Quite authentic and comfy atmosphere. Wonderful food. Pleasant service. Totally recommend if you enjoy some serious and higher quality food experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg
kris r.
We really enjoyed The Diplomat. How wonderful to journey to the tastes of Georgia and not leave Lakeview. The space is lovely and our waiter attentive. We had the beets which were fantastic and of course we like beets. Seasonings just a little different than we are used to but so good. We also ordered the Ajaralui which went so well with the beets and it was so good. We ended with pork kabobs which were tender and tasty but expensive. We have to say overall it was more than enough food for us and we took some home . It was good to also try some of the Georgian wines by the glass
Abbie
First time trying Georgian food and my guests and I loved it! Staff was really helpful and nice too. I recommend the mixed cold appetizer, it's both delicious and beautiful.
We enjoyed the dining experience but the food wasn't special enough for a return visit. Seemed fun for a group outing. The potatoes under the over-cooked but tasty chicken were the best. Pickled asparagus was nice but other items less interesting. The bread in the Khachapuri was great but the dish was too cheesy for us.
Larry Buonaguidi
This was my first experience with Georgian cuisine. First stop was the Khachapuri Ajaruli- gooey cheese, butter, and egg filled bread. Then I had the lamb Onakhuri - kabob pieces, potato, onion and Georgian seasoning served in a clay pan. My partner got the Chicken Tabaka - pan fried crispy whole Cornish hen served with a trio mix of Georgian sauces over potatoes. We wrapped up the evening with Neapolitan cake and Turkish coffee. There is no doubt that we could have ordered one or two things and been more than satisfied, but now we have plenty of leftovers for the next day. The food was phenomenal and the spices and seasonings were extraordinarily complimentary to the food. If you're looking for a unique experience while trying new food, look no further! The Chicago Diplomat Cafe is a must try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg, Napoleon Cake, Chicken Tabaka
Sarah S.
The food and service exceeded expectations, will return with family and for group dinners. I was not very familiar with Georgian food, had only had khachapuri prior, and I was surprised at how flavorful the food was. Savory, delicious, fulfilling, but not in a heavy way. Absolute musts- the cold appetizers were fresh and a good counterpoint to the warming entrees. The beet mixture was an unanticipated favorite. The chkmeruli is also a must try for those who love garlic. It is an incredibly tender chicken soaked in a punch you in your face garlic broth. The beet appetizer and garlic broth are flavors that you will store in your memory. Service was great- there was only one other lunch diner, so the staff talked us through the menu. He also offered a half portion of the ajapsandali so that we could try another thing on the menu. The restaurant is a nice treat to eat in- white table cloths, water glasses, food served in the clay pots they were cooked in. Kid tip- this is a nice place, not sure the dinner vibe, but I would only take a kid who can be pretty chill at restaurants here. No kid menu, but lots of great dishes that kids would love like cheesy khachapuri. Food is seasoned, not spicy, with lots of flavor and options to dip in bread.
Southport
I became interested in Georgia after eating shkmerli at Matsuya and reading about the Georgian ambassador to Japan.I wonder if there are other people like that.This used to be a Turkish restaurant, and I used to go there often because it had box seats and because I like Turkish food, but when I came to Chicago for the first time in a while, it had become a Georgian restaurant.Apparently Chicago's only Georgian restaurant.I'll visit right away.Saturday 1pm. Inside, it's a lively event.I had already decided what to order for food, but I hadn't thought about drinks.Georgia is famous for its wine, which is apparently made using a special method, but we'll talk about that next time.I ordered something called compote.Apparently there are many different types of compote, but the female staff member recommends sour cherry.What came out was a large bottle of drink with a cherry inside.The taste is moderately sweet, refreshing and delicious.Food is what Georgia is all about! I asked for something like that.Khachapuri.(Adjara's khachapuri is the most famous, so order that. It's a boat-shaped bread with cheese, butter, and eggs in the center.)Khinkali.(It's like a large xiaolongbao, with soup inside. It's eaten by picking it up with your hands, but it's not as hot as xiaolongbao. However, it's so big that you can't eat it in one bite. The taste is different from xiaolongbao, momo, or pierogi.It has a slight herbal flavor.)Shkmerli.When I ate it at Matsuya, I thought it was a stew, but it turned out to be a meat dish.This is grilled chicken topped with plenty of garlic white sauce.Unfortunately, the chicken was hard and dry, but the sauce was delicious. )The female staff were also very pleasant and I was able to relax and enjoy my meal.It would be even better if the restaurant had something like a lunch course.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Anilú González
The food was perfect, incredibly delicious, and the service was amazing. Would definitely come back and recommend it to whoever visits chicago.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pkhali
Rustam Aghayev
Great Georgian food and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ksenia Bgashev
Very tasty food. I highly recommend this restaurant.
never seen khinkali prepared so sloppy...btw portion is $40
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Kate Pokorny
Delicious food! If you've never tried Georgian food, you are in for a real treat. It is such a unique taste. You will not find this blend of spices anywhere else. You should also try the wine as Georgia is where the wine originated.The only thing to note is that all the dishes come out as they are prepared regardless of whether it's the main dish or appetizer.
First time there , amazing food , great wine and Alex did amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Eris Discordia
Can’t recommend it enough. I’m a good cook and it blew my own food out of the water. I’m especially happy to have been able to finally try chacha. It’s a good thing I don’t live in Chicago because half my paycheck would be going here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lelo B.
We came in with a group of four on Valentines night. None of us were impressed with anything we tried. Portions sizes were quite small for the price. I paid $25 for the chakapuli (lamb stew). It came out in a small clay cauldron that held about 2 cups worth of stew, meat and veggies and all. It was very salty and had an interesting spice blend that I was not used to, but was tasty enough, just different. No rice, no bread, no sides at all. A side of rice is $10! For rice! My vegan friend got a bean based stew, same portion size, no side, for $21. Another friend ordered the Georgian Kebabi (beef) for $20. This is basically a beef kebab wrapped in a thin homemade tortilla-like bread, roughly the size of a hotdog. No side. $20! She did not finish hers. The meat eaters each tried a khinkali dumpling speciality. They are $4 each. While delicious, only about half of the dumpling is really edible as most of it is the "knob" of dough. A little steep at $4 each. Another friend ordered the mtzvadi that looked delicious and the portion looks somewhat decent, no side though, but she said the chicken was dry. For $20, we need juicy chicken. Service was good. Ambience was cute. We were all so excited to try our first Georgian meals and, based on the reviews, we were anticipating a great experience. Unfortunately, the food was all quite underwhelming, disappointing even, and portion sizes were meager compared to prices. We won't be returning, but are happy to see a popular Georgian place in the area!
Quite authentic and comfy atmosphere. Wonderful food. Pleasant service. Totally recommend if you enjoy some serious and higher quality food experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg
We really enjoyed The Diplomat. How wonderful to journey to the tastes of Georgia and not leave Lakeview. The space is lovely and our waiter attentive. We had the beets which were fantastic and of course we like beets. Seasonings just a little different than we are used to but so good. We also ordered the Ajaralui which went so well with the beets and it was so good. We ended with pork kabobs which were tender and tasty but expensive. We have to say overall it was more than enough food for us and we took some home . It was good to also try some of the Georgian wines by the glass
First time trying Georgian food and my guests and I loved it! Staff was really helpful and nice too. I recommend the mixed cold appetizer, it's both delicious and beautiful.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg, Lobio Rachuli Stew, Pkhali, Adjaruli Khachapuri, Kabobs, Veg Platter
We enjoyed the dining experience but the food wasn't special enough for a return visit. Seemed fun for a group outing. The potatoes under the over-cooked but tasty chicken were the best. Pickled asparagus was nice but other items less interesting. The bread in the Khachapuri was great but the dish was too cheesy for us.
This was my first experience with Georgian cuisine. First stop was the Khachapuri Ajaruli- gooey cheese, butter, and egg filled bread. Then I had the lamb Onakhuri - kabob pieces, potato, onion and Georgian seasoning served in a clay pan. My partner got the Chicken Tabaka - pan fried crispy whole Cornish hen served with a trio mix of Georgian sauces over potatoes. We wrapped up the evening with Neapolitan cake and Turkish coffee. There is no doubt that we could have ordered one or two things and been more than satisfied, but now we have plenty of leftovers for the next day. The food was phenomenal and the spices and seasonings were extraordinarily complimentary to the food. If you're looking for a unique experience while trying new food, look no further! The Chicago Diplomat Cafe is a must try!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg, Napoleon Cake, Chicken Tabaka
The food and service exceeded expectations, will return with family and for group dinners. I was not very familiar with Georgian food, had only had khachapuri prior, and I was surprised at how flavorful the food was. Savory, delicious, fulfilling, but not in a heavy way. Absolute musts- the cold appetizers were fresh and a good counterpoint to the warming entrees. The beet mixture was an unanticipated favorite. The chkmeruli is also a must try for those who love garlic. It is an incredibly tender chicken soaked in a punch you in your face garlic broth. The beet appetizer and garlic broth are flavors that you will store in your memory. Service was great- there was only one other lunch diner, so the staff talked us through the menu. He also offered a half portion of the ajapsandali so that we could try another thing on the menu. The restaurant is a nice treat to eat in- white table cloths, water glasses, food served in the clay pots they were cooked in. Kid tip- this is a nice place, not sure the dinner vibe, but I would only take a kid who can be pretty chill at restaurants here. No kid menu, but lots of great dishes that kids would love like cheesy khachapuri. Food is seasoned, not spicy, with lots of flavor and options to dip in bread.
I became interested in Georgia after eating shkmerli at Matsuya and reading about the Georgian ambassador to Japan.I wonder if there are other people like that.This used to be a Turkish restaurant, and I used to go there often because it had box seats and because I like Turkish food, but when I came to Chicago for the first time in a while, it had become a Georgian restaurant.Apparently Chicago's only Georgian restaurant.I'll visit right away.Saturday 1pm. Inside, it's a lively event.I had already decided what to order for food, but I hadn't thought about drinks.Georgia is famous for its wine, which is apparently made using a special method, but we'll talk about that next time.I ordered something called compote.Apparently there are many different types of compote, but the female staff member recommends sour cherry.What came out was a large bottle of drink with a cherry inside.The taste is moderately sweet, refreshing and delicious.Food is what Georgia is all about! I asked for something like that.Khachapuri.(Adjara's khachapuri is the most famous, so order that. It's a boat-shaped bread with cheese, butter, and eggs in the center.)Khinkali.(It's like a large xiaolongbao, with soup inside. It's eaten by picking it up with your hands, but it's not as hot as xiaolongbao. However, it's so big that you can't eat it in one bite. The taste is different from xiaolongbao, momo, or pierogi.It has a slight herbal flavor.)Shkmerli.When I ate it at Matsuya, I thought it was a stew, but it turned out to be a meat dish.This is grilled chicken topped with plenty of garlic white sauce.Unfortunately, the chicken was hard and dry, but the sauce was delicious. )The female staff were also very pleasant and I was able to relax and enjoy my meal.It would be even better if the restaurant had something like a lunch course.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
The food was perfect, incredibly delicious, and the service was amazing. Would definitely come back and recommend it to whoever visits chicago.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pkhali
Great Georgian food and great service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very tasty food. I highly recommend this restaurant.
Restaurantji Recommends
never seen khinkali prepared so sloppy...btw portion is $40
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Delicious food! If you've never tried Georgian food, you are in for a real treat. It is such a unique taste. You will not find this blend of spices anywhere else. You should also try the wine as Georgia is where the wine originated.The only thing to note is that all the dishes come out as they are prepared regardless of whether it's the main dish or appetizer.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Ajaruli Khachapuri Fresh Baked Bread Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Runny Egg, Lobiani, Imeruli Khachapuri, Chicken Tabaka, Satsivi, Ojakhuri
First time there , amazing food , great wine and Alex did amazing
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Can’t recommend it enough. I’m a good cook and it blew my own food out of the water. I’m especially happy to have been able to finally try chacha. It’s a good thing I don’t live in Chicago because half my paycheck would be going here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We came in with a group of four on Valentines night. None of us were impressed with anything we tried. Portions sizes were quite small for the price. I paid $25 for the chakapuli (lamb stew). It came out in a small clay cauldron that held about 2 cups worth of stew, meat and veggies and all. It was very salty and had an interesting spice blend that I was not used to, but was tasty enough, just different. No rice, no bread, no sides at all. A side of rice is $10! For rice! My vegan friend got a bean based stew, same portion size, no side, for $21. Another friend ordered the Georgian Kebabi (beef) for $20. This is basically a beef kebab wrapped in a thin homemade tortilla-like bread, roughly the size of a hotdog. No side. $20! She did not finish hers. The meat eaters each tried a khinkali dumpling speciality. They are $4 each. While delicious, only about half of the dumpling is really edible as most of it is the "knob" of dough. A little steep at $4 each. Another friend ordered the mtzvadi that looked delicious and the portion looks somewhat decent, no side though, but she said the chicken was dry. For $20, we need juicy chicken. Service was good. Ambience was cute. We were all so excited to try our first Georgian meals and, based on the reviews, we were anticipating a great experience. Unfortunately, the food was all quite underwhelming, disappointing even, and portion sizes were meager compared to prices. We won't be returning, but are happy to see a popular Georgian place in the area!