Alinea Group Reviews

My fiancee and I finally decided to splurge and go to Alinea for dinner. The reservation system is really nice because, even though it's pricy, you've already pre-paid for your dinner and thus feel less stressed about the money part once you're there. The only thing you add on when you're there is drink pairings.

The entire experience is simply phenomenal, and it's really a place where you should think of it as an event rather than just a dinner. What I loved most is that it wasn't super pretentious. Yes, you dress nicely and it's a fancy restaurant. But, it's not stuffy. There are comfortable chairs and nice wood tables. But there aren't white tablecloths and dim lighting. I would describe it as having a modern flair with a very clean look. There are also very few tables in the room, so it feels more private.

For the drink pairings, I really liked that you could split a pairing between yourselves and thus only pay for one pairing. That way, you can both taste the drinks that they recommend with your food but not feel like you're breaking the bank (for people that are more money conscious).

As for the food, it was simply spectacular! With so many small dishes, the worry is that you'll leave here still hungry. But, that's anything but the truth. The dishes are spaced out perfectly and timed to your eating style, so it's great because you are never waiting too long, and you end up leaving stuffed. Each dish is also its own little experience, so make sure to savor every moment. If at all possible, don't pay attention to the other tables! That way, you can have each dish be a little surprise. :)

Overall, I was definitely not disappointed by Alinea and would highly recommend everyone goes at least once to experience it.

Although we were slightly intimidated when we were first seated (mainly because we were alone in our dining room at first), the dinner was an amazing adventure in tastes. We had watched the Alinea episode on Chef's Table, so we had an idea of what we were about to experience, but it still didn't prepare us for the amount of surprises and forethought that was put into the presentation and the food itself. Every dish was tasty, exciting, and thought provoking. We will definitely be returning at some point in the future.

Alinea is unique in every way. You don't come here for just another meal. You go for the whole experience. Chef Grant creates edible works of art while awakening each sense as you are taken on the Alinea journey.

Reservations are required months in advance.

Shifting from the ultimate dine-in experience to take-out could not have been easy. However, they ve done a great job with the switch. With each order, we ve been pleasantly surprised with the quality but more importantly, the quantity. We often have leftovers; particularly for the 15th anniversary meal, we got through 3 of the 6 courses and we re both stuffed. The prices are affordable as well, so much that we ve tried every offering. Sure, it isn t the typical Alinea quality, that s hard to mass produce, but it s worth it, every single time.

Very unique experience. It is a culinary journey and all your senses were awoken with the food. The visual aspects as well food was incredible. The waiters were knowledgeable and the ingredients were unique and proportioned to perfect amounts. The wine pairing was very sophisticated and were matched well. I would go again.

This place lives up to the hype! One of the most creative experiences of my life. Don't go in expecting just a meal... Alinea curates an experience for all senses. If you can get a reservation, you won't be disappointed!

Fun to be part of the "prep" and the food is glorious. Three times since the shutdown and each time was exceptional.

Artistic, creative, and an experience. The service was impeccable - the staff was professional, friendly and efficient. Every course was different from the others, and so many different methods of cooking were used. No element of each course was not considered - temperature, appearance, texture, flavor, and even the accompanying items on the table.

The attention with the customer is out of charts, a fantastic experience and unbelievable food! No doubt the best

One of the best meals of my life. Every dish is so unique and creative. Pricey but so worth it!

This review is for the 2 separate carryouts I had this week. Everything is perfectly packed and I ate the election night carryout all week as there was so much great food. I can't say how great their staff is and how well they execute a hard task. Carryoit is never easy!

What can I say that hasn t already been said? It s one of the best restaurants in the world. If you re a foodie, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event!

Absolutely amazing! Blown away every time. Everything about this place is prefect!

Out of this world food! Not only that but the staff is amazing. The service at this place is beyond amazing. Every gesture was with professional touch and warm smile. You absolutely can t get any better then this! A great experience even during a pandemic.

Alinea is one of those restaurants that changes the way you look at food. It is expensive, but the ambience, atmosphere, and food is worth every penny.

There's not much to say that hasn't already been said by guides, documentaries, fans and critics. The experience will be unlike anything you've ever had. Why am I writing a Yelp review? Because if you are looking in amazing quality in not only food - but in service as well, you will get it here.

I had a table for one, but it didn't feel like it. This is a shout-out to my ever doting staff that took care of me, joked with me and made my once in a lifetime experience so much more memorable. Special thanks to Miguel, who made sure my wine glass was full and joked with me throughout the night. Kellen, who held my hand and made sure I was educated about my food if I had any questions. And Heather, who filled my water glass more times than I could count while being a superstar and giving me to tips on how I could attack my food. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thanks again Alinea! I hope to be back soon!

It was everything you could imagine! It was my wife's 50th and she could not have been surprised more by the theatrics and quality in the creativity of every dish. We were so full and she enjoyed the educational wine pairing!

The owner is unprofessional and spouts off his political views.

Alinea is truly not a restaurant in the traditional sense. The creativity in textures, flavours, service, and overall experience are truly remarkable. I've been following this restaurant and anticipating a meal there for over 10 years and it somehow still exceeded my expectations.

If you are a fine dining fan you have an obligation to take on this experience.

Great experience! Of course, this is a delicious dinner. The food is amazing and is all in a unique environment.

Awesome experience and amazing presentation. Staff was very attentive. If you are going to have a unique dining experience then you picked the right place. There are many places in Chicago that serve as good or better tasting food than Alinea, but the experience as a whole you won't find in too many other places.

Most Instagrammable meal of your life. Plus you get bragging rights, and a hole in your wallet.

We recently had the beef Wellington, absolutely amazing. A 3 star takeout meal !

Loved the food! It was a clean and enjoyable experience.

One of the best experiences ever. The food was great and the service was impeccable. Truly a fantastic evening.

If you re talking about the best restaurants you have to discuss this one. According to customers, this place is a must-try for tourists and locals alike. Since it s one of the best restaurants, there can be a long line, but it s well worth the wait. They could serve up quality, fresh oysters in a variety of styles and is perfect for either lunch or dinner. If you re looking for an amazing restaurant in a lower budget bracket, try this now!

One of my favorite meals ever . The mushroom toast was so creamy and flavorful and the chorizo sopes was delicious as well. We also got the banana chia seed smoothie. I would recommend this restaurant for the food alone.

This place is meant to be experienced. Reserve many hours of your evening to indulge and bask in the genius of Grant Achatz's molecular gastronomic creations.

TIP: You can find last minute tickets through their Twitter account.

For a takeout bento box it was pretty good. Ingredients were fresh and had an acid sensation throughout the majority of the box. Wish they d thrown in some cutlery/chopsticks but that s really the only thing wrong with it. The curbside pickup system out the front is a bit hectic in Chicago traffic but they keep things moving quickly.

This is not food, is art! All the things fit in perfection, from the service to the taste, the experience is amazing.

A wild journey around the world and back again. As much a memory as a meal, I will forever treasure my time there.

Such a sophisticated restaurant with excellent service and welcoming staff. A perfect place for a date or a family visit. One of my favourite place in Chicago for now

This restaurant is my first choice when it comes to all friday evenings.

Highly recommend! A one of a kind experience. Everything was delicious and exciting, the staff was friendly and personable, the service impeccable.

Since Charlie Trotter's closed, this place is the best place in Chicago for fine dining experience. Truly epic!

We've been celebrating my birthday for an entire week or so now... and it's really not a birthday unless you try something new!

Alinea was the place to take our dinning experience to a new level. We did the Gallery muli-sensory experience ($345 per person). There were 18 mini size courses. Not to worry, you'll end up leaving full. The taste, well, great. However, it was the presentation and design of the foods that impressed me. The way each courses were provided to us, how it was served, the culinary techniques, and the attentiveness of all the staffs. I was mesmerized with the experience that I didn't bother taking anymore pictures to enjoy the moment. And that says a lot for a person that's always glued to her phone.

Definitely tickle your senses, at least once a year, and know that it's worth every penny.

Words can't really describe so I won't put much. 5 star service, 5 star food, and 5 star experience.

You can buy an engagement ring for the price of a dinner for one person. To me, this place should charge $100 per person.

This may have been the best meal of my life. The food was impeccable as was the service. What an amazing experience. Thank you Alinea!!! I didn't think perfection was possible until I walked into your restaurant! Spectacular!

I admire the effort of the restaurant and the owners to keep as many employees as possible employed during these hard times. But unfortunately the food taste and quality was way below expectations. The mash potatoes was extremely salty to the.point that we could not finish it. The the chicken and salad were not good either. The desert was really delicious

Going to Alinea isn't going out for dinner. Going to Alinea is going out for an experience. From a multi-course meal, to an immaculate setting, to perfectly prepared wine pairings, to an entertaining and informative waitstaff, the entire night is truly set to not just satisfy your taste buds but delight the rest of your senses as well.

The restaurant is happy to prepare your food around any allergies (a problem we fortunately did not have) or dietary restrictions.

I recently took my wife here for a birthday/anniversary dinner and we couldn't have been more thrilled. Honestly, the only thing that could have made the night better was if she could have met the chef as she's been studying his work for years.

This truly was a night to remember and I can honestly say if you want something more than just a 10+ course tasting menu that will leave you grinning from the enjoyment of a creative night out, this is well worth the time and money.

You cannot go wrong with this place, bring your especial someone and have one of the best meals of your life

Different every time. Always surprising; always superlative.

Absolutely amazing food and a unique doing experience.

Fantastic!! Definitely needs to be on everyone's list for the ultimate progressive gastronomical experience.

Style over substance - plenty of theatrics and unique moments accompany overly sweet and/or salty dishes. A distinct lack of cohesion between the dishes, too. Before getting too inventive, Alinea needs to focus on perfecting the basics.

Very creative dishes, great service. But the taste of the food is... meh..

I waited years to dine at Alinea and it turned out to be the biggest waste of money I've ever spent. I knew we were in trouble during the first course. The presentation was beautiful, but lacked flavor. The edible helium balloon presented towards the end of the meal is better suited for a child's birthday party at Dave and Busters. The food temperature was tepid at best and the dessert left me wondering why the hell I sat through two hours of subpar dining. Alinea is the biggest disappoint in dining.

It was a great experience, but some of there food (especially the dessert of tropical fruit) had flat notes in flavor and were mediocre. But the plating and design was great! The service was the best I have experienced. I'd like to compliment the great manners and positive attitude that the servers had. It was a great experience!

I can't say enough good things about this meal experience. Yes, it's pricey and not an every week plan. But yes, it's worth it 100%!

I'm big into food, and have my own food Instablog and Facebook page. I'm not usually sucked in by foods that are "gourmet" for the sake of being "gourmet". I'm happy with a well executed burger at a cash only dive bar, the same as I am enjoying delicious A5 Wagyu Matsusaka beef in Tokyo.

That said, Alinea blew me away. It was, overall, the best meal I've had in my life. You won't leave overly full, so don't worry about making it through all the courses, but with the 22 course meal you won't leave hungry.

All I can say is that if you can afford to, and are not a picky eater with the palate of a child (this is key), try this for a special occasion. The food, and the show that surrounds it, will blow your mind.

One-of-a-kind experience! Definitely must-try. There s a pleasant surprise in the middle of our courses that completely bring a whole new atmosphere to the evening.

Absolutely amazing dinner experience, I'll never forget it!

There is no experience quite like Alinea. And it IS an experience, not just a meal. There is true artistry happening here and all your senses will be delighted. I loved every bite, including things that I do not ever eat. It is on my bucket list to return again.

This place is going to cost you, but if your wallet can take the hit, DO IT!!! A true delight and rare treat, as you would expect at this price, but for the special occasion....

Such a magical experience. Every single course was a surprise and delight of presentation and flavors. It was truly an amazing and memorable night of unique and delicious food and wine.

But honestly... Do you really care what I have to say about this place?

I had high expectations walking into Alinea and it truly blew my mind away. The food was out of this world, the staff was superb and the experience of the entire night couldn t have been any better!

Best night of my life. The experience is unparalleled because they focus on creating more than a meal. Every course is artfully designed with more attention to detail than poetry. If you have the opportunity to go you should, because this is a night where the staff will go above and beyond to create memories that will last a lifetime. The only downside is you will judge everywhere else you go by the unattainable standard set here. No other establishment will serve a course from the top of a smoldering log, give you an edible helium balloon, or trick you by secretly cooking one of the courses in front of you in the midst of preparing another. The food is amazing but Alinea and Chef Grant Achatz deliver more than a meal, they deliver memories.

Amazing service, wonderful presitation, so much fun, crazy yummy. But you knew that already.....

Great restaurant. Had an amazing experience here! All the food was delicious, the service impeccable, and the chef was very hospitable and friendly. Highly recommend the uni toast, fois gras, any pasta.Thank you guys!

I still remember the taste of every single dish we tried here. The experience lasted for nearly 4h but it was worth every single cent. The wine list is out of this world with options from any country you can imagine. The sommelier was attentive at all times and provided great tips according to your budget. Writing a review for this place would require an essay but just wait till the end when you will be amazed by how two great chefs will basically prepare your desert in front of you and, yes, they'll use the same table to cook it! Outstanding, no wonder this is the 4th best restaurant in the whole world!

The food and service was incredible. We went as a team at work to celebrate. Definitely recommend for a very special occasion. The wine pairings were phenomenal.

Alinea is an experience as much for your mind as it is your stomach. From when you first walk into the restaurant and the large door from the front opens, you are transported into another world. If you have an adventurous palate, dont hesitate to make a reservation here; it is the experience of a lifetime.

Alinea rightly holds its spot as a world class restruant and a pioneer into molecular gastronomy. Each thing eaten is vastly different from the next but the meal as a whole makes total sense. A pure delight, and I honestly could not see any restaurant match the experience you have here.

Loved the decor, food was also excellent. The service was a little slow, but it was extremely busy so understandable.

Unique and outstanding fare. The set menu was an experience we all thoroughly enjoyed.... even the dry ice finale.

We've now been here five times, both pre and post major reno in 2016. Without question, Alinea remain the "go to" restaurant for fine dining and food that will push the boundaries. From the moment you arrive until you leave a few hours later, your senses will be engaged and you will undergo an experience that will leave you with many fabulous memories.

Although more difficult to secure, the Gallery bookings are worth the additional effort, and, whether you do Gallery or Salon, I'd encourage you to do the wine pairings here. The sommeliers are expert at what they do, and, will often have things to offer you might not otherwise encounter.

Service, as always, is impeccable, and, unlike some other Michelin starred restaurants, is approachable, engaging and appear to be enjoying their work.

It was a good show for dinner. There were so many impressive dishes like when they lit one on fire, then they have one where smoke is coming from under the dish and over the table. This restaurant, as you know, is a Michelin star restaurant. I was so impressed by the look of the dishes. I was a bit underwhelmed by the taste of the food.

Wow, wow, and wow! What an amazing experience. The originality, combined with quality, amazing service and incredible ambience, make Alinea one of the finest dining experiences I've ever had. This should be on every foodies' bucket list...

If there is anything positive to be gained from the pandemic (begrudgingly, there is), Alinea's to go menu is one of them. Of course, it is not the same as eating in person, but the experience still felt special. We had the spring steak menu which required a bit of easy prep for eight people. The flavors had depth, but was the heating/plating was straight forward.

Alinea's food was interesting and innovative. I liked how they had fresh takes on classic foods and how they blended decor and food. However the room construction (I was on the 2nd floor room closest to the road) amplified all conversation in the room and made it quite noisy. It's hard to enjoy a real stylish meal when you can barely hear your partner.

This was the best dining experience I have ever had. The whole experience was amazing, presentation, flavour, and service. Grants skill at mixing different flavours blew my mind. The purpose made plates are awesome. It was an emotional food journey brace yourself!

Great experience and beautiful presentation. The dessert and helium balloons were interesting. Service was good. After a month when I wrote this comment, nothing tasty that would attract me to return.

Loved the food. Awesome experience. Will be back next week!!!

Very unique experience. It is a culinary journey and all your senses were awoken with the food. The visual aspects as well food was incredible. The waiters were knowledgeable and the ingredients were unique and proportioned to perfect amounts. The wine pairing was very sophisticated and were matched well. I would go again.