Alinea Group Reviews

1) Fancy attire not required. But it's ok if you dress up; we did and it wasn't awkward. 2) Everything you eat is adventurous. So if you need safe food like chicken alfredo just go somewhere else. 3) The service and pacing of the 14 course meal was nice. The staff was all very knowledgeable and courteous and did everything to ensure the meal was one to remember.

Here I have attended for my friend s Anniversary function and it was a fantastic experience. The restaurant was pretty cool and the service was cool. I really enjoyed there with my friends. The food was fresh and so yummy. I recommended this place to everyone.

We were so happy when the staffs came over to our table so we could tell them how much we enjoyed the meal. Alinea is one of the best services ever!

Food was excellent. Very inventive, especially with the use of smell and table decorations that accompany each course. Service was excellent, but one thing could have made it even better; our server could have told us more about the wines, the vineyards they come from, and shown us both the label for closer inspection - he seemed eager to quickly serve us and move on. I find that wine tastes better after it's been talked up

The most excellent culinary experience I have been a part of!

Giving one star for the presentation. The food wasn't tasty at all, there was no harmony in the combinations and a lot of the ingredients tasted like cheap and low quality, especially the chocolate dessert at the end. To make things worse, the server was portentous and impolite, giving anyone who had to use the restroom or wanted to take pictures a hard time. Don't waste your money with this place!

The creativity is unmatched, and it's a creativity that works incredibly well. Best food I've had. Ambiance/atmosphere is good, could use more thought. Service was quality as well, though more casual than I'd prefer. The lack of a cocktail menu (they don't have a full bar) was disappointing relative to what I want out of a full, upscale dining experience.

Finest Dining experience with friends and family.

Loved the interiors too!!

Everything is true. There is a reason they're on top.

When food, art and pleasure are indistinguishable from each other, you are elevated to a dining experience that's beyond reality. Alinea deserves every single one of those 3 Michelin stars. It's an experience, a celebration of culinary excellence and creativity. 14 courses, each with a theme of their own spread across 3 hours replete with presentations and a trip to the kitchen.

There's different tiers of dining. $530 per person for the Chef's table including gratuity, taxes and service charge. Your meal includes cocktails but wine pairings are extra. You could go for the Regular, Reserved, or the Alinea experience (~$350). The wine server walks you through the story of the wine and explains the process at the vineyard which makes it special as they pour it in your glass.

In case you are wondering just how fancy can it get, the cider you are served comes from Normandy, France and is made by combining juice from 40 different types of apples. Flavors in every dish were like nothing I've ever tasted before. With every course, the aroma in the space and the music changes. All your senses come alive and indulge. An unforgettable dining experience !

"Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, food and service."
favorite place

Excellent place to get a bite. Great atmosphere.. and great food

This is one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had.! Every course was like a explosion of flavor and the presentation was a work of art ! This dining experience was the best experience I have ever had! ! Alinea is a lovely restaurant with a beautiful aesthestic and phenomenal food that always offers a exceptional dining experience. It was a emotional food journey that was out of this World !!!! The staff was amazing. Grants skill at mixing different flavors blew me away. Chef Grant Achatz delivers his vision through the food as he takes you on a journey . Highly recommend this restaurant!! The servers are very attentive. A Whimsical experience into a unknown "World of Food." The balloon dessert was a unusual caviar, a edible balloon. It's a foodie dream. Original dishes!!! Alinea is truly a new experience "Other worldly." A Truly Sensory Experience. Its like gastronomic time travel. It's a food that's literally expressive in levitating and so you'll see a entirely floating course. It's a type of food that perpetuates creativety. It's a mental transporting to a different place. A Place of sheer endurance. "I will make you think can you teach this."Each plate conceptualizes art in a travel form. " Gastronomical Existence Plating."

Three hours of great food. Every course had something unique or surprising. The food was will planned out and made the night magical. The food was excellent made and presented. A once in a lifetime experience.

Amazing experience from the get-go! Each course was an experience for all 5 senses! Well worth the price and the staff were engaging yet mysterious.

I totally didn't mind this diner, the food is outstanding, as well as the restrooms were tidy. It was a little cool indoors, definatly was not the very best. The service is great also. I will most definitely think about going back again if I have the possibility. Me and also my good friend ordered the works and also we were not disappointed. My one suggestion is to keep the cold outside. Come again!

The duck cassoulet to-go was great! Pickup took less than a minute even in the rain. The heating instructions were easy to follow. For those on a budget, my girlfriend and I were able to split one serving and be full at the end, especially after the fantastic dessert. Highly recommend for those looking to "dine" here without the $$$$ tag

3 Michelin Stared power house of a restaurant! The experience is like no other. From the moments you walk in till the second you leave the door. Your whole time is like no other!

The price is high but for the best meal of your life .... Their isn't a price I wouldn't of payed.

Everything was beyond perfect. Chef Grant wasn't in the night I went but his sous chef was amazing just as all of the staff was too!

So I came to Chicago for a work conference, and it was my first time coming to a Michelin Star city, so I decided to go whole hog and come right to this three star place that I saw on a Netflix docuseries. It was actually recently named the 37th best restaurant in the entire world, and I know why. Eating at Alinea is like being part of art. The menu plays with all of your senses and gives you an incredible experience that keeps you guessing.

There are 10 courses and a special trip down into the kitchen so you can see the well oiled machine that is all the chefs working on all of the different courses simultaneously. While you're going that, one of the chefs is making a bell pepper flavored cocktail for everyone and talking about the restaurant a little bit.

Back to the main courses. I experienced a food item that looked like a rock but was filled with caviar, noodles that were made out of scallops, liquid nitrogen that was poured into a bowl of coconuts and limes to get a complimentary aroma for our course, the best cooked octopus I've ever had in my life, and a puree that was inside of a fried mushroom that had the exact flavor of toast. It was wild, and it was all delicious.

I also got some top-notch pork that had been cooking in front of me for a while, an bite of food that was made out of the same acorns those pigs would have eaten in the wild, and a piece of wagyu steak. It was so, so good. It was served with a puree that tasted like french fries. I kid you not.

Then came the three dessert courses. A server dug into a bowl of salt that was the cooking medium for my pork dish and pulled out a yam that had also been cooking in front of me the entire time. He cut of that yam and added some mix-ins and served me a delicious yam dessert dish. Also, there was an ice cream dish with sipping cocoa, a chocolate ball that exploded with salted caramel liquid, and the famous balloon. The sugar balloon that was filled with helium and given to me on an edible rope. Too cool.

This was an experience I will never forget. The combination of the flavor and the experience and the disorientation of my senses makes me wish I could give this place six stars. I am thoroughly impressed and I can say that if I ever make it back to Chicago, I will stop by again.

Amazing! Experience of a lifetime. I just can't say enough about this place.

Our entree was the skewers of beef tenderloin with shrimp, red and green peppers, onion, mushroom and zucchini slices. This we broiled on a grill pan. Great quality ingredients as anticipated. We used the oven for our dessert-S'mores with house-made Graham crackers. Alinea you rock the take out!

Unbelievable. Mind bending. A blow-you-away experience. If I could master but one of those amazing courses, I would consider myself an accomplished chef! Bravo!

Truly a once in a lifetime opportunity! Amazing meal and service from start to finish. Prepare to be wowed with surprises around every corner.

By far one of my best experiences. Worth the kitchen table option.

Chef Grant Ackerts' first-class restaurant. He was the only Michelin guide 3 star in Chicago (formerly two-top with "Grace", "Grace" closed). With the personal story of Grant Ackerts who overcomes cancer and is upgraded, so-called "molecular cuisine" allows you to experience the form of simply enjoying the taste of your mouth with the atmosphere. There are currently 3 types of courses available, but due to the limited number of people, you need to make a reservation about 1 month in advance. In addition, payments are made at the same time as the reservation, and a 11.5% tax is charged at the price including 20% service charge. If you visit Chicago, this is definitely a place to experience.

Absolutely phenomenal experience from start to finish. The ambiance of the restaurant perfectly compliments the incredible food. We did the tasting menu and it surpassed our high expectations. Already planning a trip back.

Every course was amazing on its own in presentation, textures, ingredients, creativity, flavors. Also loved how they all came together and never overlapped.

Picked up from Alinea during covid. Had an amazing meal. Beef Wellington. I thought it was a really small portion, but it left me stuffed. The Wellington itself was perfect. The red wine sauce and horseradish creme was perfect. Meat was great and the crust was perfect. Desert was on point too. Will definitely order again!

Hands down my most favorite restaurant in the world. Not only is the food excellent and prepared to perfection, the science and artistry that goes behind every dish makes the entire experience that much richer. I have never had more fun dining than I have at Alinea.

I've now gone twice, and both times, the originality and creativity of the dishes did not disappoint. Be on the lookout for surprises all around you. That chandelier hanging over your table, or that flower centerpiece on your table may very well figure in as a key ingredient in one of your dishes.

And unlike most Michelin restaurants, do come with an empty stomach. You will not leave Alinea hungry. Enjoy!!

This is my go to place for birthday celebration with my sister. Relaxed environment good service and wonderful food!

This was our 3rd visit, the food was really good, the experience fun, wish they had more for non drinkers than apple cider for 1st course, mixed drink on course #2, and water for the rest.

Excellent food, I had an amazing experience. One of the waiters serving in the salon with light brown hair, didn t made me feel welcome at all. He lacked service manors, would not respond back when I would say thank you. The entire night he had the expression that he had hated his job. I loved the place and loved the food. Chef Grant Achatz creativity is amazing, I just wish I had felt welcome in this place but I unfortunately felt the complete opposite.

Food was great and presentation was wonderful. Desserts were way too sweet, sugar bombs literally thrown on the table.

As much as I wanted to love this place, I just couldn't.

I came here in May for an anniversary dinner, the spring menu looked fantastic, I was so excited for the experience.

After the whole thing ended, I felt underwhelmed by the flavor of the food (some were great, but half were good to look at but it didn't connect with me). The service was good but not fantastic, they seemed bored if anything.

I don't regret going, just wished it was better.

World class experience! I am a very picky eater, but they went out of their way to make my experience a good one, and made food after my preferences. Very friendly servers, and they also gave my boyfriend Martin a nice birthday surprise. And I am so stuffed!

Fantastic, unique sensory experience. We've been reminiscing about our meal for days. I can't wait to go back!

I definitely enjoyed my meal. It taste quite different but different in a good way. The service was great too. Andd of course.. I cannot forget the environment and ambiance. It was just so relaxing that elevated my mood too! The servers were respectful and approachable also. A well deserve 5 star rating! I just hope that they will be able to maintain their remarkable service

Simply the best place for a romantic dinner. Pricey though!

I know I know the price is really over top but the food is incredible. The cooking capture of this place is just so glorious that I can t get enough every time I visit

Saw this place on Chefs table and fell in love. This place is so creative and inventive with food I would recommend to any one!

The worst dinner I ever had in my life. We spend 1600$ for 4 people half of the dishes we can not even eat . Cold onion soup was undrinkable, smoked watermelon with that sweet glaze come on joke. We tried old alinea it was way better. It was bad experience , we were celebrating bday and all party thought the same ,that the menu was a Joke. Ice creams with popcorn on top in a middle of the courses was heavy ,too sweet ,it made us so full so we can t enjoy main course .And the heat on a roof was horrible, they placed us in a tent that made heat even worse. There is so many amazing spots in West loop but sorry Alinea not the one.

Restaurant week was the perfect opportunity to try out this place. The whole meal was really good! The only thing is the portions are small (I mean it's fine dining and we expected it but we wanted the experience).

There are restaurants, and then there s Alinea. Alinea is more than just food, it s theater, it s a guessing game. Alinea makes all other restaurants look like TGI Friday s.

I was so impressed. The food is delicious, staff impeccable and beautiful space. Made my day!

How can your rate Aline any less than 5 stars. The food was great, the service was friendly and attentive. The wine pairing was very nice and I don't normally drink white wine and they were still very tasty wines. The plating was a thing of beauty.

Wow. I was nervous about a restaurant with this price tag living up to the hype and my expectations. It truly blew me away. At the end of the meal, I felt like we had paid for dinner and a show. The night was entertaining and so much fun! There were a number of surprises built into the menu that were so fun for our whole table. I do not have a ton of experience with this type of fine dining, but you cannot go wrong with Alinea!

Steaks are so good. Even though we have to eat at home for now :(

It is good place to go to take your lunch.
They have a good customer care.

Exquisite elegant food prepared to the most minute detail. A truly unforgettable culinary experience & something that everybody should do at least once. They don't call it vacation dining for nothing. By the end of 5 hrs I was ready to be done but I'm really glad to have had the chance to taste the amazing work of Chef/Owner Grant Achatz. The staff are the perfect compliment to the meal. Particularly enjoyed the knowledge of Richard the sommelier.

The experience can not be described in words because it left me speechless! Phenomenal!

A preferred site for quality meals. The staff was very sociable and kind.

Alinea is one of the greatest restaurant ever concieved. Among the most amazing dishes I ate was a balloon made of green taffy! It was mind blowing. Who could have thought of such a delicious concotion. The service was great as well. I can't wait to go back!

ok no good no very good no very very good no excellent no

Well worth it. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy. Best dinner I've ever had...

Most amazing food experience I have ever had. Reservation was a few years ago

I've never had so much fun having a meal. The food wasn't just delicious; it was also incredibly interesting. Each dish served was like a piece of contemporary art. They're designed not just to please the senses, but to engage with them too. You wonder WHAT you're looking at, but you also see that it's beautiful. The head chef plated our dessert himself, which was really cool. My favorite dish was an apple flavored balloon - like it was legit floating. It was a lot of fun, biting into it, laughing at how ridiculous it was, and then hearing my helium laugh through it all. Alinea really is the experience of a lifetime.

Personable staff, spectacular presentation, extraordinary experience. Senses united and reimagined through food. Thank you, Grant, and your team for a memorable evening.

This amdois is really pretty I would like a day go visit her would make me very happy. But its that I do not have the possibility.

It's taken me 2 weeks to figure out how to leave a review for Alinea that does this place justice .The experience is once in a life time and is a production within itself. The food was unbelievable - the wine was even better .This is definitely not a spot for picky eaters , all courses were adventurous and items I never thought I'd eat.The chefs know what they are doing .

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

Great food menu. Services was on top level. Amazing place. I came back of my office then i saw this place. This place was amazing. Great collection of food.

Alinea is mandatory for foodies. Go and don't spoil your trip by looking up the current menu.

Stands out as the most memorable experience I've ever had at a restaurant. Try the Kitchen Table.

Sumptuous and incredible fine dining experience.
4 stars because it was so incredibly difficult to get a table here

I can honestly say it was THE best dining experience I've ever had.

One of the best most ridiculous innovative insane meals I ve ever had and will ever have. WOW.

They turn the tables over at lightening speed. Felt rushed and for a $1000 meal for two expect more personable service and less hubris. I travel all over the world and seek out Michelin star dining experiences. The soup was excellent, the desserts atrocious especially the bubble gum idea. The theatrics were amusing but I could not finish the last 4 dishes because of the rapid pace of food delivery. The front desk staff was accommodating with umbrellas to the cab as it was raining but the waiters and sommelier border on pretentious and were aloof and perfunctory in their approach. The Nerua at the Guggenheim in Bilbao is much better than Alinea and dining experiences in France are much more relaxed and not rushed. Buyers remorse. I won't be back and will be surprised if they maintain their 3 Michelin stars.

This restaurant is amazing! The food is exceptional, always changing and the service is about the best I've ever seen. The only thing is you'll drop a bundle especially with the wine pairing, but it's well worth it.

An unforgettable dining experience like no other. Nothing is what it seems, expect to be amazed with every single dish that s presented to you. From the moment you enter the gallery, the experience starts as a group and slowly unveils to be a unique per-party dinner time. Definitely worthy of your time and money, you ll never forget what happens behind those doors.

Alinea Take Out

I have been debating whether or not to order take out from Alinea due to the cost. While its reasonable overall for what Alinea represents, its still pricey. I decided to splurge and order the current Duck Cassoulet, the entire experience felt like a visit to amateur hour. There was nothing remotely luxurious about this menu. None of the ingredients seems particularly special or high end.

1. Green beans- nicely prepared but had no flavor.. Their directions say to salt them yourself
2. Salad- good but basic. I was looking forward to the goat cheese on the salad and it didn t taste like anything special. The dressing was very good.
3. Duck cassoulet- this was good, a little salty. Tender but nothing mind blowing
4. Dessert- terrible!! The banana concoction tasted overly sweet and like imitation banana.

Overall, I don t think this was worth the $57 price tag. If you are excited to say, I tried Alinea! Go for it. I absolutely love french food and all of these dishes are hardly notable. None of the ingredients seem high end and the dessert is just awful.

As a company representing true culinary excellence, this is way below standards for French food, even from the most simple French bistro.

Great experience! Of course, this is a delicious dinner. The food is amazing and is all in a unique environment. I definitely recommend it to those who are looking for an experiment, not just the amount of food. Excellent company. There's a great experience here! All the delicious food, good service, the chef is very popular. We highly recommend the roasting of the "Graz" wine, any pasta. Thank you all! 5 stars Shining! I recommend! I lived in the hype! The new restaurant facilities are very stylish. A tasting menu is a unique taste, a real experience. Employees wait Pure.

My son brought me as his guest ! I WAS BLOWN AWAY. It was an experience like no other !

One of the best restaurants out there. I have been to a few of the restaurants that have tried to duplicate Alinea, but Alinea is by far the best. The presentation of the food is amazing and it is like a dinner and a show.

Yes, probably the best meal I have ever had. Everything is out of this world. Once in a lifetime experience

"Have you been here before?" our waiter asked as we settled into our first few moments at Alinea.

"No, but we've been to Next."

"Well, welcome to the mother ship!"

Indeed, here we were at the 3-Michelin-star child of Grant Achatz. We had visited Next almost nine years prior, happening upon reservations for the debut menu, Paris 1906.

Were my expectations high? Very. As they should have been... I was about to experience an evening unlike any other.

We had reservations for a Friday evening in the Salon. And did we ever luck out. The Salon consists of three separate rooms, one of which is a round, extremely intimate space. There is no thoroughfare, no one looking for the restroom, no one climbing the stairs to the second floor. It is the perfect location if you're based in the Salon, and I could not have been happier that we were placed there.

When I DID have to find the restroom, service kicked in. I was escorted through the two other Salons and greeted along the way as doors opened and closed for me. The timing of service at Alinea is something to note - if for one second you don't think you're being watched (in a good way,) think again. When my wife had to excuse herself to use the restroom between courses, I realized there was a guy standing court between our Salon room and the hall - so he could alert the kitchen/servers when she was arriving, and therefore, bring out the next course.

We enjoyed every interaction we had with the staff of Alinea - from the receptionist and sommelier to our servers and the pastry chef (at least, I think she was based upon her jacket. We never caught a name.)

But, if I'm being totally honest, with not only my review, but myself, I wasn't absolutely blown away by the food. And, at times, the flow and presentation felt disjointed. With elegance at the forefront of nearly every Alinea minute, I found the rustic camping course an odd fit. It followed one of the evening's highlights: a seafood spread with a visual and aromatic surprise. I won't spoil it, because it truly was one of the 'wow' moments for me.

Two courses reigned: the halibut and an off-menu fun bite of deep-fried sweet potato cream that tasted like an elephant ear and was presented on a burning cinnamon stick.

So, why only four stars? My caviar cloud was runny whereas my wife's was a perfectly formed cumulus. The octopus in Korean bbq sauce was extremely salty. And even saltier was the dumpling. I LOVE salt, but these were too much for me. While the dessert course is interactive and cheeky, the 'paint' didn't stand up to the chocolate bits. That said, I loved the 'snow,' and, of course, the balloon.

When we decided it was our time to depart, we were chauffeured to the front reception, where my coat was retrieved and placed on my back - warm. Yes, my coat was warmed before we exited into the dark Chicago winter night. Now THAT was a classy touch.

The mother ship. The eldest of Chef Achatz's Michelin-starred babies. The upper echelon of experiences.

But, I preferred Next, where, nine years ago, we walked in on an early Sunday evening and were escorted to Paris 1906. Yes, my Alinea expectations were through the (what is probably edible) roof, but with two more stars than it's younger sibling, I should have shot into space and tasted the stars.

I dont have the words to describe how great this place was.

The most incredible, enjoyable meal! The service team is so kind, engaging and hospitable. Simply the best food! Creative,playful and interactive. The wine pairings were so thoughtful and delicious.
I can t wait to go again!!!

Alinea was single handedly the greatest dining experience I have ever had. You're not simply paying for an excellent dinner at Alinea, you're paying for the experience in itself. Dinner there is more than just food, it's a fun production for everyone involved. The service is beyond excellent, and is incredibly approachable in the sense that it isn't extremely pretentious or anything. I am not a wine expert, but they were incredibly helpful in picking out a wine I would enjoy while working with my lack of knowledge. We even got to experience the kitchen while a cocktail was made for us. The evening is filled with surprises and food you simply can't get anywhere else.

This is truly a once in a lifetime experience that everyone who even remotely appreciates food should enjoy. Just do it!

Me and my wife came for dinner for my birthday. The only reason I did not give this place a one star rating is because they did offer a birthday card, which made my wife quite jealous, and a glass of shampine. That is very thoughtful. However, I personally did not enjoy the dinner at all. The first thing I noticed when the host lead us all the way to the very back room where the washroom is located (I did not mind sitting next to washroom at all) is that, that room was only Asians... Well you may think I am overly sensitive but I am really not. Let's be honest, being an Asian here isn't easy and I get it. Let's say that day if any other room had asian group, I wouldn't say a word. But during the dinner we had the chance to walk down to the kitchen for a course, and I specifically took a look while I was walking down. No other asian groups... Well I do not know what seat arranging software this restaurant is using, but I felt quite uncomfortable. Secondly, we had a main server who sometimes came introduce dishes, he was a friendly gentleman. However, the other server we had was, how do i put it, made me uncomfortable again. I mean, yes, please do let me know the lemon is only for decoration and do not eat it, but is it necessary to tell my every single thing that we were not supposed to eat? "DO NOT EAT THE ICE!" he said. Oh, thank you so much I was seriously going to finish the huge bowl of ice... Thirdly, the food quality. I am sure everyone cares more about this. The food was good, but not amazing. If you watch chef's table and all those shows, what do they praise the most about a michelin 3 star restaurant? Consistency right? Well obviously not here. I have attached a photo where I zoom in on the desert I had. Well during the dinner, I picked up this little piece of cake and it suddenly broke into two pieces. And I thought "omg what have i done... and I beat up myself pretty bad. After I got home, and I took a closer look at the photo, well, not my fault it broke into two pieces! It cracked before it got to me!! Anyway, did not enjoy the experience and I will not recommend any of my friends to try this place. And thank you Alinea for blowing it, the money I am going to save not going to your type of fancy restaurant will come a long way.