Reservation System: Resy
Instagram: @cachechicago
Cache gives off authentic speakeasy energy before you even walk through the door. There is very little about it across social channels, and when you search for Cache, Google Maps does not automatically pull it up. Instead, it defaults to Cache 310, which is a completely different restaurant closer to the Loop. That only added to the intrigue for me. So when my CUF companion and I scored last-minute early reservations on a Friday night, we showed up dressed up and fully ready to kick off the weekend.
The entrance sets the tone immediately. Red velvet ropes, a maître d’ to check in with, and then a locked door that opens to reveal the lower-level space. It feels exclusive in a way that is playful, not forced.
Once inside, the vibe is undeniably sexy. The lighting is dark and moody, there is a striking animal head in the stairwell, and downstairs the whole space feels like opulence meets Parisian lounge. Everything is gold, plush, and cozy, with dim yellow lighting, mirrored ceilings, and furniture that makes the room feel both intimate and glamorous. The mirrored ceiling is an especially smart design choice because it makes the space feel much taller and grander than it actually is.
We sat on a couch near the telephone booth door, which is also where staff moves in and out and where the wine cellar is located. I could see that becoming a challenge when the room is packed later in the evening, but since it was still fairly quiet when we arrived, it did not disrupt the experience too much.
The menu is fairly limited, with maybe around dozen dishes total. It ranges from charcuterie and caviar service to raw fish items and sandwiches. We ordered several things, and for the most part, the food was delicious.
The caviar service and caviar cones were both delightful and, importantly, good quality and well priced. We also ordered the tuna tartare, which was supposed to come with a rice cake. Because of some kitchen confusion, it first arrived with corn tortilla chips, which absolutely did not work with the dish. Eventually, they tracked down the correct rice paper and brought one down. Apparently, the kitchen is located above Cache, and the waitstaff communicates with them via walkie-talkie, which seems to create delays and confusion when something goes wrong or when there are questions about what is and is not available.
The charcuterie platter was huge and a good value for the price, but I would strongly recommend offering it in two sizes: a smaller version and a larger one. As it stands, it is generous to the point of being hard to finish, especially if you are also ordering caviar and other small plates.
The cocktails were excellent, and the champagne and sparkling wine options were also strong. We started with glasses, then ended up committing to a bottle to pair with the caviar and the rest of our meal, which felt exactly right for the setting.
Since Cache has only been open a few weeks, it makes sense that they are still working through some operational kinks. From a design standpoint, they are already doing almost everything right. From a food standpoint, there is not much to critique beyond streamlining communication between the floor and the kitchen, and dialing back the sodium level on the sauce served with the tuna tartare. Otherwise, the food was genuinely enjoyable.
My only other major recommendation would be to stock to-go containers. The charcuterie board was so large that we could not finish it, but the restaurant did not have containers available, which meant perfectly good food had to stay behind.
Overall, Cache gets a Green CUF.
There are a few small things to streamline, and I can see some operational pressure points emerging once the space gets busier than it was when we visited. But the bones are absolutely there. The design is phenomenal, the atmosphere lands in all the right ways, and it already feels like a place with real potential to become a go-to when I want a sexy cocktail-and-champagne lounge moment with a side of caviar.
