Spring Restaurant

UPDATE: I just read others’ reviews — Spring is CLOSED?! Wow, I am sooo disappointed. Please re-​open! Pleeeeease!
I wish I could give Spring more than 5 stars. My husband and I have been twice now — once for NYE dinner in 2008, and once to use our Groupon (which they still partially honored even though we had stupidly let it expire). Both times the service was impeccable, the food out of this world, and the cocktails creative with clean flavors.
Since Spring isn’t a place you can visit everyday (or at least I can’t), I hate to recommend dishes that you won’t be able to get in the future. But my favorites so far were the coconut lemongrass soup with mushrooms; the fig and blue cheese tart; and the short ribs. Really though, I’ve never had a bad or even mediocre dish here, and the servers are really good at talking with you about the menu and making recommendations, so ask for their help if you’re teetering about your order.
It’s a pricey meal, but the experience is so relaxing, romantic and well-​timed, and the food/​drinks are so good that it’s worth it.

This is so sad. I had two reviews in my saved queue for restaurants that have closed before I finished writing the review. Am I really this lazy? Yes!
The saddest part is that I loved them both! Spring was a really sexy space with some pretty great food, both with a subtle asian vibe. Amazing house made ice creams with dessert.
I wish miss it, but I am planning a trip to Shawn McClain’s other restaurant, Green Zebra, to help soften the blow.

As one of the many Groupon-​ers, I’ve been waiting for the right occasion to visit Spring. My husband’s 40^th birthday and our 1^st wedding anniversary fell on the same day, so I made reservations at Spring.
Interesting décor. We were seated promptly, but I should’ve asked for another table, as we were at the first one down the ramp, next to the bus station. Not so cozy and romantic.
Since falling off the vegan wagon, I’m not even going to pretend I had a wild vegan extravaganza, I ordered the farm egg raviolo (small portion, good for 1^st course so as to not get too full, a little boring in the flavor department). For the second course, I tried the Barramundi, which was outstanding. I chose the kaffir lime panna cotta for dessert and I could’ve just moved into that little glass, it was amazing!
My dear birthday boy started with the shortrib dumplings (I tried one and they rocked! There was a wonderful spiciness to them). He ordered the eggplant for his main (it was ok, I wasn’t wowed and I don’t like tempura, so the haricots didn’t thrill me). For dessert, he picked the white chocolate dome, which he enjoyed.
The crowning touch was the presentation of a plate of chocolate mousse squares and a candle. Happy Birthday/​Anniversary indeed!
I’m glad I got to try Spring before they close.

I had the most enjoyable meal here with a couple of great friends. The wine was amazing, the food outstanding.
I still tell people to go here and try all they have to offer! It is a great find in the city

I’m saddened that after all these years of walking by and wondering where all these pretty people were going, I finally got a chance to dine here. Only I find out that the restaurant is up for sale. Dude that sucks! They will still operate normally until sale is complete, so peeps still have a shot at the Shawn McClain experience.
We got the additional items and the wine pairings off the «favorites» menu, which turned out to be an excellent idea. I passed on the Lemongrass Prawn soup (i just had eaten waaaay too much soup that week) but I hear it was a mistake because the others went Gagapalooza over it. Furthermore, we drank most of our wine without knowing what it was, as our server forgot to tell us what we were drinking. Which was too bad because his voice was rather calm and soothing, like an MD going over your options with you.
The oysters we started with were pretty good, and the Crispy Pork Belly/​Steamed Bun was somewhat overcooked, but still savory nonetheless. The Farm Egg Ravioli was full of truffle goodness.
My entrée was the Seared Maine Sea Scallops. I completely forgot that they sat on a bed of braised oxtail, which by far was the best thing I ate that night. With mushrooms, soy, and baby bok choy, it was one of the most flavorful things I’ve tasted.
Apparently my dessert (which two others picked) was a big hit with the group. Unfortunately, I really wasn’t feeling the Kaffir Lim Panna Cotta and switched desserts with Baby Bok Choy, who had been eyeing my brioche donut like a salivating dog. I liked the White Chocolate Dome I then got from him, but now I kinda feel swindled.
Glad to finally try it, sad to hear of it’s eventual demise.

This place was… weird.
To be clear, the food was ok. Not amazing, but good. But the atmosphere — UGH.
We had a 6:45 reservation, and arrived a little early. The place was empty. Instead of offering to seat us, the host man just goes, «you may sit at the bar until 6:45.» Um, ok. Pretty much forces us to spend an extra $ 25 on two drinks while we wait. Awesome.
So then we get seated and everyone on the service staff is just AWKWARD. Like they’ve been instructed to be über-​formal and quite and off-​putting. I feel like we’re being served by my manager at work since the server a woman clad in a department store gray pant suit.
The whole restaurant is dark and sooooo quite. Maybe I was just dying because it’s set up like a split level, and from the dining room there’s this half pane of windows near the top of one wall, and the sun was streaming in but you can’t see out, and I just felt like I was stuck in a basement.
Anyhow, I would certainly NOT go back. It’s expensive and weird. The minute my boyfriend and I busted out the door (into the sunlight) we spent 10 minutes exploding with all the weird stuff we wanted to comment on, but felt we couldn’t inside because, again, it was sooo quiet.

Groupon does it again! Everything was delicious! Overall rating 4.5.
Why not a five star rating? Well, it wasnt really five star to me at least not to the outstanding level. Plus, we were racking our brains out trying to figure the bill until we finally realized they added an extra prix fixe menu course by mistake!
Service was good though. Five stars for that.
I ordered Braised short-​rib dumplings with pickled orange rind and a coriander reduction. It was good, but had a bit of an aftertaste for me. I cant pinpoint what it was…
For my entrée, I ordered the Maine sea scallops, with roasted mushrooms, braised oxtail, and sweet soy. This dish was DELICIOUS! I was a little worried about the asian mushrooms they used. I cannot eat dried and then rehydrated asian mushrooms and I wasnt sure what type of mushrooms they used. But I didnt get sick, so it must have been fresh!
For dessert I had the White-​chocolate dome, with strawberries, rhubarb, and rosewater. It tasted more like vanilla ice cream. I didnt taste any rosewater and I thought the rhubarb were pears. Oops!
Parking in the area SUCKS. Lucky for me I found a spot right in front of the restaurant. =) They have valet though for $ 10 if you dont want to deal with the parking situation.

Welcome to my wtf experience of 2010. My girl absolutely loves Spring Restaurant. Being the kick ass friend that I am, I decided a gc was the perfect bday gift. So, I made a special trip to pick it up.
I walk in, say I’m there to buy a gc, and I’m told I have to wait 20 min until he can help me. Ok… there’s no one around, no crazy rush, nothing, but no reason is given. The wait wasn’t doable for me, especially when I’m depending on CTA buses to get me home. So I’m told I can come back and get it another time. Hmm… I don’t live close by, her bday is in a couple of days, and why should I be inconvenienced? Finally the guy offers to send it next-​day air, but immediately starts hemming & hawing — wants to know if my friend lives close by and it can be dropped off instead, why can’t I just wait the 20 min, blah blah blah. I said no, next-​day air is fine. I whip out my cc and driver’s license, making it super easy to get my addy and take my payment. Again he tries to take back the shipping offer.
Just my luck some customers come in and he walks away, ignoring me while he checks their stuff, seats them, and shoots the shit. The best part is, another staff member offered to do it for him so he could finish helping me out, and he said I could wait. At least I know he’s friendly w/​some people. Of course, he comes back and starts the 20 min argument again. At this point I’ve been there for a good 10 – 15 min and I’m done.
The best part — this guy is Fletcher, their manager. My girl now knows she is forbidden to talk to me about this place, and if she eats there, I don’t need to know about it. I refuse to be treated as a disturbance — and at this point I had to make a decision between getting my friend the perfect gift, and giving my money to an establishment that made me feel like shit. Sorry chica, but trust me, there’s a better place out there, and I’ll find it.

Has spring sprung? Not quite outdoors, and not quite within this Wicker Park restaurant either.
I had high expectations for Spring, but it all played out much better in my head. Checked out the prix fixe for Chicago Chef week, and the 3 courses served were underwhelming. I think they made some moula off the $ 30 price tag.
The tuna roll appetizer was mediocre at best and seemed like it had been thrown together days before. My ricotta pasta entrée was skimpy and underportioned. Four pieces of pasta? As an entrée? REALLY?! It was a dish that could have been easily replicated at home, minus that green, fennely-​like foam that came alongside it. Dessert was the biggest portion of the three. No complaints on that point, but the pound cake was just average.
Nice décor and contemporary green plates. My cocktail packed a good punch, as it should have for $ 12.50. Easy parking on North Ave.

It was pretty good. We ended up going with the Chef Week tasting menu and it was pretty A-​OK. I started off with a lemongrass coconut soup which was pretty darn tasty, followed with the skate-​wing which was good, but risotto type cake was pretty dull and gummy. I ended with the pound cake dessert which was fine, nothing extraordinary. My husband went with the tuna and hamachi roll which he thought was ok, but I didn’t really like it all. He chose the barramundi for his entrée and it was good!
This happened to be our first Spring experience, not sure it wowed us enough to bring us back. Service was fine, a little shy and quiet, but nice enough. The Tea Rose cocktail was pretty eh… I’m in love with elderflower liqueur but could barely taste it… so that was a bit of a disappointment.

What a swanky date place! Very thrilled that its emphasis is on seafood and Asian-​fusion cuisine. We thought the service was great too. The hostess offers to take your coat at the door, and our server was extremely friendly and polite and checked on us at the right times. He wasn’t difficult to flag down either. He even asked all his patrons if they wanted him to hail a cab for them at the end of their meals.
The dining room is sunken in, so naturally, it has tall ceilings, and it can get noisy. You are also seated pretty close to the party next to you, so although it’s dim and you dine by candlelight, it’s not a totally intimate dining experience.
For our appetizer, we had the pork belly buns (3 for $ 13). This was probably our favorite. No complaints at all. The meat was crispy on the outside and tender and flavorful (sweet & tangy) on the inside. For our entrees, we ordered the scallops ($ 32), which is a unique spin on surf & turf (4 Maine scallops on top of braised oxtail). It was definitely the better of the two entrees we tried, but it wasn’t perfect. The scallops were seared just right, but the oxtail sauce was a little too sweet and heavy. The Pacific sea bass ($ 31) was also seared to a medium crust which was great, but the egg pasta it sat on top of didn’t taste good. I wasn’t a fan of the tapenade. For dessert, we ordered the trio of «sweet bites» which weren’t all that satisfying either. I would suggest passing on desserts.
Be sure to make reservations no less than a week in advance if you want a normal time for a weekend dinner. I called on a Tuesday, and their only available seating was that Saturday night at 9:30pm for our party of 2. Also, parking is difficult in this area on the weekends, but they offer valet service.

Great food, mediocre/​horrible service.
The Food: 5 stars for the food. A couple people had been telling me how great Spring is. They were right about the food. Based on the food itself, I would say this is one of the top 5 American cuisine restaurants I have been to in Chicago. My favorite dish was the scallops with braised oxtail. It is an odd sounding combo, but it works so well that it is one of the best surf and turf dishes I have ever had.
The Service: 2 stars for the service. For this class and price range of restaurant, I expect impeccable service. The waiter that took the order was great for that portion of the meal. He helped me figure out my order and recommended dishes that were great. However, his service and other servers service were horrible throughout the rest of the meal. I was left without silverware for 2 – 3 dishes and had to take silverware from the unused table next to me on the multiple occasions. Servers weren’t even around enough for me to flag them down to deliver me silverware! I could understand this if it were a very busy night of service, however, I went during the middle of the week and the restaurant was only half full. Mediocre service at a lower price point, I can deal with. Crappy service at Spring means I will not return.

This was a great meal. But for $ 320 after tax and tip for two, I wish that things were a bit more polished.
First of all, an e-​mail and voicemail to the place went unanswered, with a call the day before confirming my reservation. I was wary about this place just from that.
Service was just OK. Our server spoke softly and with an accent, and I didn’t catch 25% of what he said to us, but just nodded instead of making an issue of it.
But, the food was really great. The 5 course tasting was more like a 7 course tasting with a couple amuse’s and little extras thrown in, and I added the cheese tasting (that the server had nooo idead about but the reservationist mentioned to me).
The standouts: the ravioli with an egg yolk in it and oxtail. The pierogi with my tenderloin of beef. the hamachi, served raw in a sweet potatoe broth. The let downs: the chocolate cake. The rest was pretty OK.

This place is sexy.
And, sort of… underground, understated sexy, as much as a restaurant could be in close proximity to the busiest intersection (arguably) on the North side. (Milwaukee/​North/​Damen). Funnily enough though… wander just west of Damen up North Avenue… and find ample parking (meters), and a few «diamonds.» Spring diamonds. All sparkly clean, and it ain’t because it’s housed in a former Russian Bath House. Frankly, I’m glad those walls don’t talk.
In actuality, the whole place whispers in hushed, sweet tones. Fantastic cocktails (The Kingston is quite possibly one of the best ones I’ve had in a very long while) set one back $ 12.50 (higher than Violet Hour, touché), but are worth every cent. Tall glasses of perfectly chilled prosecco are also a viable (and lovable) option.
THE KINGSTON COCKTAIL
Barbera d’Asti, Rum, Lime, Cinnamon Bitters
aka: Winter in a rocks glass, no rocks… just foam and fantasy, frothed.
My colleague pal and I enjoyed cocktails and appetizers at the bar, which is constructed in such a way that makes socializing a breeze, and not bumping into other patrons a cinch. Yes, sections of 2 at the bar, designed for privacy, but still a good «casual» feel. GREAT for a date (especially early on), most definitely… as forced eye contact has never been a peach of mine. Sexy and smart, even better.
The service (our bartender/​server) was impeccable.
And the food? Well, of course… I’m sure by this point you could all feel a gush fest coming on right quick. And, you are right. The food is inventive, palatable, curious, yet… accessible. It’s great, for lack of better adjective adoration.
Lemongrass & Coconut Soup
prawn dumplings/​Thai chili/​shaved shiitake/​kaffir lime
Tuna tartar roll with miso/​soy/​crème fraîche dipping sauce
Foie Gras Gyoza
charred tataki of prime New York strip/​smoked apple
Crispy Pork Belly
Chinese steamed buns/​pickled cucumber/​Thai basil & cilantro
The fresh-​changing menu… whirls up daily, so check back for wonderful things. I shall… or at least drop in for another of the cocktails, or pre-​preparing myself for Wicker Park nightlife. Calm before the storm.
I find no fault. Truly.

Spring has been on my list of places to try for a while now. So when Groupon came out with a deal, I booked my table asap.
First of all, I’m a sucker for a place that serves classic cocktails, especially when the bartenders seem to appreciate them as much as I do. I settled on a delicious old fashioned and it didn’t disappoint.
I decided to start with the foie gras gyoza. A wonderful combination of flavors, including my favorite foie gras. For the main course, I chose the Alaskan Halibut with buttermilk dumplings, sweet corn and Vidalia onion reduction. Holy cow, that was some amazing fish. Perfectly light and scrumptious. Mmmm… I loved it!
Not only was the food great, the service was impeccable. Our server never missed a beat, was always friendly and good about making recommendations. This place is definitely being added to my list of favorites in Chicago.

I came here with a few friends. We left unimpressed and still hungry. We are slim students, and even snacked before-​hand!
The food here is tasty, but definitely not worth the high prices, tiny portions, and mediocre service (i.e. the unfriendly waiter, blonde guy with the beard). There are many other places that do most of the dishes here just as well and for less (ex: seared ahi tuna: portions were so small here. There are plenty! of fine places that will serve you a well-​sized ahi tuna that will leave you SATISFIED). I had the duck with kimchi-​hash. To be honest, I’ve had very similar dishes at super-​cheap Korean/​Chinese restaurants. The interior reminded me of an Ikea catalogue.
I’m glad I checked the place out, but will likely not return.
Btw, the host Fletcher is cordial and cool.

When someone utters the words ‘Asian Fusion’ to me, I usually cringe. Just because something is a dumpling or has 5 spice on it does NOT necessarily mean that it’s semi-​Asian. So when Nadina D. made reservations here for Chicago Chef’s Week, I was kinda expecting it to be disappointing.
But, oh no — I was competely and honestly wrong!
Best meal ever. Not to mention the impeccable service from EVERYONE. Even though we ordered off the Chef’s Week menu ($ 32 for three courses!), no one shunned us! We felt seriously special.
The soup was a lemongrass/​coconut milk soup with shrimp dumplings — with just enough spiciness. So good. The main course was tuna on top of some delicious gnocchi. LIke, I’m drooling thinking of it. And, for dessert, we were served a coffee panna cotta and beignets. Delicious. Plus, we just had to try the shortrib dumplings. Sooo yummy.
I love how the layout of Spring… cozy booths, even for larger parties. And, it’s so elegantly decorated with flowers and paintings and light fixtures. *sigh* I love this place.

Oh, Spring is in the air! Err… it’s still freakin cold outside, but I“d be happy to have this Spring in my air anytime.
My friends and I came here last night for Chicago Chef Week:
For $ 32 they offered 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, and 1 dessert… an awesome deal for eating at Spring! The menu changes daily and it sounded really good, but we soon were enticed by the real menu. So much for that deal!
My party of 4 sipped on our Murphy’s Law wine (loved it!) while we waited for the following appetizers:
The eel sushi roll
scallop & potato raviolis
some sort of won ton appetizer
Um, FABULOUS! Eel sushi roll was still my favorite though…
I returned to my old favorite entrees and split them with a friend
The Cod
The Scallops
Even better than I remember… if possible!
And for dessert the butterscotch miso pudding, which was different than anything I’ve ever had… and delicious!
The service was perfect and the manager, Fletcher, made us feel right at home… even with a glass of complimentary wine at the bar while we waited for our table. Thanks Fletcher!
At $ 55/​person ended up being a bit more of a splurge than we had originally planned, but so worth it. I like Spring in my air…

Spring stands just on the cusp of five stars. I don’t believe in giving the «best of the best» rating after one visit; but if I ever return and have another near-​perfect experience like I did three days ago, they definitely will get the bump.
Service was high quality: not stellar, but exactly what you would expect at this price level. Atmosphere was cool – not really cozy but not quite slick or «hip» either. I think that they were going for something like «urban zen.» I liked the décor and the lighting. Two detractions: 1. It was COLD in there; and 2. The dining room was nearly empty at 7 pm on a Sunday. We appreciated the quiet, but would have liked a bit more vivacity in the room.
The food is clearly the star of the show at Spring. Culinarily speaking, this was one of the best meals of my life. First, an amuse bouche of roasted brussels sprout with pistachio chutney and a creamy sunchoke purée: a delicious little morsel which built anticipation for the gustatory wonders to come.
I ordered both the lobster wonton and the hot and sour mushroom soup for starters. The wonton came first and elicited several moans and sighs of intense pleasure (read into that whatever you like). After I had devoured the wonton itself, I actually used some of the table bread to sop up the heavenly basil broth with which it had been served.
Next came the hot and sour mushroom soup with pork belly and tiny slices of quail’s eggs. Amazing, and ALMOST as good as the wonton. We’re talking about the difference between an A and an A+ here. Again, I used the bread to empty the bowl. Uncouth, I know, but I couldn’t allow a micron of this stuff go into the dishwasher.
My main was the black cod with crab, shallots, and a sesame/​black-​bean glaze, served with scallion pancakes. It was just as good as the rest of the food, and a more generous portion of fish than I expected. I also tried my girlfriend’s prawn dish, and although I don’t recall the accoutrements, the prawn itself was so perfectly cooked (it’s easy to miscook shrimp) and wonderfully flavored, that I had second thoughts about my own dish.
We had tentative plans to dessert elsewhere, and after three perfect courses, I didn’t want to press my luck. Next time, I’ll get one of their desserts or fancy cocktails. I did order an oolong tea to draw out the dénouement of the meal. I felt that the tea-​to-​water ratio was too little, but that’s a minor quibble after a meal of such sterling quality. They brought us each a little cup of minty hot chocolate which finished off the meal perfectly.
I STRENUOUSLY recommend Spring to anyone looking for a classy, modern, but unpretentious experience. The food is outstanding – don’t wait for a special occasion.

Spring has been on my list «to try» for a long time and finally, last night I had the chance to experience it.
Located in what used to be an old bathhouse (you can still see the original subway tile on the walls), it is a beautiful space with a bar in the first room and then the dining area in the second. Soft wood tones give this place a feeling of tranquility from the moment you walk in the door.
We were seated promptly and began to look over the menu. I knew that this place did «fusion» food– you know, that interesting pairing of things that sound like they shouldn’t go together and yet when you taste them you wonder why you didn’t think of it. There were so many choices that it was hard to choose, but since neither of us had been here before– we wanted to taste a range of the menu so we ordered things to share.
First up– an «amuse bouche» from the chef which I still don’t know what it was but it was some type of fish topped with a creamy sauce. I knew we were off to a good start.
We began with the oysters that were topped with caviar and mignonette sauce. Very good. But the real winner was the ahi tuna tartar which was so good I wanted to order another one as my entrée. But I didn’t.
Now on to the entrees. I ordered the scallops with braised oxtail and wild mushrooms (sounds odd but it was amazing) and my friend had the duck which was equally as good. We split a side of wild mushrooms to go with the entrees which were prepared with herbs and shallots.
Finally, we squeezed out a smidge of room to split dessert which was a trio of ice cream– flavors that I had never tasted yet heard of, but it was a perfect way to end our dinner.
The wine list is solid with many choices and ranges of pricing. We went with a mid range Pinot Noir which they decanted for us and didn’t over power our food choices. The service was attentive without being overbearing. Dinner for two with drinks, dessert and wine came to about $ 100 per person which is average for this caliber of meal.
So the next time you find yourself in this neighborhood looking for a great dinner– look to Spring. It’s interesting combination of tastes is sure to please everyone in your group. And the attention to detail makes for a perfect evening. Just like the one I had last night!