboy, to even ask us if we wanted some drinks. Which of course we did.
We soon found out that this was in fact our waiter. Now, I’m all in favour of employees not being forced to wear uniforms or adhere to a dress code that is humiliating, or serves no purpose other than as a means for an owner to reinforce their authority. However, if i mistook you for the kitchen help, you might be dressed a bit too «down» for the occasion.
But i digress. When our drinks arrived another 20 minutes later we were able to order, but not have, those brunch items we desired. They were out of several core ingredients which prompted one of our party sarcastically asked «Do you guys have eggs?»
When we finally settled on our second or third choices, we would wait almost another hour for our food to arrive and, not surprisingly all of our orders were wrong in some way, shape, or form.
We figured that asking for our order to be corrected would have resulted in a similarly long wait perhaps with even worse results, thus we ate what we had, grateful to at least have food in our bellies

Although it’s closed I still feel like I have to write a review. I lived in Logan Square for about 2 months and came here about 3 times in that time span. First time was for brunch… de-​freaking-​lish. I couldn’t decide so I got the french toast pancake, eggs benedict, and topped it off with a tropical mojito. everything was BOMB! Glad I was walking back from the gym!
Service was great, there was a few regulars there as well.

One extra star because they have a patio, but I thought I needed to update given a relatively recent encounter. Wife, younguns and myself were deciding on a place to have a late lunch/​early dinner. I pull up in front, wife gets out and asks if they are open. Simple enough question, right? Pretty much anyone working in the business can answer it. Not here.
One guy says ‘come on in we’re open”. Then some effeminate bozo argues back at him «no, we’re closed». This exchange continued for a few more rounds, till femme-​guy finally capitulates and says exasperated «fine, come in then». Wife of course says, «y’know what, forget it» and walked out. Later we notice that this entire exchange happened during the hours they are supposed to be open.
Screw that. My gal has to be subjected to that sort of discomfort to eat mediocre pot roast type stuff? Other places have patios and drinks. Between the ‘tude and the overall uninspired menu, no thanks. I’ll give my money to the much better Buona Terra a few doors down.

The food and service only get 2 stars. The food is okay, but it doesn’t go with the atmosphere. I was expecting something fantastic. Also the waitress we had was so far up herself she couldn’t be bothered to ask how our food was. She also seemed angry that we didn’t order apps or soup. There’s a recession, woman, be glad I’m here at all!
The bartender, James, however was definitely 5 stars. He was super cute and nice and knew how to make every drink people ordered. My friend and I didn’t know what to drink so we told him what we liked and he cooked something up for us.
If you go, sit at the bar and order snacks. James rocks!

You know how sometimes you really love a place and then you go back and it’s not as good? Well that didn’t happen with Rustik. I just went back for brunch and it’s even better now that they’ve added a bloody mary bar. Theirs is like a bloody mary wonderland with 5 different kinds of hot sauce, a variety of spices and more garnishes than I have ever seen, including 3 kinds of peppers, carrots, cheese, chorizo, olives, etc. And the best part, full size slim jims. Woo hoo! So spicy and delicious! Totally made my morning.

I was surprised by how pleasing the menu really was. I had heard mixed reviews of this place by Unilocalers and other friends alike. We decided it was time to try the place because we’ve lived practically around the corner from it for over six months. I was really pleased with the look and feel of the restaurant. It was dark, romantic, cozy and — shocking — very rustic! The wood of the bar and the tables was dark and clean — everything was great looking. There were only two other couples in the restaurant when we arrived, so we figured it was going to be a slow night. We were given a table in the back corner, which was nice because I guess we were sort of out on a date. Behind the bar there’s a small outdoor space between the restaurant and the apartment building that it touches next door that the owners decorated with some awesome looking lights, a tree and some other decorative flourishes. I was glad that we were sitting right across from it so I had a nice view. It was cute.
They had a pretty nice deal going the night we were there — several bottles of wine were being sold for $ 40/​bottle instead of their normal prices because they are apparently recreating an entirely new wine list. Though we weren’t in the mood for an entire bottle, this was a pretty good deal. Our server, Heather, was super nice and knowledgeable. She obviously knows the menu well and can give real, firsthand advice about each of the menu selections. Rustik offered several daily specials including appetizers and entrees.
We tried the Macaroni and Cheese with smoked Gouda for our appetizer. I think I liked it but there was just a bit too much bacon flavor for me. I thought it was a little overpowering but I know my boyfriend really enjoyed it. I had the Stuffed Meatloaf for my entrée and it was absolutely delicious. Instead of slices of meatloaf, the main course is actually a mini-​loaf made to order (rare, medium, etc). It is stuffed with Boursin cheese — yummy! However, I was a little disappointed that it was stuffed with a minuscule amount of the Boursin. I actually thought when I first started eating it that it wasn’t really in there. There was like one teaspoon of cheese, so I was a little disappointed. The side of mashed potatoes were very garlic-​y — do not eat if you do not like garlic that much!
My boyfriend ordered the Rustik Burger and thought it was excellent. It was small, but very thick. He was a bit frustrated that he couldn’t actually smash it down enough to fit it all in his mouth to get a bite, but he said it was still good. It came with a side of skinny fries (yum) and a small salad. He really enjoyed his selection.
I was happy with the night that we had here, but I was a bit taken aback by the prices. I was disappointed with how much we paid considering we just wanted to not make food at home on a Friday night. The food was good, but it wasn’t $ 60 good. I’m not sure if I’ll go back because I’m just not in the mood to spend that much on a meal. They do have a prix fixe special on Mondays and Tuesdays, so maybe that’d be a bit more budget friendly.

Telluride has been transported to Logan Square. (Whaaaaat?)
My second visit to Rustik and I have to say that I was much more impressed this go-​round. I was here Friday for dinner.
The service and the food was all top notch. Also, reasonably priced for what you get. Great selection of sides. The mac and cheese is fantastic.
Our server (Dan) was very friendly without being overbearing. What really made our day was the «busser» (is that a word? I don’t want to say ‘boy’ because he wasn’t) a skinny hippie kind of guy with curly hair. He was really funny and awesome! (Update – I just read the review under mine– he might have been the one mumbling profanities under his breath – he told us he hadn’t had a day off in a long time, so maybe the stress was getting to him!)
The crowd was a bit tonier than I’m used to in Logan Square, in fact it really kind of makes you forget that you are in Logan Square. (Whether you think that is a good or bad thing is your call.) That being said, I saw the owner of the Empty Bottle having dinner there with what I assumed was his family.
Also, having read the other reviews after I wrote the above, I should tell you what we ordered since it looks like we made some good choices! I also suggest splitting things, since the main portions look pretty big.
Mac and Cheese
ABLT salad
Short ribs on polenta (really good, and huge portion – we split but couldn’t finish it!)
Brussels Sprouts with bacon
German Butter cake (wow!)

My roommate and I had been wanting to try out this place so, we decided to go for our pre-​christmas, thank god we’re going to florida for three weeks, dinner. Of course, we had to pick the night when chicago became a snow globe that some annoying child decided to shake up but, that’s besides the point.
After our trek there from the california blue line stop, dripping wet like a drowned rat, and thinking my fingers were about to fall off, i was excited for a glass of wine and some good food. i wasn’t disappointed.
We were greeted and seated immediately and we were sat down next to the inner courtyard which looked beautiful with the untouched snow falling and landing on a lit tree branch sculpture. especially since i was now looking out from a cozy indoor spot.
after looking at the wine list for about 10 minutes and not being able to decide which wine to order, our waiter gave us a great recommendation for a rose. the wine’s were on average $ 35 a bottle which is a decent price from good wine especially at a restaurant.
but, here’s the best part, on Mondays and Tuesdays there is a special for a fixed price. $ 20 will get you a full entrée, and your choice of 2 of the following: appetizer, soup, salad or dessert. you seriously cannot beat that deal!
overall the restaurant was cozy with a wood cabin-​esk feel, low lighting, good wine and food at an amazing price. I recommend this place for a date night or a quiet evening out. not some place to go if you’re wanting to get rowdy since it’s a calm atmosphere. also ask the staff about their picks since they have an inside view into what’s the best on the menu.

Admittedly, I came to Rustik as part of a huge table of folks. I’m aware that coordinating the arrival of all those plates is no small task, but Rustik’s front and back of the house really showed an inability to rise to the occasion. There was an inordinate wait to be served, which was exacerbated by the fact that one person at our table got her dinner. Once the plate was in front of her, we all expected to get served. Nope. Since we were all starving, we told her to forget the politeness and eat. She finished her dish well before any of us were even served! This did not appear to concern the server in the slightest, nor did he apologize for the delay.
Once we got our food (which we had to wolf down because we had to make it somewhere), many of us were underwhelmed. One person ordered a side she never got, even with one reminder to the server, who still left it on the bill. I had the stuffed chicken and agree with the other Unilocalers that it was dry. Another member of our party said the fish and chips were bland. I will give props to the garlic mashed potatoes, though.
Given the meh food and the pulse-​less service, I’m not likely to come back here, even with a smaller party.

I’ve had dinner and brunch here and both experiences have been lovely. The first thing you’ll notice when the sun is down is the cool antler chandelier – the kind of thing you’ll not commonly see outside of high end Colorado /​New Mexico ski lodges. And, see, I hate skiing so I kind of have a first hand relationship with ski lodges. ;-)
For dinner I ordered a viogner that was lovely, and for brunch we had mimosas, along with lattes that married frothiness with caffiene in a most sufficient manner.
I had chilachiles for brunch that were acceptable, decidedly less spicy and rich than those of Flo – although the real bonus was not having to wait in line.
Every time I’ve been here we’ve had great service who took the time to be friendly and get to know what we liked which is characteristic of higher level service and I’m definitely for it.
Rustik is definitely a secret brunch place and a hawt date spot if you can snag it, and you should!

My husband and I tried Rustik last night for the first time. We had a great experience. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly and had good recommendations on food and wine. The service was excellent. The bottles of wine are ½ off on Monday’s and our server told us about a new Tuesday special (3 courses for $ 20!!) that they are starting this week.
We started with the poached egg caesar salad which was huge and very yummy. We also tried the goat cheese stuffed meatloaf and the arugula thin crust pizza. The pizza crust was perfect and the stuffed meatloaf was awesome comfort food.
After we ate we moved over to the bar so we could watch the baseball game (without the sound). The bartender was really friendly and accommodating. Nothing about our experience was pretentious or rude– maybe the negative reviewers are more comfortable in a TGI Fridays with the obnoxious in your face servers wearing flair. This is a great place to go for a relaxing, inexpensive and casual dinner. Oh, and street parking is easy.

Rustik reminds me of this really good looking guy I once went out with. He was gorgeous. His muscles were a sight to behold. His hair was a silky, dark chestnut brown. He was THAT good to look at.
But he was neither stimulating or interesting and time spent with him was some of the most tedious and boring moments of the winter of ’98.
Rustik is a very pretty place to be, but the food is just okay and the service kinda sucks.
We started with the calamari which was served in a Chinese takeout carton. While I agree that the presentation was kind of cute, I wondered if it really came from a Chinese place down the street. Not because of the carton, but because it was like calamari I’ve had at a million other Chinese places, or bars. The dipping sauces reminded me of something out of a Kraft bottle. We ordered a bottle of wine, and the waitress proceeded to make some derogatory remarks about people who are not wine experts. Her statements were not directed at us, but I thought it was inappropriate. I had the salmon entrée which was okay, and my date had the filet. I didn’t bother asking for a bite.
As for the service, let me begin by stating that I am a very confident chick. However, the woman who waited on us could not have been more blatant in her interest in my date, and distaste for my presence. This, and the snobby comments about wine service. well, lets just say that her attitude reminded me of a dirty diaper.

HORRIBLE
Bitchy, princess bartenders who are sooooo snobby and rude (and yes they are guys… as is the rest of the staff). Elitist and overpriced for marginal taste and miniscule portions. Terrible red wine.
Also I live in the building two doors down from the place — and there are rats EVERYWHERE all around it!
I have to say I really wanted to like this place. I tried it twice and it just sucks horribly. I’ve never been treated so rudely when trying to make conversation. I came in to the bar alone to wait for my boyfriend and the bartender looked disgusted everytime he looked at me and could hardly be bothered to give me the time of day. I sat there for 10 minutes alone with the restaurant ¹⁄₈^th full before I was even served in the first place.
I’m all for supporting the neighborhood but not if it hates me back! Go to Buona Terra anyday over this Stouffer’s mac’n’cheese priss palace!

I’ll have to say I like this place more in the winter than in the summer. Its not that the menu has changed, but it feels like a lodge and offers many twists on comfort food. Things I’ve had… burger (tasty)…pasta (ok)…dip appetizer (awesome)…macaroni & cheese (blah)…veggie pizza (ok). The place has a similar trendy design as Hachis because it was designed by the same architects. The bartender is really cool and knows his stuff. They make the free bar snacks at the restaurant, and they are always tasty. A good reason just to go for a few drinks before you head out for the night. Service is great… atmosphere is really nice… food is okay.

A friend brought me here for the atmosphere
«It’s like a Ski Lodge in Aspen,» he says.
He also brought me for the food
«It’s like, American food,» he says.
Spot on for both of those things. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup is good. So is the Riesling. Dr. Hecker or something.
He also got a big boner for the antler chandelier. I think boys will like it. Take ‘em there.

I SO wanted to love the crap out of this place, but I didn’t. The BF and I live a few blocks away and always succumb to the lure of Dunlays (where we can get a nice beer or wine with a great burger for him and salad or veg for me). But, after so many trips to la Dunlays and feeling a little bored of the tasty Wrightwood salad, we decided to give Rustik a try.
It was Thursday around 7 p.m. and there was little in the way of a crowd, which was nice. I loved the décor, even though BF found it too pretentious for a «lodge» theme… but whatever. Atmosphere means a lot to me and I liked it! Loved the colors and lighting and our servers were lovely and attentive.
Onto the food, I thought the menu looked great. Lots of «comfort food» options with some fun twists and interesting ingredients. Being a creature of habit and in the mood for greens, I ordered a house salad with chicken. They had several salad options, more so than Dunlays, but the house salad had grilled asparagus (and goat cheese!) and I just love asparagus (and goat cheese!), so I had to get it. BF got the Rustik burger which was stuffed with chorizo and smoked gouda.
Presentation was nice. My salad looked fantastic and fresh, BF’s plate was nicely arranged with the smallish burger perched jauntily to the side of the skinny fries in a little glass. Artsy, yes? Mais oui!
Onto the taste. My chicken literally could not have been drier unless it sat in a dehydrator overnight. The asparagus was charred. The homemade croutons amounted to ONE croûton (which resembled a lightly burnt piece of melba toast) on top of the salad (on top of which sat my small goat cheese orb). The dressing had SO little taste, I almost considered salting it. And I do not use salt. BF reported his fries were good, but he did not feel the burger love and would’ve preferred a less busy taste than the dueling smoked gouda and chorizo.
We were disappointed. Since it’s so close to home, I MIGHT be able to con BF into going back for a second try, but I foresee a lot more Wrightwood salad in my future.

Very nice looking place, nice presentation on everything. From a design standpoint it is actually quite nice, very very reminiscent of Hachi’s just a couple of doors down. Service was pleasant as well. Food was decent, but plate is quite small. Some nitpicks though: I ordered a medium hanger steak and got one well done, which is ok I guess since the steak was still tender. The chimichurri was advertised with bacon, but none was detected. We got a plate of bread (strips?), but no butter, which would be ok if they had been anything but plain, but they were quite plain.
Prices are sort of high for the amount of food, but you are probably paying for the ambiance mostly, which is sort of modern chic. Its just really an American food place with a very nice presentation, ok to go for the surroundings, but not a really must eat place. There is just no sense of wow! from the food. The plus is that since the food is small, pretty, and unexceptional, it kind of encourages conversation. I fear this place will be relegated to customers who could not get a table quickly at Hachi’s, unless they really put together some dishes to keep the regulars coming in.
Also, regardless of what the Unilocal map indicates, the border of Logan Square is Western, not California. So this restaurant is in Logan Square.

Rustik calls for an analogy.
Perhaps you have come across a person in your life who was beautiful, shiny, glittery… no doubt attractive, knock-​your-​socks-​off gorgeous, and untouched by age.
Then (perhaps) you began to know them a bit better, and realized they didn’t have too much to offer. Yeah, they were easy on the eyes, but could they hold your attention? Hollow promises, lacking complexity, and the presentation was just a bit off on the essentials.
Yeah, you got it. That’s Rustik.
Honestly, I had very high hopes (don’t we all with beautiful things?) as we were escorted in. The ambience is quite perfect in my estimation. Lowly lit, nice touches, brand spankin’ new, lots of glass and intimate conversation, nice bar, friendly staff. Things were going well all the way through the appetizers (aren’t the first few exchanges always that way? sigh).
So the good: The mac ‘n cheese appetizer with gouda, on par. The bread basket, also quite good. The bottle of champagne… well, y’all know I will drink $ 5 champagne, so this of course was up to my high standards ;)
Then, the not so good: Everything else. My meal was just plain odd. I should’ve gone with the burger, but was lured into order «pork and beans» which is actually pork tenderloin and baked beans. I do not know why I did this, but hey… if you are going to have it on the menu, it best be good. What came out was a shiskebab of pork chunks with no seasoning. Dry. Poked on a stick, on a bed of cold pineapple. Accompanied by a plop of baked beans that made Busch’s look appetizing. I am NOT a picky eater, so for me to be unsatisfied with a meal says a lot. However, my friend did have the «fish ‘n chips» with wasabi tartar sauce, and that was better. My other had a ceasar salad straight out of Applebee’s. Not impressed.
But really, the kicker. The dessert. Holy hell. It was really an atrocity. We ordered the espresso fudge brownie. It was neither espresso-​y or fudgie. It was dry, crumbly and lacking taste, and escorted by some chocolate ice cream in a bowl. Note to Rustik: HIRE A PASTRY CHEF AND DO IT QUICKLY.
Overall, just one of those things. Wow’ed by the first impression and sent into a quick decline. Like most relationships, this one left a bad taste in my mouth. I blame it on the dry brownie I had to slick back with champagne.

I had really high hopes for the latest addition to the small culinary corridor in Logan’s California Ave, but have been sorely disappointed all three times that I’ve been here. The food is horribly perplexing. Dominick’s catering dept could put together a better meat & cheese plate and me and my gal pals all ordered the buttery german chocolate cake (what they’re supposedly known for) and it was literally presented like some Duncan Hines cake cut out of a pan with a dollop of ice cream on the side. The cake resembled nothing close to german chocolate cake. The one saving grace are the cocktails and that fantastic table bread.
Meg’s review stated:
«The somewhat haphazard décor and semi-​gourmet menu made me feel like I was in the best restaurant of some small town in downstate Illinois.» I agree with the décor comment, but the place still pales in comparison to any small town’s best establishment.

Went once and thought «This is a great alternative to the other restaurants on California.» But unfortunately, upon a return visit I realize it has a long way to go to compare to the others.
Reservations are a necessity. With your name on the list you’ll still be asked to wait which sucks because there is NO wait area. This likely won’t be a problem in the summer when you can stand outdoors but unfortunately now it means too many people are packed at the tiny bar.
First time I tried mac ‘n cheese and stuffed meatloaf. Thought both were great and the service was fantastic. So we took friends and went back. Service was SLOW this time. Took a long time to get drinks or refills. Someone else ordered the meatloaf at my table and it was cold when it arrived (after waiting forever) and a bit too pink in the middle. The brussel sprouts were undercooked as well. I ordered the fish and chips. Fish was fine although the fries were quite soggy.
The interior is gorgeous – warm and cozy with a modern feel. However they really need to just tighten things up a bit. Some more consistency with the service would be nice and the food is OK but maybe just a little more attention should be paid to the details before it compares with the other quality restaurants on California.