Chez Joel - Chicago

This is one of the most chaotic restaurant. Service was non existent. Our waiter, in the midst of taking our order abruptly left and came back later without explanation. We waited a long time for our appetizer. Before 10minutes, our entrees showed up. My fish was lukewarm and overcooked. My husband enjoyed his lamb shank which looked good. We didn’t order dessert as we didn’t know how long it would take. This is a Michelin restaurant and it was packed on a Tuesday night. The tables are small and close together very uncomfortable for a party of four. The noise level was very high and we could hear the next table shouting out their conversation. We were not the only ones waiting for our food. One couple left after their appetizer. We would try it again if we are in town but fish is a poor choice in a chaotic environment.

Gave this place a try after a dining disappointment at another restaurant. Arrived early for our reservation and were promptly seated anyway. Waitress described specials and provided very good attention to us. Food was excellent and very well presented. We will return.

After much anticipation about going to this restaurant, we made a reservation for our anniversary with our kids. The initial impression from the staff was definitely that they were indifferent and disinterested. We had an outdoor table and it was a cool evening and we were told we would have to wait for a portable heater because they were all situated at the front of the restaurant where people were still dining. This seems like poor planning but we waited without even questioning it and watched as all of the tables left, the staff bussed those tables and finally brought us the heater. When they were good and ready. The food was good as expected. The real problem came when the server actually forgot two entrees, mine and another guest’s. She had to ask us to repeat the order and then claimed the food should be “right out” and while everyone sat with their food getting cold, we realized it was not coming soon. Our party was almost done when my filet arrived. I declined it. They never acknowledged the mistake. They never apologized. They never made any accommodations. It was my anniversary dinner and they did not mind that I didn’t have a meal. They didn’t do anything for the anniversary even though it was clearly indicated in my reservation that we were celebrating. In the aftermath, I’m really angry about it and I’ll never go back here despite enjoying the food and the atmosphere. We had a good time in spite of this establishment’s amateur-grade staff.

As always the food and ambiance was terrific. However, our drinks were weak and our meal took over 2 hrs due to slow service.

Experience was a mixed bag. The outdoor dining area was beautiful. The food was only so so. Some in our group were satisfied with their entrees and some were not. The mussels in particular were not good dried up as if set under a heat lamp rather than prepared fresh. Roughly half looked so bad that I didn't eat them. While our waitress was good, the overall service was not up to standards you would expect for the price level of restaurant. Dishes not cleared. Seafood fork and bowl for mussel shells arrived when course was already almost over. Luckily we still had uncleared appetizer dishes to stack them on. Similarly, dessert came without forks. No one had cleared dinner silverware so we could wipe those off to eat dessert. But the courtyard was truly beautiful and staff friendly.