I had looked up "best restaurants" in Chicago before a conference I would be attending that would coincide with my birthday. I selected Boka because 1) the review was strong, 2) the menu looked delicious and different from anything I could get at home, and 3) I was able to make a reservation for dinner on my birthday through Open Table. We loved every aspect of the meal, the handcrafted cocktails, the ambiance, and the service and agreed that it was our favorite dinner of the trip (I had also eaten at two of the other "best" restaurants during the same conference trip, and Boka was the best). Based on our experience, we found one cold, one hot, and two entrees to provide plenty of food, and the octopus is not to be missed. We ended up getting dessert because it was my birthday and left feeling very full.

Of you are looking for a perfect dinning experience then you have found it at BOCA

Loved the food and the waitstaff here, we had Brie as a waitress who was awesome.

Made reservation with a note of "it's our anniversary," not expecting anything, but the way the staff went above and beyond with small "Happy Anniversary" touches was A+.

One of the best dining experiences I've had. Everything was phenomenal. We started with the Spanish Octopus, which they carefully brought out on 2 plates nicely divided. I had the short ribs, which were very tender and juicy. We also had the porcelat. Amazing!!! We loved everything. The pallova dessert and hazelnut were delicious. Service was top notch. Will return!!! Can't wait.

The service at Boka is second to none. Our waitress Brie was amazing! She guided us to a fantastic meal. We asked her to pair wines with our food and everything was spectacular. The food was the best I have had at Boka since the brilliant GT left. Chef Lee is really taking it to the next level. Simply one of the finest meals in Chicago.

I do not recommend dining early as the lighting is not good for seeing your food... also they sat us near the bar and it felt like we were in a pub. The food was prepared well but nothing special. Overly heavy and rich lacking balance of acidity and brightness.

Five stars! My wife took me here for my birthday. The food was outstanding, service was impeccable, highly would recommend this restaurant.

Generally ok but the Steppenwolf crowd is REALLY NOISY in the front window seating. Fois Gras was a let down ... but food is quite good.

5 stars across the board. Deserves a second Michelin Star!

Excellent Food and Service at Boka. The Food has a lot of Varietees and is very creative. Great choice of wine from all over the world. The Duck for 2 is excellent!

Enjoyed this pre- show dinner. Very good service and food quality.
We decided to only have appetizers and it was plenty of food for the two of us. Desert was also excellent.

Unbelievable. Get the chef's taste menu.

Birthyday celebrate in style, best service in the city!

I went for the tasting menu with their reserve wine pairing. My expectations were high, given the high marks for a Chicago restaurant and I have been to a fair number of places of the same caliber.
The flavors were rarified and exciting and perfectly complemented by the wines paired with each course. Each course was a symphony of flavors that all shine through, but combine to a whole that’s both complex and subtle.
Case in point: rock shrimp in a green garlic sauce flavored with lemongrass and combined with blanched ginger and fresh dill. The deep ocean flavor and sweetness of the shrimp were there, but only as one note in this complex harmony of flavors, where ever so faintly a note of dill shines through.
Really amazing! It left a grin on my face as I left.

Food and service were excellent. It still remains a mystery to me why this has been my first trip to Boka. First, it is open on Mondays. Second, Michelin star. Third, James Beard nominations. Fourth, Decor. Fifth, all of this with a focused a la carte menu. I travel to Chicago quarterly, and try and pick the hot spots. I will return to Boka without hesitation and recommend to anyone visiting.

The lamb loin was perfectly cooked, but it was the flavor of the smoked celery root puree and black garlic jus that elevated the dish to the next level. The lamb neck, serve on the side, was okay. I was most excited about the lamb neck, so a bit disappointed; however, it did not matter, because the loin dish was perfect.

We also had the fluke, then octopus and shrimp dishes. The fluke was excellent. The octopus was incredibly tender. The shrimp was the least favorite, but it was still excellently cooked. My issue was that of temperature with the shrimp. The shrimp was perfectly cooked, but cool, yet the dish was warm, so it kind of had a luke warm feel to it. Still delicious.

Best meal we've ever had. For real. Every bite of every dish was a delight, and the servers were wonderful. Can't wait to go back so we can try the tasting menu.

The carrot tartare was the best part of the meal. I'd never been so transported by a single bite of food before our meal at Boka.

My wife and I dined as a welcome back to Chicago dinner. This was one of our best meals ever. Our server was amazing, she answered every question and was super attentive. Turnip soup was out of this world and I don’t like turnips.

Honestly, the single best culinary experience we’ve ever had. Meg surprised us with several opportunities to experience something that was far more than we could have ever thought. Brandon was, by far, the best and Carlos didn’t miss a beat. We will return to Chicago just to experience Boka again. Thank you all for the stellar experience!!!! I hope that you all were as blessed as we were! See you again, Boka!!!

Terrible drafts. Had to move tables. Amazing food

Great experience
Would 100% recommend to anyone visiting the city or thinking of going to the restaurant
Did the 9 course tasting menu. Worth it

Excellent service, inspired food. Very enjoyable evening, highly recommended.

It was a fantastic dining experience! The nine-course tasting was excellent, and the service was just as impressive.

We loved the relaxed atmosphere and the food was great! And out server was very knowledgeable about the food, cocktails, and the wine. She was great

Wonderfully executed, creative food with excellent non-pretentious service. My only minor dang would be the wine list pricing, Which is lacking bottles at the lower end of the price range.

Carefully prepared and tasty main courses (fish), although the chef displayed an interesting fondness for mayonnaise. Incredibly fresh bread, excellent wine selection, attentive service. I was surprise that we were charged for the sparkling water which our server had mentioned as an option, along with still water and tap water. Overall an excellent meal at a restaurant very conveniently located for the Steppenwolf.

Love Boka, always. Great food, excellent service and I love their updated decor. Portions are tiny so be warned on that. Otherwise a perfect spot. Always enjoy it here.

Food was exquisite and lived up to the stellar reputation. Every course was a work of Art. Duck for two was amazing.
Our attendant Brandon was the icing on the cake.
Thank you for a beautiful experience!!!

Fantastic time with amazing service and great food

Food was very good but very expensive for the portion size. Beets were delicious but 23 dollars - really? I like smaller portions but I don’t like higher prices just because. The ambience was quite nice. The service was so stuffy and slightly pretentious. It took an act of parliament to get a glass of wine. Way too much waiting before we were offered a drink. If the service were friendlier and less pretentious and the pricing were in line with reality this would be an amazing place. For a slow, special occasion dinner it’s great.

A really lovely, upscale dinner for two! We did the tasting menu and it was the best thing we could have ordered!

The service and food both were simply amazing- everything was absolutely perfect.

Augustus is an excellent server who added to the overall experience. The food is also memorable and will come back to try other seasonal menus.

Me and my wife had one of our best restaurant experiences ever at Boka. It was the highlight of our trip from Sweden to Chicago. Great, passionate staff. Food from heaven. Great wine selection. Lovely atmosphere.

This dining experience is a delight. The food, servers, and ambiance are exceptional. One of our top places to dine!

We were surprised by the wine list as it was very limited and we felt very expensive. We ordered a $250 bottle of wine which was half our bill. We told them ahead of time it was our anniversary and that meant we got a plate with Anniversary written in chocolate. Our seat was undesirable next to two glass sliders looking at the entryway and hostess station. Food was excellent. Do not dress up. People in jeans and sneakers all over.

The service at Boka is phenomenal. Everyone is smiling and happy to assist.

Food was great along with service. Enjoyed dining there very much!

In town just for the weekend to visit our son. We are “foodies” and we’re not disappointed. Food was tasty and elegant. Service staff was incredibly knowledgeable and extremely pleasant without being hovering. A great relaxed dinner with family. What could be better?