Reunion by Chef Art Smith

“I came to this spot with pretty low expectations—honestly, Chicago has let me down on food more times than I can count.”

I came to this spot with pretty low expectations—honestly, Chicago has let me down on food more times than I can count. But my family and I decided to give it a shot anyway. Coming from Texas, fried chicken has to be on point, no exceptions. Let me just say… this place surprised me in the best way. Our server, Leslie, was fantastic and had great recommendations right from the start. We kicked things off with: • Deviled eggs — absolutely incredible, especially with that crispy ham on top. I can’t say enough good things about them. Order these. • Biscuits — buttery, flaky perfection. Paired with the butter and jam, they were dangerous. • Hush puppies — I usually don’t even like hush puppies, but these were next-level. Super crispy, not your typical cornbread taste, and the pepper jam took them to another dimension. I was shocked how much I loved them. For mains: • My wife and I split the fried chicken with mashed potatoes. The chicken was solid—juicy and tasty—but I’ll be honest, I wanted it a little crispier and more heavily seasoned. Still very good overall. • My mom and goddaughter got the chicken sandwiches, and they were so juicy the juice literally shot out and got all over my daughter’s clothes. That’s how you know it’s real. • My daughter ordered the shrimp and lobster roll on Texas toast. I stole a bite and it straight-up melted in my mouth. The seafood was perfectly seasoned, and the crispy bread was the ideal vehicle. We also did the hot chocolate flight (the alcoholic-infused one 😄). Every single one was delicious, but the Baileys version? Unreal. Highly recommend. Service was top-tier—Leslie took such good care of us. Heads up: they automatically add 20% gratuity for parties of 6 or more, but our service was so good we happily tipped on top of that. If you’re from the South (especially Texas) and you’ve been struggling to find food in Chicago that actually hits right—this is the spot. Phenomenal experience from start to finish. We’ll definitely be back.

Diana Sauter

Feb 2026

“The food was the best we had by far during this Chicago visit.”

The food was the best we had by far during this Chicago visit. A non-exhaustive list of top tier sampling include: fried chicken, pan-seared salmon, chimichurri skirt steak, fish sandwich, short rib, mashed potatoes, world famous Mac and cheese, fried green tomatoes, chicken wings, and last but not least -- the deviled eggs topped with caviar. My wife loved this place so much that I think we ate 5 meals here during our stay!

Kris Singh (brentwoodkris)

Nov 2025

“What an incredible restaurant — everything from the atmosphere to the food and service was exceptional.”

What an incredible restaurant — everything from the atmosphere to the food and service was exceptional. The moment you walk in, you feel the warmth and energy of a place that truly celebrates great cooking and genuine hospitality. The service was flawless, with every team member making sure you felt welcome and cared for. And the food... simply phenomenal! The steak was perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor, the grilled chicken and shrimp salad was light yet full of character, and the deviled eggs topped with caviar were an absolute masterpiece — creative, elegant, and delicious. Chef Art Smith is a true artist in the kitchen. You can taste the passion and precision in every bite — this is comfort food elevated to fine dining perfection. Add a great glass of wine and a beautiful setting overlooking the Navy Pier, and you’ve got the recipe for an unforgettable evening. If you’re in Chicago and want a restaurant that combines soul, flavor, and heart, Reunion is a must-visit. I can’t wait to come back!

Balearic Charter

Nov 2025

“We ate at Reunion by Chef Art Smith, Navy Pier, on October 11.”

We ate at Reunion by Chef Art Smith, Navy Pier, on October 11. One piece of advice--do NOT sit on outdoor patio because the BEEs won't leave you alone. The food was fun and fantastic. I had Waffles with Berries, apples and cream cheese glaze. Yum! My group had Waffles and Chicken and loved it. Service was excellent and pricing, for Chicago, wasn't bad. Chicago charges enormous taxes in restaurants and hotels so be forewarned. Run 10% plus. Would visit Reunion again.

Traveling O

Oct 2025

“I was blown away by how awesome the experience was.”

I was blown away by how awesome the experience was. I was already a fan of Chef Art from his TV appearances but had never tried his food. From the moment we walked through the door till the moment we left we felt cared for and the comfort of southern food amplifyed the experience. We hit the restaurant about 30min after opening and the staff was moving and grooving. Thank you guys for a wonderful and memorable meal.

Matthew Moyers

Oct 2025

“Great spot for lunch or dinner on Navy Pier.”

Great spot for lunch or dinner on Navy Pier. Drink prices are a little on the expensive side but everything is delicious. Great location to stop before continuing on the sightseeing of Navy Pier

Lindsey Schreiner

Sep 2025

“My daughter and I were visiting Chicago for the weekend and decided to try Reunion for dinner one night.”

My daughter and I were visiting Chicago for the weekend and decided to try Reunion for dinner one night. The food was great and our waitress was wonderful, I wish I remembered her name. We would definitely come back again if in Chicago for an evening.

Melanie Sage

Aug 2025

“Best Mac and cheese ever, the bar looks nice and the bartender, Victor, was so polite and gentle.”

Best Mac and cheese ever, the bar looks nice and the bartender, Victor, was so polite and gentle! The burger was pretty good and the frozen drinks are so worth it!!

Nicole Montanini

Jul 2025

“Spontaneously stopped in after strolling through Navy pier for a cold beer, and they happened to...”

Spontaneously stopped in after strolling through Navy pier for a cold beer, and they happened to announce they were having Bingo night. We stayed the whole time and had an amazing time with Jojo who hosted the event. The crowd and staff was super energetic and the view was phenomenal. The prizes were very generous with $100 gift cards to the Reunion restaurant and then 2 rounds of $100 in cash money. Jojo and staff were also very generous with providing giveaways , like visors and fanny packs and cupcakes sold at the restaurant. Our 8 year old has never played Bingo before and thoroughly enjoyed it. This was a perfect impromptu stop and would highly recommend it for bingo night on Tuesdays. We didn’t order any food, but everything looked delicious and very reasonably priced.

countingdown54321

Jul 2025

“Very nice restaurant at the beginning of the Navy Pier with lots of outdoor seating as well as indoor restaurant.”

Very nice restaurant at the beginning of the Navy Pier with lots of outdoor seating as well as indoor restaurant. I had to try the famous fries chicken, which was excellent, crispy, juicy and very flavorful. The portion size shocked me though, that much for one person, I barely managed one chicken piece 😀 it was sad to leave the plate almost full but it was definitely a delicious meal.

Alex F

Jun 2025

“Had excellent service from the inside bar.”

Had excellent service from the inside bar. It was busy and we satin bar area. I had spicy chicken sandwich. Also fried green tomatoes appetizer. My wife had fried chicken brussel sprouts salad. All excellent. The salad was a surprise and generous with chicken. Great atmosphere too. Also had pineapple banana cake and it was great too.

John Kelly

Jun 2025

“This food was soooo good.”

This food was soooo good. The presentation was great, flavors on point, and servings filling. I ordered the fried green tomatoes on the appetizer list but the portion was huge !! That could have been and Entree on its own ! I also had the crab cakes smaller portion but they were full of crab meat and NOT filler!! We all wanted to try the chicken, but we didn't want a full order and we were pleased to find out you could order a single piece. It was Delicious! I will definitely go back the next time I visit! Amazing job chefs,servers, and host!!! Thank you for an amazing experience❤️

angela mcfadden

Jun 2025