We were seated 20-30 minutes later than our reservation time. Â As soon as we were seated, a complimentary appetizer was set down as an apology for the wait.
Clam chowder was good (and a bargain at $2/cup) as was the roasted beet salad.
Lamb chops were excellent, done perfectly.  Sides were well done, sautéed spinach and mushrooms.  The Crawfish Mac and Cheese was highly likely just Velveeta Shells with some frozen crawfish tails added but it worked.
Good wine selection at reasonable prices, good service. Â LOUD atmosphere (I'm guessing due to the amount of tile in the dining room), and the piano player was brutal.
Don't think I'd seek this place out in the city, but if you're in downtown Naperville you could do worse.
Best steaks and service in Naperville.
Love the food, the service, the wine list, the food, and most of all the MUD PIE.
Just make sure you get a reservation, as it is crowded on the weekend. Â Never mid waiting for our table as the bar is always fun to have a cocktail and listen to the piano player.
After getting seated you can be sure the service will be great (they are surprisingly not that good with the wine list), and they will bring excellent warm bread. Â
Apps are prompt and good, and the steaks are EXCEPTIONAL. Â And if after devouring the best steak in the city, its time for a little mud pie. Â We always laugh because we DON'T NEED IT, but HAVE to have it. Â I really cant describe it except that its the best thing ever....order it.
Thanks to Tessa for such great service.
3 Heineken   13.00  - was that for me??
Grgich Hill Chard   78.00
Crab Cake   16.25
Crab Chopped salad  18.50
Fillet - small  38.75 (for the SMALL)
Muddy Bottom Pie  7.00
Total = $200.30
Maybe I should say I'm a fan of Fanny...she was our sweet waitress. Â She did a great job in tight quarters, trying to hear us over a very enthusiastic piano player. Â
When I got there to meet my two friends, they had already had drinks and their meal...I was just showing up for dessert. Â I ordered the creme brulee and Fanny even brought extra spoons before we asked. Â That was perfect because this was WAY bigger than any other creme brulee I've seen served...it was very tasty, with some tart blackberries on the top. Â A good balance to the cappuchino. Â
We were perched on one of the tall bar tables and there was a steady stream of people coming and going. Â There are two big TVs if you wanted to watch the game...but you can't hear it over the increased volume of the conversations around you due to the piano outplaying all of us...not to mention then overall of that was the man at the front calling for a party of two or a party of three that had been waiting. Â
There was not a lot of privacy in the front. Â
I'd come back if someone really had a hankering to go there...I think the food is good but maybe not great and maybe not for that price. Â I've had just as good elsewhere. Â
PS - to the young valet who nearly took off the door on my friend's car, while angrily honking at the limo who was letting guests out for YOUR establishment, SLOW DOWN. Â I realize the line for you was backed up but don't take that out on the very people who are helping support your salary. Â Yikes. Â
On the way home, I found out that Fanny had also been willing to get extra dressing for my friend's dry salad and the nut topping that had been left off. Â She also patiently boxed up whatever my friend had asked to take home.
So while there were parts of Hugo's that could have left me with less than a favorable memory, Fanny swept in beautifully to save the day. Â I know I've mentioned before that my experience at some establishments has been wrecked because of the server...this is a prime example of how stellar waitstaff can make all the difference.
Nice place to eat, but expensive. I ordered a shrimp and scallop dish. I received 3 shrimp and 3 scallops for $17.99. The food was great, but one scallop was undercooked. The key lime pie is outstanding. Honestly, it is a nice place for a business meeting or to celebrate an anniversary.
Review Source:went here the week before christmas and it was crazy nuts busy. but we were able to easily find a table at the bar and get the same great food and service. too bad there are too many creepy old ladies stalking us for our table. it's hard to relax when someone keeps checking to see how much more food you have to eat before you leave.
Review Source:First visit. The gentleman who greeted us was friendly but was a definite Mafia wannabe, dress attire, language manor, etc.
Waited 10 minutes before anyone came to the table. Restaurant not busy at all! Waiting for our drink order, a second server comes to the table and starts the "specials" speech. A third server comes to the table and tells the second server that she had the table. The second server then informes us that she partnered with the first server....huh?
Meanwhile, servers hudled at the front door texting on their phones and horsing around with the valet parkers. Others huddled in the rear of the dining room talking to each other. Meanwhile after taking our drink order, our first server stood talking with other servers 5 minutes before going to the bar to get the drinks.
In conclusion, on the upside, the food is great. On the down side, the servers are not attentive, service is slow and very expensive compared to similar restaurants.
Once the servers finally make their way to the kitchen, the food comes fairly quickly...in our case, by a 4th server!
The 3 stars is due to very good food. There are comparable restaurants in Naperville that offer much better service and not as expensive. Not sure if we will return any time soon.
My dad always said, "If you can't something nice, don't say anything at all." Â With that in mind, I'll simply say that we love the food and atmosphere at Hugo's. The wait staff is "hit or miss." The service/server can be really great or really bad. We keep going back with our fingers crossed.
Review Source:Lovely space . We enjoyed the goat cheese with marinara very much. A great starter. My husband had the hanger steak. Very good and so tender. I had the cod fish and chips.Very tasty. We were enjoying a very nice lunch when they pushed tables together to seat 10 right next to us. Of the 10 there were 3 children under 3years of age and 2 more older children. The lovely lunch went out the window with the fussy children and an over bearing head of the table shouting to the other end of the table or talking on his phone.
I wish we had waited to come at dinner time.
Hugo's Frog Bar is very expensive, although its a nice place to go to if you get the chance.
I have been there with my family a couple of times and I have got to try several of their various entrees (as we shared). I have to say that almost everything that I have tried here has been very good. I am not even the biggest fan of seafood myself, but the lobster and crab that we ordered were ridiculously good! Even the appetizers and desserts that we had were fantastic!
This is a great place to try every once in awhile for a special occasion, because the food really is outstanding!
This place surpassed our expectations in every way shape and form. As others have mentioned, the attentiveness of the staff is remarkable. Everyone from the managers to the bus boys are on the ball at this charming restaurant. We literally had 4 different people, on 6 different occasions asking us how everything was and if there is anything that can get us. It didn't by any chance feel like harassment by the way, just like they genuinely cared. Wonderful staff.
The food...thus far this was the BEST meal of my life! Nothing was just ok. Everything was cooked perfectly and served at the perfect moment. From the appetizers, of which you must try the Tilapia Slider, to the main event, the best Sea Bass EVER partnered with juiciest Alaskan King Crab legs, finalized by an incredible Key Lime Pie fit for a queen. Even the side of sauteed mushrooms was unbelievable! My fiance got the Lobster and King Crab combo and it was nothing short of perfection also.
The entire meal we kept uttering "WOW" or "This is the best....I've ever had!" This is our new favorite restaurant and "go to" for any special occasions.
Awesome food, great atmosphere and attentive wait staff. We had reservations for a Friday night and were delayed due to traffic. We called and the front desk ensured our reservation and we had a great table to boot! The portions were very ample and we ended up taking home leftovers. It is pricey, but the quality of the seafood is worth it...and this is the midwest afterall. The complimentary valet parking was a godsend on a busy friday night as there was ZERO parking anywhere else.
Review Source:Stellar service and food! My mother and I came to Naperville for an event yesterday evening and were in search of a quiet, civilized, and dark locale in which to have a drink and bite beforehand. I wasn't familiar with the area, so we decided to hop (groan) into Hugo's Frog as it looked like the most promising of all of the establishments along the main drag.
.
Drinks were an excellent place to start. My vodka tonic with house vodka was astringent, and just the thing for an August evening. My mom chose the classic martini. She couldn't say enough good things about it, and the olive that I sampled out of it was awesome. Food selections were excellent as well. I opted for a house salad to start and was impressed by the crispness of the lettuce and freshness of the ingredients. Little, thoughtful touches, such as mandolin-sliced cucumbers, demonstrated that this is an establishment that pays attention to the details. I would definitely try the sliders again. The choices included filet mignon, hamburger, salmon, and tilapia. I went with the tilapia and was not disappointed, as the fish was moist and the bun toasted to perfection.
As for my mother's selection, she went with a salmon club sandwich. The portion was generous so, needless to say, I had sampling rights. Fries and house-cut potato chips were worthy complements to the entrees.
Without question, desserts capped off the evening in fine style The portions are substantial and lend themselves well to sharing. I was surprised to see that the chocolate mousse cake came with a steak knife, but this made sense as it facilitated digging in/sharing. I rarely venture to Naperville, but if I am here again, I would definitely make Hugo's Frog Bar a stop.
I only had drinks and cannot comment on the food.
Our server, Joy, lived up to her name. She was nice, happy, attentive and accommodating. On a beautiful summer night we were glad to have found Hugo's. Joy drew us in with her pleasant personality.
Then an uptight manager comes along and craps all over it. Who wears a suit and tie with the jacket buttoned up on a 80 degree summer night?
We finished our drinks and left. Not our kind of place.
Competitors should swing by this place for dinner and take a lesson in what quality service is all about. Â Who doesn't like good service? Â Hugo's is top notch, stellar service. The staff is professional, friendly and extremely personable. Â We went with a large group (business function), and everything was fantastic! Â The food is mostly seafood, but for the pickier eaters, there is something for everyone. Â Quality was outstanding!
Review Source:I'm glad my boyfriend is smart enough to do some research on yelp before he takes me out on dates. This place is exactly how I would want my seafood restaurant to be if I owned one!
I recommend the fish tacos! Not only are they very tasty, but the presentation is unique - it comes out on newspaper!
Delicious food. Fantastic service. Beautiful decor. I have only been here once, but this is definitely on my list to try again.
Did you ever have to make up your mind, say yes to one and leave the other behind...
That was me at this restaurant, channeling the Loving Spoonful. Â I wanted to have the Frog legs, I haven't had them for decades. Â And quite frankly after eating the sumptuous clam chowder, if I didn't like them it wouldn't have been a big deal. Â But they had beet salad on the menu. Â Beet salad! Â You rarely see that so I just had to order it. Â It came with oranges, goat cheese and caramelized nuts. Â After the fabulous soup and splitting an appetizer of Firecracker shrimp, it was the perfect main course. Â Or was it? Â I decided to try the Tilapia slider just to hedge my bet. Â Perfect combo - some beets, a bit of fish and I was darn happy.
I would have given the restaurant five stars because everything I ate was mouth wateringly delicious. Â But they never got the dirty dishes off the table. Â And I looked, it wasn't just our waiter, the other tables were just as cluttered. Â He came with the main courses and we still had the dirty soup bowls in front of us. Â He waited for us to push them aside and didn't take them when he left. Â I am puzzled as to the division of labor here. Â If waiters don't bus and the bus boys are few and far between then have they redefined good service? Â The manager even came by to see how we were doing and took nothing off the table. Â In my opinion, for five stars the food has to be fab and the service and that means everyone works every table. Â I have been in restaurants where everyone is taking responsibility for keeping those tables clean. Â While we were still at the table having coffee, the manager did come out and yell at the waiters for talking to each other which I also thought was poor form. Â Plus, when they came with the food, they auctioned it. Â In my opinion, the ticket should let them know who gets what. Â I dislike the "Who had the --?" query.
The food is fab, now work out the service and this will be a five star place! Â And I will come back and have those frog legs.
Fancy dinner? Easy.
Fancy dinner with a baby? Notsomuch.
Thankfully, Open Table and Hugo's Frog Bar made it extra easy for us to enjoy a night out with friends and eat amazing food. We made a reservation w/OT and said we had a 2-month old. They took that as us saying we had two infants... oh my.
Needless to say, we were placed in the back of the restaurant at this amazingly spacious round table. It was excellent. I'm telling you-- just mention baby and people give you the best options. Hotels included! Hello corner room with a view and extra large shower!
The area was quiet compared to the rest of the place and the service was great. Three of us ordered the togarashi tuna and the fourth ordered halibut. We all cleaned out plates and loved our meals. I'd order the same thing again if I went back. It was probably my favorite prep of tuna ever-- and I grew up in Cali and worked at fancy restaurants all through college.
I'd go back. Might have to take out a loan for the $30 entrees, but it's indeed a great place to go on occasion.
So, as you may see from my previous review, it's been a LOOONG time since I was last here, despite the fact that I am pretty constantly in the neighborhood.
My visit came out of the necessity of really wanting a wedge salad, being downtown and the fact that none of the places that I thought served them actually did when searching menus online (you can never what you want when you want it, y'know?)
BUT, Hugo's wedge is voted among the best in town, so off I went.
Unfortunately, this visit wasn't much better in tone than the last one had been. First, when I arrived (me: one young woman, dressed nicely from work), I asked the hostess if there were tables available. She said yes, then kind of craned her neck around me and said, "For...?" I said, "Me!" She looked a little shocked, but managed to recover enough to find me a table. (I have no problem dining alone; why do you?)
My waitress was nice enough, in a rather perfunctory way, but definitely favored the tables that were not populated by an individual diner. (i.e. I did some flagging down on occasion.)
I find it a little weird that at Hugo's they bring out a big tray of raw meat to show you the specials of the day. Hope you are into HUGE steaks (I guess they are trying to appeal to the loud-mouthed back-slapping businessmen who were loving to listen to themselves talk at the table next to me: oversized fare for the larger-than-life).
In general Hugo's seems to err on the side of extremes. I ordered my salad and also tuna poke for an entree, which I did not intend to get but it's rather uncommon to see on menus; I make it at home so I wanted to see how it matched up ;)
The salad, LOADED with blue cheese and bacon, was insanely salty, and the poke was flaming hot (not indicated on the menu description).
Overall, I think this just isn't the place for me. (I think this is underscored by the fact that I am not a businessman or someone who can have a membership to AARP, which seemed to be the case with the rest of the diners.)
In the future I will have to find my wedge elsewhere.
An enjoyable evening after a long, restful spa day with friends we decided to cap the night with an indulgent meal at Hugo's. Â And indulgent it was.
We started with drinks made perfectly to our specs, and moved quickly to the $70 seafood appetizer. Â Actually more than enough for three, or four or five, but we were hungry. Â After another drink and some chatting with Bonnie, our waitress, I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass, and it was so perfectly prepared.
My twin ordered frog legs, neither of us had tried them before. Â Well, they came out still connected to their torso, so I forced myself to try it, but couldn't get past the fact that it looked like a frog. Â Twin loved it.
A fabulous way to end a wonderful day. Â For the record, you'll drop some cash here, not that we were fussing to much about price. Â But, you'll enjoy the atmosphere and the service and food.
We'll be back!
Nestled off the beaten path in beautiful Naperville, Illinois, Hugo's Frog Bar and Fish House is a must for any seafood lover. I originally read about the restaurant on another review site for the selection of great cocktails and mixed drinks. Though I never had the opportunity to try one of those drinks, the food more than made up for the miss. It also serves as a good reason to return.
Our meal began with an order of fried calamari, which was good, but not great. The dish was of a medium-size portion, so it was perfect for two people to share. It was the choice we made after intensely debating whether or not the sauteed frog legs would be a good choice. We'll save that adventure for our next visit.
The main course is what will hook you on this restaurant. My date ordered tilapia tacos with fresh pico de gallo, lettuce, and chipotle mayo on warm corn torillas. Though this wasn't my dish, I did sample one of the three tacos, and it was perfect for a fish taco. The blend of the ingredients was exemplified by the freshness of the fish and pico. A fantastic choice for those who like a blend of seafood with feisty flair.
The "Fish of the Day" was an excellent choice for my first meal at Hugo's. I had grilled buttered tilapia that came with sides of long-grain white rice and crisp green beans. Stop for a second. If you enjoy grilled fish, then I hope that you have the opportunity to try this dish. The fish was grilled to perfection leaving just enough char to give the "off the grill" flavor that everyone loves. The long-grain rice and green beans served as perfect compliments to the course.
Overall, Hugo's Frog Bar and Fish House is one of the next restaurants you should try out. You'll feast on fresh fish that's complimented by an attentive staff. Hugo's offers a great getaway from chain restaurants that blend into a blur of the same dishes. If, when you go and you're feeling adventurous, then give the frog legs a try. I will, it may make for a good review or one interesting story.
WOW! Â My food was great! :-) Â I had the petite filet which was the perfect size. Â I gravy for the mashed potatoes was excellent. Â I am going back soon! Â I hope it is just as good. Â The service was great, but I think it depends who you get because my mom has hated her service the past couple times shes been.
Tak advantage of the valet, if you can't find a parking space!
My buddies and I used to make this our hangover Sunday spot. You cant go wrong with $1 Bookbinders soup and $1 wedge salads. Their firecrackers shrimp is solid, a couple po' boys are worth trying (soft shell crab and catfish?), the rest of the food is worth about 3-3.5 stars. Service is typically never anything to complain about.
Where they win with me is their training of bartenders. The management's insane to work for (from what I hear), however they know how to make their people earn the right to stay there. The drinks are always phenomenal. I'm an old man when it comes to my cocktails, so I like them to be made properly. Manhattans, an Old Fashioned, side cars, etc. They take the proper time to create their drinks and carry a nice selection of liquor behind the bar.
The crowd can be stuffy white Naperville most of the time, but if you can get past that and just treat this place like it's a neighborhood bar, you'll have a great time.
My parents had been wanting to take me to Hugo's Frog Bar and now that they have one in Naperville it's even easier for us to visit without having to go into the city. Nothing against my beloved Chicago, just hate the expensive parking. And Naperville is a great town to visit in it's own right.
Turns out that I loved HFB as much as my parents do. It's a warm and lively atmosphere with great service and a tantalizing menu. It took me a loooong time to decide what to order. I just wish they had one here in Pasadena so I could work my way down the menu. As it was, I ordered sauteed Frog Legs, Roasted Baby Beets, and Pan Roasted Holland Dover Sole. They have a nice wine list too. We ordered the Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc. Everything was amazing. Frog legs were succulent, salad had great flavor combination, and and the fish was cooked perfectly. Mom loved her Pan Roasted Herb Crusted Whitefish.
We ate inside in one of the booths, which was nice, but they also have a really cool outdoor dining area. My only suggestion would be that the servers do not line up 6 staff deep by the door to greet arriving customers when that places them with their back-ends to the diners in the nearby booths thereby blocking our servers and forcing us to listening to their repartee. Our waitress kindly requested they disperse, saying "You guys are driving us crazy." Well, it wasn't that bad, but I was happy when the line was reduced to two.
All in all, Hugo's is a great night out. Not inexpensive, but certainly worth the splurge.
Hugo's, please open a restaurant in Pasadena, CA!
I come here a lot with my mom because it is in a good meet-up location and we mostly always dine in for lunch. You really can't beat their lunch specials. You can get out of there with a cup of clam chowder, a wedge salad, and a slider for about $10. The atmosphere around lunch time is just the right kind of busy, a good crowd (no children), and experienced servers. If you go here on the weekends, it tends to be packed. If you want to sneak in around 10pm for a drink near the bar and a late dessert you should be fine.
I like seafood, but I never really order anything besides salmon or crab legs if I go out for it, and I have gotten neither at this place. I always stick with soup/salad/steak meals. I can't tell you too much about their seafood.
It is in a great location where most of the time you will be able to find parking during the week or on the weekend, depending on the hour that you're coming to dine. It is located around some great shops and I love the interior decor. They have a great outdoor seating area with a fountain, where I just sat this past Saturday while dining with my parents. The menu is pretty good, obviously revolving around seafood. The clam chowder is always a part of my meal and this is the only place where that is the case. Â I also love their filet sliders and their sirloin/mashed potatoes/green beans entree. Be sure to get it medium, medium well tends to be a little too dry.
The desserts are absolutely huge and I'm always wildly disappointed that  I never have room for them after my meal. They are delicious from what I remember (Carrot cake, chocolate cake, etc.) and I think I should go in there and order a dessert at the top of the meal, so I can actually have some.
My mom comes here all the time, the servers tend to recognize her and gives in no problem to her requests. I will likely be going here again within the next week or so.
My husband and I dined here yesterday for lunch out in the back patio. Â Elegant outdoor environment with a wooden trellis and sculpted fountain. Â The wait staff is professional and friendly. Â Overall a pleasant experience except for one important thing... the food.
The only thing that was surprisingly disappointing was our main entrees. Â We just didn't like them. Â We are hoping we just chose wrong. Â My husband got the frog legs - which were steamed and topped with a little garlic and some butter type sauce. Â It was just OK. Â
I ordered the fish tacos - which tasted too fishy to me (I know, I know). Â Even though it was topped with salsa and spicy mango, it was hard to taste any flavor other than fish.
This has to be one of our favorite go to places in the area.
90% of the time we are in the bar area were you can just come in and grab a table or a seat at the bar. The drinks are always cold. The service is always fast and fun. The food, very very good. Clam chowder for my girlfriend and book binder soup for me. Maybe some crab cakes or filet mignon sliders. Very yummy!
The filet mignon sliders are always perfectly cooked to order. The book binder soup is great too. I hear the chowder is very good, but not something I personally go for. The crab cakes with florescent pink dipping sauce is some of the best I've ever had. Huge chunks of crab and very tasty.
On the rare occasion I've taken friends and family into the main dinning room. The Starks are great and the deserts big enough to feed 4 people. The sides are family style and large, so you can share them if you'd like.
Back to the bar. What takes away from the place is how loud it can be. When there is a big crowd it can be hard to have an intimate conversation. Also depending on when you go the bar can be too crowded. Fortunately we can go any time and usually time it for less crowed times. Another thing is parking. Naperville can be a hard place to find parking near by. If the weather is nice you can park in the free parking garage. Here that Chicago, FREE! There are a few secret places to park, but if I mentioned them here it wouldn't be a secret any more. Sorry.
Bring you family, friends, or that special someone you don't mind yelling to talk to. Leave the kids at home. I have no doubt you will enjoy Hugo's Frog Bar.
BTW, this does not mean the one in Chicago is as good. Use caution.
So first of all, the entrance to this place is on Van Buren, not Main. Â Look for the big black awning. Â It's a cute French-ish place with a bar on one side and dining tables on the other. Â We were sat pretty close to the front door but it didn't feel too high-traffic.
Drinks:
The night before, I had tried my first French martini somewhere else, so I ordered the same here and it was disappointing - okay, but lacked a little something. Â However, the $38 bottle of wine that I ordered for the table (Oberon Cabernet) was surprisingly good for the price point. Â And they have Bass on draft, which put a smile on my dad's face.
Appetizers:
I thought the crab cake appetizer was dry and bland - I don't like mayo so I ate it without, perhaps it would have been better with the mayo (as it's designed to be served) because without it, it was blah. Â Sure, there were big chunks of crab, but an equal amount of filler.
My mom's frog legs app was also blah. Â They are not breaded, as I think most places do to their frog legs. Â Instead, they were a little garlicy and very gamey. Â This was my first time trying frog legs so maybe they just aren't my thing, but mom is very familiar with them and didn't care for this rendition of them either.
My dad's wedge salad was exactly as he wanted, even with his favorite dressing (thousand island). Â
Entrees:
I had a tough time choosing between steak, fish, and seafood - there were items in every category that sounded mouth-watering. Â I went with the crab legs because this is the only place I've been to where the kitchen slices them open for you (no work!), and I definitely made the right decision - they were crazy-delicious. Â
My dad's NY Strip was tasty, and the Dover sole that my mom had was phenomenal, and quite the show when they de-bone it at your table.
No desserts for us, but my dad's port and my scotch were a great way to end a really awesome meal. Â $260 before tip for a party of 3, including lots of alcohol - not too bad for a nice night out.
My favorite trend lately has been established Chicago institutions opening their second location in Naperville. Not only does it enhance the suburb itself, but makes elegant, notable dining accessible for the entire region who couldn't otherwise make it. Thank you, Hugo's (Sullivan's, Rosebud and Catch 35 too, for that matter)!
Hugo's Frog Bar is THE hot spot! The environment is lively (too much so, I'm afraid) with a live piano player and more ambiance than many downtown spots. Even with a reservation, there is a significant wait and the restaurant is always overly busy. Then again, busy spots are often the best, and that certainly is the case here.
The menu features fresh food prepared perfectly. Took my mother here for her birthday and she was elated, two years later she still brags about the quality of her meal. Although I only sampled the mashed potatoes, I kinda wish I could order them in bulk so I could have them every night.
Highly recommended, but be aware of the noise level: you'll practically be shouting to hear each other, even if you're inches away. But then again, you can't go wrong when the entire town shows up every single night.
We grabbed dinner at Hugo's Naperville location this past Friday. I cannot emphasize enough that you need a reservation for weekend nights. We've tried to walk in before and the wait was well over an hour. There appeared to be an owner or manager at the front podium, greeting regulars and friends by name. Cool for them, but sort of left the rest of us feeling neglected/ignored. Sorry I'm not a white male in my late fifties in a suit with a string of "ladies" in tow. Â Anyway, we didn't have to wait long for our reserved table so it wasn't a big deal.
The restaurant itself is busy busy busy! And all the noise that comes with it. The space has high ceilings that amplify the racket. We thought it made for a fun, festive, borderline rowdy environment but I would not pick Hugo's for a romantic date (unless I didn't want to hear what my date was saying). I do love the dark woodwork and overall decor though. Â The tables are close together, so ask for a booth if possible. The table immediately next to ours was a group of obnoxious, drunk couples in their late thirties. They were shouting/slurring/singnig above the din of the rest of the place and it got to be a bit much by the end of dinner. A booth would have provided some much-needed distance.
Our waitress came after a few long minutes and wasn't particularly friendly. She did know the menu cold though, and served us accurately and efficiently.
We began with cocktails and the crab cake appetizer with hot pink mayo. I didn't like the sauce but it wasn't necessary: the crab cake was awesome! Flavorful, crisp, full of fresh crab meat with very little filler. Possibly the best I've had. Do yourself a favor and order one or two.
I ordered an entree of Lake Superior Whitefish with fingerling potatoes, peas, white wine & lemon. First, there were no peas to be found. Hey, whatever. The fish portion was huge, two filets! The potatoes were delicious and I enjoyed the white wine sauce but the fish itself was flavorless. There were herbs heaped on top but they didn't make up for the total lack of taste in the fish. Admittedly, whitefish isn't strongly flavored, but I expected a little more than what I got. My husband sampled and didn't like my entree. Overall, I thought it was fresh and generously portioned but a little bland.
My husband ordered the Mesquite-grilled Swordfish with a potato pancake, asparagus in a morel mushroom vinaigrette. He loved it. I really really hated the morel mushroom vinaigrette. Rarely do I react so strongly to foods but I literally wouldn't have been able to eat it if that was my entree. Perhaps morel mushroom lovers know what they're getting into and enjoy the unique taste but it was not for me. The fish itself was cooked well and the asparagus was delicious. Husband would give his entree an A; I would give it a D. Conclusion: good but not for everyone.
We skipped dessert due to the large dinner portions but enjoyed cappuchinos. They did not come with biscotti, as some restaurants provide. Just your basic cappuchino. We saw a piece of chocolate mud pie go by and it looked huge and sinful. They also offer key lime pie, which would have been my choice if I had room.
In sum, Hugo's has a rowdy, fun atmosphere and creative seafood-based menu with large portions. The creativity of the menu means some entrees may rub diners the wrong way, but there are loads of choices so you can easily pick something with familiar ingredients/flavors. Go hungry or be prepared to leave with a doggy bag. And bring your wallet. The prices flirt with those of sister restaurant Gibson's.
Dear Hugo's Frog Bar,
I know we tried to make it work. You had all the swanky features that I loved: dark wood interior, beautiful lighting, great table placement, courteous wait staff, and fast serving times.
I tried to make you happy. I sat at table in the middle of a corridor by the kitchen on my ANNIVERSARY. I tried to accept that I would be consistently bumped into by customers and waiters walking by. I even smiled through your insufferable long wait time, consoling myself with the fact that despite how many customers love you, you had chosen me to be your girl and no one else.
But your crabs cakes sucked. Your tilapia sucked. And no desert menu? Really?
I hate to have to do this, but we're breaking up Hugo's. It's not me. It's you.
Sincerely,
Evelyn
I guess I was there on an off day. I got punched in the arm by the manager as he hurriedly tried to pass behind me and then said "excuse me", I was the only person at the table that was asked to move my jacket, I was repeatedly bumped by serving personnel. The place was crammed, loud, and not the place to be if you wanted to have a conversation of any meaning.
I doubt I was really served ranch dressing and the best part was the chocolate cake from Portillo's that we got to enjoy for dessert.
People watching was 5 stars. I STILL do not think it is acceptable to pick your nose in public (a number of "gentlemen" around us had the ability to have that as one of their multitask activities). I especially enjoyed watching the gentleman ordering while picking his nose.
Food was pricey and watching the manager sit at a table near the back counting the money was tacky.
Holy Carrot Cake, Batman!
I've only come in once for dessert, and we sat at one of the high top bar tables as it was a packed house with nothing short of wall to wall people. The single slice of carrot cake should be for no less than 8 people. Really, it's and entire cake in the form of a single slice, defo large enough for Gulliver himself... it's pretty good too, if you can get over the sheer magnitude of it's size.
The service quality, for us, was spotty and from the looks of things, is determined by how much your server thinks you're worth. Super tanned, leather faced, old man with 3 "young" (I mean less than 50 years old) women in skimpy dresses hanging all over him- very attentive service; Me and the BF in what we consider date appropriate clothes- not s'much.
I really like this place. When I'm in the ville with my family, we really like to go here. We always have had great service. And we always have liked our food. Though with a whole family, it of course gets expensive, I think it's actually better priced than a lot of other places at the same "level."
The desserts are great. I mean, they're the size of your thigh, but you share them and they're just really yummy. The sides are huge too. Even though everything is a la carte, it still is not that expensive.
At lunch they have an awesome menu. You can get soup for a DOLLAR. And it's good soup. And you can sit outside in the very pretty area of downtown naperville. My favorite dish at Hugo's, however, is the garbage salad. Sometimes I just think about that salad. Like I am right now....
DO NOT ORDER THE CHOPPED BEEF!
Maybe I'm partial. I'm southern, I have my quirks, my sayings, my way of life. Â When I want Italian, i get Italian. Â When I want Mexican, i get mexican. Â And when I want BBQ - I get it. Â
Chopped Beef to us, texans, is a slab of beef - um - chopped up! Â Put some BBQ sauce on it, and slap it in between two buns. Â Viola - you have a chopped beef sandwich.
Somewhere between Missiouri and Chicago the rules change.  And a chopped beef  "meal" becomes a big ground beef pattie.  Like 2 lbs of GROUND BEEF.  There is a difference Mr. Hugo. Â
It was dry, it was ground, and it was gross.
Service - Â It was good. Nothing to hoot and hollar about, but better than your average bar/restaurant. Â
Price - Â Average. Â But you couldn't pay me to eat that gross chopped beef.
I go now, and drink. Â And if i'm hungry - well, if you see me eating that thing - It's not by choice.
Went there for a business lunch on a Friday - and the place was rockin' - lots of locals of course, but it is nice to know that there is activity in Naperville during the lunch hour.
I had Hugo's Garbage salad - it was fair - I asked for "no salami" - maybe it was a mistake, because it was missing some "zing" -
The Lobster Bisque is excellent - and the bread they give is deelish - sourdough and a fresh Irish Soda-Bread-like bread that is heavenly.
The cappuchino was very nice at the end too -
Decor is classic decor, white table clothes, lots of wood/mahogany and a nice bar at the other side of the dining area -
Service is consistent, General Manager is actively on the floor which is  nice.
All in all a nice experience, I"m sure I'll be back to try some different stuff - it's worth a second visit.
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