LIA Tavern

“Absolutely incredible meal here.”

Absolutely incredible meal here! Easily one of the best spots in Chicago - a true hidden gem. Very easy to snag a reservation here, so definitely check it out before it blows up. Had the truffle mushroom pizza, and it’s one of the best tavern style pizzas in the city. I’ve been here twice for the pizza because it was THAT good. Their spicy vodka pasta is actually spicy, which is super rate. The ambiance is also very nice. The drinks are incredibly creative too. They have a great daily happy hour too. Overall, one of my favorite spots on Chicago. I can’t recommend it enough!

Shivangi Patel

Feb 2026

“We really enjoyed our dinner at LIA Tavern.”

We really enjoyed our dinner at LIA Tavern! The drinks were fun! The food was delicious- we tried the Brussel sprout salad and vodka sauce pizza both were great!

Ailie Olson

Jan 2026

“Great happy hour spot.”

Great happy hour spot! $10 cocktails that were delicious and amazing appetizers. You absolutely must try the garlic milk bread.

Karina

Nov 2025

“They have a good happpy hour menu and pretty cool interior space.”

They have a good happpy hour menu and pretty cool interior space. Food was good

Nancy S

Oct 2025

“Happy hour is one of the best values in the city.”

Happy hour is one of the best values in the city. Please dont change that! The fluffy pillows and pork belly were fenominal. I really enjoyed the mustard kick to the tartar. The cacio y pepe was fantastic, I couldve ate that all night. The steak was cooked perfectly but there was little to no crust, and the seasoning didnt come through. The potatoes were a fun and enjoyable twist though.

Steven Parsons

Sep 2025

“This was a truly unique experience — equally beautiful and delicious.”

This was a truly unique experience — equally beautiful and delicious! We were smitten with the shrimp in yellow sauce and the roasted bacon, which was a standout dish. The cocktails were incredible, and the wine list was fantastic. The restaurant feels like a little museum of modern art combined with fine dining — plush, yet casual enough to relax and enjoy the night. We happened to be the first table to order the bacon, and to our delight, the chef (who is also the artist behind the presentation) came out personally to ask how we liked it. We absolutely loved it — crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, perfectly balanced with a chi-vinegar reduction and coconut sauce. Bravo!

Maria Dubov

Sep 2025

“This place is our new go to date night spot.”

This place is our new go to date night spot! Such a breath of fresh air , from the staff to the presentation, and the food and the drinks I can’t say enough good things about this hidden gem ! I wish I could go back everyday !

Jaryd Cain

Sep 2025

“New restaurant in River North.”

New restaurant in River North! Love the vibe and food. Espresso martini was so good

나는나비

Aug 2025

“Went in for a few drinks at the bar.”

Went in for a few drinks at the bar. The bartenders were super nice and provided excellent service especially Matthew. Pleasantly surprised that they have a happy hour everyday from 5-6:30 with $10 cocktails. the ambiance is nice and will definitely be back

V P

Aug 2025

“As a connoisseur of great food and a member of the food service industry, this place goes beyond...”

As a connoisseur of great food and a member of the food service industry, this place goes beyond being a hidden gem in Chicago. From the menu to the decor, the creators of this fine establishment knew what they were doing and executed it perfectly. So much so that I came back a second time to enjoy the tasting menu with my girlfriend on our anniversary(our first visit was with some other industry folks, and we did share plate style; needless to say, we all loved it). I'm no stranger to good food as I've had the opportunity to enjoy many great spots, but to keep the focus on what I loved about this place, I will forgo mentioning them. The artist hosting concept has such a jazzy feel and tongue-in-cheek references to some favorite phrases that can be heard in most of the places you go out to. This initial decor disarmed me on my initial visit and did not prepare my mouth for the level of quality the chef had to throw at us. Their cocktails were well-thought-out, allowing for something for everyone, whether it be the refreshing Jackson's paint can. Or the continuously wonderful flavors of the spicy guest check. Rachid and the bartender that we had the first time we came to visit were amazing(can't remember his name because we had too much fun that night). But, of course, Rachid made our third anniversary special, literally throwing everything but the kitchen sink at us, in my opinion, when it came to service and details. I cannot wait for the chef to have fun with the menu and change it up. In the coming months, I also hate the fact that I'm going to miss a lot of this food that I've come to enjoy over the past week. I don't know how much longer this place is going to stay a hidden gem, but I know the team here can only keep doing better! As a connoisseur of great food and a member of the food service industry, I can without a doubt say this place goes beyond being a hidden gem in Chicago. From the menu to the decor, the creators of this fine establishment knew what they were doing and executed it perfectly. So much so that I came back a second time to enjoy the tasting menu with my girlfriend on our anniversary(our first visit was with some other industry folks, and we did share a plate style; needless to say, we all loved it).

Alejandro Hutchinson

Aug 2025

“Art inspired restaurant with a ton of different food options, and a really unique cocktail menu...”

Art inspired restaurant with a ton of different food options, and a really unique cocktail menu paired with a space that's covered in art including a massive Jackson pollack inspired painting over the bar. This is def a place where you want to share a few plates as a group. I'd recommend 2-3 starters and one entree since the portion sizes are pretty small. For starters we ordered the: 1) White sangria octopus - 3/5. I wish it was more char grilled than it was 2) Bottle rockets: 5/5, get these, they are presented in a cool way and were so good paired with an awesome aioli 3) Chorizo stuffed dates: 4/5. Chorizo was great For entree we ordered the Banana Leaf Monkfish and it was 5/5, would def order again. They have some really great cocktails and it's amazing how they are only $12! That's unheard of in the city now. The mezcal and mole espresso martini was insanely good, also loved the maple old fashioned and Creole Paper Plane. Come check this place out and I think it's going to do extremely well and the menu has some unique twists.

Josh Banfield

Jul 2025

“I happened to be walking by this past Thursday afternoon and decided to stop in for a drink.”

I happened to be walking by this past Thursday afternoon and decided to stop in for a drink. The staff welcomed me and let me sit at the bar, though I didn't have a reservation. I decided to order a craft cocktail and a couple of vegetarian appetizers. The bourbon cockatil, the Creole Paper Plane, was a nice refreshing blend of chilled bourbon with lemon, maple and rosemary. Next up was the Beets & Beets salad. Absolutely amazing, I'm now a huge fan. I've never been a huge beets fan before. Last but not least, the Edamame Hummus with the huge wonton chips was perfect. It taste exactly what edamame should taste like as hummus. Great surprise. I will definitely stop back in and continue to explore their eclectic menu. 12/10.

Jason Ferguson

Jul 2025