Quince

Still Wonderful
It had been a couple years since we last had dinner at Quince and we went recently on the spur of the moment. My husband enjoyed a martini and I started with a glass of prosecco. We then ordered the asparagus with serrano ham which my husband loved. I had the skate with brown butter potatoes and cabbage and my husband had duck breast that was served over forbidden rice. Both offered a variety of delicate flavors. For dessert we had coffee and the pumpkin spice semifreddo and home-​made coconut ice cream. Portions are «right size» which means a little small, but you can get extra bread if you want. Our server suggested wine by the glass to accompany our entrees and the pairings were flawless. We will definitely not wait two years to visit again. Cost of our meal, including tax and tip came to about $ 80 per person.

Really enjoyed the experience. Atmosphere was great along with the service and food. There is also a broad wine selection to accompany your meal. Have to admit their approach to foie gras sounded strange but it was fanatic, a great flavour and texture.

This was a lovely place and the food was exquisite. We went for my husband’s birthday. I will agree with others though that this is a quiet restaurant for certain. Perhaps not for every day but perfect for a special occasion. The food is like fine art but the portions aren’t going to fill up everyone. We would go back for sure.

We were blown away by the excellent service, the calm casually sophisticated surroundings and the inventive and beautifully prepared food.
Finally, a restaurant where you can have a conversation and enjoy wonderful food, The menu does not give away just how clever and attractive the presentations are. The servers know the plates well and described the food entertainingly.
The wine list was full of unusual ideas, if less expensive, but interesting wines were a little hard to come by.
From soup to cheese, nothing disappointed.
We’ll definitely be back.

Upon arrival there was one other table filled — the rest of the restaurant was totally empty. Of course, they seat us at the worst table in the restaurant (yes we had reservations — yes we even called and confirmed our reservation) — a table right in front of the exit to the patio — which in winter has a draft. They re-​seated us with no issues but really? Why try to put us at a crap table when all but one table in the restaurant is empty?
After the other table left, we were the only people in the restaurant for 30 – 40 minutes– when another couple comes in and where do they seat them? At the table right next to us. Really? The whole rest of the restaurant is entirely empty. But right next to the only other filled table in the restaurant — just a lack of common sense.
Foie gras = duck flavored pudding. Ok, the waiter (who did a good job) did tell me that this wasn’t’ «normal foie gras», but rather more like a flan — but he also told me it was delicious — it wasn’t. It literally tasted like duck flavored pudding — missing badly on taste and texture. Dreadful.
The venison was OK — cooked well, but not very flavorful and vegetable sides were nothing special. My companion had the bass — also OK.
In general, at this price point would expect much, much more — certainly common sense in seating customers in an empty restaurant. Overall, sadly disappointed. With all the option on the north shore, can find better for less $$.

Quince has a really nice atmosphere, the food was good, and our waiter and staff were very pleasant. But when all is said and done, it was just an OK place with a really fancy place pricetag. I’d go 3.5 if I could, but I error on the side of 3.

The atmosphere was rather quiet inside for seating but they had outdoor seating as well which was great for the beautiful night. The waiter was extremely friendly and gave us some tips on what to order depending on our mood and likes. They then bring a delicious assortment of bread out to try and we had to go back for seconds. The rosemary one was delicious and the focaccia they make in house which is great. They have a nice small garden out front which they use for the dishes and we had the chance to take a look on our way out.
Ended up getting the duck dish and Halibut dish. Both did not disappoint. The flavor profile was amazing! With so many components to the dish you were not bored. The dish size is rather small, but the price is reasonable for the quality. Didn’t leave hungry and it was a nice treat for us that we don’t have often.
All in all a great experience, great food, great atmosphere, and would definitely go back.

The vibe is kind of weird for younger couples, which makes sense if the target demographic is considered. I didn’t particularly like how quaint and quiet the environment. However, they did have outside seating that overlooks a small and well maintained garden in front that has some of the plants they use to actually cook with.
In talking to the waiter, I found out that there is also a large garden on the roof, which I thought was cool. You can get a sense that they cared a lot about the ingredients they were using.
My partner and I shared the Halibut and Duck dish and they were both delicious. The service was also great. The restaurant definitely deserves a 3-​dollar sign rating, but it is met with great quality.
I would ultimately visit again.

Wow. Just simply wow. If I could give this place 6 stars, I would in a heartbeat! Maybe even 7! There was not a single thing wrong here. this was how a restaurant should be!
When we came in we were a little early for our reservations, and that was absolutely no problem. We got seated in a corner booth which was perfect! Right next to the window. We were the only ones in the restaurant and it was really nice. We were wondering why no one was in the place but we didn’t care to argue because it was nice and romantic. The service was phenomenal. I think every waiter that was working would stop by our table and check how we were doing and if we needed anything. They really made us feel like royalty! But onto the food!
My boyfriend and I started off with the Azul Pensacorada cheese. It was served with some toasted bread, blackberry jam, rhubarb preserves, and honey comb. Bleu cheese and jam was new to me, and it was unbelievable the flavors presented were super nice. For an appetizer we got the Foie Gras. It came out and it was presented two ways very artfully. I forget exactly how, but the first was Foie gras placed upon a blackberry gelatin of sorts with a watermelon jelly sheet. almost like a fruit roll up on steroids. The second style was foie gras atop a bean salad of sorts and that was simply outstanding. Both served with toasted brioche. A definite must if its on the menu! For our entrees, I got the Baramundi, which was the special of the night. The fish was prepared perfectly with one side crisp and the other as tender as can be. It was served on a bed of spaghetti squash, with 2 sauces then a scallop croquette on the side as well as a sautéed sorrel bed with salmon roe. When everything was combined it was truly unspeakable. The craziest part was when you combined any combination of ingredients on the plate together it would transform the flavor into a completely new taste. No matter what you combined it was always outstanding. My boyfriends dish was the same exact way. He ordered the duck, which was seared to a perfect medium rare. On the plate as well was wild rice, english peas, 2 sauces, basil tortellini, and a patty of duck confit. The tortellini was unlike anything we both have tasted before. So small in appearance, but when you bit the tortellini the flavor felt like a bomb going off in your mouth and just blowing away your brain and taste buds. It was outstanding! I ended up trying to barter some of my dish for more of the tortellinis to my boyfriend! For dessert we got the apricot dish. It was a apricot with meringue, blackberries, and a cheesecake mousse. This was another amazing part of our meal. The mousse was outstanding. Overall we agreed we truly never had anything so artfully prepared before and this was the best meal we have had! We will WITHOUT A DOUBT be returning!

The food was awesome. My wife and I enjoyed the subtle blending of flavors in every dish. My wife had the duck, and I had the halibut. We started with greens and a shrimp appetizer. We finished with cheese and a scoop of sorbet. We also had a bottle of CdP blanc and a half bottle of chard with the cheese. Food is awesome.
Ok, here’s the second half of the review. The service was awful. Our waiter took forever to get the wine out to us, it was not to temperature, was put on ice at another table, wasn’t poured on a timely basis. The half bottle came out slowly too. The servers walk around with a basket of bread slices, and give it to one at a time with tongs. Just leave the basket! We had to ask for bread twice. Everything was about 5 – 10 minutes too slow. We would have enjoyed the meal much more if the service was timely. It was not too busy at all. In fact, one of the issues with service might have been that we had a reservation at 8:15 on a Friday night. By the end of the evening, we felt like they wanted us out of there, even though a table of Northwestern faculty was there too. By the time we left, the valet had vanished, and I had to ask for my keys after waiting out front for 10 minutes.
For an upscale place like this, the service was unacceptable. My recommendation is to not go too late, say no later than 6:30 or 7pm. Otherwise, you run the risk of having the staff peter out on you. Shame on Quince, since we won’t be back, even though we spent over $ 200 for a dinner for two.

Had a satisfying dinner tonight at Quince! The atmosphere was great. They had different dining rooms – one fancier than the other. I was in the slightly more casual setting, with a fireplace, a bar, and comfortable, plushy couches. This private room was quieter than the other room – great for catching up with old friends/​meeting new people.
The meal first started off with the usual bread & butter. I had Greens (a salad) for my appetizer. Nothing too bad or too great – it was the usual.
I then moved on to my entrée, where I had halibut with sticky rice and mushroom. This dish was amazing! I loved every single bite of it, especially the mushroom – it was one I never saw/​ate before. It was earthy, chewy – just goodness in every bite!
For dessert I had Milk Chocolate Mousse with huckleberry, hazelnut, and banana. This was alright. This dish used dark chocolate, which is not to my liking as I don’t really enjoy bitter tastes. But the hazelnut which topped the mousse was good!
My friends had the blood orange sorbet, I believe, and they highly recommend it.
I would definitely want to come back here again, and would recommend this place – especially for their entrees!

Wonderful gem in Evanston that we overlooked for far too long. An excellent meal, fantastic service, and great wine list made it a definite for many future visits. The foie gras appetizer and duck entrée are not to be missed!
The only minor note I would give them is around the use of the fireplace in the main room. On a relatively temperate night, it was set on «surface of the sun», and I almost melted. In the end, the food and the service quickly helped me ignore the heat. The next time, I’ll simply ask to be seated far away from the fireplace (which I will admit, is quite attractive) — no problem.

Quince has all the aspects of a «nice» restaurant. Lovely atmosphere, service, picturesque food, etc. The small portions and large price tags don’t do much for me though.
The polenta was about half the size of a cigarette packet. The fish was okay. The salad was excellent.
I won’t be returning. You might.

Wonderful service and excellent cuisine here. The atmosphere in the dining room is old world made modern, and it is located in a hotel that feels like a bed & breakfast. We didn’t do the 5 course tasting menu as one of our party doesn’t enjoy lamb or beef as much as we do, so we did an appetizer, entrée and dessert and coffee each. We left extremely full (despite the elegant smaller portions) as the food was rich and amazing in quality.
Hubby and I loved what we ordered:
–Hearts of Palm Salad (first bites were wonderful — very bright notes, but the latter bites had rather tough hearts of Palm. Still, we’d recommend this.)
–Lobster Appetizer — $ 15 — SO DELICIOUS!!! Highly recommend.
Entrees:
–Lamb — excellent
–Duck — simply awesome. Duck three ways: the breast was seared perfectly with a crispy skin, succulent dark meat, and the fois gras pâté mousse was the finishing touch here. — HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Dessert:
–Brown sugar cheesecake — not huge, but definitely shareable
–Rhubarb — delicious, though not really what I expected.
The service was wonderful, attentive and we enjoyed it all.
The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars? The restaurant doesn’t feel like it belongs in the hotel, (the hotel entrance with the lobby little window reminded me of a pensione/​hostel, which is at complete odds with the lovely restaurant.)
And we were not allowed to order a tasting menu for 2 of the four of us. I do understand why not, but that would have upped the star for me.
Overall, an excellent meal.
Highly recommend, but it is pricey.

Even with a
gift certificate, I didn’t think my dinner here was worthwhile. The veal entrée I had came with some mushrooms that tasted like they were soaked in vinegar, very much in discord with the rest of the dish. Also, the portion was quite small — pity that the server’s verbose explanation of the dish wasn’t edible, because then I wouldn’t have had to make Dinner Part 2 once I got home.
Service was attentive, but I didn’t particularly appreciate that the server spent a lot of time talking about his favorite items on the menu, none of which I was interested in, and I had to wait until he was done before I could ask questions about the things I wanted to eat.
If you’re thinking about eating here, I say save yourself some money and walk a few blocks over to another restaurant in downtown Evanston.

This place blew me away. Easily the best restaurant in Evanston by far.
We came here for my husband’s birthday and opted for the five-​course prix fixe tasting menu with wine pairings, which was extremely reasonable (and totally worth it!) at $ 75 for the tasting and $ 25 for the wine pairings. The wine pairings were spot on, very unique, and also very generous — while they were supposed to be 2.5 oz pairings, I’d guess they were more like 4 oz.
The food itself was stellar. The best course was the lamb followed closely by the escargot, but the monkfish and pierogi were also amazing. The dessert was a solid end to the meal, but did not blow us away. The bread selection was also fantastic — their focaccia was to die for.
As for the service, while we had to wait slightly longer towards the beginning and end of the meal (only a few minutes), the pacing of the meal was excellent with enough time to finish our courses and savor our wine before the next.
While initially a bit nervous about blindly choosing the five-​course experience (the courses are chosen by the chef), this turned out to be fantastic as we might not have ordered those courses on our own which would have been a shame.
We really enjoyed our meal and are almost certain to be back soon, perhaps for my birthday!

I’ve always known about this place (aka always saw it on Unilocal) but it wasn’t until relatively recently that I finally visited.
Interior is dark, romantic and cozy. In fact, maybe a little too dark.
Started my meal with a Prince Island mussel appetizer… I’m usually disappointed by mussels prepared at other restaurants because the sauce they prepare them in is pretty bland… but I really enjoyed Quince’s take on mussel! The sauce was green (not sure what is in it) and it was extremely flavorful and delicious. What made the experience even better was using the complementary bread and soaking up the sauce. YUM.
I ordered the barramundi for my main course. First thing that I noticed was now TINY the portion was… Now I know this is a nicer restaurant and all, but I didn’t pay $ 30 for such a tiny portion. Granted, it was delicious, but if it hadn’t been for the fact that I had pretty much depleted Quince of their complementary bread (had like 5 big pieces of foccacia), I probably would’ve left hungry.
Finished off the meal with a dessert. It was good, but not amazing, so for the sake of my arteries/​thighs I’ll probably pass on dessert next time.
Overall, the mussels were the saving grace. Not sure if I’d return, especially for the price tag.

I love it, I love it!
Quince is very cozy and romantic. The food and service is spectacular making it easily one of my favorite restaurants in the Chicago area and definitely worth a drive to the suburbs.
For starters I had the soup of the evening which was a wild mushroom soup. Heavy on the mushroom flavor which I loved. Also, great with the bread rolls that came out with the appetizers. The pierogies with goat cheese, pine nuts, romanesco and olives. were small but packed with a lot of flavor.
As my main course, I had the barramundi which was DELICIOUS. I was debating between the barramundi or scallops but I’m sure either/​or would have been outstanding.
Speaking of outstanding, the desserts are to die for. I highly recommend the peanut butter semifreddo. It’s just a really good idea. I devoured the entire plate with a little bit of help from my date. The cinnamon bavarian had a nice presentation with the chocolate orbit and was very good as well. But back to the peanut butter semifreddo!
Oh, and the drinks! I really wanted to try the Cider House but they were all out of cider so instead, the waiter recommended the Quince Martini which was VERY good. And this is coming from an anti-​martini girl.
I would love to come back and sample some of their other dishes and desserts!

Chicago Restaurant week has enough choices to make your head spin– so many choices, so little time!
Quince was definitely a great choice! From the serene ambience, impeccable service and delicious food, this gem in Evanston is a testament that there are great places worthy of your visit during Restaurant Week.
For starters, I had the wild greens with poached egg, followed by pierogo filled with goat cheese. The barramundi was spectacular with a garbanzo bean patty and delicate eggplant crisps. But my favorite part was dessert — a special treat made only for this event — sticky rice with exotic fruit and coconut; absolutely spectacular.

I came here with my bf for dinner. Everything was so distinctive and interesting. Right at the beginning, when they passed out the fresh-​from-​the-​over scallion and walnut roll, I knew that I was going to enjoy this meal. We started with the scallop appetizer, which were disappointingly tiny. However, each of the components (tiny green tree-​like vegetables, scallops, and clams) had a different sauce that complemented each other so well.
I got the duck, which was amazing. This was my first time having non-​Asian style duck and foie gras, and I really like it. The duck was tender, the foie gras was sitting on top of a piece of brioche which complemented each other really well, and there was also a chestnut filled eggroll paired with fig compote that essentially blew my mind.
Each bite was a surprise. We got the melon sorbet as a palate cleanser, which tasted strange (not like any melon I’ve ever had?), and my bf’s grouper was only okay but this still didn’t take away from the fact that my duck was probably one of the best meals I’ve ever had.