Table Fifty-Two: User Reviews

Honestly, I was SO excited for this meal given it was my birthday and a special occasion for my husband and I. However, the overall experience was flat out disappointing. The apps were great, but when my pistachio-crusted chicken came out, it was COLD. My husband took a bite and agreed, so we sent it back. I was expecting they would at least send back out a NEW dish of food considering how pricey the place is, but they took the plate, warmed it in the oven and placed the disheveled same dish back in front of me, warning me that "the plate is extremely hot" - most likely from a microwave or back in the oven. It's a $30 plate of chicken! We thought that was extremely tacky for a place like that. My husband's short rib was awesome, but it was missing an ingredient in the plate. The pearlized onions that he was so excited for didn't even make it onto his dish! They were completely left off. The couple next to us ordered the same thing, and it was then that we realized he never got any (and they are clearly described in the menu). After a glass of champagne, I had to ask twice for the waiter to bring the drink menu back. Then the cake was dry, and they kept pouring me sparkling instead of still water. In addition, I sat against the back wall and there was a freezing cold draft (almost from outside) blowing directly onto me and the woman next to me. After all this, you'd figure they would at least comp us SOMETHING, but they took nothing off our bill....not even the cheapest thing we ordered (which many places do when there are multiple things wrong with a table). Also, my husband called ahead and told them it was my birthday and they said, "If you order a dessert (which we of course had to pay for), then we will put a candle in it." Come on! Overall, the experience was disheartening. Yes, the food tasted great. But a place that seats only 30 people at a time should get it right every time, and the food just didn't make up for the disappointing experience and pricey tab....We definitely won't be going back.

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We had a wonderful dining experience at Table Fifty-Two. We were seated promptly and offered our selection of a few different tables to select from. Admittedly, tables ARE close together here, so I wouldn't consider this a place for a first date or a night out that you would want to be overly romantic (Note: we were seated downstairs). Our waiter (Justin) was adorable and knew both the menu and the wine list well. He wasn't shy to offer up his favorite dishes when asked and he made a great wine recommendation for me. We chose to eat on a Sunday night to try out Art's infamous buttermilk fried chicken, but with so many wonderful things to choose from on the menu, I opted to save that for a return trip. I do wish they would offer a appetizer portion of the chicken for those wanting to try it out - perhaps allowing patrons to select a dark or white meat piece - because another reason I chose not to order the dish as my entree was because it is a breast, leg and thigh serving and the darker meats would have gone to waste with me since I don't eat them and neither did my dining companion.

The goat cheese, herbed biscuit as well as the deviled eggs brought to each table at the beginning are a tasty treat and great comfort food. I ordered the low-country grits with shrimp as an appetizer as well at the low-country jumbalia (packed with delicious seafood) as my entree. My dinner companion had the crab cake and fried green tomatoes (coming from the South, the FGT's were the best each of us had ever eaten). For dessert we split the sweet potato custard garnished with HOMEMADE toasted marshmallows (I wanted a bag of these to go they were SO good!) - we wanted the infamous hummingbird cake, but we were nearly stuffed after the large portions.

I definitely plan a return visit. I can see myself heading back, sitting at the bar near the wood burning oven and ordering appetizers and sides to split with a friend or date and also ordering the fried chicken if it were a Sunday or Monday night and sharing that as well. Thanks for a great night, Art Smith and team!

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We have been here 5 times now and every dish has been, by far, the most delicious I have ever tasted. After living in Chicago for 11 years... and all the restaurants that come and go... this one is a keeper and it is nice to be able to answer that question, "What is your favorite restaurant?" Table Fifty Two! Favorites? Any soups and the cornbread; pistachio-crusted chicken breast, pork chop and short ribs; three-cheese mac and for dessert, the hummingbird cake!

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Having read the previous reviews, I almost canceled my reservation. Good thing I didn't.
From my dining experience last night, I submit that all those negative reviews do an injustice to Table 52. I am a very experienced diner so I know of what I speak. I had a party of 3. We were greeted warmly and seated immediately, although ours seemed to be the only open table. Obviously they pay attention to the reservation list. Our server throughout was excellent. Our party had the fried chicken and the short ribs. Both entrees were very tasty and well prepared. Our deserts - hummingbird cake and pumpkin cheesecake were both top notch and delicious. Our bill, while a bit pricey, was not all that out of line with other top notch restaurants in the city. Overall a very good experience. Makes many of those previous critiques seem out of line.

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I'm not sure if the previous few reviews have been by other restaurant owners in the area or not but they are dead wrong. My husband and I went here for his birthday and it was great. The amuse was deviled eggs with a potato chip. Yummy! Probably the best deviled egg I've ever had. The bread was buttermilk biscuits with goat cheese and scallions (also delicious). For the entrees, we had the porkchop with waffles and carmel, and I had the Jambalya. Both were very solid. For dessert we had the hummingbird cake which was also very tasty. The service was good, and the cabernet we ordered was tasty. New favorite restaurant!

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After making reservations 2 months prior, we arrived at Table 52 with high expectations. Our request for a low traffic table landed us in the busiest part of the restaurant, next to the service area. In my opinion, a table that should be removed completely and the area closed off, only reserved for the wait staff. They brought out a plate of delicious biscuits, but unfortunately that's where any culinary talent stopped. I started with the carrot soup which was only slightly warmer than room temperature, only later to noticed steaming bowls being brought out to other tables. We then ordered the Shrimp and Grits to be shared by the table, really nothing exciting and somewhat bland. As we were all drinking the still water, our waiter topped off my water glass with sparkling.
No big deal, except the sparkling water is typically served in a wine glass. The Beet Salad was probably the most unattractive presentation in Chicago, as well my sister confirmed the taste as again being bland. At this point, I am hoping that our entrees will bring us back to happy. Unfortunately, this was not to be. While the short ribs were beautifully presented, as my sister cut into the first portion, the fat had clearly taken over any detection of actual meat. I had settled on the Catfish, which again was presented well, but not only was this dish completely void of taste, the second of the two portions was not completely cooked and the grits were cold. My thoughts around this would be, they line up plates in the kitchen add the grits or other starch and let the it sit until they add the entrée. My husband opted for the Fish & Chips (sweet potato) for $30.00. The portion included 2 pieces of Walleye heavily breaded with approx. 4 very thinly sliced chips and less than a tablespoon of so called malt vinegar sauce. Suggested to the owners and chef " GO TO THE GAGE" on Michigan Ave. an take a few cooking lessons. SERVICE: Not that I really want to go down the road of bad service but the server if you can call him that, was void of any skills what so ever. He would occasionally removed an empty dish but not all of them. I had to ask for the wine list again which he delivered but never came back to either suggest a wine for my entrée or take my order. Another server over heard us talking and brought it to the attention of a woman over seeing the floor. She took my wine selection immediately. In addition, I pointed out and unidentifiable piece of meat on my plate which we all agreed looking like a previously chewed up piece of Short Rib ! The answer from the kitchen was bacon ends, I am simply not buying it. Our server should have immediately intervened, but seamed to be to bothered to actually over see his own tables. For probably the first time in some 25 years, my husband voided an tip what so ever. I could not have been more proud. This is Chicago where great food and service go hand in hand.

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Went to Table 52 this weekend and was very disappointed! There's clearly something going on there because it has a menu that sounds fantastic but is very poorly executed. The first floor is so overcrowded that I felt like I was dining a a cheap diner. Our server, was so incredibly rude that I didn't know what to say. I ordered the catfish, which came with a super crunchy crust and somehow the fish was watery on the inside. The grits & collards were so infused with smoke it was unpalatable. Can this restaurant be saved?? Needless to say, I will not be going back to find out.

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Needless to say thanks to the hype of this quaint spot, my expectations were set pretty high upon entering Table. The environment was relaxing and unique, and the service was impeccable, however the food was very bland, especially for the price. All four of us were less than impressed. Our bill was $80 a person for food that I would compare to a Lean Cuisine. Do yourself a favor, in this case trust me, the hype is just that, a hype and really not worth the hole it will put in your wallet. By the way, the best part of our meal was the free Deviled Eggs and Biscuits.

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I took my wife for our anniversary and we were both very disappointed. The food was mediocre at best and my duck was almost uneatable. The service was disgraceful for a restaurant of that distinction. The waiter's presentation of the menu and meal were without detail or care. To make it worse he pushed us out the door so much so that he left the check with dessert and then came back before I had taken a bite to pick it up. The staff actually repeatedly attempted to take plates that we were clearly not finished with. To no surprise of anyone reading this the food is drastically overpriced, which would be alright if it offered a memorable experience. That said, Table 52 will live only in my memory because I will never return - and you shouldn't either.

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Overall, our experience at Table 52 was disappointing. The ambiance is cozy - The seating is tight so a little noisy but tolerable if you are enjoying yourself, we didn’t. The service was average for upscale dining. No one asked how our food tasted other than the maitre d’ who kept walking as he asked (while I had food in my mouth). Perhaps they knew it was bad?? The highlight of the meal was our wine choice and the fennel soup, which was nicely seasoned and rich. Although my husband’s was lukewarm and mine was scalding hot so I had to wait 15 min. before starting. The biscuit was raw in the middle – deviled eggs were not seasoned. My duck entrée was tough/ tasteless. The lentils were overcooked and the cherry gastrique was tart but runny. The scallops were raw, not rare, and only slightly seared on “one” side. The fishy smell was unappetizing (not fresh) and the succotash was flavorless and cold. The collards were braised perfectly but there was too much heat from the pepper juice so we could not eat them (nor could the table behind us). We skipped dessert in fear of what we would get. We should have sent everything back and left, we didn’t….Never again.

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