Maxwells Trading

“This was one of my favorite meals I’ve ever had in Chicago.”

This was one of my favorite meals I’ve ever had in Chicago. I was not expecting this level of quality. Literally every dish was impeccable. We started with the French onion dip which had notes of black truffle and the chive pancakes paired well with it. The Japanese sweet potato had a brûlée top and red curry which surprisingly tasted good together. The soup dumpling tortellini and redfish was also delicious. It’s impressive they were able to do so many different dishes with variable flavors so well. The basque butter cake was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal!

deepak neduvelil

Oct 2025

“Wow! I had an incredible experience at Maxwells Trading. I started off with the suzuki tartare,...”

Wow! I had an incredible experience at Maxwells Trading. I started off with the suzuki tartare, which had an outstanding flavor of lemongrass and peanuts. The portion is on the smaller side but still a delicious bite! Then, I tried the Japanese sweet potato, which is an absolute must. The flavor of the red curry was so unique and delicious. I also enjoyed the pappardelle — it was soft with a ramp pesto. I ended the night (cause there’s always room for dessert) with the red bean brownie sundae. I loved this restaurant for the creativity of each dish. All of the flavors were creative and mixed incredibly well. Prices are higher but it’s well worth a special occasion.

Isabel B

Oct 2025

“amazing asian fusion food.”

amazing asian fusion food. the french dip is pair with some northern chinese bread, and the chicken is crispy skin with chinese ginger oil. we are celebrating birthday and they give us free drinks for it. would definitely come back for it.

Howard H

Oct 2025

“Overall outstanding food and would go again in a heartbeat.”

Overall outstanding food and would go again in a heartbeat. I'll start with dessert as the Basque cake was so good as it was buttery yet not too heavy and not too sweet. As for the savory dishes, the suzucki tartare was a home run as I could have eaten about five of these all on my own. The sweet potato and katsu were very well done as well. I would go back with a mushroom lover as the clay pot rice looked and smelled amazing.

Leon Corbeille

Oct 2025

“Really thoughtful menu and innovative takes on classic flavors.”

Really thoughtful menu and innovative takes on classic flavors. The Japanese eggplant is incredible with the bread. The sweet brûlée sweet potato is a must as well. The caramel apple basque cake was a favorite. Service is amazing, only critique is that it can get quite loud and busy.

Aruna Srivastava

Sep 2025

“Excellent food and wonderful service.”

Excellent food and wonderful service. This was a great spot post workday and Amy made our meal unforgettable. The French onion dip blew us away and every bite was an explosion of flavor. If we hadn’t been short for time, we would have ordered multiples of some of these dishes. We will definitely be coming back to try out the rest of the menu!

Lily

Sep 2025

“It is a big & beautifully decorated restaurant.”

It is a big & beautifully decorated restaurant. The food was creative and delicious! It is hard to find sweet potatoes that actually taste sweet outside of Japan but this restaurant manages to get it, the sweet potato with red curry is a surprisingly delicious combination. The dumplings are very fresh and the broth is a umami bomb, very delicious! The chicken tastes so tender and the spicy sauce they put on was garlicky, making this dish so flavorful. We will come again and would recommend it to anyone who is searching for good food made by talented chefs.

Vivien

Aug 2025

“The food is excellently done.”

The food is excellently done. Those griddle cakes are chewy and so soft, with the taste of the green onion. Tomato and peach salad is very refreshing, really makes me want to keep this summer longer. The best of the night is Japanese sweet potato - so unique! Creamy, sweet, refreshing… an impressive combination of the curry and caramel on top. Mushroom rice is good but nothing too special about it, so does the redfish with fennel salad. Not a huge fan of the dessert, feels a little too rich and sweet. But this is the first time I had such great service! I tend to feel cold with the restaurant AC so I use the napkin to cover my bare arms, I know it looks hideous lol. The host noticed it and offered me a jacket! This is the first time ever the restaurant service team noticed and offered to help. What a nice touch! A server also noticed my cat on my phone wallpaper and he instantly became a fan of my cat 😁 Walking out with a great mood and felt the world is beautiful because of the experience here. Going thru a rough year, it actually means a lot to me. Thank you, will definitely be back!

May Bentley

Aug 2025

“Loved this place.”

Loved this place! My son took me here for dinner when I visited him and gf. Absolutely loved the interior design of the place. Now onto the food...the French onion dip was excellent with the hot bread (the Best!!!)...the chicory Caesar salad was great w/ fennel...Suzuki tartar was different from other tartar, great with peanuts...Soup dumplings tortellini with maitake mushrooms were good too. We shared the pork katsu and redfish. They're both delicious. The waitress was friendly and professional. She forgot one appetizer and we figured it might just took longer to prepare. She apologized, brought it to the table quickly, and took it off the bill; that was unexpected. I can see why this is one of my son's favorite restaurants! It’s my favorite too!

Lan Teng-Goon

Aug 2025

“Their ambiance is just as delicious as their food.”

Their ambiance is just as delicious as their food. Excellent evening enjoying a variety of foods and drinks. The staff are very welcoming. Looking forward to returning!

Beth-Ann Young

Aug 2025

“Upon entering, I loved the industrial/modern interior.”

Upon entering, I loved the industrial/modern interior. We started with the prosciutto & gnocco fritto which was my least favorite dish of the night. The gnocco fritto was light and airy just not a big prosciutto guy. Next came the hummus which was awesome. The bread was tremendous and even fluffier than the prior. The third dish was my favorite: the Japanese sweet potato. It sat in a nice Thai red curry but the creme bruleed top made it perfect. I could order just that and be happy. The fourth dish was the clay pot mushroom rice. So many different mushrooms and very good rice which was both soft and crunchy depending on where in the pot it was. The soy sauce that accompanied it was sweet and paired great. For the two mains we got the sea bass which was tender but lacked in flavor and then the pork belly which may have been slightly overcooked but had a phenomenal marinade. Finally, we got the red bean brownie sundae which wasn’t too sweet but had just enough with the ice cream and banana. Overall, the timing was great and everything was delicious. Each dish had a textural element with some kind of crunch that elevated it.

Samir Katta

Aug 2025

“As a Chicago wedding photographer, I highly recommend Maxwells Trading for any couples who are wedding planning.”

As a Chicago wedding photographer, I highly recommend Maxwells Trading for any couples who are wedding planning. If you're looking for a unique, beautifully designed, versatile space to accommodate your intimate wedding in a central downtown location, while still slightly off the beaten path away from the bustle of the city, this is your venue. A true hidden gem. There are both indoor an outdoor spaces available for weddings, including their rooftop garden & greenhouses. The food is unbelievably good; at a recent wedding there, immediately after the first few bites, myself and the other vendors looked at each other and all said it was some of the best, if not the best, food we've had at a wedding. Not to mention, the kitchen utilizes fresh produce grown on their roof and greenhouse. My recent wedding there (pictured, with ~60 guests), occurred on a rainy April day (though the sun came out just in time for a gorgeous sunset), and even in the overcast lighting, their indoor ceremony was still stunning, thanks to the large windows in the library. The skylights in the cocktail hour bar space also lent to more beautiful lighting for an indoor celebration. The greenhouses on the roof made for a perfect space for the newlyweds to sneak off to after the ceremony to enjoy a few quiet moments together before rejoining the party. Not only is catering in-house, but Maxwells Trading also is the home to Third Season's (by The Roof Crop) office space, meaning couples can source all from the same place. The food, ambience, and overall experience was so good, that as soon as I got home that night, I booked a reservation for the next week to return and get the full guest experience, which was incredible.

Gretchen Wittry

Jul 2025