Beatnik On The River — Restaurant in Chicago

If you’re looking for a good brunch or sit down meal this is NOT the place. Our group spent well over 500 all together and we tried a lot of stuff so here are my take-aways.

Drinks: drinks were nice presentation and well made and came out at reasonable times everyone at the table was happy with their drink and ordered seconds.

Appetizers: the mezze board and falafel were great very tasty as well as the baba ganoush and the kale salad were all hits. Side note: fries came out cold or warm both times we ordered them

Entrees/brunch items: this is where the food began to lack big time. They are non accommodating so if you want something else with your food they straight up will tell you no. If you don’ nt eat pork than I'm sorry to tell you that there were 2 of the items that included it meaning you have less of an option for your entree for the brunch menu… on top of this the menu quickly went from amazing Mediterranean style meals to confusing American style food.. I ordered a cheeseburger it came with pickles some sauce and onions, i asked my waitress for some toppings and was denied even as a side (lettuce tomato) the idea was that they were wanting to see how the public feels about the burger… i don't know why it wouldn’t be acceptable to have a small plate of a single tomato slice and piece of lettuce on the side but okay- My burger was dripping in grease the bottom bun was soggy it lacked the freshness that the other toppings i requested would have allowed. The beef used was very fatty and overall it wasn’t a pleasant experience for me. aside from that there was an order for the egg sandwich as well. Not much to say about it, no veg or toppings really… i feel it would have done better as just a regular plate of eggs and hash browns?

Desserts/ cappuccino: desserts were fun and fresh we enjoyed all of them.cappuccino was just good. It came to me warm and without a plate for the cup, no spoon, no sugar etc.

Environment/service: the environment and vibes were amazing the physical space is what makes the experience sitting near the river is worth it but it’s first come first serve basis…does get crowded because there is a standing bar right in front of the seating and just a heads up for older folks or anyone with kids there are a ton of stairs you gotta go down to get there. Last thing i wanted to touch on was service because at the end of the day that matters just as much as the food sometimes… we felt rushed from beginning to end of our experience, five to ten minutes after appetizers came out mid-bite our waitress came back and stood awkwardly at the end of our table watching us eat for a good 30 seconds before someone said we needed more time to order entrees… when we asked for a dessert menu she first said there was not one and our options were vanilla and chocolate gelato. A while later we were assigned a different waitress we asked again and were given the correct menu.

CONCLUSION: For the amount you are paying you should be able to get good service and a decent meal this just was not it for me. If you want a drink and an appetizer and perhaps a sweet treat with a fun environment this would be just fine. Besides that I wouldn’t count on anything else in here. A beautiful space in the morning and afternoon deserves a decent brunch menu, it’s clear that they are still...

If I had to describe Beatnik on the River using three words they would be: laid-back, refined, and creative. From the moment my wife and I stepped in hungry to when we walked out with our bellies full, the vibe was down-to-earth yet stylish. Luckily, this translated to our food and drinks, as our brunch was a success!

When we first arrived, we sat at the bar waiting for our table and ordered a Fig Za'atar Old Fashioned for me and an El Guapo for my wife. My Old Fashioned was good, with fragrant Thyme enhancing the bourbon, though my wife's El Guapo was fantastic! The grapefruit stood out, making it a superb, fresh cocktail for our summer brunch.

Siloed from the rest of the dining space, the bar did not provide a hint as to the size of the restaurant. However, once we left the bar, we found that the place was massive, composed of multiple floors, including the outdoor patio where we got seated. As my wife and I exited the staircase that led outside, we took in the breathtaking, open space. The walls adorned with greenery and flowers created the illusion of an outdoor garden. Our table, located next to the Chicago River, furthered the mirage of being one with nature. After admiring the views, our cordial waiter took our food order. We decided on the Bambola's Bao Buns and Za'atar Fries to start, and for the mains, the Cochinita Pibil Fried Rice and Steak Kabobs.

First came the bao buns and fries. The bao buns tasted delicious and were our favorite bite of the meal. Soft, tender, juicy chicken wrapped in a marshmallow-soft bun and covered in a sweet-spicy chili sauce and fresh Thai basil aioli; it was a harmonious marriage of varied components. My only problem was not ordering another round! As for the Za'atar fries, they were serviceable but not memorable. We had the za'atar seasoning sparsely coating our fries, which was a bit disappointing, and resorted to the ketchup as a way to add flavor.

Next came the fried rice and steak kabobs. I dug in first into the steak kabobs, and what struck me immediately was how tenderized it was. It was soft without being chewy with every bite causing the chimichurri to drip down onto my plate. Though the steak was a touch underseasoned, I combined it with the hummus, mixed chimichurri into it, and got an excellent mouthful. The potatoes that came with it also could have used more salt, as they tasted plain. My wife shared her fried rice, and despite the tang from the kimchi and small pieces of pork belly contributing salt, this also felt like it needed something else. Maybe it was just me wanting more pork belly, but with a few more pieces of the pork belly, the dish would have felt complete. I was content with it as such and thought it was good.

Beatnik on the River turned out to be a splendid choice for a summer brunch date! The drinks were good, the food was solid, but the ambiance was what captivated us throughout the morning and afternoon. I recommend stopping by for a few drinks and shared food. If you get the chance to sit outside, do it. It...

This was the perfect birthday experience in Chicago! My reservation was for lunch on a weekday at noon but I wasn't sure how busy they would get. I was told they have inside seats for us and if we wanted river views, it was first-come, first-served.

I only have two cons of this place (which aren't big deals) and the first was that it took a good 10 minutes before anyone came out to ask if we had reservations or something. I honestly thought they weren't open at that time but the bartender was there and he, too was ignoring us. When someone finally came out, they were apologetic and was able to get us the river view seats we wanted so all's forgiven. Lol the other con was that the bathrooms are all on this main floor and if you were downstairs by the river, its kind of a maze and a walk to get there.

Inside was decorated nicely with rugs, plants and lamps, kind of like Turkish/Moroccan vibes. It was a bit more dim inside. The river view seating was stunning! Faux flowers adorn the walls.and ceiling, pillows everywhere for the benches and of course, real leafy plants. Sure the space could be cramped but it was so pretty. I even love the china and the ornate silverware.

For food, we definitely ordered a bunch. For starters we ordered the Avocado spread (not quite guacamole but adjacent) and the baba ganoush. Very tasty for both. The. We ordered an oyster mushroom kebab-- tender and large, the garlic yogurt dip that it lays on makes a good flavor bed. We also got a tuna crudo. I wasn't sure how many pieces of fish come in this selection. There were five rolled raw tuna and each was a good portion. So if you didn't care to get a main dish, this is good enough to tide one over.

For mains, I ordered the Chicken Musakhan. I loved the sauce that cane with it to and the chicken was spiced so nicely. I would say, you get 4 good chunks of thigh meat here-- you can definitely share! I did and we still left one on the skewer! We also got the short rib tagine-- the best food on our table flavorwise. It is so rich but also decadent in how the sweet apricot and pomegranate flavors pair with the umami of the sesame and the short ribs. Soooo good.

Our server Mark was a Rockstar! He was hilarious, fun and bubbly and got me a chocolate ice cream! I don't remember the names of our cocktails but they were both delicious and pretty.

I couldn't ask for a better birthday meal in Chicago. Great location, atmosphere, with good food and healthy servings at a fair price?! Run to...