Epic

Sometimes I’m late on writing my review on some places. When I finally got around to this one I was definitely surprised to see they are permanently closed. I would love to know what happened!!!
My lady had a groupon that was about to expire at the end of 2015, so we tried to make a reservation one day during Christmas week but to our dismay we got a recording saying the’ll be closed that whole week. That left only one week to use it which we caught it for a good deal I believe we bought it for $ 38 for $ 100 for food&drinks. We ended up making a reservation for the following week. The day we went it was super cold!!! I remember that because we parked a block and a half away from the place, finding parking could be a little difficult in that area. When we arrived we quickly waited on and seated. They had a lower level, upper level, and the rooftop. We followed the hostess up the stairs to the upper level (there’s also an elevator) were we were seated at a table for 2 along the wall were its like a long bench chair with a row of table for 2 chairs in front of the it close together. I’m mentioning this because we were seated right next these two ladies which we could every word of their conversation, and then they sat another couple to the right of us. It felt like were eating at a table with strangers. As far as the waiter he was ok, not great not bad. We we choose the lamb gnocchi as a appetizer which was tasty!!! For the main course I choose the duck and she had the salmon. They both were good but not out of this world. I feel like you’re basically paying for the ambiance. All in all it was nice!

Awfull service. worst staff!!! They lost my niece’s expensive coat and their responce was rude and mean. We waited for 2 hours to talk to the manager Sarah B. But she never showed up. It was freezing outside and my niece had to leave without her coat. We will never go back to this place!!!

We used a groupon here and it was well worth it! The place is more known for their rooftop in the summer but we went at Christmas time. It was beautifully decorated and very nice romantic atmosphere. We had steak for dinner and a drink each and really enjoyed it. It is pricey without the groupon so not sure I would pay that much for it. The steak was definitely great just a bit pricey. I recommend trying this or checking it out either with the groupon or during the summer for the rooftop!

The food looks amazing and is great! I went here about a year ago and randomly crave it because it was so good.
The atmosphere is summer is amazing, haven’t been there in the winter yet.
The service is average, nothing spectacular, but nothing horrible. They are a little slow though.
Definitely recommend coming here!

Very tasty food, well presented, with average service, but at a price above typical River North prices. We came in for an early dinner on a weekend and were able to be seated immediately, and food and drink menus were brought shortly. Beyond that, it was a hassle to find our waitress and ask about a dish, get silverware, get and pay the check. Seemed almost as if the bar and drinks were so important that the sit down tables could be ignored for long periods.
For food we got the Wild boar papardelle and the Seared Diver Scallops. Both came out with beautiful presentation (view pics), and both were home runs on flavor. For the papardelle the pumpkin polenta and tart cherries perfectly balanced the savory meat flavor, and added a nice sweetness to the dish. The scallops came with a salad essentially, of kale and apple pieces and purée. I don’t like scallops, but I would definitely eat the fixings all on their own. We ended with the Brandy Crème Brulee. It was served unlike any other crème brûlée I’ve had, portions dished out on gingersnap cookies with slices of kumquat and white chocolate adorning then, and then lemon honey drizzled on top for good measure. Very tasty and unique, but I think I enjoy the regular presentation more, and Epic’s size was smaller than normal. They also have a tasty Schofferhofer grapefruit beer, better than Stiegl Radler.

I have to admit, I was a little prejudiced against Epic just because of its name. As a classical scholar, I get prickly when I hear that word used to describe, say, an ice cream cone, when it was originally intended to describe a twenty-​four-​volume poem in rhymed meter with a cast of characters even longer than the Star Wars credits list.
Still, I tried to keep an open mind, and I had a good time at the private reception in conjunction with the ASLA convention. It was Bond-​themed, but we chose not to dress in costume; thankfully there were plenty of others like us. Instead, we drank martinis, ate appetizers and played table games with fake money (which, I have to say, was a thousand times more fun than gambling with real money — I just can’t bring myself to enjoy that!) Our dealer, at the blackjack table, was loads of fun, and the interior seemed sleek and modern, though it was too dark to see many details.
As far as the food and drinks go, again, it’s hard to say since we didn’t pay for anything or order from the menu, but I can say that the specialty cocktail of the evening was pretty unimpressive (cheap champagne and juice) and the appetizers were fantastic. Our favorites were the tuna tartare with avocado relish, though the tiny hamburgers and crab cakes were also delightful: every detail, from the dollop of sauce to the perfectly-​crusted exterior, was perfectly on point. Dinner here might not be epic (except for the bill) but I think it would be pretty great. Someday maybe we’ll give it a shot!

the appetizers are worth trying, but the main courses are really so so, thought the portion is big. The service is also so so.

Epic’s Happiest Hour might be the BEST kept secret in River North!
I read about their happy hour online. When we arrived at 4:30 pm, we were the only people in there. For some reason, there are sites which shows that it opens at 5:30 which could explain the lack of traffic.
We tried the lobster roll and chicken sandwich. Both were $ 6 and came with fries. The portion FAR exceeded our expectations and each sandwich was tasty. Someone commented that their fries are like old McDonald’s fries. Um, not true at all. They are a thick-​cut potato with seasoning.
Sparkling wine is only $ 5 for a heavily-​poured glass and their craft beers are a smokin’ deal too!
We asked them to change the channel on one of the TV monitors and they didn’t hesitate to accommodate us.
I mentioned this happy hour to my co-​worker and she agreed it’s an amazing value for the money!
I’ll be back to check out the rooftop terrace and sample more items on the menu when it’s not «HAPPIEST HOUR» (as the menu calls it).

the food was mediocre. We order the duck, chicken, seabass and crispy sole. The duck was too raw and chewy. I felt like it was quacking at me when I cut into it.:(chicken was ok. The quality was not top notch and kind of over price. The fish dish however were so much better. I tried some of the crispy sole from my friend’s dish and it was quite tasty.

Basically you pay a lot for a little amount of food that doesnt blow you away. not a great combo. The valet is around the corner so not super convenient, and then they park it literally across the street in a lot you could have just parked in yourself and save a tip, so I suggest you skip the valet. I had a pretty good cocktail that had avocado in it so thumbs up for that, check that out. For dinner I had the pork macaroni and cheese and the mint and ricotta ravioli. The waiter promised two homemade, large sized ravioli, but I’ve had ravioli, and you essentially get two normal sized ravioli with some veggies to fill out the plate. The ravioli did have an egg in them which burst out runny when you stuck your fork in so that was pretty neat. While I’d call it tasty I wouldn’t order 2 raviolis again for $ 23.00. I did like the pork mac n cheese so id check that out too.
Wouldn’t come back to this place, just not worth the money. Maybe lunchtime is better as Ive heard the cuban sandwhich is awesome but its not served during dinner.

Lol this place is so bad it’s actually hilarious. Went for my birthday as an alternative to RPM which was on a 4 hour wait. We (me + 3 friends) had all been to epic before, and enjoyed ourselves on 2 other occasions but I have no idea what happened to this place. At 730 on a Saturday the place was empty.
So appetizers. The calamari was slaughtered with batter & many pieces were just empty shells of fried nothingness. The shrimp was sub par. The focaccia was just wilted bread with cheese & tomato sauce. Ok so no.
Entrees. Two of our 3 steaks were mostly gristle. Mine was served sliced & dry. The potatoes on the plate were hilarious: like salty mealy stale disks. Basically they were old McDonald’s fries. The pork mac & cheese was meh. Kinda tasted like faux smoke sauce. This is still a mystery.
The Brussels sprouts were great though. So there’s that.
Service was good which, I mean, it better be because we were the only people there. But seriously this was so awful and you’re welcome for this hard core warning. No joke.

Tried Epic on a Groupon and it was good! My boyfriend and I enjoyed cocktails first he had a tequilla cocktail and I had the avocado vodka cocktail. Very tasty and unique combinations.
After cocktails we enjoyed the cheese platter with a few jams. They only give you about 5 crackers for tons of cheese and jam. We asked for more and they supplied us with more without a fuss. We move onto the entrees he got the steak and I had the salmon. I say my salmon was okay, but they left the skin on which I usually don’t prefer. I have to say it was good, but just didn’t knock my socks off.
However, we had the tiramisu for dessert and that was delicious! It wasn’t your traditional tiramisu it was infused with different flavors and laid out very neat looking.
All around I would go again on a Groupon, but not pay full price.

I enjoyed this venue for every reason. The food, service, and roof top provides everything you need for a cozy, delicious, fun outing. I shall return for more!

I would give a 3.5 review if Unilocal allows…
My boyfriend and I went to this place for lunch yesterday. We ordered two appetizers — Salmon and Scallops, and Picnic on the Patio — Pork Belly Carnitas (although I believe we ordered the lobster roll), Herb Roasted Chicken, and the 3 bean green bean.
Among all the food, Salmon, including the cucumber, was the best! Pork Belly Carnitas was tasty, too. As I mentioned above, I’m sure we ordered the lobster roll, but we ended up getting the pork belly carnitas… My guess was that my boyfriend and I have been debating which two to pick among Pork Belly Carnitas, Lobster Roll, and Herb Roasted Chicken, and our server got confused… However, the pork belly carnitas was delicious, so we happily took it lol
The Herb Roasted Chicken looked delicious, smelled great, but tasted okay… I tried the chicken leg while my boyfriend tried the chicken breast. However, the chicken leg was a little dry. I can imagine the beast couldn’t be any better…
The remaining two, the scallops and the 3 bean green bean, both are bad to me. I don’t like the spice on them at all. But my boyfriend said they were good.
Also, Epic doesn’t have any dessert for lunch :(This place is pricy given the overall quality of the food. But they have a rooftop, so maybe I should go back during night.

enjoyed the the cocktails at the bar… our bartender Rico was very attentive. Hardly any crowd on a friday, surprising because its a great space. Wish the weather wasnt a dampner would have liked spending time on the rooftop. The appetizers were ok, but the dessert was excellent. Plan to go back for brunch with the family.

PICNIC ON THE PATIO
River North is a flood of great restaurants and entertainment in the area. Recently Chef Dan Marquis’ rolled out his new summer menu and it is called Picnic on the Patio. This is a perfect place to have lunch with a co-​worker, friend, spouse or tinder date. Luckily I am married so I do not have to worry about tinder but this would be a great way to have an expensive looking lunch for two but it is not going to cost you an arm and a leg.
The new menu lets you select two main courses and one side for only $ 18. This is plenty of food for just two people plus it will look like you are spending a ton of money on the date but you are not really. They also have two other options of four main courses and two sides for only $ 36 or six main courses and three sides for $ 54. Not only is the food affordable it is completely fresh and it tastes fantastic.
Chef Dan Marquis’ also owns a family farm with his brother. I believe that the farm is only located about 30 miles from downtown Chicago. Many of the food dishes and cocktails include this fresh produce from the farm. I just simply love that. Not only are we going farm to table but the chef is involved in both. I spoke with Chef and he told me that this cold weather has produced a lot of kale on his farm. I of course had to have something with kale and had the kale & spinach dip with Hawaiian bread. I loved how hearty the kale was in the dip. This was one of my favorite dishes of the day and I can not wait to have it again.
Since I was on a picnic I knew we needed to have more of this amazing food but we also needed cocktails. The restaurant offers great house made non alcoholic cocktails with fresh herbs and fruits. They have a Wild Blackberry, a Watermelon Ginger and a Basil Ginger Lemonade and all three are priced at five dollars which is great for a refreshing summer drink. I must be honest I loved the Basil Ginger Lemonade so much I had the bartender throw in a shot of Tito’s Vodka. I know it is lunch but it is also summer and this drink screams summer.
Another favorite dish of mine was the Spicy Pork Roll. The only way I can describe it is a creative spicy Cubano Sandwich. The toasted sandwich has braised pork, serrano ham, pickle and a jalapeño radish slaw. The jalapeño radish slaw was out of this world. The sandwich had such a nice kick to it. I will be having dreams about this sandwich tonight. The sandwich also came with a cute basket of French Fries. The potatoes were fresh and still had the skins on them. I started dipping my French Fries into the spicy red salsa that came with our Chips and Salsa dish. Yes I was cross eating but I was not double dipping my fries. The chips were cooked perfectly and were fresh out of the fryer. I liked the guacamole that came with the chips too. The red salsa was that perfect authentic variety that you find in Pilsen. One day I am going to find out this recipe and start making salsa daily for myself.
The herb roasted chicken was another favorite of mine. It was covered in fresh herbs, a lemon dressing & topped with arugula. The skin had a perfect crisp going on and it was so flavorful. I can not tell a lie but I ate the skin. Please do not tell my doctor but I am sure he would have eaten it too. I loved how moist and tender the chicken was on the inside. Sometimes chicken can be over cooked but not here.
The tomato-​basil focaccia was great. It had oven roasted tomato, fresh mozzarella and a basil pesto on top. The bread had the perfect mix of a crispy bottom and fluffy soft bread in the middle. Throw on the amazing toppings at this focaccia is great to share with anyone. As you can see this picnic theme is starting to take off, but I needed a blanket on the roof so I could take a nap from all of this yummy food. But before I threw in the towel I needed to hit the seafood. It is truly not summer without a lobster roll and the version at EPIC did not let me down. It had the right amount of celery, red onion and tarragon. Again I found another favorite here. I can’t go wrong.
We decided to finish our lunch time feast with some Diver Scallops served ceviche style with carrots, yuzu, coconut, jalapeño and scallion. The dish was very refreshing and had a fantastic sauce. I am not sure what the sauce was but it worked perfectly. We also had the Ahi Tuna with watermelon, radish, lime basil and tequila. This dish was very refreshing and it had tequila which makes the dish even more exciting.
So if you are looking for a perfect way to spend your lunch time this summer then I highly recommend you hightail it over here. The new summer menu will have you not wanting to go back to work. Next time I come back I am going to make this a real roof picnic and just bring a blanket. I am sure they will let me eat on the ground. Right? Chicago has many options when it comes to dinning. I am so happy to find a restaurant that cares enough to use the freshest ingredients direct from the chefs own farm.

What a disappointment! I’ve been to Epic 3 or 4 times over the years and my dinner last night was such a bummer. I took 5 friends who were in from out of town and excited for a nice meal. Fortunately we enjoyed each other’s company and the drinks were good, so the night wasn’t a total bust.
Starting with the good — décor is nice, servers were friendly, some of the dishes were excellent — highlights being the beet salad, crispy sole, and the sides.
The biggest disappointment was the service. In theory we should have had pretty good service, we had a waiter in training and a more experienced waiter… you’d think that with 2 it would be good, but while they were friendly, it was some of the worst service I’ve had in a long time. I’m usually eating out 3 nights a week, so I think that says a lot.
Everything took SO long. Taking our drink order, bringing our drinks, starters, entrees. We had no interest in dessert because we were so irritated. The restaurant was shockingly open — maybe 50% of seats were open? The waiter in training was nice, but clearly not very experienced. It felt like it was his first time at the rodeo, which would surprise me for a restaurant like Epic.
Overall food didn’t feel worthy of the price. I’m not cheap and will regularly spend over $ 100/​head for dinner (and often much much more), but for the service and inconsistency of food it was a miss. Some dishes were over-​salted, which is just silly.
Also annoying was the person that appeared to be a manager who ran around all night with an earpiece and never stopped by our table to ask how things were. He didn’t have that busy of a place and we were clearly there much longer than other tables who came and left while we were there. I should have talked to him myself, but was just not in the mood by the time we left.
I rarely leave reviews of 2 or 1 stars, but I couldn’t bring myself to give 3 or more. Since I’ve had some great meals at Epic over the years and they have a great rooftop I will keep an eye on reviews with the hopes that this was just a fluke. I’m not ready to say steer clear, so my advice is to read the more recent reviews and look for trends. I’m hoping this was a 1 night fluke, perhaps they were understaffed.

Cool setup and the service was wonderful, but the food… I loved their scallops though! They cooked that, perfectly!
Tacos — too much beans/​Peruvian corn
Peruvian corn — it tasted that garbanzo beans without seasoning
Ahi Tuna — way over cooked! The worst I ever had actually.
Pricey place for the lack of good food. I wouldn’t come back.

I have to start this review saying that I knew that this was a good restaurant and for that reason I wanted to try sometimes new that I knew they would not screw up.
I had the foie grass mousee, I never had foie grass before and I am certain I will never have it again. I was just curious about the taste and I knew Epic would deliver. It was good, super rich. I am sorry little duck. Done talking about it.
The grilled hanger steak was fantastic. One of my favorite steaks.
Service was great and attentive. The restaurant is gorgeous inside.

Had reservations for 6:30 on a Wednesday night. Walked in and immediately met by host and offered open seating, so we chose a booth by the window. I wanted to dine upstairs but forgot.
The restaurant space (1^st floor) is dominated by a large bar, booths along the walls and traditional table/​chair arrangements. The ambiance is contemporary, dimly lit with top 40 music in the background. I felt like I was in a nice bar rather than a fine dining establishment.
Our server was attentive and pleasant. We started off with drinks and ordered the Epic Mule and Pierre Delize, a bubbly wine. Later on I ordered the Hollander. For an appetizer we ordered the Artisan Cheese Board, which came with an arrangement of four hard and soft cheeses, fig and apricot terrine, and 4 paper thin crostini drizzled with honey. The cheeses were ok, I really enjoyed the fig and apricot terrine. Our server immediately noticed 4 crostini was not going to be enough and promptly brought us more.
We ordered the Wagyu Top Sirloin served with parmesan pomme frites and I had the Ahi Tuna served with braised white beans, roasted tomaotes, and baby argula greens. We also ordered the Truffle Mac and Cheese and Charred Rapini. The tuna was cooked well and paired well with the braised white beans. The mac and cheese was rich, topped with bread crumbs and extremely tasty. I could eat that dish everyday! The rapini was cooked and seasoned well. I tried a piece of the Wagyu and it was seasoned simply (salt and pepper). The quality and taste of the sirloin is the attraction. We both agreed the pomme frites were way too thick and starchy, not enough crunch. We passed on dessert.

Love the chic ambiance here. The high ceilings in an industrial-​feeling building is a must see. It’s definitely an up-​cycled location with a great food and cocktail selection. Look out for their cocktail DIY sessions, they seem really fun! With creative drinks using avocado and cucumber liqueur, anything goes. Did I mention the gorgeous rooftop? A great view of the neighborhood from a clean-​cut and ivy-​strewn third floor. I would highly suggest getting dessert and champagne here on date night.
In terms of transportation, I recommend not driving here. There might be street parking, but you’ll be circling the block during prime time traffic… not so fun. However, beautiful view, beautiful interior… not much more you can ask for.

Epic menu descriptions of mediocre food.
Came with a $ 100 groupon and we ordered the following:
An oregon pinot noir
Octopus
Swordfish
Hangar steak
Mac and cheese side
The octopus was strange since it was served on a bed of squash purée. I get they are attempting to fit in with the other cool river north spots, but this combo was just odd. It’s not that good, sweet/​salty mix like garrett’s popcorn, it’s a weird mushy + overly grilled, chewy mix of textures that was almost gross.
If you would’ve put the swordfish plate in front of me and said it was tofu, you could’ve easily fooled me. The texture and taste was identical to tofu. I have nothing against tofu and i use it all the time in my cooking, but I didn’t expect a $ 32 dish to taste like the $ 1.99 block I get at TJ’s. The sauce and veggies were amazingly flavored. Again, it was just an odd, rubbery, thick texture for what was described as a grilled fish.
Hubby had the hangar steak and said it was cooked perfectly. The issue here was that the menu described his steak accompanied with bacon hash but it was regular-​ass potatoes with 3 little bacon bits.
The mac was good. I actually liked the mac better than my swordfish but it didn’t have truffle or any other exotic ingredients that vouch for the $ 11 price tag.
We did have a bottle of an Oregon Pinot Noir that was pretty good and made the food def more enjoyable. Also, service was great. The place is pretty empty so the staff didn’t seem overwhelmed and was able to give everyone pretty good service.
The best part of this place is the décor and the fact that you can grab a drank before, after or whenever at their rooftop. It’s not the best views of the city but it’s pretty good for River North. Would I be back if I had to pay full price? No way.
Take the money you made from the groupon and work on accurately writing your menu without any epic fairy tales, Epic.