Wilde Irish Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Lake View Township

I arrived here on a Tuesday evening alone and went to the hostess stand to be seated but she seemed a little confused as to what I wanted till I told her I was dining in. Perhaps she assumed I ordered takeout 🥡 but she directed me to a tiny table at the end next to a father seated with his child. I figured it might get a bit claustrophobic so I requested a more comfortable table just three seats away from them so they could have their privacy and I'd be more cozy.

My waitress introduced herself to me right away and I didn't request a menu because I really wanted to try their version of a Ceasar salad. I kind of wish I had scanned their menu code because she went through the 3 tiers of caesar salad 🥗 too rapidly and suggested I also choose a protein to go with the knife 🔪 and fork 🍴 version of their caesar salad. She of course suggested the two most expensive 🙄 proteins without even mentioning tofu so between the shrimp 🍤 or the chicken 🐔 or salmon I decided on the blackened salmon since I wanted to keep my salad 🥗 healthy.

Bread doesn't accompany the salad however so when I asked if bread could be added my server suggested a roll for an additional $2 so I decided against it.

Now to describe the salad 🥗 itself. The romaine lettuce was cut in long wedges and grilled and there was a sprinkling of cheese 🧀 at the top shredded into slivers instead of large pieces. The salmon was burned 🔥 but still tasty. I was extremely disappointed that there weren't any hard boiled eggs or anchovies and instead of bold croutons they gave me four thinly sliced toasted slices of sourdough. I found out later my bill came out to $30 plus tip for an extremely expensive caesar salad 🥗 and 1 lemonade. It really felt like I had been hustled by my server so she could get me to spend the most amount of money 💰 for a salad. If I could do a redo I would have picked their traditional caesar salad without a protein added and that way I would have spent much less money on just 1 salad.

The couple who were seated next to me chose mussels which come with bread 🍞 and their meal looked way better than mine and they spent much less money 💰 than I did.

It would have been nice to receive complimentary bread 🍞 especially since the croutons tend to be the best part of a caesar salad 🥗 and their version wasn't as exciting or tasty. I guess because I'm a carb junkie the lack of croutons and bread 🍞 really bothered me.

In summary I was definitely disappointed in my selection. It was the most expensive salad 🥗 I'd ever ordered in my life and definitely not as creative as I would have liked especially since anchovies are usually included as a major ingredient in most authentic caesar salads.

The atmosphere here is casual and comfortable and everything is decorated and painted in a brown motif. It's a very "masculine" vibe a place where people tend to order fancy beers 🍻 and cocktails with their friends. I would definitely come back in the future but only for macaroni and cheese or some other dish like chicken 🐔 pot pie 🥧 or shepherds pie.

The caesar salad 🥗 felt underwhelming and incomplete but I'm a foodie and maybe my standards are higher. I suggest you peruse the menu very carefully before ordering so you don't end up overspending...

As an ardent admirer of Oscar Wilde, I could not, nay, would not! Pass through Chicago without paying my respects at this altar of his namesake: The Wilde Bar & Restaurant. To dine there was not simply a meal, it was a proper homage, a literary pilgrimage dressed in french fries and quotes. I arrived famished, not just for sustenance, but for atmosphere, for poetry, for something rich in both flavor and soul. I needed a feast that could carry me through a long evening of music and movement at the Blackpink concert, and Wilde Bar & Restaurant delivered

The staff? Nothing short of extraordinary. My waiter attended to me with such care and style that I half-expected him to recite The Importance of Being Earnest between orders. He executed every request with speed and charm, even tossing a compliment to my faithful Dragonite plush, asking, with an arched brow and perfect timing, whether he required anything, too.

I ordered the Wilde Burger, a choice both hearty and poetic. And it was divine. Not divine in the empty, overused way, but in the way that silences you mid-bite and makes you close your eyes briefly in gratitude. I chose fries for my side and they were also greatest my only note is that the buns could use some extra flavor or moist, but not too much so it doesn’t get extra messy to eat.

Before I departed for the concert, the staff kindly allowed me to linger in the library area, yes, dear review-reader, a library themed section where I could charge my device beneath the gaze of bound volumes and carved quotations. A practical kindness wrapped in literary luxury. A true lifesaver.

As for the setting itself: imagine, if you will, a warm cocoon of dim lights and mahogany, where Wilde’s most memorable lines hover on the walls like ghostly laughter. “We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” Indeed, I was. I spent time both outside where the city hums like a restless poem through the perfect weather and daylight, and inside, where books and velvet whisper stories to the walls. Even the restroom offered a touch of Wildean decadence. The men’s room, yes, the men’s room! smelled of something you’d expect in a perfumer’s dream rather than a public chamber. Its moody lighting and polished elegance made me linger longer than a gentleman should admit. I did not intend to order dessert. But much like Dorian Gray and temptation, I gave in. The key lime pie? Sublime. No notes. No regrets. If I were a resident of this glorious city, I would frequent Wilde with the devotion of a loyal disciple. As it stands, I shall dream of it from afar, grateful for the food, the kindness, the books, and the reminder that good taste, in all its forms, is never...

Went to lunch here with my daughter when I was visiting her and her darling, identical twin daughters!! We were served by a fun, outgoing employee who promptly took our orders. It was on a Friday (lent) and I had half of a grilled cheese sandwich with a cup of homemade tomato, basil soup!! They were delicious and my daughter had a wrap that looked yummy and she enjoyed her lunch. Nice visit as the twins were in day care and the boys were in Buffalo, visiting Michael's mom! Andrew saw Niagara Falls and they had a grand time!! It was Spring break for Andrew. We ate at the restaurant which has a great ambiance, my food was just great and the home-made soup a real treat!! Love anything tomato, basil and my half sandwich took two hands to hold as the homemade bread was good-sized pieces of delicious, lightly, toasted bread. We go there often for lunch when I'm in Chicago, and Liz and her family go there often as it is only a half block away from their condo!! They are SO fortunate to have such a great place so close to them. I highly recommend it if you...