Alinea

November 8, 2025

Fantastic culinary experience! Excellent, professional, knowledgeable, funny, entertaining waitstaff. Simply amazing food that will leave an indelible mark on your psyche. I will remember this meal for the rest of my life.

September 29, 2025

This may be the most exciting meal I’ve ever eaten. It’s a place where spoilers should not be shared so I’ll withhold much of the experience, but Grant Achatz and his team delivers one of the most extraordinary dining experiences possibly anywhere on the planet. I was able to secure a seat at the Gallery after a last minute cancellation, and while I cannot speak to the experience at the Salon, I would highly encourage trying the Gallery if you are at all fortunate enough to be able to make the reservation. The whole night was an experience straight out of The Menu (except you get to go home at the end of the night). There’s a lot of talk saying Alinea’s not able to top the creativity that they used to be famed for, but if this is your first time and having had the experience before, I would argue it’s worth experiencing for yourself since it would still obviously be a fresh new experience for you. That said, if I ever have the chance, I would personally do this all over again.

October 3, 2025

What a unique experience. I went knowing almost nothing and I loved how I was constantly surprised by the creativity of the team in how they present the food, combine the flavors and and create a roller coaster experience. I'm adding pictures to my review for myself, but I strongly recommend to avoid spoilers before visiting.

October 29, 2025

My first return after visiting 10 years ago. While the presentation has changed, the quality of the experience has not. My companion and I agreed on two areas for improvement. First, the arrival experience is not optimal. With the Gallery experience, most people arrive a few minutes prior to the service time. There were 12 of us jammed into the foyer area. Also, the staff were friendly and professional but seemed stressed and a bit disorganized, creating a less relaxed atmosphere. Chef Achatz was notably in Japan on this date, so perhaps that was part of it. Our Fossil "toolkit" was missing some items- a rare missed detail. This was quickly corrected. The food has gotten even more inventive and the Gallery is an amazing culinary adventure. Alinea remains an unparalleled experience.

November 6, 2025

Alinea was a bucket list place for me. The food and staff were excellent. The quality, and artistry really make a one of a kind experience. Special mention to Rizqi, who really went above and beyond to make our visit to Chicago that much better. Would love to come again.