Next Restaurant Reviews

As a twenty year veteran of the hospitality industry and as an executive chef of a restaurant in can guarantee you this was the real deal. We had the TFL tasting menu with standard wine pairing and we were absolutely blown away. Service and food were impeccable and this was fine dining personified. Months later I still cannot wrap my head around all of the emotion in this meal.

After visitng Next, I understand why they don't have a Michelin star. The food was hit or miss, including one course that caused me to be sick. The service was an unmitigated disaster. This restaurant does not compare to the creativity of Schwa, the service of Alinea, or the quality of Grace. Food was frequently bland (Desserts), over salted (French Farmhouse) or undercooked (pastry on Raclette, Leaks, Goulash). There were a few strong courses: The stone soup had an incredibly complex broth and the smoke on the artic char lingered with us until we got home The Bitter salad served before dessert was so acidic, I was still sick from this dish the next morning. The service was an unmitigated disaster. I was hit in the head by a plate that the server forgot he as holding as he tried to remove the artic char from the burning log. At another point, the waiter poured a glass of limencello for me and forgot to fill my husband's glass before walking away. This was on top of a course where they forgot to bring plates for the food we were asked to share, or where the, portions of the course served at different times, and frequently there was no explanation for courses or wines. What vegetables are in the gratin? What game is in the game pie? Why is my hot chocolate crunchy? Where is this red wine from? France? Switzerland? Italy? The service staffed always appeared so frenzied that you felt like you they were fighting to provide food to a long line of guests at a food festival instead of serving guests in a refined restaurant. Save your money and go to one of Chicago's actual high end restaurants.

Every single dish, except maybe the first two were WAYYY too salty to the extent the salt ruined the true flavor of the food. Why would you prepare a dish in such a way to change the actual and natural flavors of the ingredients?? The desserts were similarly waaaay too sweet as well. Funny enough, the basque cheese cake was both way too salty and sweet. It was literally very difficult to eat the dishes, but I tried trying to get my money back and hoping that something will magically change after each bite... The service needs improvement too. We felt like we were being hasted throughout the whole meal, from the moment we walked in. No we weren’t late to the dinner. They take away the plate immediately they think you’re done, and immediately brings the next dish. Can we please at least take a breather? Not a relaxing experience. Very disappointing experience

I went end of January for the Ancient Rome theme. It was one of the most fun dinner i've had. Presentation is beautiful, food is good, service is professional and friendly. I like that they are creative with the menu presentation. I was given a book and a sheet of paper and to know what's on your dishes you cross checked with the book and it's translated from latin to english, it was fun. During dinner they baked the bread on my table(Just like in Narizawa, Tokyo) the quail with pork and chicken stuffing was delicious! and the prawns golden dust mist was sooo beautifully presented that i don't wanna eat it! If you're in chicago please do go try this restaurant, It's an experience!!! I am looking forward to return for the next theme, they change theme every season

Every year for Veteran’s Day my wife does something special to honor me for serving this great country. This year I was thrilled when I found out she had secured a reservation at Next, actually on Veteran’s day. We are true foodies and wine lovers, and willing to pay $1,150 to dine at a restaurant known for such an overall dining experience of ambiance and outstanding food and service. As we had been to an equivalent restaurant, “Oriole” over the summer, I had set my expectations for the evening to be inline with another Michelin star awarded chef and similar ticket price, but unfortunately, this did not occur She received a confirmation of our reservations from Steven, Guest Relations, The Alinea Group, and, unbeknownst to me, asked him if Next would be doing anything special to honor our Vets the night we were there. Bear in mind the tickets are prepaid and courses and wines are set, so she wasn’t asking to throw in a free desert or anything. Steven’s reply was: At this time we are not planning any special additions for this day. However, I have noted your celebration and we will be sure to acknowledge it. Her thought was, perfect, all I’m looking for. I was a bit surprised by the ambience as soon as we walked in by the cold and unremarkable décor It is a long and narrow building with several horizontal, grayish panels and mirror panels that run the entire length on either side. The energy was stimulating, extremely noisy and rushed, and similar to its sister restaurant next door, Roister, which we had eaten at twice prior. There was no music playing in the background to soften the mood and noise, The service was hit or miss. Various waiters brought out the courses. Some gave very animated and beautifully descriptive explanations of what we were about to indulge in. Others seemed lacking in being fully trained and understanding this event is an overall dining experience, and just wanted to do their job and serve our plates. The space between the tables barely allowed the servers to stand in between. As the night progressed, our wine glasses were left to accumulate on the table (noticed this on the table next to us also) my wife and I had to start lining them up like we were building a wall between us. The reason being, when a staff member would stand with their back facing us, servicing the next table, their “backside” would actually extend into our table space, and a couple times they almost knocked over a glass. We laughed that one of these times, if we weren’t paying attention when reaching for our wine or water, we may actually grab a waiter’s “backside”! We finally asked to have 6 wine glasses removed from our table. Some of the food overall was very good, but the biggest disappointment was the lack of presentation. It was as unremarkable as the décor. At Oriole we actually asked if we could take pictures of some of the courses, as they were so exquisitely and visually appealing. It wasn’t until our chicken arrived, the 5th or 6th course, that it finally offered a contrast to another bland colored, dismal looking serving in the middle of another enormous white plate. Prior to desert we were asked if we would like coffee and we placed our order. The “coffee and donuts”, a foam-topped cappuccino semifreddo in a coffee cup was delightful, followed by a tray of mignardises. Finally a server came by and thanked us for dining with them, indicating the dinner was over and time for us to leave. We advised her we ordered espressos to enjoy with our deserts and they never came. We had tried flagging down a waiter while having desert, but between the intense focus on their destination and noise level, we couldn’t grab anyone. She then brought us our coffee. Getting back to Veteran’s Day and some acknowledgement. That never occurred. No one came by. Nothing was said, which really disappointed my wife. At Oriole, Chef Sandoval came out to the dining room and stopped at tables for quick chats. We talked about the music playlist he personally makes to flow during the evening as the courses are presented. The Sommelier also came by and we got to learn a little more about the wines and how they were selected. It made the evening so personal and intimate. This past summer we returned to Oriole a second time and once again thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience as much as the first. Unfortunately, I don’t believe there will be a “Next” time.

We love our Chicago restaurants and have been slowly tackling all of the Michelin starred-restaurants our city has to offer. When we saw that Next was doing French Laundry, it was the perfect opportunity for us to check Next out! You must remember that Next will completely change their menu every 3-4 months. Your experience this time will be completely different than future experiences. The only thing that will likely be consistent is superior service and an experience you will remember. The French Laundry menu was delicious and definitely had some courses that were memorable, especially early on in the tasting menu. Some of the "bites" that were served very quickly in the beginning were some of the best dishes we had. The pace that these came out made me feel a bit rushed that they were trying to get me out of the restaurant quicker. That likely is not the case, instead - they were small bites and wanted to share as much as possible. I would highly recommend the wine pairing. We went with the lesser priced wine pairing and had some truly remarkable glasses. Unless you are a professional sommelier - you likely will enjoy it just as much as you would the premium selection. I was surprised I couldn't see the kitchen or wasn't invited to meet with any of the chefs or see the kitchen on leaving. This has been the trademark of many of the fantastic tasting menus that we have had in the past. In all honesty, we didn't ask - maybe we were just expecting it. This dinner is expensive; however, if you are one that loves a phenomenal meal, impeccible service and an experience you will remember - this is a great spot for you. It is deserving of its Stars. We look forward to going back for another menu in the future.

After trying for a long time to get a spot at Alinea Group's Next restaurant, I had given up trying. My wife's birthday came up and I just decided to see it there was an opening and, surprisingly, there was. The restaurant uses, as most know, a 'dynamic pricing' model: you pay more or less depending on which day you go and at what time. This is a minor trend, particularly among high-end restaurants, plus, at Next, you pay in advance for the meal, including a 20% tip and taxes. The food was quite creative, based on Peruvian cuisine, and was Chef Jenner Tomaska's first work at the head of Next. We were greeted with a refreshing raspberry ice. Our first course was one of the best - four types of ceviche, marinated raw fish, a staple of Peru. The corn and chocolate got my attention, while my wife loved the banana and passionfruit. The mackerel in the next course was quite excellent - I have cooked mackerel and have not liked the oily earthy taste. This mackerel, Chef told us later, came from Japan and was not local. A fun course was next with their take on beer nuts, a fermented corn 'beer' (chicha de Jora), and other snacky type food, including a delicious empanada. The shrimp course included three takes on another Peruvian staple, escabeche - all quite good. Another course of a small portion of a huge Amazonian fish (paiche - we were told it is usually 7 feet long!) in a savory broth (miso? I couldn't tell for sure). The last course before dessert was the most disappointing: a whole small chicken with black flesh, with the head and feet on. To my mind, it lacked any flavor at all and after one bite, I left the rest on the plate. The humita (corn tamale) was the best part of this section of the meal. The sweet potato doughnut for dessert was good, but the other parts of dessert, though creative probably authentic, left me unsatisfied. But, all in all, a fascinating night and a good start for Chef Tomaska.

We have been to Next many times. This menu - the 50 greatest chefs in the world - was our favorite. Sublime, beautifully presented dishes. It is a very expensive restaurant but worth it if you are a foodie.

This was our third trip to Next, the first after Covid. We've been to many Michelin star restaurants so we are familiar with what to expect. We chose to take out of town guests to Next based on our previous visits. This one was a disappointment. First, the idea of sharing small portions of courses with guests was not what we expected. Since the theme was Tuscan, this must be what the chef intended but it made for an uncomfortable eating experience. The food was fair in comparison to other experiences we've had. For me, there were no course that were remarkable in contrast to our previous visits. Finally and most surprising was the service. Once again, we know what to expect and it was not close to our expectations. My wife and her guest were given no real wine suggestions that would match their desires. They settled on a selection that was acceptable but it wasn't easy to get there. After our initial beverage order, we were never asked if we wanted another glass, even when they were empty. I had to ask to have my water refilled and had to find a waiter to ask for more wine. Since we did not have a specific waiter assigned to our table, it required us to flag one down to order this. The overall experience seemed to be rushed. This was evident when my guest was asked if he was done with a course while he still had a fork in his hand and the plate had food on it. At the end of our experience there was no offer for after dinner drinks, coffee or anything else. We were just done, given the check and we left. This is a tired restaurant. I mentioned to my wife prior to booking that we should try one of the newer restaurants in the city since we had very special guests in and wanted to provide them a wonderful time. My wife chose to return to Next based on previous visits. For the price you pay to visit Next, I suggest you look elsewhere. It was not close to worth it.

We scored a table for four for the wine pairing dinner in December. Rather than the usual wine-fits-the-food rationale, the food was designed to enhance the 15 (I think!) course wine selection. Each serving was perfectly proportioned, and the wine pairings were spot on. Many of the wines were new to us, and each was memorable. Service and pacing was outstanding. After enjoying Chef Achatz's culinary genius at Alenia, this did not disappoint. Now we eagerly ask: "What's Next?!?"

Visited on a Sunday with The Aviary as a prelude. As a frame of reference, I visited the Alinea Gallery about 2 years ago - 5 stars! The Italia (modern Italian) menu was really nice, if a bit traditional for what I understand to be an avant-garde restaurant. The highlights for me were the first course (which was about 4 rolled into one!), the Cacio e Pepe, and the beef. But as others have mentioned, where was the balsamic as mentioned by the Tribune? And no chocolate for dessert? The menu is VERY rich and I never throw in the towel but I was on the edge with this lineup of food. It all was very memorable, however. Halfway through the menu I had a weather-related emergency back home and asked the staff to pause the bombing of food and they accommodated (thank you). But once more, as others have mentioned everyone here is wildly robotic. Alinea was far more “warm.” Attempts at engaging with the staff (all but one) were generally met with indifference / walking away. To avoid being rushed, we just ate slower and you could tell that didn’t sit incredibly well. And the music — oh my. Turn it down or even better — off. So horribly bad!!! I’m glad I went and it is worth a visit but for $800 including wine pairings, I would visit other bleeding edge restaurants next time.

When I heard that Next was doing a menu based on the theme of French Cuisine Classique, I was intrigued. I'm not a huge fan of the current trend in high-end restaurants (including Next and Alinea), but I thought "Classic French-- perfect!" I expected lots of butter and cream, aspics and reductions, and, frankly, hearty portions. In fact what I got was a typical Next/Alinea presentation: attractive, well composed plates, intense and thoughtfully paired flavors, but tiny portions. If you ate this menu but didn't know the names of the dishes, you'd be hard pressed to identify the theme. And I can hardly imagine Escoffier in his kitchen wielding tweezers to place a miniature piece of fish or chicken on a plate. To each his own, I guess. If you don't like it, don't come back. For what it's worth, I have dined at many three star and other restaurants in Paris and throughout Europe, so while my perspective might not match with yours it's not uninformed. and one more thing: on the Ultra wine pairing ("the rarest wines from our collection") I would have liked to have seen at least one red with some age.

We went for the French Laundry dinner last night and I had no idea the food would be so amazing! Every course was a new surprise!

This was a very special experience. We tasted so many great flavours in a row, unexpected combinations that worked well, including the non-alcoholic pairing. The tempo was rather swift, and maybe some bread would have been welcome for the delicious sauces such as the perfect curry. The staff was friendly, too.

Perfectly executed classics with a few updates. Everything was spot on and not rushed. The staff is always engaging and attentive making it an excellent dining experience. We particularly liked the fish and soup courses. The wine pairings were great too.

There is a level to which not everyone reaches. That is equally true for a chef or a customer. The Next experience requires a little research in advance, actually, it is a must to understand where the experience is transporting you, as a customer. Without it, it is a hit or miss. The chefs prepare tremendously in order to get as close as possible to the theme they chose. Having said that, the Peruvian Next menu was a journey into a fantastic culinary space, yet we are in Chicago, not in Peru. There are limitations to what ingredients are available, there are limitations to what the American taste buds could find acceptable. All in all, young chef Jenner Tomaska did a fantastic job in his first run as executive chef. After tasting the Alps menu, last menu of David Beran,which I found underwhelming, I thought the Next magic was over, but the Peruvian menu made me realize the new chef could take this restaurant to new heights. Great chefs are great artists, their medium apparently being the food they create, but a restaurant like Next, just like Alinea or Moto is just the canvas that contains the art that is edible. But it is a lot more than just food, or "good value for the money". The saying "if you have to ask how much it cost, you cannot afford it" certainly applies fully to Next. So, when you are blaming the chef for serving a chicken that has naturally black meat, don't call it "blackened" and complain about the price. It means you understood nothing of what Next is all about. Don't look at the chef to find an issue, look in the mirror! Restaurants like Next should be patronized because they are institutions, of higher learning, higher cuisine and sometimes worship. It is perfectly alright to reach to the executive chef after your experience, ask for their autograph on the menu, for a picture. You have to understand what the place is all about before you get there.

The Alps was definitely a 'peak' in my culinary Journey! The goulash...Arctic char with unbelievable presentation....strudel! The dish ware is eclectic and beautiful and the food hit notes that I've never experienced. I put this right up there with my experience at the 3 Michelin star Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, yet Next has its own unique voice. This is a must try. I can't remember the last time I had this much fun while dining. What an experience and a true value. Chef came by to say hello and you can tell the passion and intensity yet the fun he pours into his creative and utterly delicious menu. This is pure artistic genius. The staff was friendly, professional and delightfully engaging. All around an unforgettable experience!!! Thank you team Next!

This season menu is Ancient Rome. There were about 18 courses with all the theater that you come to expect from The Alinia Group. Each dish was excellent prepared well and served with clarity. We were fortunate to have the super premium wine list. A friend came with us from Italy who has worked in several vineyards and has a very good wine pallet. He was very impressed with the wines being served both in quality and rarity. The dish of the evening was a perfectly roasted suckling pig displayed with apples, raisins, large sprigs of rosemary heated, dried apricots. I will continue to come to Next to introduce my friends and enjoy the best dining experience in Chicago

When I read that Next Restaurant was paying homage to Thomas Keller by hosting the October 1996 menu, that same day I booked a flight and hotel to Chicago to partake because I knew this was going to be an opportunity to try out a handful of the dishes within the French Laundry Cookbook. Seeing photos people were posting online, I got more and more excited...until it became clear that the menu was NOT going to be that specific menu and there were going to be inconsistencies based upon available ingredients. My only complaint was with how the menu was advertised because it set false expectations. However, I believe they figured that out as they went, so they can't be blamed too much. I deeply appreciate their ambition. Personally, I love paying for the meal in advance. Next requires online booking and payment and there are no refunds, just like buying tickets to a theater or sporting event. Finances out of the way means more attention paid to the experience, IMO. The table was adorned with the iconic French Laundry clothes pin clipped to the napkins and a brief written introduction. Clearly, this was going to be a culinary experience with great attention to detail and coming from a very personal place. Dishes were inconsistent which may be due to the menu evolving over a short timeframe or from a kitchen of young chefs eager to make good. When it was good, it was life changing. At worst, it was only below average but never so average nor bad that it made us doubt the kitchen skills. All the same, I hoped it would have been A+ throughout. The "coffee and donuts", which was a semifreddo in a coffee cup with steamed milk failed because the donut was not THE best donut ever and in fact felt stale. I've had better donuts fresh from being made at a gas station in Michigan, for example. But the "Oysters & Pearls", the "Pot-au-feu" and even the dinky Gulf Shrimp with Avocado Salsa were unexpectedly sensual and complex. Service was sincere and attentive. They weren't sure about one wine from Oregon which they were pairing with a new dish (I don't think they knew I was from Oregon) and they asked in advance for feedback for which they were grateful when I gave them constructive criticism. Unheard of and appreciated, to be sure. The courses were well paced and we felt satisfied, despite the shortcomings, although it still made me wish I could travel back in time to 1996 in Yountville to have experienced it firsthand. Although this was not a transportive experience, it was enough to help me understand what Keller is going for in his cookbook, and to me that was the point of the trip.

I don't want to ruin the surprises of the Terroir experience but will state this was the most Alinea like experience since my evening at Alinea a few years ago. Next now can accommodate tables of three - at least for this menu. Exceptional wine, food and service.

We had NYE dinner here. The tasting menu for two including wine was $1300, we added the $125 truffle course. It was the most amazing course of the meal. Every course was stellar, with an abundance of flavors. The staff was relaxed, informative and attentive. Not stuffy at all, despite the price. We toasted the countdown during dinner at Aviary (the lounge next door) and returned to finish dinner. Be prepared for a leg, luxurious evening. Tickets are required, which means that you pay for everything before you go. If you can't make it, you can sell your tickets, but you can't just cancel your reservations. If you're a foodie, this is a can't miss spot. Quiet and romantic, good for any special occasion.

Next is good. In fact very good. I would not call it high value whereas I'd call Alinea high value. In fact, I wish Alinea was more expensive so it would be easier to get in! Anyways this write up is for Next. I like how they change their courses based on a new theme. Sometimes works, and sometimes a bit goofy. But there is always a "next" time!!!

As my husband and I have traveled the world, we frequent as many Michelin 2 and 3 star restaurants as we can as we are knowledgeable and genuine foodies. It is a frequent occurrence to top $1,000 for a multicourse tasting menu with wine pairings. These have always been immensely pleasurable experiences with rare exceptions. Unfortunately, our experience at Next was one of these rare and disappointing experiences. We dined recently for their "50 World's Best Restaurants List" menu, of which their sister restaurant, Alinea, is listed at #21. This is a 17 course menu, which really amounted to many small bites. Perhaps 5 or 6 of these were incredible and truly fantastic. Two were duds, in my opinion, the beets and the squash. The menu overall did not make a great deal of cohesive sense and we left a bit underwhelmed. When you spend more than $1,000 on a meal, this is a very bad thing. One of the problems we encountered was the extreme rudeness of the diners seated on either side of us. The diners on one side were so incredibly obnoxious and loud that we could not hear our waiter's description of the dishes, and my husband and I could hardlt hear our own conversation, which is a sad problem. These diners cursed loudly throughout the entire meal, and at the end, when dessert was served, they actually were hitting it and sending pieces flying! On the other side, we had a diner so slumped over that she was nearly sideways in her seat, like she was watching a movie at home with a bag of popcorn. All in all, we were miserable. I understand that perhaps Next cannot change this, but it greatly affected the quality of our meal. Our meal was never peaceful, but instead it was agitating. The last thing I will comment upon is hospitality. The servers are perfunctory and formal, but not very friendly. I don't get the sense that they care very much about us, but rather that we are just another number at table number whatever it is. I prefer when servers make an effort to relate and engage, at least to more of a degree than these servers are trained to do. None of this was the $1,000 dining delight that we paid for or were expecting.

You've heard the hype and read the reviews and it's all true, sort of. Yes it's creative, innovative, hip, yada yada.. So, why do you go to a restaurant? If it's for very good food with good service, this place works fine. If you like buying tickets on-line just like you are going to a circus, this place REALLY works fine! This is culinary entertainment at its best. The food, while very good was more of a sideshow. The portions are small (one or two bite-fulls) and the wine pairings less than spectacular. We were up-sold a whole fish special for $35/person (two person minimum). The price was about $98 which included tax and a 20% gratuity (which is automatically added to EVERYTHING!) The fish was only so-so and definitely not worth the extra $98. Regarding the 20% gratuity, it can only go up, never down, even if the service is poor. In keeping with current trends, patrons dressed in everything from jeans to sport coats, pants to dresses. If you are looking for a classy place to go for fine dining, go somewhere else. Overall, you should go here for the entertainment first, great food second, and very good service third. This is probably a one and done - glad I checked it out but probably won't return.

We saw a last-minute Friday night reservation for Next’s Ancient Roman menu, so of course we had to jump on it. It was a fun evening with friends…the menu theme was clever, the presentation was beautiful, and the service was quite good. While I’ll definitely consider returning the next time the theme strikes my fancy, it was nowhere near the best dinner I’ve had in town. Some of the courses were solid…the shrimp/olives/walnut, leek/red cabbage/butternut squash and quail/spelt/lovage dishes were some of my favorites of the evening. But a couple things were misses for me…most notably the oxtail/turnip/horseradish course (which is surprising, as oxtail is one of my favorites), and one of the sauces on the venison. I did like that they did a fun bread course…baked at the table and with an interesting back-story regarding Roman soldiers. I wish more tasting menus included breads! All in all, fun, but for the price-point, there are other Chicago restaurants I would recommend over Next.

I had been looking forward to this place for some time. When I got a last minute reservation I was stoked. I went with my wife who was somewhat skeptical at the beginning. We loved it I found the service to be extremely personable and efficient. As we left we were pleasantly surprised that they had already called a cab for us that arrived as we were leaving the building. Everyone there appeared to love what they were doing. We found every course to be a well thought out and adventuresome. The wine pairings were perfect. At the price we paid the bar was set high and they passed with flying colors.

We thoroughly enjoyed the Massimo Bottura dinner last night. I'm somewhat ambivalent about Next, I've had some great meals (childhood) and the occasional clunker (Tokyo) here. However my wife loves Next, so I go along for the ride. The service is always excellent, as are the wine pairings. The room is comfortable and considering the prices, it's not stuffy. Everything we ate and drank last night was great, I give it 4 stars as an average score for all the meals I've had here, past and present, last night was definitely 5 stars.

This restaurant pays homage to great chefs and cuisines. This time was José Andrés, the Spanish genius. The menu was a great variety of dishes from all his restaurants. Ingredients and flavors were combined beautifully. A magnificent experience.

Food was excellent and well priced. Took me back to the Alinea beginnings. Restaurant noisy but worth it just for the food.

I had the opportunity to dine at NEXT and experience the menu dedicated to Bobby Flay. Honestly, I left a bit disappointed. The attention to detail and flavors were not at all equivalent to a Michelin starred restaurant in my opinion. The food was tasty, but average at best.

The Alps menu was incoherent and ordinary. Goulash? Pretzels? Venison jerky? Oversalted and uninspired. What does Arctic Char have to do with the Alps? Rushed and impersonal service, as if they were in a hurry to turn your table. Several of the dishes were served family style and we were instructed to serve ourselves. The reserved beverages pairings were particularly disappointing. The first red wine smelled like a barnyard and tasted worse. It set a bad tone for the rest of the meal. The meal was not remotely worth the price we paid. I expected more after dining at sister restaurant Alinea.

This is the second year I have subscribed to the Next restaurant experience! I have always appreciated the surprise preparations and the selection od various types of foods! I have always selected the pairing of wines that definitely enhances the foods. The services is good and the dress casual code makes the evening relaxed and less pretentious!

The food was fine, but we will never go back. They just kept throwing food at us and clearing and rushing - under 2 hours for 8 courses?!? Will absolutely never be back. We will stick with Alinea. We bought the tickets months in advance, booked a sitter until 10 (hah!!), were excited to finally get to go... and wow what an utter disappointment.

In Chicago on a business trip and was very excited to go to Next. Well, no NEXT time for me. My colleague expressed his opinion on this site and did write to the owners. He commented on the good, and the mostly bad, but was met with total arrogance from co-owner Nick Kokonas. My colleague also asked for a refund or perhaps another comp'd opportunity to try the restaurant again as all four guests were clearly disappointed. He is certainly someone that could easily afford this dinner and then some - but felt strongly about the experience. Below is Mr. Kokonas's response. Could have been worded differently OR whatever happened to customer "service". Don't worry about "banning" us from your list - we wouldn't dream of returning or recommending your restaurants again. Appalling. "I don't like to be extorted by online reviews from people with AOL accounts from 2001. Asking for a free meal must work at many places, sadly. It's easy to see through such tactics and using online reviews as a bludgeon will not work on this restaurant. Get 20 other people to do the same. It just makes it more transparent. I've asked our reservation team to make sure that no one from your group can book again at any of our restaurants."

Highs and Lows with NEXT I’ve always wanted to try NEXT, since I’ve heard great reviews over the years and recently read the review in the Chicago Tribune about their current Italian theme. We had high, very high expectations and unfortunately, were not met. This wasn’t our first rodeo in fine dining. When you dine at a restaurant at this caliber, it’s about the food, it’s the food that takes center stage. That is ultimately what you are paying for: The experience and expression for every item on your plate that the chef can deliver. The restaurant facade is bland and without the modest sign, you can easily miss it. But that’s the purpose, since it’s what’s inside that counts. We were greeted warmly at check in and we were immediately escorted to our table. It’s a dimly lit interior and the tables were spaced appropriately, so we could focus on our conversations and not others sitting next to each other. It’s not quiet, but at least we are not on top of others like in other restaurants of this caliber. The beginning courses started off with a bang. The antipasti, Casio E Pepe (best I ever had) and the Agnolotti-Bolognese, which also was terrific! But something was starting to derail the experiences, once we settled in for the 3hr meal. Let’s start with the staff. As mentioned, it’s about the food, stupid. But how about they lighten up? Be a little personable? How about providing their names? Friendly? Spend a little more time explaining all the dishes? Answers to our questions should be more genuine and not “coached”. Harsh? Maybe. But if we are going to be together for 3 hours and spending well over $1k, the staff should contribute to the experience and at a minimum, don’t distract from it. The Sommelier knew his wine, but unfortunately, he is hard to understand and rushes the descriptions and the pairings. Half way, it became noticeably warm in the restaurant. Uncomfortably so. Jackets off and the women had to step outside for cooler air. (Unfortunately, 2 days into Summer in Chicago, you have to go outside to cool off) We mentioned twice to the staff and they insisted that when they showed up, it’s an ice box and the AC was on full blast during dinner. Always an answer and off they went. The later half of the meal wasn’t as enjoyable as the first half. One, we were already getting full, Second, too hot to want to continue eating and Third, the Steak alla California was a huge disappointment. The dessert was a mess. The gelato with honey and olive oil? Ugh. Campari & soda? This is what you come up with for desserts for an Italian theme menu? Where is the chocolate!? Unfortunately, this turned into an experience, that I can now say I checked this box. Not an experience that I wanted to say, I can’t wait to go back.

One may be put off by the preliminary process that the patron is put through in order to dine here. Unlike the typical restaurant, even others in this league, you are not permitted to talk to a human. All reservations must be handled through the restaurant's website. You examine available dates and dining slots, select a dining slot (if you are fortunate enough to find one) and immediately pay for the entire cost in advance. Have questions about dress code? Wine? Valet service? Examine their FAQ page. If you call the restaurant’s telephone number, you are immediately connected to a prerecorded message explaining that they do not personally answer telephone calls. Any questions not fully covered in the FAQ page of their website must be emailed. If you are still reading this, and are not completely put off by these rules, then you will qualify as a NEXT patron. NEXT is also unusual in that the chef creates one seasonal menu for everyone. Once you pass though the rather unassuming entrance to the restaurant, any negative thought you might have developed from the inhuman booking process vanish. Staff members greet you with warmth and courtesy. There is not an ounce of pretension to be found in the actual dining experience. A multi-course tasting menu is artfully executed, skillfully delivered, and expertly timed. I won’t spend a great deal of text discussing the actual meal, since it will be completely different on the day you dine here. We chose to visit when the restaurant was doing their 1996 French Laundry menu. I cannot say that every dish was expertly executed. At least two, the Storey Farms Chicken and the Sweet Butter Poached Lobster were not: The chicken ballotine was excessively salty. The lobster was severely under-cooked. As the meal progresses, service staff adapt themselves adroitly to your personality, and interact accordingly. Listen carefully to the staff member as he or she verbally describes each dish placed in front of you as there is no printed menu to peruse. At the end of your experience, a staff member will present you with a printed copy of the meal. There are only a handful of restaurants in Chicago that are similar. I would include the revamped Spiaggia as one. But there are some unique differences. Unlike Spiaggia’s encyclopedic wine list, NEXT has none. If you wish wine with your meal, you select from one of three wine tasting menus: standard, mid-grade, and premium. Yes, your final bill with wine, tax and gratuity for four guests could easily be equal to a short vacation including air fare, but it, undoubtedly will be most memorable.

Dinner in April - Silk and Spice Tasting Menu In April, we had the opportunity to dine at Next, for the second time. A year had passed, and in between our visits, we had the opportunity to spend almost a week with Chef Grant Achatz, Nick Kokonas, at Blackberry Farm, in the mountains of Tennessee. So, this was a bit more, than a simple return visit. Though Chef Achatz is probably more involved with his flagship, Alinea (we dined there for a second time, as well), and opening up a few new projects, his hands are still all over Next, and it showed, yet again. Next is located in an unassuming commercial building (not well-marked), at 953 W Fulton Market, at Morgan St. However, the rather plain facade gives no indication of what one is in for, once inside. The interior spaces are lovely, and a bit on the minimalist side - but in a very pleasing way. Many of the walls are adorned with vibrant pieces of artwork, and murals, in contrast to otherwise bare surfaces. We were promptly seated for our early reservation, at a spacious 4-top. Because of the culinary artistry to follow, having a spacious table at Next, is almost a requirement. We had called, to verify my wife’s bi-valve allergy, and the kitchen had made a few changes for her side of the Prix Fixe Tasting Menu. The menu was named “Silk and Spice,” and was exquisite, with each dish beautiful to behold, and so delicious. Next does a “theme” for their ever-changing Tasting Menu (changed at least quarterly), so any visit after April, will be different - highly different. Just check for the theme, when making a booking. One upcoming menu, that caught my eye, was “The Fat Duck,” in a tribute to Chef Heston Blumenthal’s Michelin-starred restaurant in Bray, Berkshire, UK. As the menu changes constantly, there is little need to cite all of the dishes we had. There was not one weak dish, in the whole meal, and each was as beautiful (and beautifully plated/presented, in a highly creative way) as they were tasty. Portion sizes were small, and that is a good thing, as we had 17, by my count. There was no going home hungry. We did do the Wine/Beverage Pairing again, and were delighted that we had - the selections were as exciting, as our dishes, and perfectly paired in mostly Riedel stemware, all varietally specific. Service (including the wine service) was spot-on, with no pause, and nothing rushed. The kitchen and the service team were in concert with us. The noise-level, even though the restaurant was soon full, was basically non-existent, beyond the servers describing the dishes, or the sommelier discussing the wine being poured. The lighting is moderately bright, but that is great to appreciate the visual elements of the culinary artwork being presented. While not inexpensive, we both felt that this meal was a very good value. It’s also easy to call Next “Alinea’s little sister,” but I do not now think that is fair - Next is Next, and stands alone. The dishes are unique, creative, beautiful and delicious, and about the only difference is that there is a bit less “theater” at Next - it is a more traditional dining experience - and a great one! We will be returning, and hope to get reservations to do the Fat Duck Menu.

I have only felt compelled to write a TripAdvisor review once before (when I had a exceptionally terrible hotel experience), but after eating at Next this past weekend, I feel strongly that I need to come on here and defend the restaurant against some of the negative reviews I have been reading. I’ll just say outright that this may be the best meal I have ever had, or at least very close to it. I’m a pretty adventurous and critical eater, and while there are plenty of gaps in my culinary experience – I have barely dented the “World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list – I can say that I’ve eaten at French Laundry, Narisawa, O Ya in Boston (maybe the meal that has the best chance of competing with Next for me), August in New Orleans, and countless other excellent restaurants in San Francisco, New Orleans, New York, Europe, and Japan. This place beat them all. We also ate at Topolobampo the night before, which was great, but was honestly not even in the same league. We went when they were serving the Chilean menu, and I don’t want to give too many details of the meal – it would almost be like spoiling a great movie – but I’ll just say that the creativity, the showmanship, the melding of tradition with innovation, and, above all, the flavor and execution were all absolutely incredible. The service was fantastic too, and all of our servers were so excited and enthusiastic when presenting us with our dishes and describing what went into them. We did not do the wine pairing, so I will accept other reviewers’ comments that the wines may have been disappointing, but I don’t see how you could possibly knock the food or the overall experience. And without the wines (I ordered a couple pisco sours instead), it is an incredible bargain for a meal of this caliber; I paid half, or in some cases a third or less, of what I spent on meals at some of the restaurants I listed above, and I enjoyed the meal more than at those places. Without question, whenever they release the next menu theme, I will find some excuse to travel to Chicago so I can experience it again. One note: if you are a cocktail fan, definitely make a plan to go to the Aviary next door either before or after your meal, or make a separate trip. I realize I’m gushing here, but it is really the best cocktail bar I have ever been to, and the service was an extension of our excellent experience at Next. Highly, highly recommended (but definitely NOT a bargain like Next – these drinks are very expensive).

Don't come !!!! This place is not worth the price not the excitement. Its bigger sister Alinea is on a complete different galaxy. The food is good but not bold enough, it seems like the rat lab for Alinea. Alinea was a homerun this is more of a foul ball in the middle of the 4th inning. I will do Alinea a million times more but never come back to this.... Not for the price. Think about it, not worth it.

We got SICK! A friend and I were excited to try the NEXT. We are both foodies and have tried a lot of nice restaurants over the years. I started feeling sick even before I left the restaurant. I went home immediately after, and was sick with diarrhea and cramping all night. I called my friend in the morning and she had the same symptoms. I wrote to Next about us getting sick. They responded saying our sickness was not the fault of the restaurant. I sent a follow up email and they never responded. Overall, I don’t think this place is worth the money and not only because I got sick. See pros and cons, CONs • Got sick. • The lighting over the tables we too bright and the place was very noisy. Not a very nice ambience. • The staff was less detailed than I expected. Most of them sounded like they were reading from a script. There was times when they dropped the food on our table and didn’t say anything. • We ordered the wine package. However, one of the pours was sake. I ordered wine because I like wine not sake. I tried to drink it but then asked for another wine, which they gave me. There were two out of the 15 courses that did not have wine pairings. At the cost of the wine we should have gotten wine with each course. • A couple of the dishes were really fishy, the Pebble and the Scallop. • The food portions were small but the dessert portions were large. It was like they wanted to try and stuff us at the end of the dinner so we would not notice how skimpy the food portions were. PROs • The food presentation was nice. • The desserts we very tasty.

We had the pleasure of dining at Next with an emphasis on Chilean cuisine. The staff were outstanding,attentive and caring, making it a great experience. The food was a history lesson on chilean cuisine from precolumbian to present day with and influence of other cultures and was elegantly explained by the staff. Overall was a wonderful experience and those who write negatively are looking for an Alinea type of evening(having dined at both), this is not designed to be that type of evening but was certainly an enjoyable one. So lighten up and open your minds to something different like this adventure.

Lovely Ambience! Great service. The food was pricey $$$ Fresh salad . They only open for dinner ☹️wish they had lunch hours.

I don't knew where to start here... I had super high hopes going to next since i went to the pop up of Alinea in Miami. In Miami i received great service and breathtaking food. Taking in consideration that i go very often to `Per Se` in new york which is the sister restaurant of the french laundry i really wanted to try next. To start service was really bad like unbelievably bad. Thank god i had a guy that would serve my water ( a super friendly mexican guy but i forgot his name) that i still believe it was only my headwaiter that was arrogant and bad or i would think each server was like that. From the get go my head server was not attentive, not friendly and not helpful. I eat with my eyes but if i pay 800+ usd i want to be served by a friendly person and not by a person that makes you feel that doesn't make you feel welcome in the restaurant and didn't know any proper standards. What a difference with the pop up of aline where service was great and friendly and everything you could wish for. Now, the food... Maybe its wrong for me to go for this menu to next because I've tasted thomas kellers well known dishes a lot. The oyster and pearl where completely overcooked and actually each dish was for away from what it should be. Maybe it was all that bad because i was there only the second evening of the menu? But was service bad as well? Overall and with pain in my heart i would recommend this restaurant to anybody. It won't fulfill your expectations at all.

Michelin-starred restaurants can be perilous, because they are always trying to reach out from the norm to distinguish themselves. In the case of Next, at least with the menu we had (Tuscan), they pulled it off, and I'll say with elegance and aplomb. I won't go chapter-and-verse through the menu, but the mushroom raviolo commanded attention -- it alone was worth the price of admission. The red snapper was sublime, and the wagyu short rib was transcendental. In addition, the wine pairings (we chose to mid-tier "reserve" pairing) were exceptional, every glass tuned wonderfully to the meal. The service was friendly, prompt, but not overbearing or obsequious. I've been to multiple high-end restaurants in France and elsewhere, three-star, one-star, and otherwise. Next was completely unique, and also provided great food and service -- a real achievement. Clearly, this is not a place for casual dining, but for an exceptional night out, it's wonderful!

My wife and our friends enjoyed our dinner at Next-South America. Next is transitioning every 6-weeks in the current South America cuisine from Peru to Chile to Argentina. We had dinner when the focus was on Chile and overall felt Next delivered on the variety and novelty that one expects from the culinary team behind the restaurant. The strong points we felt were the deft hand and technique displayed with the seafood, the fun idea of the Mercado themed course, and the knowledgeable but not at all stuffy wait staff. I would not recommend the reserve wine pairings, as we felt only one of the wines really delivered any wow factor above the standard wine pairings. The non-alcoholic pairings as always were very interesting and playful. Overall a solid four of five stars, a good beginning for the new chef, but to be balanced against the price point.

This is a fine dining restaurant along the lines of the former Charlie Trotters or Alinia. A fixed menu with a price, together with a wine paring, that's north of $200 per person. Lots of courses following a fixed theme that holds for 4 months. The portions though small, though in total make for a full meal. The flavors are special - to say the least. The presentation is well rehearsed although a bit quick. In the end, the courses are so unique that you won't remember a thing you had to eat. That's why they give you a comprehensive list before you leave. Its perfect for that special occasion but plan ahead. Next is in demand so reservations are hard to come by.

This is a fancy, multi small nibble plates, with wine pairings. So know it is *not* a traditional salad/spaghetti/tiramisu kinda Italian (they rotate menus and it is Italian now). They have a set menu and cannot alter for many food preferences like vegan,veggie but they can leave off onions or corn for example. Very expensive, like $500 a person with premium wine pairings, so just accept that. Although a lot, this is a special experience like eating at Michelin two or three star places in Europe. We did this as a once in our lives thing. There are plenty of world class eating place in the neighborhood that are more normal in menu/price. So yes they did a great job. Thoughtful adventurous food and wine pairing. If you like that, and can afford without regret, then the experience is worth it.

The food is without a doubt really lovely but the service is shocking, not every server obviously, (there was one girl in particular who was with the programme but she was alone)but the majority of them. I was pretty irritated that I had prepaid 20% service because if I had paid on the night it wouldn't have been anywhere near that. It was rushed, slap dash, courses were delivered to other tables etc. It seriously detracted from the experience

I have wanted to go to Next Restaurant for some time. Had a chance with someone in the restaurant industry so together we went to see what this was all about--buy your meal ticket and enjoy the experience. The problems far outweighed the pleasure. I arrived earlier than my guest. For 20 minutes I sat at a table with nothing on it but a glass of water. I had disrupted their performance. They really had nothing to provide for an early guest so i sat and waited until someone finally came over and asked if i would like my first drink, out of sequence and without his telling me what it was or why i should love it. I had to ask for a few crackers or something to eat with the lovely drink Once we got our performance on its way there was a lot of performance. The food was from Peru -- and i have been to Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, etc. and enjoy their food. Some of it was very "interesting" and tasty--good ceviche and Tiradito. The beef heart, well not my taste. And the chicken head and foot was pushing me a bit too far. The wine was splendid. Not enough time in each portion to really savor it. So, my take on it--go to Peru and taste good food the way they love it. Save your money.

I went to next a few days ago and got extremely sick from eating there. I got on yelp and noticed another poster had gotten sick the week before off the same menu. I’m not sure if I had a bad piece of seafood or if something was contaminated during prep. They also use different types of plates that include a log covered in seaweed and a sphere made of grapevines. Honestly I don’t know how well those plates can be sanitized if they are used more than once so it’s also possible that those are carrying bacteria.

Next is a forward thinking restaurant that changes its menu theme every four months. This visit incorporated the original French Laundry Menu and accurately replicated those dishes throughout the evening. I only rated it four stars because the previous two nights we had dined at Grace and Alinea which made the 'dated" FL menu less than exciting. That being said, the food was delicious and the service was exceptional. It just didn't the "wow" factor that was experienced at Grace and Alinea.

This was our first time at this restaurant. We were celebrating my husband birthday and everything was perfect. We were seated in a booth, which we very much appreciated as the restaurant is a little bit cozy. The presentation of the various dishes was artistically beautiful and the flavors remarkable. I had the non-alcoholic pairing which was exceptional while my husband enjoyed a wine pairing. The service was attentive without being obtrusive. Overall an excellent experience.

Next is Alinea's sister eating spot created by Grant Atchaz, uber Chef in Chicago. The menu changes every four months and follows a theme. Right now it is The Alps taking you on a food oddysey through Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Next is an over-the-top dining experience with changing table cloths and unusual, but fascinating, food presentations. The price varies with when you dine, but is worth every cent if you are an adventurous eater. Look for Next to get a well-deserved Michelin star in the near future. I will be back in the fall for the very special French Laundry dinner.

The dining experience at Next is nothing short of spectacular. My wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary there and it exceeded our expectations. We have enjoyed great dining experiences before but this was different. We were there for the Alps menu and not only was the food outstanding but the olfactory sensation created by the food preparation and table settings adds to the overall experience. We did not know what to expect but it did not disappoint. No menu and the staff will not tell you what's coming next or how far along you are with the dining experience. This adds to the unique dining experience. Very knowledgeable staff. Can't wait to return when the next menu is created. I realize this might sound foolish since it is a pricey restaurant, but I don't know how they produce this dining experience for the price. With the multiple courses, unique presentations and preparations, it seemed to be a fair value.

Went to Next after we couldn't find an available seat at Alinea. The experience in Next was amazing, great food, great service and mostly the staff is really attentive in explaining all dishes.

Unfortunately I read the reviews after I booked the restaurant and it was non-refundable and now I know why. The food was disappointing, some of which was inedible and way too fussy. I had the wine pairing and while a few were good, several were pretty awful. The experience was not worth the ridiculous price.

Pros: creativity cons: some of the dishes were not Michelin worthy. I loved the subtle details such as the ribbon like consistency of the fish & the dessert is something that definitely should be experienced once by everyone. I wish there could be cocktails in addition the small wine by the glass choices or wine pairing especially considering one of the best bars in the world is next door at aviary. The chicken dish was downright horrific & in my humble opinion chicken has no place on a Michelin restaurant nor tasting menu. I would’ve also like to see more luxurious options other than caviar. Overall good food & good service but with some fine tuning it could be great.

Hands down one of the best meals of my life. My wife and I had an amazing experience and it was great to have so many different takes on the worlds best plates. I was at Alinea the day after and this was just as good of an experience. It was all very top notch.

This was culinary theater at its best. The food was off the chart creative but was approachable and delicious. The flavors were complex but with the wine pairing worked perfectly. Service impeccable. Thanks to Gary and the rest of the team for a wonderful experience.

I took the kitchen staff to the French Laundry menu at next last week. It was their first experience with Kellers food. The menu was circa 1996 which was the year of my first meal at TFL. Grant was in the kitchen this particular night and we had the kitchen table so watching the action was enjoyable for our table. The opening canapés were as they were back in 1996 along with many familiar dishes from years past. Each dish hit the mark for me except for the donuts (little too mushy and lacking the sugar coating). Grand reserve wine pairing was top notch.

What a colossal disappointment. I read Phil Vettel’s Chicago Tribune review and immediately booked a reservation. There were very few openings for parties of 2 and I grabbed the first available which was on a Sunday @9. Big mistake…. Not sure if B team was in place, or I just caught the A team on a really off night. In any event the following is either an indictment of the Tribune and Phil Vettel’s decision to out himself, or of Next itself, as his description and treatment by staff was far different than what I experienced. I prepaid over 1100 for a party of two which included the reserve wine tasting. I have been to Alinea in the past and am a big fan so I had high expectations. I also have met the owner as we both traded on the same Chicago exchange and have mutual friends. Tough not to admire what Nick has created and he is obviously an astute businessman. However the bar was set high, and failed to deliver. I was seated and immediately the wine service and pairings began. The Tribune review referenced wonderful descriptions of the various vintages which were poured, “Sommelier and floor manager João Alves de sá always comes up with fascinating wine pairings; listening to his explanations is almost as much fun as drinking the stuff”. No such luck for me. My pours were executed by alternate people, with very little description, the only uniformity being the scarcity of liquid in the glass. It would have been nice to have had an introduction, maybe someone to greet us and tell us how events would unfold, food courses as well as wine. Had I known the wine selections would be white centric, I might have been inclined to apply the paring cost to one or two bottles of red. They delved right in with both food and wine, and we were in and out in under 80 minutes. By comparison, other tasting menus I have been to at similarly priced places clock in at over 2 hours. The wait staff were efficient, but detached. Maybe the prepaid 20% surcharge obviates the need to establish some type of rapport? The food was good, some dishes fantastic, others mediocre, but the service and presentation completely different from the review. The Tribune described “ thinly sliced culatello ham is graced by a few dots of 100-year-old balsamic vinegar. (The waiter dispenses the balsamico with the serious precision of a heart surgeon.)” My 100 year old balsamic arrived already on the plate and the few drops were replaced by a barely visible, and hence imperceptible pin prick. The “round loaf of warm focaccia, and a large bowl of burrata cheese; these elements remain on the plate (replenished, if need be) throughout the dinner” was one and done, no refill for me. The steak course was described thusly, “I mention the steak course for two reasons. One, the 32-day-aged rib-eye, over an intensely beefy cream sauce alongside fried cippolini cups filled with artichoke hollandaise, was so rich that I couldn’t finish it. Two, when the waiter innocently asked if we’d like some ground pepper, he produced a Louisville Slugger-size pepper mill, a wink to a fine-dining cliche from yesteryear. I loved it”. My steak was not a ribeye and prepared differently, but this is probably due to rotating ingredients etc. What doesn’t rotate, however is the Louisville slugger peppermill which never made an appearance. Nor did the parmesan until my pasta course was almost finished. Here is what I find really grating though others may disagree. After the meal there was an optional Amari cart which the waiter recommended. After prepaying 1100, offer it gratis, or don’t offer it at all. Perhaps this is the issue. Next has a price point in the vicinity of nationally renown establishments such as Alinea, Gary Danko, Per Se, and The French Laundry, yet it is clearly several notches below. The latter establishments send one home with a parting gift be it truffles, or Madeleines, and a signed menu of what was served. Here a received a bill for the Amari, and a cardboard card to remind me of everything Phil Vettel received which I did not. The only thing memorable was the music, and the Kerouac and Cassidy drawing upon entering. Next exists in a universe between Roister and Alinea; it delivers the service of the former, while charging for the experience of the latter.

This meal was probably the least favorite in this year’s series! The food was good but uninspired. The presentation was lacking and the wait staff seemed unsure! The meal was filled with common street food and the $$$$ was not worth it! Stay with the old style with surprises and elegance! This may be my last year subscribing after 4 years.

The staff and team at Next is beyond great!! They are cohesive and well trained. They were all approachable and extremely knowledgeable!! I loved the food, the presentation, and the non-alcohol beverage pairing! All of the food was exquisitely prepared and explained when served. If you are a foodie and details excite you, this is the place for you!!! The Aviary for cocktails next door was equally fun and exciting! I can't wait to go back for the next food experience!!! Thank you, Next team, for a great evening!!!!

This review is long overdue but still necessary. We specifically made a trip to Chicago from Durham, NC for this reservation. We were at Next for the French Laundry menu in December 2016. I won't comment on the specific courses, since the menu has moved on. In summary, there were a couple courses that were truly outstanding. The rest were average and uninspired. The food overall did not live up to the hype or the price but that wasn't the main issue. The night started great. We were greeted, sat, and received immediate attention. I loved paying in advance and not dealing with a menu or bill. We had the standard wine pairing. The first few courses were fantastic, both food and wine. The meal went downhill when we were served a glass of corked wine. Corked wine is common, and this shouldn't have been an issue. My husband has been in some facet of the wine business his entire life and knew immediately it was a bad bottle. We debated whether to say anything, but I convinced him that in a restaurant of this caliber, we should definitely ask for a new glass. The server pushed back immediately, telling us that this particular pinot was earthy and might not be agreeable to our palette. We like earthy pinots. The server brought us a different red wine with a snarky comment about how this one might be more suitable to our taste. A short time later, we noticed the table next to us getting a glass of the same pinot we had sent back. Feeling a little annoyed but doubting ourselves, we asked for a taste to confirm our suspicion. It was great and not corked. By this point, our service had also gone significantly downhill. We had never been impolite or disrespectful. We just asked for a new glass. We were getting less attention, and the attention we were getting was unfriendly and curt. We were made to feel unwelcome. As we approached the end of our meal, someone came to apologize, saying that the sommelier confirmed the wine was corked. Our entire experience had already been ruined. This was an easily fixable problem and should have been a non-issue. It is completely unacceptable to treat your customers this way. A restaurant of this caliber should realize that it has educated clientele. We weren't upset about being served corked wine, but trust that your patrons also have some knowledge. In stark contrast, we went to the closest wine bar to our hotel the next night, and my husband was served another glass of corked wine. The bartender apologized, opened a new bottle, and poured a new glass without thinking twice about it, and the wine was great. The manager came over to apologize and complement him for detecting it. That is how you treat your customers.

Next is going to be one of the most interesting dining experiences you've ever had. Generally the food was excellent but there were a few small misses... I give Next 10 stars for making up for mistakes! The price is definitely high, we only purchased the meal no wine package... in my opinion the best way to go. Order one glass of wine while you're there - it will probably cost between $20-30/glass. Enjoy!!

What a night, and an amazing way to celebrate a big birthday! We booked over a month out, not sure of what to expect, but our hopes were more than exceeded by the Alps menu. The staff (we probably had at least 12 people serving us throughout the evening) went above and beyond to make sure our evening was truly special. Each dish was surprising, my only regret is eating too much early on, as we were painfully stuffed by the end. The wine pairings were definitely worth it!

We dined at Next during Terrior, their wine driven menu. First of all, dining at Next is not just dinner, it is a dining experience. The countless number of courses with wine pairing were all exceptional and amazing. Great presentation, pairing and flavors. Highly recommend to foodies, Next is very impressive. We will definitely return because it will be a completely different restaurant next time - everything changes three times a year.

We are huge foodies chasing Michelin star greatness all over the globe. For whatever reason, we had not visited Next. We booked a table for the Silk & Spice menu. Being the sister restaurant of Alinea, we obviously had high expectations - Next fully delivered, "and then some." The space is very clean and contemporary - narrow and a bit austere. I wouldn't say it's devoid of warmth, but it's pretty stark. The service is organized - almost militaristic. There is not a wasted step or gesture. There is no misunderstanding amongst the team on what needs to be happening. The pace of dinner during the tasting menu is driven by the guests (which we love - hate being held captive to the length of meal the restaurant decides as opposed to the guests - it demonstrates concern for the diners experience). The staff was friendly - but professionalism trumps everything. They had things to do and people to take care of and did it with the utmost professionalism. The food was other-wordly. Innovative - with amazing flavor profiles - a thoughtful approach to simplicity of items with a "huh, how did they do that?, or where did that flavor come from?" Our menu was Silk & Spice - interesting flavors from all over the world, not just the legendary spice trail. The flavors appeared in all forms of molecular cook techniques. You can tell the menu is worked over in a painstaking fashion as everything worked so well together. Occasionally in restaurants using these techniques you get interesting flavors or food forms that are probably cool for the chef to use but doesn't integrate well with the course or other elements. This was exceptional in every way. One other note - the following night we dined at Smyth, the two Michelin star restaurant. We had an excellent meal there. Other than the Smyth space being more inviting and comfortable and the "folksy friendliness" of the staff, Next would be superior in every other way from service to food to innovation, etc. - and it's not even close in our experience.

My wife and I were in Chicago visiting our son and his girlfriend, and they had made the arrangements for dinner at Next for the South American menu with pairings (see photos of the menu). Every single dish ranged from very good to amazing, and the pairings worked nicely. The service provided by a team of servers was excellent. In consideration of the total package, this was one of the best overall meals I've experienced, bravo! I believe that there are some people that would probably have been either uncomfortable or put off by some of this menu, but we loved every bit of it. I wish that we had something like this in the Boston area!

This was definitely a gastronomic experience! This was my first time having experienced a chef tasting menu to the degree of creativity that the culinary artists at Next offered. Each dish had a story and an inspiration behind it. We went for the French Nouvelle menu and I had no idea what to expect. When you make your reservations, you prepay for your entire booking as well as designate your drink choices. You can opt for Water, non-alcoholic which was $65 per person or wine pairings which varied on the wines. We opted for the non-alcoholic pairings which we honestly could have done without or maybe just got one to share because over time, it was too much. I lost count as to how many dishes we were served. The first half was probably my favorite and I did have a slight concern as to whether or not this meal would be filling. Rest assured, you will definitely leave there stuffed! Some of the standout dishes were the pea soup, the salmon and the sunchokes (my favorite presentation). They also had a fun version of their Chicken Pot Pie which was really cute! Overall, it was a great experience and I feel super blessed to have experienced something like that. I'm definitely looking forward to what their next menu presents!

We went for the Hollywood tasting. It was inventive, entertaining, and beautiful. Completely perfect.

Wife and I joined for Hollywood last night. Unfortunately, the evening fell flat. PROS: -Service was on point. -Servers were a great team -Creativity with table tops -Cannoli was only WOW food item CONS: -The music was good but at times made it difficult to hear the servers describe the food. -I agree with the other reviews about food. My wife didn't eat three of the courses do to the odd pairing and selection of ingredients. I felt like the culinary team struggled to make the food work and concentrated more on the theme of the movies. My wife asked me to rate the night on a 1-10 scale. I can only give it a 5. My expectations are higher for the Alinea Group.

My husband and I had been dying to try Next after our amazing experience at Alinea, but were sadly disappointed. The use of fennel/star anise was excessive. I get that it may have been a major component in Ancient Rome cooking, but it tastes awful. I don't know many people who enjoy that licorice flavor. The service was great and there were a few courses that were enjoyable, but overall I wouldn't recommend the roman menu. We wanted to love it, as we are huge fans of Grant Achatz and The eternal city, but just couldn't! I would highly recommend the aviary and Alinea, or maybe just waiting until Next's new menu/theme...

By way of background I once worked under an old school Cordon Bleu trained chef. I’ve studied Larousse’ Gastronomique, Pepin’s Methode and Technique, Bocuse, etc. The thought of an Achatz restaurant recreating and interpreting Escoffier was exciting. We chose that for our 40th anniversary celebration. Wow - how disappointed can one couple get. A few things were fine. The captain and the runners we interacted with were all quite pleasant with one exception. The plating of almost all dishes was visually stunning. The caviar course (which note doesn’t actually require significant preparation besides the blini and toast points), was excellent and the two dessert courses (a bombe Ceylon and some mignardises) were also quite good suggesting a pastry chef who knows what they’re doing. All ingredients in every dish were top notch making what was done to them in the dishes described below all the more unforgivable. Every course that would have come under the chef de cuisine was somewhere between subpar for a restaurant of this nature and affirmatively bad. We started with a plate of Hors d’oeuvres that were uniformly inedibly salty. The oeuf with truffles Benedictine was curdled and somehow too truffly. The mousse had a genuine “I bet you don’t want to put this in your mouth” look, texture and aroma. The stuffed puff pastry had a filling truly indiscernible in its blandness. This is the course that is supposed to highlight the kitchen’s mastery of basic techniques; it was revealing but not in a good way. One would think it might merit inquiry from the server when every piece that was more than one bite was left unfinished, but alas, no. The next course following caviar was a purée permentier (a fresh greens soup with bulgar) which could have been quite good but again the salt level was absurd. When this went unfinished our waiter did inquire and we politely commented on the salt issue; his look belied the fact that this wasn’t the first time he had heard the comment. He promised to speak to the chef and reported back that they would do what they could. The next course, a halibut Rachel, was better ( except for the - you guessed it - very salty truffle sauce). The following, a poussin supreme (medallion of young chicken breast on brioche) was not. The anticipated highlight of the evening, a pressed duck ($75.00 upcharge) was stringy and oddly flavored (almost like an out of place use of five spice powder in Cognac reduction). Just really hard to describe how out of balance the flavors were. And yes, the sauce had at least twice the salt it needed. We opted for the mid-level wine pairing, which at that price point ($200 per person) should reveal some gems and should match the dishes flawlessly. Some were quite good, a nice cote d’ Beaune with the chicken and the Hermitage with duck. Others seemed flat and lifeless and were not well matched to their accompanying dishes. The pacing of the meal was erratic at best. The early courses dragged with plates sitting uncleared for up to ten minutes. As the meal went on, things became rushed. More than once a runner was sent to ask if we were finished when we clearly were not. The last course came literally two minutes after the prior one had been set down. Our primary server, J C, really soured our experience. He would interrupt conversations. He gave off an impression that we were interfering with his evening and treated us with an air of passive aggressiveness. Honestly no idea what we did to irritate him but by the last half of the meal , he would pour the wine and when we dared to ask a question about it were met with a monosyllabic response and an indignant flashing of the bottle toward me but not even my wife. He would then proceed directly to a table nearby, set the bottle on the table and regale them loudly with tales of the vineyard. Needless to say nothing was done to acknowledge our milestone anniversary other than from the nice hostess who seated us with a promised we’d have a memorable evening. I guess she was right on that score. Service like this can only happen where you are required to pay the gratuity before you are ever seated. We have been a fan of Mr. Achatz since Trio (a meal we still rate among the best we’ve ever had). He should not allow this to be associated with his name as it can only damage a well deserved reputation. Escoffier, a true champion of the fine dining experience and what it can be, would be rolling in his grave to have his name associated with the experience we had.

I've been coming to Grant A restaurants since 2001 when he was at Trio. He is one of the best chefs in the world. This new iteration of theme dining at Next is in a word TERRIBLE. I don't like slamming restaurants but I feel like I should get my money back or at least an apology after parting with several hundred dollars after this fiasco. Deep fried Wagyu, I think that should say it all. I do not recommend this experience.

Our family of 4 unanimously decided that the restaurant was trying way too hard but didn't deliver on all the accounts except the presentation. Some dishes were either bland or had overpowering competing flavors. No standouts... The food was presented well and a lot of thought went into overall design of the sensory journey but....taste, temperature, flavor, seasoning was simply bad.... Servers didn't look or act interested. They were rushing, swallowing the words. We couldn't understand some of the intricate descriptions half of the time. Their tip should have never been prepaid.... And now the worst part-sommelier!!!!! What a joke... Horrible pairing selections, attitude, lack of attention-the worst we ever experienced. I wish I could have brought a bottle from my wine cellar to "ease the pain" of that dinner experience.

We were at Next for a double date. The food was underwhelming. For the price point, you can get a better experience else where. One good thing to come of this is that we got a standing table at Aviary by having dinner at Next. Will not return to Next.

I bought tickets for the tour of South America in advance two weeks before are reservation, the chef left. Although the owners were aware of this, they did not make customers aware of this. The night we went, they were emphasizing Peru. Evidently they plan to switch to other countries later on in the cycle. First the positives, very much enjoyed the service which was professional friendly and informative. The aperitif, a margarita variation was very good indeed. The wine pairings emphasizing South American wines were, frankly not up to. great effort made to cook in a very fancy and fussy manner. That said, most of the dishes just didn't quite make it. This is most clear with the chicken main course. It was served over Hot Rocks as a blackened chicken with some pineapple and a variety of nondescript spices and some tamales. It would have been fine in a local Mexican restaurant. Frankly at this level of price it was really disappointing. The same could be said of virtually every dish on the menu. I think that this is a very daring concept, however in this menu they just didn't bring It Off. I hope the new Chef can do better next time. If not, I fear next is now past.

delicious, very fine, but in very large quantities. A little complicated to arrive at the end of the meal with still a little room for dessert or sweets. Excellent memory!

We eagerly anticipated New Year's Eve dinner at this restaurant after securing tickets for Terroir which included a mandatory wine pairing. We were advised to be there at least 20 minutes before or we could lose our reservation. We attended at 5pm for our 5:30pm reservation finding the door locked. As we were a bit early, I expected at 10 min wait. We waited outside the door with another couple freezing until 5:25pm while the staff laughed and joked on the other side of the door knowing full well we were there waiting. That put us off a bit, but we made the best of it. The servers were all very young and laid back, which was not a problem, except the service bordered on feeling like the staff wasn't taking the meal seriously at times. When questioned as to the origin of meats used and whether they were organic, no staff could answer and had to go ask in the kitchen. The food seemed to take a backseat to the wine pairing, when we felt it should have been the other way around, but that is just our opinion and we understood the Terroir menu would focus on the wine. Some of the pairings were odd, but some were spectacular. The pace of the dishes served was rushed without enough time in between to savour the after tastes and experience. We will try Alinea next to compare.

This was my second visit to Next, the first was their El Buli tribute which was like food fireworks. Grant's ode to his mentor, Thomas Keller at the French Laundry in Napa was the reason we came back. We were warned by a server that this was the food of the "late 90's", not contemporary French. Not the most positive welcome. Ok, but...It really didn't live up to the standard of Alinea, or for that matter, any 3 star French Restaurant. The meal started off great, but declined by the meat courses. The chicken was just boring, and the short rib almost inedible due to a too greatly reduced sauce and over salting, which all 4 of us agreed upon. We were offered a glass of dessert wine on the house. Wines by the glass are exhorbitant, so this was nice. The desserts were good, but nothing that special. And the mignardises were presented as if we were receiving the the crown jewels. My rec: if you will never get to France, then eat here. But I'd save my money for a 3 start restaurant in France, or even a 2 star. Or go to Alinea. It's about the same price.

You have to reserve a table about 2 months in advance, you pre-pay and you own it (like a ticket to a show or a sporting event). They usually completely switch the menu quarterly. It is a preset menu and usually a handful of courses. Currently the restaurant is featuring its 'best of'. It is about a 12 course pre-fix. You can add a wine pairing. Dining room is dark and quiet, wood tables. Sport coat or business casual will work. Staff is attentive and friendly. Meal did feel a bit rushed. Wines were good, not outstanding. Food worked and plenty of it. Artful presentation and creative. We enjoyed. It was a hot and humid day, and inside the a/c wasn't working well or the chef was playing with the dew point or both - either way an explanation would have been nice, it was borderline uncomfortable. And the restaurant was filled with the kitchen odors (ie your clothes smelled) - but I don't think this is normal. Hip and trendy area that you should plan on walking around in for a few minutes before or after dinner. Valet available, street parking is around, if you get lucky. Covid - waiters in masks, sanitizer on table and you had to mask up to enter/leave/bathroom. No plastic partitions.

Perhaps after reading so many rave reviews and with a French Laundry menu I expected much more. My husband and I decided to explore Chicago for our one year anniversary. We love food and recently had a few friends visit the city, sharing different "must try's". Of course, we wanted Alinea and no reservations available by the time we had decided on going and opted for NEXT once we discovered it would be a French Laundry menu. We booked our dinner and were iffy on pairings options, mostly due to my avoiding alcohol for pregnancy. Ultimately, we decided on the non-alcoholic pairings. The Service- Great. However, when I voiced my dissatisfaction with the taste of the juices (will get to this later) the server assistant looked confused, and our head server insisted I try more- even with me specifically requesting no more. They poured them and were left full. The Food- Amazing. Just delicious. Truly wonderful. I could go on.... Non-alcoholic Pairing- We knew Aviary would be creating these drinks. Although we hadn't visited them as of yet, we trusted they would be ordinary and delightful. I expected different teas, inventive uses of herbs, spices. I expected to again be wowed for the $227 it cost for these pairings for two people. However, sadly they were only juices. I mean, grab some veggies and put them in your juicer and THERE YA GO! I won't say a couple weren't pretty good and different, but some were just terrible/too sweet and one was SO bad leaving a HORRIBLE taste it truly distracted from the entire experience. This really put a damper on my meal and my husbands. When I expressed my dissatisfaction, and my multiple glasses sitting there with these juices, there was no real care/concern. Stick with wine or water! Ultimately, the food was fantastic, but the juices (can you tell I can't get over how disappointing these were?) and lack of care/urgency when I clearly was unhappy impacted my overall experience.

I had the chance to secure reservations to Next, looking forward to an amazing dining experience. I have rarely been so disappointed. The service was efficient but pretentious, the food went from average to practically inedible and the wine pairings were both uninteresting and poorly chosen. We selected the additional "special fish course" for another $70 and while better than the rest of the meal is was fair at best. The price of dinner was outrageous for the quality, service and presentation of the food. I would advise would be diners to choose any other restaurant in Chicago. In a city with such great food, there is no need to waste time or money dining at Next.

Next is not just a restaurant. It's an experience. It is a parade of beautifully presented dish after dish. Many fabulous restaurants offer exquisite food but a stuffy atmosphere. Not here. My flight into Chicago the evening of our reservation was delayed, which caused me to have to arrive directly from the airport (suitcase and all). The staff could not have been more understanding and accommodating. Throughout the whole dining experience, service was amazing, courteous, and friendly. Yes, be prepared to spend a lot of money, but it is totally worth it. Oh, and COME HUNGRY!

Having been to Alinea and the Aviary I was excited to try the ever changing theme at Next. The restaurant is fairly small and set up in a long galley style with mirrors on the walls which makes it fairly loud. It did detract from the overall experience especially as we were seated next to a table of four and the men at the table spent the evening swearing and complaining about their lives and their wives who were uncomfortably present and appeared miserable. The dinner begins with a copy of the Roman Cookbook and an oil lamp on the table. You are given a copy of the menu with reference numbers to the original recipe in the book. It was fun to look up the recipe and try to anticipate how Grant would take it to the ultimate level. We did the premier wine pairings which were phenomenal and worth the extra cost in my opinion. There were 12 courses which were presented with references to ancient Rome. Some of the flavors did not meld as well as one would hope, notably the kamut pancake with oyster and pomegranate. The black truffle in chicken skin with beet broth was phenomenal and the quail and venison dishes were perfect. Service was spotty. Over the course of the meal, we had at least 6 different servers some of whom were very knowledgeable and took the time to tell the story behind the wine or the dish but several seemed rushed and darted off after only a few words which was disappointing as my husband and I are interested in the story as well as the food. Overall a great experience presented in a unique and fun way. We will definitely be back for a future theme. If you have not dined at a Grant Achatz restaurant, I would recommend starting at Alinea for the optimal first time dining experience.

On a previous visit to Chicago, we dined at Alinea, and on the next, Grace (now closed). On this trip, we decided that Next, would be, well “next.” The Concierge at the Fairmont secured a reservation for our April business trip. I would typify Next as being in between those other two. Though it is under Chef Grant Achatz, it differs from his Alinea, in many respects, and possesses the quiet elegance that Grace had – though not quite at the same levels. The venue is lovely, and sedate, but not staid. While the color palette is more black and white, there are splashes of bright color, here and there. Like its “big sister,” Alinea, the entrance is quite understated – in an unassuming commercial building, at 953 W Fulton Market, at Morgan St. The exterior does not belie the restaurant, one is about to enter. It is difficult to not compare Next and Alinea, so I will say that the former is like watching Phantom of the Opera, while the latter is like being in a wonderful Cirque de Soleil performance, and I mean IN the performance. We were promptly seated at a spacious 4-top, which is always a blessing to us, as we tend to go with wine pairings, and keep several of the glasses through much of the meal. The main dining area is monochromatic, but with those vibrant splashes of color, and then several of the colorful dishes – a nice “canvas,” on which to work. I also appreciated the good lighting, as the dishes are first consumed with one’s eyes, before their palate. Our menu was titled “Nouvelle,” and consisted of: Canapés de Jardin w/ pickled red onion, caviar, foie gras, strawberry, pepper jelly and “Champagne snow.” This was paired with Champagne Deutz Rosé, Aÿ, France ‘12 – excellent, and visually lovely way to begin, and the Champagne was perfect Céleri aux Truffe w/ celery leaf, apricot and pine nut, paired with the Weingut Jurtschitsch Käferberg Erste Lage Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria ‘15 – another nice dish, and pairing. While we drink quite a bit of Grüner Veltliner, this was a producer, with whom I was unfamiliar, and a superb wine! Potage aux Cosse de Petit Pois w/ burn red-onion, crab and dill, alongside the Domaine Vacheron Les Romains Sancerre, France ‘15 – another hit with the dish, and also the wine. I am glad to see others, who appreciate the changes in flavors, when one “burns” the onions a bit. Curry de Fenouil w/ squid, heart of palm and curry, paired with the Bodegas Viñatigo Elaboraciones Ancestrales from the Canary Islands, Spain ‘17 – very good, and the most interesting wine of the night – not necessarily the “best,” but definitely the most interesting. Mille Feuilles w/ caraway, radish, yogurt hollandaise with the Domaine Robert Sérol Les Blondins Côtes Roannaise, France ‘15 – a bit weaker dish, but with a very nice wine Saumon et Oseille w/ crème fraîche, sorrel and shallot, accompanied by the Partida Creus SM, Catalonia, Spain ‘15 – a great Salmon was great, and the wine paired beautifully Oeuf Cuit et Navet Consomméde Figue w/ sunchoke, truffle and thyme, paired with the R Lopez De Heredia Viña Tondonia Reserva, Rioja, Spain ‘05 – another great dish, and one which is hard to pair, as the egg ruins so many wines. This white Rioja was a perfect match. I love the wines of Lopez De Heredia, and also enjoy the fact that they age them well, before release – another very interesting wine, and one which I always enjoy seeing appear on my table! Coq en Pâte w/ garlic, mushroom and carrot, with the Château de Beaucastel Rouge, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France ‘09 – while not the ultimate dish of the evening, the wine was great, and did pair well Aiguillette de Caneton au Poivre Vert w/ pumpernickel, apple and squid ink, paired with the Ch Beaucastel. My wife was not a fan of the pumpernickel, and thought that it distracted from the dish. I was not so much in agreement with her on this Ris de Veau, sweetbread, white asparagus and huckleberry – While the sweetbread was excellent, I am not certain that the huckleberry worked, in this case Salade Alice w/ currant, almond and horseradish – a wonderful salad, and here, all components were in harmony, at least on my palate Fraise et Chocolat w/ strawberry, pandan and cashew, paired with the Cleto Chiarli e Figli “Premium Vecchia Modena” Emilia-Romagna, Italy ‘17 – while I am less a “dessert person,” than is my wife (I normally stop at the Cheese Course), I have to admit that this dish had a perfect balance of sweet and bitter, and the wine was delightful Our service was excellent, with perfect pacing throughout the meal. My one regret is that my travel camera broke, and I missed too many photographs of the lovely dishes, the wines and the venue, itself. While not as “exciting” as Alinea, and more along the refined lines of Grace, Next was a delight, and provided a very good meal, at a value to us. I also enjoyed some new producers, a new varietal, or two, and getting to explore a wine from the Canary Islands.

(WARNING soft SPOILERS) My wife and I had the great pleasure of visiting Next on the first weekend of their French Laundry menu. It's hard to compare this meal against anything else, as it is so much more immersive, educational, and delicious than anything else we've ever had. No I hate the term 'foodie' and would roll my eyes when people would refer to them selves as such, but... "Pot Au Feu" (don't Google this if you don't want to know) was a personal favorite, while "Oysters and Pearls" was like nothing I've ever had before. Finishing it up with the best donut I've ever had and some amazing mignardises - 13 courses in all.

I was ecstatic to have been able to get a table on a Saturday night, but boy did I wish I spent my money elsewhere... The food was interesting, but the flavors were fairly blend. Granted I'm French, so I've been to the Alps plenty of time, the Alps menu certainly had what you'd expect to find in the Alps, but the flavor of the ingredients was just not there (for $430 at least - tax and tip included). The Raclette cheese they served didn't taste at all like Raclette, the texture was there but that's about it. The extra foie gras course for $36 was fairly average for the price, I wouldn't recommend it. The service I found was also lacking, we had to wait a fair while before someone took our drinks order, and when me and my partner felt like a cocktail, we were suggested to have wine considering we'd have to wait 15 minutes for cocktails... Overall, I would not come back to Next, definitely not the most exciting dining experience I've had for the money i paid. Oh, and you also have to wash all your clothes when you get back home (they smoke arctir char table side which is fun, but with all the tables so close together, there's A LOT of smoke in the room, I smelled like smoked

My wife and I dined at Alinea last year, avidly read Grant Achatz's autobiography, and were thrilled to try Next. We dined on the Next current menu which reprises dishes from Alinea 2011-2015, so the name of the restaurant is a bit ironic. The presentation of the food was just as clever and engaging as at Alinea, and some of the dishes were terrific, but overall we were disappointed. Worse, my wife and I left feeling more sick than satiated. It was just too much food and drink over a 3+ hour period. 16 courses was just too much for us. It seems like there was more attention to the WOW of each new dish and less to the overall dining experience. The dining room was so crowded and noisy that we repeatedly had trouble hearing the server describe the dish or wine pairing. At some point, the experience became a marathon more than a long stroll. We would have been better off with fewer dishes, skipping the Maitake, for example, and having only 1 dessert, not 3. There were some outstanding dishes, such as the Corn - a reconstituted cob with tender corn on a delicious bed of machego, truffle, and sherry. I can understand the chef wanting to make use of the fabulous creations from Alinea, but it was too much of a good thing.

We have heard raves about Next and found out they were not an exaggeration. We walked in with huge expectations and were not disappointed. It was Vanentine's night which made the food experience even more special. We went with the best wine parings they offer and it was flawlessly combined. We talked about buying a season ticket on the way home and will likely do that.

Went in with no expectations. The flavors were OK but seemed dated. No explanation of the courses and the flavors combos which would have probably added to the overall sensory experience. Dangling flowers above was used in one of the dishes which didn't adds or detract from the flavors... So seemed more gimmicky. Save the time and money... And go to Alinea...

Sometimes you have to take the opportunities to experience the events of a lifetime when you can. If you have the time and opportunity to spend an evening here, DO IT! Then, when you're done, slip through the door down the dark hall into the Aviary, the pub next door. Guaranteed, this will be the evening of your LIFE! Both are the creation of Chicago's genius Chef Grant Achatz.

I scored a reservation at Next with great expectations of a memorable dining experience complete with unusual, but fantastic food combinations. Instead, what I got was pretentious (although earnest and competent) service and food that was memorably awful. The ceviche (there were a few) was passable (not memorable). The "black" chicken tasted old and odd. The vegetables had heat, but nothing more. The whole fried fish (for an additional supplement) was quite good but unreasonably added to the outrageously overpriced meal. The specialty drinks were uniformly silly and the wine pairings just not good. I particularly disliked the "black pepper undertones" - no wine needs to taste like pepper, and it did. I am all for adventurous cuisine and experimentation. But at these prices, it should at least taste good. Not sure how it has become a go-to restaurant, but this emperor has no clothes.

Overall just not what I was expecting. All dishes were taken from Jose Andres’ other restaurants- many of which are CASUAL dining. Food was not at any Michelin level (aside from 2 or 3 dishes that came from his Minibar or Somni restaurants). Value (>350$ per person after tax/tip, not including alcohol) is robbery for this type of meal. We were served BASIC things like: tacos, croquetas, pan con tomate, dim sum, gazpacho, steak and eggs. This is just not appropriate for the cost of the meal- not to mention none of the aformentioned dishes were particularly good. I am not sure who from the Next team thought this would be ok. It isn’t. One bright spot was the staff who were attentive and informative - Thank you. Needless to say this will be my last time at Next.

The noise was way toooooooo loud to hear each other. But otherwise a lovely place. Toooooooooooo much food to be able to appreciate the quality of this Italia menu. But yummy non the less. By the end I just needed to rest. Very tasty with friendly staff. Not sure I return till there was a smaller option. But then again it was yummy.

Grant Achatz and Jenner Tomaska at top of their game with Ancient Rome menu. Each course offered surprising tastes, textures and aromas. The standard 🍷 pairing was very good. I'm sure the reserve 🍷 were exceptional. My only complaint was feeling rushed. Meal lasted 2 & 1/4 hours. Could have easily used an extra 3/4 hour.

Our first visit to Next, we didn't quite know what to expect. The service was fantastic, with enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly waiting staff who presented each course and wine pairing and set the scene for each movie-based course. There was lots of fun presentational devices - dry ice, a DIY cocktail, magnifying glasses - and some set changes too. Thankfully the theatre of it didn't completely overshadow the food: the movies just a jumping off point for some interesting combinations and flavours. The Wizard of Oz was a particular favourite!

I like salt and if anything tend to oversalt for others tastes. So if I think many of the dishes were too salty to the point of being inedible, you can imagine what others thought. The common word throughout the evening was "What". Too loud to hear each other and waiters rushed descriptions. Some waiters knew this and were practically yelling. Entertainment was listening to the different yelling waiters give contradictory information about dishes. Do they just make this stuff up as they go? Sometimes they were condescending when we didn't know what a famous dish was. Sometimes they tried to be our best friend and join in our conversations. We were rushed to the point of hilarity. Even with fork in hand waiters would still try and take your plate. They hovered behind us like vultures ready to swoop in if you paused. The table was too small for dishes and glasses. Things were wisked away like a noisy diner and presented the same way. One waiter kept rubbing his sleeve in our wine glasses. Ewwwww. Needed to get them replaced. Not easily done. The wine parring was uninspired. I can't remember a single glass. Some patrons were dressed like they were going to the gym. Another couple needed to 'get a room'. With nine courses there was plenty of food, in some cases overkill and volume as opposed to quality. In spite of this we had a great time, we usually do. And there were some excellent dishes. Coronet of Salmon, cous cous, fish and chips, sturgeon and caviar, tarta de queso. I would happily eat them again. Would I go back? No. I would like to think that Mr. Achatz would have been horrified by the evening.

Cool space that boasts a tasting menu that is created by Chef Grant from Alinea. They change their menu up on a quarterly basis which keeps it fresh. Amazing innovative dishes that will make you crave for more. The small space is staffed by some of the best servers in the business. The tasting menu ranges from about 9 courses to about 22 courses. You must buy and reserve your space in advance so be prepared to lay out some money months before you actually dine. Great place for a date as they will impress you to the 9's.

Currently taking a well-deserved victory lap from coast-to-coast Alinea’s 20th Anniversary is also being celebrated back home, the ever-changing space called Next transporting diners back to Lincoln Park cicra 2005 when Grant Achatz first debuted “a new train of thought.” Last visited in 2012 for Achatz and Beran’s tribute to El Bulli, a twenty-nine course journey exploring the early days of Molecular Gastronomy, almost exactly thirteen years later finds little changed in terms of setting or service from a well-trained team. A shorter menu than three meals at Alinea from 2009 to 2011, all three extremely influential for a young Midwesterner who started dining seriously around that time, it was with a story in hand that dinner began with Broccoli Stems in Michigan Trout Roe that proved a beautiful pairing to ice cold Sancerre. Now a decade-long holder of one Michelin Star, Alinea retaining three despite many “gourmands” claiming it has lost its luster, course two featured three bites of Hearts of Palm all filled differently as a segue to one of Crucial Detail’s early service pieces supporting fried Shrimp, Plum and Citrus on a Vanilla Bean. Next placing poached Lobster in Curry with crispy Noodles, all while “flags” were centered before a single-bite “Salad” enjoyed hands-free, it was after some assemblage that Pork Belly Spring Rolls proved a highlight course thanks to customizable additions and level of heat. Obviously a celebration, Achatz’s indelible “Hot Potato, Cold Potato” and “Black Truffle Explosion” each still offered at Alinea, both dishes remain as remarkable as they were two decades ago for returning guests and first-timers alike. Engaging the nose with Lamb Neck on a pillow of Star Anise, but going a step further with Frog Legs telling the story of Michigan’s forests, Dessert before Balloons and tableside art was simple but just as delicious as relates to the flexible Chocolate and Mushrooms made into a sweet yet earthy Parfait.

On recent trip to Chicago my Wife and I were able to get tickets to Next. This would be the most expensive meal we would have had in a restaurant so expectations were high. We also added drink pairings. Mine was the standard and my Wife had the non alcohol pairing. All but one pairing of alcohol were very good. I could have lived without the boxed saki though. My Wife was extremely happy with the selection of juices. As for food I would never expect to live all dishes on a 14 course service and this would be the case here. However, even on a course I may not have loved the flavors were still interesting and new. At the same time other dishes were simply fantastic. Service was great. I didon't go back and forth between feeling the themes were reaches and hokey to feeling they were fun and interesting. In the end the feeling of reach and hokey was just being overly critical and getting away from just going with and having fun. Service is top notch with a large team to take care of your needs. The atmosphere is slick. This was a memorable meal. I would look forward to dining another theme.

Food served for the Tuscany Tour menu was tasty and elaborately presented. There are three levels of wine pairings. Note that the whole table does not have to opt for wine pairings, but if any do want wine pairings, they must choose the same level. There was a 5 to 10 minute wait for the single valet to park the car. Next has a dynamic pricing model, so we probably paid a premium for Saturday. We appreciated their advance questions about food allergies and restrictions. Overall, I felt a little rushed and thought the least complicated dishes were the most successful.

Fabulous. We scored tickets only about a week before the meal. The ticketing system, while certainly different, was easy to use and the accompanying e-mails, etc. were easy to understand. We were seated exactly at our reservation time and the pace of the meal was relaxed. Service was perfect; our main server was approachable and funny. Various dishes were introduced by several others during the evening; everyone was very focused on a superb experience. We had once glitch--a piece of meat that was served was full of gristle. We called over a server and it was immediately sent back and replaced. Furthermore, a server came out to apologize on behalf of the chef and we were offered an extra glass of reserve wine--a lovely, simple gesture of service recovery on-top of the situation being handled exactly as you'd hope. We went for the French Laundry 1996 menu. Wow! Every course was gorgeous and flavorful. It did feel like stepping back in-time; it was a heavily French menu with little international influence. The canapes were great, especially the smoked salmon cone. The "oysters and pearls" was a wonderful little pot of richness with a bit of cheeky humor. The tomato salad was elegant in its simplicity. The duck breast roulade was great and the earthy mushrooms were a lovely accompaniment. The meal ended with some lovely sweets that weren't too much for the end of the meal. A truly special evening. We all left feeling it was worth the cost--a memorable evening that was truly special.

Absolutely wonderful restaurant. A friend invited me, so I flew from Colorado Springs just for the dinner. (It was the Charlie Trotter dinner.) I love good food, but I can be a bit picky. But I promised myself that I'd eat everything. I should not have been worried. I devoured every presentation. The Sun Gold Tomato soup was the best cold soup I've ever had (and I've had Jose Andres's gazpacho), and every dish was amazing. I had a conference the next month, so I went back, this time for the Alinea dinner. It did not disappoint. Both meals were truly among the best meals in my life.

The food was fantastic (better than Alinea, Next’s big brother - at least this month: sorry, but the comparison is inevitable.) The experience was nevertheless less impressive, despite the very thoughtful design. The drink selection is a bit awkward if you don’t choose the wine pairing (which I do not recommend, as drinking 6-8 glasses of wine is not the way for me to appreciate great molecular cuisine, as well as they match the food: I tried it before) The wait staff appeared to be in a bit of a hurry (and we beat several courses on neighboring tables on the prix fix menu. Nothing egregious, but not the perfection and personal attention you get in Alinea.

We enjoyed the whimsical 1893 Chicago World's Fair themed tasting menu at Next. They did a great job of incorporating the thematic elements. I loved the Pabst blue ribbon crushed beer can, Cracker Jack box, and Vienna beef presentations. The Ferris Wheel presentation of dessert was visually pleasing and the mini candy apples were fantastic. I loved the flags, the fair map, the teacup chicken soup, and so much more. The food tasted very good, except the triple lamb and beets course was too strong for me. The chicken was amazing. The wine pairing was pretty good, but not excellent. Some of the staff were very good and helped convey passion and excellence; some less so. It was an expensive meal, but was an enjoyable experience. I enjoyed the whimsical theme.

After years of trying to get tickets to Next, we were finally able to get a table the night before my birthday for the French Cuisine Classique Menu. We flew to Chicago in winter (why not?) with great expectations (me) and not so much (my husband). And we were both blown away. It IS better than what you can think of. Everything was perfect. The welcome, the service, the ambiance, the drinks paired to perfection... and of course, the food! Not only beautiful but also delicious. I was afraid my husband would be hungry after we left, but it was very filling. I even got a beautiful mini cake for my birthday. Since thy change the menu several times per year (usually 3 times, 4 times this year) I would LOVE to come back to try a different menu. From now, I will keep dreaming about this special experience. Thanks to the Next Team for an unforgettable evening!

We were very excited to go to this restaurant. We couldn't get into Alinia at short notice and wanted to experience Grand Achatz' cuisine. We didn't realize that he wasn't involved with the menu, and Jenner Tomaska - was at the helm. Nonetheless, with a great chef, even a Peruvian menu sounded like it could be good - even thought that would not be a cuisine we would normally be attracted to. I won't go into the specifics of the menu, since other reviewers have already done that. But, I agree with the reviewers that felt that the food was unexciting. There was nothing that I can say I enjoyed enough to want another bite, and much was left on the plates. The flavors varied from sour, to bitter, to bland. The presentation was contrived rather than exciting. I feel that more effort was put into giving a history lesson in Peruvian cooking, than paying attention to whether the dishes tasted good; and whether the various tastes went together harmoniously. Plates that had tastes of 3 or 4 items demonstrated a lot of work for 3 or 4 bites that may have tasted OK individually, but did not taste well in succession. Some of the staff were friendly and relatable, others came and recited their part, and moved on, appearing uncomfortable with their role. The whole concept of buying an non-refundable ticket to the dinner is interesting - but off-putting. Clearly, it is for the benefit of the restaurant, not the diners. We chose the dinner with "water service", i.e. no wine pairings. However, we were offered the wine pairings if we wanted to add it when we arrived. This would suggest, that pre-paying for dinner without the wine pairing would induce less risk if you can't make it for some reason; and then adding it when you arrive it you are so inclined. Overall, I felt it was an unpleasant experience for which a huge amount of effort was expended on the part of the kitchen, with little to show for it. I would consider going again, if it was a different chef, different cuisine, and I saw reviews of the particular meal that were positive. For now, I would not recommend this particular iteration of the restaurant.

This is the he third year that I have come to Next for truly exciting experiences in eating. For the most part all meals have been outstanding except for this last one-"Hollywood". It was a cheap version of a "B" movie. While the presentations were creative the food was average. I had the standard wine pairing which included a boxed sake and a beer- both were very below average and not the usual wine selections that have always been a great addition to this he foods. It seemed that there was a confusion in the courses. It was also so loud you could not hear the descriptions of the courses or each other. While the service was ok, they seemed rushed and mechanical. Previously, the servers have been knowledgeable but this time really uninformed. I will still keep my yearly reservations, I sincerely hope that they keep the high quality experience that they have previously displayed.

Well, it took us 4 years to go to Next, but we weren't disappointed when we reached.... The mountain top. The Alps menu was a unique experience and did absolute justice to the diversity of cuisines intermingling in that unique region.

First and foremost: the food — WOW! The food is extraordinary. It does not get any better. From the first course and all through to the very last, every bite was delicious and delightful. If you like food, and you like food that you cannot get anywhere else, then you need to come here — fast, while they are still on the “New French” meal. After 10-12 courses, you tend to forget some of them (not by choice, just due to being overwhelmed with so many tasty courses) but the very first course set the tone and it was great! It consisted of 4 different “bites” presented in a giant garden — no other way to describe it. There was a salmon dish, and I am not a salmon fan, but it was the best salmon I ever had. There was a “chicken” course that consisted of 2 different items and the warm rooster roll was outstanding — that is all I can say because I am at a loss for words for something so wonderful. After the first 3 courses I told my date that I would need to get a burger after our meal as the vites are small. However, after the 8th course, I was practically stuffed — but not too stuffed to eat every last bite right through the final dessert. I do have two negatives: the wine pairings were not outstanding. We chose the middle price wine pairings and I expected them to be better — a lot better. My date, however, thought they were great. They served the chicken dish with a red wine — would not have been my choice but that is what they served. Plus, since they pour from the bottle tablesid, they did not give us the same pour — mine was always about half od what they gave my date and I was the one who paid the check! I think that the food more than made up for the lack of wine pairings but I think Next can up its game in the wine department. What else needs work? I felt that we were rushed throughout the meal. They did not need the table as there were atleast 4 empty tables when we left (out of 20). From entering through the front door to getting back into our car, a total of 90 minutes passed. For an every day meal, 90 mins is more than sufficient but for 10-12 courses — with wine — 2 to 2.5 hours is needed to thoroughly enjoy everything. The place is not cheap ($860/couple — and they taxed our tip!!) but the food was completely enjoyable — no complaints there. If you go and they start to bring the dishes out one on top of another, tell them to slow down — I will do that next time as I know there will be a next time and I am looking forward to it.

Wow. It's hard to say much because 1) the menu will be different soon, and 2) I hate spoilers (DON'T TURN OVER THE INTRO THEME CARD), but I don't know how one couldn't love the current Nouvelle menu. Last quarter's Classique menu was great, but this exceeds it in every way. Across twelve (or more, depends how you're counting) courses there is hit after hit, and only a few small things I might change. The standard paring wines are excellent, unusual, and a good match for each dish. Even the service, already fantastic, felt smoother and more practiced, perhaps due to the less formal style of the menu. The Nouvelle menu represents the transitional period between cuisine classique, with rich sauces, time-consuming preparations, and historically rare ingredients, and the current-era molecular gastronomy that deconstructs dishes and reinvents the meaning of a meal (and will be presented in the forthcoming menus this year). Instead of deep flavors covering the nature of the underlying ingredients, the dishes on this menu focus on texturing the sharp, bold, distinctive flavors of the core component. Presentation is geometric and artful, without becoming architectural (yet). I find part of the joy of a tasting menu is the surprise of what is to come, but some pictures are included below if you want to spoil a few of the details. We're looking forward to the Alinea retrospective menus later this year. Visiting from out of town it was a bit of a gamble buying season tickets, but now we're already planning for next year.

Next offered this time the "French Laundry" experience which was a true delight. An excellent 13 course menu with absolutely fantastic highlights. The most positively surprising thing was the non-alcoholic pairing, a real new experiment for us and with greta joy we tried it. The only miss was the lobster (which I think was a bit miss-cooked) and the Pot Au Feu which was a bit over-spicy / salted). Overall a great dinner - with superb staff and excellent quality.

I took my wife here for our anniversary (which I informed them of prior to coming). I have to admit being concerned about the service based on other reviews which go back 2 years or so but I'd heard great things about the food so I decided to try it. I will start by specifically informing everyone that they currently do not serve any form of alcohol that is not wine. Not knowing this, I asked for a martini and the initial waiter informed me that perhaps they could make arrangements to get one from the Aviarry which is downstairs. He also did tell me that this might take a little time. I appreciated the offer and decided to wait. I waited over an hour during which time other servers brought food but not the waiter I spoke to. I finally was able to flag him down and he told me the manager was going to arrange for the drink and he sent her over. I did mention to her that it would be a good idea to let people know that wine is their only choice and that I have been waiting an hour. I also said that if the request couldn't be fulfilled, I would just give up and order wine instead. She said that she would see if she could get the drink and finally after an hour and a half, I got it. I was about two thirds of the way done with my dinner. The attitude of the manager was one of complete hostility after that. The same with the initial server (although at least he later expressed regret for the situation). This was by far the worst experience I have had with service in years. Their level of condescension was staggering. I would say that the food was very creative and tasted great. I do concur with some other reviews that there could be a little more food as l left hungry. They also ignored the anniversary aspect of our dinner. I would also point out that there is an automatic 20% gratuity included in the bill. There is no excuse for this kind of service at a restaurant which is supposed to be known for fine dining.

$4,000 for 7 people...what an experience! Price was fine...done it many times....it was the experience...that was different...not in a good way. Wine paired with food...I'm used to the food being paired with the wine...a different concept...a different concept that absolutely sucks! Especially when the wine is mediocre at best. For trust babies only, if you made your own money you will not like this experience.

This was my 5th visit to Next, my wife' 7th: she loves it, I've enjoyed some menus but not all of them. I'm aware of Jose Andres because of tv appearances with Anthony Bourdain and his philanthropic work. That said I've never eaten at any of his establishments, so I was expecting a Spanish menu. Turns out I was wrong. Tapas was the first course (very nice) and the gazpacho was lovely but after that S.E. Asia was the dominant influence, who knew? It was OK with me as Spanish and Asian are my favorite cuisines. Service was good as always, as was the wine pairing (we opted for the basic lowest priced pairing). As always I have mixed emotions about the price but all in all a very enjoyable evening.

I am biased. I read Grant Achatz Book when it came out. I was very impressed by the CV and his ideas as well as his resilience in fighting his cancer. This is my disclaimer for the review. We came for the 50 best restaurants on a busy Saturday night. Next is NOT a traditional fine dining place. You sit either at a very long communal table or in separate party tables. You sit very close to each other. You do not go here because you want to have a quiet one on one with your significant other. You go here because you love food and the experience eating it. The menu had many highlights, mine was the Eggs Benedict, but essentially you have to bring an open mind to try everything that comes your way, because it is prepared in the most expert way. We did have the wine pairing and each wine was an excellent choice, but at the end it became to heavy for us and the combination of Vermouth, 2 Reds and a dessert wine after 3 whites and Krug Champagne was starting to cause more than a buzz. I may perhaps go for a non alcoholic pairing the next time just to enjoy the final dishes more. The last dish was the Alinea desert based on the idea of painting on the table. Interestingly that was the one dish that indeed seemed dated. On our night we were served by friendly staff that obviously can rehearse the text to every dish in their sleep. We spent about 3.5 hours and had an excellent time. We are both originally from Europe and enjoy long hours eating and drinking and this was a great night doing so. But if you want to propose over dinner, find a "traditional" fine dining place. And yes, it is expensive. But you get what you pay for. And it that regard, it was worth every $ for the food and wine.

I was in town and emailed Next to see if they had space for a solo diner. They responded immediately, even offering a space at Alinea. That was tempting as Alinea is still one of my favorite meals I’ve had. But I wasn’t up for it. Anyhow, they set me up with a reservation at Next for the following night. The theme was silk and spice. A journey through the trade routes of history. Overall it was a great meal. A tad pricey I think for what it is. And I didn’t come away with the same wow factor as Alinea, but still a great experience. They accommodated my dietary restrictions and service was excellent. Each dish is carefully and beautifully presented along with an explanation of the inspiration behind it. The food was quite good and varied in style and flavor. The usual whimsy with dishes that the Alinea group is known for also pervaded the meal. A fun experience overall and I’d definitely try another next season if I’m in town again.

Great evening with outstanding food and drink and impeccable service. We elected to go per glass on wine. We followed our server's recommendations that included a sparkling, Chardonnay, and Cabernet. The cost was about $100 less than the least expensive wine pairing option, and I'm certain we enjoyed it more.

My husband LOVES Alinea and would dine there every time we visit Chicago, so as a surprise to him, I got tickets to Next as we have been wanting to go for a long time. We went during the Hollywood theme and I must say, it was disappointing. We are like many of the other reviewers and have dined at Michelin starred restaurants all over the world. The menu fell flat and the overall experience/theater simply did not work for us. As others have said, the food just didn’t fit in with the movie themes and were frequently awkward. Nothing was memorable which is how I judge at the end of the night and for these prices it should be. It was loud so hearing the servers descriptions were challenging. Our server wasn’t “rude”, but there was no connection which I find vital in a multiple course, several hour dining experience. Skip Next and just go to Alinea.

After many years of waiting, we finally dined at Next for Ancient Rome and it was a revelation. One of the best meals that we've ever had and outdid Alinea (where we ate the night before). We loved the concept and loved the food but what really did it for us was the intersection of the concept and the food - so engaging - so fun! Service was perfection and we really appreciated the flexibility on Sabina's dietary preferences. It was also pretty cool to have Chef Ed come out and ask for her thoughts on his bloody marys from both Alinea and Next. Very cool!

disappointing. Food was fine but that about it. Service felt rushed and mechanical. while none of the courses were bad, the only one that stood out was the apple dessert. the price was out of line for what the menu was. shocked that no coffee or after dinner drinks were offered.

I waited a long time to try Next; I liked the idea of it, but not the chef. I experienced Grant Achatz at Trio in Evanston where he succeeded top chefs including Rick Tramonto. I had enjoyed many fine meals at Trio and its predecessor Cafe Provencal, but Grant put a stop to that. His mini courses made it impossible to enjoy the accompanying wine pairing requiring you to guzzle the wine. Not much fun. Back to Next. The idea of a 10 year greatest hits menu was appealing so I took the bait and made a reservation for 2. We did not order a pairing because I was concerned about portion sizes, but that turned out to be a non issue or more precisely a different issue. We had a glass of champagne and later a Pinot glass which was at $30 a little pricey. We were allowed a taste of the Pinot before serving but not of the Champagne poured by a different server, but both were tasty. The dinner started with a cone of Salmon tartar to be eaten in 2 bites; nice but not memorable. The second El Bulli course was an amalgamation including Cauliflower which was mostly puzzling with no strong flavors. The third course "childhood" was a decent halibut in a cute setting but, unlike any fish and chips I would order, the halibut was not battered. It was pleasant but I'll take the battered kind any day. The Hunt (sturgeon caviar) was a very good course. The next course supposedly modeled after Trio was a very salty Black Truffle emulsion, a miss. The following course utilized my favorite ingredient foie gras, but muddled its flavors to an unforgivable degree. The accompanying Squab was served rare in a sweet pepper sauce but had little natural flavor. Try Moody Tongue for a much better take on both Squab and Foie Gras. Now we come to the main entree "Chicago Steak" 5 thick slices (including a really weird looking end slice) of what was described as Allen Brothers beef with accompaniments. It was way too much and though the meat was rare it was not juicy or flavorful and the accompanying sauces were mediocre. The meat had little marbling and seemed to have been cooked Sous Vide style which I intensely dislike. Most of this course was left. The two dessert courses, a Basque Cheesecake and a Alinea Tabletop Dessert were very very good, but not enough to save the meal. Service was okay but nothing special and we didn't get a water refill until asking. The setting was okay, but a little cafeteria-like and became noisy; this is not like Ever or Oriole, where the food demands your respect. All in all i feel this was not a Michelin experience, and compared to another Chicago one star, Temporis, is missing the mark. It needs some attention and will not be able to live off its sister restaurant forever.

My sisters and I loved their Italian menu! The service was amazing and the food was phenomenal. We did the non-alcoholic beverage pairing with our food and the different mixtures of teas, juices and spices really compliment every course. The dessert, however, was a bit of a letdown but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

Great concept and dishes so I won't focus on the food. It is excellent. I read one criticism about too much star anis in the dishes, I only recall noticing it one dish and it was still excellent. I'll focus on the experience instead. Sadly, some staff gave great explanations of the courses discussing the origins of the dish and others not so much. Figured this out by listening to the presentations of other staff to patrons adjacent to us. There is some untapped potential there if the experience was more uniform. The most disappointing part however is we felt very rushed as others have mentioned. Perhaps because we did the early seating and they have to stay on time, but the courses come quite quickly leaving little spare time to savor the dish or the wine pairings. Found myself practically chugging several of the wines to stay on pace. Given that the 3 of us spent close to $1000 for this meal and wine pairings it would be nice to have a more relaxed leisure pace. I do not recall experiencing this same sense of hurriedness the 3 times we have been to Alinea or at Grace. For the money, if you want the ultimate dining experiences in Chicago, I'd stick to the latter two options.

Maybe I was unlucky, but it was the worst tasting experience of my life. I was not able to finish it and even though I paid the total, I left when there were 5 dishes left. I could not like any dish, presentation was terrible and I don't desire to taste. I can believe Grant Achatz put his name on it.Chicago was amazing and we had a taste menu in some restaurants ( Oriole, Sixteen , Smyth, Boka...) and The Aviary

This prix fix menu restaurant is enjoyed when you have purchased a ticket and reservation for dinner. Your dinner without alcohol is prepaid. This is a gourmand’s delight! The food was delightful and tasty even though it was in creative combinations. The ambiance in this small restaurant is dark, cozy, and minimalist. The service is very attentive and supremely knowledgeable. It seemed a bit rushed and assembly line though. All in all a worthwhile experience.

Over Memorial Day weekend my partner and I dined at Next. Obviously with a prepayment requirement of $250 a person + wine and very tough reservations to secure, this is no last minute, bargain dining establishment... so my expectations were high. 1st the place is difficult to find. Our driver had to look closely to find the address. we had a great corner table, it's nicely dark but fairly loud (because of the music and din). We honestly could not hear more than 50% of what any of our 3 servers said and in more than 1 case, I asked to hear again exactly what we were eating or drinking. (no menus given of either until we left). Our complaints are 2 fold: 1) we felt REALLY rushed and I mentioned it 3!!! times and was literally told by 2 different servers that they recommend we 'power through it' ... we were also told it was probably not smart to eat the bread and burrata (1st course) as we'd be too full. I don't want to have a server tell me that they typically allow 2 -3 MINUTES between courses and that they 'hear and appreciate my comments' but then fully ignore them. I honestly stopped my partner from eating more than one course so that we wouldn't be slammed with another. Also, from what I could hear, we were served some great italian wines but the descriptions from the servers were condescending... I KNOW what a barolo is... and a supertuscan is... this isn't a place that you just randomly wander into or are unlikely to be experienced with haute cuisine. Overall, some great food, some good food, some not so good food (one of the crostini pieces in the 1st course tasted like really strong, cheap sardines...). NOT worth the $800+ total bill (and my partner did not do a full wine pairing). Great expectations, unmet. Spiaggia is MUCH better.... prettier and better located.

Next is part of the Alinea group and this recent meal was a retrospective from Alinea 2011 to 2015. This was our second visit to Next, having done one to Alinea also. Just as before, it is far more than a dinner. This is an EXPERIENCE that is designed to delight, stun, amaze and create a memory unlike most other events. The 15 course are rightly sized and incredibly delicious. The use of other materials instead of typical plates is really fun. I won't detail the menu so not to spoil the surprise. If you are debating on whether to go, STOP debating and do it. You will be smiling the entire night.

We heard rave reviews about Next. Apparently, we picked the WRONG cuisine. The place was packed, and the servers, host, and managers were the best. Every detail was planned, from the Sno Cone amuse bouche at the start, to the basket of snacks that descended from the ceiling. But aside from the first course of native ceviches, the rest went from just tolerable to terrible. The same flavors kept repeating through each wave--the appetizers, the dips, the meats, and the seafoods. It was the 'black chicken' that sealed the rating at poor. The skin was tough as rubber, the flavor was overpowering, and the appearance was disgusting, with black chicken feet at the center of the dish. This is sad, since I think the place might do fantastic with different cuisines. But for an international chef, and premium prices, Next should know to taste test the entire menu, before serving it. That step must have been missed this time. And reading many other reviews here in TA about the "Peruvian Fiasco", I see our disappointment was shared by many.

Don't let the price tag scare you away from trying Next. This restaurant requires you purchase tickets in advance which cover the full cost of food, including tip. It is very simple and much easier to get tickets/reservations these days than it was a few years ago. If you're coming through Chicago, I highly recommend you give this place a try. The entire restaurant changes 3 times a year. Not just a few seasonal changes like most places. We are talking a complete overhaul with entirely new cuisines each go-round. There was recently French Bistro food, followed by Tapas and then followed again by an exquisite wine paired dinner where the wine came first and the food followed. The team at Next consistently does a fantastic job, no matter the menu. It's not just any French bistro food, it's the best French bistro food you can find. Not just any tapas, the best you can get! Even if you aren't thrilled by the sounds of a menu, I promise your mind will be changed when you stop in and actually try it. Fall of 2016 is a French Laundry tribute dinner that will surely be easier to get tickets to than actually getting into the French Laundry itself. I have been a season ticket holder since day 1 and I am always excited to dine at Next.

Incredible!! The wine pairing was spot on. Everything complimented everything, the wine the food and the food the wine. The presentation was amazing!

I had been dying to go to this restaurant since it first opened. My girlfriend was going to be in Chicago for business and my husband suggested I meet her there and try to get tickets to Next. So we I did and we were able to get tickets for a friday night while she was still there! Yay. What was supposed to be a great experience turned out to be an unforgettable night that wish I could forget. Not only was the food bad, but the service was even worse. The meal started out with this odd drink that changed colors over the course of mixing. Neat trick, but tasted not so great and it kept getting worse from there. So bad that we couldn't stay any longer and left halfway through the meal. We kept looking around to see if other people were enjoying this and that somehow we were missing something. Both of us enjoy all types of flavors and have visited some of the top restaurants in the country-not to say that matters-because bad food is just bad food. It was evident that we weren't enjoying our courses as the staff commented on our plates as they weren't finished. We were honest that we didn't really care for the course-not in a mean way-just that they weren't our favorites and hoped that the next course would change it around. Sadly, it didn't to the point that we couldn't take it any longer. We decided to get up and leave. This is where things turned from bad to worse-shocking I know. Upon entering the restaurant we were asked for our coats. I was wearing a cashmere scarf (being winter in Chicago) I remember hesitating giving it to them with my coat, but felt I was being silly. Sadly, I wish I never handed it to them. When it was returned to me it had 2 spots where raw meat-yes I said raw meat- was smashed into my scarf. The general manager was apologetic -but he did say he didn't know how that happened as they didn't have anything like that in their restaurant-I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure we ate meat in the restaurant so it's not that far of a reach-what is strange is that it ended up on my scarf. He gave me a card with his name and email address on it and asked that I send him my dry cleaning bill. So I did just that, but in addition I gave him the price of my scarf as the dry cleaners couldn't get out the grease stains that the meat left. I had them try 2 times and after the second time they gave it back in fear of putting a hole or doing more damage. So I sent the bill along with the price of my scarf to Benjamin Parks and explained the situation and asked that they do what they felt would make the situation right. Well I guess that they felt they didn't need to do anything. Not only did they not pay for my dry cleaning, they haven't responded to the 3 emails that I sent about this matter. I am shocked that a restaurant of this caliber is handling this matter so poorly and rudely. I highly suggest anyone thinking of going to reconsider. The food is so over salted that you can't get it down -that for the price and service that we received-stay away We were so hungry after this experience that we walked to the Girl and the Goat-go there instead-food,service and wine were great!!!!

I was looking forward to try Next for a long time, i managed to get a reservation for the first night of the new south american menu, the menù of the night was peruvian. the service was not up to the level of a restaurant for this price, the menù, very simple with some really disappointing dishes such as the chicken cooked on the hot rocks. i booked the reserve wine pairing for 105,00 $ per person and was a real joke... frustrating experience for the money and for the expectation.

This was one of our very best restaurant experiences in Chicago! Our table was waiting when we arrived: we had several servers throughout dinner, but service was well-coordinated, attentive, friendly, yet polite and the entire meal went super smoothly. Each dish was carefully prepared, with excellent combination of fresh ingredients that resulted in harmonious flavors, interesting combination of textures and colors and a memorable dinner at the end of the evening. We selected the top wine-pairing option and didn't regret it. It was one of the very best, if not the best wine paired dinners we ever had! I often disagree with sommeliers with the choice of a wine or two in paired dinners. Not this time. The choices were all perfect. In fact, this was a better meal than any we've had at Alinea, which is supposed to be the lead restaurant in the Achatz empire. We'll be back!

Divine. Table of 3 for a very indulgent family catchup. The whole experience from arrival to departure was standout. The Terroir menu really worked for us, the wines were very interesting and exposed us to a brand new repertoire of regions and vineyards. I don't even know where to begin on the food side. Visually stunning. Each course was really fabulous and so many elements that I had never tried before. A first experience with squab, a first with snail roe. Just divine.

Dining at Next is a non-stop show. Everyone starts with the same basic meal and then you can make additions. We enjoyed a 9-course meal. The food was very good. The service was excellent. Every detail of every plate was done well. From starters through dessert. We chose to have wines paired with each course, which greatly added to the overall dining experience. Needless to say, this type of dining comes with a steep price tag. In fact, I don't think I've ever enjoyed a more expensive meal. The cuisine changes regularly. Ours was Tuscan-themed. Next is a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience.

Wanted something a little different, went to Next. A little overdone, not quite as good as Alinea. Food was good, service not quite as good, but overall a decent experience. Would pony up the extra and the wait for Alinea.

We have eaten at Next several times and visited Tokyo city more than a dozen times, so this dinner was highly anticipated. I was hoping for a culinary tour of Tokyo, a collection of dishes that you would normally have to go to multiple restaurants in Tokyo to experience. So when the waiter explained that the concept was a tour of Tokyo with dishes from multiple specialty restaurants I was stoked - exactly what I was hoping for. What a let down: the sushi dishes were ok but there are at least a dozen sushi restaurants in the city that make far superior sushi than that served at Next (walk around the corner to Mako on Lake street if you want some really good sushi). the cooked dishes were again, ok but you can get as good or better takoyaki, grilled meats and okonomiyaki at Izakaya Mita and each course would set you back less than $10. However the fried tonkatsu style wagu was the final blow, it was awful, so greasy. What a sin to treat wagu steak like that, it wasn't even a nice temperature. Grey meat in batter that oozed grease, such a waste of a great product. This was definitely the first time I left some wagu uneaten at a restaurant. All in all the sake pairing was nice, it was interesting and far superior to the food. We have season tickets for 2020 and I'm hoping that Mexico City (a favorite destination of ours) and The Fat Duck are better than Tokyo, much better.

This is a very high-end, prix fixe, small plates restaurant that is the sister of Alinea. Go hungry because you are served a lot of food (too much really). Every dish is incredibly delicious and memorable. Worth going for sure.

We are fans of Allina and loved Next! Great food, atmosphere and staff. Felt a little rushed though.

We dined at Next Restaurant which is featuring the French Cuisine Classique menu and part of their rotating menu. This a seven course meal with wine pairings. My wife and I love French Cuisine and I was looking for an exquisite meal that would knock my socks off. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The ice sculptures that awaited us when we sat down, set the tone for the evening. Each dish was very attractive and the presentations were top notch. The highlight of the meal was the Homard Bellevue. This lobster dish was the best dish of the evening, but I honestly expected more lobster. The portions were rather small and while they were quite delicious, I know a 2lb lobster has more tail meat than what was on this platter. The other highlight of the evening was dessert. Everyone loved it. I do have to agree with the comments made by another reviewer. The portions were small and while the flavors were intense, I have to say that I cannot see Escoffier or another father of French cuisine wielding a pair of tweezers to compose a plate. I was also unimpressed with the Chestnut soup that came with the meal. I love chestnut soup and considering the skills present in Next's kitchen, I was looking forward to a fabulous soup course. If was not. This soup had the slightest hint of chestnut in it and it was rather oily. The soup course was memorable for another reason. For a server to have to hold a napkin under the soup ladle to catch dripping soup as he or she transfers the soup from the tureen to your bowl is unacceptable. With the level of service and care shown throughout the remainder of the meal this was quite a disappointment. The wine pairings were well thought out. From the champagne offered with the first close to the dessert wine, every selection matched the course being served and highlighted the flavors of the dish. The dessert wine made such an impact on my daughter that I had to find a store where we can purchase some bottles for the home. With all of the hype and accolades given to this restaurant, I expected a better meal from NEXT. Would I return, possibly, but for the money they are charging for this meal, this should have been one of those one in a lifetime meals that would be indelibly etched into one's memory. I have to say it was not. It was the consensus of our brood that we have had better and more memorable meals at Everest or Tallgrass.

We recently had dinner here as a family. We decided to try Next as Alinea will not take groups of more than 6. There were 8 of us, so we had dinner in "the room" which is a room in the basement of the restaurant. It is by itself with it's own bathroom and private seating. We had our own wait staff also. The service was spot on and the meal was very well paced. We did the less expensive wine pairing which was excellent. The food was well prepared with some interesting spice combinations that we don't frequently see in the US. This was on the Silk and Spice menu. I think it is a mistake to try to compare Next to Alinea. They are very different restaurants with a different feeling. We very much enjoyed Next and the tasting menu. If you have a larger group (greater than 6) the privacy of this room downstairs was wonderful and is the same price as seating up in the main restaurant.

We visited Next, the immensely popular Chicago restaurant created by Chef Grant Achatz, for the first time on a Thursday night in February. The 2012 James Beard Foundation "Best New Restaurant" winner features a new menu every four months based on changing themes. It is a multiple course tasting menu that may be paired with wine (3 tiers of selections) or juice. Reservations are online only, available only up to 2 months in advance and tricky to secure. The meal, tax, and 20% gratuity are all paid in advance and are transferable but not refundable. It is very expensive, but in my experience, worth it. Next is Located in Fulton Market adjoining "The Aviary", Grant Achatz's sophisticated and extremely creative cocktail lounge (an experience onto itself). The interior of Next is dark with pretty lighting and tables lined up against the walls, spaced closely together. Perhaps a hair too close, as the waitstaff came perilously close to singeing their backside on the table candle when squeezing between tables. The hostess and waitstaff are friendly and very knowledgeable, as well as very well spoken. The theme was "Ancient Rome", which a historical cookbook with actual ancient recipes to reference on every table. The meal was a modern interpretation of those recipes presented as multiple (12-16) small courses, each with an explanation of how the ancient is tied with the modern. There are appetizers to desserts, with an extremely creative bread course. Most courses were intensely flavorful and delicious, a few a bit salty. The wine pairings in our opinion enhanced the food and we very much enjoyed learning about each selection. At the conclusion of the meal we were given a copy of both the menu and the wine pairings, then actually welcomed into the kitchen to meet executive chef Jenner Tomaska, who was very gracious. The staff also were able to secure us a table at the completely booked Aviary after our meal. The only criticism we have of the entire experience is the pace of the service for the first 5-6 courses. It was so rushed one could barely sample the wine pairing. This dramatically improved by the second half of the meal. In conclusion this was an amazing and intensely flavorful culinary experience as well as a uniquely educational. It is expensive, but well worth it to me.

This was our second visit, we thought we would give it another chance since our friends really wanted to try the menu. For a $2000+ meal (menu plus ultra wine pairing plus donation) you expect more than food. We dine out frequently in Chicago and internationally at fine restaurants and have had more refined service paying a fraction of the price. In my opinion it’s a management issue, the staff is enthusiastic and friendly. Lots of small issues, but here were the biggest ones. -After we sat down my friend was asked 3 times what model and make his car is. I guess there was issue with the valet. But ask once and write it down! Or better yet figure it out yourself. Very disruptive. -For three of the courses we had to ask them to NOT clear the plates yet as there was still food on them and we weren’t yet finished. Are you kidding me? How about letting your bus staff know that for this type of meal people might want to take a minute to enjoy the food! -On our 3rd to last course we were asked to “use the app to request our cars” we arrived at 5, their next seating is at 8, why at 6:45 we are being asked to leave? I don’t understand. For 2 grand, would you mind if we enjoyed the last few courses? -We upgraded to the ULTRA reserve wine pairing (2 of us), about $350.00 per person, just for the wine. So after the meal they brought a bill I paid it. A few minuets later we were getting up to leave, he brings back an additional bill “oops I forgot this is for the $20.00 glass of wine you wife ordered, I need you to pay it.” REALLY!?! Now I’m happy to pay it, I owe it, but why not say “sir, just so you know that glass of wine is on us have a great night” when you realize you forgot to charge for it. Food was great, I’ve had more sophisticated service for a $200.00 meal. Management needs to get their act together. We won’t be back.

First off, I've always wanted to try a restaurant in the Achatz line. This was my first go, and happened to go to Aviary directly before this and Office directly after. All in all, it's incredibly expensive to perform this trio in the same night, but it was an interesting experience. In my opinion, that is why you should attempt to dine here, i.e. to experience something different from the norm. The food is very creative and I wholeheartedly appreciate the artistry that goes into this, as well as the presentation (I dined here during their cinema menu). It's quite good, as well. But, it's not something I would choose to eat frequently. All in all, worth a trip but be prepared to pay (I also purchased the alcohol pairings, which I would recommend). FYI, it's difficult to review this place beyond the experience, as the menu completely changes (thus, the reason for no Michelin star, as well - can't be recommended for a consistent style of food).

We had a wonderful experience with the South American tasting menu. The first course started outside which was a nice, different twist and then proceeded with the courses inside. We found the food to be substantial and delicious, as well as creative and colorful. The standard wine pairing was also very good. The dessert was awesome and there wasn't a course we did not enjoy. Would definitely come back to Next in the future. You do need to book well in advance and you pay in advance for dinner, service, tax and drink service.

Not sure where to start. Maybe it's the fact that one course wasn't perfect - the short rib was all fat - and how they handled it. Repeated apologies, instant replacement, after dinner drinks all around. Maybe it's the casual but attentive service that is totally authentic, never patronizing. Maybe it's the presentation that had us waiting for the next course with just the right amount of anticipation. Whatever it was, we're eager for the next turnover so we can think about the journey that the chefs will take us on. If you have a chance to go and the general premise of the meal is attractive, by all means go. And sign up on their Facebook page, where you can get notifications of cancellations and early seating opportunities.

This was our fifth evening dining at NEXT and our anticipation was that the experience would equal their fabulous French Laundry evening. The Hollywood evening was mostly Hollywood special effects - smoke and mirrors. The presentation was creative and skillful but unfortunately the food did not match up. The courses were attractive but so complex and confusing that they were actually inedible and all four of us did not finish any of them. You literally could not appreciate or enjoy any of the courses and therefore could not enjoy any of the wine pairings as the bitter or confusing flavors of the food destroyed any opportunity to appreciate the wines. That evening and the following day, three of us came down with diarrhea and thought we should let the restaurant know of this, in the hope that they would investigate and see what may have caused this. Their response was to tell us that they would cancel our next reservation and refund our pre-payment. Shocking that a restaurant group of this level would be so arrogant and elitist instead of apologizing and saying they would look into possible causes in their kitchen and their employees. I would suggest you take a pass on NEXT until they understand service, food, and client relations - we do have choices.

After watching Grant Achatz at his Alinea restaurant on Chefs Table (Netflix series), i was inspired to book for my finance's birthday. We were visiting Chicago from the UK. Alinea was fully booked on the days we were in Chicago so we decided to book Next instead. Im glad we did! The staff were so professional without being patronising or pretentious in anyway way. The restaurant is very dimly lit but you can still read the menu fine and it helps create an intimate setting We enjoyed 15 courses and every dish was unique, creative and full of flavours that stayed with you throughout the meal. Service was outstanding and the restaurant is very simple, no bar, and obviously no bill at the end as you pre-pay when you book. We don't drink but there is an option to add a non-alcoholic pairing drinks to your meal. For those that do drink alcohol, there is no wine list, only one choice of white & one choice of red - keeping it simple! Of course, you can book the wine pairing with your menu if you wanted to enjoy a selection of wines that match the menu. We don't eat meat, but that wasn't a problem at all. My favourite dish was the cuminatum in ostrea et conchylia (kamut pancake, oyster, pomegranate) the most beautifully presented dish i have ever seen! Its great that they give you your own copy of the menu to take home with you so you can remember what you have eaten. The whole experience lasted 3 hours, that included coffee to end the evening. This is a unique place and so understated in its location. You would never guess that this gem of a restaurant sits behind the door. I highly highly recommend Next.

The food was back off salty, and not at all balanced in flavors. The dessert was so sweet tha it was cloying, and the cocktails are not amusing, so I think the flavors do not justify the cost. I told the waiters that the food was salty and they didn't tell me anything.

We had the Alps menu which will end May 15th. We had the wine pairings to go with it. Pace yourself! There is a lot of food and small plates. This meal was served family style. We enjoyed food from a French farmhouse, German beer hall, warming yurt, top of Swiss mountain, Italy and Austrian sweets. Favorites included goulash, racellete with potatoes, bitter green salad with pomegranate and fennel ice, apple strudel. We had wines from France, Switzerland, Italy, Lager, ending with Crema di Limoncello. It was a stellar evening culinary Alpine travel. Go! The next journey is South America.

After a disappointing night at Grace, we were really excited about Next and what a treat it was. Food was delicious and thoughtful. My favourite dish came all chargrilled with heaps of very tender beef hidden in all black bread. Very nice. The place is very well furnished with great atmosphere. Wine pairing is a must and very well done. Highly recommended.

We were lucky enough to be able to eat at Next before the upcoming new theme. The food was fabulous and interesting. A copy of The Roman Cookery book was on every table so we could reference the dish that we were eating. Fascinating and oh so much fun! Thank you Grant Achatz!

We have yet to visit Alinea but our first experience at a Grant Achatz restaurant did not disappoint. We were continually “wowed” by the experience. I won’t detail the blow by blow account so as not to ruin the surprises of this retrospective but I will say we had a wonderful 2.5 hour meal. We each had a glass of champagne and a glass of red rather than doing the wine pairings - we would have done the 1 glass only option and shared if I had known that was an option but as lightweight drinkers we enjoyed the two glass option. The service was phenomenal. Friendly, happy servers. No one was uptight. Very professional but also easy to joke around with and laugh with (“rumor is this plate may be haunted, but I didn’t say it”). Other reviews have suggested the interior was noisy but we disagree. It was just fine. Food as art should challenge and excite and of course taste amazing and Next accomplished that feat with flying colors. What’s Next? Alinea. For us, Alinea is next.

Most expensive meal of my life. I don't mind spending money on a memorable meal but the only thing memorable about this one was how stupid it was. They must have spent a fortune on props, but the food just wasnt all that good despite how "cute" some of the glitz was. We attended the "Hollywood" concept. The food was largely forgettable although the juice pairing was memorable for how foul it was - many were sticky sweet and few complemented the food. The "milkshake" made of beans was particularly horrid. The foie gras dish (inspired by the movie Honey I Shrunk the Kids) arrived with an elaborate magnifying glass contraption which, sadly, was almost necessary to see the tiny piece of foie gras on the plate. I could go on but will spare the gory details. There are way better places to go in Chicago!

We first tried NEXT while in town during its "Chicago Steak" phase. Unfortunately, that was a pretty poor experience despite our high expectations. This visit for "Tapas" was vastly better. Dishes were very inventive, but all in line with ingredients and themes from contemporary Spanish restaurants. Service was top notch throughout. I wish we had been given a bit more info/description on the drink pairings as they came out, but we got ample descriptions on the food. Overall, we had a fantastic night and this restaurant has redeemed itself in my book.

First of all, I love Next restaurant. We have the season pass and (unless there are schedule conflicts) will eat all the menus, just like last year. Tokyo was our least favorite menu from Next. There were some big winners but some unusual courses - during the street food portion - the skewered meats were not particularly good. The deep from Wagyu was also not a favorite - I liked it more than my wife. But - and this is a huge caveat. Just because this was not our favorite menu doesn't mean that this is anything less than a world class experience. The service is exceptional - they remember your preferences and acknowledge your past visits. The service at the table is world-class - efficient - they allow you to determine if the meal is going to be two hours or three. The moment you are finished with the course it's cleared and set up for the next course, which is only minutes away. Great place - looking forward to Mexico City later this year and then Fat Duck. We missed Jose Andres last year which was really disappointing - death of a family friend. Can't wait to see you soon. Keep up the great work. P.S. - Meredith the server is outstanding - infectious energy and positive influence.

After reading many reviews of the new menu, I was concerned that we wouldn't enjoy it. My husband and I appreciate good food and we were excited when we got tickets to dine at Next for our 4 year wedding anniversary. The dinner lasted about two hours and we enjoyed every course. The plates demonstrated a lot of creativity and each course came with an explanation of how the chef was inspired to create the dish. Yes, plates were small and some were a single bite, but that's fine dining! Most upscale restaurants with several course meals offer small portions for each course so you don't get too full quickly and not be able to enjoy the entire menu. I wanted to make sure this menu received a positive review, as I was very discouraged by all the negativity with the new menu. Go in with an open mind and you will enjoy!

Every thing about our experience exceeded expectations. From the innocuous bowl on the table that looks decorative but becomes your first course to the smoking glass on a wooden stand that contains a hidden dish the meal just amazing creatively. All that would have been just a show if the food wasn't amazing delicious. We also would have been lost without the guidance of our server Jordan since the wine [including a beer and a liquor] were generally unfamiliar to us. Having been to the chefs 3 star restaurant I was unsure if Next would live up to the hype. The food the experience and the service made the evening memorable.

The Tuscan menu is being sold as 9 courses. If you pair those 9 courses with wine and expect to receive 9 pours of wine you will be disappointed. After questioning why we were only served 7 courses we were told "Chef Achatz decided the menu format should be altered to better accommodate his vision". Some courses come with multiple dishes (porchetta, white beans, cauliflower) and are considered by the restaurant to be one course (which it most certainly is). Others like the cake and ice cream for dessert are considered two courses. Make that make sense...I have communicated expensively with management and while they are of course very sorry, that's the way it is. They are playing fast and loose with the definition of a course and are not serving wine that is reasonably expected with a 9 course meal. Very disappointing evening from Next and the Alinea Restaurant Group.

We have been excitedly awaiting the day we could experience Next. It is certainly an experience and that is how as a family we framed it for ourselves as the food was good, however, not outstanding. In fact it was very salty and we were unable to enjoy a few of the preparations. We also felt rushed and wanted to take our time to experience each presentation which was very creative. The service overall was excellent. We felt disappointed that due to the noise level we were unable to hear what each staff member related to us about the food. The wine pairings are highly recommended. We are reminding ourselves that this was an experience to be enjoyed without dissecting the details. I would recommend that this experience be approached with an open mind. Enjoy!

Fifth time at this sensational restaurant. Every experience has been superb. Kitchen table is nice to get a feel for what is involved in putting together a first class operation. Sensational flavors, artistic presentations, delicious wine pairings, etc. Definitely pricey, but worthwhile given the experience. Watch out for the wine pairing prices - they can double the price of the meal.

Our expectations may have been too high. We knew this restaurant didn't have a Michelin star, but also knew this was a Grant Achatz project, so we were still expecting good service and great food. We went to the World's 50 Best experience where they were serving dishes from the world's best 50 restaurants. In short: food was good, atmosphere was not, service was odd. Atmosphere: the tables are _really_ close together; it was impossible not to hear the conversations on both sides of us the entire time. Our experience was made worse by the couple next to us who came in after clearly having a couple of drinks (he was celebrating his birthday), who were loud talkers, and who decided to take flash pictures of everything they were eating (and of the menu every time they loved something enough that they decided they were going to travel to that restaurant-- to Next's credit, that was most of the places, which meant we were eating well but that it was a ridiculous amount of flashes into our eyes). Food: It was good and it was fun hearing about the process of how they got the recipes (and even the serving pieces from one of the restaurants for their recipe). Ironically, our least favorite dishes on the menu were from Next and Alinea. As was our experience at Alinea, the dessert was disproportionately large compared to the rest of the meal. Service: Was uneven. Staff seemed confused at times, standing in the middle of the room, seeming to try to find what to do next. Food presentations were occasionally odd- it seemed like they were clearly trying to serve in a particular fancy way but not achieving it. Because the tables were so close, more often than not, the server would start explaining the dish on one side only to have to move to the other side of the table because someone next to us was getting up. Additionally, it was hard to hear the staff because, again, the tables were so close that the server's voice was getting drowned out by our neighbors. Finally, we were served corked wine-- it wasn't even questionable, someone clearly hadn't smelled the bottle when opening it. Even our waiter admitted that that should have never happened at a restaurant like Next. To Next's credit, when we mentioned the wine to our waiter, he not only immediately got us a new glass of a new bottle of the same, but he gave us tastings of the dessert wines from the two other pairing menus by way of apology, which was lovely. Additionally, via email, we notified management about our experience with the table next to us using flash photography throughout the meal (and in front of staff- who should have said something) and they apologized and said they reminded the team that "we do not encourage flash" photography (although it would have been better to remind staff that it should immediately be stopped).