We went there to have dinner and enjoy jazz afterwards. Â All of the staff were extremely friendly, helpful, and did not rush us as we wanted a leisurely dinner. Â It was upscale Chicago quality staff and food. Â Really good steak and risotto. Â My husband also loved that they served beer in the correct beer glass. Â Great atmosphere, romantic and relaxing. Â Good for 30 and over crowd.
Review Source:Just don't understand why this place had so many open tables on a holiday Saturday night. I guess location is everything. Really too bad. This is a terrific restaurant and one we will definitely return to. Â The food was terrific as was the atmosphere. A beautiful room with a nice vibe. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
Review Source:My husband and I went for a date night last night without reservations and were able to get a nice table. It was busy, but not overwhelmingly busy. Â We liked the location and decor. Â It was not noisy so we were able to have a good conversation. Â The bar was able to make me a nice non-alcoholic cocktail since I'm pregnant-not every restaraunt has done that for me in the past.
We started with the bacon wrapped shrimp and dates which was a small portion and awesome. Â They served pita with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese that was great. Â I had the seared scallops with Butternut squash risotto-it was the best scallops that my husband and I have ever had. Â They were phenomenal and it taste and how they were cooked. Â It was a good portion-not too big. Â My husband had the veal shank and that was also very good, though the portion was a bit too big.
Our service was very good and attentive. Â The only reason for a 4 instead of a 5 is because the dessert menu was a bit limited and the pumpkin cheesecake that we had was okay-but not nearly as good as the appetizers and entrees. Â We look forward to bringing family with us the next time that we go to City Gate.
Listen, if you're 21 yo, this is probably not a place you will enjoy. Â But if you're in your thirties or above, if you enjoy being a restaurant/bar where you can HEAR the people you're talking to, if you enjoy music that is classic/jazz stuff and you don't mind watching people occassionally swing dance, then this is the place for you. Â In particular, I just want to say that the barkeep named Kyle is the best! Â Overall, we've had oustanding service here. Â Food is just a step above ok, but I have high standards. Â Let's just all accept the fact that there is no such thing as 5-star food or service in the suburbs, ok? Â I recommend this place for a nice night out with the wife or hubby.
Review Source:I was in Naperthrill for an interview and was taken to CityGate for lunch. Â It's located in the same building as an investment firm. Â The restrooms are on the lower floor and you can peek into the firm's cafeteria. Â There are a lot of businesses and office parks in the area so it's a good place to take a client or have a nicer meeting over lunch.
The restaurant has a business type atmosphere but I could also see how in the evening it could turn into a nice steakhouse restaurant. Â I ordered a soup and salad and both were served quickly, were reasonably priced and decent tasting. Â The food wasn't particularly outstanding, it was just OK. Â The serves know that lunchtime has to be a quick turnaround so it's impressive that they turn out a decent meal so quickly.
I don't know what else is in the area but I could see folks coming here for dinner or grabbing a drink in the evening. Â Seems like a place for more mature crowds. Â Couldn't see myself here doing a social thing but maybe in a few years if I find myself living in the western suburbs. Â It's OK, served the purpose for what I was there for.
We ended up at City Gate Grille for our anniversary dinner while visiting the nearby Hotel Arista. It was not crowded, featured attentive, knowledgeable staff, and well-prepared, delicious food.
We started with the hummus trio, compliments of our check-in with Yelp, and were overwhelmed with the appetizer. Plenty of warm, tasty flatbread to dip in three very different hummus selections. Lots of food for two people, and we even managed to take a little home for a late-night snack.
My wife tried a Halibut special that night and I chose the Skirt Steak Risotto. Her fish was lovely, and was presented as described. As for the risotto, I imagined it to be prepared as written, featuring small pieces of steak scattered throughout. I was pleasantly surprised when I was presented with a large serving of a savory risotto AND about a 4oz portion of a delicious marinated Skirt Steak.
The atmosphere at City Gate was fresh and chic, yet comfortable and accessible. Great job to everyone involved in this establishment. We will definitely make plans to return!
I go here about once a month or so. It's one of my favorite places in Naperville: simple and tasty food, good service, and a nice atmosphere. If you're there after dark, there is a pretty view of lit-up trees and live music. It is a nice little gem tucked away in Corporate-ville. Once you arrive at the building (valet and lots of self-parking), go inside and turn left; the restaurant is on the main floor at the end of the hall.
Review Source:Stopped in at CityGate with a large group (10+) of mildly intoxicated friends. Â We had called ahead about an hour before hand and our tables were ready and waiting. Â As soon as we sat down, drinks orders were being taken. Â Apps came out shortly after, and the main course, I had a ribeye blackened and it was amazing... seriously best steak I've had in a long time. Â Service was on point all night, from start to finish. Â The only problem I have, is that we live on the West Coast and can't go back more often.
Review Source:We've been to Citygate twice. Both on Saturday night when they have live music. Very cool! The food that we had was very good! We sat with Pablo both times - phenominal! He had suggestions and was very helpful. I would have posted 5 stars but the second time, they had run out of the special that was on the menu that night. How can you run out of specials?
Review Source:I had a four course dinner here:
- lobster bisque
- iceberg wedge salad
- 8 oz angus beef skirt steak
- chocolate ganache cake.
It was all nicely done, and the medium rare steak was delicious.  I don't know what it cost, but I'm told the prices are reasonable for the higher quality here.  They have a modern newish upscale decor, and you can have a nice quiet dinner here as the area around the restaurant  is sort of isolated except for the nearby and also upscale Arista Hotel.
This could be a four with better service. Â The place was not busy on a Saturday night so there was something not quite hitting on all cylinders. Â It may be the location, but it also may be the service. Â The reception staff and valet were fine; the table service was not.
The specials list was uninspiring and omitted the soup of the day. Â We ordered from the main menu.
Our server was unable to describe the preparation for the bacon-wrapped dates and shrimp appetizer. Â Instead he tried to explain what a date was, unsuccessfully. Â Our appetizer and first course plates were cleared, along with our silverware. Â No silverware was brought with the main course. Â We asked for silverware and waited as our food cooled. Â Finally, no help in sight, we got up and helped ourselves to silverware from the next table.
The menu was all over the place, from hamburgers to high-end steaks to seafood. Â Some things lived up to the "Mediterranean" influence advertised, and some did not. Â The bacon-wrapped date & shrimp appetizer was really good -- nice crispy smoky bacon contrasted nicely with the sweet dates and shrimp. Â It came with a carrot slaw which seemed to be there mostly for color - didn't really add anything to the flavor of the dish.
The lobster bisque was decent. Â The crab cake appetizer, served with pearl cous-cous was average. Â It lacked lumps of crab--had that beat up texture we often find, but it was served with a good olive-infused sauce. Â My friend enjoyed her salad with fresh parmesan and light vinaigrette dressing. Â My main course of lamb loin, garlic rapini and bleu cheese potatoes au gratin was really good. Â The lamb was tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked medium rare as requested. Â I would have liked more of the sauce to go with it.
Desserts were a predictable run of creme brulee, flourless chocolate cake, cheesecake, etc. Â Nothing Mediterranean about it that I could tell, other than one sorbet which our server described as "bloody orange."
Dinner for two with one glass of wine, tax & tip was $120.
Finding your way to the restaurant can be a little tricky, but once you are there it is well worth it. Â The atmosphere of the restaurant is divided into three sections. Â The bar area, which is sectioned off by a wall of glass, the main area, and one large area for big parties. Â
I had to lobster tail, and it was delicious. Â However, my favorite part of the meal was the appetizer they supply, a garlic paste and pita chips. Â Absolutely delicious!! Â It is a bit pricey, so be prepared to spend around $45-$50 a person if you want steak or seafood and wine.
This place gets five stars for cool design but that doesn't make it a good place to eat. We had early reservations and were seated right away by a friendly hostess. The waiter however never cracked a smile or asked if it was a special occasion even though two of us were carrying gift bags...This was a birthday celebration for two people but they never bothered to ask. After drink orders were placed the waiter brought roasted garlic and a bowl of olive oil but no bread...Ummm...It took like ten minutes to get a small basket of pita wedges and super thin parm crackers to our table which also came with some sort of tomato (bland) sauce. They kept pushing drinks on us which I thought was weird until I got my salad. How can you screw up a Caesar salad? Well, you use store bought croutons, skip the anchovies and go light on the shaved parm. Oh, and you barely drizzle dressing on it. Bland and boring. A friend had the spinach salad which looked okay and my hub got the wedge salad with bacon and ranch which he loved. Our entrees were so-so. I had the gnocchi which was really rich and the sauce overwhelmed the dumplings. I ate maybe half. My husband got the steak with risotto which was bland and boring.
The wine and drinks were top shelf however the food was sadly lacking. Will I go back? Probably not, there are plenty of tasty places in the area with friendly service.
After the manager made contact on her own and sent a rather nice letter and gift card my wife and I returned last Saturday for our 17th anniversary dinner. Â Everything we ordered was very good. Â I was very pleased with our second visit and would recommend it for dinner out. Â The only suggestion I have is upgrade the water glasses to something different. Â They are the same ones I have at home.
Review Source:The location is not exactly ideal. You wouldn't know there's a restaurant here or really venture in unless you've heard it from someone or work close by.
You'll first have to venture into Calamos Holdings and make a left and venture down this long hallway, making yourself second guess if you are going to the right place. Ah, finally to your right, before you walk down the stairs is CityGate Grille, somewhat hidden to the untrain eyes.
I was politely greeted by the host and when I told her I was meeting with with someone she told me I can have a seat. Exactly where? The only seating was couches that didn't belong to the restaurant, but more to the building itself (hence it being located outside of the restaurant).
Anywho as we were were seated for lunch I was at awe at how modern and sophisticated the restaurant was. A great atmosphere with a full bar and private dining rooms for special events.
As we sat for lunch, we were greeted by our server and he took our drink orders, water for me please. I ended up ordering the Lobster Bisque and Philly Ribeye Sandwich. This has been at least 2 weeks ago and I can still smell the delicious aroma and taste the smooth, creaminess of the Lobster Bisque. By the end I was literally licking my bowl clean (actually imagining it because doing such things in public is not really acceptable). The Philly Ribeye Sandiwch has an upperhand on other so called Philly Steaks. Served with a side of crispy, hot fries the ribeye was juicy and well seasoned. Â
HmmMmmm it's getting frosty out, a bowl of bisque will do me right.
The main function of CityGate Grill is to serve visiting investment clients and  bankers who want to party in a stately setting. This wouldn't be a bad thing if the food and service were on par with this lofty vision, but it isn't.
Food overall was fine. Entree portions are on the small side, so appetizers and a salad are in order. Lots of seafood, but I found some things lacking. The mussels were really small instead of being fat and luscious. The chorizo sauce that came with it was very good though. The lobster bisque was fine, but a bit skimpy on the lobster. I would have preferred chunks instead of  hairy filaments. The scallops were fine, but could have been seared more crisply outside to complement the buttery richness of the inside.
They offer a lot of fancy drinks, but don't have a solid knowledge of your classic cocktails. I asked for a negroni - Campari, gin, sweet vermouth - and they had to come back and ask what was in it. I'm no cocktail snob, but really?
The decor is a rushed interpretation of luxury Euro-American with a tinge of oversized suburbia. Lots of dark stained wood and a slightly chilly feel. Service is appallingly bad. Lots of long waits yet waitstaff are seen lingering around? Â We waited a while to order dessert and once more for our checks. In this case, they were working a party celebrating a really old guy's birthday with his grown children, his grandchildren, and his twenty-something girlfriend. Eeeeewwww.
If you work in the area and want to impress clients, CityGate Grille will do an adequate job. Otherwise, there are better places to go nearby, like Sugar Toad.
I brought 6 people here for a business dinner and everyone was very pleased with their food. The service was attentive, but not overwhelming. The ambiance was nice and warm while still personal.
When you are driving up to this place you may not expect much because it is in an office park in the middle of no where. Looks can be deceiving.
My steak was one of the best Ribeye steaks I have ever had and I was even more pleasantly surprised when the bill came. Four appetizers, 6 dinners and a few drinks for less than $300.
CityGate Grille is awesome! Â I've been here twice. The service is wonderful and the restaurant has a modern, but comfortable feel to it, without being pretentious. Â My favorite dishes here, so far, are the beef skewers appetizer (served medium rare with an incandescent fire on the plate), mushroom flatbread, and pina colada cake. Â I've also tried the gnocci with crispy eggplant (delicious) and the roasted chicken. The steaks are also very good. The only thing that I didn't like was the rapini served with the roasted chicken. Â It was very bitter.
The drinks are boozy and there is free live music on Fridays and Saturdays, which makes for quite an entertaining night out. Â There's a bar menu with inexpensive sliders and apps.
I have'nt been here since it was Riva. Once again it was top notch. Lobster Ravioli, filet skewers, Truffle mushroon flatbread. Every bite was perfect. It was exactly what was ordered & expected from the menu description. Super nice hostess & bartender. No attitudes due to the corporate location. I could'nt have a nicer experience.
Review Source:Personally, I couldn't have felt more out-of-place in the glistening, corporate complex that graces north Naperville. Maybe it's because the restaurant shares a lobby with an investment firm, but it felt a little like peering into the Big Boy's Club: it wouldn't phase me if a multi-million dollar Wall Street deal took place here over steaks 'n' scotch.
Anyway, on to what matters! The waiter was extremely attentive and considerate. Even the bus boy, when pouring ice water, shielded his hand with a napkin to prevent any water from potentially splashing me. I was shocked by this move and said as much. The poor soul's demeanor suggested he may have been lashed before, god help that wayward drop of water.
A fresh basket of bread (cut into clever slivers that resembled chips) arrived alongside cloves of garlic, which the waiter crushed right in front of us with a fork! The beet and apple salad was superb, with an excellent (and light) touch of vinaigrette. And my mom had to restrain herself from licking the plate clean of her birthday dinner (mushroom dusted mahi). Solid menu, superb service, beautiful environment. I could've sat back and watched the traffic all day.
This is one of those places that you go to and you are so impressed that it makes you wonder why the place isn't packed.
Everything about this place is great - the ambience, the food, the service -seriously, they are all top-notch.
Some of the highlights of the menu:
Spinach & Bleu Cheese Salad
Caesar Salad
Crabcakes
Asiago Gnocchi
Flatbreads
A note about the Asiago Gnocchi - it comes with little crispy fried eggplant cubes on top that melt in your mouth like butter. Â It is one of the most unique, whimsical, and flavorful gnocchi dishes I have ever had. Â
The only thing I wasn't too thrilled with was the Chocolate Bombe, basically chocolate cake with chocolate mousse on top. Â The cake was quite dry and it was cold, as if they just took it out of the freezer for a few minutes to unthaw. Â I expect a much better dessert for $9. Â
Note: they also have a bar menu that's worth looking into with $2 sliders served on mini brioche buns (burger, crabcake, tempura sea bass, or bistro steak sliders). Â So for a minimal cost, you can sit in the bar area, order a drink and three sliders, and see if you like the food.
Such a nice place. It was pleasantly decorated for the Christmas holiday in a modern but spirited feel. You have the option of wanting to watch sports or just chat with you friends. It was nice because the waiter didn't even rush us at all. Â We ended up being there for 3 hours. Â
The house starts you off by bringing out roasted garlic with parmesan and pita triangles that are amazing. Â Plan ahead if you are going on a date because you don't want to have to miss out on the garlic. Â My friend wasn't going to have any but I was able to twist her arm and then she couldn't stop it was so good. The Pita triangles also come with butter and a roast red pepper dip that was pretty good.
My friend had ordered the crab cakes as an appetizer and they were great.  Full of crabby  goodness.  I had ordered the caprese salad which was very surprising. I was totally not expecting a two of tomato's and mozzeralla. The presentation was great. The chef was not shy on the balsamic.  I could have used one more slice of mozzeralla but I am not going to complain. Â
Now to our amazing main courses. My friend had got the dinner special which was a seafood risotto which had lobster and shrimp. Â It was very taste but very rich. I you are in the mood for a rich dish it is the one for you. Me myself I was torn I couldn't really decide what I wanted. I was waviering between the steaks and the risotto's. Â Being the foodie that I am I can be alittle pick. So I finally decided on the steak risotto. I figured I could get a little of both. Â The dish I got was not at all what I expected. I had assumed that I would get a risotto with small pieces of steak in it. Well that was not what I got. It was a steak with a side of risotto. The steak which was a skirt steak was cooked perfectly. Â The risotto was a cream lite side with pearl onions , mushrooms, asparagus and spinach. It was amazing. Â I did make a good choice. Â
To finish off the evening we closed with an order of the Tirimasu. Â It was fabulous. The perfect mix of coffee and Kahlua. Â It is a good restaurant to celebrate a holiday. it is also nice because you can actually hear yourself talk. The back ground music is not to loud. Â The drink specials are also very good.
A pleasant surprise at Route 59 and 1-88! Very urban feel to the bar and a nice sized private dining room. We came for a late dinner Saturday night with 4 couples and were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the live music. The menu is varied from pastas to scallops and veal chops but the winner of the night was their flat bread selection!  Several of the ladies opted for a salad and a flat-bread as their meal and they were not disappointed! The flat breads are crisp, buttery delicious and topped with a variety of offerings from caprese to mushrooms. Yum!  I opted for a lobster ravioli and it was sweet, succulent and just  the right size portion. The wine list was a very nice surprise with great selections and reasonable prices. All in all a great value and we will most definitely be back!
Review Source:well done citygate grille!
our friends came in as we were finishing up, looking for recommendations. Â what else could we say but EVERYTHING!?
while everything was delish, my personal faves were the caprese flatbread (big chunks of grape tomates and loaded with fresh mozzerella, but barely braised! Â not a melted hunk of goo at all...)...the baked apple crisp dessert was unbelievable and i'm not even really a dessert person...and, i'm a sucker for dates, but dates with chorizo? Â wow.
my friend had the sea bass with this amazing sweet potato bake and a weird-sounding but so good brussel sprout slaw?! Â yum!!
i feel compelled to say that everyone (except the reviewer who detests truffles) loved the truffle flat bread too.
the service was fabulous, completely attentive but not overbearing.
the prices were fairly reasonable , i'd say, especially given the quality.
i dined at sugar toad last night and while i commend them for their creativity, citygate blows them away. Â even citygate's wine was better - conundrum? Â my fave. Â half price tuesday nights? Â it's worth a trip to the ville!
the location is a bit odd like everyone said, but given i was staying at hotel arista, i had no complaints.
thanks for a great dinner!!
I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Food was great. Wine was great.  ambience was great. The flatbread starter with smushed garlic, cheese and oil was excellent. The least expensive merlot was excellent and would be worth it at 2x the price. The petite filet was served with  Green beans and mashed potatoes. All were excellent in both flavor and presentation. Go there.
Review Source:Had a late lunch there. Arrived at 2PM and never saw another soul there the whole time we were there, but it didn't matter. It is definitely in a weird spot, so you have to look for it and know it's there. Anyhow, the place is decorated nicely and has a swanky atmosphere.
We got an appetizer of mushrooms on flatbread which was quite delicious....crisp, buttery.
Shared a bottle of pinot grigio with my wife and she ordered the gnocchi with caprese and fried eggplant cubes. Was a great dish...quite innovative and done nicely. I had the halibut special with a crabcake on the top, and a rich caper sauce, brocolli rabe, and whipped potatoes. Nicely done.
I have to put a nice note here, as I had a little communication problem with the waiter on the price of the wine specials. I had put it in a previous review, but I received a note from manager and was refunded the money I overpaid for a  wine special. That was above and beyond their call of duty, and I certainly appreciated it. It appears customer service is high on their list, and I am adding a star to my personal rating..........
We'll definitely go back and try some other dishes.
The restaurant is in an odd location but don't let that deter you. It is worth the journey if you live out in the western suburbs. The decor is sleek and very urban, with dark woods and metallic accents. The day we were there it wasn't that crowded so I can't make any accurate statement about the noise level, but given the layout it seems it won't overwhelm.
The menu offers several interesting choices and enough variety to satisfy most diners with diverse tastes. Our meal was very well prepared and nicely presented. The service was attentive and professional. We never felt neglected but also never felt rushed.
The food was much better than your typical upper-end business park restaurant. We shared the calamari appetizer. The preparation was as close to pefect as I've ever had. The coating was crisp and very lighly seasoned. The calamari was very tender which means it wasn't overcooked. The dominant flavor was the calamari which is unusual given the tendency today to overseason and overbread the squid. The dish comes with three sauces, a white wine and parsley, a red marinara type and an aioli style. They complemented the calamari well. I personally prefer a bit more spice to my condiments but the sauces allowed the flavor of the calamari to dominate.
My wife had the gnocchi with eggplant and cherry tomatoes. What a pleasant surprise. The gnocchi were light, almost feathery in texture and the sauce enhanced the flavor of the potato pasta. It is a perfect summer dish.
I had the bistro steak, which is a hanger steak with shoestring style frites. The steak was vey tender and cooked to my specification exactly. My only complaint, and it is a small one, was that the accompanying citron based sauce didn't stand up to the flavorful beef. This is when a bit of extra seasoning would have been welcome.
We shared a creme brulee for dessert and it was done as well as it could be. It had a well balanced custard base with just a hint of egg flavor. The topping was crisped perfectly.
This may not be the place for you if you are looking for a culinary adventure although the food should be interesting enough for most of us. I recommend it highly for a much better than average, urbane and sophisticated dining experienece without the hassle of driving to downtown Chicago.
This is the second owner to occupy this restaurant. It's in a not so good location because no one would ever think about going into an area of corporate offices for dinner. So I actually think this makes the restaurant one of the best kept secrets in Naperville.
My mom found a $20 coupon in the Women's Health magazine (free at banks). I take my parents out to eat every Thursday. That Thursday my mom was giddy (aka drunk) with happiness. $3 mixed drinks on Thu...she had 2 amaretto sours.
The calamari app was eh. There was something weird about the breading...I can't put my finger on it.
However after plates were passed around and every one got a bite of everyone else's food every one insisted that their own plate was the best and was super awesome. I had the SMOKED SEA BASS with sweet potato & brussel sprout slaw, kalamata jam. I was a little disappointed when it came out and it did not look like it was smoked. I think they just write that on the menu b/c it sounds good? However the presentation was beautiful. The fish was on a cedar plank and the jam was used as garnish around the plate. The brussel sprout slaw was a little too salty and too vinegary. There are obviously still some kinks for this restaurant to iron out. But it's definitely on the right track.
I had a business dinner at the CityGate Grille and was disappointed. Â The location is in the lobby of an office building off of Rte 59 and I-88. Â It was a Thursday evening and our party of 12 were the only ones in the restaurant.
I ordered the mushroom flatbread for my appetizer. Â It was borderline burnt and too crispy. Â My 1st choice was not available so I had to settle for the pork medallions. Â The menu did not mention that they were fried. Â I found the dish to be too oily and salty. Â I was barely able to eat one of the two medallions. Â The service was a but a bit over the top and came across as trying too hard
I now understand why the restaurant was empty. Â I will not be returning.
Headed over for dinner on a Thursday night around 6:30 pm. They had a good crowd in the restaurant and several people in the bar area. We grabbed two seats at the bar, and Katie had dinner while I had a few beers and some apps. Neil, our FAVORITE bartender, was working and took great care of us.
I love sitting in the bar, two large screen tvs behind the bar, good cocktails and cold beer (what else does a man need?). Its comfortable, and the redecoration of the joint looks great!
The tomato soup is FABULOUS, and Katie loved the mussels, salad, and especially the cobbler for dessert.
Great evening, excellent food, and warm/friendly service.
1 Baby Spinach 8.00
1 Tomato Soup 5.00
1 Mussels 10.00
1 Honcrisp Cobbler 6.00
1 Kim Crawford (choc martini) 14.00
1 Open Liquor 12.00
1 UFO (beer) 4.75
Total - $64.68
Had a horrible meal here. Service was distant and poor. Our entrees took 45 minutes to come out after we finished our appetizers (with no apology or even recognition at the length of waiting time).
My daughter was coloring with her crayons and the owner came by and actually asked us if they were our crayons or if HER restaurant had provided them. Should the owner not know such details?
The "pastitio" was spaghetti with meat sauce - and not a very good one. Our server didn't ask how it was until our plates had been cleared. When we told him it wasn't very good, he responded, "Well, the chef isn't Greek so.....sorry." And that was it. The busser had first asked us how the meal was and when we responded, she actually offered to get us something else. She obviously was more polished than the server.
At 50% (during opening week), it was overpriced and a bad value. I can't imagine paying full price.