Oda Mediterranean — Restaurant in Lake View Township

Came across this recently and decided to give it a shot. Loved the interior pictures; that was the draw honestly.

Firstly, the wait staff were fantastic. Very polite and efficient. Had our reservation for 8 pm. We arrived at 7:58 pm. They were cleaning up our table and we were at our table by 8:05 pm. Impressed thus far.

The restaurant is sort of divided into 2 main areas; the first area where you enter is a long and narrow portion which has the bar. The side towards the entrance has a few tables and a couch/booth area.

The other side (parallel to the main side) is long but wider. It has a few couch/booth area and tables. I envied the folks in the couch/booth area. Looks and felt like an old rustic and comfortable circular area. I can see going there with a bunch of friends.

Now to the food; We decided to have a drink and order several appetizers (although I don't know why we didn't go with the Chicago Food Week dinner. Duuuuhh). The spicy hummus was probably the best. It had a mild kick to it which is all you need.

THe dolmas while good in flavor lacked in texture. A person native to countries that serve dolmas will have a more accurate opinion on this; mine is just based on past experience at various places so forgive me if I'm off. Typically the dolmas I've had, the rice grains are all separate giving it a wonderful texture. Here, the flavor was probably the best I've had but the texture was a bit mushy.

Even though we only got like 5 or 6 appetizers, we did not feel rushed in any way and were taken care of well. The only two things that are not quite for me are:

The sound level. It's way too loud The way the tables are set up. I get it, we're heading into a communal setup kind of area but would be nice to have some tables set up for romantics like myself who want to be away and kind of enjoy the peace sometimes.

I'm definitely heading back here again though. Got to try...

@odachicago is the kind of place you bring your parents when they’re visiting you from out of town. 💛 A few fellow bloggers and I had the chance to try the incredible menu at @odachicago and I truly can not recommend it enough. Why do you bring your parents here? Glad you asked. 💛 The space is absolutely stunning. The Mediterranean cuisine offers a perfect taste of Greek, Turkish, Georgian family cooking that feels both homey and upscale. ODA is truly a family affair, and you will feel like family when you eat there. Maria and her family are incredible and will go above and beyond to ensure you have a memorable dining experience. The specialty cocktails are to die for. Two favorites were the Turkish lemon drop 🍋 and the coffee-tini ☕️ 🍸 💛 Each dish was nothing short of perfection, but the homemade bread, Baba ghanoush and hummus made want to truly sit there only eat that for hours. Thank goodness I didn’t though, because then came Mantar gouvech (a cheesy mushroom dish) and Sigara boregi (a cheese bread), Mushroom stroganoff, Charcoal kebabs, and their desserts, the ODA “mess” paired with a Georgian lemon drop and Tiramisu with, of course, a coffee-Tini. 💛 If you find yourself in Andersonville, do not leave without stopping by @odachicago 💛 💛 #chicagoismyboyfriend #andersonvillechicago #odachicago #chicagobloggers...

We were walking toward another restaurant that was our intended location, but as we walked by Oda it drew us in with the outdoor and indoor ambience.

Quiet, not because it wasn't busy, but due to its relaxing atmosphere. It had been quite a while since my wife and I had a date night and this was just what was needed.

Alek, greeted us and showed us to our seat. Very polite, very professional. It just so happened he would be our server as well. He was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the menu. It's one thing to memorize the menu, it's another thing to understand it and it's flavors and ingredients and speak upon them and give incredible recommendations.

We started with cocktails. I had a local ipa, and my wife had the crimson pedal. Which she loved and ended up having another. One of the better cocktails that she's had in a while. All natural no processed syrups for ingredients.

We decided to go the shareable / appetizer route and split several together.

Try the falafel! I don't think I've had better in the city.

In addition to the falafel, we had the Atom, which was also delicious and then finished with a Oda Adjaruli Khachapuri. All of it wonderful.

Even if the food was average (which let me tell you it was not) , the ambiance and the service were fantastic. We certainly recommend it will be...