Oceanique
We went to Oceanique for our anniversary and it was a very nice meal. Our server was a bit clumsy and allowed quite a bit of wine to drop each pour...also disappointed that for a $200 meal we weren’t offered a free glass of champagne or something special for the occasion.
We had a wonderful night, with interesting and delicious food, beautiful presentations, and a very nice atmosphere. French seafood at a very high level. We will go back for the special occasion
The food was great! Atmosphere was also very nice and welcoming. We were seated within 15-20 mins of our reservation but they let us know our table was being set up right away and invited us to the bar. The Manhattan was amazing and I didn’t even realize we waited those 15 minutes! Each meal was equally amazing.
Valentines Day
Chef Mark Grosz is a genius with fish. Who would think of a port finish on skate? Mark did! And Charley provided a perfect Pinot Noir pairing. This is also a comfortable place to dine. Tables nicely spaced with comfortable seating and good lighting. We could go on and on, but really just go ... and taste for yourself.
This was our first visit to Oceanique and it was memorable in all respects! The service—- starting with the Valet—— and throughout the evening was very elegant and comfortable/friendly. We could talk comfortably—- you can easily forget that other people are dining nearby! The menu choices as well as the fixed items were delicious and very beautifully presented. The evening is not inexpensive, but for a special evening out, we recommend Oceanique.
As usual, the food was outstanding.....I don't even like the stuff (generally) that I had, but I always seem to love it there! I'm not cheap, but it seemed like we always break our record for most expensive meal every time we go there... Well over $400 this time (for two of us) and that's with a relatively inexpensive bottle of wine. I wish we could go there more often but it's just too expensive...maybe once a year on our anniversary.
i don't like "deconstructed" style of cooking and plating.
One of the best meals I have had in a long time. Probably Top 10 meals ever. Mix of ingredients and flavors were perfect. Presentation and help choosing wine just added to the excellent food. Strongly suggest you go.
What a wonderful surprise! We went for restaurant week and found the food quality to be outstanding, the ingredients super fresh, the presentation beautiful with many fish choices. We will definitely return, however, will need to keep this a special meal, as this was not an inexpensive meal. Not disappointed though, well worth it!
We love this restaurant although the price is high (which shouldn't be a secret to those who live in Evanston or on Northshore). It is a shame that with such good and innovative food, perfectly aligned wine selections, this restaurant couldn't be considered a Michelin (we were told by the chef that they only select ones located in the city of Chicago now). If you really feel their a-la-carte menu is too expensive, dining during the Chicago Restaurant week would be a perfect choice with the $48 restaurant week menu.
We were duly impressed with the menu and food quality at Oceanique. We weren’t aware that it was Restaurant Week, and had other menu plans, but the RW menu was super in terms of both quality and price. Service was, overall, very good, though some of the more refined aspects were uneven (topping up wine, e.g.). The staff were nevertheless polite, helpful and kind. The regular menu is impressive, and we savored every delicious bite of our dinner. The atmosphere is understated. Highly recommended.
Best value restaurant week in Chicago I believe. they also provide tasting from monday to friday $45 three courses.
The food was delicious and service excellent! It is very expensive though.
Excellent food and wine accompanied by wonderful service . Customer service is great and their knowledge of wine compliments their excellent wine list. Chef Mark visit to your table is always a treat
The food is very delicious and creative. We like the calamari and shrimp salad, and the fish main entry!
We went for restaurant week. Even though we have lived in the area for decades we have never been to here but restaurant week gave us a good reason to try it. We were not disappointed. Many choices and everything we tried was delicious. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable. We will certainly go back.
we love Oceanique, and last night met our expectations. I had my favorite dish, the lobster salad, as an appetizer; my spouse had the turf and surf. the wine was delicious, the atmosphere calm and pleasant. I love the chef/owner's commitment to the great traditions of French cuisine -- and of course the amuse-bouches!
Live in the neighborhood and frequently sit at the bar and have eaten dinner regularly. Love the menu and the restaurant week menu is especially great. Service is usually great but when we requested the restaurant week menu on a very snowy and freezing cold Tuesday in January our server gave us a little attitude. He took the regular menus and brought the restaurant week menus instead of just bringing both for 4 women. We ordered a full price bottle of wine and then ordered the restaurant week menu and then ordered a full price bottle of champagne. I've rarely been annoyed by the service here but this was not great. We tipped accordingly but I wasn't pleased with the service which is an anomaly.
Food was excellent and staff was really accommodating when we had an issue. Everyone really aimed to please. Delicious options; quiet atmosphere even though it was packed; 1/2 glass options enabling us to try different wines. Great for a special occasion.
We went (four altogether) for the Restaurant Week menu. The shrimp and calamari salad was exceptional, perfectly done. Our main, the trout was cooked to perfection. Paired with a white burgundy the entire meal was heaven. Highly recommend this restaurant.
Unpretentious service made the most more enjoyable. The food was high quality. The portions are filling. Excellent cocktails.
We really enjoyed our dinner at Oceanique. The food was outstanding and our server Kathryn couldn't have been more helpful.
Always a pleasure to dine at Oceanique. We often use Groupon deal for 5 course tasting menu. Several options, chef's surprises, reasonable size portions, limited bu adequate by the glass wine selection. Service is always great, attentive, not pushy. Strong point is that the dining room is conversation friendly, so rare these days. Overall, a great experience.
Wonderful flavors. Excellent presentation. Very extensive wine list but limited selection of wines by the glass and moderately priced bottles.
If you are looking for a memorable dining experience from the moment you walk in the door the Oceanique is THE place. First, the food is spectacular. My wife and I shared a lobster salad, a scallop appetizer, seafood bouillabaisse, and swordfish. We each had a dessert because it was her birthday and the chef insisted on two desserts!
From the perfectly delivered plates to the quality of every ingredient the meal was over the top. In addition to what we ordered, the table was adorned with confetti spelling "happy birthday" , little birthday cakes, and candles that brought a big smile to my wife. The chef also brought us two different tasting appetizers which were both delicious and a pleasant surprise.
The service was friendly, professional, and timed perfectly.
We will definitely be back and hope to bring others with us to experience a fabulous restaurant.
Oceanique is an exceptional dining experience. We enjoyed the seven course degustation menu with premier wine pair. Ever course and every pairing was remarkable. The service was attentive and knowledgeable, but not intrusive. Oceanique has my highest recommendation.
The food and service are always outstanding. We used a Groupon which made it more reasonable, but even with that, it was very expensive.
Food is good - especially the fish, but the value is not and the service is quite poor. Unsurprisingly, the place is usually empty and they offer Groupon deals to fill up.
Our first time and we ordered oysters with our pink champagne. Then, two delicious appetizers. No mains. The food is very, very creative, beautifully presented, fresh high quality ingredients and served by knowledgeable wait staff.
Recently my go to place (Boltwood) closed and I was sad for the whole community( I judge a town by its restaurants), but having discovered OCEANIQUE, I am happy again.
Only wish it was open for lunch ☹️
Gordon Sinclair
The plates were so stunning, we forgot to take fotos.
Best NYears experience ever. Sublime. Will book for 2019 NY eve
One of a kind on Chicago's North Shore. The food is always outstanding, unique in presentation, freshness, taste. The wine list is extensive. It is our go to place for special occasions.
The waiter was very accommodating to my wife’s food allergy needs and gave me a free desert. The only minor negatives were that they did not acknowledge my wife’s birthday and they forgot our sorbet palette cleanse. It was a overall very nice dining experience.
Our party of four had a wonderful dinner Saturday night! Oceanique is consistently wonderful; it is fine dining and the best fish in town! We loved our dinner tonight. Service and food were first class. You'll love it!
Our appetizers were delicious: Hudson Valley Foie Gras, Maine Lobster Prime Filet of Beef (perfectly cooked); and Wild Maine Lobster (they did not skimp on the Lobster and it was out of the shell) . Again, these entrees were all outstanding. Each of the four of us ordered the same desserts, Valrhona chocolate-caramel pot de creme which was a perfect end to the dinner.
We brought our own bottles of wine, Sancerrne from Loire Valley France and Chianti Classico from Tuscany Italy, which paired reasonably well with the dinner. All in all a deserving five star restaurant in Evanston!
My husband loves the town of Evanston so I wanted to find a nice restaurant in the area where we could celebrate his birthday. We were originally going to go to Chef's Table which we've visited before but I really wanted to find somewhere we (and especially he) hadn't been before. Coming across Oceanique was perfect. Browsing the menu online, the dishes looked interesting and inventive which is right up my husband's alley. When we arrived, we loved the upscale yet cozy feel to the restaurant. It was great mix of contemporary decor but with classic touches. The staff from start to finish was friendly, personable and knowledgable. Every dish was delicious. My husband had the 7-course chef's menu and I had the bouillabasse. All the seafood was prepared perfectly from texture to taste. What was especially surprising were the little side elements to many of the dishes. We will definitely be back and I'm hoping to bring the rest of my family there as well.
Absolutely amazing. The food was creative and delicious. A wonderful meal.
Conveniently located, suggest using valet parking, excellent wine suggestion pairing, great service
Food was outstanding and hadn’t been to Oceanique in a while. Started going there 30 years ago. Met Chef Mark Who was there 30 years ago. Bouillabaisse was outstanding as was lobster salad. Friendly, accommodating staff. 👍👍
Visited on a Travelzoo offer - 5 course meal for 4 people. The food was fantastic. Best cosmo ever. Kids had hot tea made with loose tea leaves in individual pots. Every course was better than the one before. On the pricey side, but worth it.
Oceanique has the best Trout in the city. It's because they serve trout that has the good fortune to swim in the fjords. An evening at Oceanique feels like an "out of town," very special evening.