Nora Restaurant

The breakfast quality was good but the service is questionable. I had to call over the server multiple times as he kept on ignoring me. I shouldn't have to be begging for ketchup.

The food was fantastic. We started with the fried smelts which came with two great dipping sauces. My dad got the halibut which was cooked to perfection--moist on the inside with a nice crisp on the outside. I got the oxtail rigatoni and it was phenomenal. Tender oxtail, sauce was perfect, and pasta was al dente.

The ambiance was your normal upscale leaning restaurant in downtown Chicago, nothing crazy but also not too casual. But the service was phenomenal. From the host to the busser to our server (who was handling an 18-top party in addition to us), we didn't feel neglected at all and were sure to let them know how phenomenal the food was. Will definitely be going back!

Called ahead to see if they require reservations or have a dress code since all I was wearing was basketball shorts and a T. We were seated right away, but I noticed how warm and humid it was in the restaurant. At first, I almost wanted to walk out because it was warm. It's kind of hard to dine at a place when it's not cool inside. But since I was all sticky sweating all day, I really didn't care anymore. Sat down and they brought out room temp water. I asked for ice. I don't know if it's Chicago, but I noticed that they don't serve their waters with ice. Are we in Europe or something??
We started out with the grilled octopus. It was tender, but there really wasn't anything that stood out about it. I thought it was a little bland. Not enough char flavor to it. There was some kind of orange sauce that I couldn't put my finger on, but that was also bland. The potatoes were actually creamy though. They also brought out 4 pieces of cut up focaccia bread with an olive tapenade. I thought it was a bit salty. The bread itself was soft and chewy.
We ordered the short rib rigatoni and Iberico de bellota. The rigatoni was definitely fresh. It was nice an al dente. The sauce is nice and fatty and had great flavor to it. The iberico was tender and fatty. I'm not sure if the chimichurri sauce added to the dish or not. I think the balsamic sauce would have been enough though. The 2 kind of clashed a little bit, but still good. Overall, the food was good. The ambiance nice, but it was warm inside. I even asked if they could turn on the air, which didn't get done. So when the manager was walking towards our area, I used the menu to fan myself and I am so glad he got the hint because he actually turned on the air, but I think it turned off after about 5 minutes. He actually came back to our table and said that he turned on the air and doesn't know why it's so warm. Anyway, the restroom is shared with the hotel next door and I noticed that when walked past the host stand, you can feel how cool it was. I don't know if it's the air coming from the hotel or maybe the a/c is just only working out in that area.

I had dinner here with colleagues AUG2024. The place has a very nice atmosphere inside. Service was very friendly and the food was delicious!

Solid 4+ for our first experience here.

Joined a friend for dinner at Nora, located right in Streeterville. The curb appeal is so beautiful albeit it is right near the Inn of Chicago which has become a migrant shelter and run down. However once inside, you will forget all about that because the menu has so many great options with traditional Sardinian recipes - quite unique for Chicago.

We had just missed the happy hour which runs 4-6pm on the outside patio weekdays. I mention it so others know it's a thing here:)

Bread with a house made olive tapenade is brought over as a complimentary starter and if you love olives, you will love this!

I ordered a mixed beet salad $15 and my friend had a caesar salad $12. As a main course I absolutely had to get the Culurgiones (a potato dumpling with cheese and tomato sauce) $26 when I spotted them on the menu because it's very popular in Sardinia but not a commonly known dish outside of Italy. My friend opted for the hangar steak $43. We were considering sharing the branzino but the waitress talked us out of it, but I'm thinking I'd still like to try it another day. Also they have fregula which again is another tradition Sardinian dish but it would have been so filling. I'll definitely be back for it though! Yum.

Everything was well portioned, presented well, and tasted great! Table service was attentive, albeit it wasn't too busy during our meal.

Keep your eyes on your table though because the bussers are mighty quick to take plates away which made us feel rushed for no apparent reason. We weren't even done but just talking and enjoying ourselves and my Culurgiones disappeared before I could finish them. That bugged me because I could have enjoyed those last few!! When I told the waitress, she apologized and giggled but since only 5 come to an order, taking two away before I could enjoy them was really not ok. My friend loved her hangar steak and said it was cooked to perfection!

We considered indulging in desert but ultimately opted for expresso this time.

Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 8/10
Menu selection: 10/10

I had a nice experience at Nora, but, unfortunately, I don't think it's a restaurant that I will be returning to. I dined with a group of friends on the patio for lunch. While the ambience was lovely and beautiful, the service was very slow.

We ordered an assortment of spreads for an appetizer, which were nice! However, I couldn't finish my roasted cauliflower salad with chicken, as there was too much dressing and the chicken was gamey/fatty. Sadly, didn't love this place, which was a bummer!

Good! While the service leaves something to be desired (it took several minutes for someone to show up at the host stand and seat me, amongst other problems), I thought the food and drinks were great. I had a mocktail which hit the spot and two apps - shrimp and the black and white hummus (definitely get this!). Would love to return and try more drinks and food.

I recently visited Nora Restaurant in the Streeterville neighborhood. I'm always a bit suspicious of a hot new restaurants, especially those that are done up for Instagram. However, Nora was excellent. It didn't matter that it had picturesque interior and was in a trendy neighborhood. First, the food was excellent. I ordered the burrata as an appetizer then the oxtail mezza rigatoni, fungi truffle risotto and the crema catalana for dessert. To my surprise, the fungi truffle risotto was my favorite. It was super flavorful and creamy. It had a large hunk of gorgonzola cheese in it. The gorgonzola cheese was flavorful, but not overpowering. It was a nice compliment to the dish. I also like the crema catalana for dessert. It was sweet and creamy, but not too sweet. Second, the service was good. I went on a super busy night, but the waitress was still pleasant and attentive. Third, they have nice decor and ambience. The restaurant is dimly lit which creates a nice vibe. They also have floral decorations hanging from the ceiling and a nice feature wall at their entrance from the attached hotel.

In sum, Nora Restaurant needs to be on your must visit list.

The food was excellent. A grilled grouper and a tuna tartare were tasty and well presented. The atmosphere of the place was very pleasant, and the service was very good. Enjoyed the experience.

Don't go here for hash browns because you will be so disappointed. I barely got a spoonful and the shredded potatoes were still crunchy - ugh. The place has a nice ambiance and good service though. I wish I went for lunch or dinner.