Oliver’s

Featured reviews

• J

  John Klein

  ·2 months ago

  “I ate there with my wife. The service was poor, the food took over an hour to arrive, and two of the best menu options, the Truffle Gnocchi and Risotto, were unavailable. We placed our order at 9:30 PM and didn’t get our main course until after 10:30 PM, more than an hour later and after the restaurant had already closed for the night. When we arrived, the hostess told us it would be about a 15 minute wait for a table, so we waited at the bar and ordered drinks. My Tequila Sunset was $18 and served in a small 5 oz coupe glass that felt more like a shot than an $18 cocktail. My wife got the Espresso Martini, also $18, in a traditional V shaped martini glass. After we were seated, the waitress told us the best dishes we wanted, and originally came for after seeing the menu online, were unavailable. A small menu is fine, but if two of the most in demand dishes are out, customers should know ahead of time, before waiting for a table and paying for drinks. By then, we were already bought in. That is poor management and disappointing. With those options gone, we both ordered the burger, along with the Stracciatella and a second round of drinks. I asked if they had raw onions, tomatoes, and lettuce for the burgers, and was told they don’t carry them because the burgers are “good the way they are.” This isn’t some French restaurant in France where that kind of snobbish confidence is expected and backed up by the food. The drinks and Stracciatella took longer than normal to arrive, and the Stracciatella had overpowering rosemary and was overly herbal. My wife’s French 75 and my Ramos Gin Fizz were both larger and felt like better value for the same $18 price. When every cocktail costs the same but arrives in noticeably different sized glasses, the value feels uneven. The restaurant may see the value one way. The customer sees what lands in the glass. As the wait dragged on, it seemed like the entire back room was also waiting over an hour for food. The one upside was that the waitress gave each of us a standard glass of free champagne while we waited, which I appreciated, but it still did not make up for the wait. The owners appeared to be there, but they stayed hidden in the background while the service was falling apart. I’ve been to restaurants where the owner checks on tables, explains the delay, or tries to make things right when things go sideways. None of that happened here. The busboy dropped off our food and handled requests throughout the meal, which defeats the point of having a waitress. The 1930s supper club theme felt like hipster branding, especially since the 1930s were defined by the Great Depression, not luxury dining. The fake plants, clocks, brackets, and memorabilia looked haphazardly tacked on the walls, like a cheap Hobby Lobby version of Art Deco. They seem to be leaning on the reputation of the Michelin starred restaurant that was there before COVID, charging premium prices while delivering a mediocre experience. It felt like a concept first and a restaurant second.”

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• K

  Kellie Keyes

  ·2 months ago

  “First timer! Food was absolutely incredible. Highly recommend visiting at least once. Only reason a star is knocked off is because it was incredibly loud in the main dining area. I’m in my early thirties - I can be loud - but once it filled …”

• L

  Lahoya Campbell

  ·2 months ago

  “Visited Oliver’s—beautiful, dark, romantic space with a “Cali supper club” feel. Definitely a date spot. Went with a friend and shared oysters, mushroom risotto, salad, scallop, truffle fries. Espresso martinis for dessert. Drinks were the truth! Food was fine and presented well, but nothing was a standout. Well, the oysters kinda was… Downside: oysters looked the part …super plump and fresh, but 5 of 6 had shell/grit, which took away from the experience. Could’ve used a bit more strawberry vinaigrette to balance the trout roe. I did ask for it and did receive:) Highlight: the caviar-stuffed olive in my dirty martini was so delicious—game changer! Music playlist, service from front of the house and SARA was excellent! Overall, a sexy vibe, but not sure the value matches the price. Not certain I’d return. Maybeee… for cocktails and an app?”

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• R

  Reonna Taylor

  ·3 months ago

  “Highly recommend Oliver's and glad the South Loop is starting to have more options for food, drinks, and happy hour. Highly recommend the truffle fries and burger. The roasted chicken was good as well but think there should be less of the green sauce and and actual side like mashed potatoes or broccolini to go with it. Service was okay but the restaurant and decor is beautiful. Will definitely be back.”

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• A

  Allison Luo

  ·4 months ago

  “After a disappointing Valentine’s Day experience, Oliver’s went above and beyond to make things right. We returned last Friday for a dinner, and it was truly wonderful from start to finish. The team was warm, attentive, and clearly committed to making sure we had a great experience. The meal was excellent, the hospitality felt genuine, and the overall evening reflected the level of quality and care you hope for when dining out. I really appreciate that they took our concerns seriously and followed through so thoughtfully. It says a lot about a restaurant when they are willing to own a mistake and turn it into such a positive experience. Thank you to Luke and the Oliver’s team for the kindness and professionalism. We left feeling very cared for, and we look forward to coming back.”

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• M

  Monet Felton

  ·4 months ago

  “Stopped here after work for a late night drink. The tini espresso martini was delicious. There was a patron here who stormed out of the establishment to confront me about my parking it was both odd and uncomfortable. So the patronage here …”

• J

  Jake Goldwater

  ·5 months ago

  “Really solid place!! Amazing cocktails, really good gnocchi, salad was fantastic. …”

• K

  Kendra B

  ·6 months ago

  “I would recommend. Overall we had a nice NYE experience. With a reservation we still had approx. …”

• E

  Elijah Bell-Clarke

  ·7 months ago

  “Excellent experience all around from the food, service, and atmosphere. They’ve greatly expanded with the large dining room now. The half chicken and oysters with smoked salmon roe were highlights!”

• T

  TW

  ·8 months ago

  “This place is very special. The staff is super kind and the food is delicious. When I was done drinking, they also had non-caffeinated tea. Candles and there were also were also pads and tampons from a very good brand in the bathroom - for free. What in the world?! I cannot exaggerate when I say going here and sitting at the bar was like getting a warm hug. The Tuesday night special was perfect (burger & fries). I was so happy here, even alone just reading my book. For the love of God, please go. Goodbye. Love, Tues 🥰 🪩”

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