I'm not even sure where to start LOL. Everything and I do mean everything about this restaurant is perfect. For a romantic evening or special occasion I really can't think of a better place, and I assure you I've been to plenty of restaurants.
Let's start out with the setting. Â An incredily quaint building that gives the impression you are walking into someone's home. Maybe it's just me but the front door to this place looks like you are going into a house and something about that to me is just so welcoming and pleasent. Â
On to the decor the walls are al painted in warm colors and the lighting while bright enough to see is just dim enough to make you feel cozy. The tables and chairs are intemit and comfortable. Everything about it is just soothing and just puts you in a great mood right off the bat.
The staff is very friendly, attentive, and helpful with any questions you miight have. But don't hover or make you feel rushed in any way. They are pitch perfect.
Okay, now onto the main event, the food. It might actually even be to good to be called food LOL. We were brought complentery cheese puffs as soon as we sat down and they were just melt in your mouth kind of incredible. It was like an alarm clock for my taste buds anouncing they were in for a truly amazing meal.
The scalops were fresh, big and perfectly seasoned, the accompanyments they put with it were perfect, the Beet sald was fresh and delishus, the lobster entre I had was amazing, the chocolate suffle I had was incredible even though I had no room to finish it LOL. It was truly an amazing evening. And for such a perfect dinner very reasonably priced. My husband loved his meal to and we both agreed we'll be back soon.
This restaurant is first class all the way. And I do have to give a shout out to their general manager Marcello who I believe is largly responsible for this perfection.
I saw him tern Pensiero into a gem and have sadly seen it fall apart with out him, and while I only found Michael's after Marcello became their manager I have no doubt that it's even better now that he's there.
Bravo to everyone connected to this incredible restaurant we will be back soon.
I wish this restaurant was opened for lunch everyday of the week with their special prix-fixe menu pricing. Â Their food is absolutely divine! I came here with a friend of mine for an early-birthday lunch (lunch is only served on Fridays). Â They have a wonderful prix-fixe menu, and it's better for your wallet, tummy, and your tastebuds to go for this option. Â I had foie gras for the first time, here, and it was just wonderfully wonderful. Â The Seared Medallion of Hudson Valley Foie Gras was over Foie Gras Strudel with Candied Huckleberries. Mmm!!! Â Melted in my mouth like butter - it tasted like phyllo-wrapped minced meat covered with sweet huckleberries. Â My god, I had a food orgasm in my mouth. Â I swear, each and every single one of my dishes were perfectly seasoned (to my taste) - not even a need to get a dash of salt or pepper - it might be considered a little bit salty or overpowering to other people, but my God, Chef Michael is a genius. Â I also had the Duo of Slowly Braised Beef Short Rib and Roast Sliced - it was basically a short braised beef on top of a small filet mignon - it reminded me of beef burgandy, but so much better. Â There were little layers of Chef Michael's version of a 'scalloped potatoes', but in a more layered action - it was divine (I, however, did not like the random naked small turnip on the plate). Â For dessert, I had the Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake with Maple Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pumpkin Seed Brittle. Â Creamy, but by this time, I was quite full and the dessert was the last thing on my mind. Â I loved every experience of this dining adventure, and the service was so not pretentious. Â Great ambience, quite classy, and a great restaurant to check out.
Review Source:Don't bother getting a Groupon for this place unless you want to wait months and months for a reservation and be treated like a second class citizen when you arrive. Â The host was so pretentious and snotty that it made us laugh. Â He made it seem like he was doing us favor by seating us even though we had a reservation for several months and the place was half empty. Â Our Groupon included a wine pairing that didn't come until the third course and over an HOUR after we were seated. Â I'm not exaggerating.
The service was friendly but totally off course. Â Some dishes were served while other plates remained on the table from the previous course and others were spaced out almost 30 minutes apart. Â The wine service was equally terrible. Â The food ranged from good to very good but nothing was exceptional. Â The meal was almost three hours but we sat without food or drinks for at least half that time. Â For the prices and service I would not recommend this restaurant. Â And don't even think about a Groupon because it's not worth it.
We went to Michael for my birthday, as well as to use a groupon which was close to over staying it's welcome. We split a reasonable bordeux and shared the four course prix fixe menu. I'm not really going to dwell on the food that much, because it's mostly been said: very good, expected french food. No mistakes, not much creativity. (The menu hasn't changed in a while, I believe). What I will say is that I was pretty taken a back by the quality of service. When applebees is really busy, you can understand when things can be slow. However, at a restaurant of this caliber the excuse "we're short staffed" just doesn't cut it. We waited almost 20 minutes to even be talked to by our waiter, as another 20 for our wine. The first course didn't arrive until more than an hour after we arrived. That's not typical, right? Is this because we were young? Using a groupon? It shouldn't matter. Having eaten extensively around the country, I have never before wondered if I was being treated differently because of my age, but that was definitely the case at Michael. I'll try it again in 20 years and see how they so then.
Review Source:Being part of he "geezer" contingent mentioned in several of the reviews, my wife and have visited Michael several years ago for an anniversary, and had a great meal. The we forgot about it until last year, when we bought a Groupon. We encountered none of the discrimination claimed by one or two reviewers, and our 4 course lobster special was outstanding! So outstanding in fact that we've been back 4 more times since, dining open table. It's a special occasion place for us, so we wait for things like the 8 course Truffle Tasting, or the Julia Child Tribute menu (this was so well executed that I practically had tears in my eyes when I finished)! Our last visit was for the Christmas Eve dinner, and once again, we left excited about the incredible food we had enjoyed.
Service is attentive without being overbearing or hovering. Younger patrons, beware: pacing is leisurely. SO IN SUMMARY: GO FOR THE FOOD! You won't be disappointed. This level of cuisine would cost far more downtown, and parking would add another $25 on top of that. I've been to Michelin starred restaurants (single, or Bib Gourmand) and not been as consistently impressed as I am always am at Michael.
Been here before, didn't love the food (perfectly cooked but bland) but liked the service and atmosphere. My groupon expired last year, but I wanted to redeem the face value and live down the street, so popped over on a Saturday night. Neither of us were very hungry and on our NY diets, so decided to get 3 appetizers and split an entree. This time around, the service was not great. Ordered a salad Lyonnaise, kinda hard to mess up but it came barely dressed, with no flavor from the dressing and the only flavor being the egg yolk. When I pointed it out the the waiter, he argued that that's how it comes. After I showed him the menu, he wordlessly brought more dressing, which is pretty flavorless. So.....can't say I'll go back, tho its fresh food and well made, the service is too spotty and food a bit too bland.
Have to add the caveat that I avoid carbs and therefore get most of my flavor kicks from the entrees. Maybe dessert would have rounded out my meal better :)
I visited Michael for dinner with friends on Sunday, 12/2/12. We were happily the anti-Groupon guests this night paying full price for our meal and vino. Our server was happy to know we weren't part of the Groupon. And we loved every minute of our experience! We enjoyed the Prix Fixe menu (good value in its own right) and each of us selected different entrees and set up our own tasting adventure. Marcello picked out delicous wine for every course -- appetizer, entree and dessert courses. Michael is a slice of Paris right in Winnetka. Possibly the only recommendation I would make is to update the music track with modern French pop and jazz. We'll be back!
Review Source:Thank you Groupon. Â This is by far the best restaurant I ate at due to you guys. Â I picked up a 5 course tasting menu and was blown away.
Upon arriving into this place, I looked around and it just looked and felt like 'old money'. Â Later on in the evening, when the place looked like I just crashed a country club, it made sense. Â So the ambiance (including average clients) was very conservative. Â But the food, holy jeebus the food was amazing.
We were welcomed with cheese puffs. Â They were made with gruyere and parmesan. Â They were rich and just the perfect texture.
Course 1: Pumpkin soup. Â It was served in the smallest soup bowl ever.... along with the smallest spoon. Â However, it had big flavor. Â The spices were warming and the cream on top made for a smooth finish.
Course 2: Celery and fennel salad with truffle oil and a goat cheese crouton.  Well I'm not a fan of goat cheese, but I was of this one.  It was smooth and  had scallions mixed into it. The shaved fennel and celery mixed will together and stayed in the background enough for the truffle oil to come through.
Course 3: Mussels in a curry sauce. Â This was a mild curry sauce, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this. Â The curry was full of herbs, and the mussels were nicely presented in a ring around the sauce.
Course 4: Some pork loin and guinea hen. Â The hen was perfectly crispy on the outside with juicy meat inside. Â I believe there was some goat cheese stuffed into the chicken. Â The pork, possibly the most juicy pork I ever are. Â I really do not know how to describe this any other way. Â Oh, it was served with some creamy mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, and green beans.
Course 5: one mini chocolate souffle, some melted frangellico chocolate, few biscotti, and butterscotch gelato. Â Rich, creamy, chocolate heaven.
I was happy with the meal from start to finish. Â The service and food were both excellent
This place can be described with three letters: MEH. Â The decor of this place is an upscale Perkins. Â They have popcorn ceilings, 1960s decor and cloth booths sheathed in a beige outdoor furniture material. Â We tried to give it the best chance so we did the 5 course tasting menu. Â There were a couple interesting takes on traditional dishes such as the butternut squash soup and the cheese puffs, but nothing really stood out. Â The changes that were made seemed to be someone who had discovered the 'other spices' in their spice drawer. Â The bread was of the frozen variety that was 'baked' in the store and the creme brulee was chilled in the middle and warmed on the outside. Â
Attention to detail not their forte.
The crowd makes you feel like you are on a cruise ship with an older audience. Â We ordered wine and realized that they did the cheap pour which for all that care to know a bottle contains four glasses and everyone, including us was served one fifth the bottle. Â Although I must say that the service was great.
For all those that complained that they got lousy service, please be mindful that they are trying to make this venue classy so if you dress like you are a drowned cat, service will likely be poor.
Save yourself the hassle as the parking is non existent as they want you to park in the bank next door and the food is different but hardly worth the visit.
Chef Michael Lachowicz is my hero. Â Great food! Â Prix Fixe is a deal, but more than that the way they have layered, the courses compliment each other. Â Its a definite must visit, Â for a special occasion, or just a nice evening with friends. Â Don't miss the dark chocolate souffle. Â Service is 4 star! Â This would hold up to any Michelin top restaurant!
Review Source:My wife and I ate here for the first time in October. I think the majority of the reviews are spot on. The food is excellent and warrants five stars. The service is good but there is a certain arrogance in the air. The Groupon situation does seem to be a problem and we ended up just cashing ours in at face value to avoid the drama. The atmosphere is more like grandma's living room then a 5 star french restaurant.
In conclusion, the food carries the day.
Tried once a couple weeks ago and that was a fantastic dining experience. I mean, it looks like it was a classy restaurant for older people and we look awkward (we're late 20s), but I do not care because I come here to eat.
Food was great, we had lamb and duck both tasted so well. The dark chocolate souffle oh my god was awesome and most importantly you can hardly find dark chocolate souffle in Chicago so dont forget to try it.
The latte I had was a beautiful ending.
We were so glad that we tried this restaurant.
PS: The restaurant does need some update, such as floor/carpet cleaning especially at the waiting area.
Open Table = Plenty of Availability
If you have a Groupon = No Availability
Apparently they limit the number of people using a Groupon per night, so I was unable to get a reservation even though there was plenty of availability according to Open Table.
I got the Groupon as a gift for someone and now I have to get my money back. So embarrassed and disappointed. Absolutely disgusted that I would be treated this way, they didn't even offer a solution, just said to get your money back.
I'm sure the food is good, but to be treated like this is unacceptable. Will not be trying this restaurant and would encourage you to do the same.
Have visited occasionally over the years but will never come back. Â
When a Groupon was offered I purchased it and made a reservation. Â The day before a manager called and told me the coupon value would not be redeemed. Â No negotiations. Â I will not support an establishment with with my $, when the owner will not live up to his agreements with patrons.
Used Groupon and was treated as a "second class" customer. Told my Groupon was wrong, Michael was wrong and Groupon issued full credit. Never got to see a menus until we asked. Watched others receive better service. Never got to see a manager, they were busy. Went to try a "new" restaurant, would never go back. Michael won't miss me or any of our friends or family. Spend your money else where
Review Source:An absolutely lovely dining spot with some of the best French food I've had in Chicago. My husband brought me here to celebrate our anniversary, and it was perfect in every way. The service was outstanding; our waiter was highly attentive and came by at least 10 times to check on us, pour wine, and serve us.
It's not too formal - we could still laugh and enjoy ourselves - but the ambience is somewhat hushed and elegant. People dress for dinner here, which I Â find to be a refreshing change of pace from the shorts-and-flip-flop crowd you get in River North. Of note is that the dining room was almost completely full on a Thursday night.
We got the four course prix fixe and the experience lasted about two and a half hours. We brought a special bottle of wine from home that our waiter corked for us (for a fee). Each course was spectacular - fresh ingredients, creative combinations, gorgeous presentation, perfectly prepared, and absolutely amazing flavors. Our entrees (rack of lamb and pork) both were very generously portioned - almost too much to eat (although of course we enjoyed every last bite).
As others have noted here, the prices are wonderfully reasonable. This is a charming, special restaurant and I will definitely be returning.
We went on a Groupon and if they could have they would have seated us in the bathroom. (If you don't want to honor Groupons, don't participate!) This is a Northshore blue hair favorite and it shows. Well lit, soft music, pretentious people and really, really good food. Well presented and balanced menu. Wines were good too.  Here's the major downside: the manager/owner is aloof, cold and disinterested to  patrons. He is abusive  to his waitstaff. He verbally assaulted each member of his staff while we were there and was rude to guests. This was like dining at the in-laws whom you hate and who hate you. If you don't mind that, it's an above average experience. This guy needs to leave the restaurant business to someone who enjoys it. It really killed it for us.
Review Source:We will be coming back here again, so I will update the review once a second visit is completed.
First impressions:
Food: 5 star: Excellent app (tuna 2way is good, seared was ok, didn't like the seasoning, but tartare was excellent. Scallop app was great. Salmon was very good and duck was very good. Â Salads are nothing special and next time we will go with the 3 course option and eliminate the salad course.
Service: 3/4 star: Water was refilled promptly, but rolls offered only twice. Â Server did not come back a single time to check on our dishes. Â He did replace silverware, but not much other interaction. Also did not ask if we wanted add'l glasses of wine or after dinner drinks.
Maybe its just our waiter, but in a 4 star restaurant, we expected better service.
A really top-notch French restaurant with extremely reasonable prices for what you get. The wine pairings, in particular, are extremely attractive.
The restaurant is the latest project of award-winning chef Michael Lachowicz. During our Thursday night visit the place was almost full. What we received was a delicious five-course French meal for two people with matching wine pairings. Each course was super, and the matching wines paired perfectly with the food. We had:
  goat cheese puff amuse bouche (we were actually served this twice, which was great!)
  corn soup (paired with an Italian white)
  zucchini with goat cheese in pastry
  seared salmon (paired with a white Burgundy)
  roast pork in pastry (paired with an Argentinian Cabernet Sauvignon)
  chocolate souffle with chocolate sauce and strawberries
  chocolate truffles
Service seemed well-intentioned, but not really at the caliber of the food. This was one of the dressier restaurants I've been to around Evanston, with many of the men in coats and ties. That was ironic, because the owner is extremely friendly and casual, working the front desk in jeans and a short sleeve shirt!
This place has definitely made it onto our regular dining list.
[Review #500!]
I came here with the girlfriend to celebrate a few months back. I loved the venue and decor and the service was excellent, but the food fell a bit short from 'excellent'.
The ambiance:
Restaurant 'Michael' is beautiful. I'll include a photo or two, but it's really worth visiting to see it for yourself. The restaurant accommodates 2 and 4-seaters with not much else, so bigger parties be warned. It's quiet and intimate--perfect for dates and special occasions. The lighting is soft and flattering. The white tablecloths and booth seats make it seem like you're stepping into a French bistro. It's all wonderfully done.
The food:
My girlfriend and I had a five-course tasting menu with some wine flights. Here are some notes about that night's menu:
Amuse bouche:
We started off with a complementary cheese puff amuse. It was flaky pastry with (I'm guessing) béchamel sauce. It was rich, savory, and guilt-inducing. Great start off to the meal. 5/5
Tomato bisque cappuccino:
Our first course was their take on a classic tomato bisque. It was presented to us in a mini cappuccino cup, topped with foam and a mini-crouton. The soup was thick and packed a bunch of tang (I'm guessing a mix of the natural tomato flavor and vinegar). 4/5
Flounder:
The second course was a sautéed flounder on top of grilled asparagus. The flounder was the star of this dish, and this course was perhaps the star of the meal. The flavors of the flounder were kept organic and you could really taste the fish. I only wish they gave us a bigger portion. The white wine (90% sure it was Sauvignon Blanc) was actually a superb pairing. It actually had me going, "Wow," while alternating bites and sips that course. 5/5
Salade maison:
Their house salad. It had a good bitter kick to it. The champagne vinaigrette was just okay. 3/5
Duo of roast pork tenderloin and stuffed hen:
This was the meat course. I was a fan of the hen (it was stuffed with sweet potato and lots of herbs), but not so much a fan of the pork--the pork was fairly dry and tough and the pan sauce did nothing for it. At the very least, the potato tournee that accompanied it was excellent. The red wine (I've forgotten the kind and vintage) was on the lighter side and wasn't worth remembering. 3/5
Chocolate soufflé:
Ah, the dessert. Dark chocolate (soufflé) on dark chocolate (rum-spiked sauce). They made my least favorite course into one of my favorite ones that evening. It was rich and very decadent: a chocolate lover's dream. The port pairing was way too sweet--I only drank a sip and was left disgusted. 3.5/5
The value:
I had a deal coming in. Was that deal worth it? Why yes. Is the sticker price worth it? No, not really. For a tasting menu and wine pairing for two, look to pay around $160-$200. In my opinion, there are many places in Chicagoland that would be better investments for a night out dining. If you can get a deal for around $100-$120, I'd recommend coming in for a try.
The service:
Possibly the only thing better than the flounder was the service. I made some special requests before coming and all of them were met--including the corner booth seating and even the surprise the special dessert was included at no charge ;)
TL;DR - Would I recommend this place? Yes, but not at sticker cost. It's romantic and the service is among the best in Chicagoland.
This quiet Winnetka temple to French food is consistent even if not terribly inventive.
We enjoyed a four course meal and tried various options - the smoked salmon app was a marvelous blend of cool smoked salmon on a warm crispy potato cake with creme fraiche and toasted brioche. The tuna two ways was also delicious with a tartare and crispy toasted bread and loin of tuna on a bed of lightly dressed fennel salad.
Entrees were the special puff pastry wrapped Dover sole filled with lobster and spinach mousses on a champagne sauce and a little pot of diced carrots and potatoes in cream - we drank it to get it all out of the pots. The Roquefort and pear salad was light yet full of flavor. The baked chocolate pot - like a fallen souffle - was decadent and dark. The profiteroles with hazelnuts were tasty but not chocolatey enough.
A separate dining room is available for private parties. Don't believe them when they say it holds 40 people. We had 35 and felt like sardines in a can! Â 25 max if you have any intention of mingling before dinner.
No-corkage Tuesdays is a nice touch as are weekly specials on Friday nights - usually seafood focused.
This is a solid bet for tasty classic French food, good service and some tasty wines. The lack of updating to the menu keeps it from rating 5 stars.
5 stars for food and 3 for service (would go to 3.5 stars if Yelp allowed for this). First impression. The decor is dated. The crowd is 50yrs + (You're in Winnetka after all). The maitre d is inattentive and borderline rude. Our server was not always certain what he just served us (and had to ask for clarification), BUT the food is fantastic. We had the 5 course wine pairing. Every dish was delicious. So, if you can see past the service and ambiance, it's a great food.
Review Source:Wow, the boyfriend certainly set the expectations high with this one. He took me here to celebrate a month (yes, you read correctly) of dating. Five courses and three wine flight pairings.
We came in a little early for our 830pm reservation, and we were seated right away in the corner booth that the boyfriend had asked for.
My first sign of magnificent service from the staff was when our server physically moved the table so that I can be seated in the booth easily, without having to slide into it. Even when I dine at fancy-schmancy places with my company, the servers had never done this for me. I was impressed.
We started off with a complimentary amuse bouche. The two small pieces of freshly made crème puff pastries were presented in a tiny metal pan. They were a delight to bite into.
Next, we were presented with our first course: a tiny half-cup serving of the tomato bisque topped with tiny croutons. Cute presentation! Even better taste. I am usually weary of non-Asian soups because some restaurants add a little too much milk or cream, and I end up with a bad stomachache. This was not the case with Michael's tomato bisque. It was delicious and I wish I had more.
Next came the second course: Flounder with asparagus... Delicious! This was probably my favorite course. This course was paired with a white white.
The third course was their house salad.
Then the fourth course was a duo of roasted tenderloin and stuffed hen paired with a red wine. It was my least favorite. By this course, I was already very full so I wasn't feeling it.
The fifth course was, of course, dessert. Chocolate souffle with hot chocolate and biscotti paired with a tiny glass of moscato. I'm not generally a fan of dessert or of chocolate or of moscato, but this was pretty good. My plate was decorated with the words "Happy anniversary." Aww, that's sweet! Silly boyfriend, it was a lunaversary. :P
Delicious, traditional American food served by a friendly staff. Â Had the 5 course tasting menu with 3 flights of wine pairing. Â We really enjoyed all courses: Â Goat cheese puff amuse, green pea soup, pan fried salmon over tomato coulis (would have preferred the salmon less cooked), house salad, mushroom ravioli over pork tenderloin served with morel mushroom and finally a mini souffle plus angelique chocolate and 2 biscottis. Â Reasonably priced and definitely an upscale crowd. Â It is in Winnetka...
Review Source:Alright, the Yelp reviews are mixed so I thought I'd throw my two cents in. Â We've been to Michael twice, the first time a few months back again a couple weeks back with a Groupon. Â I've been torn on how to rate the stars on this, but I'm giving it four.
The Groupon clearly states you must mention it when making a reservation - this is part of the rules, my guess is they don't want every seat in the house filled with people who got the pre-pay deal.
The short version: Â the food is excellent, but our service had issues. Â Â
For $79, there were four fairly generous pours of wine (a Sicilian white, white Burgundy, Cotes du Rhone, and Malbec) and seven courses which consisted of pea soup, onion tart, softshell crab, guinea hen, pork tenderloin, cheese plate, chocolate souffle. Â Â At full price, I would have been content, with the Groupon it's an absolute steal. Â Â Portions were appropriate for the number of courses (small, but not tiny - we entered hungry and left full). Â There are several Groupons floating around, some for five courses, some I think just a typical half price deal.
The softshell crab was probably the best version I have encountered and the cheese plate was flawless. Â Everything else was solid and I enjoyed each of the wines. Â
Recent reviews have mentioned a surly maitre d' - I'm not sure what the deal is....we encountered Hyde, but many people met Jekyll. Â Â Upon entering, we heard him chewing out several staff members in Spanish (readers of Michael's blog know this would be frowned upon). Â Â After barely being acknowledged, he walked us to a table, and yanked it so hard the stemware nearly went flying (it would have fallen to the floor had my wife not grabbed it). Â Â He then ignored us the entire evening even though he schmoozed with pretty much every other table. Â I'm not sure if it was the Groupon or our relative youth that made us the enemy in his eyes. Â
Our water glasses never fell below half full which is great. Â But, beyond that, there was no staff interaction beyond the runner explaining what wine and courses were presented.. Â We did not have anyone stop by to see how we were doing at any point in the meal - I neither want nor expect to be coddled, but an occasional check in would have been appreciated. Â Â The staff seemed on edge for most of the night (many of them seemed to be getting reprimanded by Hyde), but rather than be annoyed, I just felt bad for them. Â
Personally, we welcomed the odd service - it gave us plenty to observe and discuss as the night went on and the quality of food more than made up for it. Â Â If you're in the area, I'd recommend it, but maybe bring grandma along so you're met with a smile instead of a scowl.
Food: 4
Decor: 4
Service: 4
My gf and I came here for dinner Sunday 8pm. They have some street parking in front and a small lot, so we had to park in the nearby bank parking lot.
7-course tasting menu, $90 pp
1. Cheese puff amuse, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=_p8qXkOxx9ieeKvNMc1XKQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Pretty good. Hot, rich cheese in a bite-sized puff.
2. Truffle green pea soup, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=frpRwqDExcrS_uw3nCgYDw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Pretty good.
3. Lobster ravioli, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=Xr2ogkL8ZW3Ejb8nKewH0Q">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Delicious. One of my favorite courses.
4. Salad with champagne herb dressing, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=iJDiP5DiTwXSNXpNgl2k5A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Okay, although it was a bit boring.
5. Stuffed hen, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=j1OWotxXX83T88-Es7rylg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Delicious. One of my favorite courses.
6. Beef, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=7_r41i72LAk1m-wYQ8m6ng">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Delicious. Meat was cooked a perfect medium rare. However, the jus on the side had congealed a bit.
7. Cheese plate
Okay. Plate consisted of four slices of cheese (triple creme was one), bread, and plum.
8. Chocolate souffle and hot chocolate, <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/ms5bH8N0qB5tHvlpc-TSOg?select=MPGopyTlPeuyFw8QIVR3vg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Pretty good. Souffle was excellent, and the hot chocolate was very rich, with a good amount of alcohol in it. It was more like a chocolate syrup than a hot chocolate.
9. Chocolate truffles
Pretty good. Two chocolate truffles on the house to close the meal.
10. Wine pairing
Pretty good. 4 wine tastings: white wine with 2nd course, 2 reds with 4th and 5th, and dessert wine with 7th.
I had a $80 Groupon, and the tax/tip was about $40. They didn't have a copy of their menu, which was odd, but our server said he'd email it to me (although it's been 3 days, and still no email).
Service was good, although I couldn't understand some of the food descriptions due to their accents, and there was a rather long wait for our 1st course to arrive. Entire meal took just over 2 hours.
I came to this fancypants restaurant for a late Sunday evening dinner date around 8pm. We had a groupon for the 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing.
Amuse bouche: cheese puff - pretty good
1) Truffle green pea soup - delicious and well balanced, truffle wasn't overpowering
2) Lobster ravioli with tarragon - pretty good
3) House salad with champagne herb dressing - just okay, not much going on with this one
4) Stuffed hen - delicious, I'm not exactly sure what this dish was but I was practically licking the plate clean
5) Some kind of beef main course - good, didn't catch the name of the dish. It had some type of tempura veggies and sat on a bed of potato gratin.
6) Cheese course - not my favorite but I'm not a cheese fan
7) Chocolate souffle with hot chocolate and biscotti - yummy. I've never had a souffle before but this is exactly how I would expect a good souffle to be like. Hot chocolate was very rich and spiked with liquor.
Chocolate truffles - pretty good, although I wish that they had some kind of fruit or sorbet as a palette cleanser instead
The wine pairing came with a chilled white wine with the 2nd course, two red wines with the 4th and 5th course, and a dessert wine with the 7th course.
Overall, good dining experience. The restaurant was gorgeous and old-school elegant. I think me and my bf were the youngest people there by at least 15 years. Service was great - they introduced each course and the wines, water was consistently refilled, and the food came quickly except for the first course which took a bit of time.
Stay away from this place if you value your sanity.
I bought a Yelp coupon for $40 which gave $80 to spend at Restaurant Michael. Â In fact I bought 2 of them in May 2011. Â I used one in September 2011 and the food was expensive as all hell. Â A regular dinner with wine for 3 people went to $220.
The second coupon was to expire in Early November, so I called to make reservations for a day before it expired, and one of the employees picked up the phone and said they were closed Monday, but they would honor the coupon the next day. Â So I called to make a reservation the next day and mentioned the coupon, and the owner Michael said he would not honor the $80 value, but rather the $40 value. Â After 20 minutes of arguing on the phone, Michael agreed to refund my original $40 coupon fee via check mailed to me. Â 2 weeks went by and I saw no check so I called. Â He said he does accounting once a month and he would mail it by early December. Â I called in Mid December and Michael would not come to the phone.
I called again in mid-January around 7pm, and the host said they are in the middle of dinner service. Â I insisted on speaking with Michael since it was an issue of overdue commitment. Â Michael came to the phone saying WHAT DO YOU WANT? Â I mentioned my name and the situation, and he said I AM BUSY DON'T CALL ME AGAIN! and hung up.
I had to contact Yelp to get my refund - which Yelp took care of.
Michael is a rectal cavity.
Restaurant Michael has a special place in my heart and all for the right reasons. :) It was the place my sweetie and i went the night he proposed! I finally got to share the story with Chef Michael on my last visit. What made the night more "charming" was that evening two years ago we talked with Chef Michael and he told us to never get married. Of course we didn't follow his advice and are now happily married and going to Restaurant Michael every year on the anniversary of our engagement.
Lucky for us, Michael is the most fabulous restaurants in the Chicago suburbs..possibly one of our most favorite in Chicago. Chef Michael just knows how to combine flavors, textures, and tastes perfectly! Everything I've had there was absolutely melt in my mouth, skip a heart beat, delicious!
You have to always go with a 3 course or 4 course meal. There's no skipping anything here! Chef Michael changes the menu all the time, but I have to say that I always love his masterpiece raviolis. I've had the lobster ravioli years ago and still crave it! This time I had the butternut squash soup with duck ravioli and I literally wanted to lick the bowl. It was Aaaamazing!
Everything about Restaurant Michael is top-notch from their obvious impeccable food, to their great attention to service, and the lovely decor. It's a hidden gem in the north shore which no one should miss!
I want to give it 4.5 stars so I just rounded down. Is that even fair??
I went here with my mom and sister yesterday.
The location was easy to get to but it was hard to find since the sign was a little hard to see. I drove past it once, actually. As soon as we stepped out of the car, the aroma coming from the restaurant was of bacon and fall. We walked in and the restaurant was warm and inviting. We stood there for a little while, not knowing who the host was and not knowing what to do, but the host was helping some other people. After he noticed us, he quickly seated us at a table. All the booths were taken though. Boooo.
The wait staff at the restaurant was so pleasant and helpful. They even gave me the wi-fi password, although it was a weak signal. We all ordered the 7 course pre-fixe(?) meal.
First, we received a gruyere cream puff. Which was a nice start and so delicious. We wanted more!
Then, we received our fresh, hot rolls and butter in a cute little butter dish.
Our first course was the Cognac Scented, Roasted Lobster Bisque Prawn & Scallion Ravioli, Pastry Floron. It was rich with lobster flavor and the ravioli, though small (mine was only half?), was very good.
Our second course was.. I think Classic Presentation of Pate' Squab & Chicken Liver Mousse and Dried Garlic Sausage with traditional garnishes?? They didn't really tell us what this course was and we were shy to ask. It was some meat in a round shaped puff pastry tart shell with raisins and also came with toast. We thought the meat was duck. I also did notice another meat substance underneath the meat, so I'm assuming it was this one. This was very good. The raisins tasted like they were soaked in white wine or something. Yum!
Our third course, Tian of Tarragon Corn Blini, Baby Spinach & Brie Topped with a Pan Roasted Jumbo Diver Scallop, Perigord Sauce. The scallop was cooked perfectly and the sauce was amazing.
Fourth course, Roasted Breast of Guinea Hen, Golden Raisin, Goats Cheese & Brioche Pain Perdu, Spiced Door County Cherries, Roasted Hen Jus. I saw this on the online menu and I wanted to try it. I was debating between this and the quail so I was pleasantly surprised that it came out. It was delicious, of course. The guinea hen was moist. There was a potato croquette on top that we joked was a mozarella stick, but the wait staff let us know it wasn't a mozarella stick.
Fifth course was Duo of Roast Tenderloin & Galantine of Pork Grilled Asparagus, Natural Jus with Annise, Brown Butter Spatzle. The waiter also came around with some creamy mashed potatoes as well. The pork was cooked perfectly and the grilled asparagus was amazing. We think the asparagus stole the show in that dish.
Sixth course was a cheese plate with bleu cheese, gruyere, brie, and 1 other cheese that I fail to remember with some bread crisps and some sort of plum? Each cheese went well with the fruit. We thought the brie was our favorite. The others were ok and we were not a fan of the bleu cheese, but with bleu cheese you either hate it or you love it.
Our final course, was 3 different desserts. We definitely shared and got a bite of each. I got the Fallen Chocolate Souffle with a Nut Coated Butterscotch Gelato Truffle, my sister got the Tahitian Vanilla Bean Duo of Panna Cotta with Candied Citrus and Classic Creme Brulee, and my mom got the Hot Sliced Apple & Almond Tart, Cinnamon-Nutmeg Gelato. Each was good in their own way. Our favorite of the 3 was the Panna Cotta and Creme Brulee dessert.
The service was amazing. The food looked beautiful, tasted great. The only complaint I have is that the food was a little salty. Anyway, if they put less salt on all the foods, I would have LOVED everything. Also, we had to ask what the courses were the first couple times. After that, they told us upon serving us. We took pictures of every course and people around us noticed, but they didn't seem to mind and we chit chat with some of them. Overall, a nice experience and I hope to go there again someday.
We arrived at this restaurant mainly because of a Yelp deal, and boy, was it worth it. Â This place served some of the best food I have ever eaten, and for the quality, the prices are more than reasonable. Â I had the sweetbreads for appetizer, Chilean sea bass for entree, and chocolate souffle for dessert, all of which were utterly delicious. Â Not sure what the sea bass arrived on top of (some kind of layered puff pastry with spinach inside), but it was delicious.
Wait staff could use some work. Â I noticed some other tables receiving an amuse-bouche of very tasty-looking savory profiteroles which we were not offered. Â Also, the touch of setting our places before we sit down and then removing the glasses and plates does not sit well with me. Â I understand the purpose, but really, I don't like waste. Â I really don't like waste. Â Washing the dishes twice per customer is wasteful. Â Also, service was a bit slow at times...we had a long wait between entree and dessert. Â Otherwise, however, very accommodating and helpful.
Overall, awesome restaurant. Â I will definitely return if I ever get the chance. Â The food is utterly amazing. Â Service is not perfect, but hey, the restaurant can't do everything perfectly--just very well.
I really wanted to love Michael. After reading the chef's blog, I was prepared to be wowed. I left pleased but not bowled over.
The warm crusty bread and soft butter were a nice way to start the meal, but we were never offered more bread. The savory profiteroles were very tasty. I was very excited about the smoked salmon dish and my husband's scallop was perfect. However, just one second after I took my last bite if salmon, while I was still holding my fork, our server tried to clear my plate -- which still had food on it! Seriously? Big faux pas. This is one of my pet peeves; it makes me feel rushed and intruded upon.
The goat cheese salad was nicely done, not too sweet. The salad nicoise was pretty good -- but the Asian style, 5-spice crusted tuna (while well executed) didn't quite mesh with the rest of the Provencal ingredients.
My husband's lamb dish was incredible, and I don't even like lamb. The creamy mashed potatoes were a very nice touch and I thought it was clever that they probably went well with all of the entrees. I had the sea bass; the fish was cooked perfectly, flaky and buttery and I loved the polenta. The sauce was a little sweet for me but my husband thought it was great. The biggest disappointment was the tomato under my lovely squash and eggplant circle. The tomato was pale, mealy, and tasteless. It's the middle of summer, and there is no excuse for this, especially given that, in the chef's blog, he harps on quality. If better tomatoes weren't available, I really wish he had left it out altogether. Another service faux pas here -- my plate was cleared before my husband was done with his entree.
Desserts were good. Hubby loved his chocolate souffle. I sampled his praline-crusted gelato and it was awesome. I had the custard duo -- the creme brûlée was far superior to the panna cotta; as others have said, the plating is impressive.
Overall a nice meal; we wouldn't object to going back if someone really wanted to, but I don't think we would seek it out. Hubby would probably order the exact same courses, but I would go a different route on everything but the salmon.
3.5 stars
I came here recently with a girlfriend of mine.
Oh where do I start?? Let's see, we each got lost trying to get to this place because the streets up in that area does not register correctly in GPS systems. Â My friend actually had to stop by the 7-11 the next town over to give her directions to this place. I got there first and the host was nice, but seeing i'm not the typical client they have here, I guess he felt the need to sit and hang with me. Â I got a drink we hung out in the waiting area. Â It was a damn tasty cosmo.
So, the decor reminded me of someone's nicely decorated but slightly outdated living room with the dark taupe walls and random vases full of fake pastel flowers. I scan the room and well, the patrons were looking at me as well as I was looking at them. Let's just say there a gap of a couple generations between who was there and myself.
So my friend comes, we get seated. We decided on the 3 course meal. I got the sweetbreads, the lamb, and the strawberry lemon tart. She got the escargot, the lamb and the chocolate souffle.
The sweetbreads and escargot were tasty. Both proteins were cooked well and tasted delicious. We both got the lamb and our lamb were cooked to our requested temperature. Â It tasted good but nothing jumped out as being spectacular. Of our two desserts, the strawberry lemon tart I got was the winner. The shortbread was buttery and rich and the fruit was fresh.
Though everything we had was pretty good, I'm not sure that I'd stop back here. The service was good, the food was good, the drinks were good... Problem is it's definitely geared toward the older crowd, and it seemed eerily quiet in there as we were eating.
3.5 stars
Been wanting to come here for a while every time I drove by it on Green Bay Rd. My groupon was about to expire so we finally decided to make our trip on a Thursday evening.
Be advised that the menu on their website is different from the actual menu that they offered during our dinner. It's the Summer Menu and they've also raised the prices for a la carte menu items.
They offered both 3 and 4 course prix fixe menus for $49.50 and $58
We didn't want to have too much food and still have room for dessert, so we went with one 4-course prix fixe and one a la carte entree item.
Â
Ambiance: 3.5
Not extravagantly decorated but it's warm and inviting without looking too outdated. I kind of liked the mood.
Not too big. Maybe a nice space for a private party?
It was pretty cold inside the restaurant.
Service: 4
Nice and attentive server and staff. Wasn't overwhelming but just there when you needed something.
Food: 3.5
*English Spring Pea soup was interesting. Worth trying once.
*Warm Pistachio Dusted Goat Cheese Truffle over honey truffle dressed baby greens with mushroom and rosemary scented pear ragout- Â It was super DELISH! My boyfriend Loved the salad!!!
*Grilled Organic Archer Farms Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras Risotto on a Bed of Duck & Confit Cabbage Salpicon, Truffle Scented Game Jus
*Duo of Roasted Filet Mignon & Veal Tenderloin, Sage Scented Morel Mushroom Sauce- it was way too salty and I mean SALTY! It would've been nice have some rice on the side with it. That's how salty it was. Otherwise the flavors were there and it would've been great with way LESS salt.
*Grilled Organic Archer Farms Quail Stuffed with Foie Gras Risotto on a Bed of Duck & Confit Cabbage Salpicon, Truffle Scented Game Jus-
I would've normally gotten some sort of fish entree and they had 2 different fish options. However, I decided to venture out and try something different. It's not everyday that one can get their hands on an organic quail. You can definitely taste the truffle! Yum! It was again, on a very salty side. I think the side of very creamy mashed potatoes that they serve you definitely helps! I only had a quarter of my very petite quail and brought it home.
*Tahitian Vanilla Bean Duo of Panna Cotta with Candied Citrus and Classic Creme Brule - very pretty looking plate with the way they plated it with colorful fruit puree things. It's very small. Just about 2 bites per person. That was just enough for both of us to end the meal.
They actually give you 2 truffles to end the meal, after your dessert!
It was a pleasant experience overall. Our entire meal took about 2 hrs.
With our meal and 3 glasses of wine, and with our $60 groupon, we ended up paying another $100 with tip and tax.
My boyfriend still favors Kiki's Bistro in River North.
I wanted to fall in love with this restaurant, but I couldn't.
This was our second time at Michael, the first time that we went there it was an odd night because there was a major storm, so it was us and  another couple. The first night the food was ok, the service was great and the dirty martinis were fantastic. We decided to come back because we had a Groupon that we wanted to use. So, about the food:
Overall, the Sweetbreads were good, but the Alaskan King Crab salad was bland. Then we had Salade Maison which was meh and Salade Nicoise that was quite tasty. We then had the lamb and the Sea Bass, both of the dishes seemed to lack flavor, it was rather disappointing. We finished with the cheese plate which was tasty (but than again how can you mess up cheese?) and the Pear Charlotte which was nothing more than soggy, chewy cake.
We left disappointed, but I have to say that the service is excellent at Michael. The wait-staff is extremely attentive and knowledgeable about the food.
But we will not be back because both of us got sick from eating at Michael. It's rather disappointing because it seems like they have the ingredients for something great!
Note for those with Groupons: they can be used for Friday and Saturday dinners, but only on reservations NOT during the 6:15-8pm time period. We went on Saturday night for an 8pm reservation with no problems, but I would recommend calling ahead and telling them you plan on using a Groupon to avoid any problems.
I was a little apprehensive about how we would be welcomed, considering that I had made the reservation saying we would be using a Groupon and people have seemed to have run into some issues with that. But we arrived right on time, and the maitre'd was gracious and seated us right away. No problems there.
Now, one note about ambience and environment. The place is gorgeous. But my significant other and I were probably the youngest people in the restaurant by about fifteen years, and our attire definitely suggested that we were not suburban folk (we wore "fancy" jeans and the boy wore a jacket). Now, this in no way affected the service, but it did make me feel a little self-conscious. But it was fun to try and identify the people arriving after us that we also identified as young city-folk experiencing high quality suburban dining on a Groupon.
We opted for the four-course tasting menu ($55/person), not willing to pass up any of the options. While we were perusing the wine list, a little amuse bouche came out courtesy of the chef, a very nice surprise. We were told it was a cheese puff, so I was expecting a gougere-like item, mostly pastry with a little cheese injected into it, but my god, no, this thing was a delight of all cheese that had just the tiniest outer layer of crispy pastry. Definitely a great way to start the meal.
First courses: I had the gateau of crab (read: crab cake) with a crab and fennel salad. They did not scrimp on the crab here. The crab cake was pure crab, and there were large chunks of crab in the salad as well. It had 2 sauces as an accompaniment, a Tahitian vanilla sauce and a ginger buerre blanc. I have to say I prefered the buerre blanc sauce, the vanilla was a little too sweet and overpowered the crab. The crab itself was sweet and tasty, and the salad was lightly dressed so you could still taste the fennel. My dining companion had the diver sea scallop  with tarragon spaetzle and bits of braised short rib. It was pretty divine from the one taste he allowed me.
Second course: we both got the Salad Nicoise Noueveau, and we both agreed that this was the best salad either of us had ever tasted. The seared tuna has the most delicious spice crust and the dressing on the greens is amazing. You should probably make sure to order this even if your mind is telling you "it's just a salad". You will be greatly surprised and happy.
Entrees: I went with the beef tenderloin and braised short ribs (although the fish courses were very tempting as we saw them delivered to other tables, I was already drinking red wine). The sauce for this is incredibly rich and delicious. It took me about halfway through the dish to hit a crispy little piece of bacon, and suddenly the genius of the sauce became very clear. The little bouqet of carrot and green beans tied with a chive was cute, and shows the care that went into each dish plating.
The boy got the roasted rack of lamb, and it was also super delicious. The black truffle potato croquettes were like fancy tater tots fried in the most delicious oil around. Lamb was cooked perfectly. I think what really won the boy over was that he HATES figs. And sweets. And the sauce: Â candied fig. And he LOVED it. The sauce was paired perfectly with the dish.
Also, creamy mashed potatoes with every entree? Yes please. Who doesn't want extra potato with their dish?
Dessert: um, I saw hot fallen chocolate souffle and didn't bother reading any of the other choices. This thing was rich and delicious. Probably the best part was the nut-covered butterscotch gelato that they place on top of the souffle when it is delivered to you. So good, but it is very rich. I have to say for overall dessert (I don't like the feeling of not being able to finish something because it's just too much chocolate), the prize went to the boy, who got the panna cotta  and creme brulee. Most perfect panna cotta ever, and the presentation on the dish was just sublimely beautiful.
This was definitely a dinner to remember. What I loved about each course was that the flavors lingered on your mouth and palette long after you had finished eating. The price, while not something I could afford every week (but I really wish I could), is very reasonable for the amount of food and, most importantly, the quality of the food. Will definitely return the next time I have an occasion to celebrate.
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