Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Chicago / Illinois
  4. Chicago
  5. River North (Chicago)
Latest Menu Offerings - Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails, Chicago, IL

Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails

4.5
4.5
632 Reviews
$50 and over
Steakhouse

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 48 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for business meals
  • Good for groups
  • Good for special occasions
Located in Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams, Kindling offers a captivating steakhouse dining
experience. Chef Partner is James Beard Award-winning Jonathon Sawyer, who brings a worldly
perspective and decades of wood-fired cooking. With our live-fire show kitchen, prime steaks, fresh seafood
and handcrafted cocktails, Kindling brings the warmth of the hearth to the heart of the city. It's the ideal
setting for pre-theatre dinner, a large group business lunch, and after-work happy hour at the bar.

Follow us on social @kindlingchicago & @chefsawyer!

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
  • 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
  • Neighbourhood
    River North (Chicago)
  • Cross Street
    Inside Willis Tower at the corner of Franklin and Adams
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Public transit
    CTA: - Quincy (Brown/Orange/Pink/Purple Lines)- Jackson (Blue/Red Lines)- Bus Stops: 126 / 151 / 56Metra: - 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

Experiences

  • Pre-Theater Dinner

    US$59.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Located just a short walk from Chicago's theater district, Kindling's convenient location provides for the perfect place to enjoy dinner before your show. Highlighting some of our menu's top hits, this three-course dining experience is a great way for you and your guests to gather for a meal without stressing about making it to the show on-time. By purchasing this experience, we will ensure your party enjoys their meal in under and hour, with plenty of time to head to your show. Commute Times (walking) Lyric Opera House: 8 min Cadillac Palace: 10 min The Goodman: 14 min Nederlander: 14 min
    Pre-Theater Dinner photo
  • Three-Course Business Lunch

    US$39.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Multiple dates available
    Whether you're looking to host a client or have a team lunch, this three-course express menu offers some of Kindling's top hits in a convenient and efficient format. It makes the decision-making process simpler and allows you more time to get down to business and back to the office. By pre-booking this experience, you also skip the hassle of having to pay your bill at the end of your meal, as all items are purchased in advance.
    Three-Course Business Lunch photo
  • Chef's Table Series: Angel's Envy Bourbon

    US$100.00 per person

    Prepaid

    Apr 18, 2025 only
    7:00 p.m.
    From Kentucky to Kindling: Curated by Chef Jonathon Sawyer, dine with us for an exclusive night around the fire highlighted by a four-course dinner, and paired with hand-crafted bourbon cocktails presented by Angel's Envy.
    Chef's Table Series: Angel's Envy Bourbon photo

Private dining

What 632 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails offers a "beautiful atmosphere" and "excellent service," highlighted by dishes like the Oxtail Gnocchi and Wood-fired Seafood Salad. With a "unique wood-fired twist" and "fantastic" cocktails, it's a standout spot in Chicago. Guests appreciate the "friendly staff" and "delicious food," making it a top recommendation.

632 Reviews
  1. MarkT

    Chicago3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was good and service was fast. When we arrived we were seated immediately and drinks were offered. A good first experience.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Joe VIP

    Philadelphia20 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service, food and drinks. They gave us a great table in a private room to welcome a new team member.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    London1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great lunch in the private room, excellent service, delicious food

    Is this helpful?

  4. Sue

    Chicago11 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We had dinner before the opera. Space is lovely, service was excellent. Food was very good (we had the tuna tartare and steak frites).

    Is this helpful?

  5. Amanda VIP

    Puerto Vallarta22 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Survive was excellent, food was okay. Good place to go with group of people.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Alexis

    Chicago2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My second time going! I LOVES THIS RESTAURANT. Great food, great staff, beautiful place.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Emily VIP

    San Francisco16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A bit pricey for the portion and food. Even for downtown Chicago.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Andy VIP

    Chicago26 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on March 9, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    A little bit of a let down. The steak frites were bland and the cheeseburger was average. The Mac n cheese was pretty good and the dessert was excellent. Overall was disappointed. Was excited to try - maybe my expectations were too high. It’s is a very cool looking place and I may go back to try their happy hour.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Melissa

    Chicago2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server was the best! Food was great and all the staff were very friendly and went above and beyond to make our visit memorable.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Sheronda VIP

    Washington DC31 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 6, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic team — very kind, very attentive, very professional. Easy location. Nice ambiance with a good mix of open and semi-private space. I’m not wowed by the food. It’s fine, not great. Still, Kindling is a solid lunchtime option. Particularly for 1:1 or team meetings.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Kindling | Downtown Cookout & Cocktails is rated 4.5 stars by 632 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 p.m.
Booked 48 times today
Experiences are available.
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
  • Neighbourhood
    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
  • 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
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo