Republic Pan Asia is also managed and owned by the owners of Rise on Southport. I like Republic for a number of reasons.
To begin with, the atmosphere at this place is great for going on a date. The outdoor seating blends in well with downtown Chicago's electric nightlife. The staff is friendly, and very knowledgeable about their Pan Asian dishes. If you are shopping on Michigan Ave, and looking for a unique place to eat, Republic is a really good choice.
I'm also impressed by the vast selection, and unique combination of Asian inspired food. They serve fresh sushi, as well as special Thai and Chinese dishes. My favorite is their lobster Bisque soup.
If you are going on a date, or just partying with friends, ask for a seat on the second floor near the window. Ontario street is bustling with action and the tables on the second floor ensure you won't miss a thing.
Another quality I like about Republic is the decorations and architecture. The dining room downstairs is a little more decorated with modern art. However; upstairs is the place is where I like to be. The large dining room has light wooden floors, with very little art work on the walls. Your eye's attention is centered on the main windows over looking the city. If you are looking for a little romance, or even just a place to take friends, I would check this place out. Â The restaurant can be a wee-bit expensive, but you I think the prices are compatible with most downtown spots.
3.5 stars. Just an FYI, Republic is no longer in existence. It is now Farmerie 58.
Republic was a decent Pan Asian restaurant in the River North area. They had a a fresh and spicy tuna tartar and tender beef skewers. There wasn't anything original dishes so to speak but what they did have was good. I will miss this place since It was one of the very few Pan Asian restaurants in my area.
EDIT: Â Just saw that it has remodeled and has a new menu. Â ??? Â Wonder why - this place was always PACKED.
I've been here twice. Â Sushi is good and the drinks are GREAT.
I love the atmosphere. Â If you want a bit more of a quiet/ intimate atmosphere request to sit on the second floor. Â It is MUCH quieter than the loud first floor and better accommodates larger groups. Â
We had a reservation for 10, and unlike most places they let us sit down at our table and enjoy drinks before the entire party had arrived. Â I really appreciated that.
I'll definitely go back here.
I had no expectations going in, cuz I thought it was going to be americanized (too much mayo & soy sauce, machine-cut fish) asian food, but Republic surprised me with good martini and sushi. I got pomegranate and lychee martini, which was so pretty and delicious. We ordered some rolls, which were surprisingly delicious, too! The decor is cute and modern (not cheesy asian with a bunch of red ornaments with chinese characters on it. i hate those!), and they had great music. Dinner came out to be around $35-40pp, which is expected for a sushi dinner. I was happy with the place overall, but I don't know if it was worth that much.
Review Source:I came here with an old friend I hadn't seen in a very long time and found it OK, but not exactly anything special. The highlights of our meal (consisting entirely of miso, seaweed salad, and sushi -- the basics) was the soy sauce mixed with sake, which is delicious, and their very aesthetic choice of sushi wrappings. They often use colored soy paper instead of nori, so the color of sushi wrappings essentially involves every color imaginable. My Sa-B roll, which was tempura salmon and jalapeno etc. and delicious even though it tasted like a tortilla, was neon lime green on the outside! FUN!
The only reason I give it four instead of five stars is because aside from some signature makis, this place is a bit pricy for regular ol' sushi and sushi dishes. One would imagine a classy place like this could splurge and make their own tamago, for instance, instead of using the regular old comes-in-an-eggy-loaf kind, or that they would serve real seaweed salad that wasn't dyed (even whole foods serves that).
Kudos on using real wooden re-usable chopsticks and having delicious sake though -- it was melt-in-your-mouth salmon.
I really liked this place a lot. Â We ate outside since the weather was really nice and unlike some places we were not ignored because we were eating outside.
My Pomegranate-Lychee martini was yummy and the maki that we had was excellent. Â My husband had something called Lemongrass grill with beef which was very good also.
An amendment to my previous review...
About 2 months after I wrote my previous review, the manager contacted me to apologize and asked if we would consider giving Republic another try as his guest. That impressed me, and we returned last night.
Our experience this time was wonderful--service was outstanding and the food was delicious. Â Our waitress was honest and helpful when navigating the menu and the manager, Brian, stopped by at least 3 times to check on us.
This level of customer service, combined with yummy food will keep us coming back.
We've been back to Republic twice since the last review because the boyfriend is such a big fan of their Singaporean noodles. Both times we've gone for the Shanghai soup baos again and were sadly disappointed by the lack of soup inside. We've also tried some other dishes - the sesame calamari has lots of flavor but it's not the crispy kind if that's what you're looking for (does come with some crunchy pieces of batter (?) so that made me happy), and the sushi also has lots of flavor but doesn't really taste like fish, which doesn't quite make sense. On the upside, though, service was consistently good, so no complaints there!
Review Source:It was alright. I had high expectations of the experience prior to coming in just from looking at pictures and the menu. The decor is great and I liked the atmosphere.
We had reservations and showed up on time but got seated awkwardly close to the tables on either side of us. It was tough to get in and out as well as trying to talk over other conversations.
My cocktail was good. It was a cucumber martini, I recommend. However, the food was just average. I'd have to agree that it's overpriced.
This is one of those restaurants that look pretty but offer overpriced Asian dishes. Â The only things I really love about this place are their pomegranate-lychee martini and sea bass appetizer (some of their makis are tasty too). Â Their yaki udon is not too bad but pretty salty and I was pretty excited about the miso glazed salmon because I looove miso salmon but it was pretty bland. Â Other things that I've tried were pretty blah such as their pad thai, orange sauce beef and mushroom/potato appetizer.
Review Source:I liked this place. Â The reviewers that described the scene are accurate, it's very nice inside with all the details attended to from the beautiful bar to what's playing on the plasma screens. Â
I went with 2 co-workers for lunch here. Â I was in the mood for something light on my tummy and my wallet, so I wound up ordering The Republic Salad which was fairly basic, and good. Â The dressing was delish and they didn't over do it which was nice. Â I was expecting it to be tiny, but the salad was actually quite large and satisfying for the $7 price tag.
One of my companions got the pad thai and it was really good. Â I believe you can judge all Thai cuisine based on the caliber of their pad thai. Â This one was exceptionally fresh and none of the important ingredients (kafir lime leaves, cilantro, chili) were skimped on. Â The chicken was good n' moist too.
It's pretty expensive for lunch, but I'm betting if you're feeling swanky or going for dinner it's worth it. Â You do get what you pay for after all.
At the beginning of my meal at Republic, I was ready to give it a glowing review. Â Our server was able to make some good recommendations for drinks and appetizers. Â We both had the Lychee Fizz martini, which has lychee (obviously), champagne (!), and pomegranate seeds. Â Delicious! Â
My friend is a vegetarian and I decided to "go veggie for the night" so we could try more things. Â Most of the entrees and noodle dishes can be made vegetarian. Â We had the pad thai and the mango red curry. Â The pad thai was pretty good and a generous portion. Â The mango red curry was pretty flavorless. Â I wouldn't recommend it. Â That's when the meal started to go downhill. Â After our food came, our waiter rarely came back to the table and pretty much left us to the busboys and the hostess. Â Also, we had food left in our serving dishes for a while while we chatted and grazed -- someone came by to ask if we were done no fewer than four times!! Â I felt rushed. Â
Bottom line: Â drinks and apps were great, ambiance is amazing, the rest is mediocre.
It is still cold as hell in Chicago, so I was all for going to the nearest restaurant to our hotel and Rebublic Pan Asian was it. I agree with everyone else the decor is fab.
My friend and I ordered mainly sushi dishes and they weren't bad--just average. Our service was great and the the sushi came out at a smooth flow. The sashimi was good. The spicy scallop nigiri was the best. We also ordered bananas and walnuts for dessert, thinking of course that it would be something kinda cool--well it was sliced bananas and walnuts. I think a tasty scotch would have made it taste better but I am still on the wagon.
My "sex and the city" gals and I ate here during Restaurant week. Beforehand, I checked out the menu online and everything sounded so good. Hmmm, not so! I expected the decor to be a little more chic but it's not. The only good thing is that I didn't have to shout during dinner. It's the only semi-compliment I can give.
Service was horrible. It took 20 minutes for our 4 martinis to come. Trust me, the bartender didn't look busy. The best part of the 3 course meal was the salad...and it was your basic Asian-styled salad. The description for Hong Kong steak said, "tenderloin with sweet potato puree, haricot verts, carrots & shiitake in a rustic oyster soy sauce." Maybe there was a new chef because there weren't any haricot verts, carrots, shitake or oyster soy sauce! It was an under seasoned piece of steak. Â I could have gotten a better steak @ Outback for half the price.
We left the restaurant still hungry and very unsatisfied.
I really liked the decor and ambiance at Republic, very clean and modern. Decor wise, my favorite were the bathroom sinks. Oh and I have to mention the chairs were really comfortable too!
The food on the other hand was just okay. I was here for the Prix Fixe menu for restaurant week, so I had started with the salad, which was no different from a salad I've had anywhere else, the Salmon- which was a little burnt, but resented well. Luckily they ran out of the restaurant week desserts, so the waitress let us pick anything off the dessert menu. I chose the bananas with walnuts- which was simple but oh so yummy! The food was decent, not amazing, and I do'nt think I'd pay full price for it..
I may come back to republic- but for drinks not food. The bar area seemed like a fun place to grab drinks with friend before going else where..
I saw some reviews with complaints about the service, so I'll have to start by saying that the service for my wife and I was fine. I'm giving it 2 stars for the food.
The decor was really nice, and actually raised my expectations, but the food was not great; really only presented well. I had the Hong Kong steak as part of a special Prix Fixe menu week for downtown Chicago restaurants. If I'd paid menu price, I'd have been very disappointed. My wife had the prawns (she shared a few with me), and we both agreed it tasted like something you could get at Panda Express for a quarter of the price.
The drinks were good, but still overprice for what they were. If I'm going to eat downtown, I'd rather pay less money for the same quality of food, or else pay more money and get really good food.
The best thing about Republic is their decor. Â From there, everything goes downhill. Stay away. Â Some friends and I were there pretty close to when it opened. Â The service was HORRIBLE. Â Even the owner was yelling at her staff....by the bar, in the open!! WTF?! Who does that?
I ordered a standard pad thai....gross. it was disgusting. Â It was nothing resembling pad thai. Gross. Â Also, their salmon rangoon was disgusting.
The best thing about this place is their lychee martini and their taro root fries.
I went here for my birthday over a month ago and have held off until now to review this place. This place would get ONE star if it weren't for a few variables. One of those being the overall evening with my friends was great.
Went to Pops before walking down to Republic (see review of Pops) for 8pm reservations. We were admittedly tipsy upon our arrival. Did I mention it was my birthday? Alas we were in the mood for a long evening at Republic and gradually ordered drinks and appetizers once seated up stairs. Â
At 8:55 PM, the manager sauntered over to our table to inform us that at 10 pm we needed to be "OUT" due to a private party they were having up stairs. She went on to inform us that two hours should be enough time for dinner and asked that we order in the next five minutes. Â WHAT????? Seriously????
We weren't sure what to think of this. I blame it on the area and how painfully rude and thoughtless servers can be in that area. But this is the manager representing their restaurant. You're shaking your head asking, "so what's with the two stars". Well the meal that was rushed out to us and practically thrown down our throats was very good. Four stars would've have gone just to the seaweed salad that is just amazing and the best I've had in the city.
By no means do I think this is representative of the overall scene at Republic but  it did strike me as odd and I couldn't give an honest review of this place without mentioning this. I can't say I'll never go back because I'm the only one losing out there. I'll just take my stop watch and make sure I'm sticking to the two hour rule. Or get a seaweed salad for take-out.
3 stars is about right. I have to agree with alot of the reviews for Republic the service needs alot of help. We arrived on a Friday around 7ish and were actually seated right away since half the restaurant was empty. Service started out very well. We were greeted right away, told the specials, and our drink order was taken. Drinks came out fairly quickly and our food order was taken. From there it went downhill. As the restaurant got busier our server got more and more flustered and it seemed like he wasn't all that experienced on the computer so it would take him forever to put in an order. My second drink never arrived. Our server never made eye contact with us throughout the whole night so we had to track him down to get our bill.
The food on the other hand was great. I ordered the Tom Yum soup to start and it was very flavorful and spicy. We ordered a few specialty maki which were fresh and tasty. The Hot and Spicy Beef that we ordered a bit of a let down...tasted more like Pepper Steak and there was nothing hot or spicy about the dish.
I'd definitely give this place another shot...just hopefully we get a server that is a bit more experienced.
I have extremely mixed feelings about Republic.
The first couple of times I experienced it were at industry events. BAD! Two separate times, folks were practically knocking each other out just to get a piece of food. They would bring out one tiny tray for 100 people. It was literally gone within the minute. Luckily Quartino is just down the street and we satisfied our hunger there later.
I finally decided to give it another chance about one month ago. We went for dinner and had a wonderful time. The food was great. We had the sendai beef (unbelievable), mini chicken rolls (tasty), and one of the noodle dishes (ok). The real highlight of the night was the service though. It was seamless. Everything arrived at the just the right time, our drinks were never empty, the waitress was pleasant, and I noticed the manager adjusting the curtains at just the right time to create ambiance. Impressive!
My last visit was just the opposite. It started off with the $11 martini at the bar which did not even come close to reaching the top of the glass. Then we get to our table and it went downhill. The waitress was just plain poor. Each time we ordered a drink we waited 15 minutes or more to receive it. I get CRABBY when I get thirsty! Then in the middle of our miso soup, she interrupts us to take our order. She was abrupt and mumbling in her service approach. We sat with a pile of dirty plates as she walked past us numerous times. She finally peeped her head around the corner and asked if she could bring us the check. She never asked if we wanted dessert or an after dinner drink. We did.
It's a shame. The setting is comfortable yet sheik, the food is good enough to go back, but I'm kinda over it. Maybe I'll sit at the bar again someday for the sendai beef and some of the awesome mango ice cream. Maybe.
I think Republic is soooo cute the restaurant is very light and modern, the white chairs and wood make is especially inviting. The owners of this restaurant used to run Gia's on Delaware? I think that their menu is very diverse. So, if you have someone that doesn't like sushi, but you are craving this is the place to go!
The Martinis are very nice and inexpensive considering the location. I haven't had anything on the menu that I didn't like. Try it out if you are in the area :-)
I think I have much of the same to say as others. Went here for v-day with the misses. I thought the food was quite good (except the chinese entree we had: sesame beef). I enjoyed the tum yum, tuna taretare, sushi. My wife on the other hand hated everything. It didn't help that the waitress disappeared for 30 minutes, while the owner took our order (all the while trying to "Over-Sell" us on the special). So, either this place employs too many lovers, or are skimping on the staff budget.
Review Source:The wok-type food is pretty good - I particularly like the sesame shrimp. Â I've had sushi here, but haven't been overly impressed - while the fish was fresh and all, the rice kind of lacked flavor. Â however, I do like the fact that they bother to serve sake (and not that lame "standard "Gekkeikan that's microwaved in the tokkuri either.) Â Sushi and sake - what a bomb!
The service is very good. Â I'm not a big fan of the decor, mostly because of the funky tables which I didn't like. Â After a while, this place became mostly a take out place for me, as I stayed in a hotel around the corner.
Hard for me to believe that the reviews aren't better for republic? Â I wonder when people complain about service... are they just looking to get in, consume, and get out? Â Are they actually there to have a conversation with their dinner partner? Â We spent a few hours here to eat and drink and never had an empty sake bottle or sapporo glass for more than a couple of minutes. Â Well enough on service.
I especially like the fun bamboo weaved boat that the edamame came in, which you can request warm if you like it that way like me (the edamame, not the boat). Â Most importantly the sushi fish was very fresh, one of the better textured fish in the city in my opinion. Â The signature maki list was extensive (have the people's republic and ishido rolls) but the common rolls were lacking, which means you spend a little more money. Â Even still, I didn't feel like it was overpriced at all.
The ceilings are tall which means it can get loud. Â They opted for the chic, hip interior kit of parts complete with subtitled kung-fu movie playing on the white wall. Â I thought the lighting could have been dimmed another couple candles.
Great decor, absence of an ambiance, and forgetable food...
Went with 4 friends on a Thursday night..We were surprised at the incredibly quiet (dead) vibe for a Thurday in River North around the holidays....
P.S It was laughable when we were the ONLY ones waiting for a valet and it took 35 minutes!
If you are familiar with Wagamama in Europe, then you will love this place. It's like Wagamama on a more upscale level.
At 7pm on a Saturday evening it was fairly quiet, the service was fine, nothing amazing but nothing to complain about either.
The menu is pretty good, a lot of small plate appetizers to choose from, and a very large sushi menu. They also do pretty good noodle dishes. We ordered two appetizers, a salad and two noodle dishes. It was a little too much food for us! But it was all very delicious.
We'd definitely go there again, I guess the 1 missing star is because it doesn't have a cocktail menu but this is a restaurant rather than a bar.
Oh and the asian movies are awesome, we watched 'Farewell My Concubine'. Interesting!
So most of the time when we come up to Chicago we stay with a friend in the South Loop and she takes us to a bunch of places and eat and eat and eat and eat and eat until we die (I'm a Donald Duck fan, myself).
So she'd always ask how we'd like it and I'd be like "it's pretty good!" when in actuality I wasn't very impressed and gave them 3 stars on yelp. Â One day we were in the car driving somewhere and we were debating where to go for breakfast the next day and one place was mentioned...
"I dunno... when you can't get omelettes and pancakes right, you might as well hit up an IHOP... OOOH!"
... a quote from a not-so-positive review... subsequent words after that were words such as "liar" and "betrayed." Â We went to Republic that evening...
.... and I've been afraid of reviewing this place since.
In all honesty, there is no reason to order something like pad thai at a fancy looking Asian place. Â Unless you hear that it is the absolute best ever, stay away from stuff that you already enjoy at a far cheaper place. Â If you're going to a place like this, get something that at least sounds fancy, like the pan seared scallops or carpaccio. Â
With that said, the food was solid and the service was great that day. Â The most memorable thing there was actually this roll that had cilantro in it. Â (rainbow roll? Â o_O) Â I think it's pretty pricey for what they give, but it still warrants a recommendation.
So yeah... this place really was "pretty good!"
I am mixed on Republic. Â As it seems so are others.
I've been twice. Â The first time I had a great experience. Â I sat at the bar solo on a Sunday. Â The bartender was great. Â The first glass of vino was bad. Â He tried it, agreed, and gave me a new glass. Â The second glass tasted great. Â Sometimes, wait staff can be difficult about giving you a fresh glass of vino. Â They think you are being difficult. Â I ate the Singapore Noodles. Â It was amazing! Â I love Singapore Noodles. Â I haven't had a great one since Hi Ricky's in Bucktown.
The second time, I took a friend. Â We sat outside. Â We had an app. that was supposed to be a hot dish. Â It came out cold twice! Â We gave up on the kitchen to get it right. Â I had the Singapore Noodles again. Â They we very average this time. Â My friend was happy with his dish. Â I expected to get the app. taken off the bill since it was cold. Â No go. Â What a disappointing meal.
The prices are good for the portions and the food. Â However, you never know if you are going to have a great experience or an awful one. Â It is a gamble.
Republic is great spot to meet people for dinner and drinks after work. The bar area is open with plenty of seats at the bar. The bar tender was very friendly and fast. The music is not too loud so that you can speak with the people you are with without shouting.
The food was good. We had the scallop and tuna ceviche for an appetizer. I had the Tochigi Roll and it was delicious. I also tried each of the other entrees that were ordered at our table. The Udon was fantastic. I would definitely order that the next time I am back. The Pad Si-Ew  was good, but there was an over abundance of soy sauce in the dish.
I will be back to Republic. Good food with a great atmosphere and friendly and efficient staff.
Meh...
Is it just me or do all these pan-asian/sushi places taste the same? Â The sushi and appetizers were good but nothing great or unusaual. Â They weren't any better than Ping-Pong or Butterfly but they are more expensive.
I was in a group of about 12 and once we waited for our server for about half an hour it took another half hour to get our drinks. Â They were nice enough to comp them because the service was a disaster. Â 2-stars for the free drinks.
"Eh" is all I can say about this place. Â Had dinner here last night and the place is still on not its game from a service standpoint and there are better places for Pan Asian food.
The best things about the night- the appetizers and the rolls were good. Â The lettuce wraps were quite tasty. Â Try the tuna tartare served with little crisps, very good. Â The spicy tuna roll was also good (maybe I should have stuck with tuna for my entrees!)
Since I was with a couple of other people we ordered 4 entrees to split so that we could taste a variety of the menu. Â I really wasn't thrilled with any of them. Â The Kobe beef shoulder, while done perfectly, came with a ginger sauce that was over bearing. Â The hot pot with beef (really spicy!) was okay but the peppers in it over took any other flavors. Â The noodle dish (kudon?) also was overwhelmingly saucy and only had a couple of shrimp in it. Â The best thing? Â The Kobe beef steak served with sweet potatoes but I could get that at a steak house.
The wine list also needs some work. Â There was nothing really interesting on the list and the bottle we ordered really wasn't that good.
Service was mediocre at best. Â My drinks came twice without lime and the coffee was lukewarm. Â In fact, when we ordered coffee, the waiter told us that the machine was not on (it had just been installed) and he wasn't sure he could make coffee. Â Here's to tell you- you can't. Â
I don't know if they were short servers, or what, but the bartender was clearing tables, people I never saw before were bringing our food and the person I thought was our waiter was MIA most of the night.
My advice- if you go- go for a cocktail in their very nice lounge area and order a couple of their appetizers. Â Maybe that way you won't be disappointed!
Ate with a bunch of summer associates at Republic recently and the experience was lukewarm.
Appetizers were the highlight, specifically the tuna tartare and lobster something or other (it was several weeks ago so I don't remember what exactly). I had the Pad See Eiw appetizer and it was just "eh" - not bad, but not particularly great either.
Our server was just plain weird and almost creepy. He repeatedly called the female members of our party "my darling" and intoned that he just wanted to make us happy. Attentive = good; Stalkeresque = bad. Also, our lunch took over 3 hours.
The decor is ok, but seems a bit too zen/spa-like for a trendy restaurant. The first floor is also VERY sparse - seemed like there should have been more tables (not that I mind the uncrowdedness).
I should note that I am, in general, wary of restaurants purporting to excel at multiple types of asian food (i.e. one stop Thai/Sushi), and am not a huge fan of the owners' other outposts (Shine/Morida, Jia's).
If you need "pan-asian" I'd recommend Red Light instead.
WOW...Food was amazing. The rolls were really good, but the dragaon rolls were standout! I usually get dragon rolls at every sushii place I go to and these were the best! The drinks were good and fairly priced. A long list of sake helps you choose one that is right for you.
The service was also great. The other reviews must have been right when they opened. I didnt seem to wait at all. And the tables around me also seemed to be happy with their service. Even sat at the bar after dinner for another drink and the bartender was very helpful in picking a new drink....great place.
My boyfriend and i went here last night and we have officially found our new fave restaurant. After reading the previous reviews, I fully expected to wait hours for the food and drinks, but that was not the case at all.
When we got there, there was no one in the place so it made since that our drinks arrived quickly. Â But by the time we left it was pretty full and we still had good service. I also noticed that the other tables were well taken care of also. We didn't have to wait long for anything, and the check arrived just as we were finishing dessert. Our table was cleared quickly after each course and our water and drinks were never empty.
The food is absolutely amazing! They almost lost a star from me for service cold endamame, but that's just a personal preference so I'm not going to dock them. The chicken pad thai was very good but a tiny bit bland, but again that's just my personal taste. The dragon rolls were the best I've ever tasted. I also liked the rising sun rolls and the people's rolls. The duet mochi (sp?) was a perfect finish to a perfect dinner.
Also, try the berry empress martini! A great mix of sweet and tart w/ a pretty flower floating in it.
I have been to Republic 4 different times in the last few weeks. The food is outstanding, but the service still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The first night I went with two of my girl friends; our waiter came to the table to take our order and then to drop off the check, which we had to ask for and while waiting for the check (over 15 mins) some one brought over edamane. (green tea would have been a better gesturee) On the way out I spoke to the manager Stephanie to let her know that the food was fantastic, but the service left much to be desired.
Second chances. My two girlfriends went back the next Friday and had a great waiter, but the experience was far from perfect. My second experience (on a Tuesday) was acceptable. I did have to wait for a second cocktail and for the bill, but the food was still amazing.
Third time (on a Wednesday) was a charm. I completely enjoy myself and the food was still amazing.
Fourth time was worst than the first experience. I went Friday night with a friend and she only received 1 roll of the 3 that she ordered. It took over 20 minutes for the other two rolls to arrive. No one came up to the table, adjusted the bill or even offered us dessert for the wait. The best part was that this was also my friends third time dining at Republic and each time she has been charged a different price. ($15, $5, and then $12) After waiting 15 minutes after our waitress asked us if we wanted anything else we asked the owner (I think) for the check. The owner adjusted our bill but did not apologize or even try to explain what happened with the bill or the timing of our food delivery and we saw the owner, manager and our waiters all talking.
The end result.... my friends and I have decided that carry-out is the only way to go. I have given them 4 chances and have yet to be impressed by the service or management. I worked over 15 years in the restaurant industry and have been completely disappointed by Republic's service. The shame of all of this is that they have amazing food. Hopefully they will get the service up to the level of their food.
At the suggestion of Yelper Andrea W., I waited a little while for the restaurant to work out their kinks before coming to Republic. Â For a new restaurant, I had a very nice dinner, although I did come on a slow weeknight.
The whole place has an Asian zen, feng shui vibe to it. Â The high ceilings make the place seem huge. Â The ground floor bar is huge and in the center of the place -- I think people will find this place to be a good happy hour venue. Â This restaurant leases space from a hotel, so don't be surprised if you see tourists or business folks hanging around here.
I sat on the ground floor and noticed that there is plenty of space for huge groups, and one was seated next to my table. Â There was a huge plasma screen on the wall above the bar that was showing "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which is good if you're stuck at the bar waiting for your friends to arrive.
The food was pretty good; I am a fan of Jia's, Shine and Rise so they didn't disappoint in the sushi category. Â I enjoyed the sushi (I don't remember the name of the roll I ate), crab rangoon, and the pad thai. Â The menu boasts an array of Japanese, Chinese, and Thai food, just like Rise/Shine. Â
My server gave me a tour of the restaurant, which I thought was really considerate. Â I thought the upstairs looks like a great eating area, and I saw the smaller rooms where you could hold private parties. Â The restaurant is quite big, and there is a cute little bar upstairs for the private parties. Â I think you can rent out the entire 2nd floor, for a big reception or dinner party. Â My server was very attentive and responsive, and we never felt rushed nor did we feel like we were waiting for him.
Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience, and I'd definitely return to try other menu items and to sit upstairs. Â Of course, I was there on a slow night, so I'd like to see how they handle a busy crowd on a weekend night. Â Since I work nearby, I am also thinking about trying them out for lunch as well. Â I'll re-post if I do.
Great bartender downstairs who just got to Chicago from California. Â Bar was a little spartan but they hadn't even gotten the sign up yet so that seemed OK.
Upstairs: huge, seemingly furnished directly out of the Ikea catalog. Â Service, not great. Â Like another reviewer we were celebrating a birthday -- actually two -- but it somehow didn't catch.
Mostly, we were just happy to have old favorites available in the neighborhood again since Jia's closed. Â That sesame tuna dip, um, YEAH. Â It's so damn good I never know whether to eat it or take a bath in it. Â And the shrimp Pad Thai is great as well.
Basically, if you're a fan of Rise/Shine/Jia's etc., and you need a Near North fix of same, it's worth the trip.
So i went to Republic over the weekend with 3 other friends (from the owners of Rise, Shine Morida and Jia's) ... I was amazed at the sheer size of this place. At first glance, after being seated upstairs, it almost felt like the place didn't know what to do with all the massive room... but it was very trendy and cool inside. As far as my dining experience... that's another story!
Our waiter was just off his game, and it was one bad thing after the next. My friend ordered a soda, which never came and she had to remind several different staff members. Ten different waiters and managers were bringing food to our table, and I got the feeling that I waiter was afraid of all our complaints. My friend ordered Miso soup, after asking about any peanut ingredients due to a food allergy. She never got her soup, so we complained the waitrer, who then told us the chef said he would not bring out the soup. My friend literally had to demand the waiter to get her soup. This was turning into a scene out of Seinfeld- NO SOUP FOR YOU! We were also told that the traditional maki rolls came as an order of 8, but when they were brought out, we discovered it was only 6. After all of this, my friend orders some hot tea-- the tea kettle was completely leaking all over the table, on the floor and down to the people eating across from us. At this point, it was just embarassing. And I won't even start on the fact that they didn't have packets of sugar- only granulated brown sugar. The waiter picked up on our frustration and brought a round of comp martinis for us. But once the bill came and we had complained to about 6 different managers, we found that many items were not comped, which we then had to get the manager to adjust our bill. I will say one of the female managers offered her apologies and acted extremely professional, in the hopes that we would come back. But after 2+ hours, we just wanted to get out of there!
I liked the different japanese entree selections in addition to the sushi rolls on the broad menu, but this place needs to get their act together. It's like every waiter seemed to play dumb. I don't know if we just had a horrible waiter or they were just off on this particular night, but my experience was just plain bad! Just be warned....
Edit 6/13:
Went back to Republic tonight and tried the Chinese  food instead of the sushi.  My friend and I split the fried rice & the sea bass appetizer...both were incredible, especially that sea bass. Service was incredibly slow, but I'm hoping it will get better with time.
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Whoo hoo- first to review!
Not to be confused with the cheesy sounding club on Fremont named Republic....the forces behind Rise and Shine recently opened this Pan Asian restaurant in River North. Â I"m a little disappointed that they didn't name this restaurant to go along with the Rise & Shine theme, but I guess Republic sounds slightly cooler than Goodnight or anything else I can think of. Â
I thought the swanky atmosphere was cool- Â not exactly a warm, cozy environment, but it was exactly what I expected from a restaurant connected to a hotel (The Four Points by Sheraton).
The menu was very similar to Shine's menu and although the Chinese food looked tempting I was (as always) all about the sushi. Â I was thrilled to see my favorite Shine roll, the honey roll, on the menu with a few other interesting specialties. Â Everything was delicious! 4 of us enjoyed the sushi, which wasn't an option for the 1 pregnant member of our party who was happy with the pad thai she ordered.
So why 3 stars for a cool atmosphere and excellent food? The service was AWFUL! Â I tried to give them the benefit of the doubt since they only opened their doors a week ago, but it was hard to ignore bad service after they made us wait at the bar for our table when the restaurant was empty, messed up our entire order multiple times, didn't ask us if we wanted dessert when they knew we were there to celebrate a birthday, and so on. Â Our flaky waitress was nice enough and very apologetic for all the messups, but it was a laughable matter by the end of the night. My personal favorite part of the evening was when she pointed to a salmon roll and told us it was a tuna roll...if you're going to work at a sushi restaurant you may want to learn your fish!
I'll be back (can't stay away from my honey roll for long), but I think I"ll wait a month for them to work out the new restaurant kinks.
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