Arbor

Tough location, and they're doing a great job with the theme of plants/trees and trellises. Nice looking bar for sure. Good quality ingredients come through. Some of the best trout ever and a nice take on steak tartare. Good pours of excellent wines. Helpful, friendly service. You'll probably want to try a dessert or two.

Always a unique and fun experience. Creative food and great service

I have been here three times and have always been favorably impressed by the food, wine pairings, service and quiet atmosphere.

Portions were so small. They didn't even ask what items on the menu we preferred. Not a great value. Years ago this spot was awesome. Has definitely gone down hill.

Food was good. Place was very strange. Server was lousy. Chef came out and was friendly and interesting. Too bad he’s not in a better spot with a better staff.

good, but a little weird. not your typical restaurant experience. had a great time though. i liked it.

We were excited about going to Arbor – our fellow foodie friends seemed to rave about. The food was lovely! Complex and delicious. The wine pairings were nice as well.

However, we will not be coming back nor be recommending it to anyone else. The host was kind, but our server was awful. He assumed we knew nothing about food because we opted to share one wine pairing. Throughout the rest of the night, he was condescending, short, and awkward. I was shocked at how much he was able to through off the atmosphere of the evening all on his own.

Wonderful food and amazing wine pairings. Very reasonable prices and definitely a deal on the wine pairings! They were able to accommodate a vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian!!

If you are looking for a high-quality dining experience without the arrogance, popularity, or price tag of Alinea/Next...this is the place! It is odd when you walk in since it is in an office building, but once you enter the curtain of the restaurant it is quiet and cozy. You must be open to trying most foods since it is a tasting menu (we did 5 courses), and there is no menu - the server describes each course as he brings them. The food was outstanding - even something as simple as a greens salad with breadcrumbs, tomatoes, and herbs was quite delicious due to the quality of ingredients. Our server was very knowledgable about the food and wine pairings and even mentioned that he picked the herbs from the garden that morning. I had no idea this place even existed until a coworker suggested it, love the cozy date night vibes and excellent cuisine - already dying to go back!

The dinner was spectacular. Our server was so personable and made the dinner fun. The chef is very charming and has a great story behind the restaurant. We will come back and wish them great success!

The food was amazing and the portion size is perfect for a tasting menu. Our service was a little slow- it seemed like maybe the restaurant was a bit understaffed. Our drink order took a bit to come out, but then again we did order a variety of cocktails the bartender had to whip up. Otherwise, our server was very warm and inviting. It was a nice, leisurely meal and every course was delicious.

The food was absolutely incredible! Really enjoyed this place. We did the 3 course meal and what was cool is that they brought my husband and I different dishes for the first 2 courses so we really tasted 4 dishes, as we shared . Everything was spectacular. Then the dessert came and topped it off nicely!
I would probably order a bottle of wine instead of doing the paring since we shared dishes ( but not wine!).
Spectacular!

Alyosha was fantastic! Food was outstanding and wine pairings were really interesting and complemented the meal.

Love it! Music was a little loud for that echoing space but otherwise everything was great.

The food and wine pairings were amazing. We will definitely be back soon!!

My husband and I absolutely adored the unique dining experience of Arbor. The food was amazing and the atmosphere was quaint, quiet, and romantic. Perfect for a date or anniversary celebration.

This is a unique place that provides a unique dining experience. My family thoroughly enjoyed it. Every course was inventive and delicious. Wait staff were very courteous and friendly. The space is funky, but comfortable once you get in there. High price point. $400 for 4 people only one of whom ordered drinks.

Exceptional in every way. Chef gave tour of garden which was particularly special.

Amazing food and place, would love to go there again

Everything was really wonderful. Would have liked the lighting to be a bit lower but no complaints. Service, food, and experience were truly unique and extraordinary.

Amazing food and wine pairings. Perfect for my birthday celebration!

Food was horrible. Both, my wife and I thought it was terrible.

The chef serves the meals. It was such a great, intimate dining experience and the food was fabulous.

One of Chicago’s under-appreciated culinary gems. Elevated, creative comfort food that never fails to delight or satisfy. Highly recommended!

It was more theater than substance.
Service was very patchy and strange. Felt like it was forced and contrived and I never felt like I could just enjoy my wine and meal.
There was no dish that I just wanted to devour.
And I don’t accept plain burrata and some toast as a dessert!
Wanted to like it but just didn’t.
Honestly, I don’t get the reviews.
Feel bad writing this because I do feel like there is a sense of genuine effort.

Deeply romantic and beautiful. Don’t be put off by the fact that it’s in an office building. We did not do the wine pairings to make it cheaper and still had a tremendous experience.

This was one of the best dining experiences my husband and I have had in Chicago in the 20 years we've been here. Before we even got there we were contacted to ask about dietary restrictions and made to feel very attended to. We got the 5 course option with wine pairings. Our waitress Jacqueline (I believe) was attentive and explained the menu and the wine beautifully, but did not "hover."

And the food was outstanding, fresh and creative and sophisticated, several very memorable courses. At the end they give you a printed copy of the menu and pairings which is the kind of detail that makes a restaurant really special.

We will definitely be back and have already recommended Arbor to several people.

Do note that you will get the menu at the end of your meal and that wine and beverage selections can be reccomended by staff, but there is no menu available if you have not selected the wine pairing option. We weren't aware of that until arrival which got off to a bumpy start.

It was a unique experience, we may or may not return given the opportunity.

We did the 7 course option and it took 3.5hrs which was mainly due to huge waits in between courses. They also don’t give you new wine glasses for each new pairing so you end up reusing glasses and mixing wines. Food was above average but nothing that would make me want to go back for another meal. Service was just extremely slow and non-responsive. They need about twice as many servers as they currently have to properly wait/bus the tables. Little over priced for what it is.

Wonderful experience. From the food to the wine to the service to the ambiance, this restaurant was top notch! I would highly recommend for foodies, date nights and special occasions. Add the wine pairing, you won’t regret it. Can’t wait to go back and experience the fresh ingredients at Arbor.

Arbor's marketing was intriguing it was clear that all staff - from owner to chef & servers - shared a passion for their craft and desired to share it with us. The wine choices were a particular stand-out...they fit the mood and were selected from vintners who ignore rules in favor of making damn good wines. I return from living overseas once a year and seek to create a special culinary memory each trip. Arbor exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend you allow them to challenge yours.

the food was really good, we had the 5 course meal with the wine pairing.

gourmet food made very approachable or without pretense

I like what they are promoting with their wine program (sustainably/organically produced reasonably priced wines)

If you are a foodie, i think you will agree that this Chef can cook.

it is a unique room as it is an interior room in an Office Building and it doubles as a coffee shop/cafe by day and fine dining by night

there is no sign on the street......you won't be sure you are there until you walk inside the green core building lobby/entrance

AMAZING EXPERIENCE! Perfect destination, as we had close friends in town! :)

Each dish in the omakase is a treasure. You hear the explanation of the interesting ingredients, see a visually artful dish, and taste wonderful flavors. The attention to detail in each dish, the relaxing environment and the way they constantly change the menu items at least monthly makes you plan out your next visit. They incorporate into the dishes traditional and unique or exotic herbs that they grow from their beautiful onsite garden. Really feel fortunate when dining here.

What an incredible dining experience!
The food was absolutely delicious. We did the 3 course meal. It was just the right amount of food for the 2 of us. We shared everything. The cocktails we so good. Loved everything about this restaurant. Only thing I would say is that I would like a little more lighting on the table so we can see our food better. Kevin our waiter was awesome. Then we met and chatted it up with Chad who made us a special cocktail that was perfect to end the night. My wife and I will definitely be back.

Great experience all the way around. One of my favorite places in the city!

This is how a dining experience should be! Our waiter, Brennan, was wonderful and even took us out back to see the garden, per our request. The food and wine pairings were fabulous. We did not feel rushed and were able to fully enjoy our meal and time with friends. We will definitely go back!

Very nice restaurant - Interesting location as it is on the 2nd floor of an industrial building, but we have been to restaurants like that such as Kendall College Dining Room, so it wasn't shocking. Nice atmosphere and it seemed when we were there on a Friday evening, it was not so crowded and noise level was approaching quiet, which we enjoyed. We selected 5-course which turned out to be a perfect choice. Food variety and quantity couldn't be better. Love the English pea, Ahi Tuna, Risotto and dessert cake with strawberries. Flavors were mixed but all mild. Although we didn't choose to have wine pairings, it looks they have awesome selections. Great choice for foodies and wine-lovers.

Chad and Jaqueline were welcoming, engaging, and personable. The space had a nice ambiance and the food was superbly executed! Can’t wait to go back to celebrate another special occasion or even just a quick healthy bite for breakfast/brunch!

Fairly disappointed. It has been a while, but the service was inconsistent and at times dismissive. The ambiance is weird. However, the food was pretty fab. We love their approach to wine!