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Chicago Restaurant Reviews |
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Back to Restaurant ReviewsHarry Caray'sThis "Chicago institution" is often considered a tourist must-see. From my personal experiences and the reviews I've seen, I'd recommend visiting the bar for a cocktail and a game (arriving early, of course, to get a good seat) or having dinner on a Sunday night. Some friends and I met in the bar on a Friday night around 7:00. We were able to grab a couple of bar stools by the entrance and were promptly greeted by our bartender, who had an excellent knowledge of the wine list. We told him what we were looking for and he found the perfect wine from their glass-pour list, without, I might add, choosing the most expensive one. We ordered the calamari and the Antipasto Formaggio. The calamari had a bit too much breading and was a little rubbery, but it was edible. Unless you're a calamari connoisseur, it's a decent dish. The Antipasto Formaggio was also fair to middlin'. My main complaints were that the cheese wasn't too inventive and the roasted marinated vegetables were roasted and marinated a little too long. However...the service was great. Our bartender was attentive, prompt, and knowledgeable. (He chose the wine, but didn't recommend the appetizers; we did that all on our own - I wanted cheese, my friends wanted squid.) My next visit was on a late Sunday night for dinner. Late enough, in fact, that we were the only diners in the restaurant. A girlfriend of mine was in town and we split everything: a bottle of wine, a Tossed Mixed Greens Salad, grilled asparagus and the Lobster Tail and finished with a glass of port and an espresso. The meal was wonderful. The kitchen split as much as they could and accommodated any special requests. My only issue with the food was that the sauce on the pasta side dish was pretty darn bland. But, as a veteran of the service industry, I appreciated our server's attention, even though we were her last and only table. She was attentive to the end, without making us feel as though we'd kept her too long. HC's is a must-see if you're a Cub's fan, but go to the bar as long as you remember that it IS a tourist must-see, so it will be crowded and it could take awhile to get a drink. As far as culinary experiences go, I'd recommend visiting the bar and having your dinner somewhere else among the multitudes of great dining options in this foodie's haven. The only time I'd eat there would be on Sunday night. No crowd, so you're not sitting on top of anyone (a frequent complaint), and the servers aren't over-extended (another frequent complaint), so you feel as if you're the only people in the restaurant - as you should, and as you probably are! Harry Caray's
Review by The Local Tourist |
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