PremEx2000

Since we're all sharing our favorite restaurants, how about sharing the names of restaurants that we think are overrated.

Mind you, overrated doesn't mean "bad". It only means that, based on expectations, price, reputation, attitude, etc., it did not live up to the hype.

I'm sure that I will upset some people with my choices but remember, they're just one person's opinion. So here goes:

Chicago's most overrated restaurants:

1) Frontera Grill

2) Gene & Georghetti's

anonplz

Definitely Charlie Trotter's. Bear in mind, however, it was ONE night, several years ago, we never went back, and the food and wine were very good, but it did not live up to the hype, as you say. So that would be my "most overrated Chicago restaurant."

I would give an honorable mention to Frontera Grill (which does indeed pain me, but it's the truth).

[This message has been edited by anonplz (edited 10-02-2002).]

Sweet Willie

As with any city, there are sooooooo many, a few to start:

Blackbird
Chicago Chop House
Everest Room
Le Colonial
Le Francais
Nick’s Fishmarket
Vong

I would like to say Charlie Trotter's, but with many postitive reviews, I will have to give it another try, but three strikes and you're out, Charlie has two in my book already.

wideman

re: Frontera Grille

This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. On every visit, I've been impressed with the fresh and first-rate ingredients, the imagination in the preparations, and, simply enough, the way the food tastes. Especially anything/everything with tomatilla-based sauces.

The biggest down-side, by far, is the inconvenience of getting a table.

Incidentally, the frontera is a particularly good place for people traveling on their own -- the bar is ideal for a single person having dinner.

ChiFlyer

Have to disagree with Vong as being overrated. In some cases, differing tastes in food may play in to this catagory. We each have our own taste - I happen to like the cuisine at Vong.

Rudi

Mc Donalds everywhere (it still seems that an overwhelming majority of Restaurant visitors, voting with their feet, judge them as good/best value).

disneybride

• Gene and Georgettis
• Charlie Trotters (I think it's just not DisneyBride food, I'm rather picky)
• Harry Careys
• Scoozi's (not that it's bad, just a tad overpriced and I was expecting more based on the hype I had heard)
• Ambria

anonplz

When Scoozi first opened, it was new, exciting, and injected some fun into what was then a rather tired, dissipated downtown scene. I don't recall the food ever being so great - it was always more of a Scene like Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, Hat Dance or, on the Northside, Oo-La-La.

I could be wrong, but I imagine Scoozi itself has become tired as time has passed and ever more interesting, good, fun Italian restaurants have saturated Chicago.

In my mind, Scoozi's time came and went, but it was so much fun while it was still fashionable, wasn't it?

Ambria's desserts, however, are unbeatable, IMO.

disneybride

anonplz... now my mouth is watering for the chocolate tacos at Hat Dance, and the homemade mac n cheeze at Ooh-la-la (my first date with disneygroom was there). Too bad both restaurants have closed.

anonplz

I know! I really loved ooh-la-la! And Jill Dietz is the one of the best Italian/French chefs in Chicagoland (where is she working now?)...

But WHAT is with the ATROCIOUS barf-green wall paint in the bistro that replaced ooh-la-la? When I'm in town, every time I pass by, it truly makes me nauseous!

Hat Dance played host to my first job's xmas party - I remember it well (though can't remember what I ate)...

------------------
"I argue very well. Ask any of my remaining friends." - Dave Barry

ChiFlyer

Must have been a little while since you passed by since Deville (the green place that took over where Oh-La-La used to be) has been replaced by a red place called Firefly. Haven't tried the new place, yet.

[This message has been edited by ChiFlyer (edited 10-13-2002).]

l etoile

Just curious what it would take to "live up to the hype" if the food and wine were very good. You left off service so I'm guessing there were deficiencies there?

For me, I find restaurants are sometimes like movies. If I'd skipped the gushing review and just discovered the movie on my own, I would have probably loved it too. Reviews sometimes seem to make us expect too much.

FWIW, Charlie has served up winners 3/3 for me. There's usually something in the menu I dislike though - once it was beet ice cream - yuck. But I've found their staff to be terrific and extremely knowledgable and helpful. This last visit they got us reservations at Tru for the following night and gave us recommendations for restaurants in Paris. I could actually go on and on about the wonderful special things the staff has done on each visit. Anyway just some comments from a Trotter's fan.

To keep with the topic ... you Chicagoans are pretty fortunate. I've yet to be disappointed in a restaurant there. You get some wonderful produce. I've always heard we send the best stuff out of California and keep the crummy stuff. I don't know if it's true, but it seems to be.