Best Date Night Restaurants in River West

My branzino and my friend’s truffle pasta were excellent. Our appetizers were delicious and the waiter was very patient as it took us a long time before we were ready to order. He had to come back several times. The atmosphere is lively. I’d recommend it!

I cannot count the number of visits we've had to The Girl and the Goat, but it continues to be a favorite for both personal and professional dining. I brought three colleagues, who have never been, to the restaurant for dinner. One diner is vegetarian, but there are menu offerings and options available to provide them with enough to eat. All three were quite impressed with the food. My only complaint would be our table was right next to the kitchen, which can be loud. However, we made due, and had an enjoyable meal. Service is always very good, and the cocktails are fun. If you're interested in dining, make sure you book way ahead, as there is almost no chance to get a table day of.

We ordered the Jampong Mussels, Chef’s Meat Sampler, Doeng Jang Jjgae, and Banchan.. everything tasted good. I mean it tasted as Korean food should, the meat was buttery soft and while I thought it odd to have to order banchan separately… it is unlimited, so there is that. The Jampong Mussels tasted good, but it wasn’t Jampong soup really, it was more Kimchee Jjgae broth with pork (so if you are pescatarian you might want to ask if they can omit or it may not work for you). The cocktails were lovely though (as many people commented… ) I had a Matcha Sour, I believe it was called, so good if you like sweet cocktails and the expresso martini was fantastic. In terms of the ambiance, it’s a nice moody sort of interior. It is dark at night, but because it is a corner restaurant it was nice to see all the night lights come through the windows. All adds to the vibe. All in all would I recommend? If you want to have a Korean experience, but in an elevated atmosphere then yes. The food is good, but was it phenomenal? No… it wasn’t like a Benu (from SF) experience, but could be a nice date night, special occasion, or somewhere you would bring a special guest… that maybe isn’t Korean? Honestly I think the bad reviews were mostly from fellow Koreans, (or at least those who are in the know about Korean food) but like I said it’s very good food, just not anything new or quantity wise, satisfying for the natives.

Great time with a group of friends. Great ambience, service, and massive portion sizes!

Great experience at Recess !!! Good food , drinks , atmosphere and the service was impeccable.