Beatrix — Restaurant in Chicago

I went to the St Clair location next to the Hyatt Centric Magnificent Mile for dinner last night with my wife and kiddos and this place was awesome - good food (plenty of vegan/pescatarian options for those with dietary restrictions) and good service. One of the leaders walked out and saw me wearing my University of Texas hat and said he loved the team and told the waiter to comp me a cookie. It was one of the best Vegan cookies I ever had. It was so good that when my family went out to celebrate my birthday tonight, I turned down dessert because all I wanted was a Vegan Chocolate chip cookie from Beatrix. Well, we just pulled up to our hotel a few minutes after 9pm tonight and I walked right across the street to Beatrix to get my Vegan chocolate chip cookie. I walked inside through the turnstile doors and up to the front counter. The place was alive and buzzing with noise and there were hosts standing ant the hostess stand. I was on the phone with my brother and I walked up to the counter and asked for a Vegan Cookie and a coffee to go. The waiter said ok. And about a minute later as I’m waiting at the counter, a gentleman wearing glasses, said we are all out of cookies and coffee. I was confused, wondering why the server just took my order and didn’t tell me that as soon as I walked in and ordered. I said well could they make more coffee and cookies or trying to figure out if the cookies were already made.(assuming that they meant the kitchen was closing down and hoping they could do me a favor). He said his staffed worked hard all day and they were closed (shocked because I didn’t realize they were closed with that many people inside and wondering why the waiter/host didn’t just say…so sorry we literally just closed at 9pm). I said it’s my birthday. He sarcastically said we’re closed (again no apologies…no acknowledgement that it’s my birthday and he gets it and wishes he could do something) and why I don’t come in at 8am sarcastically. Welp, that left a super bad taste in my mouth and showed me what awful customer service looks like (I could never imagine a leader treating a customer that way).

Make me feel you care and not that I’m being a nuisance. l don’t know how busy your day was at your restaurant, but I do know how I’m treated and will judge accordingly. Hope the next time a customer walks in a few minutes past closing, they get treated a little better.

Few things that they could have done better:

Don’t accept an order and then cancel it. Own it. Apologize for it. Make it right. Don’t blame the customer for your employees mistake. Tell customers that you are closed politely and help them make sense of the environment (I get it…there are people here but we actually just closed at 9pm…so sorry). Don’t tell customers how tired your employees are and how hard they have worked today (customers work hard too…we understand if you are reasonable with us…but don’t forget you are busy because of “customers”). When someone tells you it’s their birthday, acknowledge it (could you imagine if that leader said “man, happy birthday! Sorry man, we just closed down the kitchen and we literally closed at 9pm. I don’t know if it’s worth it but there are actually a couple of Beatrix locations open until 10pm. You can try there or call ahead. By the way, here’s my card or come in tomorrow morning and I’ll have a cookie waiting for you.”). I would have appreciated the offer and it would have...

One of the Most Frustrating Dining Experiences I’ve Had in a Long Time.

I was genuinely excited to try Beatrix after hearing good things, but that excitement quickly turned into disappointment. I went with my sister and we were seated at the bar, where we both ordered the exact same meal. That’s where the chaos began.

The two bartenders seemed completely disorganized and disconnected. One took my order, the other took my sister’s. My food came out first, and I started eating, assuming hers would follow shortly. It didn’t.

Nearly 15 minutes later, a couple sat down next to us and placed their order. Not only did they get their food in a timely manner, but it arrived before my sister’s meal, even though we had been sitting there for over 45 minutes by then.

Here’s where it got infuriating: when the couple’s food arrived, faster than my sister’s, one of their plates was the exact same tacos my sister had ordered. It was at that moment we realized something was off.

We eventually found out that one of the bartenders simply forgot to put the order in, then tried to blame the delay on a "kitchen mix-up." Classic deflection.

What made it worse was the complete lack of customer service. At any halfway-decent restaurant, staff will check in, offer updates, or at least pretend to care that you’re waiting an absurd amount of time.

Here? The bartenders were more focused on restocking shelves than acknowledging paying guests. And no, it wasn’t even busy.

By the time my sister’s food finally arrived (an hour later) the experience was already ruined. To top it off, the food was completely underwhelming. I’ve had better tacos from a $3 stand on a random LA street corner.

Beatrix might have some style, but it seriously lacks substance. With inattentive service, careless order handling, and overpriced food that doesn’t deliver, I won’t be returning, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who values their time, money, or basic...

Initially, I was looking for another cafe to have brunch after a morning walk down Magnificent Mile. As I was walking, I overheard two people talking about how good the brunch was at Beatrix. Never one to pass up random unsolicited advice I hear in passing, I decided to detour to Beatrix. Glad I did.

The place was packed to the gills , so I was expecting a long wait but after about 7 - 10 minutes we were seated. The ambiance inside is very active and lively. There was an air of business but not chaos. The space is bigger than it appears from the outside and even from the entrance. As you enter there is a bar/bakery area and to your left is a much bigger dining area, still very much packed. The entire restaurant was very clean and the tables were spacious and sturdy. Our waitress immediately made us feel at home, making a few suggestions and answering any questions we had. I ordered a Latte. Water was brought to us and our coffee shortly thereafter. I ordered the Chimichurri Steak and Eggs. The place was busy so I expected a short wait on the food but it wasn’t too long. We enjoyed sipping our coffee and conversation while waiting. The steak and eggs were good. They weren’t spectacular and about what I expected. The portion of steak and hash browns were a bit small in my opinion but nothing outrageous. The toast and the chimichurri were fine as well. It was a decent breakfast/brunch for what I paid.

Beatrix was a nice spot to sit and visit while having a cup of coffee. I liked the ambiance. It was vibrant but not annoying. It’s definitely a place where people go to get together. The food is not spectacular but it’s also not disappointing either. I would go back and eat there again when I visit...