The Alcove- Evanston

Review summary

1. N

   Narayan

   Chicago

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 3 days ago

   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 2 days ago

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

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2. i

   ian

   Chicago

   17 reviews

   3.0

   17 reviews

   Dined on February 16, 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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3. S

   Susan

   Chicago

   2 reviews

   1.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on February 16, 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 2 days ago

   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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4. H

   Howard

   VIP

   Chicago

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on February 15, 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 2 days ago

   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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5. V

   Valli

   VIP

   Chicago

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 15, 2025

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

   We have been to Alcove twice in the past and loved it. For Valentines Day they had the option of seating at 5,7, or 9. We arrived for our 7pm reservation to find people waiting outside. None of the 5 pm tables were finished and there was a huge number of people waiting. We were told we might be seated at 7:45. The two women at the host entry seemed overwhelmed to me but they did not know how to handle the situation. One customer suggested they let people wait on the empty 2nd floor. If that truly was an option, they REALLY should have done this. Offering the huge number of people waiting a warm space and a glass of champagne might have diffused the ill will that was forming. The atmosphere was so negative that we left. A manager needed to address the waiting crowd in an apologetic manner.
   

   The Alcove- EvanstonResponded 2 days ago

   Hi Valli, We're very sorry to hear about your Valentine's Day experience--no one should have to endure this on such a special day. The day you visited, we were without a manager--which is no excuse, but may explain the confusion. Your experience is 100% on us for mistiming the pace of the meals. Our second floor is actually an office space, so it's currently not possible to host guests there, but we will certainly consider how to integrate the space for overflow for the future. Again, we sincerely apologize and hope that you were still able to enjoy your evening.
   

   1 person found this helpful

6. S

   Sheri

   Chicago

   40 reviews

   2.0

   40 reviews

   Dined on February 14, 2025

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

   We're an older couple and have been to numerous prix fixe dinners. For an unknown reason, this dinner seemed to be very disorganized. Our server was moving back & forth across the room & appeared disorganized and tense. We were seated for the 5:00 dinner and waited 45 minutes with only a glass of water on our table for our first course, no one offered bread or an explanation of the delay. When after waiting 40 minutes we asked about a glass of wine for the first course, our server seemed hassled and was not accommodating stating it was being prepared. Nothing was ready as it should have been. If the kitchen was having a problem, then an announcement was in order. As well as some bread. The food was good, presentation nice, the wine was good, but no one took the time to explain what wine we were served. People were being served the wrong meals and no one explained what we were eating. We were also charged for 3 meals when it was only the 2 of us. Overall it was a totally disorganized experience with wait staff disorganized and hassled. We expected better from the Alcove. We finished our meal and left at 7:45 and the 7:00 seating was standing & waiting for 45 minutes to be seated.
   

   The Alcove- EvanstonResponded 2 days ago

   Hi Sheri, We're disappointed to hear about your Valentine's Day experience--on a day as special as this one, there really is no excuse for the service you received. With that said, we will share that we're currently experiencing hiring challenges, which has led to delays and need for additional training. You and your partner should absolutely have received better communication during your visit. We deeply apologize, and hope that the rest of your holiday was well spent!
   

   1 person found this helpful

7. J

   James

   Palm Springs

   1 review

   1.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 14, 2025

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

   Terrible service - slow and indifferent. Had to ask for water 15 minutes after sitting down. Server finally showed up at 25 minutes to take drink and dinner orders. First course served at 60 minutes. Finally got drinks 10 minutes later (had to ask for them). The main meat course and dessert were good; the rest of the food was mediocre at best. Several of the items were cold (not supposed to be - e.g. halibut).
   

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8. P

   Preston

   VIP

   Chicago

   57 reviews

   3.0

   57 reviews

   Dined on February 14, 2025

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

   We come to Alcove several times a year. Last night was way below par. The first course arrived and was finished without the wine paring. The second course was halibut that was barely tepid with two of the smallest shrimp I’ve ever seen and three Brussels sprout leaves with an interesting flavor. We arrived at 5:00. The second of four courses was brought to the table at 6:30. (We had to cancel our car— paying anyway because the driver had arrived.) The beef tenderloin was served rare — no question from server about how we preferred. The au jus was non existent. The pavlova was fruit in a bowl with three quarter-sized pieces of meringue on top. Not a pavlova! We left through a line of diners waiting for the next seating. 
   

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9. R

   Robert

   Chicago

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on February 9, 2025

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

   Fabulous hidden spot in downtown Evanston. Charming staff, quiet room where u can hear each other talk and really amazing food. Have been 3 times within the last month with different folks and everyone loved it.
   

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10. P

    Patrick

    VIP

    Chicago

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 9, 2025

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

    The Alcove is consistently our go-to spot for a relaxing dinner where the food is consistently wonderful and the atmosphere is relaxing. It is one of the better spots in Evanston. My only complaint would be the cost of the wine - which I believe is overpriced.
    

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