Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant — Restaurant in Oak Park

I am a huge Cooper's Hawk fan and have been going to the restaurants for many years, from Illinois where I lived to Florida whenever I visit. I moved out of state 2.5 years ago, there are no CHs here, I became a wine club member. The service and food has ALWAYS been spectacular, really. My bottle count is always announced including my "at table wines". All said, I have never had an issue until my visits on 6/11/25 and 6/25/25.

On the 6/11/25 our server didn't seem very familiar with membership wines and which wines required an up-charge. In fact I didn't know I had 2 "dine-in bottles until I logged into my account days later. I thought she might be a new employee. It was not the kind of service I was accustomed to at CH.

6/25 at the concierge desk, I told the concierge I was happy to return so that I can order another bottle of the Watermelon Paloma. She told me the wine didn't do so well and that it was gone. She explained that every month the feature wine is only offered for 24 days, from the 1st of the month to the 24th. Seeing my disappointment and while waiting for a table my sister went to the bathroom. The same lady then corrected her previous statement to say that the feature wines are actually offered from the 24th thru the 24th. After the concierge walked away the young lady who stood next to the concierge through all of this told me that they still made cocktails with the wine and that they are really good. I turned my head to see the bartending pouring the wine into a glass. I became suspicious about the concierge's statements.

My sister returned and we were seated at a table where you can see the concierge desk ahead. As if I hadn't had the conversation with the concierge I casually asked our server for a bottle of the Watermelon Paloma for my dine in wine and he said "ok good, will there be anything else? I'll be right back with your wine". Later I asked him to prepare a Watermelon Paloma, 1 of my 8 wine club bottles, to take home. Again he said ok and had it ready for me when I paid my check.

As we were leaving the concierge saw us standing up and walk to leave she turned her back, laid her elbow on the desk and laid her head on her hand so as not to make ANY eye contact with my sister or I. I was so disappointed with this location. Were it not for our ABSOLUTELY AMAZING server during this visit and pass visits at other locations I would have given this location less stars primarily because of the concierge.

Cooper's Hawk consider yourself put on notice that you need to step your game up at...

Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant - Oak Park Review:

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Oak Park, and I must say, the experience was quite mixed.

The food consistently impresses me during my visits to Cooper's Hawk. Their menu offers a variety of options, and the quality of the dishes has remained consistently good. From appetizers to main courses, I've always enjoyed the flavors and presentation. This aspect definitely earns high marks in my book.

Similarly, the drinks at Cooper's Hawk are a highlight. Their selection of wines complements the food excellently, and I've never been disappointed by the quality of the cocktails either. This adds a touch of sophistication to the dining experience.

However, I have noticed a recent decline in the level of service. While management has been consistently helpful and responsive, there seems to be a noticeable shift in the attitude of the staff. In the past, the employees appeared to genuinely enjoy their work and created a welcoming atmosphere. Lately, there's a sense that some of them are less enthusiastic, and this change is palpable. Despite this, the management's efforts to maintain a positive experience are appreciated and do make a difference.

On a brighter note, the atmosphere at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant has remained consistently enjoyable. The ambiance is pleasant and suits both casual gatherings and special occasions. It's an environment that encourages relaxation and good conversation.

In conclusion, my experience at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Oak Park has been a mix of positives and some recent drawbacks. The food and drinks continue to be of high quality, and the atmosphere remains inviting. While there's been a shift in the staff's enthusiasm and service quality, the management's attentiveness does help offset this to some extent. I hope that the restaurant can work on rekindling the sense of joy among the staff, as it was a significant aspect that contributed to the overall charm...

I am done with them. After 1.5 year of paying their medium price membership I am done with the corporate greed model they go by. They tend to accept large volume of people that they simply cannot tend to. Of the last 4 times I have been there 3 were really bad. One was Thanksgiving dinner which that day was by reservation only yet we still waited about 40 min to be sat. When we did someone was running by our table and threw 2 plates of the main dish (it was 4 course) even though we were group of 5. The remaining people waited about 20 min to be served even water. Manager apologized. The rest of the food arrived with missing 3 main courses dishes, when we asked the person seemed baffled thinking we all already got it. Another time we went out for my bday dinner and it was a complete meltdown. We waited for the kitchen for over an hour with a toddler at the table. When the food arrived it was inedible and although I have never done other than this time it all went back to kitchen. I honestly told the manager I want them to just refuse my reservation if they don’t have enough staff because it’s dishonest. They apologized and sent us gift certificates. Now I went to use my monthly tasting and of course they cannot accommodate the number people that come at the end of the month. After 45 min of waiting with my mom I picked up my wine and left. This time around I am canceling the membership, gift certificates or not and not taking down the bad review. Because seriously if you know that every month you get large volume of people do something to accommodate them. Set rules that few last days of the month it’s appointment only. Limit time per person. Or even better add more tables and servers. I know they have extra rooms in the back because I participated in their monthly themed dinners. I no longer associate this place with pleasure and fun but frustration from waiting, lack of service and pure disappointment. So no more money going from my bank account to their greedy corpo...