Smyth is the United State’s newest **. I would offer that the food and experience is more so on par with * restaurants I have been to, but I understand the *** rating. They are doing incredibly unique things with interesting flavor combinations, house made oils, and fermentations. They are designing their own form of cuisine, which helps them stand out more amongst other fine dining institutions. While in Chicago I believe Oriole and Ever to be more satisfying restaurants, smyth scratches an intellectual curiosity and sense of place and time in a way that those restaurants do not. I would not recommend Smyth to someone just starting their fine dining journey, but if you are a seasoned diner; I believe you will find Smyth to be an altogether more meaningful experience than Chicago’s other **.
by The_Listen
3 Comments
For those that have had both, should Smyth or Oriole be highest on my priority list next time i’m in Chicago? I’ve done Alinea, and have heard amazing reviews on Oriole and have tried to eat there the last couple times I’ve gone but its been booked. However a new 3 star is tough to pass up.
For the first few years, Smyth was firing on all cylinders. The shorter menus were literally flawless, the two longer menus were great with some missteps (they got way too playful with edible flowers one year lol).
Recently I feel like Smyth has had a lot more misses (I went last month and felt a lot of the food was just kind of bland and felt similarly when I went in Feb as well) – I think with higher expectations and Feltz leaving for something new, its a bit of a transition period for the restaurant which I welcome given the recent food.
Its like this for a lot of the places in Chicago though, some of the 1 stars are still pretty good but by and large a lot of the excitement and wave of energy folks came in with feels kind of spent. Theres still exciting stuff – Duck Sel is fun and El Ideas is still exploring with competent execution but I hope something new comes in and really shakes things up again
I was there last week for the same menu. You’re description is absolutely perfect.