Review date: April 21, 2026
Crush
Address: 201 Broadway St #200, Chico, CA 95928, United States
Coordinates: 39.7296982, -121.8407471
Review
For my daughter’s birthday, she chose Crush in Chico, and as first impressions go… this one made a strong entrance.
You step inside and head upstairs, and suddenly the outside world is forgotten. It’s its own little realm holding court in the heart of Chico. It is warm, inviting, and has plenty of seating, with a full cast of attentive staff, and decor that doesn’t shout “Italian!” from the rooftops, but is very hipster whispering with confidence.
We opened with the lamb appetizer, and I’ll admit this with measured humility… it rivaled my own. Tender, well-seasoned, and not a trace of that gamey nonsense. The Brussels sprouts followed suit, crisped just right, delivering that perfect bite between char and flavor. The bread and dipping combo? Let’s just say restraint was not my strong suit.
A few pizzas passed by like temptation itself, and every one of us took notice. Plans were made… our future visit in the works.
For the mains, the birthday girl claimed the ribeye, and it arrived exactly as it should… cooked to perfection, with potatoes that could quietly steal the show if you weren’t paying attention. Her boyfriend and I, in a moment of questionable maturity, settled our fate with Rochambeau. He emerged victorious and took the crispy chicken breast with gnocchi, a dish generous enough to test even a committed appetite. I went with the short rib ragu, rich and comforting, the kind of plate that doesn’t need explaining.
The drink selection holds its own, and the dessert menu read like a final act worth staying for… but we were defeated in the best possible way and bowed out early.
Service never missed a beat. Present, attentive, and smooth from start to finish.
Parking, as with most things in downtown Chico, requires a bit of patience and perhaps a small offering to the parking gods. But once inside, it’s quickly forgotten.
All told, a night well spent. Good food, good company, and a place that knows exactly what it’s doing without needing to announce it. We’ll be back… if only to answer the question those passing pizzas left behind.
Additional Google review details
- Price per person: $30–40
- Food: 4/5
- Service: 5/5
- Atmosphere: 5/5
- Noise level: Moderate noise
- Group size: Suitable for all group sizes
- Seating type: Indoor dining area, Bar area, Booth seating, Private dining room
- Recommendation for vegetarians: Somewhat recommend
- Vegetarian offerings: Clearly labeled vegetarian dishes
- Vegetarian options: I would imagine most anything could’ve been made vegetarian
- Dietary restrictions: They had options for different diets
- Parking space: Difficult to find parking
- Parking options: Free parking lot, Paid parking lot, Paid street parking
- Kid-friendliness: Somewhat kid friendly it’s a bit more upscale, but they did have some larger dining rooms out of the way where there were more children
- Wheelchair accessibility: While there was a lot of space, the elevator might be a bit challenging
- Can you share more about these topics?: Vegetarian options, Dietary restrictions, Parking, Kid-friendliness, Wheelchair accessibility