The Bristol: User Reviews
The Bristol
2152 N. Damen Ave. - Chicago773-862-5555
AMAZING. I stumbled upon this place on a recent Bucktown wandering and boy am I lucky to have found my new #1 restaurant. We went early on Friday (5:30pm) and there were already a few tables filled. Our waiter was welcoming and happy to explain the specials as well as give advice. I started with a Belgian import ($13), pricey but I enjoyed it as I would a glass of wine; yes, it was that good.
We then started with an order of fried brussel sprouts mixed with duck sauce and red chillis. 1st off anything fried is better in my book; these brussels kept their texture (some bite) and moisture while mingling with a tang a spice that was quite unique. We then followed with duck fat fries (fried in DUCK FAT- YUM) with garlic aioli and homemade ketchup (a first). They were decadent but surprisingly light...and we took advantage by finishing the entire dish. Finally, we split the hanger steak (small, shared plates is their M.O.) with marrow dumplings and seasonal veggies. The steak was cooked to medium-rare perfection while the carrots and mushrooms provided a delicate backdrop. The marrow dumplings (marrow+corn meal) was the only mediocre thing that we had all night. A bit dry and bland for my liking, even with the sauce accompaniment. The prices were fair and the food was much better than the Publican (similar concept). I'm counting down the days until my return. Oh and I forgot to mention that the menu changes as local produce allows which means something new in store for my next visit!
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OK now i LOOOVE the bone marrow
no one in the city does it as well
BUT
NOW
PIG TAIL!?!
fried, with kimchi and lime?!
AH-MAZING
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They charged me over $12 for a drink that was an inch thick-what a rip off and they were rude
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I met a few friends for brunch one Sunday at The Bristol. We came before 10:00 am to avoid crowds & the rush. When I got there my friends were at the bar waiting. Despite the fact that there were only 2 tables with guests, they refused to sit us until the entire party was there. The table directly behind us was set & waiting for us, but we could not be seated until the last friend was present. To make this even more frustrating, we were not allowed to all sit at the bar. As this could take up too much space for others that soon would be waiting to be seated. The food was decent, but the treatment and pretentious staff and environment was not worth it. There is a lot of hype surrounding this place, and it is NOT WORTH it!
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I was so excited to finally try the Bristol, but left with mixed feelings. The service was top notch, and I love the atmosphere (not drastically changed from Il Covo, the restaurant formerly in this space). Drinks were AWESOME, and good wine reasonably priced. However, my food was just OK. I tried the Beer Cheese and homemade crackers while we waited for our table (not many veggie options for apps or dinner if you don't eat fish), and it wasn't anything special. But I honestly chose it more by default, since most everything else had meat.. My husbad had the duck fat fries, which he said were good but not remarkable. Then we had the monkey bread at our table (the highlight of my meal - it rocked). My husband had the halibut, which he said wasvery good, but my raviolo was not good. It is a single, large ravioli (I guess raviolo is the singular of ravioli?). It said right on the menu that it had raw egg yolk, but I didn't get what that meant. Until I took my second bite, and raw yolk gushed out everywhere, a la a poached egg. I eat dairy, but I was completely grossed out and didn't finish it. Then we tried the chocolate fondue with homemade nutter butters. It was disappointing. It tasted like runny Jello pudding with some sea salt thrown in, and store-bought nutter butters probably would have been just as good if not better than these homemade ones. They should take a lesson in dessert from Hot Chocolate down the street. Please, Bristol, add some more vegetarian options!!!!!
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ive lived in this neighborhood for over 4 years
i have been so depressed with the lack of great food
bristol, where the heck have u been?
i dont understand the haters
where else can u get such great frickin food for so cheap?
i feel like im robbin the place
ya'll just dont get it
i feel bad for you
just stay home-go to mcdonalds please
dont waste my time on here
blood sausage-who knew? yum
head cheese? bring it!
this place is such a gem i cant eat here enough
wheres my treadmill?
:)
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I went with my wife and infant child and were treated exceptionally well. The waitress was very knowledgeable and the food was absolutely wonderful. We will certainly return later this summer. Highly recommended.
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Everything from appetizers to desserts tasted wonderful, but the biggest disappointment of the evening was when ALL three of our entrees were served COLD after waiting more than an hour! The manager said he could re-cook them which would cause the meat to be well-done (which we did not want) or wait another half hour for new entrees (which we also did not want to do on a Sunday night at 7:45) so we opted to eat them cold which appeared to be just fine with the management. The restaurant is also VERY noisy so be prepared to bring your outside voice to communicate!
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Just an overall great experience. Warmly greeted upon arrival. Grabbed a drink at the bar while I waited for my party. Our server was very knowledgeable and patient with our table. Loved the variety of the menu. Had a great organic pilsner. Shared a bunch of plates with my table. Really enjoyed the skirt steak with blue cheese ravioli. The homemade nutter butters were a great end to the meal.
Overall, I love how much thought and attention to detail has gone into this restaurant. The Bristol works well on all levels. I highly recommend it.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 76 users:
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