Sepia - Chicago (IL)

5 /5 Steven Card: I dined solo on a Thursday evening, and the dining room wasn’t very busy, which meant the staff had plenty of time and attention—and the service was excellent throughout. Water was always topped off, and each course was thoughtfully presented and explained without ever feeling overbearing. The food itself was outstanding. For the price point, the tasting menu felt like an exceptional value. There were around eight courses, and the vast majority were dishes I absolutely loved. The starters in particular were the highlight of the meal and really set the tone for the evening. Desserts were also very strong. The atmosphere struck a great balance—clearly elevated, but still comfortable and approachable. Sepia delivers a refined, well-executed dining experience that feels thoughtful, generous, and well worth seeking out.

5 /5 Simon Martin Trudeau: Came here for the new year’s tasting menu. Service was great and efficient. Staff had no issue explaining a course if we had any questions or comments. Overall lovely experience with a few standout dishes. The oysters were some of the best we’ve ever had and were very interesting. The dessert take on a Wendy’s frosty with fry.

3 /5 Alicia M.: My party of 3 had a nice evening at Sepia. We went with the 4 course option which was a sufficient amount of food. The amuse bouche was delicious! Most of the dishes were really good. My favorite was the Crispy Cream Cheese Gnudi. The Stuffed Chicken Wing was weird. It didn’t taste like chicken at all and the texture was surprisingly strange. The Scallop and Sweet Potato was almost perfection but the smoked trout roe was tough to chew. I’ve had smoked trout roe multiple times and never was it hard to chew like these were. The Rohan Duck Breast had good flavor, but one of the 2 dishes didn’t have the best quality meat. The guest struggled to chew it. The Beef Short Rib dish was very well thought out. I loved the complex flavors but expected the meat to be more tender. The server said it cooked for 48 hours but I could hardly get the knife to cut through it. Once cut, I was able to chew it okay. 2 of the 3 guests enjoyed the dessert. I had the Caramelized Apple Mille-Feuille and it was amazing! The other 2 guests had the Sticky Toffee Pudding. One loved it and the other didn’t. She expected it to be similar to what she had in London but it was very different. To drink, I had the “Best Dang Marg in Town”. Although it was good, the large chunk of ice took up most of the glass. For $22, there really wasn’t much to drink and for that reason, it’s not the “Best Dang Marg in Town”. There was quite a bit of wait between each course and it took about 2 hours for the entire meal. We choose to park in the garage across the street. Although pricey, it was very convenient and we didn’t want to walk far in the cold weather. However, there’s street parking and more affordable options nearby. It was really nice trying Sepia and we were satisfied with the food for the most part. With that said, I do think the price-point is too high for what we got.

3 /5 Melissa Watts: My husband and I ate here last night as a special treat to ourselves for the holidays. Fine dining is an investment we like to make about once a year when we’re near the city. I am admittedly a picky eater, but I do try every dish on a tasting menu because I am normally taken on a wonderful journey with these type of dishes. That being said, I loved many of these dishes! The frosty and ham donut were my favorites, I would eat those all the time if I could! A few of the dishes were too smokey and “dill” for my palate, so I did give my husband the last bites of my courses. The service was poor for a highly rated restaurant. My cocktail glass, finished by course 2 was never taken by the staff, nor was my tea cup/milk/honey, nor bread plate by the end of the experience when we paid, leaving the table feeling crowded. See the pictures below for a visual of our table when we paid. I had to request my spilled honey be wiped down after it went unnoticed for 15 minutes by the wait staff. If we weren’t at fine dining, I wouldn’t be using high criteria, but when we invest in a fine-dining restaurant, my expectations tend to be higher. I will say we arrived 30 minutes early and were sat immediately, so hats off to the hosts! The bathroom was clean and gorgeous, although I did have to replace the toilet paper in my stall. It wasn’t the worst experience, but again my expectations are higher for this type of establishment. Overall, it was a unique experience and offered a good meals but I am not sure I’d return here when we have other fine dining options in the city to try.

5 /5 Shree Yerramsetti: We recently celebrated a milestone anniversary at Sepia in downtown Chicago, and it was nothing short of perfect. This Michelin-starred restaurant is truly a wonderful choice for special occasions. From the moment we arrived, the staff made us feel welcome and taken care of, creating a fabulous and memorable experience. Our server was incredibly patient and attentive, carefully explaining each dish and offering thoughtful options. Since we don’t drink alcohol, she went above and beyond to provide creative non-alcoholic cocktail pairings for every course. Each drink was refreshing, unique, and complemented the food beautifully. The food itself was outstanding—beautifully presented, flavorful, and among the best dishes I’ve ever had at a fine dining restaurant. Every bite felt special and elevated the celebration even more. Sepia is on the pricier side, but for an important occasion, it is absolutely worth it. I highly recommend this restaurant for anniversaries, birthdays, or any memorable moment you want to celebrate in style. One tip: make your reservations well in advance, especially if you plan to go on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, as tables fill up quickly.