Chicago experts! where would you take your college kid for a treat dinner? We will be in town for a weekend visit…
Hub 51. RPM Steakhouse, Summerhouse Santa Monica, Sienna Tavern , Piccolo Songo
I am not a local but S1 moved to Chicago 15 months ago and he is a big foodie! We recently visited and we went to the Girl and the Goat-excellent! Reserve early as tables are tough to come by.
Gibsons Steakhouse near O’Hare airport has gigantic portions and tasty steaks. H and I split a “small” steak. The Gibsons are also huge–doubles. The carrot cake gets you 1/4 of an enoumous cake! It was great food. The mixed veggie platter could easily provideprovide sided for 5 hungry folks. Come famished or plan on taking home food.
Second The Girl and the Goat, also MK, Frontera Grill, The Bristol,
The student is at U Chicago I believe - in which case a location near O’Hare may be less appealing vs one downtown.
Well, there is a great steak place on the river, Bennigan’s I believe. South Water Kitchen at Monacco Hotel had great food. The Chicago Art Institute has a nice fine dining restaurant as well. It all depends on what is desired.
My kids are both UChicago alums, and one has been living in Chicago for four years since graduation. He recently told me his top 5 Chicago meals had been Moto (whose founder committed suicide a few months ago), Avenues (no longer in existence), Charlie Trotter’s (also gone), iNG (also gone), and Fat Rice (which is a relatively cheap Macanese place he and many other foodies love). His sister is going back to Chicago for one weekend, and her must-have meal will be at Lula Cafe.
Lula is also the restaurant I have liked most in Chicago; my wife (who spent a whole lot more time there than I did, since she worked two years recently for an organization based there) would say Moto, where I have never been. Lula is a step down in fanciness from Moto. Lula is a farm-to-table menu with relatively simple food; Moto is representative of Chicago’s love affair with what used to be called (but isn’t anymore) molecular gastronomy.
All of them would second The Girl And The Goat and Frontera Grill. Also Blackbird, Everest, Owen & Engine, and Longman & Eagle The place none of us has eaten, but everyone would like to try, is Schwa. We have all been to Alinea, and no one is clamoring to go back, but it was certainly fun if you didn’t think about the price.
We recently ate at Girl and the Goat. Fantastic! I can’t wait to return.
This is fun, son has taken many guests there, his first business dinner outing was here four years ago.
http://www.cafebabareeba.com/#!food
Thanks for all the great suggestions! Looking forward to trying them over this & coming trips. Alas, Girl & Goat is booked for this time…
And when you don’t want to leave Hyde Park, A10, Yusho, and the Promentory have upped the dining game in that area of town!
For sushi, my D loves Sunda.
Enjoy Girl and the Goat! Another I would add is North Pond in Lincoln Park - pretty setting in the Fall.