Forte at Symphony Center

Amazing food, great service! A lovely way to start your evening at the symphony.

One of the most amazing experiences and fine dining we've had! The food was delectable and the service was exceptional, fun and refreshing! Both are craveable to say the least and we will definitely be back!! Mayra was one of the best servers we've ever had!! She was real, and fun and still perfectly professional!! (I hope her shirt held up all night!! ;) ) The filet was perfectly medium rare but some how they got a wonderful grilled crust on it!! And the herb pistou is to DIE for! I still don't understand how they cooked the green beans perfectly, crunchy and delish and they were still hot!! The Rigatoni is hands down one of the best dishes ever! We took the leftover sauce home to spread on bread or anything we could think of, yes, it's that good!!! Forte is the PERFECT title for this dining experience!! 😊😊😊

So, the layout of this "new" restaurant is pretty much identical to the last couple restaurants that inhabited the same space. The biggest difference to me is the oddly bright lighting now. I didn't love that on a Friday night. They had candles on some tables but I don't know why, since it was so bright they weren't that obvious or useful. The menu itself is "Mediterranean," which is basically also what it was two restaurants ago and it was Italian in its last iteration. That said, it really is pretty pricey. $36 for shrimp scampi pasta? $16 for a glass of wine? $24 fir a glass of Champagne? There isn't a single snack or appetizer for less than $18. The service was friendly but disjointed. They kept forgetting things like utensils, napkins, water... Anyway, as before, it's very convenient to have an attached place for a drink or food after a concert, but I wouldn't make a special trip here.

Terrible service, and worse, overpriced food. (McDonalds is only around the block, and much more worthwhile).

Now my favorite place to eat before attending the performances at the CSO. The only hesitation I have in making this review is that it may make it harder for me to get a reservation! The service is excellent and they'll go above and beyond to make sure you'll make the show. It makes the evening so much more enjoyable.

Food only so-so. How hard is it to make good hummus? Pita served tired and cold slivers. Skimpy wine pours at $14 for maybe 4 1/2 oz. Focaccia mediocre. Grape leaves good. Most bizarre was dessert called crème brûlée- not ever in an oven, not custard, not brûlée! Chilled vanilla pudding and berries!!

The wait staff and the ambiance was wonderful. But the food was sweet. Like it was all weirdly sweet. The baba ganoush was sweet. The red pepper dip was sweet. The Harissa sauce with the lamb was sweet. The sauce with the scallops was sweet. EVEN THE FALAFEL WAS SWEET. The bass, focaccia and olives were excellent.

Absolutely wonderful experience. Delicious food (we had carnivores and vegans in our party, everyone was equally happy!) in an exquisite setting, and I can’t say enough about the attentive, amazing service. We will be back soon - thank you for everything!

Marvelous food excellent service healthy environment

Great place and convenient for pre or post CSO. The menu has a good variety including vegetarian options. The service is outstanding. It is not cheap. I had the vegetarian special and my friend had duck. Everything was delicious.

What's a disappointment! There is nothing special about this restaurant. The food was just so okay. Not bad enough to send back. But certainly not fine dining. The only thing is restaurant has going for it is its location. At least it was expensive! I don't usually leave reviews, but if I can steer you away from this restaurant I will have done a good thing.

Been coming to CSO for many years but first time visiting Forte. The amesphere was terrific and the food was awesome too. The wait staff was wonderful. Will for sure to make this a pre- or post- concert stop😋 Back in Chicago for another Hilary Hahn concert. Had dinner after the concert and just liked the last time... food and service were good 😋

My husband and I came in for brunch on Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! Everything we tried was delicious and well priced for a brunch in the heart of the city. Chef Leo has created a menu that has a nice balance of sweet and savory options with a little something for everyone. Highly recommend the Shakshouka and adding on the donut!

First, I want to say that I would give 5 stars for service if I could. There are still a couple kinks to work out, but the staff were all attentive and friendly and no issues that detracted from the experience. The food, however, was far from awe-inspiring. Of the 3 items I had, none were terrible but none of were worth ordering again. Each dish was muted, despite descriptions that suggested bold flavors. The cocktail I had was similarly 'meh.' This location is convenient and the prices are comparable to other restaurants in the area. I would go again, but wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to do so.

Amazing Mediterranean restaurant in the loop, they serve very authentic dishes😍 In love with their dining menu and mezze-style starters, chef Leo is so creative 💕 everything was perfect ☺️ I tried the following: Cocktails: Xyz The apprentice Espresso martini Appetizers: SAGANAKI HALLOUMI MUHAMMARA ROASTED WALNUT & RED PEPPER DIP Courses: TAGLIATELLE Miso Butter Baked Halibut Dessert CREMe de CATALANA Lemon tart