I'm only giving it three stars instead of two because I had one good lunch experience here almost two years ago. A friend and I stopped by for some drinks and lunch during Valpo Homecoming 2011 and had a great time. I thought the ambiance was perfect- not divey but not overly highbrow- they poured stiff drinks and had good beers and the sandwich selections, including my fish tacos, were really interesting, well made and convenient. Cut to yesterday when my husband and I arranged to meet with some friends we had not seen in awhile after the Valpo b-ball game. We all arrived shortly before three and were seated immediately. Then I noticed that we were given the dinner menu. My husband asked when they switched to the dinner menu and the waiter said 3:00. (Later, when we discussed it with the host, he told us 2:30). Normally, I wouldn't care but the dinner menu at Pikk's has a dearth of sandwiches and is way too fancy for a bar. Also overpriced. This just isn't the kind of place where I would want to get a $27 entree. Sorry. Anyway, we did ask if we could order off the lunch menu, seeing as it was only 3:10 but were denied. OK, we were going to make the best of it and ordered drinks. Then I noticed the "Weekly Specials" on the menu and we decided to get an appetizer that looked interesting off of it while we pondered what else we were going to eat. The waiter (who by the way was really pretty dour and douchey), informed us that NONE of the specials listed on the menu were available. At all. Period. Are you kidding me??? I asked why we were given the menus in the first place if that was the case. He freaked and made the host/manager, Aaron, come over. Aaron was super cool, I'll admit. But he wasn't really able to answer our questions. He apologized for not informing us when we were seated that the specials were not available. But then we got conflicting stories as to why that was. One version was that they "just switched over the menu" and the second was that the chef had a "family emergency." I'm really not sure what the truth was, but both seemed pretty dubious. We asked again if we could order from the lunch menu (wouldn't sandwiches be easier to produce than non-existent specials?). Once again, we were denied. Aaron was very apologetic and offered to comp our drinks before we went elsewhere. We really appreciated that and took him up on it. After leaving a decent tip for the waiter who never returned, we put on our coats and were walking out the door when Aaron stopped us to say that as a gesture of good will, he had taken the liberty of ordering us a couple signature appetizers. He said he really wanted us to come back another time. So, we stayed for those- the fries and the hot pretzel. I have heard good things about the pretzel and it was very tasty. Did not try the fries but they looked good and our friends said they were. I would very definitely come back here-- for lunch. And I would also very definitely recommend that they consider lengthening the lunch time, particularly on weekends. I just don't know too many people who want $27 lamb shanks at 3pm after a basketball game. But maybe I'm the weirdo! Three stars for the past experience and Aaron's valiant efforts yesterday.
Review Source:They have a separate gluten free menu and gluten free beer; however, I've had experiences where some servers have been very knowledgeable of gluten and others knew nothing.
The food at this place has been hit or miss for me since we started going here back in 2008. Â Sometimes the food is excellent, other times it is really blah. Â Case in point, I've ordered the chicken alfredo and it's been really delicious, but one time the sauce was practically just milk - yuck - and once it was brought to me without the chicken. Â When I asked why they apologized and brought out a bowl of plain chicken in that I could mix in myself. Oh, and one time they brought this dish to me with a piece of bread sitting ON TOP of the pasta, which goes to show that the server didn't know anything about gluten or else she would not have brought me the dish like that when I specifically ordered it gluten free. Â And no, I'm sorry, but those with Celiac can't just pick it off or eat around it. Â I had to wait 45 minutes for them to make a new batch. Â I finally stopped ordering the chicken alfredo.
The salmon has always been really good though and they have Greens gluten free beer, which I have a hard time finding anywhere else. Â The atmosphere and location are great too, and the staff have always been friendly.
We went here for the first time a couple of months ago and sat outside on the patio. Â The staff was super friendly, helpful and efficient. Â My husband and I both had the fish and chips and, I have to say, it was the best fish and chips we have had in North America. Â I don't say this lightly as we used to live in England, the home of fish and chips. Â
This is a great little place in downtown valpo...I highly recommend it and can't wait to go back very soon!
My family reserved the private room downstairs. Â It was a mixture of mostly adults, but some kids too. Â They had about three waiters for us. Â One guy was, at one point, extremely rude to the kids to the point that every adult gave him the side-eye. Â The next time he showed up, he was over-the-top kid-friendly. Â Bi-polar, obviously.
Our main waiter was super nice and super friendly. Â Everything regarding the food was good, except for the Mongolian beef that my mom ordered. Â First of all, Mongolian beef......at Pikks?! Â Really?! Â It was the only Asian dish on the menu. Â They should probably cut that out because my mom had a big-ass piece of fatty tendon in her meal. Â Gross.............
Beyond the bad food for my mom and weirdo server-tude towards my little cousins, I like this place. Â I like the atmosphere and the food.
We had a wonderful experience in the private nook as we celebrated three family birthdays. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The bill was stiff but the menu had unique options we really enjoyed. I especially loved the Lobster-miso soup with tofu as well as the mini blue cheese stuffed burgers. Everyone loved their food. Steaks were a little underdone, even for being ordered med rare, then when we asked for one to be cooked a little more, it took forever. The service is friendly and pleasant but slow. An extra side was ordered after everything else was served...but it never came. Busing leaves something to be desired as well as drink refill attentiveness. It was pretty busy for a late Monday evening in April, but cleared out around 9pm. We had a wonderful time, enjoyed the unique dishes, others were just okay. Loved having the private area, made a reservation about a week ahead of time. We'll definitely go back but we knew what to order based on other Yelp reviews and also knew we would probably wait a while for our service. In their defense, they may have thought we were waiting on more people or that we wanted a long leisurely dinner. We'll go back and I'll update my review. Until them, I would recommend giving it a try! It's not cheep but I didn't find it outrageous at all. But don't go if you want a $20 meal, it's a la carte, so plan to spend $40/person without desserts and minimal drinks. Nice atmosphere. If we did not have the party nook, I would have not enjoyed the nose level or lack of privacy, but that's just me. I wish there was a 3.5 but I'm going to give Pikk's 4 stars, but it's a soft four, waiting on my next visit :)
Review Source:Lets put this in perspective. Â For Valparaiso Indiana it gets 3 or 4 stars. Â If you are stacking it against Chicago it would receive 2 stars. It is quaint, cozy and makes you feel like you belong. Â They have a well stocked bar and the bartenders are well versed in making the drinks on the menu, but don't expect anything inspired off the cuff. Â They are not well versed in mixing even the most rudimentary cocktails. Stick with the menu and you will enjoy a drink. Â The food is hit or miss like a previous post mentioned. Â I have been there about 6 to 8 times and seem to enjoy it most when I just share a few appetizers. Â The blue cheese small burgers are really wonderful. Â Honestly, you will crave them once you've had them, and return wanting more...and then get lulled into thinking you should explore more of the menu since those damn burgers were so good...and that's where you will be disappointed. Â The steaks are overpriced and just "ok", all sides are a la carte and equally "ok". Â Fun place to catch live music with friends, have a drink and share apps. Recommend the mini burgers, tuna poke, fries, table side shrimp cocktail is good-but way overpriced for such small shrimp, the steak salad was alright too. Â The steak, chops, salmon and pasta dishes were just "ok", especially for the price.
Review Source:This is a great little restaurant. Â We arrived @ 5 pm on a Thursday night and within half an hour, there was a waiting list.
we enjoyed the crab/lobster rangoon appetizer. Â my wife enjoyed the horseradish bloody mary (DELISH). Â
The room was a bit chilly, maybe from being closed between lunch and dinner service. Â
The wait staff was attentive and efficient. Â
I had the chopped salad with chicken. Â The chicken breast was PERFECTLY cooked. Â Warm, juicy, and fresh.
my wife had the ribs. Â Meaty, tender, and decent portion. Â The house BBQ sauce was meh.
We were tempted to enjoy the Red Velvet Cake, but decided we would definately return with friends and would have more people with which to share.
We are looking forward to returning and trying the Cheeseburgers and pasta dishes. Â
I would recommend reservations if you aren't arriving @ the start of dinner service (5 PM)
Loved it!
I have been here twice since I moved to Valparaiso and have had great experiences both times.  The first time, I was there with my family who was visiting from the east coast and we had a great time.  Everyone enjoyed what they ordered.  The cheeseburger there is the best  I have ever had!  Really nice atmosphere at the restaurant too which is always a wonderful plus :)
Update 5/2012 - I changed my review from 4 stars to 3 stars based on a recent experience here where they forgot about us. Â My husband and I called and made reservations for dinner. Â When we got there, our table wasn't ready so we happily said we'd wait at the bar. Â The hostess said she would come and get us when our table was ready. Â The place was really busy - every table full and other people waiting at the bar too. Â Finally, an hour went by and I saw two parties get seated before us - two parties that got there well after we did. Â I went to the hostess (same person) to ask what was up and the hostess had no idea who I was and said, "Did you put your name in?" I told her we'd called and made reservations and that she said she would come and get us when our table was ready. Â She felt really bad and apologized and said they'd get us seated right away, which we were. Â Then a guy came over to us, maybe the manager, and also apologized. Â My husband was upset because we were sitting at the bar paying money for beers when we could/should have been sitting at our table a long time ago. Â He said this and the guy/manager didn't seem to care. Â Pikk's should have offered us a free round of drinks - or something - to make up for their mistake. Â But they didn't offer us anything. Â This made me feel like they didn't care about us. Â It would have been just a few bucks out of their pocket for a round of drinks or free appetizer or something. Â People make mistakes - I get it - but the restaurant business is pure customer service. Â By not offering to do something to make up for their stupid mistake it makes me feel that Pikk's doesn't really care about their customers (or at least they didn't care about us). Â Won't be going back here anytime soon.
Woof. I would give it a 4 if the whole menu was fantastic and the menu was a bit cheaper. Here is the trick. Pikk's is good at items that are not fancy. order a fancy expensive item on their menu and it is obvious the chef isnt as focused on that. This is much like ordering a burger at a Chinese eatery. Order up what you would consider bar food and they take that and up the ante. The open face steak sandwhich is their finest, their fries divine and their basic dishes are where it is at. order pad Thai at a tavern? of course it isn't going to be good. Another secret: New years eve is awesome here. No charge! but they add new year's even specials and drinks and stay open and celebrate with you.
Review Source:This place is usually very good, but the menu isn't particularly cheap so if you order the wrong thing you're going to want to burn that mother down. Â Luckily you have me here to tell you what to order, the open face steak sandwich. Â Middle of the menu as far as price range; top of the pack as far as taste. Â Their steaks are pretty good too, cooked well, no complaints. Â
My girlfriend is a hamburger maven and she thinks they do it pretty well.
Cool bar, definitely one of the best in Valpo. Â Pretty solid beer selection, although I wish they had more 3 Floyds, given the close proximity and sheer awesomeness of the brewery. Â Good mixed drinks as well, I have yet to be disappointed. Â A little bit steep for a law student, but I get by with a little help from my friends.
I would not recommend any of the pork options, and some of their sides are lacking but as far as Valpo dining goes, this is one of the many great options. Â
I like the atmosphere, it smells of mahogany and leather bound books. Â Not too stuffy but it is somewhat upscale. Â They also have a downstairs which seats quite a few people, so don't be turned away by a busy looking dining room.
Also, try their sister resturant Vinci in Lincoln Park, brunch options with a delightful italian twist.
Check out more of my reviews at <a href="http://www.ShawnKemp.yelp.com">http://www.ShawnKemp.yel…</a>
On Tuesday, August 16th we had received the worst service ever from a dining est...ablishment! The owner Phil told us to try someone else next time after we initially gave up our table of 6 to a group with a person in a wheel chair. We arrived at 6:30pm and the entrees came at 8:40pm...for only TWO of our party of SIX. The other entrees came out 20 mins after. Bread was never served to our table and we watched three other groups get up and leave without paying because of the horrible service and rude staff. My boyfriend and I approached the owner who told us to try somewhere else next time with no appology or anything close to a credit to our bill. Please no one ever eat here again. This business deserves to be closed ASAP because service to the paying customer is of no importance to them.
Review Source:Overpriced for what you get...especially the drinks (yikes!!). Been here a few times now, and probably won't go back again. Last time, the service was absolutely awful. We waited 20 minutes just to get some lousy mustard, and the manager was quite rude about it. In fact, it was the manager who hastily plopped our meals down on the table, then scurried away in a flash without asking if we needed anything else (like mustard, ketchup, etc). Our waitress disappeared for over 30 minutes. Sitting there with empty drinks, and couldn't get the condiments we needed. I was ready to walk out. The food here is average at best. For these prices, I'd expect MUCH MUCH better.
Review Source:I have been to Pikk's probably 10 times. Â I WANT to like it but I just never have any luck with the food. Â The service is friendly and the atmospere is cool. Â The outdoor dining deck is lovely on a warm summer night. Â The cocktails ARE good. Â On the weekends, in the summer, they often have good local musicians. Â Like I said before "I WANT to like Pikks" Â
I have had the steak sandwich and it tastes like beef jerky. Â The Pad Thai, in the words of my boyfriend was "the worst I've ever had". Â I was downtown and ordered fried pickles off of the Eat Up, Wine Down menu and when they arrived they had a tremendous amount of breading and upon biting into it, I realized it was a sweet pickle. Â Now, of course, not liking sweet pickles is a matter of taste...but it would be a nice thing for a server to let you know. Â The vast majority of my friends won't even go there because the food items they have tried, haven't been good either. Â
Things that I have liked: Â shrimp cocktail (they mix your choice of 3 sauces at your table), tuna tartar, and the guacamole. Â It's few and far between.
I've been going to Pikks since it opened a few years ago and really enjoy it. Â It's my go to dining option for casual but upscale food (for Valpo). Â The steaks are always reliable and my wife always enjoys their fish and French martinis. Â I also often use it for business lunches. Â In summary, one of the best run and versatile restaurants we have in Valparaiso. Â The pricing is very fair for what they are offering.
Review Source:Pikk's Tavern has a comfortable atmosphere with a nice (yet small) bar area and great food.
Like others have mentioned, it is a bit spendy considering it's located in good ol' Valpo, but for a nice dinner in town, I recommend it.
If you're in the mood for a fresh salad, the chopped salad with green goddess dressing is a hit.
One my my favorite courses, which Pikk's prepares quite well, is dessert. I went to Pikk's last month with a friend. We shared two desserts after our meal: red velvet cake with a cream cheese icing and a creme brulee. Both desserts were amazing! Follow that up with a famtastic cup of espresso, and I was set.
I will be returning.
I stumbled across this little restaurant walking around Valparaiso. We only stopped in to have one drink and to use the washroom. As soon as we sat down we met one of their regulars who bought us a few rounds and insisted on eating his pretzel he just ordered. It was the best pretzel I ever had & it came with 2 dipping sauces, cheese & sweet and sour.
They have a cool private dining area in the basement, great for parties!
If I am ever in Valparaiso again I would stop in and try a few more things on the menu.
Needed a place to spend a 'date night' with the boyfriend in Valpo. Searched around Yelp and found this place. Overall it was a pretty great decision. Took them a bit longer to seat just the two of us. The decor and service was wonderful. The food was pretty good too. I had the shrimp cooked crab and the boyfriend ordered the pork chop. Perfect amount of food to fill us up without having to bring home leftovers. I would definitely go here again the next time we find ourselves around Valparaiso.
Review Source:My family visited Pikk's Tavern to celebrate. We were a mixed group of adults and children, 8 in total. The staff were extremely helpful in getting us a suitable table for our group, and remained very attentive and helpful throughout our meal. Admittedly we went on a Monday night and they were slow, but you can't fake genuine kindness and sense of humor--the staff was simply great.
The food itself was good to excellent. The Oysters Rockefeller were very tasty and not overcooked as many restaurants prepare them. The Tuna Tartar was also quite tasty, but not a very large portion for the price.
We had a variety of dishes from pasta to Fillet, and all were quite nice. I personally had the ribs, which were surprisingly good for a restaurant that doesn't specialize in barbecue.
What really impressed me was the sides; the aug-rotten potatoes were simply amazing! Crispy topped with a bit of a bite from cheddar (or another sharp cheese). Very tasty lemon asparagus, better than average french fries--the sides made the meal.
My wife wanted an entree of the mac-and-cheese (which is actually a side) and they happily prepared that for her, which made her happy.
The pricing isn't intimidating at all from my perspective, but I live in Chicago not NW Indiana. For Valpo, it's probably on the high end of what you'd expect to pay for steaks and such, but the service quality, decor, and tastiness of the food warrant it. I expect we'll be back soon.
What a charming place and I totally disagree with L. R. about the pricing. Sure, Pikk's is a bit pricey for NWI but it is not outrageous. It is owned by Paul LoDuca (Vinci, Adobo Grill).
We started with the antipasto appetizer special. There was a generous serving of thick cut prosciutto, some excellent salami, a nice portion of Gorgonzola, chicken bruschetta and the best - cheese cheesecake. All was served on a bed of fresh spinach with a sweet balsamic vinegar and olive oil sauce. It was a large portion and we could have had salad or soup and made a meal of it.
Mom had the open faced steak sandwich ($12.99) and I had the burger ($9.99). Both came with fresh cut, slender fries. The flank steak was served rare and had Pikk's own steak sauce drizzled on top. My burger was served with blue cheese and caramelized onions. Despite ordering rare, it came out medium. I made a comment to Mom and the waiter overheard and immediately offered a replacement. I took it and the fresh burger came out rare and very hot. The burger was grilled and one of the best I have had.
The wines begin at $7.50 for a generous glass and there is a small, quality selection available. The mini burgers are $1.00 during happy hour 4pm to 6pm Monday through Friday and the daily special (if it is available) is half price during the last hour before closing. Â There are special events the 2nd Thursday of every month. Â
The inside of Pikk's is dark and woody. One wall is all brick. It is not too noisy. It is a challenge to get to the restrooms as you have to pass the open kitchen window where servers are ordering and picking up their meal. The ladies room was nicely decorated.
There was plenty of outdoor dining available.
Service was excellent - probably the best I have experienced in a long, long time.
Pikk's does a brunch on Sunday and dishes begin at $7.99 up to $9.99. We're anxious to return to this nice addition to Valpo.
Not impressed at all.  My dining club chose this place to eat last month.  The food was okay.  Not fantastic, not awful.  The price floored every one of us.  Not one of us will go back.  Not sure what they're trying to accomplish but soup shouldn't cost so much.  Oh, they also charged if you got pasta and wanted garlic bread with it.  The garlic bread was $2.00 a slice.  My goodness, they must think they're in New York City because I've paid those kind of prices there.  This is not New York City  for God's sake.
** As an aside - I want to add that my dinner club went for dinner. Â We had actual entrees. Â Had we gotten sandwiches and burgers, our bill would have been much less I'm sure. Â I don't know about Vinci or Adobo Grill, but I can tell you my last dinner in Vail cost less.
This is my favorite place in Valparaiso. Â It's a perfect combination of interesting and excellent food with a laid-back, casual atmosphere. The decor is styled after a Chicago-style early twentieth century steakhouse, but the few subtle, modern touches keep things feeling fresh. Â The front section of the restaurant has lots of windows so diners can be seen from the street, but the back is darker and more intimate. Â The basement area is a wonderful space, but it's usually open only for special events. Pikk's has a great old backbar, and they carry a decent selection of draft beers.
The steaks are PRICEY, so I've never tried one. Â But there is a wide-selection of more reasonably priced entrees including grilled chicken, salmon, pork chops, and pasta dishes. Â I've never had a bad meal here. Â In fact, I've never had a just OK meal here. I've enjoyed everything I've tried at Pikk's.
Also, check out Pikk's monthly special dinners. Â Each event promotes a brewery or a winery or a brand of liquor. Â For $25 or $30 you get a course of several meals, each one paired with a wine or beer or other drink. Â I've only been to one so far, and it was one of the best meals and best times I've ever had in a restaurant anywhere. Â For $25, it was an amazing deal.
Pikk's is sure to become the favorite place of a lot of people who live in Valpo. And if you are visiting town and looking for a great meal, this is the place.
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