Generally speaking, there are two different ways people approach Chicago Restaurant Week. Some folks already have four very strategic reservations locked down, and others—most of you—love the idea of discounted dining but won’t actually get around to making a reservation. Heck, you might even question whether the lunches and dinners offered during the two-week event, which starts Jan 27 and ends Feb. 9, are actually discounted. Fair. With over 300 participating restaurants and brand new brunches (YES), there’s a lot of ground to cover.
That’s why we did the dirty work for you. After sorting through hundreds of menus, we found the very best deals for lunch, dinner and brunch. Whether you’re looking for a Chicago classic, a fancy new restaurant or that neighborhood gem everyone raves about, it’s all here. The only thing we can’t do is make a reservation for you.
Chicago Restaurant Week runs from Jan. 27-Feb. 9. Menus and availability are subject to change, per usual, but no one’s going to let you leave hungry.
CHICAGO CLASSICS
Boka Restaurant | 1729 N. Halsted St. 312-337-6070
Price: $44 dinner
Highlights: If you haven’t checked this Lincoln Park new-age classic off your list, here’s an excuse to do it on a budget. The four-course tasting menu shows off executive chef Lee Wolen’s seasonal expertise with dishes such as seared scallop with smoked pumpkin and morcilla and slow-roasted pork neck with turnips, prunes and black garlic. Vegetarians are in good hands with options such as toothsome campanelle pasta with goat gouda, kale and mushrooms. Pick from three desserts (we’d go with the black sesame and chocolate) and add on optional wine pairings for $33.
Le Colonial | 937 N. Rush St. 312-255-0088
Price: $22 lunch, $33-$44 dinner
Highlights: Serving Vietnamese cuisine in the Gold Coast for 20 years, Le Colonial has Restaurant Week down pat with lunch and two dinner options. The menus highlight the restaurant’s very best with wok-seared lemongrass chicken with portobello mushrooms and basil-chili sauce and fried spring rolls stuffed with shrimp, pork and Asian mushrooms.
Topolobampo | 445 N. Clark St. 312-661-1434
Price: $22 lunch
Highlights: Spend your lunch hour channeling Rick Bayless at his fine-dining destination in River North. The three-course menu allows diners to pick a starter, main and dessert. Come hungry and enjoy classic ceviche with albacore tuna, fan-favorite carne asada and sopa de frutas for dessert with butternut-vanilla bean sorbet, jonagold apple infused with rosehip liqueur, spiced cherry pearls and sparkling ginger “broth.”
NOTEWORTHY NEWCOMERS
Eden | 1748 W. Lake St. 312-366-2294
Price: $44 dinner
Highlights: The West Loop newbie from the folks behind Paramount Events didn’t waste any time cozying up to Restaurant Week. Craft a unique three-course meal with menu highlights including berbere-spiced lentil and grilled chicken soup, roast pork shoulder and warm apple cake with cinnamon gelato.
El Che Bar | 845 W. Washington Blvd. 312-265-1130
Price: $44 dinner
Highlights: Named one of our best new openings of 2016, this West Loop steakhouse is a perfect pick for date night. The four-course menu highlights the team’s biggest strengths with dishes such as winter vegetable salad with chili-garbanzo puree, charred kale vinaigrette and yuca chips or the head-on prawns with grilled rapini, coal-roasted mojo de ajo and lemon confit. Pro tip: You won’t be disappointed with anything coming off the grill here.
Naoki Sushi | 2300 N. Lincoln Park West 773-868-0002
Price: $44 dinner
Highlights: Another top new restaurant of 2016, this Lincoln Park spot will forever change the way you think about sushi. It’s that good. The set five-course menu (no tough decisions) includes tuna poke salad, a salmon sashimi plate, chef’s selection of maki and nigiri, chashu pork udon noodle and sorbet.
LUXE LUNCHES
Blackbird | 619 W. Randolph St. 312-715-0708
Price: $22 lunch
Highlights: Pick an appetizer, entree and dessert at the West Loop fine dining destination. Let’s be honest: Duck confit with yuzu, heirloom tomato, peppers, soybeans and sorrel is better than anything in that brown bag you packed. Top it off with apple strudel or pecan pie before heading back to your desk. Or put your out of office up and slip into a food coma—we won’t judge.
Cherry Circle Room | 12 S. Michigan Ave. 312-792-3515
Price: $22 lunch
Highlights: You’ll stroll into the gorgeous Chicago Athletic Association Hotel and head upstairs to nosh on a three-course lunch that includes entree options of a smoked turkey sandwich, veggie risotto or fish ‘n’ chips. And who knows, things might get crazy when you toss in optional wine pairings for $20.
Nico Osteria | 1015 N. Rush St. 312-994-7100
Price: $22 lunch
Highlights: Make like a retired millionaire and head to the Gold Coast for a three-course lunch. Salads are on offer up front, and the restaurant’s impeccable pasta selection rounds out the main course with your choice of rigatoni Bolognese or sweet onion tortelloni with slow-roasted tomatoes, Swiss chard and Parmesan.
BEST OF THE BRUNCH
The Duck Inn | 2701 S. Eleanor St. 312-724-8811
Price: $22 brunch
Highlights: Take brunch to Bridgeport with a three-course menu that starts with a housemade granola-packed yogurt parfait and ends with persimmon toffee cake. The hardest choice is picking between an omelette, maple-glazed French toast and duck lyonnaise salad for your main course.
GT Fish & Oyster | 531 N. Wells St. 312-929-3501
Price: $22 brunch
Highlights: The River North seafood joint offers a perfect blend of sweet and savory for those who can’t choose. Highlights on the three-course menu include a sweet crepe tart with pastry cream, chocolate glaze and hazelnut and the crab Benedict with Swiss chard and hollandaise atop an English muffin.
The Kitchen Bistro | 316 N. Clark St. 312-836-1300
Price: $22 brunch
Highlights: Set your sights on housemade pastries, prosciutto Benedict, a stacked burger and Nathan Miller chocolates. The gorgeous restaurant along the river gives guests lots to choose from, making it the perfect brunch option for picky eaters.
HIDDEN GEMS
Demera Ethiopian Restaurant | 4801 N. Broadway 773-334-8787
Price: $22 lunch, $33-$44 dinner
Highlights: Ultimately, Restaurant Week should be about trying something new. If you’ve never dabbled in Ethiopian food, head straight to this Uptown gem for an introductory course. Both lunch and dinner are offered with three courses and are meant to be shared (a steal!). Begin with supple dumplings filled with beef, chicken, tuna, lentil or spinach and then move into the main course, where you can go vegetarian or explore one of four meat options. Adding a bottle of house or honey wine brings your total up to $44.
Presidio | 1749 N. Damen Ave. 773-697-3315
Price: $33 dinner
Highlights: The sexy Bucktown spot is perfect for date night or catching up with friends, and an affordable three-course menu makes it a no-brainer. Starters are a strong suit with choices such as burrata served with honeycomb, toasted pepitas, pickled sultanas and a grilled baguette and polenta topped with mushroom ragout and ricotta salata. Meaty mains include pork milanese, short rib and the fish of the day. Your final decision: vanilla creme brulee with smoked blackberries or chocolate cake served with Branca Menta ice cream. Bonus points: You can’t go wrong with anything off the cocktail menu.
Bistro Campagne | 4518 N. Lincoln Ave. 773-271-6100
Price: $33 dinner
Highlights: Retreat to this quaint neighborhood restaurant for French fare in Lincoln Square. Three courses offer a bevy of traditional bites such as Prince Edward Island mussels, hangar steak with bordelaise sauce and creme brulee.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Intro | 2300 N. Lincoln Park West 773-868-0002
Price: $44 dinner
Highlights: Maybe you’ve never been to the upscale Lincoln Park restaurant. Or maybe you have but it’s been a while. Regardless, you’ll want to venture back for the latest Japanese-Italian trattoria menu from chef Hisanobu Osaka. The first two courses are served family-style with prawn toast, crispy pork belly, Cantonese salmon and Mongolian beef on the docket. Finish on a high note with Mantou doughnuts or mango pudding.
Osteria Langhe | 2824 W. Armitage Ave. 773-661-1582
Price: $33 dinner
Highlights: The cozy Italian eatery in Logan Square offers a steal of a three-course menu. Mains are where it’s at with the choice of pork cheeks or veggie-friendly squash, cauliflower and bell pepper Wellington. Satisfy your sweet tooth with panna cotta or chocolate decadence for dessert, and toss in an optional wine flight for $18.
The Allis | 113-125 N. Green St. 312-521-8000
Price: $22 lunch, $44 dinner
Highlights: Opt for an enchanted three-course lunch with chicken pot pie or a halloumi and charred cauliflower sandwich plus a selection of colorful petite pastries. Or upgrade to dinner, with decadent options such as tuna crudo, beef short rib, banoffee sundae and devil’s food cake.
P.S.—Menus and availability are subject to change, per usual, but no one’s going to let you leave hungry.
@morgancolsen | mcolsen@redeyechicago.com
