The Promontory

Great food and great drinks. We got a counter seat right in front of the wood fire grill and it was nice to keep warm after a brisk, chilly walk around Promontory Point.

You can’t help but feel the positive and busy energy as soon as you step into the restaurant. I mean, one of the drinks even has «happiness» listed as an ingredient. It’s pretty loud and crowded so it’s not the best place for an intimate and quiet date, but if you’re looking for a fun place to hang out, The Promontory is definitely it!
I came here with a group and started with the Ember Roasted Oysters. The oysters were all fresh and each had a unique flavor with toppings like red onion jam, sherry butter, and pan de mie. We then shared a portion of the kalbi beef short ribs. The soy glaze on the short rib was lick-​your-​lips delicious and the short ribs were tender.
For my entrée, I had the butternut squash risotto with a one-​hour egg and mushrooms. The egg added a smooth texture to the risotto that made it just slide into my stomach. The golden raise emulsion added a sweetness to the risotto which was just delicious but cut nicely with the tang of the granny smith apples. My boyfriend has the Green Circle Farms Chicken with cornbread gnocchi. It came with a lot of meat with a yummy barbecue aioli that really elevated the flavor of the dish– great portion size for the price.
Overall, a great fun atmosphere with great music! There’s an open kitchen so we got to see the chefs prepare all our food as it came out, which was very cool and a unique experience.

One of the best girls nights out ever. Our evening started with Deniece Williams who by far is one of the most talented artist of our time. She’s still got it.
Our server was attentive and my cocktail was just right. I ordered the Jameson, my friends had an amaretto sour and my other friends went in on a carafe of tequila and grapefruit which was to die for. I believe the server may have recommended it so kudos to her for the great suggestion.
The concert started at 3pm sharp and ended just around 5.
Having no idea how long the concert would be we made reservations downstairs at the restaurant for 6:30. The girls were ok with killing time at the bar however an hour and a half at a bar with these ladies would have been a complete disaster. Being in no position to carry my friends downstairs i inquire as to whether we can move our reservation up an hour? I inquired at what I thought was the hostess station only to be instructed to walk across the room to the actual hostess station and someone would be with me shortly. So now I’m like #4 in line, a little annoyed and ready to go back upstairs and tell my friends they cannot accommodate us right now. Then out of nowhere comes Tavis. Talk about delightful. OMG!!! I’m still not really sure what he does there but his customer service was phenomenal!!! He apologized for the mishap at the back door and assured me someone would be with me shortly.
Once we were seated everything was just exceptional.
I ordered Brussel sprouts for an appetizer and prawns for the main course. FABULOUS!
This restaurant will not disappoint. Treat yourself to something a bit different. Oh and ask for Morgan and Tavis they took very good care of us.

Restaurant week!
Everything was delicious. I had the celery root and cauliflower dish for appetizer which was my fav. For entrée I had a roasted chicken dish with sauce, vegetables and special cornbread. Very flavorful and filling. For dessert, forgot the name but it sure was delicious. You can check their website for the restaurant week menu.
I would definitely come back.

I had an amazing meal at The Promontory on a Friday night during Chicago Restaurant Week (CRW) 2016. My friend Maddie M and I were going to catch an event on the U of C campus, and fellow Unilocaler Jen B recommended we try The Promontory since we’d be in Hyde Park.
Luckily I was able to grab us an online reservation at 5:30pm a few hours beforehand. And I thought of how different it was from some of the restaurants in the Loop, where this would have been impossible (especially during CRW!). It was a nice feeling, the accessibility of an alluring restaurant/​bar, on University of Chicago campus with an eclectic bunch of the diners. For some reason, this combination made for a beautiful restaurant space, and I just have a soft spot for college campuses.
After reading a little online, I learned that Chef Jared Wentworth had worked with Dusek’s and Longman & Eagle, a group of restaurants that have an amazing track record. Little surprise that The Promontory was excellent and exceeded any expectations. Note that TP is also a music venue. On their website (
) you’ll land on their venue page for upcoming shows, but click on the tab on the top for «Restaurant» that will lead you to their menus and a place to make reservations.
For a party of 2, we split a CRW dinner course and some a la carte items.
DRINKS (our ‘kiddie cocktails’):
Cherry Cobbler
Promontory Palmer
FOOD:
Glazed chicken wings w/​plantain chips
Wagyu Beef Tartare (CRW)
P.E.I. Mussels (CRW)
Grilled Gulf Prawns
Chocolate & Hazelnut Pave (dessert, boxed to-​go for our time crunch; CRW)
The price for their 3-​course CRW menu ($ 33) was amazing! The options we chose from the CRW menu, indicated by parentheses above, were phenomenal — especially the Wagyu Beef Tartare. If you aren’t vegetarian or vegan, do yourself a favor and order this! :)
Their service was prompt and kind, a no-​nonsense sort of candidness, yet accommodating. We told our server that we were in a bit of a time-​crunch, and she completely ensured that our food came out promptly and our bill was settled earlier, our dessert packed when we were ready to fly out of there.
The prawns and mussels were very fresh, and my God, that sourdough bread that came with the mussels to dip in the broth? A loss for words. I have tasted bread perfection. Portions were shareable if you order several things; 4 dishes split between 2 people left us happy and full.
Despite having to speed up our dinner just a bit, the ambiance, mood, and essence of TP were beautiful. Can I say «beautiful» a few more times? Dinner with a great friend, amazing food, the glow of the lighting and candles off the high wooden ceilings… slowed time a bit… and turned a brief dinner into a time capsule of positive memories.
If you dine here, you will relish your experience. I highly recommend it!

What a sexy spot! Okay admittedly its a convenient location, however, I was lost for about 15mins. It is in the lot beside Akira (I think that is the store).
Parking all night was 9.00
I came to the venue for a concert (Kindred the Family Soul) on ½/​16, so I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the food. The sexiness exuded from the moment I walked in the place. Outdoor firepit, soft lighting and the audience was chill.
Drink prices are comparable to surrounding venues and restaurants in the area.
I plan to definitely go back my next trip to Chicago — when its WARMER. If you are in the area and looking for an awesome date place I would suggest here just based on my attendance during a show — I can ONLY imagine the atmosphere when its simply during a one on one.

Alright so can I start off being honest???
Ok.
I’m glad you guys trust me.
So I came to this place about a year or more ago when they’d just opened. I admit… I looked at the menu and was intimidated and closed minded… I ran as fast as I could to another restaurant!
A friend of mine recently invited me to brunch here and I thought *rolls eyes* NOT THIS PLACE… but I obliged anyway.
I get there and immediately see one of my servers who I know from another local restaurant and she greets me with a smile and a hug. Luckily she is our waitress. We are seated at a table and here’s where it gets interesting…
The menus are given to us and I scan through it getting those feelings of «damn it! there’s isn’t anything on here I’d eat»… And our waitress Mary looks at me and says «Ty… Everything here is delicious… Trust me… Look at the ingredients not just the names»
My eyes bring me to the Mac and Cheese… But reading the description… Oooh yeah not your ordinary Mac and cheese! A large beautiful combination of farfalle pasta with nice small chunks of braised beef short rib! Damn! Talk about an overlook! I ordered it!
Since it was brunch and the only thing pork I eat is bacon I add a side of it… She stops me and says no Ty… You need to try the pork belly… It’s just like bacon but very thickly cut… I’m hesitant but my friend agrees… «Yes it’s so good, you’ll love it»… Well alrighty then…
Food came and the presentation was AMAZING… But not as good as the taste! I was in awe! Brunch was a success including our drinks (don’t remember the name of mine). When I say we literally scarfed down our food! It was real lol, and we were so satisfied that we went straight to the bar afterwards and had more cocktails until the sun went down…
Moral of this story… Don’t get so stuck in your ways and so scared of testing your taste buds that you miss out on wonderful experiences like this one!
I’ll be back more often and thanks to Mary for providing great service and showing me the full and complete Promontory experience!

The Promontory is a fun brunch spot in Hyde Park and I’ve always had a good experience here. It’s a spacious place with lots of windows and a great ambiance. I came here last Saturday for lunch with a friend and despite the blistering cold, the restaurant was still fully packed.
I ordered the lamb burger with chickpea fries and my friend ordered the tuna panzanella. I thought the burger was pretty good. The smoked feta and pickled onions were a nice touch but didn’t really care for the olive tapenade. Chickpea fries were good– crispy on the outside and creamy and light on the inside. I loved them just as much as the burger itself (if not more). For the tuna panzanella, the tuna is seared and served on a bed of veggies and sourdough bread with a softboiled egg and vinaigrette dressing. Looked great and I’m thinking about getting that the next time I’m here for lunch!
I’ve also gotten the point breakfast here before and it’s amazing. If you want a more traditional breakfast, this is it. The jam that they serve with the toast is delicious.
Food here is a solid 4, although I’m bumping up this review to a 5 for the service. Absolutely wonderful staff and the waiters take amazing care of you. People are checking up on your table, refilling water frequently throughout the meal, and making sure everything is just right. Well done!

To be honest, I’m making a quick review since I lack 3-​star reviews.
Promontory is good but it’s not great and obviously most of my feedback is very subjective. (I like meat but enjoy good vegetarian as well) The «hearth to table» theme is great but I think they could tailor it back just a little. Here’s where the very subjective part comes into play. I think they overplay the vegetables in their dishes. For instance, the brussel sprouts are good, but a little «too healthy». I prefer bacon or something else to infuse it with savory flavor. Thier brussel sprouts contain more vegetables such as soy beans. The flavor is clean and if you’re a vegetarian you’ll probably love it. I also ordered the fresh pasta. Again, a vegetarian dish that had small squared butternut squash. The squash was hard, almost raw. Perhaps that’s what they are going for. All in all I think this is a great place for vegetarians.

Gorgeous, gorgeous ambiance here! We came for brunch on a sunny, snowy morning — love how the natural light comes in from all angles.
Service was a bit slow and we had to raise our hands a few times to be noticed by waiters — but expected for a busy Sunday. I got the prawn entrée — delicious (and very unique) pairings of potatoes, prawns, and herbs! The fresh tea I had was a great choice as well. Not cheap, but definitely worth the price given the quality of ingredients they use here.
I would love to come back here for shows and music in the evening… Maybe in the future :)

Here we go again, another lengthy review of The Promontory from me. If you’re not a foodie, and just wondering whether or not you should eat here… eat here. I think it is awesome that after every dining experience with The Promontory, I have so much to say. This restaurant is truly offering not just exceptional food, but an complete gastronomical experience.
I arrived to The Promontory an hour earlier than my reservation, just to have a drink or two before dinner began. They were very accommodating to seat us an hour early at our reserved table with a view of the open kitchen. We always enjoy watching the chefs interact with one another as you can very plainly see they are one big playful family.
After our pre-​dinner bubbly, the Sommelier brought out our first course. The Maine lobster was perfectly chilled, tender, and plenty. The oyster mayo was really brightened up by the addition of mustard seeds, that lead to a perfectly creamy yet tangy sauce. The salmon roe that highlight the fish notes without overtaking the entire dish and of course are a beautiful addition to the presentation. The bed of yuzu toasted brioche added just the right amount of sweetness. The frisee played a role aesthetics as well as bringing a fresh and crisp factor to the dish. Overall, perfectly composed dish with an expertly paired with Ca’ Bosco Brut from Franciacorta.
The second course was a well planned preview of the upcoming rich and earthy and away from the sweet and creamy by marrying the two flavor profiles. The transition was presented as a celery root agnolotti, with properly cooked pasta and subtle earthy celery filling. The creamy richness of the cauliflower soubise and roasted vegetable demi were cut by the crisp bitterness of the treviso. This course was beautifully paired with the refreshing Heidler Gruner Veltliner.
A surprise course was added to the menu, the chef’s experimental savory version of financiers. It was very obvious which of the two was onion flavored but he cheddar was not as pronounced. The cookies were moist and dense, and almost sticky. I loved that we got to partake in the chef’s playful experiment!
The last time I dined the Tuesday Tasting menu, the beef course was strip steak, beef cheek bourguinon, and roasted carrot purée. This time the beef course consisted of Waygu strip steak, beef cheek bourguinon, and roasted carrot purée… sound familiar? Basically, same exact dish but with an exponentially better execution and wine pairing the second go ’round. The steak was cooked to the chef’s preference, as it should always be. A gorgeous steak presentation that melted like butter in your mouth. A satisfyingly rich and earthy course that paired so well with the comparable notes in the Jason Stephens Cabernet Sauvignon.
The last savory course of the night was a Kentucky Burgoo composed of venison sausage, turkey roulade, smoke pork belly, braise butter beans, and the M.I.A. pickled okra. To my pleasant surprise, this dish was not overly salty as I had expected. With pork belly and venision sausage on the menu, I was prepared for the saltiness to shine. The pork belly was expertly salted, infused with natural smoke flavors, and was oh so tender. I was so happy to taste that the venison sausage was well seasoned, had an absence of game flavor, and great mouth feel from the casing to stuffing.
As soon as I saw what was on the menu for dessert, I could not wait to have it in front of me. Coffee and Doughnuts paired with Boulder Beer Co.‘s Shake Chocolate Porter on nitro. When you write something like that on the menu, people are bound to get excited. I know I was excited, until I saw the dread grapefruit marmalade. Dessert came out and as always, gorgeously presented. A yeast doughnut, a doughnut hole filled with grapefruit marmalade, and coffee cremeux. I completely understand the concept of pairing acids with richly decedent flavors, but I can’t handle the execution. Next time, I’ll have to pass on the citrus marmalade. At The Promontory, there’s an open kitchen where you can see all the chef’s preparing the main dishes. However, there’s an elusive, mad scientist of a pastry chef that hides in the back and conjours up wild desserts. Coffee foam, that’s not so crazy, but not still not found on your average dessert. The kicker? Grapefruit powder. It looks like powered sugar but tastes like your eating afresh slice of grapefruit. Oh, the magical powers of molecular gastronomy.
The third time must really be the charm, because I left completely entranced. Compared to my last experience, the food seemed to be more thoughtfully composed and purposefully prepared. The Sommelier did an exceptional job pairing with every dish, not just as a compliment, but to complete the course.
Well done.

Had food with a friend on a chilly winter’s day. The décor is warm and rustic, with lots of light bulbs and reclaimed wood and a spacious ceiling.
I’ve been satisfied with the brunch here before but this time I was slightly disappointed. I had the grilled gulf prawns with sweet potato, ham hock, smoked pear, braised kale ($ 15). Portions were small but surprisingly filling. It was overall a good dish, with the smoked pear complementing the prawns. The down side was that the kale was excessively salty, felt like I was drowning in the ocean. I had just learned about hypertension and high salt diets yesterday, so eating that kale made me a little worried…
Staff was very attentive, I will come back when I’m game for more brunch in Hyde Park.

Rapidly becoming the dominant «place to grab nice drinks and maybe some food after work» in Hyde Park. The cocktail list is nicely-​organized and demonstrates actual attention to craft. Most of the items are a little pedestrian, bland, and watery for my tastes, but they can be interesting and I can usually eventually find something I like. (The «con Chile» is a standout, although I think it may be disappearing from the menu for a while.) Nice patio too.
The food is a little fancier and more expensive than mere happy-​hour grub, but I like the amount of interesting vegetables they have. For dinner the best bet seems to be the lamb burger, though I wish it came with real french fries instead of crumbly ones made of chickpeas.

We recently had brunch at The Promontory and loved it. Our friends, who live in Hyde Park, go here a lot and the staff was great. Food was also outstanding.
Not being too familiar with the area, we found The Promontory a little hard to find. It’s behind the AKIRA, BTW. We parked in the lot behind the restaurant and got a little turned around and walked up the stairs to the 2^nd floor. We found ourselves in the middle of a kids Halloween event. We eventually found our way downstairs and to the restaurant. I think all of us went with the «Point» breakfast. I have to declare the potatoes the best breakfast potatoes ever! they were surprisingly crispy. Scrambled eggs and pork belly were good. The only thing I didn’t care for was the «beermosa». The combination of beer and OJ just didn’t work for me. Next I’ll opt for a mimosa.
Overall it was a great brunch with friends in a relaxed setting. We’ll definitely be back to try out lunch and dinner.

Came with friends to celebrate Halloween. I had the Promontory Paloma (beware, very strong and very sweet!), which I paired with the kalbi short ribs. The ribs are delicious, the beef is tender and it’s cooked in a garlic teriyaki sauce that will leave you wanting to lick the plate. The ambiance is urban rustics cool, and the music is always the right mix of classic r&r and hip hop. A great addition to Hyde Park.
All time favorite drink — the Mama D’s Cream soda
fave dessert — the s’mores, which come with home made graham cracker ice cream, marshmallow and a smoked chocolate soufflé.

The first time I went to The Promontory, I told myself and my companion that we were just going to do a round of fancy cocktails. Drinks became appetizers. Apps became entrees. Then we had dessert. And then I needed a nightcap.
The helpful staff of The Promontory are there to advise you and guide you through the best not-​overly expensive dining experience in Hyde Park. They are also there to dash your hopes of getting the rabbit roulade at 8pm on Saturday night. Nevertheless, our table was more-​than-​satisfied with Brunswick Stew, Wagyu steak, and the Lamb Burger. The stew was spicy and smoky with duck done a few ways. I didn’t get to try the Wagyu steak entrée because my friend inhaled her entire plate, all the while praising the carrot purée. My lamb burger was cooked exactly to specification, dabbed with creamy cheese and sweet tomato relish, and paired with chickpea fries that give Kennebec fries a run for their money. The sweet corn hushpuppies were decent, but more dense than I prefer.
For dessert, there was a wonderful flute of Maculan Moscato, a delightful coconut tart adorned with sweet and tart fruits, including the exciting golden gooseberry, and the luxurious and nutty s’mores soufflé. The Promontory serves a good coffee as well. I’ve forgotten the name of my cocktail in the hazy recollection of pleasure, but it was top-​notch too.
For a great meal in a wonderful space with excellent service in Hyde Park, look no further than The Promontory.

The ambiance of the Promontory is really nice. Conveniently located in Hyde Park, it’s surely a spot to try. What I really appreciated about my visit is that the waitress noticed that I barely ate any of my omelet and asked if «I hated it» and I had to be honest and say «yes!» She asked if I wanted anything else, but seeing the meals of my two colleagues — I wasn’t interested in taking another risk. The waitress was quite astute and simply said she would bring out some scrambled eggs and toast because she wanted to make sure that I ate something. I agreed and 15 minutes later, she brought a fabulous, basic breakfast that was exactly my speed. The meal also included bacon and ham. Delicious!

We went to The Promontory to see Robert Glasper for a live show. The space itself is upscale but not so upscale that it seems exclusive. The space is intimate and dim with dark colored wood. The bar in the middle of the entrance is massive. A couple of feet from the bar is outside deck/​seating area. The door retract to open up. Everyone was dressed really casual. Not a lot of jeans and tennis shoes here.
The sound was all good. There wasnt a lot of standing room to watch the show but we made do. There was a surprise at the show, R Kelly came out and sang a little this made the show pretty good.
The music venue is upstairs and the restaurant is downstairs. I eat here because from looking at the menu there aren’t many things that might agree with my palate. I’m sorry to disappoint about the food but hey? Also, the parking can be a royal pain in the you know what, but if your from Chicago you should know this already. Im from Wisconsin… Go figure!

The first time I went to The Promontory, I was VERY impressed, with the food and service. However, I went a couple of days ago, bringing new friends to this new discovery of mine. Though it had the same vibe, the food was lacking. It was well plated, as usual, but someone forgot to put yummy goodness they had before.
The fois gras was very gamey and minerally, not in a good way. Someone ordered an app that was essentially hummus and babaganoosh fancied and the bread, which I think was supposed to be naan was greasy. There was the rabbit fricassee but couldn’t taste the rabbit, could have been chicken fro all I know.
I decided to order new cocktails, just to try. Ordered a Pimm’s Cup, thinking it was a hot day and we’re sitting outside. I should have read further on the description. With all the rye they put in there and other house ingredients, they shouldn’t have bothered putting any Pimm’s in there.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a nice place with decent food. I’d bring an out of town friend here and tell him it’s a cool Chicago joint and good place to eat. But it’s not THE place it was in my POV.
What the hell happened? It’s only been a couple of weeks since my last visit? Maybe I got lucky the first time, I had great hopes that this was my go to restaurant in Chicago. Well, I guess I’ll have to keep searching.

As a package deal. this is probably a 4.5 star place and I would go back for sure.
So The Promontory is a really good venue for music that has a Gastro pub for a meal to set the stage. We went to see Alejandro Escovedo in a duo with Susan Voelz and Nicholas Tremulis opened. It was a stripped down show and we enjoyed every minute. We had a reserved table and there was a comfortable amount of space around us. The prices were reasonable and the show fantastic. An intimate setting.
The restaurant was interesting. Lisa and I took a look at the menu and thought we were going to have a hard time finding anything we like. It’s one of those menus. a little «try too hard» But we managed to find things that we liked, my buddy Adam got the pot roast (with beef cheeks and bone marrow) and it was good. the beef cheeks were ‘meh’. I got the Pork Shank, it came with 1 ravioli and some mixed veggies… that was a real winner. delicious. Lisa had the Lamb burger (pretty tasty)
We had a selection of small plates to start, atmosphere and service were very good.
It’s a keeper