Think

I never heard of Think until my good friend suggested it, but then again, she has more of a pulse on the city than I do. Continuing on over using the saying of «I’ve driven by this place bunches of times…» but it really never even came up on my radar screen as it is so unassuming, but a real gem of a place.
Our night out was casual and catching up, so a place such as Think was a great way to do it. It was earlier in the week, so when we arrived there were only a few tables occupied. This BYOB establishment (there is a small corkage fee) has a nice look a feel to it… cozy you could say, but don’t let the size fool you… there is a ton more seating in the back.
Our eyes, we found out later, were much bigger than our stomaches *grin*. As customary in our dinners, we split several dishes so we both could enjoy what Think had to offer. There mussels appetizer was excellent and the sauce had a bite to it which I adore! The sauce was so good and the dish was huge I took home the left over sauce to be made in a future pasta dish it was that good!
Our next item was called the «Chefs Appetizer.» This consisted of stuffed red peppers filled with crab meat and goat cheese… my friend was in love with this dish as was I.
The next course was a light tasting dish of pasta shells cooked with lobster, shrimp and tomatoes and tossed with ricotta cheese, fresh basil and olive oil. An excellent course in and of itself.
Finally our entrees arrived. We both love meat and this time we both ordered excellent meat dishes. She had Lamb Chops and I had Veal. Both were tender, tasty, and prepared perfectly. At this point we already had leftover bags and they were getting more full by the moment.
The final dishe for the evening were dessert, which considering all the food we ate were a bit surprised we would be able to eat any of it… somehow we found our second wind because we ordered one item… a lovely pound cake with several mousses that was delivered as a birthday cake… it had just happened the day prior for her… AND the lovely and nice owner also gave us a profiterole as she indicated how good they were, which she was right… it was to die for!!!
The menu is very complete and Sunday through Thursday they have a 3 course dinner from the Chef’s menu for $ 30. Considering entrees range in the mid to upper twenties, that is a good bargin.
An excellent little establishment I «think» you should try in the near future.

Think is one of those unassuming places you may drive right by if you are not looking for it. It’s green awnings with the signature «T» on them are hard to discern amidst all the other signs along this stretch of Western. But look for it, and stop in as the food here is top notch and will make for a great evening out.
We went based on a friend’s recommendation, arriving around 8 on a weeknight to find that we were one of only three tables filled in the place. Fine with me as the place was quiet, and almost romantic with the candlelight flickering on the tables and soft music playing.
Think is BYOB ($ 5.00 corkage fee) so we enjoyed a glass of our favorite wine while perusing the menu.
We decided on the mussel appetizer (mussels in a spicy tomato sauce) and the chef’s special of the day which were peppers stuffed with crab meat and goat cheese. OMG! Those peppers were out of this world and the mussels were some of the best I have had. The mussel sauce was so good that my friend had it wrapped up to serve over pasta the next day!
Our second course was the pasta special of the day– shell pasta with lobster, shrimp and tomatoes served with ricotta cheese, fresh basil and olive oil. So delicious and fresh tasting.
Our eyes were surely bigger than our stomachs as, just then, our entrees arrived. I had the lamb chops– perfectly prepared served over mashed potatoes and with while asparagus, and my friend went with the veal chop. The good news is that I have leftovers as I could really only taste a bite of it given all the other food we had had.
And finally, just when we were getting ready to ask for the check– the owner of the restaurant came over with a birthday dessert (complete with candle) which was the house specialty Zuccutto. Two kinds of mousse on a pound cake served on a plate drizzled with chocolate and honey.
Service was spot on– although the timing was leisurely. If I had a wish it would have been to have less pauses between courses but that’s a personal thing. Parking is free and easy on this stretch of Western. This place is not cheap– but you can order a three course limited selection prix fixe meal for $ 30 or order off the menu where the entrees are in the $ 28 range alone. The choice is yours.
So the next time you are looking for that special place to celebrate that special event– or to just have a lovely evening out– give Think a try. I am certainly going to thank the friend who recommended it to me.

Food was awesome and it’s a BYOB! Double bonus! The place is really small and it can be hard to get a reservation, but it’s definitely worth checking out, just don’t forget to bring along the wine!

Think still holds the title of being my favorite restaurant in the city. Deleece is up there, but Think has all you want in a fine dining experience. Delectable entrees, a cozy feel, and great service. To top it all off, it’s BYOB. Of course there is a corkage fee because restaurants that serve booze mark up wine 50% or even more. I have been to Think countless times since first moving here in October 2003 and I have walked away full and happy every single time. Restaurants all have their ups and downs. When Think has unknowingly employed a sub-​par server or sous chef, they aren’t around long. Ryvkah, the hostess and Chef Omar’s wife, is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I have seen her get frazzled, but never mad in all of my times here.
I will not lie. 99% of the times I have been here, I have gotten the Peto a la Carciofi. It is always perfect.

I came to Think with a couple of buddies who recommended that I check it out, since I was visiting from Seattle and was looking for some good food that night.
While they do not have a wine list, we were prepared since one of my friends knew that this place was BYOW, so there definitely was no complaint or problems with the wine selection that night.
One other thing I like to judge restaurants on is how much creativity there is in just the makeup of the special. The special the night I dined exceeded my expectations that I had. It was a game meat trio — ostrich, venison, and bison in a red wine reduction along with green beans and mashed potatoes (see my posted picture for this). The only problem was that I was either not eating fast enough or it was very cold in the building because some of the meat was very cold by the time I had gotten to it.
All in all though, a very cool place to check out one night when you are looking for an adventurous plate.

My boyfriend and I tried Think earlier this week and we both loved it! I recently moved here from Virginia Beach, and I truly think their halibut was the first seafood dish I’ve had in Chicago that would even compare.
It was pretty fancy for a BYOB place. They do charge a corkage fee of $ 5 though. So be prepared.
The only reason it doesn’t get five stars is the service. Although small, the place was PACKED on Thursday night, and there was only one server. She got the job done, and we never felt forgotten or rushed… but she wasn’t very warm or welcoming. I wouldn’t be either if I had that many tables. I think another server on the floor would have made things run a bit more smoothly.

Sadly I have to corroborate what other reviewers have said. This is not a BAD restaurant but for the price and pretension it must fix a few things.
1. The restaurant is COLD. I spoke with staff and he told me that the restaurant is a converted apartment. The heating has not been updated to deal with the needs of a restaurant in a Chicago winter. They get visited in the winter with a double whammy — a cold kitchen, which makes keeping food hot difficult, and spills cold air into the dining room. Two, big windows in the front dining room with proximate tables, the windows are transparent to the cold and make keeping the front dining room warm very difficult.
2. Service was good when we arrived Friday at 6:30 pm when the restaurant was almost empty. By the time it filled at 8 pm the waiter visited our table at exponentially widening gaps. We were at the restaurant for about 2.5 hours, a very long dinner by our standards. It is obvious they need more waitstaff. Not more guys to fill your water, actual waiters.
Hope Think gets the message.
Street parking on a Friday at 6:30 pm was easy and close.

I know one star sounds harsh. Bare with me, there’s an explanation.
I’d been here once before with a very large group of people (24) so the first time was hard to judge. The main reason we chose it was the BYOB factor and had heard good things about the food.
Cut to: Last night. A friends birthday, 8 of us. We are seated in the center of the front room which isn’t ideal for a group of friends wanting to laugh, drink, and be merry.
All was just fine and dandy. We ordered five appetizers to tide the eight of us over, we were in no rush. Then it came time to order.
Someone in our party was excited about the Lobster Bisque. She went to order and our waiter — who could be described as prissy with very odd facial hair — told her that she had to order from the Entre section and more than $ 10 because they «don’t make any money on booze because they are a BYOB.»
She responded by saying she wasn’t hungry enough for an Entre and asked if she could get a salad and the bisque because that would put her over the prices of the lowest priced Entres. He again refused and snootily told her that it had to be from the Entre section and when she said she wasn’t hungry anymore he said that she HAD to order or she would have to leave (ABSURD service!) to which she begrudgingly ordered the Cappelini.
We also tried splitting plates to which he refused and said he would have to charge us $ 10 for that anyway.
Two things about that:
A) when the waiter left I checked the menu and it said «Minimum order $ 10 per person» — not «Everyone must order an Entre» aside from the fact that we had ordered 5 appetizers and she wanted the bisque which would have put HER over $ 10. Ridiculous.
B) He said they ‘Make no money on booze’ but they DO — they charge a $ 7 corkage fee.
Food came in about 35 minutes — we were in no rush. Everything was tasty there weren’t many complaints there. Mussel app was good. Veggie penne was good.
Then the bill came — We had 8 people and a number of us had cash but there were three cards that we wanted to put a portion of the bill on. Our waiter then said the maximum # of cards that he could possibly do was 2 and they wouldn’t accept three. We were appalled considering what had happened earlier.
Overall the food is just fine. I would never say amazing. The service was so shockingly terrible and really just plain rude that even if you killed me and tried to drag me back in there I’m pretty sure I would awake from the dead, eat whomever was dragging me back in there zombie-​style (which would probably be a more satisfying meal than the one i had last night), and run out of there to cause more zombie damage.
I wish I had a suggestion for you but I think the only suggestion that I can come up with is either A) if you do go hope to get a different and more accommodating waiter or B) just don’t go — you’ll probably have a better time elsewhere.
So, yeah. One star.
PS. The bus boys were very, very polite yet the waiter didn’t check on us once after we ordered/​got our food.

3.5. What a great place. An intimate, clean, minimalist-​style restaurant on Western with a 4 dollar corkage fee — brilliant! The atmosphere is small and romantic — a great spot for a date or dinner with close friends.
We came to Think early on a Sunday night, bearing wine, which the server promptly opened. I ordered the spinach salad, which was one of the best spinach salads I’ve had. Everyone else at the table really enjoyed their soup/​salads — I was impressed with this part of the menu as everything sounded interesting, but not overly simple.
I couldn’t decide on anything for my main course, so I asked the waiter if I could have just a pasta with a sauce, and some goat cheese on top (as simple as it is, a dish like this is my absolute favorite!). He said this was fine since the restaurant wasn’t busy… and I am hoping that they’ll let me do this in the future, because I really enjoyed my creation. All of the other entrees were fantastic. I sampled some of the prosciutto tortellini and it was delicious. Unfortunately, I overdosed on the generous amount of goat cheese put on my pasta and was too full to even think about dessert. Everyone else shared some banana dessert, which looked very artistic and delicious, but I had to shield my eyes the whole time because I thought I was going to get sick. Either way, everyone else seemed to enjoy it. Next time — less goat cheese, more dessert.
I am putting Think on the top of my list of places to go again — I have a feeling that with their delicious salads, entrees, and cheap corkage free, Think could become a good stand-​by.

Just got back from a three hour dinner with the fam and I’m so full I can barely keep my arms up to type this. I feel like someone should just roll me in flour and look for the wet spot.
No real complaints, other than the funny profiteroles, and the fact that some of the dishes seemed slightly underseasoned for Italian cuisine. The scallops were ginormous and lovely, my mom’s vegetarian penne dish very flavorful, sister’s tuna extremely good, and dad, as usual, devoured his steak with the reckless abandon of someone who just discovered that food exists.
The best part about this place is the service though. My sister’s fiancé has been coming to Think’s since they opened years ago and even had a b-​day party there three years ago. So since it was his b-​day again last week we figured a family outing was in order. The female half of the ownership was so nice and accommodating. She helped my dad work around his low carb diet, and engaged us in extensive conversation.
Definitely the kind of place you feel good supporting.

Bummer. Came here for a first date. I was looking for a BYOB near my hood. Zagat gave me a decent review, though I was growing leary of Mr. and Mrs. Zagat’s number system. I like BYOB because then I can bring a bottle of red, a bottle of white, start quoting Billy Joel and tell her it all depends on her appetite. In reality, it usually ends up being an excuse to split two bottles of wine with dinner, regardless of whether we go with meat or fish. Not even a box of Franzia is going to make this dung heap taste good.
This place reminds me of hotel room service heaviness. Pop the tin top on the plate to reveal a heap of over-​buttered disgust. Just because some chef on Food Network made you think you could cook because you noticed him doucing everything in butter doesn’t make it true.
I’m trying to remember the appetizer. I think it had asparagus and wet crab, with a butter roulade, butter reduction and a side of I can’t believe it’s not butter.
My entrée was also crab themed. (Don’t know why I kept ordering crab dishes, it in no way should be an indicator of my date’s sexual hygeine) Wow, this dish came with purple mashed potato’s. However, if I’d planned on being able to get my fork through them I should’ve loaded up on HGH before the date. All I tasted was luke warm, thick butter. So thickening and sickening was it in our stomach’s that we couldn’t even finish both bottles of wine. In fact, we tried to go to a bar afterward (Matchbox) but my thin skinned stomach forced me to take her home early.
THINK AGAIN

A casual Monday night at Think proved to be exactly what I needed to get the ball rolling on my week. Per usual, I happened upon Think right here on Unilocal (yip!), had I not heard such fabulous things from all of you I’m not sure I would have ever stopped in to this sweet little spot. From the outside it looks pretty lackluster, small and unassuming their green awning is the only thing that distinguishes it from rows of small storefronts and tire shops down this stretch of Western.
Once inside, the restaurant itself is actually quite lovely, fragrant fresh flowers, candlelight, wood tables with white tablecloth’s… they certainly have upped the charm factor in such a small space, but it’s still casual enough to not feel the pressures of dressy clothes or hushed conversation. Perfect.
Their menu is certainly impressive for a locale so far removed from ‘downtown’ life. They boast dishes of foie gras, venison, fresh catch, truffle infusions, complex pastas, tasty salads (like the Think salad with maytag blue cheese, brown sugar walnuts and pear –yum!) and more. I guarantee they have something here to tickle even your most hard to reach foodie bone.
We sampled many different dishes last night… prosciutto-​wrapped white asparagus, butter-​garlic angel hair with HUGE shrimp, venison with cherries and foie gras… everything was cooked well and tasty, but each dish lacked a distinctive, bold flavor. I found myself salting things often, searching desperately for the traces of truffle (dishes usually SCREAM truffle!!!) and dumping a ton of parmesan on my pasta. Hmmm… maybe my taste buds were a bit off, but I felt almost everything need some flavor hormone therapy and my two dining partners agreed. Pump it up!
Of course I can’t gush enough on how choice the BYOB factor is here… with a pricier and more indulgent menu, the ability to bring a bottle of your fav vino from home to save a few dollars while still dining classy knocks this review right up one star! I don’t even have to ‘think’ about it, I know I’ll be back…

We recently went to Think for our 4^th anniversary. When we first got married we lived close to Think but never got a chance to go… I can honestly say I’m glad we finally made our way there. We had a 7:30 reservation, and were a little early, but seated right away.
We decided to try the crab cake appetizer-​which believe it or not is trying something new for us (we didn’t think we liked seafood at all until recently) and we loved it! We then moved on to our entrees (I got the peto ala carciofi and the hubby got the chicken saltimbocca. Both were really good, but neither blew me away. Finally, we actually decided on dessert and got a carmalized banana with fresh berries and vanilla bean gelato. They brought it out with some chocolate sauce spelling out «Happy Anniversary» it was very cute.
Our waiter was great, attentive, but not too much so. It seemed a little pretentious and stuffy but more laughably so than irriatingly so (if that makes sense).
Overall I enjoyed myself… but nothing was really specacular. It was really good –all of it, but it was pricey for «really good» vs. «amazing». For a BYO set-​up, app, 2 entrees, and dessert it was $ 100 (with tip).
P. S. One thing I *hated* was that every plate had an excessive garnish of chopped parsley (in every corner!) and most entrees came out with a rosemary sprig stuck in them… and yes, I know I’m being picky.

Absolutely hands-​down my favourite restaurant in the world.
1. Run by the owners — wife plays hostess and husband is the chef. Rivka is a sweetheart, and Owen is a master artist of the kitchen.
2. Food (Italian) is made with the freshest ingredients; believe me, you can taste it.
3. Priced just right for the portion; you’ll be taking food home
4. BYOB — $ 5 corking fee applies
5. ZAGAT rated
6. Ambience is everything. From the contemporary furniture to the modern European-​esque dishware and soft lighting.
7. Parking in the neighborhood is easy, or have it valet parked for dinner.
8. Reservations accepted; definitely reserve in the evenings; although, I’ve never had to wait to be seated, but the one time I did call to reserve, the time slot was taken.

Remember the Seinfeld episode where Jerry tries to get a rental car, and he says «So you know how to take a reservation, but you don’t know how to HOLD a reservation?» Well, that’s what happened to me tonight. We made reservations at Think, yes, for a Saturday, and our evening was kind of a big deal for a nice dinner. It could have turned into a really bad night.
Anyway, after waiting 35 minutes in a small, confined space without any explanation for our wait, watching about eight people get seated before us, after they came in after us, wow, I was disappointed.
Working as a hostess in the past, I understand how it is unpredictable to know when a table is going to leave, but seriously, it would be nice to get a «I’m so sorry for your wait» or something like that. Nothing, We were totally ignored. It sucked. And I have been wanting to go here since they opened. I hate experiences like this.
Anyway, we left and went to a place across the street, and there will be a review to follow. We were seated right away, the customer service was excellent, the food was great, and I left happy.
I guess this isn’t a true review, because we didn’t get to sample the food, but maybe sometime in the future, they can squeeze me in.

My girlfriend and I dined at Think last Friday and was surprisingly disappointed by the quality of service, quality of food, and ambiance contrary to the glowing reviews that other Unilocalers have posted. Of the whole meal I would have to say the Crab Cakes and the Think Salad were the jewel of the whole dinner. In regards to entrees she got the Zuppa de Mare and I choose the Pistachio Encrusted Natural Pork Tenderloin. The Zuppa de Mare tasted and resembled Fazoli’s spaghetti with seafood drenched in marinara sauce while my Pork Tenderloin came to me cold and coconut does not work with pork… at all nor should anybody else give it a try.
The service was also not up to par compared to the price of the entrees. We ordered an appetizer, salad, and entrée and the couple behind us were done with their dinner a half hour before us and they go there 45 minutes or so after us. I also felt that they could have done a better job of setting up the dining room instead of packing in as many tables as possible so that when getting to your seat you would practically be hovering over other restaurant patrons. Overall, I do not think that I would ever go to this establishment again. They need to bring up the quality of food, service, and atmosphere to meet the price of their food…

I have to thank my friend Meg for recommending this place to me as a great place to dine out for any type of special occasion!
The restaurant was similar to Fiorentino’s on Ashland in the sense that it’s a small front on the corner of a main road close to much larger houses and buildings. Had I not been paying attention the cab driver would have passed it on the way there.
The front room had about 10 tables or so, and I didn’t even realize there was a small back room until I was on my way out. The staff was nothing but friendly and were very polite in mannerisms. The lights were dim and the music was soft and, minus the loud table that came in half way through with 10 wine bottles, the overall ambience was very romantic.
All the specials sounded great, so we started off with the fruit and cheese plate, then ended up choosing entrees from the menu. I ordered the formaggi penne, which was a huge portion (I took some home) and a spinach salad. Everything was great and fairly priced.
For dessert, I ordered a banana dish (the name escapes me — it’s not on their menu). Word must have been spilled that it was my birthday because they brought it out on a platter with candle in it, saying «Happy Birthday» in cursive hot chocolate. Fortunately they did not come out with gongs singing «Happy Birthday» to me, which is one of my biggest fears.
It was definitely a great place to celebrate my 25^th birthday (though 2 days early) off the typical Lincoln Park or Gold Coast beaten path :)

You better THINK!
THINK about what you’re gonna eat at THINK, yeah…
Being seated shortly after arriving without a reservation on Friday… Very Kind.
Light, casual décor with a touch of elegance… Lovely.
Knowledgeable, attentive, excellent server… Very Nice.
Portabella mushrooms stuffed with lobster and goat cheese topped with caviar… Holy Crap.
Mushroom. Red Wine. Roasted Duck. Risotto. Oh my God.
Halibut (you know, just for the halibut…) atop sweet potato mash. Oh Yeah.
BYOB…Thank you.
«Let your mind go, let yourself eat free…»

An excellent little café’ in a location where you wouldn’t really expect it. Deceptively large, despite it’s appearance from Western Avenue. Service for our first visit was excellent in every way.
Soups change daily. Tonight it was the lentil, and it was top notch. The specialty of the house is the lamb chops. Presentation is classic. 3 pairs of chops, served on the bone with horseradish mashed potatoes at the center. Fresh rosemary completes the garnish. The chops are carefully selected, expertly seared, and perfectly roasted. If you know someone wanting to try lamb chops for the first time, I recommend the offering at Think.
My wife had chicken saltimbocca. Presentation here is slightly departed from the traditional Italian. This offering comes with melted provolone and Proscuitto Di Parma. Baby redskin potatoes cover everything. The gravy in this case is sage butter sauce. It tasted very traditional and basic, which is good. In my opinion the gravy can make or break a saltimbocca.
Deserts we brought home include a chocolate cream cake and Think’s take on a canolli, which was very good, especially if your favorite part of the canolli is the cream.
I’d definitely go back and would recommend Think to anyone looking to grab a nice dinner. Great atmosphere as well for romantic dinners.

I agree that Think is nice and cozy with warm dim lighting. And you gotta love that it is BYO. When we arrived, we realized that we had forgotten to bring our wine, so we ran across the street to a liquor store (maybe Dan’s or something) and bought a $ 21 bottle of swill. Remember to plan ahead and bring a decent bottle from somewhere else.
The food is very good. I had an arugula salad with some cream cheese-​like ingredient and it was delish. And it cost five dollars! Who knew you can order a really good salad for less than what you would pay for a drink anywhere else.
Then I had cheese ravioli with a tomato cream sauce. The portion was generous and my dish was flavorful and also very reasonably priced. My friend ordered trout– and I didn’t care for that at all, very sweet. But my experience was definitely 3+ stars and we’ll nudge it up to 4 for over-​all value.