We celebrated my son’s birthday the same way we have for a while now, at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant in Morton Grove. It’s one of his favorite restaurants, and in our house, the birthday kid picks. Now, I know Cooper’s Hawk is more of a local chain with a ton of locations, but I’ve never actually written about it, so I figured it was time to give my honest take.
Cooper’s Hawk Morton Grove at a Glance
- Where: 6731 Dempster Street, Morton Grove, IL 60053
- Price: $$$ (appetizers about $16-20, entrees about $25-47)
- Vibe: Upscale casual, booths, an open kitchen window, and a busy wine tasting bar up front
- Order: Keaton’s Spaghetti & House-Made Meatballs, Filet Mignon, Chicken Potstickers
- Also good: Sweet Chili Calamari, Ellie’s Chicken Piccata, Kids Filet Medallions
- Skip: Nothing we ordered. Just politely skip the wine club if you don’t drink wine.
- Good for: Birthdays, family dinners, date night, wine people and non-wine people alike
What Is Cooper’s Hawk, Anyway?
If you’ve never been, the whole concept at Cooper’s Hawk is wine. Tim McEnery opened the first one in Orland Park back in October 2005, and according to the company, he started out as the only winemaker, with 11 wines and a single tank. It was the first place in Illinois to put a winery and a restaurant under the same roof. Today they make around 60 different wines at a big production facility in Woodridge, release a new Wine of the Month every month, and have grown to roughly 70 restaurants across a bunch of states. In 2019 Ares Management bought the company in a deal reported at around $700 million. So yeah, “local chain” might be underselling it a little.
The thing most people know about is the Wine Club. It’s billed as the largest wine club in the country, with more than 600,000 members at last count, and members get a monthly bottle, discounts, dining rewards, and member-only events. If you’re a wine person, it’s probably a solid deal.
We are not wine people. I ordered a margarita. So when our server gave us the wine club pitch, we politely passed. She was super nice about it, no pressure at all, and she even brought us a small taste of the current Wine of the Month to try anyway. That’s exactly how you handle a “no thanks.” Every server has to give the spiel to every table, and it’s over in about thirty seconds, which was fine by us.
The Restaurant
I won’t spend much time on the look of the place, because it’s pretty normal. Booths and chairs, an open window looking into the kitchen, a full bar in the back, and a separate bar up front for wine tastings. The tasting bar was packed when we walked in. There were even a few people doing a wine tasting with their kids in tow, which I found a little odd, but whatever. To be fair, we had our kids too, but we were there to eat dinner, not knock back a flight of reds.
It’s a little more upscale than your typical neighborhood restaurant. Not jacket-required fancy, but definitely a step up from a place with a laminated menu. Jeans are fine, and a birthday is the perfect excuse. Dining reservations are recommended (wine tastings are walk-in only), and on a weekend night I’d book ahead.
Appetizer: Sweet Chili Calamari ($19.99)
Since it was my son’s birthday, he got to pick the appetizer. Normally we get the Chicken Potstickers ($17.99), which come with a sweet and spicy mustard and a ginger soy sauce, and they are absolutely delicious. I’d recommend them to anyone. But this time he wanted the calamari, and the birthday kid gets what he wants.
I don’t think we’d ever ordered the calamari here, and it was better than I was expecting. The menu lists it with a ponzu glaze, cilantro, and a sesame-sriracha aioli. The kids wanted the sweet chili sauce on the side, but after trying it, we all agreed it could have gone right on top and been perfect. Despite having “chili” in the name, it’s not spicy at all. It’s a lot sweeter than I expected, in a good way.
The calamari itself was lightly breaded and did not taste like it came out of a frozen bag (it might have, I have no idea, but it sure didn’t taste like it). Light, crispy, and tender. We’d definitely order it again. If you can only get one appetizer, the potstickers are still the move, but the calamari is an easy recommend.
Ellie’s Chicken Piccata ($26.99)
My wife went with Ellie’s Chicken Piccata, which is chicken in a lemon butter caper sauce over capellini pasta. It came out with lemon slices and plenty of capers on top, and the sauce coats that thin pasta the way it’s supposed to. I’m not sure if this is her usual order here, but she enjoyed it and said she’d definitely get it again. Solid pick if you want something a little lighter than a steak or a pile of meatballs.
Filet Mignon ($46.99)
My son, for his birthday, went with the full adult order of the Filet Mignon. He’s been on a steak kick lately, and this was all he could talk about for days leading up to his birthday. It’s an 8 oz. filet with steak butter, crispy onion strings, grilled broccoli, and your choice of side. He went with Mary’s Potatoes, which are their whipped potatoes with butter and cream.
He cleaned his plate completely. Not a scrap left. He loved every bite of the steak and the potatoes. The filet had a nice pink center and a good sear on the outside, and the onion strings add a little crunch. At almost $47 it’s the priciest thing we ordered, but it’s a birthday steak, and it hit the way it’s supposed to. If you’re a mashed potato person, I’ve got my own take on the best mashed potatoes I’ve ever had, but Mary’s Potatoes hold their own.
Kids Filet Medallions
Not to be outdone by her brother, my daughter went with the Kids Filet Medallions, which came with fries and a little cup of fresh fruit. Here’s the thing: when the plate came out, the medallions looked small. Once I cut them up for her, though, it was a lot of meat, and she enjoyed every bit of it. At almost half the price of the adult filet, it’s definitely worth it. If you’ve got a kid who likes steak, this is the move.
Keaton’s Spaghetti & House-Made Meatballs ($24.99)
To round out the table, I went with Keaton’s Spaghetti & House-Made Meatballs, which is what I always get here. It’s actually bucatini, the thicker pasta with a hole through the middle, in a rich tomato bolognese with house-made meatballs, burrata dolce, basil, and extra virgin olive oil. It’s absolutely delicious.
I’ll be honest, I don’t always love the amount of burrata they pile on top. It’s a lot. My system is to scrape most of it to the side and work a little bit into every bite, and that’s what makes this my go-to every single time we’re here. The meatballs are tender, the sauce is hearty, and the portion is generous. I’d reorder this without thinking twice. Clearly, since I do it every time.
The Kiddie Cocktail Tradition
Here’s my theory on why my kids love Cooper’s Hawk so much. This was the first place they ever ordered a Kiddie Cocktail, and for a long time they had no idea that every other restaurant we go to also has grenadine and Sprite. They genuinely thought it was a Cooper’s Hawk specialty.
They obviously know better now. But because of that first visit, it’s become a tradition in our family: birthdays mean Cooper’s Hawk. As far as birthday traditions go, I could do a lot worse.
The Verdict
Overall, whether you like wine or don’t, if you want something a little more upscale than your typical American restaurant, Cooper’s Hawk is a great pick. The menu covers a lot of ground, from steaks to Italian pastas to Asian-inspired appetizers like those potstickers, the portions are generous, the service is friendly, and the wine club pitch is painless. Make a reservation, start with the potstickers (or the calamari), and get the Keaton’s meatballs. If you’re looking for something more casual in town, Las Fuentes is another Morton Grove spot worth your attention, and for a birthday with a little more going on, Pinstripes in Northbrook throws in bocce with dinner. We’ll definitely be back. Probably on the next birthday.
AntiFoodie Rating: 8.5/10
Cooper’s Hawk Morton Grove FAQ
Do you have to like wine to enjoy Cooper’s Hawk?
Not at all. We don’t really drink wine and we still love it. The food menu stands on its own, and there’s a full bar, so ordering a margarita is no problem.
Is Cooper’s Hawk kid friendly?
Yes. There’s a kids menu with real options like the Filet Medallions, and the Kiddie Cocktail is a big hit with our kids. It’s a little upscale, but nobody blinks at a family dinner.
Do you need a reservation at Cooper’s Hawk in Morton Grove?
Dining reservations are recommended, especially on weekends. Wine tastings are walk-in only, and the tasting bar up front was packed when we went.
Is the Cooper’s Hawk Wine Club worth it?
If you drink wine regularly, it’s probably a good deal, with a monthly bottle, discounts, and dining rewards. We passed, and our server was totally fine with it.
What should you order at Cooper’s Hawk?
Start with the Chicken Potstickers, then get Keaton’s Spaghetti and House-Made Meatballs. If you’re a steak person, the Filet Mignon is worth the splurge.
