Abigail's American Bistro

This restaurant is best known in the suburbs. Exciting menu, their sea bass is a must-try, with an inticing taste. You must make a reservation, as it can be extremely crowded most of the time. It's worth it and the staff are friendly.

My wife and I loved our dinner. Will definitely be coming back for more. For appetizers we had the brussel sprouts and spicy ahi tuna tartare with crispy rice. Main dishes were cheeseburger and spicy rigatoni w/ shrimp. For dessert we had the Nutella balls (seriously so good).

The food ,presentation and atmosphere were all 5 stars! A symphony of flavors! We also had a wonderful server Tina!

Enjoyed our dinner last night. Food was amazing. From appetizers to entrees all were really tasty and served hot!!! Our server Stute took very good care of us. It gets loud in the dining room as it gets later in the evening. Outdoor dining is available during summer months. Difficult to find parking especially on nights when there’s a concert at Ravinia so plan ahead. Attire is neat casual. Highly recommended!

As part of a party of six, we enjoyed a sampling of most things on the menu. Everything was wonderful. The shrimp toast and the ribs were especially good. Service was great. The place was quite busy on a Saturday night.

Sat at the bar and was served by Vanessa- she was absolutely amazing, attentive and charismatic. The food was also delicious; I highly recommend the burrata flatbread. I will just say the lights were a bit too bright- it felt more clinic than reasturant.

Abigail's is our favorite spot on the North Shore. Constantly delicious since the day they opened, Abigail's serves an eclectic mix of dishes with a creative twist. Excellent drinks too!

Great American food. Brussel sprouts and toasted branzino are pretty good. Chinese bbq ribs are worth trying as well.

We've lived in Highland Park for just over a year and we FINALLY made it here, and I will say Abagail's didn't disappoint. The food was good, as were the drinks. We loved the patio and had a server who was friendly and attentive. I also loved that it's walking distance from our house , a great neighborhood place!

This is a really lovely corner bistro! There is a nice variety on the menu! The Brussel sprouts are delicious!! The only thing that can be a bit challenging is that it is a bit small of a restaurant so seating can be a bit tight! There is parking along the street outside the restaurant for you too!

Service and atmosphere: My husband and I decided to try going on a date to Abigail's based on a recommendation from a colleague who is local to the area. We were able to get last minute reservations for 8:30 on a Friday, which was surprising given how extremely busy this place is on the weekends. We arrived on time and were seated quickly without a wait, which was another impressive moment given how packed the restaurant was. Dining here is like dining in the city on the weekends, with a majority of the crowd tending toward older groups of friends or families without children. There was one family of four who brought their child with them, but generally we saw couples and groups of friends. Dress seems standardly smart casual. Food: The menu here is organized into three sections: small plates, mid-size meals, and entree-sized portions. Keep in mind the mid-sized plates can be on the larger side, so the tapas-style menu can be deceiving. We ordered the steak and frites and branzino as our mains, with polenta fries on the side. For apps, we ordered the butternut squash ravioli and were greeted with complimentary cheesy biscuits to start. We finished our meal with the olive oil cake, covered in raspberries. Based on what we ordered, we'd give this place a 4/5, simply because the steak my husband ordered was a tiny bit tough and overcooked (ordered medium rare, received medium well). The cut was a strip or a ribeye, so unfortunately on the tougher side, and less flavorful. My fish was nicely seared but the cannellini beans that were paired with the branzino just didn't do it for me. Branzino is a white fish that tolerates spice and garnishes very well, so it could have benefited from some more complex flavors. That said, we will be back for the ravioli. I'd wager that it is the best thing on the winter menu (this place rotates menu selections somewhat frequently). It was creamy, complex, and soft, with a delicious umami sauce. The olive oil cake we shared for dessert was also very delicious, moist and well-paired with simple cream and berries. Nice and simple but did the trick without being overwhelming or cloyingly sweet. The biscuits are also a nice touch: soft and buttery, not dry, and baked fresh. Overall, I'd say that veggie and pasta dishes are the way to go here, and potentially the fish if it is paired with a more complex side in the future. We look forward to future menus!

Can't miss spot. Everything is fresh with great flavor. Solid bar with great tequilllas. Service is always great from floor to bar and restaurant staff. Chef and owner Michael is a stud who occasionally makes an appearance. Roast beat salad with goat cheese is a can't miss. Cauliflower and Brussels are ridiculous. Great flavor. Salmon, Branzino. Can't go wrong anywhere but these are fantastic and the chicken is a sleeper. The menu isn't huge but is perfect accommodate everyone, even down to their killer burger.

I had a great experience at Abigail's as my wife and I celebrated our 25th anniversary. We had a great meal including appetizer, entree and dessert. Good atmosphere and very attentive staff. Plenty of parking across the street off of St. John's. You would be wise to choose Abigail's for a date night or night out with friends.

This is a terrific little hotspot in downtown Ravinia. Everything we have tried has been delicious, and service is attentive and knowledgeable. There is plenty of parking in the public lot across the street

You can't go wrong at Abigail's. It's hard to get a table unless you book a week in advance, but usually you can get a spot at the bar. Which is totally worth it. The food is exceptional and the service too. Shout out to our great server Teresa!

Overly priced, and food was just eh. The ended thing we ordered were the muscles. The short ribs were a little dry.. Lively crowd but not worth the price.

Well designed, passionate owners, great service & really unique food. Highly recommend it.

Abigail's consistently delivers on value, presentation, food quality, and ambiance. When I'm looking for fresh, flavorful food served by a friendly staff (shout out to our waiter Scout), Abigail's is where I go.

The food here is pretty good but the waitress we had was an absolute nightmare, shockingly rude, dismissive and arrogant. We invited guests from out of state, excited to share this restaurant, having had a wonderful experience previously. It's too bad because the restaurant itself has a nice atmosphere, but to be insulted by a staff member for simply asking about clarification on menu items is a big reason we will never be back. Not worth spending a dime in a place that hires miserable staff.

Amazing service & sensational food Yum & yummy!! Event the simple salad was sensational with the perfectly cooked salmon.

The ambiance. The food. The whole thing, very very thought out & well done. Mindful cuisine with an emphasis on freshness and classical technique. Love everything about it. And... you can come here 2-3 times a week. Not overpriced. It's perfect

Here's what you need to know: This is one of the most beloved eateries in the north shore of Chicago. It's an absolute favorite for locals and incoming a Ravinia music festival goers. The food is best termed as chef's cuisine (by the very talented chef Michael) - elegant and approachable and features world cuisine flavors in a contemporary American bistro style with a chic ambiance. The menu does not change very often at all, but the freshness of the food and the well constructed flavor profile keeps you coming back for more. The food is also well priced, which is another important reason for repeat clientele. Over at the bar (which was recently expanded - last year during the pandemic), the cocktails are absolutely delightful and the wine list has a very unique and well curated selection. Overall, a meal typically costs us about $50-60/person with a drink. We'll keep coming back for more.

What can I say about Abigail's that hasn't been mentioned before. Well possibly one thing. My wife and I went years ago to celebrate our anniversary and within minutes of being seated two glasses of complimentary sparkling wine was delivered too our table. Now I don't drink anymore so she had them both. My point is I still remember this years later. Now fast forward to Saturday night. We came with a friend who lives in the city and had never been. Food service and atmosphere all fine. My wife made the reservation and told them that we were both celebrating birthdays. Imagine our surprise when the waitress brought us the dessert menu and asked us if we wanted to order something for dessert!!! No complimentary dessert was offered. Not one slice of cake or one scoop of ice cream with a candle. All three of us were surprised and disappointed. Our friend said something to the hostess as we were leaving and her response was well you both got birthday cards! I assure you that in five years I won't remember them!! Such a small simple thing kind of put a damper on our birthday celebrations!! Manager please respond??? It won't keep me from returning but here is a somewhat negative review!

The food was good Service was fair When I called to make a reservation they asked if it was a special occasion I told them yes we were celebrating two birthdays They did not give us a dessert with a candle but a card from staff The card was meaningless to us Poor customer relations

Parking: There is a big lot across the street from the restaurant. Ambiance: Excellent. Great for date night. Good people watching. Available seating: With no reservations on a weekend night, around 7:30 pm, tables were full but there was plenty of seating in the bar area and tables facing the windows. Food: This is new American cuisine. Delicious complimentary cheese biscuits. Recommend the duck confit salad, polenta fries and cheesecake. You have to try this place. It's hip enough to rival Chicago restaurants.

We had dinner for 6 people late last month. We shared a variety of appetizers including a fantastic flatbread. All were excellent. The Branzino was perfectly executed on a level that I've not seen since fine restaurants in Europe. We will be back! Drinks were great and service staff were as well. I cannot believe we've missed out on this place!

Small but sophisticated bistro setting with an extraordinary bar and a menu to match.

Got there real early and sat at the bar. See my pictures. Every dish was excellent!!!! Hubby and I will be back.

Great spot! Food is very delicious with lots of choices. Drinks are very well done. Ambiance is cozy yet trendy. Service was spot on.

Abigail's is our go to date night. We moved to the area a couple years ago from the city and suburbia food is mid at best save a few restaurants. All ratings we automatically knock down half a star because people think chain food is quality dining. Abigail's is city quality food at reasonable prices. The musts: Brussel sprouts, polenta fries, crispy tuna appetizer. The salads are great. My favorites are the burger, the pasta dish, and the Asian style ribs. Great drink selection too. I have gotten one bad dish in the 20 plus times we have been there. The owner asked our opinion and it was off the menu less than a month later. You will not be disappointed. Truly an incredible place.

Very convivial atmosphere. Drinks were great- including the mocktail. We had 2 of the duck confit "salads" . Lol it's. Or really a salad Per se- but it is delicious. The steak frites was "fine". I think I should have ordered the salmon. It looks amazing. Or the ribs? Steak wasn't really well seasoned or rested and was cut into to check the doneness almost all the way through. Which is a no no, as anyone knows. Meat was a bit dry and tough I'll bet as a result. I did eat it all so- I guess it was ok. We are at the bar and the bartenders were attentive and friendly. The dessert of the peanut butter chocolate tart was a-mazing.

This is the best restaurant in the north shore. Have had so many great meals here. Chef Michael and his team do such an amazing job each and every night in such a tough area to run a restaurant. Wine menu is top notch too. Restauranteurs could learn a lot from a place like this.

This is such a lovely little neighborhood spot. Service and food were great throughout the evening. I was traveling for work and so I dined solo at the bar and the waiters were attentive to me regardless, super friendly and chatty. To start they bring you cheddar biscuits! So good. They make them fresh to order so they are pipping hot. I ordered the roasted cauliflower, roasted beet flatbread, the roasted beets, and the salmon. I highly recommend getting the cauliflower. Really unique and awesome flavors. I love salmon in general and often order it and it was done really well! It was cooked perfectly and the accompanying components only made the dish that much better! They have many tempting desserts but I was too full to have an entire one so I just got their homemade ice cream. That night they had banana as one of the options so I got banana and vanilla. If you like banana flavors definitely try this if they have it on the menu!

What a fun and delicious dinner! Had a family dinner and restaurant is just loud and happy enough you have a great time and can still hear everyone. Our server was so easy going and kept the mood light and festive. We started with the polenta fries and delicata squash. Kids wiped the fries out. All dishes were on the larger side and absolutely delicious with the steak, beef ribs, duck confit salad and impossible burger. Come hungry as you will eat up. They had homemade ice cream, and the donut holes with Nutella were hot and fluffy. You can also order dishes to share and I'd definitely come back for that. Make your res in advance as they are fully booked on the weekend.

Great restaurant, always enjoy my experience there! Good food, great service, crowded but that's the vibe.... It's popular!

From a chef's point of view... I am a retired chef and had the pleasure of eating at Chef Michael's Abigail's American Bistro this evening (8/22/23). I ordered the Shrimp Bisque. The stock was made from the shells like it should be. No shortcuts. Just pure pleasure with every spoonful. I then ordered the Tuna Tartar. High quality sushi-grade tuna for sure and a tantalizing dipping sauce to make your tastebuds says "Wowza!" The main entrée was Branzino (European Sea Bass) served with grilled "fresh" corn, black beans, tomato, spiced pepitas and seasonings. Fish is one of the hardest food items to cook, but tonight, the chef nailed it. To finish off my most excellent meal, I had the Warm Blueberry Crumble. From the first bite to the last bite, I think I left this world and went to heaven. And I absolutely cannot forget about our fantastic Server. Her name is Tiffany. You could easily tell she really enjoys taking care of her guests and was extremely knowledgeable of the menu items and their ingredients. An A+ for Tiffany. If you've ever asked yourself "Where do other chefs eat when they go out for dinner?", the answer is simple.... Abigail's American Bistro If you've never eaten there before, do yourself a favor and make reservations now. I guarantee you won't regret it. Enjoy!!!

The menu is well organized and inviting. The food was excellent from gazpacho, roasted beets, duck confit and cedar plank salmon - then the desert was delightful. The service was excellent as well. Friendly and knowledgeable wait staff.

This is my favorite restaurant In the North Shore. It is a fantastic little restaurant with wonderful ambiance. My husband and I have been here several times over the last few years and the food is always amazing and the service is always friendly. We have never had a bad experience here.

The vibe at Abigail's American Bistro was instantly pleasing. At first glance other diners were enjoying themselves, the mood was great, it was not too loud and it was warm and inviting. We were greeted by the manager and hostess. It was 6:00 on a Friday, the tables were all taken, but there was a high top near the bar and seats at the bar. We opted to sit at the bar because the barstools were lower and more comfortable for my short stature. The bar tender that served us was amazing. He greeted us warmly, offered to answer any questions we had, was friendly and provided great insights to help us with making our meal selection. He had a great approach to food service found the perfect balance between allowing my husband and I our space and checking in/being available to provide us with anything we needed. We ordered the cauliflower small plate which was a large bowl with plenty for two to share and was delicious! I ordered the shrimp toast and my husband ordered the hamburger and we were very impressed. The overall dining experience was laid back, extremely pleasant and food was delicious. We will definitely return and highly recommend!

Abigail's is the closest thing to a "city standard" restaurant in the suburbs!! Everything is delicious and the Brussel Sprouts are to die for!! You must try it if you haven't!

We had the beet salad and tuna tartar appetizers which were pretty good albeit small. However, our entrees were horrible and not edible. I ordered an eggplant flatbread and it was just gross -- it was incredibly salty and way too many ingredients. It also was more of a cracker than a flatbread. My wife ordered to duck confit salad and she thought it was very salty and not good -- I took a bite of it and had to spit it out in a napkin. I really can't remember a worse meal, particularly at this price point.

Have been driving past the restaurant for years now. Got in on a Saturday night. There were no tables available so we sat in the bar area at the windows. The place was packed and it was loud. I had the artisanal cheeses for an appetizer and NY strip steak and frites. Both were very tasty. It was tight seating and some bumping was going on as servers made their way around the bar area. I did not mind at all as it reminded me of some of the restaurants I went to when I was in school. Lots of action and pretty people acting like pretty people. However it was romantic with my significant other and she was happy also with her food choices. We will be going back.

I was in town for a business trip and my client told me that Abigail's was a 'Do Not Miss.' My meal was very good with the standout being the beet salad. I would definitely consider returning the next time I am in the area, but wouldn't have personally rated it a Do Not Miss, but instead a solid choice.

Great service here, and really cool environment. We counted 6 different types of light fixtures but they all work well together! The food is top quality. They bring some biscuits with cheese out in a cast-iron skillet for the table to share. My butternut squash soup was delicious. My wife had a salad and cauliflower side, both very tasty. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and paid attention to my wife's vegan food preferences by bringing out bread without cheese.

The staff are all nice and friendly. I always order a hamburger medium. It's so juicy. My dad used to work with the owner's wife. I would give this place an 10 out 10.

Food is just delicious.. we shared several entrees and everything was great! A little noisy but that's ok

Good food and good service. Abigail's is a 4.5 for a suburban spot. Love having places like this thrive in the burbs.

Amazing place with great service and fantastic food. . Food was amazing. From appetizers to entrees all were really tasty and served hot! Brussel sprouts and toasted branzino are pretty good. Chinese bbq ribs are worth trying as well. Our waitress was kind, attentive, and paid attention to my friend's vegan food preferences by bringing out bread without cheese. Abigail's serves an eclectic mix of dishes with a creative twist. Excellent drinks too! Everything we are was so amazing. We left so full! We can't wait to bring our friends back here to try it out! Definitely worth stopping in. Thank you guys for awesome experience!

I've had the pleasure to dine here a couple times and it has always been an amazing experience. The staff are always courteous and have a great time with their guests and the food and drinks have exceeded our expectations. Personally I recommend the Door County Sour cocktail and the Anchorman. For food, the kale salad and ahi tuna make a great starter for two followed by the bbq short ribs and flash fried Brussel sprouts. We last split an order of the Branzino which might be the best fish dish I've had all year. The chocolate cake with mint ice cream was great for dessert. And don't forget about the complimentary cheddar biscuits which are better than any other restaurant offering. Do yourself a favor and give them a visit and sit at the bar!

Great food....terrible wait. Have loved this neighborhood gem for years just hate having to wait to be seated.

The chef is probably the most creative and the most professional chef currently working on the north shore Eating outside in the summer is an incredible experience

Abigail is a great neighborhood spot. It is always bustling, and the food is very, very good.

Upscale, cool, American cuisine in the heart of the Ravinia business district of Highland Park. This is a great restaurant that has stood the test of time. Congratulations to the owners. I love coming here every time.

Big fan of Abigail's. It's hard to find a nice place for dinner out in the suburbs, and have to say Abigail's is my favorite spot. Not to pricey, and food is always spot on. It gets crowded, so be sure you make reservations.

I liked Abigail's first time I was there. I got their Chinese Ribs. I was told it didn't have any black pepper. A month later I go back and it's now made with peppercorn's. It get's worse, living with a black pepper allergy it's fairly depressing when a restaurant puts black pepper in every dish. Yes, every dish. The service was absolutely perfect. Ambiance great but so loud. None of that would have mattered if there was one dish without pepper beside a bad burger substitute.

My mom took me to dinner here for my birthday. We were able to walk right in and grabbed a table near the window even though the place was packed. Soup: we had the thai peanut soup. The soup broth had a nice spicy peanut flavor with noodles and mushrooms. Appetizers: we split the Chinese BBQ ribs, which was so good. The ribs had a very tasty fresno chili glaze on them and had crushed pea nuts sprinkled on top. Entrée: I had the duck confeit salad and the roasted cauliflower. The salad looked like a nest with fries on the bottom, pieces of duck on top of that, a layer of frisee lettuce, bacon bits, and a poached egg on top. The dressing was a truffle vinaigrette. The roasted cauliflower were cooked nicely and had a good crunch. The dressing was a miso/peanut sauce that tasted really good. There was so much food, I had to take some home for lunch the next day. The waitress found out it was my birthday and surprised us with the grilled pineapple, coconut lime ice cream, and macadamia nut crumble on top. The grilled pineapple was very juice and had bits of lime pieces on top that gave it a nice tart flavor. The coconut lime ice cream was amazing! It felt like I was at the beach. The waitress even presented me with a birthday card that was signed by the staff. Everything was so delicious!

I ordered take out for my anniversary and I have to say, this was the best meal I've had in at least a year. Everything is fantastic. I highly recommend going here even if you can only eat here on special occasions. We had the Tuna Tartar, Chinese bbq ribs and NY Strip Steak, all fantastic and perfectly prepared. Thank you Abigails for such a special dinner for our anniversary!