Spring: User Reviews

As other diners have noted: good food and service and great wine selection, if a bit on the pricey side. But if you are unable to eat wheat gluten due to celiac disease or other intolerance, this place is wonderfully accommodating. They brought special gluten-free bread for me; the waitress knew precisely which dishes contained gluten; and if I had chosen a dish that would normally have been off-limits, the chef was willing to make a gluten-free version for me. Very grateful for the attentive service and willingness to work with me re: this frustrating dietary restriction!

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While our waitress seemed inexperienced (we asked her to tell us a little bit more about the "malts" on the menu and she replied that she "didn't know"), the food was very well prepared and presented. I ordered the scallops and oxtail and the scallops were cooked to PERFECTION, and my boyfriend had the halibut and gnocci, and it the flavoring was delicious also. The ice cream sampler and cheese samplers were not worth it though... both my boyfriend and I were not fans of either. Not going to say it was entirely worth our bill of $150, but this restaurant's food is definitely some of the best we've had in Chicago.

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For the life of me, I couldn't remember why I had not been back. I remembered the food prep and service were impeccable, but what was it...? Ah ha! I get it now! This is the place people go to start that portion-control diet. I would need to drop about half a mortgage payment to leave Spring content. Luckily, we ate early and the bar we went to next had chicken tenders.

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We have been to Spring a couple times but it has been a while (no reason, just busy). Went last night and Chef McClain is still rockin it out. My wife had the Spring Favorites tasting menu ($45). " 4 courses of some of Chef's most popular dishes from the last 7 years" is what our server said. Incredible and the portions were great. I went for the 5 course tasting menu ($65) and let me just say best meal ever. Again interesting and great portions. I really think they are trying to play to the young urbanites who frequent or live in the neighborhood and are smart enough not to spend $80-$120 on a tasting menu that will make them stop for burgers on the way home. Will definitely be back, sooner rather than later.

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We have been to Spring several times and it had been a romantic favorite of ours but we had a very annoying evening there tonight. Our service was insupportably bad - tables all around us that were seated after us were getting food before we even got our cocktails. It took them close to fifteen minutes to even bring us bread. And once the server noticed our discontent, she avoided us like the plaque instead of hepping up attention. Needless to say, it was very disappointing, especially since it had been such a favorite previously. I doubt we'll be back.

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My wife and I went to Spring as a relatively special occasion - actually being able to get a sitter on a Friday and not having some social obligation. We had a relatively late reservation, so it was pretty packed when we got there. We both liked the layout of the place, and even though it was full, there seemed to be some semblance of privacy at all tables. As busy as it was , our server was very attentive, and got to us quickly. At his recommendation, I had the East India cocktail and was not disappointed. I also got a wine recommendation from him and again was very happy with the results. We started with the special hamachi tartare and the braised pork rib dumplings. Both were outstanding. My wife had scallops and I had halibut with wonderful lobster raviolis. All the dishes were well-balanced and subtly flavored - no overpowering sauces, etc. - and the portion sizes were perfect as well (again these were recommended by our server). We had the chocolate mousse with Thai chili chocolate sorbet for dessert and again were very happy. All in all, we had a great meal, evening, and experience there. All of the staff were warm and gracious, our server and overall table service were excellent, and the food was perfect. It was a bit pricey, but definitely worth a visit if only for a special occasion.

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- waiters lack the required training [for a restaurant of this perceived caliber] - one of them kept calling me "my dear" throughout the evening. if i were in a diner, evidently, this would come as a compliment. but if i am in a restaurant such as Spring, i'd say the owner did not do his/her homework on training their staff.

- the manager [a lady who kept opening bottles of wine and roaming around the room] would constantly come in the dining room with a small piece of paper, look at tables [ostentatiously] and take notes as in "how much more time would Table X take to finish dinner." big no-no. terrible impression.

- decor is nice, noise level is awful. food is good but not outstanding. overpriced, overall.

Spring is trying to be something it is not. if i were the owner and insisting on keeping those prices, i would go back to training staff and managers (no "dear" or "darling" allowed, no "chatting" extensively with clients, no patronizing of clients, no taking of notes on availability of tables, etc.).

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Spring is on the expensive side, but the whole experience was well worth it. The service was outstanding, from the valet sprinting to get the car to the waiter with very detailed descriptions of all the menu items. The food was flavorful and inventive, while the ambiance was great. I'd highly recommend it!

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We had to wait for one member of our party to join us, and our server couldn't have been nicer about letting us wait on ordering our dinner. Meanwhile, we had excellent appetizers and very much enjoyed the special gin in our drinks. Granted, this was a Tuesday night and things weren't crowded, so we didn't feel too guilty, but even so the service was exemplary -- our server was friendly and helpful, attentive but not intrusive. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Pricey, but worth it, for special occasions and other indulgences.

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This was our second time at Spring. Our first was when it just opened. We remember being blown away then and we were not disappointed a second time. Shawn sure knows what he is doing at all of his restaurants. We are lucky to have such a gifted chef here in Chicago. Perfection every time!

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