SenzaExcellentExcellent Food, very lovely evening,
Menu changes regularly so will definitely go back next season.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMA gemI was surprised this restaurant was not packed, but I think it is in the wrong neighborhood for such a gourmet meal. Fantastic service and food. Lots of little extra surprises from the chef. Inventive,mfresh and delicious. I was visiting from LA. If this restaurant was in Venice or West Hollywood you would need 2 months to get a reservation.6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved it!Excellent. Celebrating a birthday with someone on a gluten free diet. Everything was delicious. Even the gluten free bread.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMGourmet dinnerI loved the feeling of the restaurant, however wish there was less a feeling of a storefront for the quality and type of food. Perhaps some sheer curtains to allow light but give privacy.
The staff was very cooperative regarding food sensitivities.
The amuse bouche and the Pre dessert were lovely touches. The parsnip soup was amazing. The dessert descriptions did not sound as interesting as they turned out to be. And, wow, they had both soy milkand almond milk available for cappuccino , espresso, macchiato in decaf or regular....and for no extra charge.
We will return, soon I hope.6/5/2013 12:00:00 AMTruly a neighborhood gemI've written reviews for Senza before for dinner, but their Sunday brunch is a great way to experience the restaurant and rediscover some classics redone with a special twist. On top of it all, the waitstaff is priceless .... Helpful, professional, and a key part of this restaurant's success.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious food at Senza!We had the 4 course menu - Scallops, Parsnip Soup, Salmon & the Oatmeal dreamsicle desert, with the wine pairing. Everything was absolutely delicious and beautiful. The space is cool and sleek. The service is perfect. I look forward to eating at Senza often!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMBirthday dinnerWe went here for my wife's birthday dinner. The four course option was very good, while the wine pairing was excellent as well. Everything was gluten free and delicious. We will be back.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMeverything i hoped forwent here for my birthday after trying to get in for a while. plan ahead of you want to dine at normal hours or come early. Food was exceptional, experience from the time you walk in to the time you leave is great. no host stand but you are immediately greeted. Servers are extremely knowledgeable about the product. Love this place and glad to have another place of this caliper int he neighborhood. This is what dining should look like!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat food and great serviceWent to check out Senza the other night. We opted for the prix fixe menu and were so impressed, we're definitely going back for the full tasting menu. Service was very attentive while not being in your face. Overall, a great place to go out for a nice meal.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing meal, amazing restaurant!This was my third time visiting your restaurant, and it just keeps getting better. I wish I could eat every meal of the day at Senza!
I brought my mom and aunt (who were visiting Chicago for the first time) to Senza for our last dinner together before they returned home. They had unfortunate weather throughout their visit, and didn't get to do many of the things they had planned ... they both said that the meal at Senza made up for all the disappointments and ended the trip on a high note. A perfect evening!
Thanks for being part of the neighborhood!5/23/2013 12:00:00 AMA+++ RestaurantIt's everything that Tru is but less expensive and more casual. It's a foodie must!5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMOne of the bestSimply amazing food and all gluten free. The service is top notch as well.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMEven the bread rocksThree of us enjoyed the 4 course prix fixe menu with wine paring for an early dinner, watching city life from the front and back tables which open to outdoor seating. Our favorites were the oysters with a light sparkling wine and delicious parsnip soup. Each course included several different tastes, making me want another bite. The servers were cordial and helpful without hovering.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic MealThe staff at Senza are wonderful, they are very attentive and make you feel extremely welcome. We had the Prix Fixe menue with wine pairing. The food was fantastic and the wines were perfectly matched with each dish.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything worksDon't come here for medical reasons (though, if you do, the bread service and pasta will be pretty exciting). This is a restaurant to go to because you love food. The Schwa pedigree is obvious in every dish, and they even actually have a front of house. So precise. Everything has a reason. Everything works. It more than justifies you having to be in Lakeview.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous RestaurantDegustation menu was amazing. It was very well presented.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSimply excellent foodCreative and flavorful, the prix fixe menu is an extraordinary dinner. The atmosphere is low-key and the service is super competent and friendly. Would definitely try the 9-course menu next time.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMReally enjoyed our experience.Really enjoyed our experience. Really appreciated the seriousness that they have for people with food allergies. Wonderful meal. Will return.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMJust come.Yes. Gluten free everything. Great bread. Great service. Took pictures of everything we ate - and I NEVER do that. Was visiting from L.A. Open one on the west coast!4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMvery expensive prix fix menuvery expensive prix fix menu but absolutely genius and delicous!!! a special occasion type of place. our bill for four people was $500. ouch.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMfabulous!We're foodies from Vancouver, Canada and this place is a true Chicago gem!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMNoticed Senza on my OpenTableNoticed Senza on my OpenTable homepage and decided to give it a try. Great call.
Tried the prie fixe with Oysters, Pork Belly, and Milk Chocolate. Kitchen sent along an extra dish (goat cheese ice cream on a bed of strawberry shortcake crumble) since it was our first visit; very nice touch. All dishes were well executed and paired nicely with the wine (gf ordered Grilled Lettuce, Halibut, and Oatmeal, her pairings and dishes were on point as well). At $50 (+$25 for the wine pairing) a great value for the price.
Will definitely be back to try the full degustation; happy to see that they have joined the list of nicer restaurants that are offering a brunch too.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMSenza is fantastic! HardSenza is fantastic! Hard to believe it's all gluten-free...
The appetizers, entrees, and desserts were all amazing; service is friendly, courteous, and unobtrusive. Senza is highly recommended.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMImpeccable service, but mostImpeccable service, but most importantly, brilliant food! Excited to see what the chef continues to create at this wonderful neighborhood gem. You won't regret getting anything from the menu. The halibut was perfectly cooked, the grilled salad was amazing, and the amuse bouche flavors lingered in our mouths, making us excited for what was coming next.
Wishing Senza tons of success!4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMEntirely gluten free and wonderfullEntirely gluten free and wonderfully creative and tasty!4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMLakeview's Best Restaurant!After greatly enjoying a couple of brunches and a four-course-dinner at Senza, my wife and I recently partook in the full nine course tasting menu; we had such an amazing meal. Senza has such wonderful front-of-the-house staff; extremely friendly and attentive. Chef Sandoval is uber talented and I loved every single course. Sophisticated, upscale, modern cuisine in a relaxed but elegant setting. I enjoyed the wine pairings and pours were quite generous; phenomenal cocktails too! IMHO Senza has ascended to Lakeview's best restaurant and is well worth a trip from other neighborhoods; it is such a fantastic, thoughtful, creative meal. I will definitely be a regular here and am already eagerly anticipating a return visit.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMThis restaurant is fabulous!This restaurant is fabulous! It was my second trip, the first being restaurant week. I did not realize that the entire menu is gluten free - who knew bread could be so amazing! They definitely excel at service and are extremely accomodating. The food is fantastic and the menu changes frequently. They only offer a pre fixe menu, or the full menu option, with the latter being a little overpriced in my opinion. I LOVE the ambiance and decor, but it is a very small place. Regardless, I will definitely be back!4/12/2013 12:00:00 AMThe waitstaff didn't knowThe waitstaff didn't know where the oysters were actually from! The waitress who took our order said they were from the west coast, while the waiter who delivered it to us claimed it was from New England. The waitstaff seemed like they didn't know what they were talking about other times, too. They would often answer "Well, I think ..." without confirming anything about the contents of the dish, and when they came to drop off our wines for our pairings, they sometimes didn't remember the name or location of the vineyards.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAdorable, Modern and SophisticatedI LOVE this restaurant! I was visiting my brother when we came here last month, and as soon as I walked in, I felt like I was back home (San Francisco). Only, no pretentious, fake-hipster attitude, imagine that! The ambiance, decor, food, cocktails (to die for), and service were top notch. The pricing was very reasonable when compared to other tasting menus at other comparable restaurants. I'm coming back next time I'm in Chicago!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMAdorable, Modern and SophisticatedI LOVE this restaurant! I was visiting my brother when we came here last month, and as soon as I walked in, I felt like I was back home (San Francisco). Only, no pretentious, fake-hipster attitude, imagine that! The ambiance, decor, food, cocktails (to die for), and service were top notch. The pricing was very reasonable when compared to other tasting menus at other comparable restaurants. I'm coming back next time I'm in Chicago!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMSenza - Great Glutten-Free!Food, and staff were great. We were first seated by the front door which did not completely close on a cold day, so asked to be moved. Things worked fine from there. Our second time back, and will go again.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMWe enjoyed an exceptionalWe enjoyed an exceptional brunch experience on Easter Sunday. Fantastic food and service. We love this place.3/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA Real Gem on the North SideI love Senza and can't wait to go back. The service was a little low key for me. I prefer more interaction between the servers and the diners, but other then that I can't think of anything I would change. Don't let the gluten-free scare you away because the food it excellent. Four of us had the tasting menu and there wasn't one course that I didn't love and my friends felt the same way.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe decided to try Senza becauseWe decided to try Senza because it is gluten free, just because we thought it would be interesting to try it, not because we are gluten free. What we got was a complete surprise: The ambiance was special because everyone was very friendly and eager to be helpful, the food was beautifully presented and everything was delicious. The service was excellent and that coupled with the presentation and excellent food made for a memorable dinner and a wonderful evening. We will definitely return for another Senze experience.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMSenza is a gem. The serviceSenza is a gem. The service & staff are wonderful. It felt great to be greeted at the door and treated like a guest in someone's home. I found the food delicious. The Burundi was most delicious. I also liked that you didn't have to be dressed to the max to feel comfortable in enjoying a super meal. Not pretentious and I loved that. There are enough snooty people in the food industry. They do not exist at Senza.3/29/2013 12:00:00 AMMy favorite restaurant in Chicago!!I've been to Senza 3 times since it opened and I love that when I walk in Cara, one of the owners, recognizes me like I'm an old friend! I've thoroughly enjoyed all of my experiences here at Senza. The combinations of tastes on these dishes are incredibly impressive and I've eaten all over the country in some of the best restaurants and am lucky to have this right in my neighborhood. Great for a date or a special occasion! It is a prixe fix menu and I've done both the 4 course and the 9 course, you'll be full after the 4 course for sure- stuffed from the 9 but worth every bite! I have Celiac Disease and it's incredibly comforting to know that I can have a stress free dinner!! Highly, highly (highly) recommend trying this neighborhood gem!3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect for Gluten FreeThe ability to just order whatever in a restaurant when you're Gluten Free is amazing. My husband, who is not, was even impressed. We were both concerned that we would leave hungry, but that was not the case - I could barely finish dessert. I wish this place was a bit bigger / more romantic to include in more reasons to go. Right now, it's more of the weeknight, let's go to dinner type of place. Not bad, still. My only criticism is that the menu has no description of the food, while our server was very attentive and knowledgeable, I prefer the ability to know what I am trying to decide on without having to ask. We will be back for another meal here.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSenza is worth every pennyJust wonderful as always! Senza is welcoming and unpretentious while offering first class service and food. Chef Noah really knows what he's doing. This has become our favorite restaurant for a regular night out or special occasions! This place is worth every penny.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThe quality and creativityThe quality and creativity of the menu (and food) is outstanding but the options are limited for vegetarians.3/22/2013 12:00:00 AMSublime food and attentiveSublime food and attentive service. Best new restaurant in a while.3/20/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent food, service andExcellent food, service and ambiance except that as the evening got later it did become a bit too noisy for easy conversation. The added bonus, as a Celiac, is that all foods at Senza are free of gluten! What fun to have the entire menu to work with. Their bread was delicious. All 4 diners really had a wonderful dinner. They were responsive to special requests such as vegetarian and no pork or shellfish, too. We felt like we were eating on one of the gourmet TV food shows!3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experienceThis restaurant was excellent. The waitress was great she was knowledgeable, friendly and approachable. The food from start to finish was delicious. I took my husband for his bday and we had a great time. We did the four course meal my husband did the wine parings and he loved that. They were very accommodating with a few special requests. Was a great experience. Would highly recommend.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAre their ratings for real -- YES!If you're looking for that special place to take your loved one for an anniversary or birthday, look no farther than Senza. What a wonderful and very special place! I want to be able to give them more than just 5 stars! The Food is incredible and quite unique. The Service among the finest anywhere in the city. We dound the servings to be just the right size, especially for a 4 course dinner. And from a "value" standpoint, you can't bet Senza. If you can, try their wine pairing with your dinner -- it elevates things to an even higher level!
It was our first time, but won't be our last!
BTY, there's a great parking lot just a couple short blocks north of the restaurant.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect place to take my bestPerfect place to take my best friend for a special birthday dinner. We had an amazing experience at Senza.3/9/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic BrunchEnjoyed brunch so much here a couple of weeks ago I returned again today. If you want an upscale brunch emphasizing lunch rather than breakfast then this is the perfect place. They now offer an a la carte option in addition to the $24 three course prix fixe (multiple choices for each course). The food is very creative and tastes fantastic. I love the modern, elegant, sophisticated yet comfortable vibe and the staff here is so friendly and attentive. Great food, beverages, ambiance and people - whether you require a gluten free diet of not, Senza is the total package.2/24/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect Brunch!I loved my dinner so much at Senza I returned today for brunch. Brunch at Senza is a three course prix fixe for $24 per/person with a few choices per course. This is a hearty, lunch focused meal rather than breakfast oriented fare. Each of the courses were beautifully plated and tasted outstanding; the smoked potato soup with mussels and bacon was my favorite course, though my dessert was nearly as tasty (lychee sorbet with tapioca). Service was once again extremely personable and attentive; such a wonderful staff and ambiance at Senza. Senza has such a excellent combination of having a friendly neighborhood vibe yet modern, extraordinarily high end cuisine. Excellent coffee and bloody Mary made for an overall perfect brunch experience.2/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat gem in the neighborhoodDefinitely go for the food and experience the creativity in the dishes. We had the 9 course tasting which filled us up nicely. The parsnip soup and pork belly were absolutely amazing. The tasting menu options are very well priced. Service was very attentive and the atmosphere is warm. My sole disappointment was the wine selection as it was very small and focused on obscure producers that are just okay (wine for us is a huge part of the experience). However, the price point of the wines will put a smile on your face if wine is not a primary concern. Overall, will go back again.2/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExtremely Impressed!I had such an amazing meal at Senza; I had been reluctant to dine here despite the consistently outstanding reviews, mistakenly believing Senza to be a great restaurant for those requiring gluten free cuisine (Senza is 100% gluten free). Boy was I wrong; Senza is a phenomenal venue period - had they not advertised as being gluten free I would never had noticed. This is truly Michelin star quality food, beautiful presentations and a warm, cozy pleasant space (they recently remodeled and added nice dark wood tables replacing the picnic style benches). While service is not as refined as at a Michelin starred venue, it makes up for this in friendliness and attentiveness. Senza is one of Chicago's best values in casual fine dining.2/7/2013 12:00:00 AMHow lucky we were to be ableHow lucky we were to be able to reserve a table at a last minute! My expectation was very high after reading all the review comments, and sure enough, Senza was even beyond my expectation. The restaurant is small and cozy though set up the ambiance of bistro-ish casual environment. My boyfriend was comfortable to be there in his jeans. Food was excellent. Loved the apple lobster soup. Beef was cooked to the perfection. Considering what you paid at Charlie Trotter's and TRU, etc. the price is extremely reasonable for what you get. We will go back there again. Definitely!1/11/2013 12:00:00 AMDelish Art on a Plate...Food was incredible; food was exquisitely plated and wine paired well. Love the ambiance of the restaurant. Can't wait to pick up some coffee and breakfast in the morning hours!10/9/2012 12:00:00 AM