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Latest Menu Offerings - Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails, Chicago, IL

Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails

4.4
4.4
565 Reviews
$50 and over
Steakhouse

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today
  • Good for business meals
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
Kindling boasts a live fire show kitchen, wood-fired plates, and tasty cocktails in the heart of downtown Chicago. Chef Partner is James Beard Award-winning Jonathon Sawyer, who brings a worldly perspective and decades of wood-fired cooking to Kindling's internationally inspired menu. Located within Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams, Kindling welcomes guests for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, with happy hour specials offered on weekdays from 3pm-5:30pm.

Follow us on social @kindlingchicago & @chefsawyer!

CLOSED: 11/28, 12/24-12/26, 1/1
Open for dinner only 12/27-12/28

Private dining

Private dining

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Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, American, Grill
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:45 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (312) 789-5992
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive chef
    Chef Jonathon Sawyer
  • Private party facilities
    Situated within Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams, Kindling boasts a live fire show kitchen, wood-fired plates, and tasty cocktails in the heart of the city. At the helm of the kitchen is James Beard Award-winning Chef Jonathon Sawyer, who brings a worldly perspective and decades of w
  • Private party contact
    Abbey Arp: (319) 360-2169
  • Neighborhood
    River North (Chicago)
  • Cross street
    Inside Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    CTA: <br />- Quincy (Brown/Orange/Pink/Purple Lines)<br />- Jackson (Blue/Red Lines)<br />- Bus Stops: 126 / 151 / 56<br /><br />Metra: <br />- Union Station
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 565 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails offers a "stunning atmosphere" with a unique wood-fired twist. Indulge in "delicious food" like steak and mac & cheese, complemented by expertly crafted cocktails. Despite occasional slow service, the "exceptional dining experience" and "great staff" make it a must-visit for food lovers in Chicago.

565 Reviews
  1. Ted

    Chicago

    42 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    42 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Had the delicious lobster bisque as an appetizer with the sweet chili Brussel sprouts. For dinner I had the slightly sandy and fishy 3 scallops with 3 carrots and sautéed onions. My wife had the salmon which was very tasty with Japanese sweet potato also very good. For the prices, I expected more. Drinks were good but also a bit pricey for the sizes provided. Good decorative ambience. Service was very good.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Zackeus

    Houston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 19, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Awesome experience and the staff was extremely knowledgeable

    Is this helpful?

  3. Barbara

    Chicago

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 19, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food…nice atmosphere. Quiet but it was a Monday night.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Casey

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Bit of a tourist trap. Fine food but nothing exciting. Nice service staff and a large menu.

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  5. Darren

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food and service were excellent. Low noise level allowed for easy conversations. Decor is also beautiful and the smells from the open kitchen are heavenly.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Matt

    Chicago

    19 reviews

    5.0

    19 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent quality of food and very reasonably priced

    Is this helpful?

  7. DisneyFoodieAdmin

    Jacksonville

    26 reviews

    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Chef Sawyer restaurants never disappoint. Food was absolutely amazing and the vibe was excellent. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for an experience in the area.

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Tom

    Chicago

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 6, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Enjoyable lunch served with a smile. Great location
    Kindling | Downtown Cookout & CocktailsResponded on November 7, 2024
    Thanks for visiting us, Tom. We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your lunch at Kindling. It's wonderful to know that our location added to your positive experience. We strive to provide a pleasant dining atmosphere and it's always rewarding to hear when we've succeeded. We appreciate your high ratings and look forward to serving you again soon. Chef Sawyer

    Is this helpful?

  9. Thomas

    Nashville

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was cold, service was lackluster. Slow night, server appeared to be preoccupied.
    Kindling | Downtown Cookout & CocktailsResponded on November 7, 2024
    Thanks for the feedback, ThomasB. We're sorry to hear that your experience at Kindling didn't meet your expectations. We strive to provide warm, attentive service and delicious food, and it seems we fell short during your visit. We appreciate your comments about the food being cold and the service being preoccupied. We will use your feedback to improve. We hope you'll give us another chance to make it right. ChefSawyer

    Is this helpful?

  10. Missy

    Las Vegas

    17 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on October 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was great. Food was delicious. Has out of town guests and they enjoyed it.
    Kindling | Downtown Cookout & CocktailsResponded on November 7, 2024
    Thanks for visiting us, Missy! We're thrilled to hear that you and your out-of-town guests had a great time at Kindling. It's wonderful to know that our food and service met your expectations. We always strive to make every guest feel welcome and we're glad we could do that for you and your guests. We look forward to welcoming you back soon. Chef Sawyer

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails is rated 4.4 stars by 565 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 29 times today
Google Map for Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails

202 S Franklin St, Chicago, IL 60606

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Inside Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams
  • Neighborhood
    River North (Chicago)
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Sat 11:00 am–3:45 pm Happy Hour Mon–Fri 3:00 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Steakhouse, American, Grill
  • Dining style
    Elegant Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    CTA: - Quincy (Brown/Orange/Pink/Purple Lines)- Jackson (Blue/Red Lines)- Bus Stops: 126 / 151 / 56Metra: - Union Station
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Jonathon Sawyer
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Vegan, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (312) 789-5992
  • Private party facilities
    Situated within Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams, Kindling boasts a live fire show kitchen, wood-fired plates, and tasty cocktails in the heart of the city. At the helm of the kitchen is James Beard Award-winning Chef Jonathon Sawyer, who brings a worldly perspective and decades of w
  • Private party contact
    Abbey Arp: (319) 360-2169
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