Ovie Bar & Grill

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  Best thing ever -- 1/2 price bottles of wine on Saturday!!!

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  Posted on 03.03.13 Colleen D.

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  Tried Ovie for the first time today.  Absolute delight.  I had the corned beef sandwich and my friend had the angus burger.  Well worth the price.  Compared to some of the other bar and grills in the area, it is a bit pricey but I don't mind paying for quality and that's just what we got.  Daria, the waitress, provided the best service.  She was very knowledgeable of the food and wine menu, offered recommendations and just performed exceptionally well.  We even got a visit from one of the manager, just saying hello. I really love great customer service and this place gets a 10! The food is the icing on the cake.

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  Posted on 02.15.13 J S.

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  Great concept, but they need more time to get their service in check.  Pricey for a train station.

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  Posted on 02.02.13 H H.

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  came here after work and although it was pretty waited about 15 minutes for a table.  Food was just ok and service was pretty awful. Also the weird to go counter thing pretty much through off any ambiance this place is trying to maintain. Wont come back even though this place is literally under my office :(

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  Posted on 01.18.13 Diana D.

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  I came on on a Tuesday night with a girlfriend to have dinner and then later we sat at the bar for a drink.  After my girlfriend left i was approached by a much older gentlemen who was unshaven and had on a hideous tie as he sat down next to me he mentioned that he was the manager of the restaurant and his name was Jeff then for the next 10-15 minutes continued to try to "pick me up"   he even went so far as to offer me a ride home!
  Needless to say i was horrified i tried as fast as i could to get out of there.  I just came in to have dinner with a friend and left feeling scared.  I don't think i would ever go back even though the food was great.
  No woman should ever experience this while on a night out.

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  Posted on 01.18.13 Mary B.

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  So I decided to give this place another shot..  Its right across the street from work and I imagine that I will be there a few more times, if nothing else just for the drinks.
  
  I saw the the shrimp dish and moved down in price and offers better value, so that is good.
  
  I got the burger this time, and I have a lot of good things to say.  First the visual presentation of the burger is really good. The plate is colorful and filled with food.  The burger came out very quickly... but I was there a bit on the early side.  Still fast services is key at lunch time.
  
  The burger was really good... but the fries.  They are something else.  They are not even really fries, they are wedges of potatoes that are baked, then fried then seasoned very lightly -- the result is happiness.  
  
  I will be back to try the ruben... the bartender who was very friendly and attentive to me and other customers said it was the specialty of the house.  They smoke it in house, so I am looking forward to that.

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  Posted on 01.11.13 Brian B.

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  A great alternative to the other bars/restaurants at Ogilvie Station.  Good service where servers are friendly and willing to offer recommendations.  Seems to be popular with the locals as well as the commuters.

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  Posted on 12.26.12 Richard S.

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  Reading the reviews it seems like people either hate this place or love it.  Since it was a slow day downtown, we decided to give this place a try for lunch.  I am glad we braved the winds and headed over because the menu and service were fabulous.  I ordered the orrechetti and shrimp and asked if they could leave the cream sauce off and just do a light olive oil - no problem and they even sent some gratged parm over - perfect!  The shrimp was cooked just right and there were 5 large ones in this dish.  My friend had the reuben and he thought it was delcious, with a smoked cheese on it as well.  Our server was right there with drink refills and got us a plate to share the yummy blood orange cheese cake that was light and fluffy (not dense like a lot can be).  All this was just over $40.
  
  I would totally go back and try some of the other options - including the bacon cheddar burger!

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  Posted on 12.26.12 Yvonne O.

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  The price/proportion ratio was ridiculous. Went here on Saturday and paid either $8 or $9 for a plate of hummus and baba ganoush with pita chips. What we got was a few pita chips and an ungodly amount of icky tasting hummus and some plain jane baba ganoush. It was so disappointing watching them deliver the plate to us and even more disappointing eating it. In fact, later on in the evening, we went to my aunt and uncle's house where they served us hummus from Trader Joe's- we both commented that this hummus that probably costed $3 for a tub tasted so much better than what we paid almost $10 for.
  
  Anyway, because we stuck to bottled and draft drinks, it wasn't out of the realm of city prices. I paid $5 for a Woodchuck and my friend paid $6 for a beer. Nothing too crazy there, but I can see how the mixed drink menu can get expensive fast. Based on the food experience I had, though, I won't be back, even to have just a drink. Pretty disappointing.

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  Posted on 12.16.12 Sara M.

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  My experience was two dinners in the dining room; I have not experienced the take-away, cafeteria, or bar service.  I assume the place is totally different during the day and especially near rush hour, as it's in the train shed of the Ogilvie Station.  I found the oyster selections fresh and the small plates quite good.  The salads were plentiful and properly done.  The entrees were also very solid.  My guests enjoyed their cocktails, which seemed a bit hokey, but as I don't drink, I don't comment on that part of the menu.  The waiters knew the menu, but were not obnoxious.  Service was prompt.  So I have no complaints after two perfectly nice dinners and will return.

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  Posted on 11.26.12 Mike A.

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  Great food, full bar, a welcome addition to the neighborhood .

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  Posted on 11.23.12 Daniel M.

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  I went to Ovie's express counter for the first time today and got the chicken panini.  The sandwich was huge, you definitely get a lot for your money!  I also picked up a Hazelnut Praline chocolate from the cafe and it was amazing!  Definitely one of the best chocolates I've had, and believe me, I know my chocolate!  I work a couple blocks from Ovie and there aren't a lot of great places to get a good sandwich or salad that's not from a crappy fast food place. I'm excited to have Ovie nearby and I hope to try the sit down restaurant soon.

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  Posted on 11.06.12 Rebecca T.

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  Went for drinks yesterday with 2 friends and we grabbed seats at the bar. The atmosphere and decor are very sleek yet comfortable. The wine selection by the glass was good and even bigger by the bottle. We had a great bartendress, Lauren, who was very attentive and when my friend asked if they had stuffed olives she said no but a few minutes later 2 freshly stuffed olives arrived for her martini!! We ordered the crab cake which was delicious andmostly crab and the cheese plate which was another winner and sized well for 3. We had a great experience and will definitely be going back!!

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  Posted on 10.31.12 Susan S.

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  I only tried the deli counter and I doubt that I'll be back. I went after the lunch rush and ordered the Roast Beef and Blue Cheese on a pretzel roll. There were four guys working the sandwich counter and it still took ten minutes to get my sandwich. I got back to work only to find that it wasn't on a pretzel roll. It was on ciabatta. It had mayo instead of bleu cheese, which is gross to me. Instead of a pickle spear it had a stack of pickle slices and at least a shot glass worth of pickle juice in the bottom of the box. Maybe the mayo was supposed to be a bleu cheese sauce, but I could not detect even a hint of bleu cheese flavor, so it might as well be mayo if you're expecting bleu cheese. It's also not a great sign when the guy making your sandwich keeps looking at the menu to see what goes on it.

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  Posted on 10.29.12 Ryan P.

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  Just opened business, so some kinks to be worked out.. that being said:
  
  1.  No Tito's, which is the vodka of choice for my co-workers and I.  Sad.
  2.  Ordered oysters which took about 20 minutes to come.  Two raw oysters?
  3.  Bartender didn't know which oyster was what, so had to send it back to ask.  Appreciate finding out, but would think that it would have made more sense to be prepared.
  
  Pricing is a little extravagant, but to be expected for a train station spot... Maker's 46 on the rocks ran me $9, while vodka with a lime twist was $8.  Far from affordable, but I've seen pricier as well in Chicago.
  
  Verdict:  Unlikely to revisit for drinks.. maybe will check out lunch.

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  Posted on 10.27.12 Derrick T.

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  First off, Ovie has three different areas to cater to the different and unique patronage that flows from the train station to downtown; the deli style cafe, coffee bar, and a bar and grill. In the first week they were open, I decided to visit three times and give each area venue a try and this is what I found.
  
  Day one, the deli was incredible. Albeit a bit of a cluster-f#ck of employees not having any clear instruction. My sandwich was ENORMOUS! Waaay to much meat on my Reuben, but hey, I'm not going to argue. Especially when it tastes incredibly delicious. The service was also persistently polite.
  
  Day two, they didn't have every employee in the place working and the sandwich makers seem to have their process down. The consistency of the sandwich quality had changed a bit more to something that would be expected from any other sandwich shop in the area however. This saddened me a bit though, as this doesn't give them any way to really stand out from other places in the area. We decided to try their coffee shop this time and were surprised to see that it was nothing more than another Lavazza. I suppose this works out alright, as I like Lavazza, but I think their menu may be a bit abbreviated.
  
  Third day, what a freaking nightmare. We decided to try their newly opened bar and grill area and were the first table to arrive. We were seated all the way to the back of the restaurant, understandable for a table of 5, but passed by several other more desirable areas before being placed in the furthest corner. The service that followed throughout the afternoon was atrocious though. The food was mediocre at best, unrepresentative of the overly priced menu. For example, the SAME REUBEN that is $9 at their own deli is $12 in their bar!?!?!! WHY?! The $28 braised ribs were cold, the burger came no toppings or condiments and the macaroni and cheese had no flavor. When I asked three servers for condiments and the rest of the burger toppings, by the time I received them, my food was cold and everyone else had finished eating. Nicely enough, the manager came over and made some slight adjustments to the bill, but the entire afternoon was filled with apologies for repeated shortcomings. This quickly turned into a two hour lunch just waiting for them to repeatedly correct their mistakes, and all for overpriced meals. This last visit really left me unsettled and I don't think I'll be returning for anything other than a drink or two (and this is only because of convenient location).
  
  So, the short of it is this. If you're going for the deli, the sandwiches are good; pricey and inconsistent, but good. Their bar selection is full, but nothing special, and the grill menu is fair (albeit outrageously priced, comparatively speaking). The wait staff is incredibly polite, but terribly incompetent. I feel like nobody at Ovie is familiar with working in the service industry, and this may be the first attempt at management and ownership at running a restaurant. They have a long way to go, and if they stick with it, they could do great things. But this is only the first week and they certainly have a long way to go.

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  Posted on 10.26.12 Mark M.

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  Forwhat it is, a Bar and a Grill in the train station, it is a great choice for dinner before heading out on the train or in the neighborhood.  I am a local and I can assure you this will be a spot for locals to patronize.  If you are in a rush, the restaurant part may not be for you.  however, if you need a good place to eat, this is a nice restaurant.
  
  Since it just opened, I will offer a more lengthy review since I believe other Yelpers appreciate more information from the community when it is available.
  
  The establishment is really several types of places in one.  When you go in, it is a coffee bar.  Haven't tried that yet, but will on a future visit.  Beyond that is the deli.  I need to try that sometime, as well.  Looks good but I will need to be home for lunch and pop over to sample it.  Then there is the bar.  It is a hoping place.  As bars go, I think it will do well. It is very busy in the evening and the crowd is youngish.  You can see the yuppies looking at their smart phones and watching the plasma TV's.  The music is LOUD.  Conversation is possible, but you cannot talk in a soft tone and expect your table mate to hear you.  We ate in the restaurant portion of the establishment and, overall, I give it high marks for the food and service.  I would mark it down for being way too loud.  however, the location is really good if you either live in the area or may be catching a train.
  
  I ordered their house mixed green salad for openers with Balsamic Dressing and it was delicious.  Their greens are fresh and well done.  Next, I ordered their Grilled Scottish Salmon and it was fabulous.  I really enjoyed it and will return for more in the future.  Underneath the Salmon was a bed of vegetables which I could not identify, but it was tasty and enjoyable.  My dining companion had the Filet Mignon.  I tasted it and it was just perfect.  I would also order that again.  In short, we were won over by the food which is very nicely prepared and served.
  
  The servers are eager and helpful.  The location is under the Ogilvie Transportation center tracks next to the French Market in the Concourse of the station.  The food preparation took about 20-30 minutes but it was well worth it and we visited about 6:15PM on a Friday night.  The prices are a bit higher than moderate, but the quality justifies that.
  
  So welcome to the neighborhood, Ovie.  Nice to meet you and we look forward to getting to know you better. I recommend Ovie.

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  Posted on 10.26.12 John M.

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