Chicago Eats - Gemini Bistro

After a group of friends and I went to see the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights, we walked over to Gemini Bistro for dinner since it was so close. After looking over the menu, I thought it would be a decent dinner, and I couldn't argue with the proximity. One thing I'll say right away is that the service was impeccable. They really have everything setup nicely and the servers are professional, nice, and very organized. However, in general I found the food to be lacking.

mushroom risotto

This was my favorite dish that I tried this night, and I was fairly impressed. They do use a truffle oil, but it was at least used conservatively and lightly drizzled on top. It had the right amount of liquidity and each risotto was cooked al dente. If I ever had to come back here, I would get this.

swordfish provencal

My fish was definitely overcooked, and it seemed to be underseasoned. The roma tomatoes were a nice complement to the fish, but overall I couldn't help but to feel that this dish was a bit lacking, and some roasted potatoes or other type of starch accompaniment would have been nice to have.

fish special w/risotto

I'm pretty sure this was a trout, but all I remember was salt. I'm fairly confident that the fish had a crust of something besides salt, but I have no idea what it was. The risotto was cooked well, although I couldn't make out much of it besides...salt.

I'm just going to go out and say it - I probably won't come back here unless for some reason I'm forced to go back. It's not that Gemini Bistro is terrible; I just found it lacking and for the prices on the menu (i.e. $28 for my overcooked/underseasoned/small swordfish), there are far better options in the area just up or down the street. I debated giving the place extra consideration for the service itself, but at the end of the day, good food draws you back to a place whereas excellent service alone will not.


Special thanks to Kat @ Sweet Kat's Creations for the awesome pics!