Giant - Gastropub in Chicago - 3209 W Armitage Ave, USA

We have had Giant on our list for awhile (thanks to outstanding meals at chef special cocktail bar). Overall the experience was good but not amazing. We started with the maple butter biscuit and trout. Both of which were excellent and left us waiting to be excited for more. The pastas for us were both lacking the same wow. The tagliatelle was good, but at $36 and a very small amount of crab it missed the mark a bit. It was easy to find the Eastern European influence in the dumplings which reminded me of pelmini or periego, and didn’t really stand out from all the others I’ve eaten. Overall Giant is worth trying, but probably won’t being going down as an all-time favorite. (4.3/5)

Tables are uncomfortably close together - not the place if you’re looking for something intimate. Place is loud and it’s hard to hear each other. Service was great, though. For two people we ordered: Jalapeño biscuit Japanese eggplant Onion rings Broccoli Tagliatelle crab pasta All were great, though portions are super small for the price. If you’re trying to get full be prepared to rack up a bill. Our least favorite was crab pasta - it was salty and had little crab in it. The highlight was the dessert, which had chocolate cake, peanut, ice cream, and chocolate syrup. We devoured it.

Giant was a really unique experience. The staff were friendly and the service was great. The food was paced well and the flavors were varied and complimentary. The cocktails were tasty, especially the extended stay and the nice chais one. My favorite dish of what we had was the broccoli and the flank steak. The carrots are on the sweeter side as a dish. The flank steak I think was my top pick. My only complaint and why I gave it 4 stars is because the amount of oil in each dish was really heavy for my taste. I think it’s possible to get the same great flavors without my plate swimming in oil. If I could give a 4.5, I’d give that rating.

Giant is a cozy and vibrant restaurant with a down-to-earth staff. The server suggested us to order 2-3 plates per person. We got (1)Japanese eggplant (2)Onion rings (3)Scallops (4)Tagliatelle (5)Swordfish. Rating 1>2>5>3=4 1) Japanese eggplant is a must-get from here. The eggplant taste like meat and the pancakes that come out with it is on point. 2) Onion rings - crunchy and the sauce is tangy. 3) Scallops were bitter for my taste. 4) Tagliatelle were overly salty for my taste. 5) Swordfish - the olive oil and the vegetables were fresh and complimented the swordfish well. The tables were really close to one another and slightly claustrophobic. For two people, we spent about $130(excluding tips). I’m from the south so I crave sweet tea when I eat. The server made sweet tea for me (tea, lemon and simple syrup), and it was so sweet.

Giant is incredible. I happened upon it when another chef recommended it back in 2016. My husband and I had just had our first baby. Giant was our first date night out. It was so spectacular we couldn’t wait to go again. We rotated bringing different groups of friends and everyone loved it. The food isn’t just geared towards foodies and it’s far from basic. The ingredients are familiar but with unique twists and they’re all done to perfection. Over the years the menu has had changes but staples remain the same which is nostalgic for long time patrons like myself. The food, ambiance and service at Giant is exceptional and likely to result in additional visits. I don’t know the owner, but have run into him there several times. His thoughtfulness has contributed to many fond memories over the years. Beyond that, Giant supports local schools and communities as well as other nonprofit organizations. It’s a very special restaurant, I highly recommend it.

Amazing, amazing food in tapas style. Got the broccoli, eggplant, flank steak and pasta. Everything was 11/10. Highly recommend!

Great restaurant! Cool atmosphere and even better food. One of the first restaurants I ever ate at in Chicago. Been going consistently for years! Also, they do this cool thing that they charge a small fee to give their staff health insurance! How cool is it for service industry people to be able to afford health care! Will be coming back for sure!

Some of the dishes were out of this world (highly recommend each person get a trout roe) and other dishes were too salty, which ruined them. Our server was really great but we could see the hostess seating other people and rolling her eyes after turning her back on them. The drink list was great. The space is not size inclusive, the tables are crammed together. I also doubt there is room for differently abled persons to get seated or get through to the bathroom if they used a wheelchair or had other mobility assistance they used. I would go back after a year or two and hope they get rid of the person over salting, the hostess who clearly doesn’t want to be there and they open up the space a bit to be more inclusive. Otherwise, I’d just order the trout roe and cheese blintz to go.