The Alcove- Evanston

Review summary

1. k

   kathy VIP

   Chicago1 review

   4.0

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 3
   4. Ambience 2

   Food is delicious. Service was slow although the restaurant was not busy. Ambiance was a little off. Very bright, empty, no music. It says American but the menu was very French, would be nice for some French music.
   

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2. W

   Willy

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We were really looking forward to dining at Alcove - to celebrate a birthday milestone. It was a great experience!!
   

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3. D

   Daniel VIP

   Orlando16 reviews

   5.0

   Dined 7 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   It is the definition of hidden gem. Tucked away by the rail station and accessed through the passage way tunnel, this narrow tunnel of a restaurant provides a bunker of civility away from the hustle of beautiful downtown Evanston. Very attentive service and well prepared foods with nice cocktails and a solid albeit scant wine list, makes for a very agreeable evening. Try it! You won't be disappointed
   

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4. M

   Mark VIP

   Chicago21 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 3 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   One of our favorite Evanston spots, up there with Campagnola and Oceanique. Outstanding food - last night we enjoyed the goat cheese tart, a long time favorite, as well as the beet salad, the grouper (nightly special) and the sea bass. All were top notch. During many previous visits we’ve also enjoyed the lamb, short rib, and steak among other good options. The wine options were fine and the service was very good. We look forward to many more enjoyable meals.
   

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5. V

   Valerie

   New York City4 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on 2 March 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   As always the food was outstanding. The ambience is super cozy, quiet yet dynamic. Staff is knowledgeable and professional. Keep doing what you do. 💛
   

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6. J

   Jack VIP

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined on 24 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Enjoyed our evening. The service and food was excellent.
   

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7. N

   Narayan

   Chicago1 review

   5.0

   Dined on 22 February 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great restaurant. A true gem. Will be back for sure
   

   The Alcove- EvanstonResponded on 23 February 2025

   Hi Narayan, Thank you very much for the kind review--we hope to see you again soon!
   

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8. i

   ian

   Chicago17 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on 16 February 2025

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Food was mediocre and the restaurant is pretty sparse.
   

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9. S

   Susan

   Chicago2 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on 16 February 2025

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   I have never given a restaurant a 1-star review until now. We were pleasantly seated, but after ordering drinks it took 45 minutes to receive 2 beers, 1 glass of wine and a hot tea. The salads were good, but when our entrées arrived, they were all overcooked (fish and steak). My husband’s medium-rare steak was served well done. When he apologized for sending it back, they brought out a lightly seared raw steak! So much so that the dining manager even commented on it. However, no apology was given. So we took home the raw steak and cooked it the next day. For $62 I wasn’t going to leave it there! Luckily the friends we were with made the evening a joy and we ended up having a wonderful get-together, but I cannot recommend the restaurant- there are much better places to spend your money!
   

   The Alcove- EvanstonResponded on 23 February 2025

   Hi Susan, We appreciate you taking the time to leave us your feedback--we review all our guests' experiences carefully to ensure we're always improving. With that said, we are very sorry to hear that your evening did not meet expectations. It sounds like the kitchen's attempt to resolve cook times with the steak did more harm than good--we will be investigating the experience you had with our manager as well. We're currently experiencing staffing challenges that have led to longer-than-usual wait times and unsatisfactory service, which we apologize for. Once again, thank you for your time and willingness to visit the Alcove.
   

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10. H

    Howard VIP

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 15 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Very unassuming looking place with Wonderful food, excellent service, strict attention to allergy concerns, and a quiet environment to just enjoy the food. No ear splitting music or deafening beat. Wonderful preparations. We had pork belly and crab cake as appetizers, roasted duck breast and crispy roasted sea bass with lobster tortellini as entrées, followed by an amazing lemon cream and wild Berry Napoleon. A refreshing sorbet was also served as s palate cleanser between courses. Everything showed a delicate touch of refinement and knowledge or what works.
    

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    The Alcove- EvanstonResponded on 23 February 2025

    Hello Howard, Thank you for your thoughtful review. We're delighted to learn that you enjoyed your meal, the sorbet is one of our special touches! Thanks for coming in to see us--we hope to serve you again soon.
    

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