312 Chicago

Chicago Restaurant Closures for March 2025 - Eater Chicago

"An Italian restaurant that closed after 27 years. Attempted a comeback in 2023 after a hiatus due to COVID, but closed on January 3." - Ashok Selvam

Chicago’s Hotel Restaurants, Ranked

"Restaurants in the Loop tend to be terrible or overpriced—often both. Luckily, 312 Chicago is neither of those things. Is it the best Italian restaurant inside a Royal Sonesta in the world? A question for the ages. Probably not, but what we can confirm with certainty is that this is a useful spot for scarfing down deep-fried garlic bread the size of a baseball, decent pasta, and strong drinks before catching a show at the Cadillac Palace Theater next door. Plus, you and your fellow consultants will feel right at home pulling out your laptops during a working dinner amidst the nondescript artwork, characteristic hotel carpeting, and dulcet tones of soft jazzy music (probably) piped in from the hotel lobby." - veda kilaru, john ringor

312 Chicago Review - Loop - Chicago - The Infatuation

"Restaurants in the Loop tend to be terrible or overpriced—often both. Luckily, 312 Chicago is neither. Is it the best Italian restaurant inside a Royal Sonesta Hotel in the world? A question for the ages. Probably not, but we can confirm this is a solid spot to scarf down deep-fried garlic bread the size and shape of a baseball, decent pasta, and strong drinks before catching a show at the Cadillac Palace Theater next door. Plus, you and your consulting team will feel right at home pulling out your laptops during a working dinner amidst the nondescript art, carpeting in a classic shade of “hotel hideous,” and soft jazzy music (probably) piped in from the lobby." - Veda Kilaru

Chicago’s Best Restaurants for Private Dining

"Theater district restaurant 312 Chicago reopened in March with a new chef and a renovated interior. Small groups can gather in the tasting room or semi-private north mezzanine to dine on chef Marcello Florio’s Northern Italian fare paired with Italian wines or cocktails. Full floors are also available to rent for holiday parties or wedding reception, while the outdoor patio makes a convenient space for companies based in the Loop to hold employee mixers. Number of guests: 20-115." - Samantha Nelson, Eater Staff

N.Y.’s Death & Co. is taking over Lost Lake for a pop-up - Eater Chicago

"Crews at 312 Chicago in the Loop have been working to renovate the 22-year-old restaurant which has been closed since February 24." - Ashok Selvam

Csilla M. Fisher

Google

We had an early dinner at 312 Chicago before our theatre show. The service was impeccable - very friendly and professional. The food is Italian food at its best. The octopus antipasti was well liked, though our favorite was the pesto pasta with added salmon. It was fresh and a perfect balance of pesto, cheese and cream. I also had an espresso martini which was nice. One in our party had the burger and it was a large portion and looked great.

Peace

Google

Prior to arriving, I had an idea on what I wanted to get there and find out they just got a new menu. The options seemed pretty slender, I ordered the Caesar salad with salmon every time I came, and while I enjoyed it, the portions size and quality of greens was not what I expected, especially considering the price point. What kept me coming back was Liam, the bartender who is so fun and personable. He also makes a mean espresso martini which I ordered in abundance. I would come back time and time again to hang out with him and enjoy the ambiance and the overpriced salad. If you’re in the area for a theatre show I would say this is definitely a pre show option. They close mad early so it is ONLY a pre show option. Overall, this wasn’t a bad meal option, especially considering the convenience of staying in the connecting hotel. Oh, also, I ordered breakfast here once; the avocado toast which was very delicious. I would order that TIME AND TIME AGAIN!

stephanie marie

Google

Came here from Detroit for a rehersal dinner and had an absolutely fantastic time. Our party was seated upstairs and we enjoyed a special menu served family style; it was easily one of the top five meals of my life. Every single thing was delightful. I havent stopped thinking about the gnocchi bolognese for weeks. Truly a memorable experience.

Heather Gergen

Google

I went here with two friends after seeing a performance next-door at the Cadillac theater. I had the striped bass and it was the best fish I’ve ever had and I eat a lot of fish. My friends enjoyed their meals as well. One had the pork chop, and the other one had the Bolognese. Our waiter was attentive and delightful.

Mitchell Shaw

Google

Stopped by before seeing a show, very impressed! We sat at the bar and were treated to exceptional cocktails and even better service! Shout out to our expert mixologists, Omar and Zack, who provided excellent recommendations and took great care of us. I highly recommend the Berry Gin Fizz. Definitely stopping by next time I’m in the theatre district!

w foodie

Google

We came here for lunch during Chicago Restaurant Week, and we all ordered from the 3 courses for $25 lunch menu. The interior is very classy with comfortable and open seating. We ordered the polpo e patate and the zuppa di lenticchie as appetizers, the bistecca and the spaghetti matriciana as mains, and the crème brûlée and the tiramisu as desserts. Every dish was excellent, and our favorites were the polpo e patate, spaghetti matriciana, and tiramisu. The tiramisu is one of the best I’ve ever had, and the service was quick and attentive throughout our entire meal. We loved the Chicago Restaurant Week deal, and we would definitely come back again!

The Appliance Guy

Google

Amazing food, service and ambiance. The 3 course lunch special was outstanding. Claudia was an awesome waitress and the entire wait staff was great even good old Richard.

jack zhang

Google

Came for restaurant week lunch. Oh god the food was delicious for me. The medium steak was cooked to an med rare for me which was what I like the seasoning was on point. One of the best lunch meal I had in Chicago. But it seems their steak is very inconsistent as I came with 3 other people and their steak was cooked very rare even when we had medium. Also the waiter I had was very rude. And they were being passive aggressive after they wrongly billed my group.

Tinisha B.

Yelp

Stopped here for drinks while waiting for my friends to arrive so we could attend a show at the Cadillac Theatre next door. I enjoyed the Limoncello Martini so much. The bartender was fast and friendly, and my bar mates were very welcoming! Cool spot to chill, I recommend this

Jennifer R.

Yelp

We dined at 312 Chicago for breakfast in order to use a credit from Allegro Hotel. The menu is limited but everyone should be able to find something they'd like. We ordered the Eggs Your Way meal however the waitress quickly let us know currently they were only serving eggs scrambled. We were fine with that but found the humor in the situation. The food was decent. The accompanying sausage patty was made of ground Italian sausage. The bacon was a little greasy for my taste. The toast was okay but it seemed like it was toasted too early and sat while the rest of the food finished. The dining room was nice although I sunk into the booth seat and felt like a little kid sitting at a table with the table almost being at chest height. I think there are probably other places in the area where you can get a good breakfast and probably for a better price. The restaurant might be surviving on hotel guests who want to use their hotel credit.

Jessica M.

Yelp

I am under the impression that 312 Chicago is a solid and convenient spot for business meals and grabbing a quick bite before visiting the theater next door. Neither of those really pertain to me so we haven't really thought to try it out until restaurant week came along. Four of us made reservations for a Wednesday afternoon at 12 PM. We were promptly seated. Space is very tight and I was within two feet of a neighboring table and the divider did little to provide any privacy for both of our parties. My husband and I each had the polpo e patate which was octopus with potatoes, arugula, lemon dressing and pesto. The octopus was very tender but the pesto was packed with black salt which I initially thought was black sesame. For the second course, I had the spaghetti and my husband had the 7 ounce strip loin. I was initially skeptical about the spaghetti but it was surprisingly well executed and a huge redeeming factor because the appetizer fell short. It was loaded with smoked guanciale, spicy tomato basil, and pecorino romano. The 7 ounce strip loin was another good surprise because when we placed the order, the waiter told us we could only choose from medium, medium well, and well done. We always order our steak medium rare but since that wasn't a choice, we went with the next closest choice, medium, and it actually arrived medium rare! The dessert was nothing special. For an Italian restaurant, the tiramisu was a huge disappointment. It was overly soft and lacking in flavor profile. The cocoa and coffee ingredients were incredibly subtle. Strangely, the crème brulee was the better choice however, I feel like this has become an overly common dessert and not exactly something to look forward to at an Italian restaurant. All in all, we had a pleasant experience and the second course was the huge redeeming factor because both appetizer and dessert fell short for us.

Greg N.

Yelp

Best Martini cocktail in the city! Great servers behind the bar providing great conversation and excellent quality drinks. Also a very nice upscale ambiance with good service.

Rhonda F.

Yelp

312 Chicago is a nice spot to grab a cocktail and small bite before going to the theater next door. That is exactly what we did. After work, we headed over to this corner Loop restaurant to nosh a little before the show. Our martinis were perfection. The bartender was friendly and certainly talented. We decided to order French fries as a quick snack before heading out. They were served piping hot and hit the spot. 312 Chicago is a nice place for theater patrons, locals working in the neighborhood or visitors to the city staying in the Loop area.

Gladis I.

Yelp

This afternoon, my wife and I stopped in for a bite and drinks at this restaurant before going to the Catillac Palace to see the Broadway Play A Wonderful World. It was our first time there, so we asked for something to munch on. The two young lady hosts were very sweet and found us a table. The place was quiet and cozy with a small bar that served excellent drinks. I started with the Hemingway, and Olga had Peronis beer. We then ordered Ceasars Salad to share with Salmon. We also ordered Panne e Focaccia and Fritto Mixto, which was all very delicious. Our waitress Alicia was super attentive and very friendly she even told us a little about the hotel that's within the restaurant. The manager Tammy was also very kind she came by our table to see how we were doing. That's very rare nowadays. Not too many managers do this. I found it to be very sweet and made us feel special. I highly recommend this Italian cuisine restaurant if you're downtown for a show at the Cadillac Palace Theater.

Lauren H.

Yelp

The food and atmosphere here were great. So cozy, the pasta was cooked perfectly and the wine glasses were beautiful. Unfortunately I had to knock it down a star because the service was very slow. Our server was very kind and apologetic but it did take well over an hour to get one round of drinks and entrees for two. We barely made it to our broadway show on time. I would recommend this restaurant but if you're going before a broadway show after, I would leave ample time!

Yvonne Y.

Yelp

Amazing food during RW week. We had the grilled octopus salad which was so tender and perfectly paired with pesto sauce. Sirloin was perfectly cooked and creme brulee was creamy and satisfying. Lots of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink options and staff is friendly and not pushy. Definitely a perfect place for excellent italian food combined with good service in the loop.

Colton D.

Yelp

Very formal sitting area that can make you feel like you are in a fancy Hollywood movie. The bar is well stocked and has a couple of seats to enjoy a drink while you wait. Our whole party had the Salmon except for one person. It was cooked to perfection with and amazing crips on top. Only problem was, I didn't get a photo to add to my review. Guess we will have to return for round two!

Keith B.

Yelp

We went to 312 before a show at the Cadilac theater next door. We wanted to keep it simple, so having such high reviews and being so close made it easy. On the vibe - It was definitely a pre-theater, senior citizen hang out spot. It was the first thing i noticed. It also mean that people were dressed way more formal than most spots I enjoy. We went at 530 (before the show), so maybe that's just the pre-theater crowd. On the food - We got 3 things and kept it simple: Zeppole e Marina - Basically, these were like garlic knots. The were OK, but a bit udnerdone/ dougy for us. They said "crispy dough" in the descsription, but to me the "dough" part when too far. I don't like my break medium rare. 8-) The coating of garlic and salt was good, but th edough itself was mostly tasteless, which also wasn't great. it's a big portion that should have a 1/2 order for couples. The didn't have "plain bread" so your options are limited if you like bread with you italian meal Salmon - This was seasoned well. However, our order was overcooked and dry. Accidents happen. It wasn't dry enough to send back, but it did make it "not great". Tagliatelle Bolognese (short rib ragu) - This was mostly ok. It had a mild flavor but wasn't the type of dish that I'd rave about. It was "fine". Note: I got the ricotta dollop on the side bt did try it. It didn't change my pereception of the dish. In fact I just finished my leftovers and it was just as "meh" as it was last night. overall, for a $90 meal (1 app, 2 entrees, no drink or dessert) it was sub-par. Next time we go to that theater, we'll go to Luke's next door and have great sandwich. it wasn't "bad", but it was far from great and the rating it has.

Leila T.

Yelp

I heard that they got a new chef at 312 so I had to try it before I went to a play in Cadillac Palace. It was convenient to do a dinner and show the restaurant that service was great and the steak that I ordered that was one of the best steaks in the city.

Amanda C.

Yelp

Only had a few minutes to grab a bite to eat when we stayed at Hotel Allegro. Service was fast, no wait, we fully recommend the Caesar Salad.

Audrey P.

Yelp

Pancakes were cold and didn't give us maple syrup. An hour later, after cold pancakes had been eaten, they offered syrup.

Chris G.

Yelp

They're back & it's easy to taste plenty of passion in their elevated cuisine! Open for breakfast & lunch as of April 2023. Dinner soon come.

Craig C.

Yelp

This restaurant is a diamond in the rough. The combination of the service and chef-inspired Italian cuisine is exceptional. A great place to check out!

Super R.

Yelp

Ambiance: well-designed & not noisy despite the many tables. Service: received our appetizers before we were served our drinks (which were ordered before food). Then... after just starting our appetizers, our entrees arrive. We sent him away, telling him we'll let him know when we want the entrees. He seemed confused. Ridiculous, disorganized service. Also, the waiter kept call us "ma dears". Awkward, weird, trying too hard. Food: we both had pasta dishes. They tasted ok - nothing special. But given the speed they arrived to our table, they probably have steamer trays full of the pasta entree selections, heaping helpings onto plates cafeteria style. Likely none of the pasta dishes are made fresh.

Ambrogio D.

Yelp

During my recent business trip to town, I couldn't resist revisiting 312, a Sonesta venue. My previous experience had been exceptional, so I was eager to see if they could still meet my expectations. And guess what? I was thrilled to find that not only had they maintained their high standards, but they had also introduced some exciting new items to their menu. The food was so delicious that I even ordered some to-go for the next day. Needless to say, 312 has once again won my heart with their exceptional service and mouth-watering food!

Becky O.

Yelp

A very stable Italian restaurant. Great service, drinks were cold and good. Soup was luke warm. Everything needed a pinch of more of salt. The Zeppolese were amazing but super hard to saw through. We would go back but maybe not for dinner. See what else that offer up. Atmosphere was very nice.

John M.

Yelp

Went after the matinee at theater. Got out at ~5:30 with reservation at the 312. First time here as not too often in the city and thoroughly enjoyed the dinner, wine, ambiance, service and of course the desert. asked if they could do Affagato for dessert, even though not on menu and voila--they did. A bit pricey but well worth the price and time spent. Thanks 312

Jennifer M.

Yelp

Phenomenal! I asked our waiter what his favorite dish was, the pork chop. It was AMAZING! They got us in and out in plenty of time to see Aladdin. This will be a must stop the next time we are in town.

K W.

Yelp

Wow. I'm sad to leave this review. I've eaten here for 7+ years pre-theatre. Family of 4. Food took 1+ hr. We sat without drinks for 45 minutes. Server was concentrated on larger tables. Never checked on our table. Restaurant comped our meal. So sad. I loved this place, but it lost a client. I'm sure it's bleeding other regulars.

Sadya E.

Yelp

It was a special day for my daughter. We had dinner before going to see Aladdin. The service was great and the food excellent. Looking forward to going again.

Chicago Restaurant Closures for March 2025 - Eater Chicago

"An Italian restaurant that closed after 27 years. Attempted a comeback in 2023 after a hiatus due to COVID, but closed on January 3." - Ashok Selvam

Chicago’s Hotel Restaurants, Ranked

312 Chicago Review - Loop - Chicago - The Infatuation

Chicago’s Best Restaurants for Private Dining

N.Y.’s Death & Co. is taking over Lost Lake for a pop-up - Eater Chicago

"Crews at 312 Chicago in the Loop have been working to renovate the 22-year-old restaurant which has been closed since February 24." - Ashok Selvam