Nora

Chicago, Illinois – Streeterville

Lunch – Late Spring 2025

Final Dane Score: 3.2 — Mixed.

Nice space, uncertain direction.

Nora occupies an enviable corner plot near Northwestern’s downtown campus and the light-traffic stretch of Streeterville, a district that could benefit from thoughtful dining concepts. The space delivers on first impression: modern, sunlit, and quietly Mediterranean in tone

But tone doesn't equate to direction. Nora presents as part elegant café, part Mediterranean lunch counter. Its menu draws from the coastal flavors of Sardinia, with a suckling pork, bone-in lamb shank, seafood, and house-made oils instead of butter, yet everything is dressed in a chic Seattle-like serenity. It’s lovely. It just doesn’t lean into any one identity.

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The Meal

Nora Salad

The Nora Salad

On paper: baby romaine, spinach, tomatoes, cucumber, pickled onion, almonds, olives, baked goat cheese, citronette, and balsamic. On the plate: a rough toss, frigid goat cheese, and off ratios. The dish felt like elements tossed together, not composed. Each ingredient functions in isolation rather than in harmony. At café-pricing, that kind of execution misses the mark.

Oxtail Rigatoni

A better dish. Tender, adequately-seasoned oxtail braise over rigatoni, rounded with pecorino Toscano. This was more satisfying, an island of confidence amid otherwise shaky territory. Other dishes exist and are edible, but few land with clarity. Execution feels aimless when ambition is high.

The Drinks

The wine list strikes a note of meh. It’s clean, simple, but basic. Nothing adventurous, nothing resonant. Just safe space filler. For a restaurant with upscale presentation and not-quite-upscale delivery, the drinks menu feels like a missed opportunity.

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The Service and Experience

The service was somewhere between friendly and disinterested. On more than one occasion, I noticed inconsistent attentiveness. The water glasses stayed empty longer than they should, and some staff seemed decidedly more knowledgeable than others. In a polished room with polished prices, order and flow matter.

Nora is easy to like. It has a cozy bar vibe, Mediterranean energy, good location, but hard to recommend. The restaurant’s own narrative emphasizes Mediterranean fusion rooted in Sardinian tradition. Sadly, the execution falls somewhere between café and who-knows-what, leaving the concept hanging. It’s totally workable for an uncomplicated lunch or a quiet aperitivo. But for a fully committed, memorable meal? You’ll find far more satisfying kitchens in this city.

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The Dane Standard

Category Score

Palate 3.2

Atmosphere 4.0

Service 2.8

Identity 2.8

Final Score 3.2 – Mixed.

Nora looks the part, but she hasn’t written her script yet. The set design is winning. The meal, at times, is steady. But to elevate, the restaurant needs to choose an identity and commit. Until then, it remains a place that’s pleasant enough but not memorable.