Swift & Sons — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

Update after our second visit (April 2025):

The restaurant GM (Claudia) reached out to me after I had left my original review below last November. A huge compliment to the restaurant that they take their reviews seriously and Claudia even provided an incentive for us to go back, which we did in April. I upgraded both the overall ranking and the service ranking to reflect the combination of the two visits.

The atmosphere is nice and the service is rather formal. The water service was very attentive which is a big plus for me. Bread service was included and offered two unique breads that all of us in our party of three enjoyed very much. The bone-in filet was excellent and the small filet and the Wagyu beef burger were both good. The steaks came with a trio of sauces (horseradish, steak and bernaise I think) that was a nice touch. The mashed potatoes we shared were also excellent with a good amount of scallions mixed in for a wonderful flavor. The cheesecake dessert was good but we didn't care for the guava sauce or grapefruit sorbet. The deep dish cookie was very good and appropriately sized.

The only issue from our second visit (which I actually found to be humorous) was with my drink order. I learned that the restaurant did not carry my whiskey of choice during our first visit. This time I researched beforehand and confidently ordered a Crown Royal. However, our server (Ariel) apologetically returned to our table to inform me that they were out of Crown Royal. She did, however, bring the full whiskey menu with her and suggested where on the menu I might find a suitable replacement. Having not researched beyond Crown Royal, I just ordered a glass of wine instead. Still, a credit to Ariel for doing an excellent job of offering alternative options.

Original Review from November 2024:

Our family of five adults chose Swift & Sons to celebrate our son's birthday (30+). Our expectations heightened when the restaurant's concierge Veronica called the day before to ask our son's name so that they could personalize the menus and give him a card. Veronica was great as she also came to visit our table during dinner. Also great was Hector (server assistant) who was friendly and made sure our water glasses were always full.

However, the overall experience was average or below. My attempt to order a 7&7 was rebuffed as they do not carry Seagrams. Canadian Club is also not an option (Jack Daniels and Jameson's were offered as alternatives - I settled for wine). Most of our group arrived early as the drive in from Jefferson Park was unusually fast. The birthday boy arrived on time 30 minutes after us because he could walk. While waiting for him, we asked to order two appetizers. Again, we were rebuffed. I believe the chef won't accept partial orders and we could not place our entire order yet because one guest hadn't arrived. (It is possible that I mis-heard the explanation because the piped in music was somewhat loud.) The third and last disappointment was the presentation of dessert. My wife and I ordered a Deep Dish Cookie to share and our daughter in law ordered a dessert as well. Our two sons each ordered a Carajillo (similar to Irish Coffee I think). For whatever reason, the dessert my wife and I ordered was served to our son with a candle on it. It would have been a nice gesture if the restaurant had provided it as a complimentary dessert to him but that wasn't the case. Instead, they just served our $10 dessert to him. We eventually figured out the arrangement and shared the dessert among the three of us.

I guess I should mention the food. The pierogis were a big hit as was the double baked potato. My wife did not care for the lobster bisque and I felt the steaks were slightly fatty. Not bad but not worthy of the price point. The Carajillos were also well received.

The facility was beautiful but too many aspects of the service were overly (and undeservedly) pretentious. There are many steak places in the city that I liked...

Parking - There is a valet service. I think 0-4 hours it is $19.

Customer Service: 5/5 - Our waiter was very nice, he didn't take any notes down for our orders, but everything was correct. He came around once in a while to check up on the food and everything, but still attentive. He noticed that I may not have enjoyed my chicken entree and docked it from the final total (we gave him a nice tip). The other staff members were helpful with swiftly cleaning our plates from the table, as well as wiping our table down quickly to prep for the entrees after eating appetizers. I did give our waiter a suggestion for the dessert menu. He took it well, which I appreciate, because I was not trying to be rude, but just something that I believed would be useful (I'll mention it under the dessert section).

Ambience/Environment/Building: 5/5 - There was nothing wrong about the restaurant's building or ambience. The music they played wasn't too loud that I couldn't hear my partner from across the table, unlike so many other restaurants in Chicago. I also enjoyed the music they played that night.

Complimentary Appetizer: 5/5 - The bread they gave us tasted fresh, and we were also served something that I believe was a fritter. It tasted like it had a hint of cheese and jalapeño (maybe). It was delicious, but the amount they served seemed very little. However, you could request more.

Appetizers: 5/5 for taste, 3/5 quantity - My partner and I ordered the broccoli agnolotti and the potato pierogi. Absolutely delicious! I highly recommend the broccoli agnolotti, it was superb. However, the portion sizes for that appetizer was rather small, I felt like I could eat the entire thing myself. The potato pierogi made me think of empanadas.

Entrees: 3/5 - My partner had an 8 oz filet. He enjoyed it although it was slightly more rare than he would have preferred. I had the roasted amish chicken...and honestly...I was not impressed. However, I must note I am a very picky eater. I am not a big fan of bones in my meat, as it grosses me out. I'm not a fan of thick pieces of meat on its own. The roasted amish chicken had bones in two pieces of the meat. Already off to a not so great start. Then my chicken came with smoked broccoli which I did not like the flavor of. It also came with I think were potatoes? The consistency made me think it was small cut potatoes (I could be wrong). I didn't find the potatoes adding much extra flavor to the thick chicken pieces I consumed. Honestly, I think I'd rather have a risotto with this chicken. The chicken itself besides the bone on two pieces, was super juicy. It was good chicken, I think it would've been great, had it come with a thicker sauce or something like risotto.

Sides: 2/5 - My partner and I ordered French fries and the Mac & cheese for the sides. We were both not satisfied with what we had. The Mac & cheese has a rather odd flavor to me, that's not the typical Mac & cheese, I didn't find this a good thing. The French fries were okay, they weren't terrible but nothing memorable.

Dessert: 1/5 - My partner and I had the brown sugar upside-down cake for dessert. At this point of the evening, I was looking forward to the dessert, as I did not eat much of my chicken. The description for this dessert is, "white wine poached pears, toasted milk, roasted vanilla ice cream." While parts of this dessert was tasty like the ice cream and the cake portion itself, overall I absolutely hated this dessert. This dessert has a crumbly layer on the bottom of the ice cream, pears, and cake. This layer has a zest to it. According to our waiter it was a lemon zest. However, there was nothing in the description that said zest. Our waiter explained to us that upside-down cake usually has a pineapple zest in it, but we had no clue that upside-down cake was a type of cake dessert. We thought that was just the name of the dessert, and had no relevance to a type of cake dessert. Had I known there would be zest, I would have...

Swift & Sons Rings in the New Year with Delectable Delights and Intimate Ambiance Our New Year's Eve at Swift & Sons was a symphony of exquisite cuisine and unparalleled service, all orchestrated within a stunningly intimate setting. From the first amuse-bouche to the final clinking of champagne flutes, it was an experience that redefined celebratory dining.

The night began with an array of tempting appetizers, each showcasing the kitchen's mastery of flavor and finesse. The Lobster Bisque was a silky smooth dream, infused with the subtle earthiness of tarragon crème fraîche. The French Onion Soup, a classic done right, warmed our souls with its rich beef broth and melty Wisconsin Gouda. And the Swift & Son's Cold Platter was a veritable seafood smorgasbord, each bite of chilled shrimp, king crab, and oysters a testament to the restaurant's commitment to freshest ingredients. The caviar potato salad added a decadent touch, its creamy richness a delightful counterpoint to the briny bites.

For our main courses, we opted for both meat and vegetarian options, and neither disappointed. The Roasted Half Amish Chicken was a revelation, the skin cracklingly crisp and the flesh impossibly tender. The braised lentil ragout added a hearty earthiness, while the apple butter and chicken jus provided a sweet and savory counterpoint. The New York Strip, cooked to a perfect rare, was a carnivore's delight, a symphony of juicy tenderness and rich, meaty flavor.

The side dishes were equally deserving of praise. The Roasted Brussels Sprouts were a revelation, the chili crisp and sesame adding a fiery kick and the gochujang aioli providing a creamy counterpoint. The Mashed Potatoes, whipped to pillowy perfection and infused with the subtle elegance of European butter and chives, were pure comfort food heaven. And the Roasted Mushrooms, bathed in garlic butter and porcini aioli, were earthy and decadent, each bite bursting with complex umami flavors.

But beyond the impeccable food, the evening's success was further elevated by the intimate setting and attentive service. We especially appreciated your accommodating our request for a booth, which provided a haven of privacy and intimacy amidst the joyous New Year's Eve buzz. The high-end atmosphere was present without feeling pretentious, allowing us to relax and fully embrace the culinary journey.

Overall, our New Year's Eve at Swift & Sons was more than just a meal; it was an experience. From the delectable dishes to the attentive service and the charming ambiance, it was a night that left us feeling satiated, celebrated, and ready to welcome the new year with open arms (and empty stomachs). If you're looking for a truly unforgettable dining experience, Swift & Sons should be at the top of your list.

Highlights:

Exquisitely crafted appetizers, showcasing fresh seafood and classic comfort with a twist Impeccable main courses, satisfying both meat and vegetarian palates with perfect execution Delicious and inventive side dishes, elevating the meal to new heights Intimate and high-end ambiance, perfect for a special occasion Attentive and accommodating service, adding to the overall positive experience Final Word:

Swift & Sons delivered a New Year's Eve dinner that exceeded all expectations. The food was a masterpiece of flavor and finesse, the setting was both luxurious and intimate, and the service was simply impeccable. We couldn't have asked for a more memorable way to ring in the new year. Thank you, Swift & Sons, for a truly delightful and...