2 Chez Restaurant

2 Chez is an absolute must-visit if you're in or near Peoria! After dozens of visits, I can honestly say I've never had a single negative experience. Todd, Cyndi, and Isaac Hohulin do an incredible job running both the bar and restaurant. Some personal menu favorites include the calamari, beef tartar, and oysters for appetizers, and the rack of lamb, halibut, and maple leaf farm duck for entrees. Don't skip dessert – the bananas foster and bread pudding are amazing. Plus, their soups, salads, coffee, and mixed drinks are always top-notch. Truly one of my favorite restaurants in all of Illinois! I recommend planning ahead and making a reservation. Bar and farm table are first come first serve.

Unforgettable dining experience!! This has been a place we have waited so long to try and it was worth the wait. The service was on point and delivery of food was paced perfectly. Never once did we have an empty drink or have to ask for anything. Food was served fresh and hot with great attention to detail. You can tell these owners take pride in their food and presentation. Do yourself a favor and save room for the banana's foster!! We will DEFINITELY be back to try more delicious options!

Best calamari I've ever had! Sauce was creamy and calamari meaty. Our server was sweet, caring and attentive. Our steaks were juicy and flavorful. Oh and I also love the mashed potatoes.

Great local restaurant. Food is very good and they always have daily off menu specials. The owner is always present which we appreciate. Great bar with high end cocktails and wine list. I would be happy to complain however there is nothing I could say bad.

5 stars all around!! By far the best steak meal I’ve had in a long time! Highly suggest the Beef Diane that is just so juicy, cooked perfectly, paired with delicious mashed potatoes and a delicious sauce. I’d also suggest the Bison NY Strip. Don’t be afraid! It’s juicy, tender, delicious and different! My partner got this and we ended up splitting our meats so we could enjoy both cuts. We paired these with a to die for Old Fashioned and Espresso Martini. This was probably one of the best Old Fashioneds I’ve ever had! We completed our meal with the bananas foster. You just have to get this. It’s not even a question, you must get this. Our service was phenomenal, even with the 6-8 tables she was helping. The whole vibe is great and totally unexpected from the outside. A great stop if in the area and a great surprise on our trip. Check them out on TikTok and ask for Lacey as your waitress.

A locally owned small business in Peoria. A good selection of wine and Italian food. Their bread was hot and the butter was really good. The fried calamari is a nice shareable portion. I got the duck (which was a tad bit chewy for my taste). The scallops were really good. Overall a decent place but pricey.

Hands down the best meal we've had in Peoria. I don't normally write a review unless it's a bad experience to warn people but...... 2Chezs inspired me from start to finish. I'll start by saying we've tried to dine here a couple times and reservations are always booked but recently realized that there is a community table so we tried last weekend but sadly people were waiting and rushing to get that table before the doors even opened people were lined up. We reserved a table for next weekend since we didn't get the table. Fast forward next weekend. It's a blizzard out and -3° out but we trucked it in to give it a try. Thr small restaurant was packed like the weather wasn't even an issue. Our reservation was for 7:30 but we arriveda little early thinkingthey may not be busy with the blizzard outside and temps steadily dropping. We were greeted by the co-owner and the chefs wife as we walked in, our table wasn't ready so we sat and waited at the bar. The ambience of the place was eclectic and effortlessly cool. Everything was perfect. Music was being played on an actual record player which I love and feel that music just sounds better on a record player. We were greeted by the chef/owner and talked with him for a bit and watched him flombay a bananas foster as his 2 sons bartended. The drinks are made with fresh ingredients like hand pressed ginger and freshly made syrups and lemonade. I had an aperol spritzer, my son had a peach lemonade and my husband had a whiskey mule. We were already impressed and loving the vibe and our drinks were delicious. We watched as they made smoked drinks and muddled fresh ginger. We also went and checked out the cool bathroom decor and played a game of I-spy with my son with the fun decorations. We finally get to our table and our the chef kindly gave us an appetizer for the wait. The bruschetta was perfectly seasoned and my husband who doesn't like raw tomatoes even tried and liked it. I was shocked! We ordered fries with tarragon aoli as well for an app and my son destroyed them and said it was the best aoili ever and wanted more!!! We ordered another round of drinks, the brubaker and a tart cherry mule. By the time we had eaten our appetizers we had already began to plan our next trip back to 2chez, it was that good! We had a hard time deciding what to get even though the menu is small.(which it should be) Everything sounded good! Living in Colorado we were spoiled by amazing restaurants and unfortunately majority of restaurants in Peoria that we have visited are just ok and the food is far from fresh or made from scratch and we find ourselves eating at home more because we're never really impressed. For dinner I had the scallops with lobster cream sauce and lyonaise potatoes, my husband had the filet with mashed potatoes and veggies and my son had the special of the night a veal tbone with a demiglaze and lyonaise potatoes. We were blown away by how perfectly cooked and seasoned everything was, not a drop of food was left on our plates. My son also had creme brulee for dessert. I highly recommend this place. We will definitely be back. The only complaint I have is that we waiting this long to finally eat here!

Hidden Gem!!! I highly recommend it! 👌 If you are ever in Peoria, IL, you must stop by and have an unforgettable dinner! I will definitely come back whenever coming through the area! Or even just because!! Smoke Old Fashion is good! Special Elk chops are good! Oysters on a half shelf good good good!!! Located on a plaza that you would never think to find such an incredible place!

Our table got four was ready at the appointed time. Surprised as it was very busy. The seats at the bar were occupied as well as all the tables. There is a few tables outside that were not being used as it was very hot and humid. The calamari appetizer was plentiful and delicious with large calamari pieces. All of us had the steak burger special as it was a Tuesday. It came with thin Parmesan seasoned French fries. Or you could choose another side. Service was great.

I was so excited try this place because the reviews and feedback from locals said it was going to be fantastic! I'm basing the rating on the quality of food and service based on the category and price point of the restaurant. Here's what I loved: - the ambiance. Though it's tucked into a strip mall, it has a fun, creative decor with special touches that make it unique and inviting - the menu had a number of interesting options and the food presentation was beautiful! What I wish there would have been more of: - we sat at the bar and felt like the attention and service was underwhelming. We had ordered cocktails but sat for about 20 minutes before someone checked in to see how they were. The cocktails weren't what we had wanted wanted, but we didn't have a chance to let the bartenders know. The bar was moderately busy, but they didn't check in for awhile. - the food was just ok. The price point suggests that we'd have something really delicious, but the flavors were bland and uninteresting. We tried some of the menu items that were suggested. All in all, the experience was ok, but definitely didn't woo us to return any time soon.

Nice cozy place for a meal. Parking in the front and free. Too noisy. Please do reservations prior to arrival. A good range of foods to choose from. Size of the scallops are not uniform. Too much potatoes at the bottom. The chocolate dessert was the best.

Always an adventure to try out a restaurant scene outside of a major city! I found 2 Chez on Yelp actually. My experience far exceeded my expectations! Great food, especially the oysters! Seriously, the oysters were better than some I eat in Chicago at 2-4$/ piece. The steak (ribeye for me) was great also. I find it interesting that the steaks and other entrees come with sides! Personally, I prefer to order the sides separately so I can pick what I like, but the fries were delicious. The crime brûlée dessert was torched table-side, a great show. The bread I got on the side for $5 was perhaps not the price however. I also loved the hospitality here! Everyone seemed to genuinely care for the customer experience. 5/5 experience.

Wow! From start to finish, everything was top notch. Server was very attentive, efficient and professional. The food, from the seafood combo that my husband ordered to my steak were delicious. We ate outdoors because we did not have reservations. Advice - make reservations and arrive early. They are busy. Overall, great experience and we will be back.

Great food and cocktails. Did the community style seating in the bar. Love watching the cook station at the bar!

Beautiful decor with amazing big bar!! Very clubby like Waldorf !!! ALL service folks so nice and accommodating! Food best of Peoria and around!! My husband always has filet and grilled to perfection! My scallops just right as I requested done in well side!! Always look forward to going to 2Chez and perfect date night!! Quiet and romantic!!!

Service is excellent with a very personal touch! Food is a unique twist on traditional favorites. Everything is comfortable and classy!

Had a really great time at 2Chez great food great service and great atmosphere. Love this place!!

I only went here once with my parents a long time ago, didn't remember it. My husband and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary! We had the burrata dish it was okay. I wished it had more pesto and balsamic drizzle and toast with it. We got bruschetta to make up for it. It was the best bruschetta I ever had! Next I had the Dianes steak filet. It was amazing had the best filet sauce I ever had! It was a savory beef sauce with mushroom and onions yum!! The sides were just okay mashed potatoes and veggie sides. My husband had the special pork meal with mashed potatoes and veggie side. He said it was good and tender but he said my dish hit it out of the park! Next we had the chocolate torte with the butter pecan ice cream. Torte was great!! Ice cream didn't really taste like butter pecan more pralines? But was still good. I had the chocolate martini was the best chocolate martini I ever had !! My husband had the burberry cocktail and he loved it. We will be back again to try more stuff! We loved the ambiance of the lighting and our waitress was great!

A locally owned small business in Peoria. A good selection of wine and Italian food. Their bread was hot and the butter was really good. The fried calamari is a nice shareable portion. I got the duck (which was a tad bit chewy for my taste). The scallops were really good. Overall a decent place but pricey.

In town for a quick overnight trip, we came here early on a Saturday evening. Don't let the modest exterior fool you. 2 Chez is an excellent choice for a "fancy" (and filling) dinner. The calamari's reputation is well-earned, and that's from someone who doesn't typically like calamari. It was breaded and cooked just right--not rubbery like you so often get at lesser places. The remoulade was the perfect dipping sauce. Our soups and entrees were also excellent and attractively presented. The drink menu was impressive but not overwhelming. If we really wanted to nitpick, my husband's beef Diane was a little heavy on the glaze but he still ate the whole thing. Portion sizes were good and prices were reasonable. Service was excellent. Our server was personable and quick to replenish our water. Our only regret is we were too full to sample the dessert menu.

Incredible, no wonder we couldn't get a reservation! Our group of five ended up at the bar community table feasting for two cozy hours on the exquisite internationally inspired menu, crafted cocktails, staff eager to please, and refined old school atmosphere with plenty of styled classic decoration and familiar photo references. I was excited to try duck for the first time. Dish was slightly small but rich, cooked perfectly, and combined right on with the veggies. Didn't need dessert after the incredible puffed fried calamari and indulgent tartar, we went for mocha creme brulee anyway! Flambeêd I'm table side, decadent and righteous flavors and smooth texture made for the doctor's fix to round out the night. Major props to the appetizers too, I'd eagerly nibble on Beauty and the Beast's Gray Stuff anyday. Both fantastic beginnings to a royal dining evening. But back to the start, we all sampled various cocktails, amazed at the alternative flair for typical whiskey and gin and mules. The bar tenders were extra friendly and quick to swap in ingredients to replace the missing bottle with brandy when I asked for a Pisco Sour. It worked a treat! The others would not hush commenting on their magical sips. There is an almost sensual quality to dining here we all enjoyed despite being half the age of the other patrons. It is hilarious a dingy strip mall on Peoria's Northside surrounded by basic stores and a Chinese restaurant should host an other worldly Hallmark movie set, some sort of rich grandparent's idea of how Bob Evans should be! I'm not sure I will make it here again since I'm from Indiana but I sure hope I do!

We come to Peoria once a year and 2Chez is always the highlight. It's in a little shopping mall, but is the food ever good. We started with the crispy calamari, which may be the best I've ever had. It has a light crispy breading and is so very tender! The Pomme Frites are equally good. We had the oysters which were perfectly shucked and so fresh we just needed a little lemon juice. The side Caesar was quite big so my wife shared it with me. I love a salad that doesn't skimp on dressing and this one was perfect. The soup of the day was a tomato based soup with cheese shavings that melted into the soup. I almost forgot the warm bread with the flavored butter. The 3 of us all had a different entrees. I had the smoked salmon special which was delicious but a little salty. The chicken piccata and the veal au poivre were a hit. The servings were large so we packed them up. We all ordered the strawberry gelato which was a refreshing way to end the meal. Lacey was terrific and helpful with our meal! A wonderful meal!

This place is one of Peoria's better restaurants. Glad we found it! It's in the little strip mall type place on Knoxville and pioneer parkway. There is a big "2" neon sign you will be able to see from the road. The interior is very nice. The lighting is perfect (just the right amount of dark), and the vibe is nice and friendly. It's a cozy place to eat and grab a drink. I liked their plates even. Good job on the decor! The wait staff was friendly And provided good service. The starter bread was good and the butter was tasty! For appetizer we had the breaded calamari. We enjoyed it and the sauce very much. They seem to be homemade and are perfectly breaded (aka lightly breaded). One of the better fried calamari dishes I've had in a while. For main dishes: We had the filet bleu, the regular filet, the ribeye, and the duck. All were cooked perfectly to our requests and all tasted great. The garlic mashed potatoes were tasty as were the roasted vegetables. Our favorites were the duck and the filet bleu. For dessert we had tiramisu. They did a great job on it. Not too much coffee/rum type flavor, just the right amount. Can't recommend enough if you are in peoria. One of the beat "fancier" type restaurants in Peoria! Ps a man who I think was the owner/chef was walking and checking on tables. Nice touch!

Parking outside, I did not come in assuming much. The shopping center is a little different, but the reviews read so well for this spot. There was a long line to talk to the hostess, but they found me a table immediately. My drink order was promptly taken. I heard several other tables talking about how good the calamari is... So I went for it. I normally avoid this dish, since I like it a certain way. But what the hell. Why not. Much to my dismay, after I ordered it and received it, o heard the loud guy walking his friends repetitively that they had to try the sauce. That the sauce is what makes it great. Well this calamari was not my preference. I like crispy calamari that is thin sliced... This reminded me chicken tenders. I try to never rely on a sauce... But it was the only redeeming part. Luckily, this meant I didn't finish it, so I could save room for the rest. The bread arrived. It is a clean French loaf sliced with tasty butter spread. I ordered the ribeye special. It had leeks and sun-dried tomatoes on top. It was pretty fantastic. I am a fan of the dish. It had a strong savory element but still let each ingredient shine. I ordered the Bread Pudding for dessert. It took 15 minutes to prepare. It was decent. But nothing amazing. Overall, I would recommend this place over a lot of others in Peoria. So maybe a soft 4... Or a rounded 4.

Great ambiance restaurant with a biting a bistro feeling to it. Service is always good as is the food. Wished they would change the menu more often

Another wonderful meal! Love love the burata! My husband had the lamb and delicious as always.

It is the best place to enjoy a meal in Peoria! We've enjoyed meals in most of the places here, but the experience of meals in 2 Chez is first class.

My wife and I went in for our eighteenth wedding anniversary on Thursday. We have both been in the fine dining industry for twenty-five years, so we have seen quite a bit of really fantastic places, and some pretty bad let downs. 2 Chez blew our fucking heads off. It is small, dark, and covered with gorgeous antiques. There are mug shots of celebrities on the walls, and bumper stickers of places that you would like to be. And the charm doesn't stop there. The tables are small and intimate, with black cloths, which we loved. The water is chilled, then put into chillers. We weren't ready for the food. The calamari was perfectly delicate and crispy, with a fantastic remoulade. The pomme frites were zesty and obviously made in house. The meatballs, though. My God. Mashed potatoes as though made by Robuchon himself. The honey demi-glaze was perfectly offset by the meat and potatoes, and complimented by the microgreens scattered on top. The sausage and lyonnaise potatoes was just as good, or better. It's not really fair to pick a winner because they were both so beautifully, and uniquely executed. The consistency of the red pepper against the crunch of the potato was only bested by the sauce. We felt like we could still taste vodka from the pan. The thing that stood out to us about this dish was the simplicity and restraint. Every ingredient was given it's place to shine. We've been in the business a long time. We have seen a surprising amount of restaurateurs who are not serious about their craft. Todd Hohulin and his team are not one of them. They mean it, and it shows.

I am new to the area and working my way through my neighbors recommendations and boy am I glad I tried this one. Went for my wife's birthday and it was just about the most perfect night. The staff was great and the food was wonderful. We are big fans of this one!

The hours on Yelp are wrong. We went on Tuesday night and it was open. This is a small restaurant; not that many tables. On a weekend evening I'm sure it's tough to get a table. I would call ahead to make a reservation. The food was great. We started off with Bruschetta, which was excellect. At our table we had veal, sausage, and seafood entrees. Each tasted great. Finished off sharing bread pudding and creme brulee. Again, both were very good. Don't come to this place if you need to dine and dash. This is a very nice, "sit down and enjoy food and company" sort of place. Staff was knowledgeable and knew what it was doing. We'll definitely go back.

The feel of the place is great. But I feel the place is too small for a relaxful dining experience and frankly not enough food descriptions on their menu. Sadly unlike I guess everyone in the world I don't

Always an amazing experience! Great libations and consistently great food and service!

Such a good menu, love the small and tasteful ambiance, although the room size prevents the bar from being a little larger with some breathing room.

My favorite restaurant in Peoria! They have the best calamari! I've never had a bad meal here. They also make great cocktails!

Everything is absolutely fantastic! It's our favorite restaurant in Peoria. The staff is so accommodating and friendly and the food is absolutely delicious!

Great ambiance and delicious food. Fun cocktails. Great for a date or spending time with friends

First, best bar in Peoria for cocktails. And if you get there and the farm table is open (first come, first serve) it's pretty fantastic. Todd, the owner, built it himself and it's a great place to hang. While it's a bit off the beaten path, 2Chez is - year after year - a predictable winner. The food is always stellar.. the service is good. And, most of the time, Todd will get out of the kitchen at some point and stop by your table. 2Chez is always my first recommendation when people visit Peoria.

Love 2 chez! It's a romantic ambiance with dim lighting... perfect for date night! My husband and I have been several times just us 2, with friends, and coworkers. Food is always great and cocktails are good too! They even made a delicious mock-tail for me when I was pregnant! Most recently I've had scallops here, pasta dishes, chicken dishes, steak dishes... it's all great. You really can't go wrong with whatever you choose! The calamari is probably my favorite in town! It is a smaller place so if you are planning to go during a busier time you might consider making a reservation.

Excellent food and wait staff but seating feels a bit crowded. Very noisy during peak hours.

Great food, atmosphere and service! So good! Definitely recommend! Love the calamari!

By far the best food in town! Amazing steak, drinks and desserts! Fresh ingredients and the better part is it is ALWAYS consistent which is very hard to find in the Peoria area. Service also always great. 2chez never disappoints!

Best oysters, duck, and service in town. Unique decor just makes it that much better.

My son treated me to dinner here for a celebration. The steak Diane was amazing. Perfectly seasoned, cooked to my exact request. So delicious!

Always great food! Tonight was hubby's Cortisan and my Chicken Orleans. Both meals were delicious and the service was great. We have never had a bad experience at this restaurant! Had a few drinks at the bar. The bartenders are super friendly and do a great job.

We have now been going here for special occasions from Springfield for five years from my first review. We also love to have Frank wait on us. He's great! I had the calamari tonight and it was great. Another reviewer mentioned it wasn't in strips and crispy. The waiter said they get a larger pieces of calamari so it's not the little pieces. So other places might give you crispy little strips but this is better quality. Parmesan on the outside and lightly crisp. The oysters were from Maine which the chef said are different from southern oysters. The sauce was homemade and delicious with it. The pork Marsala reduction sauce was excellent. To top it off we had creme brûlée and chocolate mousse. There were too many amazing ones to just pick two!

The best calamari I think I have ever had! I was really hesitant to go in because the front looked a little run down but I am so glad I did! Hands down, great food, great staff and a real winner! Inside was a little dark, but easy to maneuver around.

Had an amazing dinner New Years Eve here. Always can count on great food, service, and a warm inviting experience. One of our favorites. Hey Todd, wishing you a prosperous New Year!

The food here is the best we've yet to experience in Peoria since moving here last year. We were actually getting nervous that there weren't any places that genuinely care about the artistry of food. Very glad to have found this place. You've definitely got a new regular customer.

Food is always great! Service consistently good. Not always easy to get into without a reservation.

First time visiting 2 Chez. Recently moved to Illinois and we have been searching for a five-star restaurant and finally found one. From the food to the ambience and service five stars. We happen to go on a Thursday evening which they had a jazz trio playing. They were excellent and added to the evening, wish we could give six stars. Even the chef owner comes out to greet people at their tables. Our waiter Frank couldn't have been better. Also if you're looking for somewhere to just pop in for drinks the bar is absolutely beautiful. Warm cozy feeling throughout the place with beautiful lighting. I would love to go on and on about this place and what a wonderful evening we had. I'll just say if you have not been here put it on the top of your list. This is a rare gem in Peoria we can't wait to go back!

Wife and I went there for a nice dinner not knowing what to expect. Being tucked in a strip mall one might not think of this place as a destination. They would be wrong. Service was excellent. Very nice wine list. Decent selection of bottled beer. Would like to see Draft offerings as well.

What a great surprise it was to have an early dinner at 2 Chez last Friday evening! The ambiance was wonderful, as was the service. We had Calamari for appetizer, and it was delightful, not tough, but tender and flavorful. My partner had Pork Chop Marsala, which he thoroughly enjoyed. I had a half rack of Lamb, and it too was wonderful. We will be returning for another dinner in the future, I am certain.

Our favorite go to date night restaurant! we love the quaint setting and the service is outstanding. We recommend the calamari, tuna poke bowl to start and the Corsica and anything on special. Save room for dessert. The bananas foster and bread pudding are worth going just for one of those. Wait staff are all wonderful and our favorite is Frank.

Went in for a family dinner Thanksgiving Saturday with my college-aged kids and my mom. We had a reservation, and were seated promptly. Because this is an update, I'm not going to write a lot, but suffice it to say that our meals were delicious (once they got my steak cooked correctly to medium rare, not well done) and we were pleased overall with the experience. The one-star loss is on the service side. Our server seemed a bit overwhelmed by the busy evening and didn't check back for drinks, etc. as frequently as she should have. We'll see how it goes next time.

One of the best places to eat and drink in peoria il. Even though it's on the higher end restaurant, the food and the drinks are totally worth it. The service is also very good!!!!!

We Yelped this restaurant up tonight and were overjoyed! 2 Chez had phenomenal food - all four of us that had delicious dinners and were pleased with our meals, which included Steak Diane, Duck, Rack of Lamb, and Salmon. The sweet potato was also delicious. We will definitely return!

One of the best culinary experiences Peoria has to offer. The food is superb and cocktails are delicious. The head mixologist is by far the best in town.