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The Little Gem Restaurant, Oak Park, IL

The Little Gem Restaurant

4.6 (1196)
$31 to $50
Contemporary American
189 N Marion St., Oak Park, IL 60301

Make a reservation

2 people
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
7:00 PM
Booked 8 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
This Intimate, Stylish Little Restaurant is Elegant and Romantic
With a Warm and Welcoming Atmosphere.
A Relaxed Fine Dining Experience.
Casual or Smart - All Feel At Ease.

DATE NIGHT SPECIAL : Sunday thru Thursday 3 Course Dinner For 2 w/Bottle of Wine $99 per couple.
Reservations are Recommended - Walkins are always Welcome.
Full Bar with a Speciality Bourbon Collection, Fine Wines and Craft Cocktails.
Also Check Out - Next Door - Our Venue Called ENCORE! is just as cosy, warm and inviting, same delicious menu but with the addition of LIVE JAZZ In ENCORE Thursday, Friday + Saturday.

Outdoor Dining Available Weather Permitting.
**ALSO - PRIVATE PARTIES For Up To 70 Guests in either Venue.
Check Out: https://encorelittlegem.com

Gift Cards, Private Parties and Customized Menus.
Please call (917) 327 8997 or Visit https://thelittlegemcafe.com
Email us : info@thelittlegemcafe.com

We Look Forward to Serving You!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Bistro, European
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–9:30 pm Happy Hour Tue–Thu, Sun 3:30 pm–6:30 pm Bar + Lounge Tue–Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (708) 613-5491
  • Website
    https://thelittlegemcafe.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive chef
    Eduardo Calderon
  • Catering
    Our Wonderful Chef Loves to Cook!<br />We can cater events up to 100 Guests On + Off Premises<br />Menus offer Hot + Cold Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts.<br /><br />Select Canapes, Hors d'oeuvres, Cheese Boards, Fresh Fruit, Charcuteries, French Crudite's and more.<br />Fresh Seafood : Beef : Pork : Poultry : Vegetarian : Vegan : Gluten Free.<br />Email today us for more info
  • Private party facilities
    Unique, Customized, Party Packages Available in Little Gem + Right Next Door in Encore! by Little Gem. (A Beautiful Party Private and Events Space).Dining : Dancing : Cocktails : Live Music : Formal Dinners : Casual Mixers This Elegant Little Gem is Perfect for Any OccasionParties Fully Customizable to Suit Your Vision, Our Food is Delicious!
  • Location
    189 N Marion St., Oak Park, IL 60301
  • Neighborhood
    Oak Park
  • Cross street
    Lake St.
  • Parking details
    $1 for 1 Hour Metered Street Parking Also two parking lots on this blockFree Street Parking after 8:00pm and Free on Sundays!
  • Public transit
    Green Line Train Harlem Stop just 2 blocks awayBus Transportation along Lake Street, Harlem Avenue Junction is just a Block away.
  • Entertainment
    Live Jazz : Vintage Jazz Recordings : World Music : Euro Instrumentals
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,196 people are saying

The Little Gem Restaurant reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Near West

    Healthy

  • Near West

    Neighborhood gem

  • Near West

    Romantic

  • Near West

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Little Gem Restaurant offers a delightful dining experience with "excellent food" and a "charming" ambiance, perfect for romantic evenings or special occasions. Guests enjoy a varied menu, including standout items like the "date night" special. Service is often praised as "fantastic" and "attentive." However, some visitors note occasional service hiccups and noise levels.
1,196 Reviews

  1. Peter VIP

    Chicago14 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    The food is excellent. Be sure to ask for the date-night special on Sunday through Thursday.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Elizabeth

    Chicago3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Went in search of a quiet place for lunch, with an option to enjoy a glass of wine. Little Gem checked all the boxes. It was busy with a number of fellow diners evidently looking for a similar experience; it looked as though we all found where we wanted to be. We ordered the hummus appetizer - excellent and surprising with the addition of chili, and the beet salad with a goat cheese moose. Outstanding! Thank you, Little Gem, for living up to your name!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Ken VIP

    Washington DC33 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on May 17, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    We were once huge fans o Little Gem, but it really seems to have gone downhill over the past 12 months. The service was slow and the food was simply not as good as it was in 2023 or early 2024.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Patrick VIP

    Chicago32 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 14, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Food is great. Service was ok. They did not alert us that they charge for every Diet Coke (at $4 each) resulting in an unnecessarily large bill due to soda.

    Is this helpful?

  5. AndrewF

    Chicago13 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 11, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    Charming restaurant. It was very busy on Mother's Day evening. A bit noisy because of the hard, brick surfaces. But the food was very good.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Ross

    Chicago21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food and service were excellent. The server was particularly good.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Lori VIP

    Chicago48 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great spot in Oak Park for a birthday celebration - our waiter Colton was excellent

    Is this helpful?

  8. Regina VIP

    Chicago112 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 3, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and food. This is our consistent experience here which is why this is one of our favorite places.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Geri VIP

    Chicago20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Little Gem is truly a hidden gem of a restaurant. We ate in the restaurant side where it's romantic, elegant & quieter. But there is also the Encore bar lounge side where they also serve the same menu, and where they have nightly music. We love that side too. Their "date night" special menu is a great value where you can try various Little Gem menu options with a bottle of wine for a fixed price.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Anne VIP

    Chicago25 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on April 30, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely restaurant. I wish tea and coffee were of better quality. I expect more from such a charming place. There are so many better and local choices!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Little Gem Restaurant offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (708) 613-5491.

The Little Gem Restaurant is rated 4.6 stars by 1196 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Chicago / Illinois
  4. Near West
  5. Oak Park

Make a reservation

Booked 8 times today
Google Map for The Little Gem Restaurant

189 N Marion St., Oak Park, IL 60301

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Lake St.
  • Neighborhood
    Oak Park
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Fri 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Tue–Thu, Sun 3:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:00 pm–9:30 pm Happy Hour Tue–Thu, Sun 3:30 pm–6:30 pm Bar + Lounge Tue–Sun 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, Bistro, European
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    $1 for 1 Hour Metered Street Parking Also two parking lots on this blockFree Street Parking after 8:00pm and Free on Sundays!
  • Public transit
    Green Line Train Harlem Stop just 2 blocks awayBus Transportation along Lake Street, Harlem Avenue Junction is just a Block away.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Eduardo Calderon
  • Entertainment
    Live Jazz : Vintage Jazz Recordings : World Music : Euro Instrumentals
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://thelittlegemcafe.com/
  • Phone number
    (708) 613-5491
  • Catering
    Our Wonderful Chef Loves to Cook!<br />We can cater events up to 100 Guests On + Off Premises<br />Menus offer Hot + Cold Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts.<br /><br />Select Canapes, Hors d'oeuvres, Cheese Boards, Fresh Fruit, Charcuteries, French Crudite's and more.<br />Fresh Seafood : Beef : Pork : Poultry : Vegetarian : Vegan : Gluten Free.<br />Email today us for more info
  • Private party facilities
    Unique, Customized, Party Packages Available in Little Gem + Right Next Door in Encore! by Little Gem. (A Beautiful Party Private and Events Space).Dining : Dancing : Cocktails : Live Music : Formal Dinners : Casual Mixers This Elegant Little Gem is Perfect for Any OccasionParties Fully Customizable to Suit Your Vision, Our Food is Delicious!
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