Vela Bar y Cocina
- Dane Chilton
- Aug 7, 2025
- 3 min read
Chicago, Illinois – River North
Dinner with friends – Summer 2025
Final Dane Score: 3.8 — Notable.
Confident in vibe, still finding its flavor.
Vela fits River North like a glove. It's sleek and sceney without being overstated. The lighting is low and the DJ booth hums quietly in the background, adding a pulse to the room without dominating it. The layout is smart too. It is big enough to host energy, small enough to feel curated. It walks that line between lounge and dining room with agility.
You could imagine this concept faltering in Fulton Market, where the bar-forward luxury aesthetic has been copy-pasted into oblivion. But in River North, it works. It feels fresh. Slightly under-the-radar. There's even a bottle menu (clearly intended for late nights) though we didn’t partake. That kind of nod signals Vela’s ambition to be more than just a restaurant. It wants to become a scene.
The Meal
We sampled a range of small plates which, according to the menu, is the structure Vela leans into. The dishes are visually appealing and approachable. That said, not everything landed with full confidence.
We began with theTuna Tostada. Ahi tuna, salsa negra, avocado, and macha aioli. Visually beautiful, texturally off. The aioli clashed with the other flavors, and the tostada lacked integrity, and it folded under the weight. Not a failure, but a confused dish.
Then, the Taco Gobernador. Black tiger shrimp, Oaxaca cheese, and rajas. Strong flavor, soft execution. It tasted good but felt heavy, and the tortilla-to-filling ratio was off. The Wagyu Empanadas were filled with dried wagyu and served with poblano jocoque. The outer texture was nice, but the filling bordered on dry. The flavor profile was solid but needed a richer component or sauce to round it out.
Finally, we had the Tacos al Pastor, with pork, avocado salsa, caramelized pineapple, and onion. This was one of the stronger dishes of the night. Good bite, solid tortilla. Exactly what you want in a modern taco format.
The menu’s ambition is clearly drawing from modern coastal Mexican cuisine with nods to traditional flavors (mole verde, sikil pak, adobo, nixtamalized corn). But sometimes it feels like it’s playing it safe, or layering components that don’t sync. It’s early. Execution just needs a bit more confidence.
The Drinks
The cocktail program is inventive and definitely leans agave-forward. The Cucumber Margarita was smooth, herbal, and refreshing. The Pulparindo (made with watermelon, tamarind, and tajín) leaned sweet but still delivered. More experimental cocktails like the Coco de Oro and La Rivera show ambition, but some could use restraint. The wine list is compact but intelligent: by-the-glass options from Sancerre to California, and a few solid bottle standouts like Caymus, EnRoute Pinot Noir, and an Amarone from Italy for depth. There are innovative selections, reasonably priced for the neighborhood. The beer list keeps things simple and leans local (Casa Humilde) with nods to Mexico.
The Service and Experience
Service was polite and paced well. Not especially memorable, but consistent. The managers were more present than the servers, checking in genuinely and helping keep the flow moving. That balance worked, though as the place finds its identity, the front-of-house team could use a bit more polish. No real complaints here, just room to refine.
Vela isn’t quite a destination yet but it’s on its way. The vibe is dialed in and the food is serviceable with moments of clarity. As of now, it’s the kind of place you go to before you go out or where you’d happily bring a group that wants music and mezcal with their meal. The energy is good. The vision is clear. The food just needs to catch up to the scene it’s trying to host.
The Dane Standard
Category Score
Palate 3.6
Atmosphere 4.3
Service 3.7
Identity 3.7
Final Score 3.8 – Notable.
Vela is stylish and self-aware. It's a mezcal-tinged hangout in a part of town that needs more places like it. With time, it could become one of River North’s best. For now, it’s a worthy evening out... just don’t expect everything on the table to match the energy in the room.
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