Summer House Santa Monica

4.7

6457 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Top Tags:

Located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, Summer House is the place for sunshine all year round. Warm, laid-back West Coast vibes fill the restaurant making it a top Instagrammable destination, complete with beach house décor, a beautiful retractable glass ceiling, and an all-seasons courtyard patio.

The California-inspired menu from Chef Ben Goodnick highlights seasonal specialties made from scratch with locally sourced produce and fresh ingredients, along with market-driven pasta, artisan pizzas, and antipasti.

Did you know that you can use Lettuce gift cards for carryout and delivery? Just place your order through Lettuce website, the LettuceEats app or any Lettuce restaurant website.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jan 26, 2023

11:30 PM

Booked 305 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(773) 634-4100

Other options

Order online

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
American, Californian
Hours of operation
Mon–Wed 11:00 am–9:00 pm Thu, Fri 11:00 am–10:00 pm Sat 9:00 am–10:00 pm Sun 9:00 am–9:00 pm
Phone number
(773) 634-4100
Website
https://www.summerhouserestaurants.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Divisional Chef Ben Goodnick
Catering
Located in the heart of Lincoln Park, Summer House features a menu that spotlights locally sourced produce & ingredients. Contact us to learn about safe indoor private party dining options perfect for weddings / receptions, bridal & baby showers, family gatherings, birthdays, daytime lunches, corporate events & more! Summer House also offers large cookie/bakery orders, perfect for when you want to host events at home & offer a special treat for your guests! To inquire about private parties or off-premise catering, call our Catering Department at (773) 634-4100.
Private party facilities
Host your next event at Summer House Santa Monica! The restaurant is designed to evoke the atmosphere of a summer beach house with warm tones and a large glass ceiling positioned directly over the dining room creating the perfect ambiance for socializing & celebrating.
Private party contact
Trishie Schweinfurth: (773) 634-4100

Location
1954 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
Neighborhood
Lincoln Park
Cross street
Armitage
Parking details
Free and paid street parking is available on Halsted, and around the corner along Armitage. Valet parking is available for $15 cash
Public transit
Just southeast of the Armitage stop on the Brown Line. Halsted Bus, Route #8 Armitage Bus, Route #73
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 6,457 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago / Illinois
Most Booked
Chicago
Most Booked

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EP
EPat
Chicago
22 reviews
vip
5.0
22 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service and cocktails
C
Ck234
Chicago
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great Brunch!
BE
BigEater
Chicago
19 reviews
vip
2.0
19 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall2food3service5ambience4
We were seated 45 minutes after our reservation and they were already out of two items on the menu before 11:30a. Our server was fantastic and the hostess was very nice, but the restaurant really dropped the ball on that one.
f
fjordalaura
Chicago
10 reviews
vip
3.0
10 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall3food4service2ambience3
I hate to give negative review but this time they really deserved it . They overcharged me good thing i looked at the bill closely. The waiter was rushing me. I saw they charged for the restaurant week me $59 and again for the fish( mahi mahi)Same thing for my friend. He went talked to his boss no apologized but just fix d the bill. Can not believe. Took 1 hour for the waiter to come to get the order.
TP
TanyaP
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Super food and fun atmosphere- has it all! We had great service and will look forward to dining there again soon.
LK
LarryK
Chicago
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Nice upbeat atmosphere for a break from the gray winter. Great food and service. The Lettuce brand impresses again.
D
Denniss
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very good food, excellent service.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall4food5service4ambience5
It took us a while to get seated and it was way too loud. Other than that it was great!! Food was good!
J
Jojo
Washington DC
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
It took a while to get our table even with the reservation, but the food was great! I would get the lemon blueberry muffin again and the breakfast sandwich. The cookie to go was a nice bonus.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food is always delicious and the wait staff is amazing! Can’t recommend it high enough 😃
LB
LBK23
Chicago
6 reviews
vip
4.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall4food5service5ambience5
Very nice but too noisy. It was late lunchtime on a Friday, but it was fully reserved. Almost had to shout throughout the whole meal. Also, one in our party had a specific meal request that was not entirely fulfilled due to some lack of communication, but it got resolved quickly. Our server was very good.
IM
IremM
New York Area
2 reviews
vip
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 19, 2023
overall3food1service4ambience4
They constantly tweak the food portions. To give an example the shishito pepper dish was layered with arugula and had about 10 shishitos on it. The salmon addition to the salad was burnt. The food quality has gone down significantly. The only great thing about the place is the location which is the only reason we went there in the first place but this will be our last visit...
LS
LindaS
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The ambiance was so beautiful and had a great vibe. The food, our cocktails and the cookie were all delicious. Our waiter was so helpful and friendly. I couldn’t have been happier.
r
rndmdnr
Chicago
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on January 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Casual and fun place. Refreshing experience of summertime atmosphere in the winter at the time of our most recent visit.
KW
KarynW
Chicago
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2023
overall3food2service1ambience4
Extremely disappointing on every level, which is a shame as Sumner House has always been our go to. After today, it will not be anymore. . My friend and I each ordered Cobb salads with chicken and I ordered an iced tea. Our waiter never came back to the table after taking our order yet he walked by our table numerous times during the course of our lunch and never made eye contact.. My ice tea was empty, never offered a refill. Our salads, which are always our go to, tasted off and whereas chicken was once included in the salad, it’s now extra. Our bill for 2 salads and 1 iced tea came to $69 before tip!! Horrible service and insane prices. We will not be returning.. Incredibly disappointing, to say the least..
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was Amazing!!
CB
CB7575
Chicago
14 reviews
vip
3.0
14 reviews
Dined on January 17, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience3
I love SHSM and dine here often, but the food on a Monday evening was definitely sub-par. I think they have their B Team on a Monday. The steak was burned on the outside and VERY well-done on the inside (we ordered medium-well). The fries were cold and hard. The chicken paillard was tough (which is hard to do with pounded chicken), and there was so much pepper on it that it was inedible. The normally-perfect pizza was overcooked, the crust was thinner than normal and therefore too tough, and it came out cold. The chocolate cake with fresh cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream was great though. I’ll be back, just not on a Monday evening.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on January 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was busy. We had Napa Valley burgers with sweet potato fries, baked beans. Food was excellent. Service is always great.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
7 reviews
vip
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall4food3service4ambience4
Lovely luncheon. Service was great. Food mostly good. Cocktail was average.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall2food4service1ambience5
We showed up 10 minutes late and they gave our table away and then when we did get a table the service was incredibly slow
BP
BrunchPrincess32
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic place and beautiful place to take pictures
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
My first visit time here for Sunday brunch. Wow, this place is busy. We had a reservation and it was delayed about 25 minutes, which was fine as we had a drink at the bar. It’s very popular and equally loud and lots going on, so if you want a lot of activity this is your place. The waiter was clearly very busy and could have been a bit more interested but that was ‘ok’ too. I will say the bartender was far better than the waiter. We both had the same Mexican egg dish - I guess not so memorable, since it’s been a day since brunch and I don’t remember the details. Lol. I’ll check out other Chicago brunch places before returning to this hectic restaurant.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a great time. Get the barrata back though!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Indiana
1 review
vip
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
Had a reservation and took 30 min to be seated. Rushed experience as we coordinated the reservation for a pre-show dinner.
C
Christopher
Chicago
26 reviews
vip
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on January 15, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Great experience overall!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing service, drinks, and food! I’ve already reserved another day to go back.
DL
DandLuv2Eat
Las Vegas
10 reviews
3.0
10 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience4
Upon entering, it was clear to see the appeal of Summer House. The bright, summer atmosphere & beachy theme is a respite in January in Chicago We had a 1p reservation for 4 & arrived 10 minutes early. Told it w/b 10 to 15 minutes, which was reasonable, given the crowd. We happily waited in the bar, ordered a glass of chard, two glasses of sparking rosé, a Bud light @ $100 w/ tip. We were seated at 1:20p, Not in a rush and came prepared for an extra wait based upon our feedback research. Server was professional & pleasant also busy given the Sunday rush. Ordered 2 starters: Blistered Shishito Peppers. Nothing special: a handful of grilled peppers over a bed of raw arugula w lemon wedge. Lacked seasoning; not dressed in any way. Order something else. Starter 2: Chips & Caramelized Onion Dip. Dip was good-- both tablespoons of it. So were the chips (house made?) but less than 12 of them for 4 people. Seriously? I am not sure it amounted to one whole potato. Sadly, nothing arrived hot. Clearly entrees sat in the window for too long. Flounder w/ Capers & Brown Butter, substituted spinach w/ potato latke. When hubs noted the latke's over-doneness (blatantly obvious), he was offered a substitute. Requested a fresh one that was not black & hard, were told that they were premade --all were like that. Flatbread w/Burrata & Salumi - good crust. Tasted fine. Was only slightly warm. Avocado Toast w/ Poached Egg was fine (barely warm). The truffle fries were flat-out cold. My Yellow Tuna Poke Nachos were the best choice (no cooking required). It may have had 2 ounces of tuna, Desserts are limited but both the Sea Salt Chocolate Chip & Chocolate Cake were delicious. Been wanting to come here for years. So now Summer House has been checked off the list...permanently. You will find better food & value elsewhere, particularly given the added 3% to cover other operating costs.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall3food5service3ambience5
I really love the food here! I’ve been many times, and am always impressed. However today when we went the restaurant was so overbooked, we waited 45 mins before being seated for our reservation
L
Layra529
Chicago
1 review
vip
4.0
1 review
Dined on January 14, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Freezing in the main room!
JK
JenniK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 13, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Food was great - service was ok - a little disappointed that the reservation asked asked if there was anything special and I put down birthday but nothing was acknowledged until I had to tell the server at the end. He was very nice about it but I didn’t think I had to tell him. Overall, it was gorgeous inside and food was very good for the price!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great waiter. Food was delicious as always! Guaranteed to have a wonderful time.
MH
MarilynH
Chicago
17 reviews
vip
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A great find! The food was unique and delicious.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on January 10, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience5
The food was fine. I had a Napa Valley burger with fries and it was good tasting, but nothing to write home about. The fries were a little over cooked. My fiancée had the fish and chips and said the fish was good but had the same comment about the fries. My mom had the crispy chicken sandwich and appeared to enjoy it. We also had the Ensenada which was really good, but could’ve used another cracker or two. We also each got a cookie which were quite large for their price and were also very delicious. Our server was very nice, but we didn’t see her very often. I don’t like complaining about service, but we sat for quite awhile in between ordering drinks/appetizer and our meal and then waited for quite awhile to pay our check. They didn’t appear to be short staffed, but maybe I missed something. The bathrooms were very clean and I appreciated the monogrammed hand towels. The main dining room was also very beautiful looking. The music they played wasn’t too loud and was good.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing service/ waitress:)
d
dale
Chicago
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on January 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always like to get the Gluten Free Pizza here...the best!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall2food1service5ambience2
Summer House food quality has gone done by like 200%
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall2food2service1ambience3
Summer House Santa Monica is always mediocre and leaves much to be desired. The service is bad and the food is average at best. I genuinely do not understand the infatuation with this place. I usually try it once per year in the off chance that maybe they have improved and each year I am always reminded of why I never come back.
W
Wheresdessert
Minneapolis
55 reviews
vip
5.0
55 reviews
Dined on January 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great brunch spot!
VA
VA2003
Chicago
33 reviews
4.0
33 reviews
Dined on January 7, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
This is my second time at this restaurant. Went with husband and another couple. Disappointed that on a Saturday at 1:30 p.m. we have to order from the brunch menu. The other three people were happy with what they got although they preferred the broader menu. I order pepperoni pizza and it was disappointing. I do not recommend that pizza.
AY
AlanaY
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved the vibe and the service between the server, busboy, and food runner was impeccable!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from Summer House Santa Monica using the Order Online button. Summer House Santa Monica also offers delivery in partnership with Chow Now and Uber Eats. Summer House Santa Monica also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (773) 634-4100.

Summer House Santa Monica is rated 4.7 stars by 6457 OpenTable diners.