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Schwa Restaurant Chicago Reviews
Not the Anniversary Dinner We Had Hoped For
We live 4.4 miles from Schwa. Due to unbelievable traffic on a Thursday night, it took us an hour and fifteen minutes in a taxi to travel from our home to the restaurant. We had allowed for 45 minutes, which meant we arrived 30 minutes late for our 6
We live 4.
4 miles from Schwa. Due to unbelievable traffic on a Thursday night, it took us an hour and fifteen minutes in a taxi to travel from our home to the restaurant. We had allowed for 45 minutes, which meant we arrived 30 minutes late for our 6 pm reserv
Once in a Lifetime
Amazing tour de force of the chef's arts. Uplifting combinations you'd never have thought of. Not an everyday experience. Dinner here is a once-in-a-lifetime pleasure. Portions may have been a tad too small in some cases to recognize al
Schwa is a trip -- the room is plain, but the food is
Schwa is a trip -- the room is plain, but the food is anything but. Every course is inventive, playful, and seriously delicious. It's fine dining without the fuss, and easily one of the most fun and different meals in Chicago.
Amazing experience! Love the gritty atmosphere and music.
Each course was outstanding. The chef and servers did a great job in presenting and explaining the dishes. My only comment for improvement is to be a little louder during the explanations of the dishes. While I loved the music and atmosphere you had
Schwa is fun.
If you don't like rap, are not comfortable in intimate dining room, are not so available to creative fine dining probably not the place for you. The staff is not accommodating to utensil requests or any alternations to the presentation of dishe
Sadly I cannot recommend Schwa.
The really loud music is simply annoying and not edgy. The staff's explanation of the dishes was uninspired. My wife went home and had pizza. There's more, but I'm not trying to blast them too hard since it seems some people like it. I
I really have mixed feelings about Schwa.
On one hand, the restaurant's vibes are really great and I had a great time celebrating with my friends. On the other hand, the food left quite a bit to be desired and the staff felt rather lukewarm towards our party. Before arriving, I saw all
All the way back in 2008, I read a GQ profile of Schwa
All the way back in 2008, I read a GQ profile of Schwa chef/owner Michael Carlson. It detailed, in vivid fashion, how this tiny little punk fine dining restaurant was Chicago's toughest reservation, mostly because Carlson is an organizational me
Amazing dinner and I felt the vegetarian option was better
Amazing dinner and I felt the vegetarian option was better than the regular. The service was some of the best I've had and even though I brought some wine, the chefs recommended what to drink with each course. Really well thought out execution a
One of the most eclectic and delicious tastings I've ever
One of the most eclectic and delicious tastings I've ever experienced! This place was so unassuming - no dress code, dark with little decor, loud rap music playing - but the food is top-tier, right up there with Alinea and some of the best chef&
I decided to go here at Schwa for dinner.
It was the most exciting food experience I've had in a long time. Their chef, sous chef, and line cook were all extremely kind and knowledgeable. All of them are skilled and well-trained. My favorite bites were the gravy biscuit in the first cou
Food is meant to be enjoyed but food can also be an
Food is meant to be enjoyed but food can also be an experience and I have never been anywhere that did this quite as well as Schwa. Every dish was both beautiful and delicious and you could see the intentionality behind every decision. I particular
Incredible Dining Experience
Food is meant to be enjoyed but food can also be an experience and I have never been anywhere that did this quite as well as Schwa. Every dish was both beautiful and delicious and you could see the intentionality behind every decision. I particular
I wasn't prepared for this and it wasn't for me.
I was put off upon entering and being in the middle of a room with people seated all around. The immediate discomfort wasn't soothed by the loud music and in turn, ingredients being yelled upon dish delivery. It was overwhelming. The food was very cr
Easy to miss storefront in Wicker Park, but upon entrance
Easy to miss storefront in Wicker Park, but upon entrance you quickly realize why their reservations go quickly, as the minute you pass the threshold you're in the small dining room. The executive chef seats you and introduces himself and the staff,
What an amazing anniversary experience! We tried their
What an amazing anniversary experience! We tried their tasting menu and it was absolutely delicious! I mentioned before going that my wife is gluten sensitive and they went above and beyond to make every dish gluten free! Some of them even tasted bet
Amazing food, setting and service need work
The food was as imaginative and well executed as Next or any other top restaurant in the area. The quail and the foie gras apple pie were standouts. However, the cramped dining room and underperforming air conditioning made us uncomfortable. Most of
Amazing food.
Good vibes. What more can you ask for? Also did I forget to mention BYOB?!
Great service, experience, and thought-out food.
Loved ending the evening with a complimentary shot!
I had a unique and wonderful behind the scenes look at this
I had a unique and wonderful behind the scenes look at this restaurant and what a wonderful group of people Michael found and put together. Enjoy
Superb food, really unique, flavorful, and savory.
We try to visit as often as we can because the food is that good. Service is thoughtful and friendly. BYOW or go dry. Be mindful that if you haven't been here before, it can be very loud because people are having such a great time.
Catching up on Yelp reviews and I visited Schwa back in
Catching up on Yelp reviews and I visited Schwa back in August for a celebration dinner. I was able to prepay a reservation on Tock for a Thursday night at 7pm about 2-3 weeks out. Reservations are for 2 or 4 people. This was my first time doing a fi
This was the worst restaurant I ever been to .
.. avoid this place at all cost. Ewwwww!
I made reservations for a midweek dinner here.
Upon entry you're face the kitchen, with no hostess stand for foyer. They ask for your first name and sit you down immediately. I will say this place is like no other Michelin star restaurant I've ever been to. No white table cloth here. They're actu
Amazing spot for date night and if you want to really
Amazing spot for date night and if you want to really experience food with a unique tasting menu this is the spot! It's fun and the chefs here really do an amazing job.
Went to Schwa to celebrate birthdays with friends.
This is fine dining done like no other. These unique dishes are made approachable by the chill down to earth staff. Don't expect any fluff here, just delicious dishes. Huge perk- it's BYOB and they don't charge a corking fee. Great for a unique date
Unique experience! Fun chill vibe! Eating different types
Unique experience! Fun chill vibe! Eating different types of foods, listening to one of my fav type of music era and genre, and BYOB, is such a cool way to enjoy an evening. Servings are small (as to be expected for a tasting menu) but they serve yo
I was so blown away by Schwa.
My boyfriend took me here for my 30th birthday last month and just wow. Michelin star dining but not the stuffiness you expect when you think Michelin. The food was incredibly delicious and inventive. That banana pudding tea dish ... I'm obsessed . T
Very unassuming for a Michelin star restaurant.
It's BYOB. They play hip-hop music. Your sous chefs are also your servers. The chef takes shots with you. Don't expect a host stand. No coat stand or closet specially when you go during the winter in Chicago. Overall, food was really good. Very well
Schwa was amazing, starting with that.
I'll say that there were a few apsects of dining there that I think could have been better, but I'll get there below.I'll go as far as saying that among the coursed (price fixe) dinners - They had the best actual-tasting food. Some places you get a c
Food was very good.
Quail and wagyu were the best! Good music, a lot of 90s-00s rap which seemed odd for a restaurant like this. Service was great they explain each dish like most multi course meals. BYOB!!! We brought a bottle of red and white to try with different di
My husband and I have been to Schwa several times.
For a while the dishes were a bit salty but still very good. We went last night and, my god, they have it dialed in PERFECTLY!! Even single course was just outstanding! Can't wait to go back yet again.
Disappointed!
Not what I expected. The food was decent, however it didn’t WOW me. The service was subpar and the cleanliness of the establishment was questionable. Not star worthy.
Really fun experience dining at Schwa - the BYOB makes this
Really fun experience dining at Schwa - the BYOB makes this a blast with a group. We had the 9 pm seating, and it's a really interesting set up - only 5 total tables, feels like a hole in the wall from the outside. The staff was super friendly. Overa
An experience for sure.
Excellent food. Just really not worth it at the end of the day. A $200 tasting menu should feel like an elongated choreographed ballet that takes longer than you think and wows you in the end. Schwa brings excellent food too quickly and too abruptly
Food was fantastic! Had been an a little nervous because I
Food was fantastic! Had been an a little nervous because I had heard of controversial news about this place, but our service was just fine and we had a great experience! The meat option and vegetarian option were both nice. For a tasting menu place,
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If there is no user posting that fits your schedule, you can bid on your preferred time.
Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Schwa Restaurant Chicago at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Schwa Restaurant Chicago page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
That's where the community-driven bid process comes in.
Peter can place a bid on AppointmentTrader, which serves as a reward for any community member who chooses to work on securing the reservation. AT then notifies experienced users who may be able to help.
Step-by-Step Process
1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
* AppointmentTrader uses historical data to recommend a reasonable reward amount for securing a reservation - let's say $100.
* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* PerceptiveWash44, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's $200 bid.
* PerceptiveWash44 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to PerceptiveWash44 for any questions Peter may have as PerceptiveWash44 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* PerceptiveWash44 now uses their connections at Schwa Restaurant Chicago to secure the table.
* If they successfully get the 6 PM table for four, Peter receives a confirmation that the reservation has been secured.
* If PerceptiveWash44 fails to secure the reservation, the bid is returned to the pool so another user can try.
4.) Payment & Protection
* Once the reservation is secured, PerceptiveWash44 receives the $200 reward which is credited to PerceptiveWash44's AT balance, where users manage their own funds and can withdraw via available payout options such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Zelle.
* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Schwa Restaurant Chicago!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.
