Gigi Wine Bar and Bistro — Restaurant in Barrington Township

My experience at the Gigi's Wine Bar and Bistro on a Wednesday, July 26th evening left much to be desired. The atmosphere was quite loud, with tables seemingly overcrowded in the main dining room, making it difficult to have a peaceful and intimate dining experience. Upon arrival, we were promptly greeted by the wait staff, which was a positive start. However, that initial impression was soon overshadowed by the service that followed.

After being seated, we eagerly awaited our drinks, only to be left waiting for over 20 minutes. Despite bringing this to the wait staff's attention twice, our drinks were still delayed. This kind of service left us feeling a bit neglected and disappointed.

When our food finally arrived, the presentation was lackluster and far from appealing. It seemed as though little effort was put into making the dishes visually enticing. This lack of attention to presentation certainly affected the overall dining experience.

To make matters worse, we had mentioned to the wait staff that we were celebrating a birthday. However, nothing was done to acknowledge or celebrate the occasion, which was a letdown. Special occasions are typically made more memorable with a thoughtful gesture from the restaurant, but sadly, that was not the case here.

Another significant downside was the limited menu. As someone with dietary restrictions, I was disappointed to find that there were no gluten-free options available. When we inquired about the possibility of accommodations to suit dietary needs, the wait staff informed us that the chef could not make any adjustments to the dishes. This lack of flexibility left me feeling quite frustrated and excluded from fully enjoying the dining experience.

Overall, the Wine Bar and Bistro fell short of our expectations. While the atmosphere was lively, the service was lacking in attentiveness and efficiency. The food presentation was subpar, and the absence of gluten-free options was a major drawback. Additionally, the restaurant missed the opportunity to make our celebration special, which further contributed to the disappointment. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this establishment to others, especially those with specific dietary...

My husband and I had an amazing time at Gigis! It was our first time and our waiter, Finn, was the epitome of great service! He walked us through his favorite recommendations, the specials, how things are prepared and where they come from. He checked on us and made sure we were happy and just did a great job!

My husband had a delicious Malbec and I had a great mocktail! We had 2 rounds of oysters & the farm egg for appetizers and omg they were so good!

We both ordered fish and shared each entree- I had the special - amberjack with frites and it was so good! The aoili for the fries was 10/10 and my husband had the artic char was so freaking good- don’t skip on eating the skin that might have been the best part!

Somehow we had room for dessert and shared the special which was a basque cheesecake with strawberries! Super delicious! Can’t wait to come back and try other items...

After our first visit here with friends, we couldn’t stop talking about when we’d be back!

When we’re with a group, we like to sit at a table, but when it’s just me and my husband, the bar is our go-to spot. The servers and bartenders are always fantastic.

The oysters are fresh and delicious, and the foie gras is served just the way I love—with toast and jam.

The caesar salad is quite good, with a nice touch of pickled sardines.

So far, our favorite entrées are the burger, steak frites, and walleye.

The surf and surf special they served on 9/26/24 was the best dish I’ve had here, I wish it was available every time. We also had the wagyu that was recently put on the menu and it was slightly overcooked for our requested temperature. We didn’t bother to say anything because we’ve always have good experiences here.

We’re always looking forward to...