Summer House Santa Monica — Restaurant in Chicago

This was my first time dining at Summer House Santa Monica and what a disappointment.

I had the Bucatini Pomodoro and it was extremely mediocre and not very flavorful. I ordered the caramelized Brussel sprouts and they were a 10/10; the only thing that redeemed the overall experience. Our waiter was NOT friendly nor personable AT ALL. He seemed tired and out of it. Maybe he had a long day but when working in the food industry you need to put on a smiling face and be bubbly until the end of your shift. It was my best friend's birthday and he was SUPER FLAT in general. THIS RESTAURANT IS NOT HIGH END ENOUGH FOR WAITERS TO BE SNOBBY which they shouldn't be no matter where they are anyway. We contemplated not giving a tip, but did so because we felt bad about that. Although we shouldn't have. It wasn't deserved. Tips should be earned.

When we walked in to check in for our reservation, we were walked all the way to the back of the restaurant. We saw an available table on the way and asked if we could sit there. The girl walking us to our table had an attitude when we asked even though one wasn't given to her. It was a gently asked questions and in response to her being bothered by the request to check, I said, "No worries. Just thought I'd ask." Restaurant management needs to check its waiters and concierge staff!

We ended up being seated in the very back where apparently ALL OF THE BLACK PATRONS ARE PLACED. YES to be clear, there were white patrons back there as well, but how odd that no black patrons were at the front of the restaurant. It's not victimization, but a reality. There were maybe 2 black patrons in the front. However, they were of one with larger white parties. I do absolutely believe in my heart that the FIVE to SEVEN black parties in the back including us were sat there intentionally. I’m pretty sure they don’t want to sit too many Black people at the front and I am not even an “everything is racist” person, FAR FROM IT, but this ABSOLUTELY WAS. My friend works for the news and she was thinking about presenting it to her producer to do an investigative report on it. It wasn't coincidental.

The ambiance was also 10/10. Beautiful! But I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS RESTAURANT AGAIN! Horrible experience except for the...

We've given Summer House three tries, and each time, service has declined. Entering the restaurant is always chaotic - I don't know why the hostess team is tucked around the corner vs. being right at the entryway. The line for the cookie cafe mixed with people waiting for tables to be ready causes an awkward pile up of guests. My first guest was told we couldn't be seated until our entire party arrived, ok. Entire party arrives, we head to the hostess team, are told we can't be seated until we receive a text that our table is ready, shuffle back to the lobby, get the text, shuffle back to the hostess team, now there's a line of people surrounding the hostess desk, we wait in line, tell the hostest team we got our text, then wait again because a table isn't ready.

We shake off the chaos looking forward to catching up over lunch. Our server was inattentive - each guest at my table commented on his disappearing act & overall bothered demeanor. Cocktails took 30+min to get to the table, went empty, and we were never asked if we would like another round; never popped by our table to ask about the food; however, did stop by to point to the QR code on the table to pay the bill & shoo us out. When asked if I could access my reward dollars via the QR code payment method, our server waved at my phone & said, "yeah, it's at the top of the page," and walked away. He did pop back to the table to ask if he could run a regular tab for us because, "you can't use reward dollars to tip." I informed him that wouldn't be necessary, we were leaving cash tip - how tacky & entitled.

I wasn't able to access my reward dollars via the QR code payment system, looked around for 10mins to flag down our server - no where to be found, again. I walked to the bar & after several minutes of troubleshooting, the bartender ran the bill for me.

Overall, an underwhelming experience and unfortunately we...

Let me tell you about the absolute disaster we called dinner at Summer House Santa Monica in Chicago the other night. The hype around this place was deafening, with promises of sun-kissed California vibes and mouthwatering cuisine, but boy, did it fall flat on its face. First off, the wait – excruciating. We stood in line for an hour, just to get inside. An hour! In the heart of Chicago, dreaming of breezy beachside dining, only to be met with a queue that felt like an eternity. My stomach was growling, my patience wearing thin, and all I could think about was how badly I needed to escape the bustling city and find a seat. Finally, we were seated, but the torture wasn't over. Another hour crawled by as we waited for our food. The anticipation was killing me, and I was starting to regret not just grabbing a deep-dish pizza from a local joint. When the food finally arrived, my heart sank. We paid a premium for dishes that looked like they'd been thrown together haphazardly. The flavors were bland, uninspired, and completely forgettable. It felt like a cruel joke, a mirage of California sunshine replaced with a culinary desert. Honestly, the whole meal was a letdown. Nothing lived up to the hype, and the flavors were just... meh. I could have whipped up something better at home with a few simple ingredients and a dash of genuine passion. By the time we left, two hours had passed, and all I felt was hunger, frustration, and a hefty dent in my wallet. Summer House Santa Monica completely overpromised and underdelivered. It was a total waste of time and money, a stark contrast to the vibrant culinary scene Chicago has to offer. Save yourself the heartache and skip this place. Seriously, do yourself a favor and find a local gem that actually cares about its customers and their food. Trust me, your taste buds and your wallet...