Café Absinthe - Chicago

My wife and I visited this restaurant on Valentine’s Day, and we were very impressed. The Prix Fixe menu offered excellent options at a reasonable price for the... read more My wife and I visited this restaurant on Valentine’s Day, and we were very impressed. The Prix Fixe menu offered excellent options at a reasonable price for the special occasion. All the food was expertly prepared, and the ambiance was perfect for a romantic evening.

Nice romantic place. Food didn't wow me. read more Nice romantic place. Food didn't wow me.

The menu, while compact, is quite upscale and everything was beautifully prepared and presented. We started with the mussels, which were fantastic. For my main... read more The menu, while compact, is quite upscale and everything was beautifully prepared and presented. We started with the mussels, which were fantastic. For my main course, I had an incredible Chilean sea bass. The chef kindly swapped out some of the sides to accommodate a food issue I had. The portions were generous, and I’ve heard the bread is exceptional! To top it off, absinthe helped us unwind before braving the cold Chicago winds once again.

The service was excellent and the food was delicious, but it was quite loud for my age group. There wasn't much of a view, and the ambiance felt lacking. Howeve... read more The service was excellent and the food was delicious, but it was quite loud for my age group. There wasn't much of a view, and the ambiance felt lacking. However, the staff were wonderful!

We've been here several times and it has always been hopping but this time it was rather quiet. They have changed the menu and, although the food was excellent,... read more We've been here several times and it has always been hopping but this time it was rather quiet. They have changed the menu and, although the food was excellent, the menu is limited. Not a good selection of appetizers and need a few more selections for entrees. The wine list is limited, as well. Most of the tables filled up by 8 but they did not turn over. We were the last table to leave and had 7:30 res. Therefore, I would say I was disappointed this time. New owners, perhaps???