Elske

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

Review summary

1. J

   Joshua

   Chicago2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Absolutely outstanding. Possibly one of the best meals I have ever had anywhere in the world. Confident and refined, but unfussy and at times playful, we ordered the tasting menu and were blown away. The all natural wine pairing was incredibly interesting and we, in addition, had the NA pairing which is under no circumstances to be missed. We also ordered an extra course which received its own perfect pairing, as well as samples of their in-house schnapps, all of which were immaculate. The design of the interior is also so welcoming and cool, the ambience was amazing. Can’t wait to return, many thanks to Hannah who took good care of us!
   

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2. L

   Lisa

   Chicago1 review

   4.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 5

   Very much looked forward to dining at Elske. The restaurant is quaint, cozy, everything I love in a dining experience. Much of our food was not at temperature - either being too cold/lukewarm at best and in some cases burnt. The arctic char was very overcooked and yet cool. Overall for such a fantastic restaurant reputation there were a few too many misses to give it more than a 3-4 star review. I stuck with a 4 because I really wanted it to be better. One not food related comment I have to make is that when I went to the bathroom before the meal was served, I had inadvertently dropped my napkin. My dining partner said that the server noticed it, turned around, and didn’t bother to bring new one (or take it off the floor) and two bus boys walked passed the dropped napkin and didn’t bother to pick it up either. When I got back up the table, a different server had picked it up off the floor and folded it on my side of the table. I don’t care that much about germs, do I didn’t say anything. But that number of touch points (by 4 employees) to overlook simply replacing a napkin seems very careless. How hard would it have been to bring a fresh napkin when I got back? The drinks? They were 10/10.
   

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3. S

   Shelby

   Chicago2 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   I’ve now had the set menu with the wine pairing twice in different seasons and both times, the food was well executed and delicious and the pairings were unique and perfect. I also highly suggest ending your meal with a cocktail or digestif and taking it outside to sip by the fire!
   

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4. G

   Gary

   New York City1 review

   5.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Every bite was satisfying. A lot of incredible flavor packed into every tiny bite. Also beautiful overall aesthetic.
   

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5. A

   Ann Marie

   Greater Boston8 reviews

   2.0

   Dined 4 days ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 2

   Elske felt precious. The servers were serious, not exuding a sense of warmth. The experience was focused on the chef's creation, not on the diner's enjoyment. The menu offered both a tasting menu and a la carte ordering. We choses a la carte. It was difficult to ascertain ahead of time the size of the dishes. They turned out to be quite small. The service was quite slow. The quality of the food was fine.
   

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6. V

   Victoria

   Chicago1 review

   2.0

   Dined on April 21, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 1

   I booked this for my boyfriend's birthday and we were both heavily disappointed by the service. The food was quite lackluster as well and I'm not sure how they have a star. I didn't finish most of my dishes and found it difficult to get through them.
   

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7. I

   Ivan

   Orlando3 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on April 21, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The food was absolutely amazing and lived up to every expectation. I came here with my fiancé to celebrate our anniversary, and we were completely blown away by everything this restaurant had to offer. We chose the tasting menu, and every course was rich, flavorful, and beautifully presented. By the end, we were so full—pairing it with wine would’ve guaranteed we’d need to be rolled out of there! The entire experience felt special and personal. From the service to the ambiance, everything was spot-on. You really can’t go wrong dining here—we’ll definitely be back!
   

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8. J

   Jakob

   Denver1 review

   5.0

   Dined on April 20, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   Top tier. Came for my birthday dessert and in traditional family I got 2 desserts and a salty dish. Absolutely fantastic, loved the sunflower dessert paired with the orange wine.
   

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9. N

   Nick

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined on April 20, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great service! We got the tasting menu and my friend needed gluten friendly options and they tweaked the tasting menu to accommodate. There was also one ingredient my friend didn’t like in a course so they remade with an ingredient they did like so they could still try to course. Exceptional, customized service!
   

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10. S

    Susan Sleeper-Smith

    Chicago18 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on April 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    This was an amazing dinner. We come to Chicago 7-8 times each year and always sample new restaurants. This was far superior to any restaurant we have eaten at in the last several years. Was innovative and loved the shareable dishes. Will be back again.
    

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