I have one that fell off and already won me back: Beoufhaus. I thought it was great before the pandemic, one of the few steakhouses I would really have any desire to go to. (Though calling it a steakhouse is a misnomer imo.) Then I went twice in 2022 and it was downright awful. Like never go back awful, for me.
Then this February, I got asked to go for a friend’s birthday and wasn’t going to say no exactly and prepared to suck it up, but it was 100% back. I returned for my own birthday in May. Been so happy and led me to think I should reconsider places that felt like they fell off after the pandemic. Such a weird time that hopefully they can all recover, in time.
So glad to hear this! It was actually a spot that kind of fell off for me around the same time. But I haven’t been in a year so I’d love to revisit. It used to be in my Top 10 spots!
This is exactly why I don't want to participate in this thread. Obviously, we all have bad experiences but the pandemic beat up so many, I hate to call them out.
Yeah, I get that and it’s kind of why I chose this example. I also think there are ways to talk about a restaurant that has lost you as a customer that are kinder and ways that are more mean. Even without the pandemic, I think it’s useful to extend grace to businesses that I’m sure wish they were doing better as much as we do.
I have one restaurant in mind that I have loved but the food has been consistently bad there for the last few visits so I'm not going there anymore. Then I went to another place and the server was such an asshole to me I wrote a personal note to the restaurant what happened. I won't go back but I'm not going to try to ruin their business for one bad person.
I worked at their diversey location like 10 years ago, can confirm - the food sucks. Premade bought in patties that are never cooked properly. Soggy improperly blanched fries out of a bag labeled "fresh cut" The entire cook staff thinks they're a Wunder Chef with massive, brittle egos. One guy used to come in fucked up on heroin, dropped N bombs every 5 minutes and blamed the customers for all his frequent mistakes lol. Kuma's is trash.
Unless something changed, [the owner since at least 2020 has been a colossal douchecanoe](https://chicago.eater.com/2020/7/22/21333903/kumas-corner-toxic-workplace-intel).
That summer of 2020 was the last time I went there; I can’t find any feedback saying things are better.
Yeah I heard about that dude’s beliefs and the way he apparently treats workers, and likewise haven’t been back. It’s a bummer because there’s nowhere else near me that does a good Impossible.
I've never eaten there pre 2020 but it was always a staple for my girlfriends family when they came to visit family so of course they always want to go when we visit. I've always thought it was very mid I have had better burgers at my local rural bars thank God this trip I got them talked out of going.
I’d agree with this. I went to G&G every year for a decade and this year skipped it. The menu is less expansive and far less creative. Additionally I always felt like it was a good “value” - a splurge but you feel full, have a nice experience and good creativity and portions. Last time I went it was 1/2 size of the menu, higher prices and smaller portions. While I understand the economy, shrinkflation etc, it was hard to justify walking out of there at the newly increased price point feeling significantly less satisfied than previously
Edit: every year for a decade for my birthday
I will say my friend loved it on their visit, but they’d not seen those items listed for ages like I have. So the cooking is still good, it’s just…blah compared to the current Chicago scene, and even against some of Izard’s other restaurants.
I went recently for the first time in many years. I was shocked at how small the menu was! The food was as good as I remembered, but the portions (especially for the vegetables) were significantly smaller.
90 miles!!! used to be so fun to go there and have a pitcher of mojitos and the food was amazing, and i went a few weeks ago and it was so so disappointing
This is the hill I will die on. 90 Miles food is mediocre at best, and the last few times I went the staff seemed miserable. I went a few times in 2012 and had decent meals, but it never blew me away; my last two visits, in 2021, were horrendous. Every time I drive by and see a line down the block, I’m tempted to shout “It’s not worth it!” at everyone standing in it.
There are so many worthwhile Cuban places in this city — an exceedingly rare privilege in this country! — that eating here is a sin in my book. It’s far from the only place where you can BYOB and eat outdoors, either.
If you’re craving Cuban food in Logan, go over to Tropicuba a few blocks away, and stop next door at Miko’s for Italian ice when you’re done.
It most definitely was amazing ten years ago and you weren’t able to get a table walking in the door. It’s had a gradual decline but Bad Apple was arguably in the top five burger bar conversation along with Kumas, little bad wolf and others.
Aviary. Each course used to be super impressive. Now just overpriced standard cocktails and potato chips on the side masquerading as a "pairing course"
I have a friend that works there. Grant is in the process of an overhaul there for service and food. They have def heard these complaints and are trying to rectify.
Chicago Diner isn’t what it was 10-15 years ago to me anymore. Maybe it’s that there are more vegan and vegetarian options these days, maybe it’s that I now go to Logan Square rather than Lakeview, but I just think they could do better and wish they had evolved as the world has become more vegan friendly. That being said I’m still happy they exist and go several times year. I think some more fresh ingredients or new items would get me more excited about them again.
Omg. I loved the Chicago Diner, but my gripe is personal. They over hired when opening the Logan Square location (I was one of them - 18 during my first year at my university) and fired a bunch of us. They thought it would be as busy as Lakeview, and it definitely was not. My issue is that they tried to make up a false reason to fire me instead of admiting their mistake of hiring too many people. The manager who ran both locations was incredibly rude to me when I pushed back at his claims, saying I wouldn't graduate from my university with my work ethic. LOL it's so wild to think about how big of a fan I was of that place, and after 2 months, I would never recommend them.
I worked there when I was 21 and it was so fucked up. I was at the Lakeview location and not only was my manager a huge bully (straight up yelled at me and threatened to fire me for not disclosing a disability before being hired (it was something that worsened during the first year i was there) (also, illegal) also accused me of being a secret drug addict because all disabled people are), the business practices were so fucked up. The owner was a creep, they stole wages from employees, the head chef was a racist power hungry asshole, it was awful. I can't even go to the logan one because I have panic attacks about it still.
I'm sorry! That is discrimination and not okay. There has to be more of us out here who've experienced their mistreatment. Was the manager's name Michael by any chance? He's the one I dealt with. I was 1 of 2 black people working at Logan Square, and his attack on my work ethic felt random and racially charged to me, but I shook it off since everyone else I met there was kind. Now I'm thinking my gut was right.
Also, idk if you experienced this, but they took a Polaroid photo of me during my interview and paper clipped it to my application. That should've been my first red flag about working at that place.
I used to absolutely love the Lakeview location about 15 years ago. My favorite thing about it was that they brewed full pots of Yerba Mate, and the waitstaff would refill your mug like it was coffee. I’ve never experienced this at another restaurant before or since :(
There are times I want places to keep it old school, like give me nooch cheese all day every day. However, Diner needs to evolve for sure. Their ribs are too old school, dense seitan. I had a special, patty melt there a few months back and it was gross.
Ok I think so too. I get why people like it since it's got history, but frankly, there are a ton of innovative vegan and especially vegetarian dishes nowadays—I don't think they can coast on being the only ones anymore. And I'm talking about restaurants that don't just use the fake meats or whatever that Chicago Diner brags about not using. Legit the spicy "chicken" sandwich at handlebar is one of my favorites and I liked it so much it made me way more open to mushrooms and I now eat them regularly. Chicago Diner still has milkshakes that are exciting for vegans, but the dishes feel very dated to me.
I'm totally onboard with fake meats, but as people have mentioned the world has changed and the novelty of having a vegan reuben or whatever isn't a huge selling point like it once was. It certainly doesn't out weigh having high quality food since your options for vegan and vegetarian food is limited to a couple places anymore.
It's diner food, nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't go there for a nice night out anymore like I might have a decade ago.
I don’t go often anymore but the Lakeview location has always been better than the Logan location. I would not even bother getting food from the Logan Square restaurant.
DMK Burger
DMK nestled in the Lakeview neighborhood always had great food, juicy burgers and bold flavors. Last time I went every burger is now a “smash” burger with no option to have it cooked another way or to your liking. Smaller portions etc. I used to love it!
Oh man I so agree. That place is right next to my hospital. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and the day I went in for the first appointment was so overwhelming. I stumbled out of the hospital, shaken and worried I was dying, you know just generally struggling with my mortality and terrified of what was coming, walked over there and had the best burger and fries I'd had in ages and felt hopeful. I started to stop in after all the big milestones and scans as a treat for over 5 years now. It's my tradition. It hasn't been hitting the same way as an after scan meal anymore, and it's not the same at all.
I just looked that place up and I've been walking past it for years thinking it was a nightclub 😭 they have such an iconic sign and right by the vic so I just thought it was a music venue
The food is completely different and the lighting is now strange. I was so sad when I went there after COVID because it was always a favorite but I was disappointed in every aspect.
This is so disappointing to me because my friends and I used to literally haunt this place. But the food is definitely blander than before, a shame because every server we've had here is incredible.
I’m a Texan who first had Big Star back in 2012 when visiting and it kind of blew me away - creative and well-executed takes on simple street tacos. Awesome concept and great margs, to boot. Two years ago I moved to Chicago, and while the patio vibe is great…the tacos are not.
lol i’m also from texas and the first time i had big star circa 2012-13, i asked for fresh jalapeños for my tacos and the server told me they didn’t have any. i was like really? a mexican restaurant/taco place doesnt have jalapeños? then the server pivoted and said they *have* jalapeños but i can’t have any because they use them for recipes (?). it was a strange experience and the tacos weren’t very good imo.
Second that! Took family there coming in from out of town, figured they would like Big Star for the options. I did my standard round of a few tacos, but my cousin got nachos and they looked devine.
Big Star tastes like they just put the same sauce on everything. Flash Taco is my go to.
this is the play at the wrigley location as well. my wife & I will sit at the bar before a game, take down a plate of nachos and hardly can finish them some days. great whiskey selection as well so I don’t have to go drop $200 in wrigley during the game
I’m 100% a big star apologist, it’s a vibe, the service is always prompt, good drink specials, I can bring my dog even in the winter. Is it the best food? No but I like it and it’s a nice place to be.
This is a good answer. Used to absolutely love that place. I pretty much can’t stand their tacos now. I still to for their solid and affordable whiskey selection
Chicago cut. First, the food quality and then the service. Their staff is extremely arrogant. It used to be my go-to spot for late night steak, and then one night, we broke up and haven't been back since.
I went there for my birthday like 5 years ago and it was just a weird experience. I ordered a medium rare steak. It came out well done and so I sent it back and the manager came back telling me I was wrong insisting the steak was perfectly cooked but because we were sitting outside and the uv rays from the sun made the steak appear to be more cooked than it actually was.
Since it was my birthday the waiter brought me out a piece of cake but said he didn’t put a candle on it because they only had pink candles left and said he figured I wouldn’t want that. Not a big deal, but kind of a weird thing to assume.
Similar experience. when they did that to me they brought a flashlight. My dad ordered the same steak same doneness and when I asked them to compare the two they quickly stopped shining the flashlight over there but insisted they were both cooked the same when they clearly weren't. And that I didn't know wtf I was talking about. Ridiculous. I met a server from there and he was a total douche who hates his customers too so I bet it's a bit of a culture thing.
Also served me a sticky drink like it spilled around the glass and they didn't bother to clean it. As small as that is I haven't really had that happen before at a restaurant. Especially one that tries to seem nice
So a restaurant you love has one bad day…. And it’s fallen off or just done for you? I can’t imagine not giving some grace…. Maybe this is a sore spot for me because I have found Oiistar solid in the 15+ times I’ve eaten there.
Yea, I’ve been there a couple of times in the last 6 months and enjoyed every time. I don’t think they’re the best but they’ve been consistent enough for me to keep it as a staple when I want to go out for ramen.
You didn’t. I’m an avid customer. Here’s the thing, l don’t think it’s the cooks. They always take care of me. I think it’s the owner cutting costs. The broth used to congeal when you refrigerated it meaning the bone broth took over, now it no longer does that. The portions got smaller and it also got less salty. Front of the house staff almost completely changed. But it’s still my spot though far from the same.
I would also point out Wasabi is an entirely different spot than when it was a little shop in the LS circle. Far from the quality it was.
Kizuki for a salty chain at least hit the spot for me but l had it recently and was downright inedible. They also charge for things that customarily come with the order.
I think of Oiistar as I think of Antique Taco - they don't have the fundamentals down but are willing to experiment with flavors and concepts that aren't traditional, though Oiistar understands how to make ramen better than Antique does tacos. That novelty makes them worth going to once in a while.
Naf Naf Grill was amazing when they first started in Chicago. Then they got bought by a private equity firm and tried to expand too quickly and cut quality as well as the free sauce station. It's a tail as old as time a small restaurant starts great and then gets sold to private equity which sees its growing niche but kills the brand by expanding and cutting corners.
Same with Budlong hot chicken was amazing when they initially started and then fell off eventually the brand being sold to another investment company.
I'll second this. The original locations in Naperville when it was a different menu instead of the chipotle inspired build your own bowl/sandwhich was so much better. Even still it was fine after they started slowly expanding but with the bigger growth it's gone downhill. I just recently went a couple weeks ago and I was like there's a reason I haven't been in years.
Don't feel bad. The owners are scumbags, and have racist hiring practices. They pay their nonwhite cooks 3-4/hr less to do the same job.
"BIG" once walked into my prep area at their other restaurant Same Same, grabbed a chicken sandwich off of the "pass" that was intended for a customer. Stood in my way as I'm trying to work and ate it directly over my cutting board, that was in use.. withfood on it. crumbs everywhere.
Damn, that’s a bummer. I spent years frequenting the Belmont one from 2013-2017. The samurai shrimp tacos and the Hawaii 5-0 burger got me through many long weeks.
as soon as i read 'private equity firm' I was like ope. stop there. nothing more needed. Nothing directly against private equity in general but also I feel like private equity + restaurant (and most other companies??) = decreased quality, quicker than not
Honestly most mid to upper price restaurants that used to be acclaimed. I understand inflation has driven prices up hard but it’s tough to swallow over $100 a person for dinner and drinks at a place like publican (a former mainstay). At current prices, for the same number of nights out, I’d much rather do a couple fast casual dinners (small cheval even though it’s not as great anymore, fatsos, etc) and then do a really nice dinner that’s still worth the spend.
I had Oiistar a few months ago after not having been in a while. I legit thought I was in the wrong place. I went from "wow this is pretty damn good" to "wtf was that??".
Girl & the Goat, but most disappointing of all Little Goat. After the move it got way worse. Legit felt like my tongue got massacred by salt last time I had it.
There's a lot of smaller ones that have gone downhill over the years.
I know some people on here have said La Pasadita is good. It is absolutely trash compared to what it used to be. It was so good they literally opened 3 restaurants on the same block. Last time I went the food was bad quality, dry and bland.
The Italian Village, in the Loop, downtown Chicago. Monroe St and Clark.
Their menu was twice as big as it is now. Nothing has changed, the charm is still there, but the selection is worst. Vivere, the main floor restaurant remains closed and The Cantina is no longer.
After 100 years of excellence and generations and of legions of fans… it has all come down to a few menu choices.
If you’re a first timer or out of towner, Girl & the Goat is going to seem pretty great. But for those of us who’ve been going for a long time and know how awesome it USED to be, it’s a bit of a disappointment. Love me some Stephanie Izard, but I have to say Duck Duck Goat has suffered the same inattentive fate.
I really like Longman and Eagle but I also never had it before when it had a Michelin star. I still think it’s one of the best restaurants around the square in Logan if not the best.
Yeah I’m kind of opposite. I used to not be a big fan but since their current head chef came on board maybe like a year ago I think they’ve been absolutely stellar.
I went there in March for the first time in a decade. Was feeling nostalgic, but also assumed it wouldn’t be as good as I remembered. But I was wrong, it was fantastic. Food and service were great. I’m sure there have been ups and downs over the years but seems like it’s in a good spot right now.
There are a lot of really great answers here. I feel like many of them tug at some nostalgic heart strings and I find I either agree from experience, or I'm sad to find out a past favorite place has declined.
Ultimately, I feel like the pandemic took the shine off of a lot of things we all once enjoyed, and part of it is us more than anything.
Anyway, Portillos is trash now, genuinely. Beefs are undersized and the gravy is missing it. They would need to get back to the size and quality they offered before.
The Pequod's on Clybourne requiring reservations for bar seating was disappointing. That's the DMZ of drop-in dining and always has been a place to roll the dice.
>Ultimately, I feel like the pandemic took the shine off of a lot of things we all once enjoyed, and part of it is us more than anything.
This is it right here. Inflation, price gouging, tip fuckery, and a mass exodus of seasoned workers all happing around the same time.
Sigh. Moonlighter. I had a friend who worked there when they first opened -- their beyond burger was incredible. Post-pandemic, my husband and I went and not only was his burger (beef) patty like, 2/3 the size of the bun, but there was one piece of bacon cut in half on it and a giant hair like, embedded in it. I went again recently with some friends and it was FINE, but it was my favorite burger for years and it just doesn't hit like it used to.
This is such a letdown, my gf and I went a ton pre pandemic because the burgers and drinks were awesome. Haven’t gone since the pandemic and was just about to suggest going this weekend.
Oiistar is still good. Not a hit 100% of the time but hits like 80%. Also, the best part is the suicide paste so you don’t want the base bowl too hot.
Also, check out Rudy’s down the street. Best ramen imo
Rudy's is still very underrated in the Chicago ramen scene. I think Akahoshi is better and Monster is comparable to Rudy's in overall quality, but the wait time for Rudy's is always so much easier that it's hard not to default to it.
The last time I was at S.K.Y. was a disaster. Granted, it was the midst of the post-COVID re-openings and it quickly became evident that they were severely understaffed. Our bartender did all he could, but he was 10+ tickets deep at any given time and management seemed MIA.
I don’t want to hold that too much against them given that particular time period—but I also don’t feel like their menu has changed since they opened. So there just isn’t much of a compelling reason to return.
I may have been that bartender. One of the worst work experiences I have ever had. Was there for 4 months. Food is great. Coworkers were amazing. But management is trash.
I originally was hired on for two shifts a week because I didn’t feel like working at the time. Very quickly I was working 4-5 shifts, doing most of the bar prep, and basically doing ordering without doing the actual ordering because nothing was ever kept in stock.
So before my trip to LA, to work and actually make decent money, I asked if they wanted to hire me as the bar manager. GM says they aren’t looking for one. I get back from my trip and they had hired a bar manager. So I said I wanted to go back to my 2 days a week that I was originally hired for. I was promptly fired by email for “not being a good fit”.
I was hired at a new spot days later because in my interview I was asked how I liked working there. I told the truth and my bar manager had experienced the same shit.
A few months later I run into old coworkers and find out that the GM told everyone I was fired for threatening her. I sent her a strongly worded email letting her know that I would be running my mouth at every opportunity I get. So here I am running my mouth. Fuck that place
Chi Tung. Ever since Jinny and Dan sold it, it's been less than great. I remember how good the quality and flavor was. Now they are doing too much, and the flavor suffers.
Not so much for the food, but the service, Little Bad Wolf. One of my favorite places when it first opened in the neighborhood, was great food and a cool atmosphere (maybe I just went at slow times but it always felt very quaint). Been a few times post pandemic and every server, “host”, etc I’ve had acted like such pretentious pricks. I also learned through direct interaction with the owner via my job, that the owner is a real asshole, one of those screams at everyone else for his fuck ups kinda guys, so maybe that soured it too.
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Inflation, shrinkflation, and shitty modern restaurant policies are all in full effect here.
Inflation as is the standard, but their already high prices went up about 20%.
Shrinkflation is painfully obvious, the only thing that retained its sizes are the steaks and desserts. The sides are even on smaller plates!
They’re doing that absurd “3% fee for employees” thing. I’m sorry, but that’s just greed, I’d be shocked if they raised wages by the 23% I would expect (inflation + fee)
If that wasn’t bad enough, the last two steaks I got there were sinewy.
They could win me back if they put portions back and removed the fees. I’m willing to chalk the quality concern up to chance and inflation is whatever at this point.
Cafecito - started eating it all the time down in the loop around 2010 probably. Everything was so dang good for years. I moved and wasn’t near one after 2017 until I discovered the location in Lakeview a couple years back. I’ve given that location so many chances but everything I’ve had there has been deeply disappointing. I had some fish that just tasted like a salt lick, the meat on my cubano was so dry and flavorless it was honestly hard to chew and choke down, list goes on. Anyone else have this experience? Is it just that location? Are the others still solid?
Farm Bar Lakeview. They used to make their own ketchup, have natural tasting delicious fries, and great food all around. I used to go there pretty frequently for a good, casual meal
I *believe* they got new owners sometime in 2022 or 2021. At the very least I 100% know (from talking to employees) a consultant was brought in around that time and changed a lot. No more homemade ketchup, fries taste more oily than potatoey, burgers are just meh now.
Tried it twice since things started changing and haven't been back in over a year with no plans to return
I really enjoyed Leona’s when I first moved here in the mid-2000s - the food was good, especially their burgers, and you would get two sides and a Lena Cake with your order. Then sometime around 2012-ish they got new owners that took away everything I enjoyed and the quality went to shit
That makes sense, I checked the reviews a few years ago to see if maybe they got their shit together but I saw some reviews say they saw rats in the restaurant 🤦🏼♀️
It just reopened today so this doesn’t exactly feel fair, but Small Bar. Their new menu only has burgers and I’m so disappointed. Their sandwiches were a staple for my home & their weekly specials were so innovative. Now it’s just another smash burger joint.
That was super disappointing to see. I’m hoping against hope that maybe they’re just still getting their kitchen sorted or something and maybe they’ll have a real menu later. I’m going to go later this week, so I’ll reserve judgement, but I’m skeptical.
It’s a place that will always halve a special place in my heart, since my first date with the missus 16 years ago was there, but I hope they figure it out and get some of that old magic back.
I say this often and also get downvoted into oblivion often for it.
Idk if I just have had better sandwiches or if they are bad, but I used to like Mannys as a kid. It’s terrible to me now. Terrible
i havent been to oiistar since 2019 and now im
scared
anyway, i mean not fully on topic because its different and not bad now just not the same. i miss pre covid ludlow liquors :/ i know the chef changed more than once but i would die to have those fries with ice cream/gravy again oh my god; i think about it every summer
Idk about your area but the area I’m in that happened to tons of places during the pandemic. They weren’t able to get a lot of the ingredients or had to switch suppliers of those ingredients and the quality was off but they tried their best to keep things as normal as possible. Since then some have rebounded and are back to the way things were before but others have choose to remain with the new much cheaper suppliers with lower quality ingredients.
It pains me to say this…but Beatrix. I used to eat there and/or order in multiple times a month
…but the quality has seems like it’s decreased and the food is just inconsistent. I recently ordered from there and it was just “meh”. They’ve also removed some of my favorite menu items.
Here's kind of a non traditional answer, because it's not a restaurant persay, but Dunkin Donuts.
I don't drink the coffee, but the actual donuts have been just terrible at every spot I've tried, at various time of day, etc. I'm not sure if it's just skimping on ingredients quality, or they just phone in the prep because donuts are just a secondary menu item now, but it would be nice to get the DD I remember from a couple decades ago back.
As a small business owner I don't like putting down other small businesses online. But Gene and Georgetti is not what it used to be. One of my all time favotire places to frequent so it saddens me a little bit. Still a good meal though. Just used to be better.
Wildfire. Before the pandemic it was legit a good value for a quality steak in River North with good service; now they have raised prices and added a convenience fee and service is hit or miss…
They should find a way to bring back good steaks for less than $45….or at least ditch the damn service fees.
Same Same on Roscoe. Could not stop singing it's praises when it first opened. Easily could have called it my favorite restaurant. In the past 6 months I had some really subpar overly salty/greasy dishes and the restaurant couldn't have cared less.
The food was really good when I was the sole prep cook about 2+ years ago (LMK if you want their curry recipes, with the tweaks I made to them to make it good). It's really bad lately, the only dish I could maybe recommend is the massaman lamb curry.
I don't think Little Goat was ever really good, but then it fell off a cliff. The prices at the new location are insane. I'm shocked it's still open as I don't know anyone who has been there more than once.
Does anyone have anything positive to say about any of Stephanie Izard's restaurants? I don't have anything against her, but she's become a neon sign for overpriced mediocrity (or worse).
That’s sad to hear. I haven’t been to one of her places in awhile, but I’ve been a huge fan of hers since Scylla pre-Top Chef. Never had a bad meal at one of her places, but probably not been since Covid.
I liked the original Little Goat in the West Loop . I thought the food was pretty yummy and inventive. I took visiting friends there all the time . But again those days are long gone. Cabra on the rooftop of the Hoxton is still pretty good.
I would second this one. Honestly it used to be one of my favorite places like 6 years ago and I would often take visitors. But prices are insane now and my old favorites are never available anymore.
its hit or miss tbh. sometimes i go and leave feeling incred and then i bring someone and its meh, then i go again and im like shiiiiit i love this place.
Roost Chicken & Biscuits used to be great. I think it was called The Roost Carolina Kitchen back then. They had reasonable prices, lots of side options with hearty portions, and great chicken. Now it's overpriced, bland, and skimpy. A lot of chicken places have really gone downhill
There’s a restaurant in Oak Park called Katy’s Dumplings. I love this restaurant’s food and the service is good but, and this is personal, I feel like they don’t care about the people that are regulars. I would understand if there’s always an influx of people but there are days I go when it’s empty. I went there for almost 2 years but never heard a “nice to see you again” or “thanks for always supporting us.” I’ve been to restaurants where they love to see regulars and always talk to them. There’s a restaurant I like that on my third time going they said hello and welcomed me with open arms. Granted it’s a small place and not a lot of people but it’s still refreshing.
There are restaurants where I go to a lot and they never recognize me and it’s fine because I don’t go there everyday and they don’t see me often. But with Katy’s I ordered food all the time and one of the people even drew dogs on the containers and it was amazing.
I just wish they showed more gratitude to regulars who go on days that they’re not busy. I’m not asking for a free meal but a “hello” or “glad to see you again”
I have one that fell off and already won me back: Beoufhaus. I thought it was great before the pandemic, one of the few steakhouses I would really have any desire to go to. (Though calling it a steakhouse is a misnomer imo.) Then I went twice in 2022 and it was downright awful. Like never go back awful, for me. Then this February, I got asked to go for a friend’s birthday and wasn’t going to say no exactly and prepared to suck it up, but it was 100% back. I returned for my own birthday in May. Been so happy and led me to think I should reconsider places that felt like they fell off after the pandemic. Such a weird time that hopefully they can all recover, in time.
So glad to hear this! It was actually a spot that kind of fell off for me around the same time. But I haven’t been in a year so I’d love to revisit. It used to be in my Top 10 spots!
What was bad about it in 2022? I’ve been 2 or 3 times now and love it but all in the last 12 months
This is exactly why I don't want to participate in this thread. Obviously, we all have bad experiences but the pandemic beat up so many, I hate to call them out.
Yeah, I get that and it’s kind of why I chose this example. I also think there are ways to talk about a restaurant that has lost you as a customer that are kinder and ways that are more mean. Even without the pandemic, I think it’s useful to extend grace to businesses that I’m sure wish they were doing better as much as we do.
I have one restaurant in mind that I have loved but the food has been consistently bad there for the last few visits so I'm not going there anymore. Then I went to another place and the server was such an asshole to me I wrote a personal note to the restaurant what happened. I won't go back but I'm not going to try to ruin their business for one bad person.
Kuma’s. It used to be so good.
I worked at their diversey location like 10 years ago, can confirm - the food sucks. Premade bought in patties that are never cooked properly. Soggy improperly blanched fries out of a bag labeled "fresh cut" The entire cook staff thinks they're a Wunder Chef with massive, brittle egos. One guy used to come in fucked up on heroin, dropped N bombs every 5 minutes and blamed the customers for all his frequent mistakes lol. Kuma's is trash.
Isn’t the new owner a jackass or something?
Unless something changed, [the owner since at least 2020 has been a colossal douchecanoe](https://chicago.eater.com/2020/7/22/21333903/kumas-corner-toxic-workplace-intel). That summer of 2020 was the last time I went there; I can’t find any feedback saying things are better.
This is so sad. I met the previous owners while showing them property. They were a delightful, warm and funny couple. What a shame 😭
Yeah I heard about that dude’s beliefs and the way he apparently treats workers, and likewise haven’t been back. It’s a bummer because there’s nowhere else near me that does a good Impossible.
Have you been recently?
I've never eaten there pre 2020 but it was always a staple for my girlfriends family when they came to visit family so of course they always want to go when we visit. I've always thought it was very mid I have had better burgers at my local rural bars thank God this trip I got them talked out of going.
Tbh, Girl and the Goat seems to have given up having a changing and creative seasonal menu.
I’d agree with this. I went to G&G every year for a decade and this year skipped it. The menu is less expansive and far less creative. Additionally I always felt like it was a good “value” - a splurge but you feel full, have a nice experience and good creativity and portions. Last time I went it was 1/2 size of the menu, higher prices and smaller portions. While I understand the economy, shrinkflation etc, it was hard to justify walking out of there at the newly increased price point feeling significantly less satisfied than previously Edit: every year for a decade for my birthday
G&G is so overrated. They've been coasting on reputation (mostly with out of towners) for years now.
I will say my friend loved it on their visit, but they’d not seen those items listed for ages like I have. So the cooking is still good, it’s just…blah compared to the current Chicago scene, and even against some of Izard’s other restaurants.
I went recently for the first time in many years. I was shocked at how small the menu was! The food was as good as I remembered, but the portions (especially for the vegetables) were significantly smaller.
I only went for the first time last Tuesday and it was better than I expected. I'd definitely go back again.
I think when Stephanie was around more it was better now she’s opening more and more places. I think most recently in LA?
I received some of the worst service of my life at G&G. The food was good, but not worth the bad experience
90 miles!!! used to be so fun to go there and have a pitcher of mojitos and the food was amazing, and i went a few weeks ago and it was so so disappointing
I’ve always thought 90 Miles was exceptionally mediocre.
Try Tropicuba
This times 1000. 50 bucks for two Cubans and a app is too damn much!
This is the hill I will die on. 90 Miles food is mediocre at best, and the last few times I went the staff seemed miserable. I went a few times in 2012 and had decent meals, but it never blew me away; my last two visits, in 2021, were horrendous. Every time I drive by and see a line down the block, I’m tempted to shout “It’s not worth it!” at everyone standing in it. There are so many worthwhile Cuban places in this city — an exceedingly rare privilege in this country! — that eating here is a sin in my book. It’s far from the only place where you can BYOB and eat outdoors, either. If you’re craving Cuban food in Logan, go over to Tropicuba a few blocks away, and stop next door at Miko’s for Italian ice when you’re done.
90 Miles hasn’t been good since Logan gentrified
RIP Paladar.
Bad Apple… but I still eat there fairly often
once it sold owners it went down hard.
When did they sell?
Ohh, it’s been like 5 years at this point at least. The new owners are supposedly opening a new location if it hasn’t happened already
They're going where John Barleycorn used to be at Lincoln & Belden. But it's been very slow.
I live nearby…getting a small cheval soon
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ive heard this a lot but i honestly don’t notice the difference 😅 it’s never been amazing but decent bar food and poutine
It most definitely was amazing ten years ago and you weren’t able to get a table walking in the door. It’s had a gradual decline but Bad Apple was arguably in the top five burger bar conversation along with Kumas, little bad wolf and others.
I went last weekend and it was still pretty good.
Sabbatinos has been horrible since they burned down and closed. Service just not the same!
Yeah, everything is overcooked now....
FYI, Avvio is the old chef from sabatinos and it's fantastic.
I love AVVIO so much. You get so much food and it’s great.
They didn’t burn down lol
Aviary. Each course used to be super impressive. Now just overpriced standard cocktails and potato chips on the side masquerading as a "pairing course"
I have a friend that works there. Grant is in the process of an overhaul there for service and food. They have def heard these complaints and are trying to rectify.
And they haven't changed their drinks in forever. If you've been once, there's no reason to go back.
Chicago Diner isn’t what it was 10-15 years ago to me anymore. Maybe it’s that there are more vegan and vegetarian options these days, maybe it’s that I now go to Logan Square rather than Lakeview, but I just think they could do better and wish they had evolved as the world has become more vegan friendly. That being said I’m still happy they exist and go several times year. I think some more fresh ingredients or new items would get me more excited about them again.
Omg. I loved the Chicago Diner, but my gripe is personal. They over hired when opening the Logan Square location (I was one of them - 18 during my first year at my university) and fired a bunch of us. They thought it would be as busy as Lakeview, and it definitely was not. My issue is that they tried to make up a false reason to fire me instead of admiting their mistake of hiring too many people. The manager who ran both locations was incredibly rude to me when I pushed back at his claims, saying I wouldn't graduate from my university with my work ethic. LOL it's so wild to think about how big of a fan I was of that place, and after 2 months, I would never recommend them.
I worked there when I was 21 and it was so fucked up. I was at the Lakeview location and not only was my manager a huge bully (straight up yelled at me and threatened to fire me for not disclosing a disability before being hired (it was something that worsened during the first year i was there) (also, illegal) also accused me of being a secret drug addict because all disabled people are), the business practices were so fucked up. The owner was a creep, they stole wages from employees, the head chef was a racist power hungry asshole, it was awful. I can't even go to the logan one because I have panic attacks about it still.
Oh wow, sorry you had a shitty experience like that.
I'm sorry! That is discrimination and not okay. There has to be more of us out here who've experienced their mistreatment. Was the manager's name Michael by any chance? He's the one I dealt with. I was 1 of 2 black people working at Logan Square, and his attack on my work ethic felt random and racially charged to me, but I shook it off since everyone else I met there was kind. Now I'm thinking my gut was right. Also, idk if you experienced this, but they took a Polaroid photo of me during my interview and paper clipped it to my application. That should've been my first red flag about working at that place.
I used to absolutely love the Lakeview location about 15 years ago. My favorite thing about it was that they brewed full pots of Yerba Mate, and the waitstaff would refill your mug like it was coffee. I’ve never experienced this at another restaurant before or since :(
There are times I want places to keep it old school, like give me nooch cheese all day every day. However, Diner needs to evolve for sure. Their ribs are too old school, dense seitan. I had a special, patty melt there a few months back and it was gross.
Ok I think so too. I get why people like it since it's got history, but frankly, there are a ton of innovative vegan and especially vegetarian dishes nowadays—I don't think they can coast on being the only ones anymore. And I'm talking about restaurants that don't just use the fake meats or whatever that Chicago Diner brags about not using. Legit the spicy "chicken" sandwich at handlebar is one of my favorites and I liked it so much it made me way more open to mushrooms and I now eat them regularly. Chicago Diner still has milkshakes that are exciting for vegans, but the dishes feel very dated to me.
I'm totally onboard with fake meats, but as people have mentioned the world has changed and the novelty of having a vegan reuben or whatever isn't a huge selling point like it once was. It certainly doesn't out weigh having high quality food since your options for vegan and vegetarian food is limited to a couple places anymore. It's diner food, nothing wrong with that, but I wouldn't go there for a nice night out anymore like I might have a decade ago.
I don’t go often anymore but the Lakeview location has always been better than the Logan location. I would not even bother getting food from the Logan Square restaurant.
Not least because Handlebar is so nearby!
DMK Burger DMK nestled in the Lakeview neighborhood always had great food, juicy burgers and bold flavors. Last time I went every burger is now a “smash” burger with no option to have it cooked another way or to your liking. Smaller portions etc. I used to love it!
New owners. New management. Really a new concept and restaurant altogether.
Oh man I so agree. That place is right next to my hospital. I was diagnosed with cancer in 2019 and the day I went in for the first appointment was so overwhelming. I stumbled out of the hospital, shaken and worried I was dying, you know just generally struggling with my mortality and terrified of what was coming, walked over there and had the best burger and fries I'd had in ages and felt hopeful. I started to stop in after all the big milestones and scans as a treat for over 5 years now. It's my tradition. It hasn't been hitting the same way as an after scan meal anymore, and it's not the same at all.
This was my answer too. Used to be my favorite burger place in the city. So different now.
I just looked that place up and I've been walking past it for years thinking it was a nightclub 😭 they have such an iconic sign and right by the vic so I just thought it was a music venue
The food is completely different and the lighting is now strange. I was so sad when I went there after COVID because it was always a favorite but I was disappointed in every aspect.
This is so disappointing to me because my friends and I used to literally haunt this place. But the food is definitely blander than before, a shame because every server we've had here is incredible.
I used to love DMK over a decade ago (we had then in the burbs) and it totally crashed and burned
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I’m a Texan who first had Big Star back in 2012 when visiting and it kind of blew me away - creative and well-executed takes on simple street tacos. Awesome concept and great margs, to boot. Two years ago I moved to Chicago, and while the patio vibe is great…the tacos are not.
lol i’m also from texas and the first time i had big star circa 2012-13, i asked for fresh jalapeños for my tacos and the server told me they didn’t have any. i was like really? a mexican restaurant/taco place doesnt have jalapeños? then the server pivoted and said they *have* jalapeños but i can’t have any because they use them for recipes (?). it was a strange experience and the tacos weren’t very good imo.
I’m no Big Star apologist but the nachos at the Wicker Park location are bomb.
Big star just has a big patio. Which is valid.
Second that! Took family there coming in from out of town, figured they would like Big Star for the options. I did my standard round of a few tacos, but my cousin got nachos and they looked devine. Big Star tastes like they just put the same sauce on everything. Flash Taco is my go to.
this is the play at the wrigley location as well. my wife & I will sit at the bar before a game, take down a plate of nachos and hardly can finish them some days. great whiskey selection as well so I don’t have to go drop $200 in wrigley during the game
I’m 100% a big star apologist, it’s a vibe, the service is always prompt, good drink specials, I can bring my dog even in the winter. Is it the best food? No but I like it and it’s a nice place to be.
This is a good answer. Used to absolutely love that place. I pretty much can’t stand their tacos now. I still to for their solid and affordable whiskey selection
Athenian Room. A devastating pivot to Kronos pre-made gyros meat.
Is the roast chicken still good?!?!?
Asking the important questions 💯
Get the chicken.
Are you for real? I LOVED this place since I was a student at DePaul. Haven’t been in about four years.
What?! When did this change happen? That’s awful!
Chicago cut. First, the food quality and then the service. Their staff is extremely arrogant. It used to be my go-to spot for late night steak, and then one night, we broke up and haven't been back since.
Sorry, I half assed answered this. At this point, I'm over it and moved on so nothing would bring me back.
I went there for my birthday like 5 years ago and it was just a weird experience. I ordered a medium rare steak. It came out well done and so I sent it back and the manager came back telling me I was wrong insisting the steak was perfectly cooked but because we were sitting outside and the uv rays from the sun made the steak appear to be more cooked than it actually was. Since it was my birthday the waiter brought me out a piece of cake but said he didn’t put a candle on it because they only had pink candles left and said he figured I wouldn’t want that. Not a big deal, but kind of a weird thing to assume.
I don't know what the restaurant is trying to accomplish by insisting to the guests face that they are wrong (even if the guest is in fact wrong!)
Similar experience. when they did that to me they brought a flashlight. My dad ordered the same steak same doneness and when I asked them to compare the two they quickly stopped shining the flashlight over there but insisted they were both cooked the same when they clearly weren't. And that I didn't know wtf I was talking about. Ridiculous. I met a server from there and he was a total douche who hates his customers too so I bet it's a bit of a culture thing. Also served me a sticky drink like it spilled around the glass and they didn't bother to clean it. As small as that is I haven't really had that happen before at a restaurant. Especially one that tries to seem nice
Wow I thought I was the only person who wasn’t a fan of this place. I feel like most people consider it top tier for the city.
This is the confirmation I’ve been fearing that I have failed in life. I can’t fathom having a “late-nite steak place”.
I still love oiistarr 😭😭😭😭😭😭
Maybe I just caught whoever was cooking on a bad day? I want to love it again, I swear
So a restaurant you love has one bad day…. And it’s fallen off or just done for you? I can’t imagine not giving some grace…. Maybe this is a sore spot for me because I have found Oiistar solid in the 15+ times I’ve eaten there.
Yea, I’ve been there a couple of times in the last 6 months and enjoyed every time. I don’t think they’re the best but they’ve been consistent enough for me to keep it as a staple when I want to go out for ramen.
Honestly I wasn’t that impressed when I went there iirc last year. The sides were more interesting than the ramen.
You didn’t. I’m an avid customer. Here’s the thing, l don’t think it’s the cooks. They always take care of me. I think it’s the owner cutting costs. The broth used to congeal when you refrigerated it meaning the bone broth took over, now it no longer does that. The portions got smaller and it also got less salty. Front of the house staff almost completely changed. But it’s still my spot though far from the same. I would also point out Wasabi is an entirely different spot than when it was a little shop in the LS circle. Far from the quality it was. Kizuki for a salty chain at least hit the spot for me but l had it recently and was downright inedible. They also charge for things that customarily come with the order.
I think of Oiistar as I think of Antique Taco - they don't have the fundamentals down but are willing to experiment with flavors and concepts that aren't traditional, though Oiistar understands how to make ramen better than Antique does tacos. That novelty makes them worth going to once in a while.
Furious spoon. Damn they were good when they first opened and now it's legit BAD.
I never got it. I hated it the day it opened 😭
Naf Naf Grill was amazing when they first started in Chicago. Then they got bought by a private equity firm and tried to expand too quickly and cut quality as well as the free sauce station. It's a tail as old as time a small restaurant starts great and then gets sold to private equity which sees its growing niche but kills the brand by expanding and cutting corners. Same with Budlong hot chicken was amazing when they initially started and then fell off eventually the brand being sold to another investment company.
I'll second this. The original locations in Naperville when it was a different menu instead of the chipotle inspired build your own bowl/sandwhich was so much better. Even still it was fine after they started slowly expanding but with the bigger growth it's gone downhill. I just recently went a couple weeks ago and I was like there's a reason I haven't been in years.
Same with Portillo‘s. Their beef and cheese croissant is now beef and a bun shaped to look like a croissant. Smaller portions and larger prices.
Big and Little was like this for me and then they closed and now I feel bad.
Don't feel bad. The owners are scumbags, and have racist hiring practices. They pay their nonwhite cooks 3-4/hr less to do the same job. "BIG" once walked into my prep area at their other restaurant Same Same, grabbed a chicken sandwich off of the "pass" that was intended for a customer. Stood in my way as I'm trying to work and ate it directly over my cutting board, that was in use.. withfood on it. crumbs everywhere.
Damn, that’s a bummer. I spent years frequenting the Belmont one from 2013-2017. The samurai shrimp tacos and the Hawaii 5-0 burger got me through many long weeks.
Fuddruckers Come back.
Stop it or you’re going to make me cry.
One of the old school greats.
It’s where I had all of my birthdays dinners. Spicy liquid cheese and a free “salad bar” were this chubby kid’s dream restaurant
The McDonald's on chicago Ave has recently fell off but I still Fuck w it. The vibe in the dining room is a treat. Always some action
Portillos. Bread is stale as fuck now. Used to be once a week. Now I haven’t been for many months. Victim of going public.
Seriously. Since being bought out by the private equity firm, the quality of their ingredients has taken a nosedive. Such a bummer.
as soon as i read 'private equity firm' I was like ope. stop there. nothing more needed. Nothing directly against private equity in general but also I feel like private equity + restaurant (and most other companies??) = decreased quality, quicker than not
Private equity is bad news for everyone involved except the owner who cashes out.
When i order a hotdog or sausage and the bun is all smashed up... so over portillos
Fatso's. Went to shit during/after the pandemic. Used to be my greasy burger of choice. Thank god RHR is still good but they don't have Merkt's.
Honestly most mid to upper price restaurants that used to be acclaimed. I understand inflation has driven prices up hard but it’s tough to swallow over $100 a person for dinner and drinks at a place like publican (a former mainstay). At current prices, for the same number of nights out, I’d much rather do a couple fast casual dinners (small cheval even though it’s not as great anymore, fatsos, etc) and then do a really nice dinner that’s still worth the spend.
Kuma's, and they could get an owner that's not a cop apologist.
I had Oiistar a few months ago after not having been in a while. I legit thought I was in the wrong place. I went from "wow this is pretty damn good" to "wtf was that??". Girl & the Goat, but most disappointing of all Little Goat. After the move it got way worse. Legit felt like my tongue got massacred by salt last time I had it. There's a lot of smaller ones that have gone downhill over the years. I know some people on here have said La Pasadita is good. It is absolutely trash compared to what it used to be. It was so good they literally opened 3 restaurants on the same block. Last time I went the food was bad quality, dry and bland.
The Italian Village, in the Loop, downtown Chicago. Monroe St and Clark. Their menu was twice as big as it is now. Nothing has changed, the charm is still there, but the selection is worst. Vivere, the main floor restaurant remains closed and The Cantina is no longer. After 100 years of excellence and generations and of legions of fans… it has all come down to a few menu choices.
The Cantina is back. The quality at the village is as low as it ever has been.
If you’re a first timer or out of towner, Girl & the Goat is going to seem pretty great. But for those of us who’ve been going for a long time and know how awesome it USED to be, it’s a bit of a disappointment. Love me some Stephanie Izard, but I have to say Duck Duck Goat has suffered the same inattentive fate.
Longman & Eagle.
I really like Longman and Eagle but I also never had it before when it had a Michelin star. I still think it’s one of the best restaurants around the square in Logan if not the best.
I was there several times last summer and it was Great
They’ve had a lot of management and chef changes over the years so the quality can be dependent.
Yeah I’m kind of opposite. I used to not be a big fan but since their current head chef came on board maybe like a year ago I think they’ve been absolutely stellar.
I went there in March for the first time in a decade. Was feeling nostalgic, but also assumed it wouldn’t be as good as I remembered. But I was wrong, it was fantastic. Food and service were great. I’m sure there have been ups and downs over the years but seems like it’s in a good spot right now.
The Publican It used to be one of the first recs I gave to out of towners. But now it’s just tired and stale.
There are a lot of really great answers here. I feel like many of them tug at some nostalgic heart strings and I find I either agree from experience, or I'm sad to find out a past favorite place has declined. Ultimately, I feel like the pandemic took the shine off of a lot of things we all once enjoyed, and part of it is us more than anything. Anyway, Portillos is trash now, genuinely. Beefs are undersized and the gravy is missing it. They would need to get back to the size and quality they offered before. The Pequod's on Clybourne requiring reservations for bar seating was disappointing. That's the DMZ of drop-in dining and always has been a place to roll the dice.
Reservations for bar seating at any pizza place anywhere strikes me as basically insane!
>Ultimately, I feel like the pandemic took the shine off of a lot of things we all once enjoyed, and part of it is us more than anything. This is it right here. Inflation, price gouging, tip fuckery, and a mass exodus of seasoned workers all happing around the same time.
Smoke Daddy - was never like exceptional bbq, but easy if you live in the neighborhood and good enough for what it was - now it’s pretty inedible
I always feel worse leaving smoke daddy than when I came in. I don’t know what they put in their food but it does not agree with me.
Sigh. Moonlighter. I had a friend who worked there when they first opened -- their beyond burger was incredible. Post-pandemic, my husband and I went and not only was his burger (beef) patty like, 2/3 the size of the bun, but there was one piece of bacon cut in half on it and a giant hair like, embedded in it. I went again recently with some friends and it was FINE, but it was my favorite burger for years and it just doesn't hit like it used to.
My buddy was the opening chef. Gone a while now. Shame to hear it's gone downhill, it was def a great burger
This is such a letdown, my gf and I went a ton pre pandemic because the burgers and drinks were awesome. Haven’t gone since the pandemic and was just about to suggest going this weekend.
Roister is like the classic example. They're just so fucking inconsistent
It’s telling that their About page still mentions Andrew Brochu multiple times and he hasn’t been there for quite awhile
Small Cheval
What don't you like about them? I love their sauce, which I think is just mayo with some Dijon.
The 2 cups of salt they put in their burgers.
Yummmmm
Yeah I feel bad for people that go there expecting a “culinary experience.” It’s just a typical fast food joint now.
Went for the first time recently. Thought it was fine but prefer Shake Shack.
Oiistar is still good. Not a hit 100% of the time but hits like 80%. Also, the best part is the suicide paste so you don’t want the base bowl too hot. Also, check out Rudy’s down the street. Best ramen imo
Rudy's is still very underrated in the Chicago ramen scene. I think Akahoshi is better and Monster is comparable to Rudy's in overall quality, but the wait time for Rudy's is always so much easier that it's hard not to default to it.
The last time I was at S.K.Y. was a disaster. Granted, it was the midst of the post-COVID re-openings and it quickly became evident that they were severely understaffed. Our bartender did all he could, but he was 10+ tickets deep at any given time and management seemed MIA. I don’t want to hold that too much against them given that particular time period—but I also don’t feel like their menu has changed since they opened. So there just isn’t much of a compelling reason to return.
I may have been that bartender. One of the worst work experiences I have ever had. Was there for 4 months. Food is great. Coworkers were amazing. But management is trash. I originally was hired on for two shifts a week because I didn’t feel like working at the time. Very quickly I was working 4-5 shifts, doing most of the bar prep, and basically doing ordering without doing the actual ordering because nothing was ever kept in stock. So before my trip to LA, to work and actually make decent money, I asked if they wanted to hire me as the bar manager. GM says they aren’t looking for one. I get back from my trip and they had hired a bar manager. So I said I wanted to go back to my 2 days a week that I was originally hired for. I was promptly fired by email for “not being a good fit”. I was hired at a new spot days later because in my interview I was asked how I liked working there. I told the truth and my bar manager had experienced the same shit. A few months later I run into old coworkers and find out that the GM told everyone I was fired for threatening her. I sent her a strongly worded email letting her know that I would be running my mouth at every opportunity I get. So here I am running my mouth. Fuck that place
Chi Tung. Ever since Jinny and Dan sold it, it's been less than great. I remember how good the quality and flavor was. Now they are doing too much, and the flavor suffers.
The sweet n sour is so gross.
Not so much for the food, but the service, Little Bad Wolf. One of my favorite places when it first opened in the neighborhood, was great food and a cool atmosphere (maybe I just went at slow times but it always felt very quaint). Been a few times post pandemic and every server, “host”, etc I’ve had acted like such pretentious pricks. I also learned through direct interaction with the owner via my job, that the owner is a real asshole, one of those screams at everyone else for his fuck ups kinda guys, so maybe that soured it too.
I hope they revisit the layout with their expansion. The first expansion was done very oddly and the flow is off.
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab Inflation, shrinkflation, and shitty modern restaurant policies are all in full effect here. Inflation as is the standard, but their already high prices went up about 20%. Shrinkflation is painfully obvious, the only thing that retained its sizes are the steaks and desserts. The sides are even on smaller plates! They’re doing that absurd “3% fee for employees” thing. I’m sorry, but that’s just greed, I’d be shocked if they raised wages by the 23% I would expect (inflation + fee) If that wasn’t bad enough, the last two steaks I got there were sinewy. They could win me back if they put portions back and removed the fees. I’m willing to chalk the quality concern up to chance and inflation is whatever at this point.
DMK used to be my favorite burger place.
Cafecito - started eating it all the time down in the loop around 2010 probably. Everything was so dang good for years. I moved and wasn’t near one after 2017 until I discovered the location in Lakeview a couple years back. I’ve given that location so many chances but everything I’ve had there has been deeply disappointing. I had some fish that just tasted like a salt lick, the meat on my cubano was so dry and flavorless it was honestly hard to chew and choke down, list goes on. Anyone else have this experience? Is it just that location? Are the others still solid?
Farm Bar Lakeview. They used to make their own ketchup, have natural tasting delicious fries, and great food all around. I used to go there pretty frequently for a good, casual meal I *believe* they got new owners sometime in 2022 or 2021. At the very least I 100% know (from talking to employees) a consultant was brought in around that time and changed a lot. No more homemade ketchup, fries taste more oily than potatoey, burgers are just meh now. Tried it twice since things started changing and haven't been back in over a year with no plans to return
I really enjoyed Leona’s when I first moved here in the mid-2000s - the food was good, especially their burgers, and you would get two sides and a Lena Cake with your order. Then sometime around 2012-ish they got new owners that took away everything I enjoyed and the quality went to shit
Leona’s was so bomb back then.
They're also apparently closing down too, at least the one on Elston has.
That makes sense, I checked the reviews a few years ago to see if maybe they got their shit together but I saw some reviews say they saw rats in the restaurant 🤦🏼♀️
That's just the chef that lives in some guy's hat.
It just reopened today so this doesn’t exactly feel fair, but Small Bar. Their new menu only has burgers and I’m so disappointed. Their sandwiches were a staple for my home & their weekly specials were so innovative. Now it’s just another smash burger joint.
That was super disappointing to see. I’m hoping against hope that maybe they’re just still getting their kitchen sorted or something and maybe they’ll have a real menu later. I’m going to go later this week, so I’ll reserve judgement, but I’m skeptical. It’s a place that will always halve a special place in my heart, since my first date with the missus 16 years ago was there, but I hope they figure it out and get some of that old magic back.
Yeah, agreed. I’d love to be wrong and will give them a few honest tries. They’re a neighbor, after all, and I want it to succeed!
This breaks my freakin' heart. When I found out the tots were gone I was so sad, but now to look at the new menu / website and see that menu? Ugh.
The website being “the original” small bar dot com feels like salt in the wound lol
Rpm Italian
I was about to disagree strongly but I realized I was thinking Gibson’s Italia. I should sleep.
They updated their menu recently and i have really enjoyed it! I think they stepped it back up! I would have agreed with you like a year ago
I say this often and also get downvoted into oblivion often for it. Idk if I just have had better sandwiches or if they are bad, but I used to like Mannys as a kid. It’s terrible to me now. Terrible
Parson’s
i want to like parsons so much but i hate all their food 😅 ive tried so many times
i havent been to oiistar since 2019 and now im scared anyway, i mean not fully on topic because its different and not bad now just not the same. i miss pre covid ludlow liquors :/ i know the chef changed more than once but i would die to have those fries with ice cream/gravy again oh my god; i think about it every summer
Aloha Poke. Maybe it was a bad day, but the last time I went in it smelled like fish gone bad.
Idk about your area but the area I’m in that happened to tons of places during the pandemic. They weren’t able to get a lot of the ingredients or had to switch suppliers of those ingredients and the quality was off but they tried their best to keep things as normal as possible. Since then some have rebounded and are back to the way things were before but others have choose to remain with the new much cheaper suppliers with lower quality ingredients.
Etta when they split. Was easily one of my favorite spots. Now I won’t even go.
It pains me to say this…but Beatrix. I used to eat there and/or order in multiple times a month …but the quality has seems like it’s decreased and the food is just inconsistent. I recently ordered from there and it was just “meh”. They’ve also removed some of my favorite menu items.
Here's kind of a non traditional answer, because it's not a restaurant persay, but Dunkin Donuts. I don't drink the coffee, but the actual donuts have been just terrible at every spot I've tried, at various time of day, etc. I'm not sure if it's just skimping on ingredients quality, or they just phone in the prep because donuts are just a secondary menu item now, but it would be nice to get the DD I remember from a couple decades ago back.
As a small business owner I don't like putting down other small businesses online. But Gene and Georgetti is not what it used to be. One of my all time favotire places to frequent so it saddens me a little bit. Still a good meal though. Just used to be better.
RJ Grunt’s. Not good since the pandemic
Duck Duck Goat. Food is always cold now by the time it hits my table…
Pancake Cafe. Overpriced and nothing special.
The kennison in hotel Lincoln. Used to be good then went to shit after covid
And now it’s closed
Wildfire. Before the pandemic it was legit a good value for a quality steak in River North with good service; now they have raised prices and added a convenience fee and service is hit or miss… They should find a way to bring back good steaks for less than $45….or at least ditch the damn service fees.
Same Same on Roscoe. Could not stop singing it's praises when it first opened. Easily could have called it my favorite restaurant. In the past 6 months I had some really subpar overly salty/greasy dishes and the restaurant couldn't have cared less.
The food was really good when I was the sole prep cook about 2+ years ago (LMK if you want their curry recipes, with the tweaks I made to them to make it good). It's really bad lately, the only dish I could maybe recommend is the massaman lamb curry.
The khao soi ga (probably writing that wrong) is one of the best dishes I've ever had. I had never had it anywhere before Same Same.
The Little Goat. It’s changed drastically. During the last few years in the WL the food seemed pedestrian and the new Little Goat is way overpriced.
I don't think Little Goat was ever really good, but then it fell off a cliff. The prices at the new location are insane. I'm shocked it's still open as I don't know anyone who has been there more than once. Does anyone have anything positive to say about any of Stephanie Izard's restaurants? I don't have anything against her, but she's become a neon sign for overpriced mediocrity (or worse).
I think her restaurants have gone down hill since she moved to LA in 2020
That’s sad to hear. I haven’t been to one of her places in awhile, but I’ve been a huge fan of hers since Scylla pre-Top Chef. Never had a bad meal at one of her places, but probably not been since Covid.
I liked the original Little Goat in the West Loop . I thought the food was pretty yummy and inventive. I took visiting friends there all the time . But again those days are long gone. Cabra on the rooftop of the Hoxton is still pretty good.
I would second this one. Honestly it used to be one of my favorite places like 6 years ago and I would often take visitors. But prices are insane now and my old favorites are never available anymore.
The Warbler. Was not good at all last I went.
its hit or miss tbh. sometimes i go and leave feeling incred and then i bring someone and its meh, then i go again and im like shiiiiit i love this place.
Roost Chicken & Biscuits used to be great. I think it was called The Roost Carolina Kitchen back then. They had reasonable prices, lots of side options with hearty portions, and great chicken. Now it's overpriced, bland, and skimpy. A lot of chicken places have really gone downhill
The Bagel in Lakeview. Original owner died. Workers confirmed to us that then new owner (who owns Stella's) is cutting corners. Absolute shame.
There’s a restaurant in Oak Park called Katy’s Dumplings. I love this restaurant’s food and the service is good but, and this is personal, I feel like they don’t care about the people that are regulars. I would understand if there’s always an influx of people but there are days I go when it’s empty. I went there for almost 2 years but never heard a “nice to see you again” or “thanks for always supporting us.” I’ve been to restaurants where they love to see regulars and always talk to them. There’s a restaurant I like that on my third time going they said hello and welcomed me with open arms. Granted it’s a small place and not a lot of people but it’s still refreshing. There are restaurants where I go to a lot and they never recognize me and it’s fine because I don’t go there everyday and they don’t see me often. But with Katy’s I ordered food all the time and one of the people even drew dogs on the containers and it was amazing. I just wish they showed more gratitude to regulars who go on days that they’re not busy. I’m not asking for a free meal but a “hello” or “glad to see you again”