Ox Bar & Hearth
karina k · 912 Google reviewsOx Bar & Hearth — a quiet american spot in Lincoln Park with a growing reputation. Contemporary look with thoughtful details. Cocktails here aren't an afterthought. [patio]
What 147 diners keep saying
What 147 diners keep saying
verbatim, from Google
“Probably all of their food is delicious but the thing that I enjoyed the most was this delicious bread and strawberry preserves and butter.”
“This place is hard to get into for a reason! What a phenomenal meal from top to bottom. Our server, Luke, was excellent. Attentive, friendly and coursed our meal out perfectly. I would re-order every single dish we had: steak tartar, stratichiatella, trout dip, perogies (wow!), the burger (with an egg, of course),the grilled pork shoulder and one unexpected standout, the lettuces. Although we were beyond full, we managed to still eat the cookies and the pavlova. Don't sleep on the pavlova! Big thanks to Alain, the owner, for being so warm and welcoming. We made our next reservation before leaving the premises.”
“Ox Bar & Hearth is exactly the kind of restaurant every neighborhood wishes it had: thoughtful farm-to-table cooking, a menu that changes with the seasons, and just enough ambition to make dinner feel like an event. The only challenge is getting there. Do yourself a favor and take the Red Line, Uber, or use valet. Finding street parking nearby feels like a side quest nobody asked for. This is also not a restaurant for quiet contemplation. On our visit, the dining room was impressively loud. Not lively. Not energetic. Loud. We spent part of the evening translating conversations for one another like diplomatic interpreters. The chairs also begin negotiating with your lower back around the 90-minute mark, so consider standing periodically to admire the room. Bring friends. The menu practically demands sharing, and you’ll want as many forks on the table as possible. We started with the seeded sourdough, which proved to be an excellent strategic decision. Not only was it delicious, but it also served as a useful buffer against some of the spicier dishes to come. The salt-roasted carrots delivered far more smoke and heat than a vegetable has any right to. The orange carrots came ready for battle, while the white carrots were a little more civilized. Either way, they were memorable. The dry-aged bone-in strip was outstanding. Perfectly cooked, deeply flavorful, tender, and seasoned with the confidence of a kitchen that knows exactly what it’s doing. Sometimes a great steak doesn’t need a long explanation. Cocktails were equally well executed. The Elder & Wiser is one of those drinks that tastes smooth enough to order a second before you realize ordering a second would be a serious tactical error. The Fig & Florence is lighter, refreshing, and considerably less likely to rearrange your evening plans. They pair nicely together, provided you enjoy them in that order. And then came dessert, which somehow stole the entire meal. The pavlova was fantastic, with a raspberry sorbet that managed to be the star despite sharing the stage with everything else on the plate. Every bite tasted a little different from the last, which is not something you can say about many desserts. The chocolate chip cookies deserve their own paragraph. They seem to contain a hidden reserve of chocolate in every square inch, and they’re served with a malted milk jam that lands somewhere between caramel sauce and a very poor life decision. Drizzle generously and prepare to experience either heaven, a diabetic coma, or possibly both simultaneously. Service throughout was warm, attentive, and genuinely helpful. We’ll absolutely be back when the menu changes. Frankly, given how strong the sweet dishes were, brunch may be the next move. Humanity has spent centuries trying to improve breakfast. Ox Bar & Hearth appears to be making meaningful progress.”
“An absolute wonderful meal, simplicity & full of flavor. We went on a Sunday night, the staff was very friendly & professional. The pierogis, trout, & chicken had a wonderful balance of flavor, texture, and fresh local ingredients. This place is perfect for a simple Sunday meal or a get together with friends and family. Must try!”
“Worth it; would come back. Their ‘lettuces’ salad is phenomenal…one of the best versions of a Caesar’s I’ve had. Burger and fries are just as good. Pot de crème has fantastic flavor combinations and yet it’s not too sweet or heavy. It’s a very pleasant space to be in and the service was impeccable. I really enjoyed the way they gave me my utensils.”
“Enjoyed a solo brunch there earlier today. Opted for the breakfast plate with the most perfectly prepared soft scrambled eggs with cheese, potatoes, pork belly and sourdough bread. Also enjoyed the blueberry hill cocktail. Everything was delicious and the service was fantastic. Will absolutely return!”
“Great place, i do recommend this restaurant food was delicious the service attentive, we had a amazing experience here A+.”
“Dinner here was truly phenomenal. Everything from the service to the ambience was fantastic. You would not guess that the restaurant has only been open for a couple months. The food was incredible; I highly recommend the pierogis and the steak. The steak was probably the best I have had in the city. I will definitely be coming back and Ox Bar & Hearth is now one of my favorite restaurants in the city.”
“Stellar!! Highly recommend! Shoutout to our amazing server, McKenzie. Went for dinner and had a fabulous experience! Kind and highly attentive waitstaff. Every single food item was incredibly delicious (perogies, burger, pork collar, mushrooms). There were five of us and a baby. They had a really good high chair and were so mindful about handling the cutlery only bringing it at the last minute so that our baby wasn’t tempted to play with knives. We also love that they had an actual hearth and a patio. Comfy booths. It has it all. Come here!!”
“I went to Ox Bar & Hearth to celebrate my 30th birthday, and it was the perfect choice. We ordered the potato pierogies, charred cabbage, corned beef tongue, duck, and the whole rainbow trout, and every dish was absolutely delicious—thoughtful, well-executed, and deeply satisfying. We finished with the chocolate chip cookies served with malted milk jam, which was a standout ending to an already fantastic meal. Everything from the food to the experience made the night feel special, and I’m very much looking forward to coming back.”
“Let’s talk sweet potato. Not just any garnet, Hannah, Japanese, jewel, or purple stoke, but a Beauregard bathed in pomegranate molasses and black truffle glaze. Nestled in chestnut and black truffle cream and crowned with wild rice, this epitome of Ipomoea batatas is anything but your run-of-the-mill tater. 25 bucks and worth every penny. Accompanying the sweet potato were seeded sourdough, marinated beets with grilled radicchio and goat cheese, and a whole rainbow trout with fried garlic and lush caramelized onion oil. Oh my! Service, led by Ryan, was polished and attentive, and the cocktails were just as impressive. Extra credit for a bar stocked with both blanco and reposado Fortaleza tequilas.”
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