The Publican

New favorite brunch spot in Chicagoland! This gem was located about a mile from downtown, a short Über ride away and what we found was absolutely magic.
Upon entering we found ourselves in a very rustic type atmosphere, that was reminiscent almost of stables of yesteryear. There’s a lot of exposed wood, some actual stable appearing booths on the left side of the restaurant, and some very fun bench seating that is accompanied by some counter height tables to stand out while you’re waiting for your food to come. It’s very conducive to conversation and is very laid back!
The food we had here was absolutely unreal. The pork belly, disguised on the menu as bacon, was glazed in maple syrup it was absolutely incredible. The coffee was delicious and was accentuated by the oddly shaped sugar cubes which were just delightful. In life, it really is the little things. My wife had a barrel aged black tea that was absolutely out of this world. We’re fans of all things barrel aged at this point, and this is the first time we actually come across a good barrel aged tea. Little bit different flavor, but served hot, it was absolutely perfect.
The food here stood out among many of the places that we’ve been to recently. My wife had the red wine poached eggs which was reminiscent of eggs benedict crossed with purple eggs. It was basically the most delicious Dr Seuss book ever! I had the spoon bread for the recommendation of our server and it was absolutely amazing. It was like cornbread and grits had a baby that contained all of their best features. Sort of reminiscent of a soft quiche, with the cheese and bacon dwelling within. It was absolutely fantastic! Pair that with the aforementioned bacon and delicious beverages, and you’ve got the place we want to go to every weekend.
If you live in Chicago, you’re lucky to have this place close by. If you don’t live in Chicago and ever visit there, you should probably make this one of your stops. The meat shop across the way is a great way to finish up the morning and get yourself some delicious animal for the ride home.

We were adventurous and told the server (Adrian Grenier twin) that we would the the Chef’s Menu — and had about 8 – 10 entrees served to us that we had no idea were coming out. Communal dining was fine and the cocktails were tasty.
Highlights:
Tasty cauliflower, squid, blood sausage and potatoes, red snapper was light and citrusy, The shank was super tender and flavorful and we were very happy but very full. The dessert was a sweet potato dish and it was fluffy and I had to fight my date over it. We were happy with our experience and glad that we made this one of stops during our Chicago weekend.

Made a reservation the other night (no its not part of restaurant week, but I’d been here before for amaze balls brunch and was curious how the dinner would be). Came with a couple friends. They provide a coat check and valet is outside for $ 12. The lighting is subdued and there are many stand up tables near the bar where I met my friends before sitting down right away. The server was smiling and engaging. We were offered water quicker than I could ask (#watergameonpoint) and a warm basket of bread. The server suggested two items per person, but together we ordered four, and if we were still hungry, we’d order more. No sense in taking it home if unnecessary. The dishes are tapas style (meant for sharing) and come out as ready.
Started out with a full portion of the Bouchot mussels. Oh boy. These succulent monsters! They were bold and beautiful (better than the short lived Soap Opera), and good sized suckers. Nothing puny here! Buttery and seasoned with bay leaf and garlic in a broth. It came with a nice sized baguette that is just crusty on the outside with a soft fleshy interior, perfect for soaking up the leftover bath.
I also ordered the charcuterie plate. A carnivorous feast on a plate. Slices of sour beer salami (great color and temperature and sliced with precision). The harissa pâte was delicious and a bit salty, which I love, great to spread on more baguette. The Morteau sausage was incredible, and accompanied with the sour and bitterness of the caper berries sent my mouth into not talking mode. The pork pie was less impressive for me, as the crust was greasy and chunky, a little gummy.
The brussel sprout salad was also tasty, but due to poor lighting, I couldn’t get a great shot. Shredded sprouts, with apple for a natural sweetness and tart, honey, pear, and Marcona almonds were all spot on components.
My friends had the smoked pork shank, but I was already full, and waiting for dessert. Of course.
The pavlova was a burnt vanilla ice cream/​gelato underneath multiple shards of toasted milk meringue, with a flurry of tangerine powder. Simply stated, elegant. Fun. Aesthetically pleasing.

I’ve been to Publican many, many times. It has become a favorite go-​to spot for many different occasions — mostly for dinner. (I’ve also done the Publican dinner at Slagel Family Farms which too was an awesome experience). I’m surprised that it took me so long to update my review and bump it to the 5 stars it deserves.
Service for the most part is excellent, including on our most recent visit in January. We’ve had a couple of more average experiences but even those are few and far between. They also do the details well — making sure to clear empty plates and get the table ready for the next course. This is particularly important when you are at the communal table as space can be more limited. (It does get loud and noisy in there. It is not the place for a quiet, intimate dinner).
They have a great beer list and are helpful in providing recommendations. I appreciate that they have more than just one or two ciders on the list. The cocktails are carefully crafted but they have a full bar which should be able to meet anyone’s tastes.
The food is downright yummy. I love that they use local ingredients when they can. I want to eat the entire menu but thankfully our waiter stopped us before we could get in over our heads. The spicy pork rinds are a wonderful starter especially with a pre-​dinner beer or cocktail. Almost every time I go I get oysters, the mussels, and some of the La Quercia ham. Specifically, on our last trip in we ordered: Cauliflower gratin, a cold smoked fish, the pork shank in addition to my usual suspects. The pork shank was delicious. The meat was so tender and it just melted off the bone. The cold smoked fish was also tasty and a very different option. We absolutely devoured the food.
Publican remains one of my favorite spots. Reservations are highly recommended (and with some notice for prime times). It can be a somewhat reasonable dinner for the money but at the same time, it isn’t hard before that bill adds up.

Me and my friend had been planning to go to the Publican for some time now. The place is all over Unilocal,Reddit, Facebook, everywhere, so we had to try it. Over all it was a little disappointing, maybe it was just too hyped up, but the food did not meet expectations.
We started off with a half charcuterie and the beets. The charcuterie was a hit and a miss with the items. While the pâté was amazing, the sausage just tasted like a average hot dog. Now the beets, they were amazing. If we had only ordered the beets this would be a five star review.
For the main course we split the whole Farm Chicken, which seems like a lot, but whatever treat yourself. The actual chicken was pretty good, moist and lemony, but the bed of fries it came on was just kind of confusing and weird.
Also our waitress made a strange remark about how «did we (two 20 year old girls) eat all that chicken?!» We didn’t I had a to go bag on the seat, but it was still a kind of patronizing remark.
Over all I don’t think I would be going to the publican again, but I’m glad I got to try what everyone has been raving about.

Came here for brunch with my husband this morning, and we had a nice time! I was thrilled to find out they take reservations (there’s nothing I hate more on a cold Chicago morning than being forced to stand in a vestibule with a line of other people as the door keeps opening and closing!), and I made ours for 10:00, when they open on Sunday.
We had a bit of trouble finding parking (I thought it would be easier directly in front, esp. so early, but we had to circle once before finding something about a block away) so arrived about two minutes late. No problem– we were seated promptly, and were shown to a two-​top near the front window. We were really happy to see that the person bringing water also had coffee and cream was already on the table, so we didn’t even need to wait for our waitress before diving into a large, steaming mug. We ordered: red wine poached eggs, a waffle, bacon, and shared the coffee cake.
My husband had the poached eggs, and he liked the prosciutto and the arugula salad, but mentioned that he didn’t find the wine-​poaching added flavor, although it did turn the egg white the color of red wine. No complaints, but I don’t think he’d order it again. The waffle was less good. It was light and crispy on the outside and heavily coated in powdered sugar. Blueberry jam and butter came on the side. The butter had a strange flavor and color (pretty translucent)…we actually were wondering if it was lard before I double checked the menu and saw that it was honey butter. It did have a sweet note but did not taste like butter– I made the mistake of slathering the waffle in it before tasting it and then needed to remove it after I tasted it. The bacon was, as predicted, a true highlight. My husband claimed it was one of the top bacon experiences in his life, and I agree. Definitely get it! We decided to share the coffee cake for dessert and I was not disappointed. I was a bit worried based on the waffle, but I shouldn’t have been: this was light, moist, and had a nice crumbly topping. If you like sweet, non-​eggy breakfasts, I’d recommend getting this for your main instead of the waffle.
I’d be interested in going back for dinner or to the deli, as I found the meat to be the highlight of the meal, but that’ll teach me not to go to a butcher and order a waffle. Seriously, skip the waffle.

Got there on a very cold morning, and the very first thing I ordered was a Bloody Mary. And yes… That was the start of great decisions that I made that day at the Publican. This place was packed at 11:30 am on Sunday so I would advice you to make a reservation. Their waiting area/​bar is right in the middle of the restaurant which, being different, just didn’t feel right. But I didn’t have to wait too long as my reserved table/​booth was ready. And yes, I love that the booths have doors! Waiters were attentive and efficient and knowledgable which really helped with picking a great brunch pick. I went with the chicken and dumplings which didn’t seem a lot, but was surprisingly filling. It came in a shallow soup plate. Trust me– even though it might have looked ordinary, it has flavor and warmth to hit the spot on a very cold Sunday morning!
I paired that dish with their Burton’s maple syrup-​braised Publican bacon, and that took that meal to a whole new level. I could try to describe the two chunks of pork belly coated with the maple syrup sweetness but I would fail to do justice to that side dish. I have taken pictures of it but honestly, it was so good, that I walked across to the Publican meat market just to get those chunks of pork belly so that I can try to cook them myself!
All in all, it’s a cozy place (for brunch at least) with great options and with great service! They do have valet parking, as well, if you don’t want to deal with trying to find a spot.

Even though this place has amazing brunch and dinner items, we actually came here just for the dessert! They used to have a bread pudding that was amazing but when we got there, realized it was taken off the menu.
But that worked out to our advantage because we tried a newer item, the Sticky Toffee Pudding, and oh my god. Delicious.
The atmosphere is great here, great for date nights and especially good for group gatherings. There are tall tables (standing bars) for just drinks or dessert, etc.
Just be sure to make reservations if you need a table because it can get very packed especially on weekends.
Love their bathroom area, fun communal sink idea.

If you like pork, this is the place to be.
Try grabbing a seat at the bar for a little view of the action. Order some absolutely stunning oysters and watch them being shucked right in front of your eyes. Try one of each if you have it in you.
Have some succulent chicken liver pâté to put you in the zone and then follow up with the trio of ham and find yourself in a savory meltdown. Overwhelmingly delicious.

I went here for my birthday for the first time with my hubby, our 2 kids, and my brother. The first thing that came to mind was «Why the heck have he not taken me here before???» LOL
I love pork. And if you love pork, you would love this place too.
I recommend the hams (my fave was the one from VA). Also, I loved the pork rinds. I also enjoyed the Trout.
My only con is the seating. We sat in those enclosed booths. I felt like a caged animal and it was so cramped. Other than that, the food will get you pass the uncomfortably seating situation.

I literally have not been here since the year it opened! So it was virtually a new experience for me. Overall — fun, lively place for dinner and drinks with good food. Now that I’ve been in Portland for a year it seemed on the pricier end for what it is… but alas it’s Chicago! Also, the service was just «ok.» We’ve been spoiled with really amazing service at restaurants lately so the mediocre service here stood out and kept this at a 4 for me. additionally, if we are ordering family style I feel like the plate sizes were too large for the food and made sharing the table space a bit challenging :)
What We Loved (food-​wise) tho I know the menu rotates:
Broccolini — holy shit SO good. The sesame dressing or whatever it was was so tasty
Persimmon/​Avocado — EXTREMELY unique, and loved the combo. Haven’t had persimmons outside of Asia!
Butternut Squash — Very tasty but not enough for the group to share :)
Ribs — One of the best things we had all night. The flavor was AMAZING, unlike ribs elsewhere. Also note this is a rib cut of meat. Not RIBS. I wish the server would have told us that when we ordered just to prepare us. Still loved it but always good to know going in.
Snail Sausage — very unique, extremely flavorful
What was just ok:
Oysters — great selection, not our favorites, but good. On the $$ end :)
Ham selection — this was tasty! Not sure if it was $ 24 tasty but it is a generous portion
Apple Crumble — The apples were too firm for my taste. Made the dessert less dreamy :) Ice cream was amaze tho
Suckling Pig — This should’ve been AMAZING. The bread/​kale pudding was delicious but the pork was DRY. It was our last entrée dish and was a sad ending.
Ice cream bomb — very tasty, but nothing standout
Service-​wise there were just a few things that were off. When we mentioned most of us had not been here in a long time she told us it’s family style and then literally said «what else should I tell you about the menu.» Between ordering our first round of drinks and coming back to deliver and take our food over it took a very long time.
The drink list is very extensive. Expect to pay more for a list this unique and robust. Same for the wine.
Overall, fun experience.

The Publican prides itself on pork, oysters, and beer. I fiendishly enjoy all of those essential nutrients, so I knew that I would be as happy as a clam here.
My husband and I had one of the most indulgent and rich meals here for his birthday/​celebratory first night in the Windy City in November. This is anti-​New Year’s Resolution cuisine, so we visited just at the right time.
The menu is everchanging, but The Publican always has the aforementioned goodies, and many more, on the menu. The beer menu is vast and all servers are certified cicerones. We went with some local brews, but their list of Belgians and beyond is impressive. The food menu is sectioned into vegetables, fish, bread, and meat. Highly recommend a charcuterie plate-​they have some amazing cured meats here. We enjoyed very finely chopped brussels sprouts, their housemade cuttlefish ink pasta with chorizo, and to secure our fate in gluttony, the porchetta (with figs and hazelnuts-​two of my favorite things.) If you haven’t noticed, the Publican is kind of a go big or don’t go at all place. The portions aren’t extreme, but all together add up to a rich dinner. But don’t forget dessert. My husband loves chocolate, so we had perhaps one of the best desserts (he’s still talking about it :)-the ice cream bombe with chocolate, peanut butter, caramel, and pretzel.
Loved the convivial and boisterous atmosphere here. This is like a German beer hall but with truly exceptional food. Gorgeous setting to gorge yourself on delicious food.

A serious parade of food is what ended up on our table. We even managed to order enough for my veg. husband to need to take home leftovers. That’s always an impressive feat with a sharing plates situation, particularly at a restaurant so meat focused.
As I mentioned, we ordered a lot. So many things sounded so good. On the veggie side, we ordered the BBQ carrots, the avocado salad, and the beets as well as an order of bread with salted butter. For the more carnivorous (ok, me and my friend) we did a half order of serrano ham, a half order of mussels, and the chicken. The half order of mussels was huge and came with more bread which was perfect for sopping up the juices in the bowl. The chicken was also amazing and the summer sausage that came with it, was wonderfully like large pieces of fancy hot dog. I mean this in the very best way.
Drinks were good with a respectable beer list and our server was informative. I’m not always the hugest fan of communal seating, but it’s not a bad way to spy on what others are ordering.
I’ll be back for more fancy hot dog!

Some friends that live in Chicago recommended The Publican for dinner, so I had my first experience there last week, and it was great one. The inside of the restaurant was a classy casual interior or as our Chicago local friend would call it, «urban chic». We had a reservation, so we were seated as soon as we got there. The place was packed and we went on a Monday night during the week of Christmas.
The concept here is family style sharing, so everything that we ordered was placed in the center of the table and a group of four of us shared it. I’ll list everything that we ordered and will tell you my thoughts.
Let’s start with the drinks… I ordered red wine and drank on that all night. It was a decent bottle of Pinot Noir.
Avocado Salad
The salad was divine, I only wish I didn’t have to share it. The lemony dressing on this salad alone was killer. If I were close to The Publican right now, I’d be there eating this.
Barbecue Carrots
These were hands down the best carrots I’ve ever been blessed to have. The carrots were so soft and had the most amazing flavor. The creamy dressing and pecans really kicked the carrots up a notch.
Brussels Sprouts
I love brussels sprouts and I’ve had many in my day, but never have I had shaved brussels sprouts salad quite like this one. The honey vinaigrette was the star of this plate.
Frites with Barb’s eggs
French fries are French fries and there’s really no getting around it. But, I’m still trying to figure out how these fries stayed crunchy even when we broke the fried egg yolk. Let’s just say, I’ve always needed ketchup with my fries, but not with these. They were wonderful!
Daily Pickled Plate
This was an array of pickled cauliflower, onions, and pickles and I was amazed at how good this sour plate was.
Black Bass
The light broth’s aroma was just as pleasant as the taste. This was one of my favorite dishes of the night and I had the pleasure of eating most of it myself. The seabass was cooked just right and went very well with the basil broth it was drenched in. It was very refreshing.
Hake
I’ve never had hake before, but I finally got the chance to try it and it was heavenly with the cream sauce, corn, and potatoes.
Ham Chop «in hay»
I’m not a fan of pork, but I could have eaten on this all night long. None of my friends would believe me when I say this, but this was actual my absolute favorite of the night. The ham was cooked just right and had a delicious flavor I couldn’t resist.
Apple Crisp
This dessert is huge, so it’s perfect for four people to share. I thought I made the best homemade apple crisp until I came here and tried this one. The cinnamon apples were divine with the crispy granola topping and ice cream.
The food was so great that we almost went back the next night! Overall, we had a great experience and wonderful time trying all of the food together. I highly recommend this spot!

BEST. BRUNCH. IN. CHICAGO. EVER!!!
I am a breakfast/​brunch lover. Found this place thru Unilocal,and I am so glad that I tried it this past weekend with my hubby. I love the look of this restaurant, especially the restroom. The service is very good and fast here too!
My husband got crab scramble ($ 18). He loved it that he finished the plate in less than 10 minutes. Haha!
I ordered smoked pork shoulder. OH MY GOD! I just died after one bite. Now my saliva is pouring while writing this review. I think I have to go back there this weekend to have that plate again! The plate has black rice, kimchee, and the sunny side up egg over the meat. It is really good! I cannot stop saying «oh my god it’s so good» to my hubby while eating it. Haha!
My hubby and I also ordered the publican bacon, and it’s SO GOOD! I don’t know how to describe how good it is! LOL!
I m coming back to try that spicy pork rinds and hash browns! I heard it’s good!
Tip for first-​timers: Yeah it may be pricey, but it’s so worth it! YOLO! Make sure to try that publican bacon! You will regret it if you don’t try it! ENJOY!
OHHHHH THE MENU CHANGES DAILY!

We were seated at one of the communal tables which was fine but the booths looked really cool and I wished we had requested one of those beforehand when I made the reservation. We ordered way too much food or possibly just a combination of too many heavy dishes as we were stuffed even before the last course came out. Here’s a breakdown of what we ordered:
— Frites and Fried Eggs: Okay dish, pretty much exactly as described.
— Chicken Liver Mouse with Toast: This is the dish that destroyed our appetite for the rest of the meal… there was so much bread, probably 5 giant slices. I think we were expecting like small crostini slices. Value wise it was very good: P
— Fried Cauliflower: This was my favorite dish of the night. I’m a huge meat lover so I wasn’t super excited about this one when we ordered it. But it was a pleasant surprise and oh so good. The batter is light and airy and the sauce added great flavor.
— Scallops: Solid dish, but they need to do a better job of cleaning the scallops as it was a bit grainy.
— Guinea Hen: The sauce was absolutely phenomenal for this dish (I think it was fava bean based) The guinea hen was cooked well and was served with some delicious, tender sausage.
Service here was attentive and friendly. Bathrooms here are interesting, there’s a vestibule that opens up to multiple dual gender stalls and in the middle there are communal sinks. Overall, I had a pretty good experience here, but I think we could’ve done a better job ordering. So I would love to come back sometime and try some of their other dishes, particularly some more vegetable dishes since the cauliflower really surprised me.

Yet another delicious brunch location in Chicago! This is a really cool restaurant located right in the Fulton Market District. There are long tables that you dine at with the other guests, making it easy to socialize with some new people and scope out all the dishes as they come out. The high-​backed chairs and tables built into the walls gave it a very Frank Lloyd Wright vibe.
The food was stellar. I ordered the Red Wine Poached Eggs, which is one of two permanent items on their brunch menu. It’s a permanent staple here for a reason! The dish is served with prosciutto, which really brings it to the next level! My boyfriend ordered the Pork Shoulder dish, which had a remarkable sauce, a healthy portion of pork shoulder, a fried egg and delicious potatoes. The hash browns are great too — so crispy, which is just the way I like hash browns.
For drinks, I ordered the Smokin Maria, which is a spicy tequila/​Bloody Mary drink. It was spicy and breakfast-​y… Just what I look for in Sunday brunch drinks!
Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a great Sunday brunch, just be sure to make reservations in advance, as it fills up quickly

This week’s platonic date squad locale was The Publican. We had a great experience! We had 9 o’clock reservations on a Saturday night and ended up waiting an extra 10 or so minutes because the table was finishing up dessert. The patrons I watched coming in were a bit older and wore fur (fur hats, shawls, coats)… Did I not get the memo? We were seated in a booth that was enclosed by short barn doors. I was delighted by the doors because the Publican is definitely a crowded place and it prevented anyone from bumping into to me. We had planned in advance to get the Chef’s selection ($ 65) because going here was a one time deal and might as well maximize it.
That night’s chef selection came with
Spicy pork rinds $ 6: ⁵⁄₅ stars. They are so freaking good and addicting. The pork rinds were light, crunchy and had some sort of powder on them (methinks cocaine) which made the already delicious snack even better.
Beets (quark, flax seed, walnut & tahini dressing) $ 13: ⁵⁄₅ stars. easily my favorite dish of the night. The beets were incredibly fresh and the dressing on them elevated them to amazing omg I need more beets in my life status.
Oysters $ 12?: ⁶⁄₅ stars Hands down the best oysters I’ve ever had. The mignonette was delightful and served to enhance the flavor.
Fried sweet potatoes (spiced honey, hazelnut & labneh) $ 12: ⁵⁄₅ stars. Slather honey on any fried honey and baby I’m in heaven. They weren’t greasy and it tasted like curry potatoes but OMG were they good.
Sirloin (muhammara, date, sumac & feta) $ 21: 4.5÷5 stars. My piece was an end piece which made it a little chewy but the second piece was tender and delicious. The pomegranates were a nice touch.
Roasted squash (fromage blanc, cherry, marcona almond & crispy sunchoke) $ 12: 3.5÷5 stars. This wasn’t very memorable nor was it my favorite. Felt like a filler dish and I wouldn’t go out of my way to order it again.
Striped bass (buttermilk, leek & shabazi spice) $ 28: 4.5÷5 It was so good! I love pungent fish and boy was this right up my alley. The leeks were delicious as was the sauce. It’s not for anyone who likes it mellow and light and flaky.
Duck hearts (pepper jelly, boursin cheese, persimmon & multigrain toast) $ 14: 4.75÷5 stars. The toast was really hard to slice through but it had a nice toast when biting into it. Duck hearts are so good, where have you been all of my life.
Porchetta (fig, treviso, pecorino & hazelnut picada) $ 33: ⁴⁄₅ stars. The pork was fatty and tender a top a really yummy au jus. I would definitely order this again but was it in no way shape or form adequate as a single entrée. *note the entrees should have ended here by the server noticed my sad, hungry face.
Bouchot mussels (publican lambic, bay, celery, butter & garlic) $ 16: 3.75÷5 stars. This was an additional dish provided since my squad and I were still hungry. The mussels were tender and not chewy. The broth was really nice and light; it was the perfect vehicle for the delicious bread provided on the side.
Pumpkin cake (brown butter ice cream pomegranate & pear) $ 12: ⁵⁄₅ stars. My favorite desert of the night. The ice cream was to die for. The pumpkin cake was light and fluffy and the sauce they smeared on the plate increased the pumpkin flavor. Definitely order this if you want a new spin on the oh so basic pumpkin flavor.
Ice cream bombe (chocolate, peanut butter, pretzel & caramel) $ 12: 4.25÷5 stars. It would be 5 stars if the peanut butter ice cream wasn’t so salty. The peanut butter ice cream was covered in a hard chocolate shell with a caramel drizzle on the plate and chocolate covered pretzels sprinkled on top. The caramel was perfect and my favorite component of the dish.
Service: ⁵⁄₅ stars. The wait staff changed out our plates after every other dish and my water was never more than ¾ empty. The server herself was having a rough night because the look of exhaustion was evident on her face but nonetheless she was great and accommodating.
The dishes were great but really small (i.e. tapas size). Every tasting was promptly followed by a «omg this is so good. «I don’t think you can go wrong ordering anything here but I would check with the server to see if the portion is adequate as a entrée instead of a petite appetizer size. If you’re hungry, go for the chicken and sausage with frites. I spied other tables ordering it and seemed like the only substantial sized dish. Overall I don’t consider the chef’s selection the best value and I would probably order a la carte in the future ($ 65 a person but the value came out to $ 47 pp). The meal was supposed to end at the porchetta but server picked up on our sad hungry faces and decided to throw in the mussels. Everything was great and I will definitely come back but probably not for the chef’s selection.

Chicago sure does love it’s pork, and brunch is a great way to enjoy it!
we were surprised by the communal seating, you sit RIGHT next to strangers and across from your partner!
—spicy pork rinds: mMmm kind of tasted like creamy cheetoes (not in a bad way), these were a nice snack
—red wine poached eggs with prosciutto: PERFECTLY poached eggs, but didn’t think the red wine added much to the dish
—asparagus fettunta: a HEFTY plate if you’re hungry! if you like asparagus this is all you
top it all off with some fresh squeezed orange juice or grapefruit juice to wash it down
NOTE: they also have a market with a more casual café a block away

Real rating: 3.5 stars.
A few friends and I came here to celebrate finishing midterms. After hearing raving reviews from others, I’d have to say I was disappointed with the meal overall.
Chef’s selection of 12 oysters for $ 36 — There were 6 types, all imported from different places (including Canada!). Although it was cool to try the various types of oysters, none of them really wow-​ed me. The house-​made saltines are a very nice touch though and a great palate cleanser between the oysters.
Delicata Squash — I love my sugar, but this was cloyingly sweet. I felt like I was eating maple syrup, so I couldn’t even finish my portion. Would not recommend even to my worst enemies.
Duck Hearts — The pairing with dill cream sauce was very interesting. I enjoyed the texture of the heart over the bread!
Squid ink pasta — We were disappointed with the portion size and the flavor. There were barely any noodles and didn’t taste as good as squid ink I’ve had at other places. You’re better off going to Eataly and buying your own squid ink!
Pork with grits, cheese, and nectarine — This was the winner that redeemed the meal. The pork was so tender and paired perfectly with the nectarine. Loved every bite of it! If I had to redo the meal I would just order a pound of this for each of us.
I think I’ll return for brunch to give The Publican another shot, but overall, the meal was «meh.»

Comme déjà indiqué par mes deux compatriotes, The Publican, c’est vraiment une grosse tuerie qu’il né faut surtout pas louper quand on est à Chicago.
Réservation recommandée mais pas indispensable si vous tolérez un peu d’attente (1h/​2h le week-​end quand-​même).
La salle est déjà très chouette même si les tables sont un peu serrées et que c’est dans la plus pure tradition américaine, c’est à dire extrêmement bruyant.
Côté assiette, on est dans la mouvance «retour aux sources» avec des produits artisanaux, locaux, mais avec une pointe de maitrise et d’originalité très au dessus de la moyenne. Mes meilleurs souvenirs vont vers la mousse de foie de poulet qui était juste parfaire, de la saucisse au sang (ressemble au boudin mais en plus ferme) divine, et surtout à ce plat de poulpe au chorizo et aux lentilles qui est une grosse grosse furie. La carte des boissons, en particulier des bières, est très chouette aussi.
Les prix sont très raisonnables (largement en dessous de $ 50 par tête en se faisant plaisir), donc il né faut pas hésiter une seule seconde !
Ah oui je n’ai fait qu’y diner mais il parait que le brunch est aussi exceptionnel.

Si vous êtes à Chicago… il faut, je dis bien IL FAUT passer par le Publican…
J’hésite à reprendre un billet pour Chicago juste pour y retourner…
BEST MEAT I EVER ATE!
…pour sortir des sentiers battus puisqu’il est un peu excentré
…pour y trouver une ambiance conviviale et distinguée avec de grande tablée (on mange les uns à coté des autres et l’ambiance, bien qu’un peu bruyante, est super…
…la sélection d’huitre est juste dingue
…la sélection de bière est très bien aussi
…des pork rinds à essayer
…et la viande… une damnation… apparemment la carte change très souvent… vous aurez peut être l’opportunité de goûter le faux filet maturé 60 jours… avec un œuf dessus… les larmes m’en reviennent aux yeux… une des meilleures expériences culinaire de mon humble et courte vie de gourmet…
Réservation obligatoire pour le soir!

Fantastique restaurant, un de mes meilleur souvenir de Chicago. Sur la carte vous trouverez à gauche une large sélection d’huitres Canadiennes et Américaines qui valent carrément le détour, ainsi qu’un bon choix de poissons. C’est très bien cuisiné, c’est beau, c’est bon, bref, on en redemande !
Mais avouons que c’est plus pour la partie droite de la carte qu’on vient au Publican, avec une très large sélection de viandes, tournant souvent autour du porc mais pas que. La carte change très souvent, donc inutile de recommander un plat car il né sera peut-​être pas disponible, si ce n’est qu’il faut ABSOLUMENT gouter aux Pork Rinds. À ce stade, c’est clairement de la magie…
Question boisson, c’est la même, entre les vins et les bières, le choix est peu évident d’autant qu’ils renouvellent très souvent ce qu’ils proposent.
Niveau ambiance, c’est très convivial, bruyant, et bon enfant.
Si vous êtes dans le coin, c’est vraiment à faire !