Michael Carlson's acclaimed, tiny BYOB offers creative three- and nine-course degustation menus. The chefs here cook and also serve your meals, so service is idiosyncratic. Tables are hard to get and dealing with the laconic (or lack of) reservations system requires advance planning and patience.
Lulu Lime
Enlightening dinning experience! The Staff is dope and being served by the chefs was cathartic. BYOB will forever be my favorite way to do a tasting menu. It was such a great break from the norm. Food was unique and felt like art on a plate. More like street wear got turned into a Michelin dish. Fan-freakin-tastic As a customer I always want to feel as apart of the place I'm eating at as possible. I want to feel served, I want to feel the passion, and when I go to a place like Schwa I never want to question whether or not I enjoyed my time. I want to be on the car ride after eating picking apart each dish, each flavor, the presentation, the atmosphere, just because of how fantastic the experience was. Schwa was this but also left me inspired to create and be my best self. Which was a unique feeling I have never gotten from a dinner.
Emily R.
Much smaller inside then expected. Food was fun and innovative. Was hoping for more interaction from staff especially after we brought them a bottle of...
Em C.
When it comes to your Michelin rated Chicago restaurants, I must say that Schwa is the least "assuming" (at least when you first arrive), which makes me...
Seelia Yang
It's definitely unassuming because it looked like it was closed from the outside, but the inside is a vibe. It's dim and there's loud music which was nice at first, but then my husband and I could barely hear ourselves speak. We were straining our voices. It's a small space so when we first walked in, we felt like we were interrupting dinner service. Staff is super nice and well versed in the food they're serving. The chef is really nice too and introduced himself when we sat down which was pretty cool. 5 stars for service. The presentation of the first dish was super cool and I was hopeful for the rest of dinner, however, I found that only one or two of the dishes from the entire course spoke out to me. I thought most of the dishes were overly salty, but my husband said only a couple were. Food was only okay and definitely not worth the price. Overall, I didn't enjoy Schwa as much as I hoped I would.
Lindsey Davidson
A phenomenal experience that rises above every other dining experience I've ever had. A treat? I don't even really know how to describe this mind blowing experience. Dope? Otherworldly?
Seelia Y.
It's definitely unassuming because it looked like it was closed from the outside, but the inside is a vibe. It's dim and there's loud music which was nice...
Gokhan Memik
Very small restaurant, about 6 tables, I guess the capacity is about 20. Not a sophisticated vibe. The Chef welcomes you when you arrive (although he is somewhat intimidating rather than welcoming). The food is really good, but it is very hard to find a table (even for two).
Heather Kashner
Best meal ever. Cleaned every plate with my finger and was not remotely ashamed. Thank you for an incredible experience. I will never think about food the same way again.
