avec West Loop

avec West Loop at 615 W Randolph Street is a Mediterranean restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, and a long-standing fixture of the West Loop dining scene. The restaurant is part of the One Off Hospitality group associated with chef Paul Kahan and became known for a format that was unusual in Chicago when it opened: a narrow, wood-lined room with communal tables and seating along the kitchen and bar, where diners share space with strangers. The cuisine is Mediterranean and built around small plates intended to be shared, with a strong emphasis on wood-fired cooking. The signature dish is the chorizo-stuffed medjool dates, a sweet and savory plate that has remained on the menu for years and is the first thing many regulars order. Wood-fired flatbreads and a rotating selection of small plates round out the offering, and the menu changes seasonally. The dining room is intimate in scale, loud and convivial, and the bar is a destination for diners who want wine with a lighter meal; the wine list leans toward Mediterranean regions and is a strength of the restaurant. There is no dress code and the atmosphere is casual despite the quality of the cooking. Service runs for lunch Monday to Friday from 11AM to 2PM, dinner Sunday to Thursday from 3:30PM to 10PM and Friday and Saturday from 3:30PM to 11PM, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10AM to 2PM. Reservations are recommended for dinner, and the communal tables mean parties of any size are seated together with other guests when the restaurant is full. Lunch and weekend brunch are generally easier to secure than prime dinner times. Prices are upper-moderate for the West Loop, with plates priced to be ordered in multiples. The restaurant sits close to other Randolph Street dining spots, and many visitors combine a drink or a meal here with an evening in the surrounding neighbourhood.