The Graceful Ordinary

Thank you to the Graceful Ordinary team for creating a beautiful experience for our micro wedding and upon our return this past weekend for our one year anniversary. The food is truly an experience. The care and detail put into the service is unforgettable. We will always recommend anyone visiting St. Charles stop there for nothing but quality and excellence!

We had the most wonderful Sunday brunch! There was a little confusion in regards to our reservation, but the manager handled it with absolute grace and made for a perfect afternoon celebrating a friend. The lobster biscuits and gravy are not to be missed, and the beignets were next level. Very creative cocktail menu hits all the right notes as well. Our server was absolutely delightful and made our experience that much more wonderful. Stylish thoughtfully designed rooms with a view of the Fox River makes this a destination. Highly recommend!

Came here for dinner with good friends. Had an amazing time. Great food and drinks. Beautiful view of the water off the terrace, and it was nice with fire pits. We had bone marrow appetizer, and I could just eat that with bread . Sea bass was good, steak was very delicious. And service was outstanding!! Worth the experience!

We were told hour wait for a table so took an immediate seat at the bar. Excellent choice! Tried a few different craft beers and they were Excellent. Wild game burger and brie apple and bacon flatbread both were fabulous!

Wow! Best Restaurant in the burbs by far! I have been wanting to dine here for a while now and finally had a date night with my wife for her birthday. 10++, this restaurant was amazing on all fronts. The hostess was super friendly and warm welcoming. The atmosphere was comforting and elegant hip. We waited for our table near the bar and the bartender stopped and asked if we would like to order a drink. (That never happens elsewhere). We were taken to our table which was facing their open kitchen where we watched the magic of the chefs take place. It was impressive to watch the chefs work together in perfect harmony. Seeing the fire and smelling the wood burning was relaxing and exciting. Our server was 10++, always allowing time between meals, caring, knowledgeable, and friendly. Real burning candles on every table made for a special feeling. The food was out of this world! It was the perfect meal. They had non alcoholic options, appetizers were divine, and the meal was everything I wanted!!! Dessert was out of this world. It was a very special dining experience and I loved every minute of it. Ever staff member was happy and friendly. Such a wonderful place. I’m so glad I was able to visit. I will be back.

Went here for brunch this past weekend and had a lovely time. Everyone we interacted with was so friendly. We sat on the Terrance and had a view of the river. I had the traditional breakfast and my sister in law had the blueberry/lemon pancakes. Both were great and I’d order them again. We shared the cinnamon rolls, I wish they had a little more moisture. All in all wonderful place. I would love to host a future event here in their private dining space. Great spot!!

I’ve been here several times now, for brunch, lunch, and dinner, and truly enjoy this spot. Great cocktails and so many fun dishes to try, I like going back every few months to see the new seasonal options. The cinnamon roll was a favorite of our brunch group, plus their rotating pastry selection is a must-try. Their oysters are pretty fresh, which is not easy to find. For dinner, we loved the bread service and the pastas. I always look forward to going here!

We love the graceful ordinary. It is such a beautiful restaurant with a creative and innovative menu. I drank ‘The Whole Enchilada’ and it was to die for. Everyone enjoyed their drinks. I had the PEI mussels the last time I came and was thrilled to get them again. The mussels come in a delicious lobster butter brother and are served with salty delicious frites. We had a wonderful time and received amazing service from our server Tiffany. She gave us amazing recommendations and was just a pleasure to chat with. She’s got great vibes for a lack of better words.

As a touring musician I'm on the road a lot and when we are I really enjoy trying to find good restaurants when we have time. That can be really tough when you're in smaller towns. Who would have thought that in St. Charles, IL (a southwest suburb of Chicago) we'd find what can only be described as an astoundingly good restaurant. We went as a group of 7. Our band and crew have a lot of different culinary preferences and yet every one of us went out of this place raving at how good it was. We are from Las Vegas so we are no stranger to upscale dining, but unlike so many Vegas restaurants this place does it without a hint of pretense. The atmosphere is wonderful, warm and inviting, elegantly decorated but not stuffy. We had a high top table near the open concept kitchen were a large staff works around wood fired ovens. We tried a lot of different dishes here and every one of them was roll-your-eyes-back excellent. Some standouts: Octopus Carpaccio - lemon puree, peanut, chili oil and pickled mustard seeds. "Carpaccio" is probably technically correct as the thinly sliced octopus was not raw nor cured. The dish was super composed an absolutely delicious. Carr Valley Bread Cheese - being originally from Wisconsin, this caught my eye. Served with caramelized Greek yogurt, tabbouleh, pomegranate and honeycomb. Warm and wonderful. Beef Cheek Bourguignon - tender and delicious. A hard to find cut that goes well beyond short rib. Plancha Seared Scallops - with Calabrian chilies, bacon relish, confit potatoes. Outstanding. There were lots more dishes and not a single flaw in any one of the. We've asked our agent to book us back at that theater in St. Charles so that we can all return to this wonderful restaurant.

The best thing about this place is the atmosphere. It's a lovely restaurant. But I feel like they're trying to be upscale without the food tasting good or offering any value. Been there a couple times and given it a chance. But at this point, I think I'm done. Atmosphere only does so much when you're going to eat there. The oysters were the smallest oysters I've ever seen in my life. I'm not kidding when I say they were smaller than the size of a penny . They were so small. My date did not even want to eat them because it wasn't worth it. The other food wasn't good. We left very disappointed and said we would not return. Too bad.

Octopus carpaccio Oysters Steak tartare Brussels sprouts Pork chop Roast chicken Pot de creme Sparkling vanilla pear cocktail If I had six stars to give, I would give six stars here. The restaurant is beautiful and the vibe is surprisingly very laid back for a fine dining establishment. I imagine this is a really beautiful place to go on a summer day with all the porches right on the river. The food and drinks here were uniformly excellent. I would particularly recommend the octopus, brussels sprouts and roast chicken. A really nice place to come for a quiet celebration or a romantic dinner.

We had an incredible experience at The Graceful Ordinary for our friends birthday- I can't wait to go back. The vibes inside the restaurant are impeccable, and they have lots of outdoor space for when the weather is nice as well. Service was top notch from the hostess to our server to the sommelier- everything was perfection. The food and cocktails were also incredible. I had the Le Granda cocktail which was tart and refreshing. We started with the octopus carpaccio and the bone marrow- plus fresh baked bread. I ordered the mussels small plate (which was not small) and it was fantastic- covered in crispy frites. I want to go back and have it again soon. Others at the table had scallops, steak, and duck- and all seemed very pleased with their entrees. For dessert, they had a cocktail on the menu called the song of the South- a sweet potato based beverage- it was fantastic and a great way to end the meal. I'll be back soon for another special occasion!

I recently attended a work Christmas party at The Graceful Ordinary, located in downtown St. Charles with a stunning view of the river. Known for its excellent food and vibrant ambience, it absolutely lived up to its reputation. The drinks were fantastic, and the hors d'oeuvres and desserts were not only beautifully presented but also incredibly flavorful. It was an all-around impressive experience. I can't wait to return soon to try their full dinner menu. Highly recommend checking this place out!

This was a locally recommended spot, so I made reservations and met the rest of by team there. We started with octopus carpaccio and a bottle of great wine for the table. The space was extremely charming sitting right on the river. The decor was very modern and fresh and was the perfect spot for date night! I can't wait for my next time here so I can try all the other dishes I wanted to try.

Everything about the food and drinks was top notch. Will absolutely go back to sample more. Atmosphere: Beautiful space. Well decorated. Interesting light fixtures. Cool wall paper. Beautiful views of the river. Divided space. Comfy chairs. Great vibe. Drinks: unique flavor combinations as well as plenty of classic options. Well paired, well balanced, complex without the pretense. Bar looked beautiful and a nice space to hang out. Food: excellent execution! The complimentary bread is what dreams are made of. Corn pasta dish was unique with multiple layers of complexity. Venison was perfectly cooked to temperature with a delicious flavorful crust. Desert of pumpkin gooey cake and cardamom ice cream...oh come on! Perfect pairings. Service: knowledgeable and helpful wait staff. Could have used a few pointers (wipe the table between courses, come with the desert menu and check on us a little more), but really just picking on anything I can find. Absolutely a knock out meal and experience.

Exceptional food and service. Limited and unique menu. Great value. We'll be back.

The venue has no strict dress code, but since it's classy, consider dressing up a bit for the occasion. When my party of two arrived without a reservation, we were informed of a 15-20 min wait. However, we ended up being seated within just 10 mins. The restaurant was not very crowded on a Thursday night. We understand that the restaurant employs staggered seating to avoid overwhelming the kitchen. We decided to sit indoors, facing the open kitchen, which provided a captivating view of the culinary action. I managed to capture some stunning photos showcasing the venue's exquisite decor and the refined ambiance in the indoor and outdoor dining areas. Every dish we tried was delicious and had a unique flavor profile. We look forward to returning to sample more items from their enticing menu. Our waitress was both amiable and accommodating. While some might prefer frequent check-ins from the staff, I appreciated that we were not interrupted too frequently during our meal. We got a friendly hello from the executive chef/owner and a takeaway red chimichurri from the host - such a nice surprise! In general, this dining experience has truly raised the bar.

What a fabulous spot overlooking the fox river in St. Charles to enjoy a fabulous meal and devine cocktails. The space is gorgeous - every detail carefully planned including screens for the patio to eliminate pests. Service was unobtrusive but always readily available. My favorite cocktail, the sazerac, was actually on the menu, and it was delicious. Not too many bars stock absinthe so i was surprisingly pleased with their l fantastic variety of libations. The food was phenomenal from the complimentary bread service to the appetizers (frisee salad was amazing!). My husband and I decided to split the Halibut, and they plated that for us. It was plenty of food and probably one of the best Halibut dishes I ever had. The mint julep sundae was the perfect ending with just the right combination of flavors to be decadent but not overly rich. Nearly 2 1/2 hours were spent enjoying the dinner, not because service was slow but rather we didn't want the experience to end.

St Charles was recommended by a local as an area to explore for fine dining in the West Chicago area. I would say The Ordinary definitely represents well in that regard. Ambiance is stunning. Upscale finishes without being too pretentious. The exhibition style kitchen allows for seating with a front row to all the action from tickets arriving to completed dishes waiting on the pass. And the views overlooking the river are excellent. Outdoor dinners will enjoy. The menu is comprised of snacks, small plates, entrees and sides. Snacks are very small and probably not for sharing. Started with octopus carpaccio. This was an excellent composition of flavors and textures. I'm not sure I've had octopus this tender ever. Served with lemon puree, peanut, chili oil, and pickled mustard seeds. Every bite a flavor explosion. Entree was truffle stuffed chicken. Half chicken, bone in, with a spaetzle and collard greens and truffle jus. The chicken itself was expertly cooked with crisp skin outside and tender meat inside. However, I struggled to find any trace of truffle flavor. There was a faint hint of it in the stuffing but barely there. The truffle jus provided zero truffle essence. And it was unfortunate that the spaetzle and the jus were almost cold when served to me even though the chicken was piping hot. I would suggest they should start using warmed plates for service. The cocktails were on point and they have an extensive menu of original creations that will entice any palate. Despite my critique on the chicken, I wouldn't hesitate to return.

What a great place to dine. It's right off the river and has a beautiful patio to observe the sunset and enjoy the mild weather. We sat inside and while it was a little loud, the place was very nice and the service was incredible. Many craft drinks and unique dishes to choose from, I ordered the scallops and with fried oysters and fingerlings. The flavor was outstanding and went well with the cheese bread. We ended with desert, a tasty mint chocolate cookie sundae that is worth having again. Great place for a special occasion!

The place is super cute and currently decorated for the holidays. There is an open kitchen with two wood burning ovens. Smells amazing. The service was very good. We started with the goat cheese app. Perfect size for the two of us. For dinner I had the duck, my hubby had the sea bass and we had a side of fingerling potatoes. My fav were the fried shoestring leeks on my dish. Will be going again.

Excellent food and diverse menu. We had octopus, crab cakes and mussels, all excellent. The atmosphere was nice, good view of the river and outdoor seating in season.

We visited for my birthday this past weekend and had dinner on the deck. This is a classy establishment with attentive & friendly staff, lovely views, and fantastic food. When we arrived there was even a birthday card on the table signed by staff members. If you haven't dined here yet, this is your sign! I had the salmon, and even though I'm not always a fan, it was wonderful. We will definitely be back!

Husband and I had dinner here for our anniversary. We wanted to stay local instead of going to Chicago. He liked the interior decor a lot, he thought it would be more like a homey vintage vibe. All the staff there were super nice as well. The house made bread was great! I loved that it's chewy and crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Paired really well with the butter and just good to munch on. I loved that they grilled the romaine for their Caesar salad. Grilling it seems so underrated and needs to be done more often. The olive tapenade is something new for me, I'm also not a fan of olives anyways. It didn't bother me too much in the overall taste of the dish. I liked that they big pieces of anchovies as well. Overall though, it doesn't feel like a Caesar. I think it's cause the dressing is a vinaigrette and not the thicker/traditional dressing. The hand rolled orecchiette was okay. I didn't like that it was drowning in the sauce. Reading the description, I thought it was just coated in dressing with the broccolini on the side and crumbles of sausages and cheese on top. I did like the hand rolled orecchiette though. The ribeye was okay as well. Nothing crazy stood out about the steak really. Tender, nicely cooked. The red chimichurri did give it a nice flavor boost. The whipped potatoes looked like it wouldn't be as fluffy, but it was actually pretty nice. The turnips were great too. They also gave us a dessert on the house, which was super sweet of them! But I think our waitress forgot to tell us what it was and we were really confused. Trying to figure out what it was LOL but it's the butterscotch pot de creme. It was pretty good actually!

The service was phenomenal! The food is limited menu wise. Wouldn't be my go to for fine dining

Our server, Karen was amazing. The atmosphere was good. However the sea bass was served in a bowl and hard to eat. It was also under to unseasoned. The grilled pork chop seemed more broiled than grilled. It too was under to unseasoned. My wife ordered a sorbet for dessert and it was so frozen it was like ice cubes. Oversold and under delivered

Here from a private event we were totally impressed with The Graceful Ordinary. Great atmosphere with giant windows, plenty of natural light and a big wrap-around veranda overlooking the Fox River. Service was flawless and the food was excellent

Came here to celebrate my birthday and what a truly magical and delicious experience. The atmosphere is so warm and inviting with stunning decor and real candlelight throughout the restaurant. The service was attentive and was always available for questions, water refills, and clearing plates. The service was incredible. The food, WOW! We started with the goat cheese appetizer which was paired with a lovely jam, a great starter to the meal, not too filling and the flavors were so light and fresh! I selected the truffle chicken and my husband for the halibut. I am confident in saying this was the most flavorful and well cooked chicken I have ever had. The flavors were paired so well with the sides. The halibut was also a hit, prepared beautifully with flavors that were fresh and comforting. I would recommend making a reservation as it is a smaller space and gets fairly crowded on a weekend.

Wow. We were blown away by the quality of food, inventiveness and atmosphere that matched. We had an amazing evening that was far from ordinary, yet ever so graceful. I remember reading a review when they opened questioning whether elevated / fine dining could survive in the burbs. It can, and has under Chef Curren's skill and creativity. Since we left the city - we've longed for something as simple, yet elevated, and creative. We'll be back and am happy to drive the distance!

I preface that this review is about the brunch service we experienced yesterday. We've been here before for dinner and had an amazing, 5-star worthy time while celebrating a friend's birthday. We came back for brunch this time to celebrate both my stepmom and husband's birthdays. We arrived at about 12:30pm for our 12:45pm reservation and were greeted by two delightful hostesses. They let us know we could wait at the bar to enjoy some drinks, and that they would get us when our table was ready. We waited for the rest of our table to arrive (parents arrived just a few minutes passed our reservation). I went to greet my parents at the door, then asked about our table. The hostess stated that the previous group received their bill and should be ready to leave soon, but they were taking their time. She offered to have us sit in the river terrace, but I was adamant about sitting in the dining room as it's such a cozy and gorgeous setting with more comfortable chairs (the chairs on the terrace are not very comfortable if you have back/hip issues). The hostess understood and said they would work on getting our table as soon as possible. While waiting, we noticed the servers and manager were frantically running around between tables and a private party that took over the entire center dining room. There was only one bartender behind the bar who was non-stop churning out drinks. He was a rock star and didn't skip a beat! We had a few drinks and waited patiently, then soon realized that it was 1:15pm - 30 minutes passed our reservation time. I approached the hostesses again and politely asked if there were any updates on our table. She was very apologetic, but stated that the previous group was still just sitting around at the table. At this point, I politely stated that we've been waiting for 30 minutes, and that I'd appreciate if the staff or manager were more assertive with clearing the previous group. I reminded her that when you reserve a table here, there is a policy that states: "On weekends, we reserve your table for 2.5 hours, and we are unable to to extend this time for incomplete parties. This allows us to promptly seat other guests with later reservation times." This suggests that tables have a time limit of 2.5 hours from their reserved time - meaning those guests were way passed their limit and impacting ours. The hostess understood - again, she was very sweet- and said they're going to try and figure something out. We continued to wait at the bar, and continued to get more frustrated. Another 10 minutes passed when the hostess approached our party. She said that the previous group was still not leaving. I once again expressed our concerns and frustrations with this experience. Where was the manager at this point? Why wasn't the staff sticking to their time limit policy? I explained that there have been plenty of other restaurants we've been to that had zero issues letting tables know of their time limits during busy days. Why was it difficult to do that here? Would we be kicked out if we were passed brunch time (Brunch ends at 2PM)? She assured us that the service would not change while we were there. At the end of our conversation, we agreed that we were just going to get a table on the terrace. The hostess left while we paid our tab at the bar. Literally a few minutes later, the hostess came back and said the previous group had finally left, and they were quickly setting up the table for us. After waiting for 50 minutes total, we were able to sit in the section we reserved for. Our service from here on out was alright, though quite slow. The server we had was nice, but we could tell she was scattered and thinned out between tables. Our table was in a back corner room, and every table in that room experienced a slow service (one of the smaller tables kept getting up to grab a server to help take their orders). Having sat down at 1:30PM, we weren't able to leave until about 3:15PM. As for the food - overall it was pretty good, though two of us ordered the Crab Cake Benedict and our poached eggs were overcooked. The yolks were hardened, but it was all still good enough to devour. Final thoughts: They had logistical issues that day (bar and dining room were understaffed), and the manager was completely MIA for anyone else but the private party. The manager should have stepped in for our situation, and instead, the hostess was left completely unsupported and on her own to deal with our issue. I do not put the hostess nor the wait staff at fault here, but I will absolutely point a finger at the manager. Having been in leadership roles at restaurants before - you always take pride for every person who walks into your establishment. You are there to untangle the chaotic situations, and you should always support your staff. Not once did the manager approach any other table. She stayed with the private group the entire time. Will we come back? Maybe for dinner. Never for brunch.

Our first visit to this restaurant with such beautiful views of the Fox River. Beautiful restaurant decorated so festively for the Christmas holidays. Reservations were made and highly recommended. Wait staff and ancillary staff helpful and all so nice, all knowledgeable about the beautiful building and the menu selections. Our table of 4 shared the biscuits with pimento cheese and the cinnamon roll..oh my word they were both delicious and served warm. We ordered the chicken and waffles,(spicy but not overly done and waffles complimented the dish), steak and eggs( served over potatoes, mushrooms, seasoned with a delicious chili spice--very good), and 2 of us ordered the crab Benedict, (crab cake as large as the English muffin, topped with a sou vide egg and a light sauce that was not over done) and so fresh and wonderful! The bartender did an excellent job on the Bloody Mary's and Maple old fashioned. And the coffee was so rich and tasty. Any questions we had about the building, menu items, or restaurant itself were easily answered by any of the staff. The chefs engaged with us as well. All staff hustled to wait and clear tables, refresh water, and help out wherever needed. True teamwork on display! Wonderful experience for us. We encourage others to try this restaurant! We will be back

Stopped in for a late lunch with my sister. Absolutely lovely setting. Loved the goat cheese and jam starter.

Such a great dining experience! Visited for the first time for an anniversary dinner. From the minute you walk in, the staff was genuinely nice and welcoming. The overall atmosphere was a mix of fine dining with a low key vibe. It wasn't super loud inside and we sat outside which is screened in and oversees the River. The staff dropped off a signed card wishing a happy anniversary which is just above and beyond. The drinks were delicious as was the salmon, potatoes and Brussels sprouts.

This is the place I pick for my birthday dinner! Amazing food. Atmosphere is beautiful. Service is spot on. We had Tiffany last night. What an awesome person. Her suggestions were all excellent and she even steered us away from ordering what she knew would be too much. Can't wait to go back - we will definitely request her.

One of my wife and I's favorite spots in downtown St. Charles. Very intimate spot, our neighbors were very close to our tables, so we could overhear a lot of conversations. I had a couple of their special old fashions and they were delicious. One was made with honey which I loved. We had the seabass and the scallops which which enjoyed. Wish I had my old phone to post pictures!

4.5 Octopus carpaccio -- wish there was more but absolutely delicious and well plated Bread cheese-- just 1 skewer looks like toasted marshmallows but it's okay Roast chicken-- good portion size, very moist and delicious and it didn't need the fried green onion thing could have more greens or some herb sauce/citrus notes English pea salad- it was good nothing really stood out on it Service- on point it was relatively hot inside so I asked for extra extra ice and the server was really accommodating since they do not have ice in the water to start off with. We sat indoors and ambience was beautiful it's like you stepped into a restaurant in city but ha were in the burbs! With it's dark wood finish's greenery, and high ceilings. They have an open kitchen concept, which I always love to see the action. They also have separate private dining rooms which we saw a small birthday party at the time.

Fantastic spot. In town for business. Sat at the bar. Lauren was great, knew her craft. Very nice and well-priced wine list, especially for a higher-end restaurant. Sommelier decanted $50 bottle of wine ($37 retail - I checked) without us asking. Sea bass for me, duck confit for my partner. Both were well-prepared and well-plated. Would be a regular if I lived anywhere nearby.

Excellent food and atmosphere. A gem! Perfect for a special meal. Never had a bad meal here. Enjoy!

Ambiance is big and beautiful. Indoor and outdoor seating is great and can accommodate big groups. One side face river so nice views outdoor seating. The server and staff members were good. It's always helpful. There are plenty of options for vegetarians. Their menu changes so you can try a lot of dishes. Huge drink selection with mocktail option. Tried grapefruit mocktail, cheese appetizer, shishito pepper side, Ramp Pesto Cavatelli, and leeks. Leeks were my least favorite, but the rest was amazing. Taste and creativity are great.

This is the fine dining option you've been looking for in the Fox Valley. It's definitely not for everyone, since the prices are high and the menu is a little adventurous, but for the serious diner, this place rocks! From the Fox river views, to the casual elegance of the room decorations, this place is a real treat. The food is also delicious and the menu is full of new things to try. Service is top-notch and staff is very willing to make you visit memorable. Even the desserts are delicious and we usually skip that course. Visit just for cocktails if nothing else... Enjoy!

There are no words to describe how wonderful this restaurant was for my nieces, beautiful bridal shower! The food was top-notch, the drinks were perfect, & the staff went above and beyond!!! Sarah was the manager. Tommy was the bartender Erica, James, Julia, Kathryn, and Rocco were truly the hardest working staff with the best service!!! They were seriously unbelievable! Anytime they walked by, they made sure we had water, made sure our wine was perfect. Make sure our food was exactly the way we wanted it. This could not have been a more perfect day. Thank you all so much.!!!

Food and service were excellent. The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. I love the look of the interior. But most of all the food is amazing! I highly recommend!

The ambiance is absolutely stunning, but unfortunately, the service fell short. We drove an hour to try this restaurant, drawn in by its beautiful decor, which does help offset the noise level in the main dining room. Once we sat down, it took over five minutes for a server to greet us. Assuming they were busy, we ordered both drinks and appetizers right away. The appetizers arrived quickly, but our drinks took much longer. We had nearly finished all four appetizers before our first round of drinks showed up -- more than 30 minutes after we arrived. I got up to politely ask a manager if he could help, and as I was explaining our concern, the server finally brought over our drinks. The manager, seeing this, simply walked away without a word or an apology. About 10 minutes later, someone brought us a round of free shots, which was a thoughtful gesture but didn't fully make up for the experience. In the end, I was disappointed. While the food was good and the atmosphere visually impressive, the poor service and lack of response from the manager made it a letdown for my friends and me, especially after driving over an hour. I wouldn't recommend it to others based on our experience.

At this point, I'm a regular, and I get the usual Brussels sprouts and Octopus Carpaccio, (and usually the rest of the sides menu!) paired with my favorite What's Up Doc cocktail. On my most recent visit, though, I had the pleasure of tasting my favorite plate to date: Hand Rolled Orecchiette - housemade fennel sausage, charred broccolini, shaved parmesan. The Orecchiette was perfectly covered in a beautifully rich sauce and perfectly complimented the star of it all: the sausage. Chopped and of the perfect texture I found myself unable to cease my desire for more. Much to my favor, my date was enjoying the other dishes to the point of allowing me to eat the entire plate - and I still wanted more. Whatever your pallet, you will find your own star on the menu. Enjoy. Check it.

We went here to celebrate my wife's 70th Birthday. With much anticipation we entered since we had heard such good things about this place. The atmosphere was awesome. It had a modern vibe, setting on the Fox River and the place was packed, which added to the energy. Our food was excellent but we did have one issue with one item we ordered. We let the server know and she immediately stepped into action. She let us know she would get us a replacement which we appreciated. Then when the replacement was ready the manager came out to deliver it with an apology. This event was very well handled by both the server and staff. We left satisfied and feeling like it was a great restaurant with wonderful service and that we would be back.

The Graceful Ordinary is an elevated dining experience you'll surely never forget and will have you eager to come back - I know I am! I enjoyed dinner here recently with a friend and everything was just so wonderful. Our waiter Jose was so thoughtful and genuine with his recommendations. He listened to us and let us enjoy our time without feeling rushed. We had the bread cheese - YUM - get a couple though if you're sharing with more than 1 person. I had the kale salad which was insanely delicious! For entree, my friend had the beef cheek which she raves about being so tender. I had the short rib pasta which was wonderful. We split the butterscotch pot de creme for dessert. The drinks here are something else... I'm obsessed and would come here just for drinks! I had the pink peppercorn Paloma (amazing) and two old fashions (one with mezcal and the other with tequila). Muy excellente! The tequila and mezcal selection has my approval. I showed my husband (a whiskey and bourbon collector) the whiskey and bourbon list... he said it's a bit pricey for even the least exciting bottles. Nonetheless, I cannot WAIT to come here for brunch!!!

Everything was fantastic. Good portions and delightfully tasty. Drinks made the way they should be! Highly recommend. Bar and indoor and seating were lovely but we took outdoor seating by the water and with nice view.

We started w the octopus carpaccio. So minimal in quantity, so bountiful in flavor! Will get it again! If you are low carbing, this is the place to cheat w bread, fresh, warm and delicious . Ask for extra butter out of the gate. We are old fashioned folks, but branched out w a manhattan and loved it! Ribeye and their fun roasted red pepper twist on chimmichuri (SP) was so fun. Can't omit the Tokyo turnip! Let us know what you think of the turnips Salted caramel, butterscotch for the win!

Upscale restaurant with an imaginative and innovative menu. I had the poached pear stuffed with Maytag blue cheese appetizer, and the crispy pork belly entree. I also sampled the country ham with a fig stuffed hush puppy. Everything was exquisitely prepared. The kitchen here is top quality. A few of the flavor pairings were bolder than I might prefer, (the veggies accompanying the pork belly wouldn't have been my first choice,) but sometimes it's good to push the envelope of flavor palates. Service was excellent, with one small quibble. I was a bit put-off that the young lady at the hostess stand was chewing gum. I'm kinda old-school about that.

The food is delicious . Attentive and friendly waiter. Amazing views!!! 30 minutes before our reservation, the restaurant called to see if we need a child menu to make sure that everything is okay:)

We came to the graceful ordinary for brunch and it was great! To start they had a variety of brunch cocktails both alcoholic and non alcoholic. I ordered the Bellini with seasonal fruit which was blackberry and it was so fresh and refreshing! Then I ordered a bagel with herb cream cheese cucumbers , and an egg . The staff was so friendly making accommodations when asked and check in on us often. Now the decor of this place is phenomenal! It was just beautiful inside and outside ! We sat outside on the River and it was the perfect place to spend s sunny Sunday morning !

The ambience here is phenomenal and the menu matched. The food all came out perfect and the presentation of the dishes was unreal. I am not one to typically take a picture of a dish, in fear of looking like a Basic B$&(h, but this is one I should have. I had the scallops, which were good sized and also had the Hand Rolled Orecchiette. Great views of the Fox River and a lot of history in this area.

This was our second trip. I travel frequently and experience a wide variety of restaurants. This one is outstanding. My wife fell in love with the food on our first visit so we returned for our 10th anniversary. We ordered: House Marinated Olives Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese 1/2 dozen oysters Heirloom Tomatoes and Burrata Then our entrees: 8oz Filet de Boeuf 16oz Ribeye Shared Brussel sprouts (The descriptions in their website go into more detail in each) All were simply outstanding. The only one I probably wouldn't order again were the oysters. Smallest I've ever seen though tasty and fresh. I just always order them when on a menu. The goat cheese app was so fresh and the sweetness of the jam paired perfectly. You can tell a place cares when even the toast points served with it could have been a dish itself. The marinated olives were ripe and the marinate really complimented the three types of olives. We snacked on these throughout the meal. My wife had the tomato salad. Again the tomatoes were at the peak of ripeness and the accompanying buratta was very creamy. But the beef is what we left talking about the last time. The kitchen is open so you can see they have an open wood fire to grill. The smokiness it provides is mouth watering and the beef is obviously prime grade. I have lost faith in ordering steak at restaurants over the years as I've come to accept I can cook a better steak than I can get out at a fraction of the cost. Not here. The ribeye came with a chimchurri that I asked for the side as I was afraid I wouldn't care for it. But alas it was out of this world as well. And the filet just melted in our mouths. The brussel sprouts were my wifes favorite and she challenged me try and make them at home. Again, a little smokey and the spicy aioli was perfect. We didn't get a lot of conversation in as most of the meal was spent uttering 'mmm' and 'this is so good'. The restaurant itself is a lively atmosphere in the center, but if you want some quiet the outer edges have a somewhat separate seating area some you views of the river. The server Shannon was super friendly like you'd always known her and didn't crowd us as we devoured the meal. They gave us a complimentary dessert for our anniversary, the Butterscotch Pot de Crème which we took home but ate it the next evening with two spoons. I'd like to make the review more average and say it was so-so but my wife and I fought over each bite. Not something we would have ordered for ourselves, but so glad they gave it to us. Hats off to Chef Chris and his team. We will be back and can't recommend it enough.

Wow! What a delightful find. The food was incredible and sat outside along the Fox River. It's worth seeking out if you're exploring the outer burbs of the Chicagoland area

We really wanted to like this restaurant but unfortunately my fiance had salmon that was uncooked in the center but didn't want to cause a fuss so he ate around it and ended up with severe diarrhea and cramping within a few hours after our dinner. So unfortunately we likely won't dine here again.

This was such a find. Found out a little history that it used to be a BMO bank. Had such a great experience. We randomly came in on a Sat without making reservations and decided to seat in the bar communal area on the back patio deck. It was a great night out and the outdoor patio area was great - it was also enclosed as it overlooks the water so I was concerned there would be mosquitoes but its all screened off. We also didn't care that people came to sit with us while we ate our meal while they waited for a private table. Food was excellent. We had: octopus carpaccio oysters acorn squash ravioli siegel farms roast chicken tomato burrata salad butterscotch pot de creme Everything tasted amazing and was thoughtfully made. They also have an excellent cocktail list with fancy drinks, highly recommend the Honeypot which is made with Gin and lavender. I noticed people just coming in to sit at the front bar as well. This place is great for brunch, a date night or meet-up with friends. Upscale casual dining. We will definitely come back. Price point - $$$

My husband and I came here to celebrate our anniversary. Our server was very kind and attentive. I am gluten free (not celiac) and they were very accommodating. Our server always assured that he was going to check and make sure that it was prepared gluten free. Appetizer: we had the PEI Mussels. It is a pasta dish so the pasta was brought in a separate dish so my husband could have that. Mains: I had the salmon and my husband had the halibut. We had the fingerling potatoes as a side. It was forgotten and was not brought out with our food but we brought it up. Our server was very apologetic and the potatoes came out about 3/4 through our meal. Dessert: we got a complimentary butterscotch dessert. It's a bit of a pet peeve when restaurants just automatically bring you out a dessert. I like to pick my own, they already brought one so I'm not going to order a second. Drinks: I had the This Counts as Fruit cocktail and my husband had an old fashion. They were both good but prepare to spend $15-20 per cocktail. We sat on the River terrace, which was nice. It is screened in so no need to worry about bugs. The inside of the restaurant was really cool and it actually wish we had sat inside instead.