We were there for the Mother's Day Prix Fixe Brunch and it turned out to be a delicious dinner, full of complex tastes and unusual combinations of fresh locally sourced ingredients. The setting was cozy, enhanced by the unique location. At over $100 per person, it was on the expensive side but we certainly have no regrets.

Food: The food was hit and miss. There were some wonderful and creative flavor combinations that worked really well....and a few that didn’t. The “pita” for the lamb gyro meat was as tough as shoe leather, as was the gyro meat. However, the lamb chop was cooked perfectly. The initial starter of yogurt and the carrot cake cupcake was my favorite part of the meal. It was so good! As was the Hen egg and French toast. The coconut and mango dessert with brûlée banana and cheesecake were not my favorite. The cheese cake was plain....but that actually made it the best part of the dessert. I tasted my child’s ice cream sandwich dessert and was so jealous because it was delicious! The reviews from the rest of the table were the same...very hit and miss.

Ambiance: Awful. I don’t know how they could take a beautiful building and make it feel cheap...but they managed it. It had a lot to do with their open kitchen feel. I’ve seen the open kitchen done very well at places like Mi Madre’s, and other restaurants, but what they lacked was the guy yelling the orders loud and constant the whole time. I know restaurants have to communicate to the kitchen and runners, but I’ve never HEARD it so obnoxiously. The worst was about 30 minutes into our meal when he yelled to someone about taking a smoke break. It did NOT give the ambiance I wanted to eat in.

Service: I’ve had better. They were very understaffed for the occasion. A restaurant of this caliber should have a professionally trained staff. I did not get that feeling at all.

Overall, I can not recommend this restaurant. There are way too many other great restaurants in Chicago to waste money on North Pond.

Wonderful, personalized service. Hosts and waitstaff were very attentive and took great care with food allergies. Chef prepared a special dish for allergic guest.

We had the tasting menu for 95$ and it was awesome. Food was really good, service was perfect. It is worth the money!

First of all, the ambiance of this place is top-notch, with a classy Arts and Crafts style; very homey but elegant. The first thing you notice is a small, quality-laden bar with a good, nicely-chosen wine list. Specialty cocktails are seasonal, and good. The food is seasonally-focused, and service attentive. We did the tasting menu, and it was offered with the option of wine-pairings. The wines chosen were good, though I can’t suggest they continue to try to pair Zinfandel with middle-eastern (no acidity, but their choice was close in flavors). Good quail and veal chops, though the veal was slightly raw in the middle. Chocolate mousse with passion fruit was a nice ending, with a spot-on wine pairing. Overall, worth a second visit. Especially the rum-rhubarb clove cocktail. Cheers!

Food and service were excellent as was the atmosphere and views. We had 2 people with food sensitivities and the staff did an excellent job working with the kitchen to provide everybody with a delicious and full experience. Highly recommend

The staff couldn’t have been nicer. We weren’t very happy with the corner table where they had originally seated us and asked to be moved. They very graciously complied.

Great view and professional service. The desert is delicious but the steak still have room for improvement.

Anniversary

Had a lovely dinner here. Did the tasting menu, which was excellent. Beautiful setting and great service.

My review is simple, yet a bit difficult to convey. The decor, the ambience, the warmth and the location were stunning! The food - beyond compare. Even the selection of music and the care taken to personalize the menu for the special occasion was extremely lovely. The bus-man was attentive and efficient, (I tipped him separately just to communicate to him his worth!) I appreciated the waiter's knowledge and recommendations. I wanted to paint a picture of a truly pleasant and wonderful experience to comment on the one aspect of the restaurant that I found, unfortunately, palpable - almost to the level of distraction. The staff - from the waitstaff to the support staff, were highly efficient and focused on their duties, but they were all, so intense; almost to the point of rigid. I commented to my sister that I can't imagine why in such a beautiful workplace presenting a memorable experience that the staff - as a collective group - were so devoid of joy. I don't know if this was part of the ambience or to underscore the level of professionalism- which is abundantly apparent. But no one looked as though they were enjoying their work or their patrons. I commented to one of the staff that served our food that I thought he had a beautiful speaking voice. He was totally taken off-guard; thanked me and smiled. I do believe that that was the only natural emotion we had observed all evening. I understand given the nature of the restaurant, (and the high-priced bill for the dinner), that "North Pond" should not have a circus-like atmosphere, but a bit of joy would only help the patrons enjoy their experience. No one is walking into "North Pond" for a burger or a quick-bite; they are looking for a lovely experience - which it was - but the lack of simple joy or levity was observed throughout the meal. Having worked in restaurants my additional suggestions to the management would include: Be aware of the volume of voices from the kitchen and watch the three "greeters",

Wonderful tasting menu & wine pairings. Our server was knowledgeable & attentive without being intrusive. Highly recommend this great restaurant.

We had one of the friendliest and most informative waiters I’ve ever had at any restaurant! He was so attentive and took a lot of time explaining all of the food options and ingredients in our meals. It is a beautiful restaurant and is perfect for a small group, quiet enough to still be able to carry on a conversation and hear each other, but could also be quite romantic or fun when it’s warm enough to sit outside! Great view! Highly recommend to everyone!

Graduation celebration！Good food！

Had Sunday brunch there. Awesome service and awesome food! They made the special birthday menu for my friend! Will definitely come back for dinner.

Went in with high hopes, but food was pretty bland/average. Not worth the price.

Possibly the best dining experience I’ve ever been in Chicago

Celebrated my parents 40th wedding anniversary at North Pond. The meal was fantastic and they went above and beyond to give us a memorable night.

Wow, I was so impressed with the flavor, presentation and highly trained staff. Will return soon!

Easter lunch. Food was excellent but dessert had a marshmallow type thing on top that was spongy and completely devoid of flavor. I THINK it was supposed to be coconut but could not tell. All the rest was good as usual. It remains my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

The tasting menu was "off the charts" outstanding, and the wine pairings were brilliant!

The food was ridiculously good. Perhaps the best place I have ever eaten at. It was a bit loud and busy to start with (7:45 seating) and our table was right in the path of where the servers walk. But after the 1st course of the tasting menu and a glass of champagne, I stopped noticing that as the restaurant seemed to be clearing out a bit. The servers were fantastic and very helpful. It had all the right touches, and in my mind, the food was of higher quality than most of the 3* Michelin’s I have eaten at. This is a wonderful restaurant and we will certainly be back.

We were there for brunch. Brunch menu had 3 courses each had 3 options. Food quality was very decent. We were celebrating my daughter's birthday. The menu had her name on it. It was very nice. Service overall was a little slow. One thing that was surprising was that they did not have a slice of bread. Portions are smaller than usual American portions for sure but it was not a bad thing at all.

I will go there again for dinner for sure.

Saturday night date with my spouse

Beautiful setting, great service and fabulous food!

Excellent service and food was very delicious ... very beautiful arts and crafts style ...

Good food, great view, excellent service

Enjoyed brunch and the opportunity to taste innovative creations that I will never replicate at home. Go early for brunch and you have fewer fellow diners, very intimate. Wait staff were attentive and gave great suggestions about menu and combinations

It was a fabulous dinner--so many different flavors and all expertly prepared and beautifully plated.

We missed dining here on an earlier visit to Chicago! Delighted we could dine this time! Loved the decor, the creative and artistic food! It was a splendid dining experience!!! Thanks!!

Celebrating my daughters birthday, evening so beautiful. Food, service, atmosphere, all glorious

Wonderfully flavorful food!

Had the three course brunch for my birthday. Everything was artfully done and delicious except for some fishy, suspect shrimp that upset my stomach.

Awesome presentation of food, ingredients are great & food is cooked just right. However there’s a bit too much complexity in the food served and some flavours don’t seem to go well. With the great ingredients perhaps keep it simple.

We came for the prix fix brunch and loved it. We each chose something different for each course so we could maximize our experience. Every dish was amazing. Will be back for more.

Amazing seasonal tasting and wine menu. So happy to be able to treat our out of town guests to a special Chicago dinner. Will be coming back soon!

Everything was perfect. I cant think of a single thing that could've been improved upon. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, and it truly was an unforgettable experience.

The food is creatively matched with an unusual combination of flavors. Extremely well prepared. Always a special treat. The only negative is we were seated near the kitchen which was extremely noisy with a lot of shouting of orders.

I wanted to love this place; I’ve seen it for years and thought it was beautiful. The food was okay, definitely not worth the price! I’ve been to Comparably priced restaurants in Chicago that beyond exceeded my expectations. Our waitress was beyond rude; she was there strictly to take an order and that was it. I wouldn’t come back despite the very romantic location.

Amazing and creative food: smart servers and lovely setting!