Table Fifty-Two: User Reviews
I'm not sure if the previous few reviews have been by other restaurant owners in the area or not but they are dead wrong. My husband and I went here for his birthday and it was great. The amuse was deviled eggs with a potato chip. Yummy! Probably the best deviled egg I've ever had. The bread was buttermilk biscuits with goat cheese and scallions (also delicious). For the entrees, we had the porkchop with waffles and carmel, and I had the Jambalya. Both were very solid. For dessert we had the hummingbird cake which was also very tasty. The service was good, and the cabernet we ordered was tasty. New favorite restaurant!
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After making reservations 2 months prior, we arrived at Table 52 with high expectations. Our request for a low traffic table landed us in the busiest part of the restaurant, next to the service area. In my opinion, a table that should be removed completely and the area closed off, only reserved for the wait staff. They brought out a plate of delicious biscuits, but unfortunately that's where any culinary talent stopped. I started with the carrot soup which was only slightly warmer than room temperature, only later to noticed steaming bowls being brought out to other tables. We then ordered the Shrimp and Grits to be shared by the table, really nothing exciting and somewhat bland. As we were all drinking the still water, our waiter topped off my water glass with sparkling.
No big deal, except the sparkling water is typically served in a wine glass. The Beet Salad was probably the most unattractive presentation in Chicago, as well my sister confirmed the taste as again being bland. At this point, I am hoping that our entrees will bring us back to happy. Unfortunately, this was not to be. While the short ribs were beautifully presented, as my sister cut into the first portion, the fat had clearly taken over any detection of actual meat. I had settled on the Catfish, which again was presented well, but not only was this dish completely void of taste, the second of the two portions was not completely cooked and the grits were cold. My thoughts around this would be, they line up plates in the kitchen add the grits or other starch and let the it sit until they add the entrée. My husband opted for the Fish & Chips (sweet potato) for $30.00. The portion included 2 pieces of Walleye heavily breaded with approx. 4 very thinly sliced chips and less than a tablespoon of so called malt vinegar sauce. Suggested to the owners and chef " GO TO THE GAGE" on Michigan Ave. an take a few cooking lessons. SERVICE: Not that I really want to go down the road of bad service but the server if you can call him that, was void of any skills what so ever. He would occasionally removed an empty dish but not all of them. I had to ask for the wine list again which he delivered but never came back to either suggest a wine for my entrée or take my order. Another server over heard us talking and brought it to the attention of a woman over seeing the floor. She took my wine selection immediately. In addition, I pointed out and unidentifiable piece of meat on my plate which we all agreed looking like a previously chewed up piece of Short Rib ! The answer from the kitchen was bacon ends, I am simply not buying it. Our server should have immediately intervened, but seamed to be to bothered to actually over see his own tables. For probably the first time in some 25 years, my husband voided an tip what so ever. I could not have been more proud. This is Chicago where great food and service go hand in hand.
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Art Smith - save your restaurant!!
By mrsshebu from Old Irving Park, October 18, 2009
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Went to Table 52 this weekend and was very disappointed! There's clearly something going on there because it has a menu that sounds fantastic but is very poorly executed. The first floor is so overcrowded that I felt like I was dining a a cheap diner. Our server, was so incredibly rude that I didn't know what to say. I ordered the catfish, which came with a super crunchy crust and somehow the fish was watery on the inside. The grits & collards were so infused with smoke it was unpalatable. Can this restaurant be saved?? Needless to say, I will not be going back to find out.
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Huge Let-Down, Not to Mention Over-Priced
By Chitime24 from Edison Park, September 29, 2009
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Needless to say thanks to the hype of this quaint spot, my expectations were set pretty high upon entering Table. The environment was relaxing and unique, and the service was impeccable, however the food was very bland, especially for the price. All four of us were less than impressed. Our bill was $80 a person for food that I would compare to a Lean Cuisine. Do yourself a favor, in this case trust me, the hype is just that, a hype and really not worth the hole it will put in your wallet. By the way, the best part of our meal was the free Deviled Eggs and Biscuits.
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I took my wife for our anniversary and we were both very disappointed. The food was mediocre at best and my duck was almost uneatable. The service was disgraceful for a restaurant of that distinction. The waiter's presentation of the menu and meal were without detail or care. To make it worse he pushed us out the door so much so that he left the check with dessert and then came back before I had taken a bite to pick it up. The staff actually repeatedly attempted to take plates that we were clearly not finished with. To no surprise of anyone reading this the food is drastically overpriced, which would be alright if it offered a memorable experience. That said, Table 52 will live only in my memory because I will never return - and you shouldn't either.
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Overall, our experience at Table 52 was disappointing. The ambiance is cozy - The seating is tight so a little noisy but tolerable if you are enjoying yourself, we didn’t. The service was average for upscale dining. No one asked how our food tasted other than the maitre d’ who kept walking as he asked (while I had food in my mouth). Perhaps they knew it was bad?? The highlight of the meal was our wine choice and the fennel soup, which was nicely seasoned and rich. Although my husband’s was lukewarm and mine was scalding hot so I had to wait 15 min. before starting. The biscuit was raw in the middle – deviled eggs were not seasoned. My duck entrée was tough/ tasteless. The lentils were overcooked and the cherry gastrique was tart but runny. The scallops were raw, not rare, and only slightly seared on “one” side. The fishy smell was unappetizing (not fresh) and the succotash was flavorless and cold. The collards were braised perfectly but there was too much heat from the pepper juice so we could not eat them (nor could the table behind us). We skipped dessert in fear of what we would get. We should have sent everything back and left, we didn’t….Never again.
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Overrated. In case I wasn't clear- extremely, very, outrageously overrated. Sure the Obamas eat here. Sure the guy's on Top Chef. So what? If you want Southern Cooking, go to Heaven on Seven in the loop (not on Michigan Ave!). Serious, the shrimp and grits were good, but not great. The cornbread was good, but Bandera is as good or better. The overrated fried chicken was good, but you can find better on the South Side. The drinks were OK. The 12 layer chocolate cake . . . OK, that one kicked butt. The mac 'n' cheese . . . made with Colby?! As greasy and flammable as a molotov cocktail. Honestly, let the suckers who fall for celebrity recommendations and the stupid tourists go for this one. Save your money and go somewhere else. I'm still feeling greasy and bloated from the meal.
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My wife and I heard good things about this place and decided to go on a Friday night. The ambiance is great - very cozy and warm...but I was very disappointed with the food. We ordered the crab cake, which was just like every other crab cake I've ever had. We then got the pork chop and the catfish. The pork chop was decently seasoned but overcooked. The catfish was just plain bland and the breading had no flavor whatsoever. For sides we got the mac and cheese, which was so-so and the beets with walnuts and goat cheese, which was so-so as well. We got a slice of the Hummingbird Cake, which wasn't particularly great either. For the price this place just isn't worth it. You can get much, much better Southern-style cooking for much better prices at plenty of places throughout the city.
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My family and I came here for my sister's birthday but came out disappointed and hungry! Our server was unfriendly and a bit arrogant. He showed no concern when I asked to replace my dish. I was told that I had to pay for my first dish and also had to pay for my second dish. Service was pretentious and the ambiance uninviting. The food is overpriced and the portions are very, very small. I ordered the risotto appetizer but asked for the dinner size but was amazed at how small the dinner size was. I paid double the appetizer prize! The food was not bad but the server's attitude and arrogance, and the overpriced menu magnified our bad experience. I left the place feeling robbed, dissatisfied and very hungry!
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I should have read the reviews before I went because I was sorely disappointed. The food was seasoned really well. I enjoyed the flavors, but the prices are extremely expensive. I was so disappointed. For a party of three we spent $241 including the tip. We too felt like we were being ushered out of the restaurant when we had completed our meal. I will not go back. The flavors were wonderful, but not worth the prices.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 134 users:
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