Marche: User Reviews
The atmosphere is great - very creative and the service was attentive. The only issue was our disappointment with the wine list. There were no white wine bottles priced under $40 and most red wine bottles were priced in the $70-$80 range. Compared to the reasonably priced meals, we would have expected a selection of wines in the $40-$50 range. Instead of ordering off the menu, we asked to have a bottle of one of the wines served on the "wine by the glass list" which was more reasonable.
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My girlfriend and I ate here Saturday night. Our server, Patrick was very attentive, gave a great recommendation for wine, and really knew the menu. The food was spectacular. She had the halibut and I had the pork shoulder. Will definitely be going back soon.
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Tonight we dined at Marche at around 6:30, i am not sure if it's too early or becuase it's tuesday, but the food was v. disappointing. We had two soups, french onion soup and the soup of the day--corn with beet and bacon bits. The onion soup was just v. average, but the soup of the day was so salty, we have to down it with the bread, it's more than a sauce than soup. Then I had the ravioli and my husband had the duck, the duck was quite good, but the ravioli was not cooked through. Last time when I was in Marche it was around 4 years ago and I remember the food was v. good, I am v. disappointed and the decor seems so worn down, luckily our server was okay.
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Food so good you forget about the music
By EnthusedFoodie from Forest Park, September 6, 2009
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Visited Marche for a late dinner on a Saturday night. Maybe it was the reservations but we got a very cool table with a couch on one side overlooking the restaurant. The ambiance was interesting, giving you many pieces of art and decor for wandering eyes. The server was very helpful when we couldn't decide what to order, though the food arrived rather quickly after the appetizer. Only when we weren’t indulging in succulence of the food did we notice the techno music playing in the background. I get it, Chicago restaurants, you’re young and hip; but you’re still a restaurant. Techno music over a dinner at a high-end restaurant does not work!
For an appetizer we had the Escargot. They were cooked perfectly and the depth of flavor in the butter sauce made me want to keep eating. Luckily they provided plenty of (room temperature, get a warmer!) bread to sop it up. I had the Wild Bass and my company the Pork Shoulder. Again, the flavors were deliciously complex but warmly familiar; like good comfort food. The skin of the bass was perfectly seared to a crisp. It lay on a tender bed of leeks, wild mushrooms, vegetables, and a creamy sauce that begged to be licked off the plate (though I chose not to :-P). The Pork Shoulder was superbly tender, boasting an unexpected smoky flavor, but could have benefited from more of that famous French sauce. Towards the end of the heftily portioned bowl some pieces of shoulder were completely dry. We had Crème Brulee for desert. It was good, but not head and shoulders above others I’ve had. The coffee was excellent. Don’t bother with an after dinner drink, just get the coffee.
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Too expensive for the value of the food and service received
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I absolutely LOVE this restaurant. I always go on the pre-fix nights because it's the best deal. It's great for special occasions or any day you want to have a nice dinner. The decor is funky and creative. The food is AMAZING. My favorite appetizers are the escargot and pear, endive, and walnut salad. I always order the steak frites, and they have great dessert. I can't wait to go back...
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I went to Marche in February and I had a decent experience. I was not impressed by the hostess, she barely had any personality when seating us. The waiter on the other hand was very nice and accomodating. I had a seafood dish in a cream sauce which was great and my Mom had the swordfish steak which was tasty as well. The atmosphere in the dining room was nice like all of the restaurants in this group (Opera etc.) but the bathrooms were dirty. The wine is a little pricey so I wouldnt go there to drink. Overall I had an average experience at this restaurant, I guess it was what i expected.
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A group of 9 of us had reservations on New Year's eve. It was a very dissapointing experience and we will never again visit this restaurant. The service was surly and bad and the food, appaling especially when considering the price. This "restaurant" is very overated and should never again be recommended. A thoroughly disgusting experience. Thank you Marche for ruining a New year's eve.
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I used to love Marche - amazing french food at a great price with stellar service, always. I'm not sure what they've changed but the past two times i've been there, i've been VERY let down by the service and especially the food. The food is horrible. It tastes as though they doused everything in a bottle of bad red wine. And the wait staff lately has been boys and girls with huge attitudes. I will never go back to Marche again. I'll stick with Bistrot Margot in old town. Marche should take a lesson.
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I went on a Monday night with a group of four without a reservation. I had dined there before and really enjoyed the food and atmosphere, so I recommended Marche to my group. I figured we might have to wait a while for a table, but there were many empty tables when we arrived. The host told us the tables were all taken for reservations and asked if we wanted to wait in the bar area (very crowded); he said it would be about 20 minutes for a table to open. We politely declined and said we would just wait at the front. A young couple entered behind us and told the host they didn't have a reservation. He seated them right away, asking if they would prefer a two-top or a roomier four-top. They chose the four-top. This was done right in front of our group and it wasn't as if the host was trying to be quite about it. Needless to say, we left and I highly doubt that anyone of us will return. You can bet that we've told all our friends and colleagues, too.
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Review Summary
The following scores represent the average rating submitted by 70 users:
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