Summer House - Chicago

“The squid ink pasta with Alaskan king crab, spicy chilies, lemon, and basil is the dish that most people end up talking about after, dramatic in color and genuinely excellent in execution, the crab sweet and generous against the ink-dark noodles and a heat from the chilies that creeps up slowly and pleasantly. The wagyu meatballs are the other thing that comes up most in conversations about what to order, rich and tender and sitting in a sauce that you'll want bread to finish off. The Wilshire Blvd Cobb Salad is the lighter option that holds its own against the heavier dishes, a well-constructed salad that earns its place even in a room full of things you'd rather eat. The parmesan truffle fries with truffle aioli are the side that gets ordered at almost every table, and they disappear faster than anything else. We ended with a cookie, warm from the oven, which the kitchen sends out as a kind of parting gesture. It's a small thing and it lands well every time. Service is warm and genuinely attentive without making you feel watched. The cookie at the end of the meal is the kind of detail that brings people back more than the restaurant probably realizes.”

“My second 5 star restaurant on this trip! Amazing food! I had the Halibut which was the best Halibut of my life!!! My wife had an AMAZING poke bowl. My daughter had a pasta dish. Everything was so amazing including our simple starter dish of chips and guac! Wait staff was perfect. Ambience was such a vibe! We grabbed a couple of cookies (including a gluten free) on the way out and some of my favorite cookies also! I don’t think they could have done anything better. Prices were I thought VERY reasonable for quality food at a classy restaurant!”

“Summer House absolutely lived up to the hype! This was my first visit and it was actually a surprise brunch for my birthday, which made the experience even more special. Our server, Erin, was amazing — friendly, attentive, and very accommodating with my dietary sensitivities. The food was delicious, and the short ribs and eggs were a great choice for brunch. I also had the chance to speak with Damien, the manager, to let him know how much I enjoyed my first visit. He was incredibly kind and welcoming, and the surprise bag of cookies for both me and my sister-friend was such a thoughtful touch. Beautiful atmosphere, great food, and excellent service all around. I’ll definitely be back!”

“Servers we had were so nice and kind! Also I highly recommend the cookies! We had sprinkles & lemon and they were amazing, one of the best cookies ever!! Fish and coleslaw from fish & chips was pretty nice. But other foods we got were not as good as we expected. And hightop chairs were not comfortable. Overall a good experience! I will comeback for the desserts!!”

“Our first time trying after a recommendation from a friend! It is a gorgeous restaurant and our server was very friendly and took time to explain the menu and reccomend their favorite dishes. Before that, it would be been helpful if he asked if we had any food restrictions as he mostly recommended meals we don’t eat. We got the Brussel sprouts which were really good! I had the shrimp and asparagus pasta which was said to be shareable but I easily finished the whole thing….. oops! I did not like that the shrimp still had the tails on. The fish and chips were different- it was Branzino and more on the fishy side. The fries were a bit too salty. The coleslaw was excellent. We also got a few cookies on the way out and they looked a lot better than they tasted.”