The Smith Reviews

We had a pleasant dinner at The Smith. The menu was extensive and the prices were reasonable. The drinks were also reasonable. The décor was attractive as was the clientele. The restaurant is medium energy. The wait staff were charming and professional. The location is excellent on Clark Street.

We were looking for somewhere to grab brunch with outdoor seating. We knew that the city had closed Clark St. in several locations so knew this place would have several seats available. A friend had recently visited and highly recommended their brunch menu/reservations. They have a food/drink special with their brunch meals. I went with a bloody mary and their shakshouka. I thought they were both tasty, but not the best I have had.

We went for Happy Hour on a Friday at 4:45pm and enjoyed Midtown Manhattan #2, Cucumber Loco, and Sazerac Rye. We got a seat at the bar, but just barely! By 6pm, the place was packed and really loud conversations happening. Get the Shishito Peppers (yum). Don’t get the Fried Pickled Okra.

My friends and I ate at the Smith last Saturday night and we had a great experience. The food was delicious and there were great vegetarian options. The highlight of our dining experience was our server, Chelsea. She was knowledgeable, efficient and extremely personable. By the time we left we felt like we were all friends. I called to tell the manager how much we enjoyed our experience and she, too, was absolutely lovely and charming. I highly recommend this restaurant!

Delish! Hands down. A dear friend of mine who moved out of Chicago to the West Coast, was in town for night time and we agreed that we would go to dinner. I told her I wanted to go someplace I’ve never been before, and she chose The Smith, and boy am I glad she did! There were so many things on the menu that I wanted to try, I know that I’ll be going there again in the near future. Since my visit, I referred to two friends who also added it to their list of favorite restaurants.

Management had to save the day. My sever wasn't on point but the food was delicious. Didn't really care for the homemade ginger beer in my moscow mule.

On December 4, 2022, our group of 8 ladies enjoyed brunch at The Smith. The food was excellent! We were treated to superb service from Dylan. He was professional and friendly and delivered the food hot and efficiently. Dylan made our morning so enjoyable and his hospitality was a delight for all of us!

Great food, knowledgeable about gluten free, and Chelsea was great! We ate here our first night in Chicago for my daughter’s birthday. She is celiac, and when we told them, the server and the kitchen staff made sure we understood how they managed GF requests so she would be safe. We had drinks, apps and dinner everything was great. The atmosphere was fun. A little loud, but if you are up for a social night out with great food. This is a great place to eat. Special call out to our sever Chelsea. Great sense of humor and took all the care needed for our daughter’s allergy.

We went here for breakfast. The goat cheese omelette, eggs Benedict, and chicken sausage were good. The potatoes were on the saltier side. The inside of the restaurant is architecturally beautiful. Service was good.

We had Thanksgiving dinner here. The food was okay, not exceptional. I thought it was overpriced. Service was quite good. Noisy.

We went to this spot in River North for breakfast. They had outside seating, but we elected to sit inside. The waitstaff and hostesses were all SUPER friendly and helpful. We had their pancakes and the special of the day, which was a breakfast sandwich, and coffee. All of the food was delicious. But of course the pancakes would be delicious because they had caramel drizzled on top. We enjoyed the environment and food. We have another trip to Chicago planned and we will go here again for breakfast. Such a great spot. 5 stars!

It’s a very busy restaurant- but we were seated rather quickly. That was with our reservation. Usually, the first table is used for those who don’t have a reservation, but this was our only option. You get the cold air from the door opening / closing. Ask about the complimentary cocktail! We came for brunch and were happy with our selections. Plus, by getting an item from the Eggs and Griddle portion of the menu, we got a complimentary Brunch cocktail. We got the smith eggs bene (without ham), the avocado toast (without red pepper flakes) and we both got the Sangria Royale to drink. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed the Smith Eggs Benedict. I didn’t know the avocado toast would be served with salad greens. I would have requested that they skip them. (You never know what is included in “salad greens” and people do have allergies.) The Sangria Royales were refreshing.

Absolutely fabulous. The best meal we’ve ever had. My daughter and I were in Chicago on a mother - daughter weekend and went to Smyth - it was incredible. The food taste & texture, presentation, service and attentiveness of staff were amazing. We have been to outstanding restaurants all over the world and none compare to Smyth. Strongly recommend it!!

This review is based on Sunday brunch for four. Pros: - Delicious, fresh food. Classic brunch items well prepared from high quality ingredients. - Courteous service - Reasonably priced for loop dining - “Free” OJ or cocktail with entree Cons: - Noisy, consistently over 85 dB - Took a long time to get the food The cinnamon churros waffle starter with espresso cream was a decadent treat. Fried Chicken & Waffles, very crisp on th eoutside, tender and juicy on the inside. Best egg white omelet I ever had, said one in our party.

We had eaten at The Smith in NYC on Second Avenue so had high expectations for the food. It did not disappoint. Starter salad (kale Caesar) was enough for 3 and was really good (I am not wild about kale in general so this is high Praise). Walleye was a really interesting presentation with chorizo and chickpeas—very tasty. Perfectly roasted Brussels sprouts were our side dish. We had a pre-theater reservation (6pm) and service was very prompt, so earlier issues with service (noted in other reviews) likely have been worked out. Good by-the-glass selections (I had the Chablis), tho could use more craft brews on tap. Ambiance and decor similar to NYC. Will return.

Had lunch and dinner there and was never disappointed. Off the river path but still in the heart of the city. Definitely a place you want to check out and have a burger. Really loved mine and so did my wife

One of our nicest tables during our stay in Chicago. Everything was alright and delicious particularly the chatted cauliflower tacos !

Burger the right way is The Smith! The service is amazing - energy, attention, advice and speed. And also thank you Shola! And the food - the best quality burger in Chicago - I eat mine blue - I.e. barely cooked - but you can taste the grill and the quality of their meat - and do not go without tasting the pudding! It is not the first time we come and there will be many more! The Smith honors Chicago restaurant scene!

Our waitress Nancy was wonderful knowledgeable about the menu and dish’s. We started with a platter of oysters which were phenomenal, fresh and succulent ( the royal Canadian oyster of the day is so good) great starter for four The homemade pasta with the amazing bolognese sauce with the red wine chicken ragu was mouthwatering. The brick pressed chicken so moist and flavorful served with garlic mashed potatoes the perfect complement and baby spinach and lemon chicken au jus delicious. The country pork chop charred outside with a moist tender inside was sooooo gooood the jalapeño cheddar grits so smooth and creamy, add the scallions and shishito pepper vinaigrette finished the plate perfectly. The Smith Burger perfectly cooked came with its bacon shallot jam, cheddar, house pickle, and crispy onions came with a mountain of perfectly done fries We had the blueberry pie with ice cream the crust to filling was very nice with the crust being lightly dense and delicious. The hot fudge Sunday was rich and creamy perfect amount of sweetness. The Toffee pudding was good but not my favorite The whole experience added another memorable moment to an already great day with family

We ate here one night after walking by it the night before. We looked through the windows and thought how nice the place looked and it looked like a nice place to eat. Taking a glance at the menu, we agreed to eat here the next night. We made reservations for the next night and were ready to go. When we got to the restaurant, the host took our name and looked around the restaurant and there was one table finishing, he said it would be a moment. which we were completely fine with. He then mentioned that they had just opened the basement dining area that night and that it was nice and a more intimate than the main dining area... It was date night and we both agreed to eat down there. Maybe I have a different idea of intimate but intimate my butt...we sat in the table in the middle of the cold room with 4-6 tops all around us. The room was completely different than the main dining area and not as upscale looking. On to the food and drinks. We ordered two cocktails, the Touch of Evil and the Cubano, both of which were very good. The Smith Burger and Squid Spaghetti were very nice and prepared to perfection. The servers were very informed and attentive and knew the menu very well. We would eat here again, but never in the basement. I feel that the basement took away from the fun environment of the main dining area.

Thank you to our waitress Izzy for making this evening’s dining experience so enjoyable. She was attentive, personable and recommended great wines that complemented the food. Great outdoor seating! Appetizer macaroni and cheese was creamy with just the right amount of cheese. Large Caesar salad was delicious and perfect for two people to share. For entree the New York strip with chimichurri sauce and string fries! Best steak so far and amazing sauce.

Our first night in Chicago and we found 'The Smith' just around the corner, and had a great meal with no buts at all. A 'quality' dinner.

We visited The Smith for lunch. It was after the lunch rush, so not loud or crowded. Our server was very accommodating (we have a picky 10 year-old) in adapting our son's pizza for him. They do have a kids menu, FYI. The burgers are HUGE as our the salads and personal pizza. We had to take part of our meal with us -- just so much! We had the lemon-mint sodas (made in-house). To.Die.For. Their list of craft cocktails looked yummy and vast. Food was tasty, but this place, like so many restaurants in the Chicago area, is not cheap. We wish we could have tried dinner there too. Great vibe all around -- would definitely go back. A comfortable spot to bring kids.

Had a fantastic dinner at The Smith. Great food, fun atmosphere, great beer selection. We were a party of 5 and ordered a variety of food, all really good: the calamari was especially good, as well as the Short Rib Fusilli (one of the best restaurant meals I’ve ever had) and the salmon. Service was great, especially our server Koko, who was incredibly friendly, knew the menu well, and offered us bread (really yummy sourdough) while we waited for our dinner (took a bit), which kept us from getting restless. Every bite was worth the wait.

Dinner with law school classmates that I hadn’t seen in over30 years…bartender described the place as a high end Applebees…I though5 it was better than that…nice beer selection…wine was ok…mussels in a pot were plump and flavorful…no broken or unopened shells…great broth and crunchy bread to dip…pricy at $27, but good…friends has steak and pasta - both seemed to enjoy…aranvini appetizer was ok…tile floors made for a very loud evening.

The decor was great and the food was delicious but you could barely hear yourself talk! The churro waffles were yummy and the baked Sicilian eggs were fabulous.

We sat bang in the middle of this very loud, busy restaurant. As it was our last night in town, indeed the last night of our 5 week road trip, we started with classic French 75 cocktails, then starters of calamari and the oysters. These were 3 from Maine and 1 special from Canada, all succulent. The mussels main was small but tasty and the brick chicken was tender, served with garlic potatoes. We veered from US wine for the first time and had a great bottle of Albariño. After our waitress took our order each course was brought out by a different person so one of our mains (not both) was produced while we were still eating our starters. There was also a very annoying girl who kept wanting to clear things away, like the starter plate of 4 oysters when 1 was still there, waiting to be eaten … that’s $4 there … Our waitress must have agreed with us as she brought us a bonus glass of wine each with the check!

What a beautiful, bright, airy and funky ambience - with lots of subway tiles, ages mirrors and great bistro lighting. A lot of friendly staff. I wanted a light lunch - nothing too heavy. I ordered the salmon - asking how it was cooked to ensure I was getting a “healthy” option. As I waited for my salmon 1 I was brought bread and butter. The breast tasted stale and kind of dusty, and the butter had sweat on top. I assume neither were fresh. I therefore could not stomach. The salmon came and was edible - but had so much garlic and oil in the dish as well as some kind of super oily green pesto on top. It was also over-cooked. It repeated on me all day. This is the second smith restaurant I’ve been to - also had dinner at the one near the Nomad in New York. Similar experiences actually so not sure I’ll go back.

Have not experienced a noisier place than this. They love salt. I don’t. Mediocre all in all. Atmosphere is ok. Menu looks better than it tastes.

First off let me start out by saying the food is amazing!! From the starters to the desert is top notch. Had a great time there with my now fiance and family. Will say the atmosphere is pretty loud hard to keep a conversation and I would definitely wear something nice as it seems the waiters/servers know what kind of class you come from and aren't as friendly if they don't think you have high dollar pockets. Other than that though the food was very good and even has help with setting up a proposal as I did there.

Went here with a friend for Chicago Restaurant Week Lunch; the Smith Burger was amazing; highly recommend this place. The only downside was the noise and when not on CRW the prices are a bit high; worth it though for the best burger in town. I also loved that they put water and sparkling water on all tables! Great service.

The food was good! Ambiance, reminded me of my grandmas kitchen, very nostalgic and comforting. Our server seemed a bit overwhelmed, he just walked up and started chattering about the menu, in a dim voice which was hard to hear over the restaurant banter, then kind of rushed away without asking us about drinks....he went missing a couple times and took a very long time to bring our drinks. The manager however was extremely helpful and was able to get things moving for us. He was a big part of the reason we were still able to enjoy the experience at The Smith.

Great value for delicious, decadent food (Eggs Benedict, French toast) and a cocktail. Service was kind and relaxed....

I was probably the only person with a child in the entire restaurant...our waiter was so awesome about adapting our selection of the burger (normally with cheese, bacon, and the works to just putting everything on the side and delivering it to us plain). I had the Gatsby cocktail, delicious! I also had the roasted chicken with potatoes and spinach. It was so good! My friend had the salmon. We were there right around dinner time with no reservation, so we were lucky to walk right in. We were kept with both sparkling and ice cold tap water. The tricky park about the restrooms is they are downstairs and around a corner. There’s also a private room down stairs as well... and a photo booth! This was a good choice for a place to eat on a Monday. If I didn’t have my child with me, I would have definitely had a few more signature drinks!

My wife was on crutches the night we visited and the staff was very accommodating, finding the most comfortable. Cocktails are generous and the entrees flavorful. It was an enjoyable experience but conversation can be challenging due to the noise-level.

We ate at The Smith in Chicago at the recommendation of a family member. We brought eight people here and the bill was $300. It will not be a place that will be on my go to list for anyone. The appetizers were fine and average in taste. But the waiter recommended the trout and ribs saying they were not too spicy. At one bite, it was overwhelming and the heat overtook the taste of the dish. I feel the restaurant is trying to serve a Cajun cuisine but not really strong on any kind of preparation. Serving a little choice of everything means not great at anything. The fish could not be eaten and the ribs were too spicy to enjoy. Another order the salmon was omitted from the salad as ordered and the ribs were cold when served. The Brussels sprouts were forgotten and when they appeared they were very smelly and overtook the smell of the food at the table. The service was sporadic and not very attentive. For a popular place that started in NYC, it has not done justice when coming to Chicago. There are so many other great restaurants to choose from and why waste your money here for dinner. I hear that brunch is better but what does that say? Not wasting my time trying it again for brunch when other places are memorable for each meal.

great eggs benedict!! great service.. huge french waffles, great bacon, the bloody mary could be made a little more special

Three of us for dinner. Bright decor. Our food selections included the trout, Bucatini, and a Caesar salad with shrimp. For dessert, apple pie and bourbon ice cream. The food was good. Restaurant was noisy so conversation among the three of us was difficult

I have eaten here several times while on business. The service is good, sometimes when they are busy and slammed you may have to wait but overall the staff is friendly and helpful. The menu is good and they offer a moderate variety of foods to choose from. I usually get the shashitto peppers followed up by the streak Frits. Overall good meal. They have a nice bear selection which is very nice.

I ate here for both lunch and dinner as it was convenient to the Merchandise Mart and had a large outdoor dining area. A whole block of the street was secured for outdoor dining which was good since some of the restaurants were closed. Both the service and food was acceptable. Nothing out of the ordinary and no problems with either meals or service

We have eaten at The Smith in other cities and wanted to see how Chicago compared. It lives up to the others for sure. Quick, friendly helpful service. Very well attended by the staff. Our meals were prepared as requested and were extremely tasty.

Been a few times at different times of day. Service very good, food is average. It’s a huge sprawling space and has a nice atmosphere. I would recommend for a drink or lunch as when we went for dinner it was really busy and we could barely hear each other speak. Otherwise great.

Terrible first experience. I ordered calamari for $25 and got mostly fried dough with just three small pieces of squid. The atmosphere was unprofessional, and the bartender (an older man with white hair) treated us poorly. He asked for our IDs I had mine, but my friend didn’t. I asked for a cocktail recommendation, and he looked at me like I didn’t belong there. After I ordered a margarita and let my friend try a sip, he rudely took the drink and threw it away, even after we paid and tipped. I was shocked. Definitely don’t recommend this place there are much better and friendlier spots nearby.

Good vibe, good vegetarian options, delicious from app to dessert. Look forward to enjoying the squash rings again

We went to lunch at The Smith and were excited to try this new spot. The interior is beautiful and inviting. It was a gorgeous day and the window were all open to the outside. Could not have been more inviting. We ordered shrimp cocktail which was very good, and then ordered two different salads for lunch. Salads were interesting and creative - some interesting additions to some but I did opt for the simple green salad with a vinaigrette which had romaine and baby spinach. Unfortunately, my spinach was not washed well and the salad was gritty. At first just a little gritty but then I got a bite that seemed like more sand than veggies! The staff was very apologetic and made me another. The second was not as bad but still had grit. I ate only a few bites and no one seemed to notice that I did not really eat it. We will likely try again but will give them some time.

My husband and I visited Friday August 12th for a late dinner reservation after landing at ORD at 8pm. We are huge fans of the Smith, following them on social media, cooking their dishes at home, and have visited and loved their DC Penn Quarter location before. This experience left a little to be desired and I assumed it's because this location is somewhat new. First of all, the interior is stunning. People kept stopping to take pictures of the bar all night. They seemed to be turning a lot of people away at the door, so make a reservation. We found it extremely chilly inside- perhaps good if you run "hot". Our server James was new and we had a couple kinks, but he was trying really hard and we enjoyed having him serve us. I had a tropical cocktail with pineapple that was divine. We ordered the new Caprese style fried tomatoes which were awesome. It was a large portion and they were quite salty, so I would recommend this for a group where you might only eat one or two rather than 6. After a mix-up where we had ordered salmon tare tare and been given the tuna, that was delivered and despite being slightly warmed from the toast (as it was a rush order) was the highlight of our meal. We love this dish. Our major disappointment was the mac and cheese. We adore this dish- have ordered it before and made it at home several times. I don't know what happened that night. The dish came out grainy, gritty, oily- not cheesy at all. It may have been reheated several times throughout the night as we had a late seating? Still a good and inexpensive meal, but it has some legwork to do to catch-up with its older siblings.

We were looking for a last minute late lunch and they were able to accomodate 4 adults and a baby stroller. Lunch was good but seemed a little pricey.

We had dinner at this restaurant after we googled it. We chose it first because it looked beautiful and it is beautiful. It is in a great location in downtown Chicago. It’s in an area that is very lively. The service was great! The food was really good and different. I recommended it for sure.

Decent food. Not so tasty. Service was OK. It was a business lunch so ot was fine. But the teate can be improved. Wouldn't come again

The food was all great! The Mac & Cheese appetizer was particularly fantastic. Also had cocktails and they were great. And for the River North neighborhood, the prices weren't excessive. Highly recommended.

Fun spot for a casual brunch. We were seated at a booth which was great except the table barely fit all of our food. Everyone's meal was wonderful and the brunch main dishes come with a complimentary cocktail, AMAZING! Funky twists on classic brunch food, delicious!! Definitely try the churro waffle bites!!

Dinner for three outfits on a Saturday night. Great, efficient service and ambiance. Solid but not great array of small plates (which were literally small, except for the Mac). Best dish was probably the Mediterranean salad. Pricey. Might or might not go back.

On a beautiful day in Chicago, we decided to stop by for a light lunch. We were quickly seated and given bottles of both still and sparkling water at our table. Our waiter, Brian, was efficient and knowledgeable and provided excellent service. We both decided on the Kale & Quinoa Salad along with a carafe of their Sauvignon Blanc. The wine seemed a bit pricey, but it was quite good and the salads were delicious and very plentiful. We enjoyed our lunch so much so, we are looking forward to returning for dinner there. So I recommend you check out The Smith!

What a wonderful experience at The Smith. Super gluten free/coeliac knowledge and options. Amber, the host, is incredible and Donna, our server, was on the ball and engaging. It was incredibly busy at the kick off of Marathon weekend but we were very happy with the delicious food. Very noisey atmosphere but worth a visit for sure.

Managed to get a last minute reservation here on a Saturday evening. Lovely vibe. Excellent service ( thank you Gina) and tasty good quality food. The price was good relative to the expensive area of Chicago.

The Smith had been in my Yelp bookmarks for a while, and we finally went for a belated birthday celebration. Whelp, happy birthday to me! This place was lovely. One of my favorite things, is that they give you an option of still or sparkling water with your meal. Why don't more restaurants in America do that? I love fizzy water! We started our meal with the shrimp cocktail. The shrimp was large and tasty, but the highlight was the cocktail sauce. It was fabulous! For my main, I had the short rib. The price was a little high, but the portion was absolutely massive, so all in all, not too bad. For dessert, my friend had the sticky toffee, and I had a glass of port, which was the perfect end to the meal. Service was pretty good...friendly and attentive. Prices were a bit on the high side, but for that neighborhood, I didn't think they were too bad. Interior is a bit loud, but a fun vibe. Verdict....I'll definitely return!

Great dinner, staff, and atmosphere! My husband and I stopped by for dinner not long before closing time. We were welcomed by a friendly hostess and allowed to enjoy our dinner without feeling rushed, despite us being the last customers that night. The atmosphere was that of a french bistro, but without the attitude and with much tastier food! The steamed mussels and the gnocchi dish were delicious. Our waiter could not have been more helpful, pleasant, and patient - he really went out of his way for two very tired, hungry and indecisive people. Thank you. We'll be back and we'll know exactly what to order!

We came here twice for lunch. We sat at the bar both times. The food and drinks were both delicious and the service was excellent. Very cool atmosphere. We’ll make this a regular when in Chicago!

This was a Sunday brunch experience that I will remember for a long time. The cocktails are included free with certain food orders, so why not partake? We started with an amazing appetizer of potato chips in a blue cheese sauce fondue. Whether you order the simple scramble or the Ranchero scramble, you will enjoy it. The Benedict Jonny is another great choice. Our server was very attentive.

My work colleagues and I were thrilled to find a decent restaurant within walking distance from our hotel with the extreme cold weather. Loved the ambience upon entering. Our server could have been a bit more personable, but thankfully, the food made up for her lack of coldness. I did find the restaurant to be a bit loud to carry a conversation. Overall, I would recommend it for a good meal out.

Delicious Smith Bar steak and cooked perfectly for the steak and eggs. Eggs Benedict was very good. Chocolate mousse and sticky toffee pudding were excellent. Thoroughly enjoyed the coconut nog and the double trouble for cocktails. We had a reservation for 3:00 not realizing that dinner service started at 4:00. We’ll be back next year after 4:00 to try the Valentine’s Day menu

Good location, nice space, good food. Nothing crazy, just not bad. It is a new restaurant so there is room for improvement. Service is good but a little expensive.

We visited this restaurant three times, once for drinks and twice to eat. First eating visit was for dinner. It was very busy and this impacted a little on the speed of service. However we were in no rush, so not a problem for us. My wife had a Malbec and I had an on tour lager - mexican, but out of a tin, not my preferred way, $15 and $9 respectively. My wife had Filet Mignon, $52, and unlike other places it came with sides included in the price, fries from memory. However oddly it came as two pieces of meat. I had the Smith Burger, $23. The second visit on Sunday for brunch. Surprise, surprise, my wife had the Filet again, and this time very much better. $52. I had Eggs Benedict $22 and the positive is that this comes with a choice of the Brunch cocktails included, normally $13. I had the Mule, wow had a zing to it!! My wife had a glass of unknown vino, again $15. Great foo, great staff makes this a nice place to eat. This place is popular and gets very busy, so booking is a definite. Highly recommended.

Even waiting for the whole party to arrive was enjoyable with both flat and sparkling water along with bread. We had 2 appetizers to start as the potato chips with blue cheese fondue is a must and the arancini is so tempting. With all that food to start, we only had room for soups or salads. Even the smaller size is a big portion. I particularly liked the honey crisp apple and goat cheese salad. The tomato soup was excellent.

I have celiac disease and was visiting for the Chicago marathon. We chose this place because of their gluten free options. I was excited when they said they could make any of the pasta dishes gluten free. I asked if I could do different pasta types like the gnocchi or just sub in gf pasta. The server said they had to check. They told me the gnocchi is gluten free and I explained it likely has flour in it. They said they make it gluten free so I decided to order it. Then everyone’s food came out but mine. Then like 10 min late mine came out with penne pasta with a red flag in it. I tried to flag down the server to let him know and it took a bit. He said he had to find a manager and then they came over and explained they don’t have gluten free gnocchi. I thought it was ironic they put a red flag in your food to say it’s gluten free. The whole place was a red flag. Food was okay but servers don’t know what gluten is or know the menu well.

Delicious food. Internal and external environment with quality and comfort. Kind waiters, clean bathrooms, cold beer.

Really enjoyed brunch. The BLT+E on the brioche roll was great as well as the avocado toast with poached eggs. The bread under the guacamole and eggs had a very hard crust that I liked very much. Our server Brian was pleasant and efficient. Highly recommended.

I like the look of this place. The food is fairly good. I always order oysters and drinks here. The chicken is cooked well. I do love the open windows.

Great atmosphere. Subway white tile decor, gives traditional look in this new restaurant Excellent food and service. A wonderful evening.

I’m always excited to try new things, so the squid ink tagliatelle w/shrimp was just the ticket! My picture definitely doesn’t do the dish justice - all the flavors were so well balanced - I’m sold on 🦑 ink pasta now! My husband had the ricotta gnocchi w/truffle cream and these little puffs of gnocchi legit melted in your mouth. We also loved the heirloom tomatoes + burrata and roasted cauliflower for appetizers. The drinks are really well done, too.

There are a lot of great restaurants around this area. We have often passed this restaurant and opted for the others for more non standard fare. This time, my husband wanted something more standard for breakfast. Also the decor of this place was inviting. My husband chose an omelet and I ordered an eggs Benedict. I was pleasantly surprised how good my eggs Benedict was. Though I thought the English muffin was a bit dense, the flavors and the texture of the ham were great. Eggs and hollandaise was very good.. My husband loved the omelet. Plus each of our entrees came with complementary drink. My husband had a Moscow mule, and I had sparkling sangria. Both were delicious. Brunch for 2 for less than $60 with alcohol. Great deal.

Crispy calamari was good (mild aioli), fusilli pasta well-cooked (bland ragu). Friendly but slow service. Lively, loud vibe made conversation hard. Decent, but wouldn't rush back.

We visited on Thanksgiving. We were seated downstairs, 7 of us and that took away from the fun vibe of the restaurant. They seemed to have temperature issues. It went from hot to freezing. They had some nice options for Thanksgiving, everyone liked their dinners ok. Nothing stood out except the macaroni and cheese side. The main dishes we served Luke warm, and the desserts just ok. Our server was very good, wish I got his name. There are so many great choices for dinner in Chicago I don’t think I’ll be rushing back to The Smith soon.

Normally our family goes to someone’s house for thanksgiving. This year due to a strange set of circumstances we decided to come to the Smith. It was delicious, and the service was incredible. I wish I could remember our two servers names but I was busy having a good time. I must add one more thing. This place has the best Mac n Cheese ever created. No joke. Thanks everyone. We look forward to coming back and ordering from your normal menu.

We ate here for their Thanksgiving event. The food was good but lacked traditional desserts. Bar program was nice & the ambiance was damn near perfect. The service was quality. We were so stuffed we barely touched our desserts.

Every single dish our large family group had was excellent! A few of us had the filet minion and it was first tier. The peppercorn sauce with it had a nice kick, and beef quality was first rate. A few others had some cauliflower thing and they loved it. Bottom line is this restaurant is solid on the food front. This is a lively, fun place, and we were seated close to the bar, so it was a bit difficult to hear across our large table. Smaller groups would be fine. We were there during a heat wave so we were forced inside, but they do have outdoor seating on busy Clark Street, but this would still likely be less noisy. There was quite a scene going at the bar, so if that is your thing, and you also want a first tier menu, this is your place. We had two kids under 5 and amazingly enough they did fine. There were good menu choices for them, and nobody could hear them making noise over the din of the restaurant!

Everyone in my party left saying it was one of the best meals we’ve had in a long time! The drinks were delicious and very unique, the food literally melted in your mouth, and the dishes were all super unique takes on what would otherwise just be a basic dish!

Our party of 4 had a wonderful dinner at The Smith. We each ordered something different: BUTTERNUT SQUASH SCHNITZEL, THE SMITH BURGER, RICOTTA GNOCCHI, and BRICK PRESSED CHICKEN. They were all great. The burger did come out way undercooked, but they apologized profusely and promptly remade it. We would definitely return.

The food and drink are excellent especially their appetizers. The staff is friendly and attentive and the manager went out of her way to make us especially welcome when she recognized us as being back for the third time.. I wouldn't recommend the vegie burger but everything else is great and the chocolate chip cookies were the BEST I've ever eaten. Might be worth going back to Chicago just for them!

Booked a table for Thanksgiving dinner for 6:30 but when we arrived it was clear that the restaurant had over booked given the amount of people waiting to be seated. We waited 40 minutes to be seated and a further 20 to order food & drinks. There was no apology to anyone for the wait and no drinks etc comped (lots of people waiting past their reservation time). Setting that aside the food was delicious and was brought to us in a speedy manner. We had the spiced butternut squash soup, turkey breast with trimmings, the chocolate layer cake & sicky apple toffee cake. We would return again as the food was excellent but we were just a little bit disappointed with how our of hand the service had gotten given it was thanksgiving and they had taken bookings in advance.

A nice restaurant aesthetically and service was slightly above average. Menu was limited and not sure what they were “known for”. Was it the oysters? Over priced for what is essentially gastro pub food. $98 for cheapest bottle of red wine. Very busy and noisy.

Lovely restaurant. We had a reservation for 5:00 so there was no wait but the restaurant filled up very quickly. The only negative I would say was the complimentary bread was like day old hard crusts and was difficult to eat. The starters we chose were Brussels sprouts and burata. The Brussels sprouts were tasty. The burata was just ok for me. I had the pressed chicken and a small Caesar salad. The salad was larger than expected and very good. The pressed chicken with garlic mashed potatoes and spinach was delicious but the sauce was amazing! The other orders were for the salmon, the pork chop and pail of mussels and everyone said everything was great. We did not do dessert we were all so satisfied. Would definitely go again.

We ate dinner here Tuesday, March 8, only because our teenage son thought their sign looked cool. The food was fantastic. Three of us ordered the Smith Bar Steak, while our son ordered a Smith Burger. Be sure to leave room for desert as it was great, also. Our server, Dominic, was just as great. Sadly I do not recall the name of his manager, but we had a nice conversation with him, as well.

Our family had planned to eat at a nearby restaurant, but it had been rented out for a private party. So, we ended up walking down the street and noticed The Smith. It looked good and there was both indoor and outdoor seating. The front desk staff were hospitable, but certainly not welcoming or engaging. Any questions were generally answered with "yes"or "no" and that was it. Our waitress was friendly enough, but generally distracted with other tables and didn't give our table a lot of attention. The atmosphere was okay, but lots. Our family ordered the shrimp scampi and spaghetti bolognese. The shrimp scampi was very tasty and I would definitely recommend. The spaghetti bolognese was good, but I have certainly had a lot better. Summary: Overall everything was okay, but nothing "special", particularly for the prices. Host staff needs training. Waitress was good, but was assigned too many tables. Shrimp scampi was excellent and recommend. Spaghetti was just okay.

We came here for a lunch on August 28, 2025, after being treated terribly at Beatrix two blocks away. We wanted breakfast but never got seated so we left. The Smith is a very nice restaurant and I admire their commitment to serving locally grown food. We arrived about noon on Thursday, August 28, 2025 and were seated outside on the patio. At first the hostess tried to seat us at a table in direct sunlight, so I asked for a shaded table (there were several in the shade), so she moved us to one. After sitting there about 5 minutes, the sun came from around the building and was shining directly in my face. Our server Tiffany H. came to our table to take our order and I asked to be moved to a table that was under a tree. She obliged. From then on, things were great. My wife had the Smith Burger, I ordered the Shrimp Scampi. All was great, Thank you Tiffany!

We came here for lunch today. We both went for the smith burger and fries. Delicious burger although the fries were not very warm. Very stylish interior and pleasant staff. Well located in the river north district.

We were pleasantly surprised with our breakfast. Interesting menu, with eggs prepared with great ingredients. Bloody Mary was superb

What a great downtown vibe! This restaurant is bright, vibrant and energetic a trendy spot for sure. The service was amazing and our waiter without prompting asked if we wanted our granddaughters food expedited so she could start eating. I really appreciate when restaurant staff think about how they would like to be treated. The food was delicious my filet was tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. My wife had the braised short ribs and loved them as well. The location is also excellent located only 2 blocks from the Merchandise Mart stop.

Located in a busy area of Chicago with many restaurants and bars, this is a new branch of one of New York’s popular establishments. The interior reminds one of the old Oyster Bar in NYC’s Grand Central Station with white tile on the floor and walls, bright lights, and an oyster menu. We all had cocktails and beer prior to dinner. Most of us had filet mignon with steak frites and the meal was perfect. One of the group tried the gnocci. Saturday night at 8:30 was busy and service was OK as our server tried to kerp up. We ordered the chocolate chip cookies for the table to share. The place is pretty noisy at full capacity.

We went to The Smith for brunch and it was WONDERFUL!! The atmosphere was great. It was lively and became pretty full as the lunch hour approached. All of the food was delicious. We got the johnny Benedict, pancakes and breakfast sandwich. Everything was great. Highly recommend!

My husband and I and another couple had dinner at The Smith on a Friday evening in August. The streetscape was lively and the table far enough from others for comfortable mask-free dining. Our waiter seemed inexperienced. Our drink order was a long time coming and then the waiter dropped one martini on the ground as, instead of placing it on the table, he attempted to hand it to one of us. A replacement was slow in arriving. My white wine came in what looked like a juice glass - not cold and very unappealing. The martinis were not well-chilled. There were two bottles of water on the table - with and without gas - neither was cold and when I asked for ice, none arrived. I ordered Squid Ink Tagliatelle which was said to include shrimp and calamari. There was plenty of shrimp, but only one small piece of calamari. Our friends ordered Sea Bass which they said was very dry. The bill was enormous. I thought the dropped martini should have been comped. Despite the nice outdoor space, we will not be going back.

Lovely looking place with the black and white mosaic tiled floors and a great looking bar area. It's a chain I've been in before. Good service though they did make a couple of minor errors...nothing of any particular note just a lot of different staff working each table which can lead to confusion. Our waitress was great and very attentive. My eggs were a little on the watery side and I'm sure I could have had them re-done but they were ok and the home fries were great. It was pretty quiet when we were here but I imagine with all the hard surfaces it will get loud when busy...for breakfast it was a good choice.

We choose The Smith for my daughter’s Baby Shower, and I am so glad we did. The staff was amazing, so attentive, very organized, and took our food allergies very seriously. The food was delicious and the portions were more than adequate. Every guest was commenting on the service and the food. The party room is located downstairs, we closed the doors for privacy and restrooms were also conveniently located near us. I would say this was an amazing experience. I would highly recommend them for your next event.

If you like screaming across a table with hundreds of other people who are also screaming across their tables, then you'll LOVE The Smith. Subway tiles adorn the walls and provide ample opportunities for sound to bounce around the obnoxiously loud space. What's that? You can't hear me? SORRY, LET ME SPEAK EVEN LOUDER. SKIP DESSERT AND OPT FOR A THROAT LOZENGE BECAUSE YOU'LL NEED ONE AFTER SPENDING TWO HOURS PROJECTING YOUR VOICE AT THIS POORLY DESIGNED (acoustically) SPACE.

Great FOOD, superb experience, excellent Service and delicious drinks. I recon This with family and friends for FOOD or drinks.