A former Green Zebra alum Noah Sandoval sets up shop in Lakeview with a gluten-free focused menu. The only way to now experience Senza is with its two, multi-course, prix-fixe menus: a four-course $50 (add $25 paired with wine) and nine-course $100 (add $50 paired with wine).
Raynor Mallory
Welcoming staff, absolutely stunning food. Stylish and relaxed atmosphere. One of my favorite places in the city. I just wish they were open longer.
Elijah Litscher
We went to Senza to dine even though we aren't sensitive to gluten, but from the other reviews and descriptions you have probably gathered by now that the menu is gluten free. Our meal was during a special prix fixe multi course night, and everything we had was delicious and very well presented. The interior decor for dining is well thought out, however the giant counter at the back left the feeling of a far more casual restaurant. The food is five stars but the prices were a little high and portions were small - typical of what you might find at a higher end place - gluten or no gluten.
Erica Williams
Senza is a hidden gem, and one of the best-kept secrets in Chicago. This restaurant is getting some buzz, but I'm surprised that people aren't shouting from the mountaintops! I haven't had food this good in quite some time, where the appetizers, entrees, and desserts were all equally good. Senza means "without" in Italian, and speaks to the fact that the restaurant is gluten-free. At first, I was a little leery about gluten free b/c I thought that the taste would be sacrificed, but it is completely the opposite. All of my food had fun and surprising bursts of flavor and texture. They sent out this amuse bouche, which had this flaky crust with a piece of delicate fish in the middle with an Asian sauce. It was the perfect bite with a fun texture and flavor. From the the pillowy-soft gnocchi with delectable onions (I actually had to get 2 orders of the gnocchi b/c it was that good) to the layer of ginger at the bottom of my dessert, I was amazed with every bite. I had the Barramundi, which was a delicious white fish w/pecans and black garlic. One of my friends got the Grilled Little Gem lettuce salad, and the lettuce was literally grilled and had a fantastic smoky flavor. Grilled salad was new to us all, and we were all eating the salad off of her plate. One of my favorite items was the crème brulee, which had a sweet and salty profile and reminded me of caramel corn. I have never had crème brulee like this - it was playful and delicious. Senza has a trendy décor, yet it was much smaller than I had expected. Definitely make reservations. They have some tables on the side of the room that are perfect for 2 people, and we saw a few dates in progress, so definitely consider Senza for a date. I would say that Senza is one of the best restaurants that I have dined at in 2013 - no joke. I may get the tasting menu the next time I go.
Hoang-Anh Levo
We celebrated our anniversary & birthday after hearing great reviews about this place on Yelp. The service was excellent, as well as the food presentation & food. We went with the degustation menu and were very pleased with each course. We were however, a bit underwhelmed with the fois gras plate; we were expecting an entire piece of fois gras, but instead got fois gras mousse. Otherwise, it was still a great dining experience!
Seth Bloom
This small and modern style restraunt had a beautiful 3 course brunch. The service and food was excellent. I enjoyed the Arctic Chard starter followed by the crabmeat omelette and then finished things off with a choclate pote de crem. I also sampled some of the other dishes like the knocchi, duck rigulettes that were also excellent. It's a small dining area that has a somewhat open kitchen to the main dining room. I think I would have been dissa
