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Boka

Name: Boka
Address: 1729 North Halsted, Chicago, IL, United States, 60614
Telephone: (312) 337-6070
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.8

Visa Dining Collection

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

1729 North Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 21, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 43 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Great for fine wines
Fancy

Michelin-starred Boka Restaurant has been a cornerstone of Chicago’s dining scene since 2003. In 2014, following a major renovation, Chef Lee Wolen joined as Executive Chef and Partner, quickly gaining critical acclaim. Named “Chef of the Year” by both Phil Vettel of the Chicago Tribune and Eater Chicago in 2014, and again in 2015, Lee has helped elevate Boka to new heights. The restaurant offers contemporary American cuisine that highlights seasonal ingredients sourced from local farms. The sophisticated yet inviting ambiance sets the stage for an exceptional dining experience, with daily-changing tasting menus that showcase timeless and seasonal American flavors.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Lee Wolen

MICHELIN 1 Star2024
MICHELIN 1 Star2022

From the OpenTable editors: Open since 2003, acclaimed chef Lee Wolen’s one MICHELIN-Starred restaurant continues to serve up some of the city’s best contemporary American fare—all in a glam, greenery-decked dining room. The approachable, refined menu celebrates seasonal ingredients with bold preparations and exceptional clarity—black-truffle roasted chicken and porcini ricotta gnudi are two standouts. Bonus points for a charming, tree-lined back patio.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, American, Seafood
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(312) 337-6070
Website
https://www.bokachicago.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Private party facilities
Executive Chef Lee Wolen serves seasonal American cuisine in a warm & elegant fine dining atmosphere. Whatever your next occasion is, whether it be large, small, formal, or informal, BOKA can cater to all of your needs.
Private party contact
Event Sales Manager: (312) 337-6070

Location
1729 North Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2024
2. MICHELIN 1 Star 2022
Neighborhood
Lincoln Park
Cross street
Willow
Parking details
Street parking available.
Public transit
Red Line "El" stop at Clyborn & North Ave
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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Private dining

Popular dishes

Black Truffle Roasted Chicken$43.00
morel mushroom, spring onion, Madeira
Colorado Lamb Loin$55.00
asparagus, ramp, black garlic
Slow Cooked Arctic Char$47.00
turnip, maitake, lemongrass
Slow Roasted Beef Short Rib$51.00
celery root, chewy beets, radicchio
Lion's Mane Mushroom$35.00
cauliflower, smoked date, sprouted lentils
*Whole Roasted Dry Aged Duck$70.00
mandarin, sunchoke, duck heart sausage
- for one$70.00
- for two$145.00

Tasting Menu

We kindly request full table participation when choosing the tasting menu.

Eight Course Tasting Menu$195.00
Standard Wine Pairing$95.00
Reserve Wine Pairing$190.00
Non-Alcoholic Pairing$70.00

Surcharge

As a way to offset rising costs associated with the restaurant (food, beverage, labor, benefits, supplies), we have added a 4% surcharge to all checks. We do this in lieu of increased menu prices. You may request to have this removed from your bill.

What 7,360 people are saying

Boka reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago / Illinois
Contemporary American
Chicago
Contemporary American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Boka delivers a "phenomenally complex menu" with "wonderful flavors and ingredients," offering a Michelin star experience in Chicago. Guests praise its "world-class service" and "modern trendy vibes." Standout dishes include the duck and scallops, and the tasting menu is highly recommended. Ideal for special occasions, it's consistently "elegant, delicious, and accommodating."

7,360 Reviews

C
Carter
Kansas City / Kansas1 review
5.0
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
One of the best meals that my wife and I have ever had. There wasn’t a single dish that disappointed, and the price was well worth it. The service was exceptional. Our waiter was very polite and did a great job of keeping an eye on us throughout the night.
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D
David VIP
Chicago / Illinois11 reviews
3.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
It has been a decade since we dined here. Brief impressions. Four hostesses at the hostess stand. Smarmy waiter. Drinks were diluted. Steak tartare was more vegetable than meat. Artic Char was grossly oversalted so much so that it seemed to salted cod from Portugal.
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R
Roman VIP
Chicago / Illinois7 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I sat at the bar and had drinks and an a la carte meal. The food was delicious and the service from the bartender was exceptional. When I told him that I was trying to limit saturated fat, he went back to talk with the pastry chef who came up with a delicious dessert for me. It showed how much the restaurant cares about every guest!
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R
Ryan
Chicago / Illinois1 review
1.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 1
Dining at Boka was, quite frankly, an exercise in disappointment. The sweetbread was outright unpleasant—its cloying, winey aftertaste lingered like a sour note, and the overall impression was disturbingly close to the sensation of someone spitting in your mouth. Harsh? Perhaps. But so was the dish. The chicken, likely sous vide or low-temperature rendered, was paradoxically tough and unyielding—hard to cut and even harder to enjoy. The same goes for the duck: slow-cooked yet somehow not tender. I’m not sure how that’s even possible. Then came the lion’s mane mushroom, which was aggressively earthy in all the wrong ways. It smelled like wet soil and tasted like it had been foraged directly into the dish, topped with something green and grassy that only exaggerated the discord. When I mentioned the odd flavor to the waiter, he explained it was “because it’s smoked.” Apparently, Boka prides itself on smoking everything. But if smoke is used as a gimmick rather than a flavor enhancer, it fails to impress. The goal of seasoning and technique is to delight—not to remind your diners that the kitchen owns a smoker. This isn’t a performance of culinary ambition—unless owning a smoker and overusing it counts. And to top it off, all the entrées—the chicken, the duck, the mushroom—were served at the same time, causing everything to cool off before I could work through even half of it. Instead of a thoughtful, composed dining experience, the meal felt rushed, unbalanced, and ultimately indifferent to the actual enjoyment of the food.
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A
Aleksandra VIP
Chicago / Illinois1 review
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Thank you Boka for having us on my birthday, such a lovely experience
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D
Donghan
Chicago / Illinois5 reviews
5.0
Dined 5 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
A thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, though the lighting felt a touch too dim at times. Service was attentive. Every dish was thoughtfully composed and deeply satisfying, showcasing a confident mastery of flavor and technique. The grilled heirloom carrots offered a beautiful interplay of layers—sweet, smoky, and tangy notes in perfect harmony. The Hokkaido scallop was an oceanic delight, just like tasting the very foam from the Pacific ocean. And the dry-aged roasted duck was truly the star of the evening—deeply flavorful, with crisp, rendered skin and succulent meat. Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with the supporting garnishes, it elevated the experience to its peak. A memorable evening. Looking forward to returning to try the tasting menu next time.
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G
Gizem VIP
Atlanta1 review
3.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
I’ve been to Boka many times and always enjoyed their food and the ambiance but to my surprise this time all our main courses and the deserts were very very salty. The waiter wasn’t nice either. Didn’t take the feed back nicely and acted like he was annoyed by our presence.
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K
Kathy
Philadelphia County2 reviews
5.0
Dined on June 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The service was exceptional with excellent attention to detail.
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P
Patrick
Chicago / Illinois2 reviews
2.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Really wanted to love the food, but all the courses were extremely salty. And we like salt. We ordered off the menu and selected one starter, three appetizers and three entrée. Every single one had an overly salty flavor. At one point you just decided you couldn’t finish. The service was excellent. Ambiance was nice. Drinks were small and everything seemed a little pricey for what was provided.
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A
Ashley
Nashville3 reviews
4.0
Dined on June 13, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
This was our first Michelin star restaurant experience. The ambiance was great and the food was delicious. There were a couple timing issues - once when we arrived… other people who got there after us were being seated even though all of our tables were ready (5:15 res), and then second we had to wait a long time at one point between courses when doing the tasting menu. Overall though it was a great experience.
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FAQs

Boka is rated 4.8 stars by 7360 OpenTable diners.

Boka does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 21, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 43 times today

1729 North Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN 1 Star 2024
2. MICHELIN 1 Star 2022
Cross street
Willow
Neighborhood
Lincoln Park
Hours of operation
Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Contemporary American, American, Seafood
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street parking available.
Public transit
Red Line "El" stop at Clyborn & North Ave
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.bokachicago.com/
Phone number
(312) 337-6070
Private party facilities
Executive Chef Lee Wolen serves seasonal American cuisine in a warm & elegant fine dining atmosphere. Whatever your next occasion is, whether it be large, small, formal, or informal, BOKA can cater to all of your needs.
Private party contact
Event Sales Manager: (312) 337-6070

Featured in

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Boka

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Why they're an Icon

Additional information

15 restaurants that define Chicago

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago

The Diner Reviews Are In: 100 Best Restaurants in America

Gift card

The Terrace

Full Buyout

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Roasted Chicken

Black Truffle Roasted Chicken

Dark Chocolate

TO BEGIN

*Chicken Liver Mousse$11.00

*Golden Osetra Caviar$31.00

*Beausoleil Oyster$6.00

COLD

*Lightly Cured Kampachi$31.00

*Dry Aged Beef Tartare$29.00

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes$24.00

HOT

Brown Butter Roasted Hokkaido Scallops$31.00

Roasted Veal Sweetbreads$30.00

◊Spring Pea Tortelli$28.00

Ricotta Gnocchetti$24.00

ENTRÉES

Black Truffle Roasted Chicken$43.00

Colorado Lamb Loin$55.00

Slow Cooked Arctic Char$47.00

Slow Roasted Beef Short Rib$51.00

Lion's Mane Mushroom$35.00

*Whole Roasted Dry Aged Duck$70.00

Tasting Menu

Eight Course Tasting Menu$195.00

Standard Wine Pairing$95.00

Reserve Wine Pairing$190.00

Non-Alcoholic Pairing$70.00

Surcharge

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Boka restaurant rated?

Does Boka offer gift cards?

Is Boka currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

15 restaurants that define Chicago

Editor’s choice: 12 favorite restaurants in Chicago

The Diner Reviews Are In: 100 Best Restaurants in America

Gift card