Aria Bar
Categories:
Details:
Bar Scene, Date Spot, Dine At The Bar, Happy Hour, Hidden Find, Hotel Restaurants, Late Night Dining
Message from Aria Bar
Blending equal parts restaurant and lounge, Aria Bar is an adult's playground, anchored by a gold amorphic sofa and an illuminated sushi station, Aria Bar is a sensory experience set to a global soundtrack. Sari-inlaid tables, influenced by traditional noodle houses in Japan, provide communal space to enjoy aria bar's noodle menu, while private recesses enhanced by gold and amber shears provide a discreet getaway to experience aria bar's exemplory sushi and sake. East meets West at Aria Bar, Chicago's only sushi club.
Editorial by Citysearch
The SceneAmber and violet lighting wash the oval room. Metallic tiles play nicely with shimmering drapery. The bar to the right offers stool seating, but modish lounge configurations throughout are more inviting for cocktails. A central communal sushi bar is glass and glows blue and offers a more serious eating space for loners or couples. Techno is perhaps too aggressive, and maybe too loud, but reinforces an intended nightlife vibe.
The Food
From the illuminated sushi bar (and hidden hot kitchen) comes a pan-Asian menu focused on well prepared and dramatically presented sushi. Hot starters jump from Chinese--crispy and richly filled lobster spring rolls--to Thai--Sriracha-spiked chicken satay. Sushi is about quality and subtlety, like freshly grated wasabi root and expertly formed and seasoned rice. Notable pieces include velvety fatty tuna and briefly torched salmon. Rolls are few but astute: toothsome nori holds creamy tuna and prickly scallion-jalapeno sauce.
Key Points
- Culturally Inspired
- Sari-inlaid Tables
- Traditional Noodle House
The Inside Scoop
- Know Before You Go - Adventurous eaters should put their dining fates in the practiced hands of Chef BK, who, with a nod, will happily create a customized menu based on preferences and what is particularly fresh that day.
- Where to Sit - Those craving privacy can slide into one of several nooks created by coiled drapes and angled seating.
Insider Pages Reviews for Aria Bar
Nice ambiance in this sort os american/asian fusion restaurant. They bring you warm bread with four different spreads right when you sit down. The food and service are both good.
Posted 01/15/09 | Report Abuse
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The experience my friends walked away with was very professional.This is not to be thought of as a stuffed shirt kind of way but rather sharp and relaxing at the same time.I would recommend them.
Posted 11/21/08 | Report Abuse
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Latest reviews from Citysearch.
Nice atmosphere, Minimal wine selection
by ganative79
Visited the Aria Bar while staying at the Fairmont. I liked the atmosphere and would imagine that there?s plenty of people watching during the weekend. I was very disappointed in the wine selection, only 8 selections or so split b/w reds and whites, with the cheapest glass being $12. The food was subpar at best. While the miso soup was good, the beef noodle bowl was practically inedible. The broth was over-flavored and of course the veggies and noodles absorbed the unpleasant flavor. However, the beef strips were good, all 4 little pieces of them. My coworkers said the food in the main restaurant is better.
Pros: Atmosphere, plenty of seating
Cons: Poor wine list, pitiful food
Posted 01/29/07
Great place to sit and have a drink
by luvs2travel
We visited the old Aria bar which was very nice and the very next day were astonished to see that it was entirely torn apart for remodeling. When we returned it was an entirely new bar which looked great. It has a sushi bar that looks pretty good, we haven't tried it... yet. This is definitely a great people watching place and has many interesting spots to sit and talk. The waitresses are prompt and friendly. And on this visit we had a waitress when had served us before in the Fairmonts reception/lounge area. Unfortuantely we cannot remember her name, but she was really nice and attentive. And she knew her wine list, she was able to give a good description of and recommendations of the various wines.
Pros: Great people watching, after work, before/after dinner spot
Posted 11/21/06