Good dining in uptown?

My wife is meeting up with friends next week by the Riviera Theater (around Broadway and Lawrence) to see a concert. She wants to go to dinner, but wants a "slightly" upsale place. That doesn't mean it has to be expensive - just somewhat stylish, etc. And she will take non-Asian places as well. Indie Cafe sounds possible. Any other suggestions?

See my post re: Adria Mare - Adriatic seafood at Broadway & Balmoral (5400 N). BYOB.

Tweet looked very good on Check Please the other day, but I have not tried. I've generally been very happy with Silver Seafood but it's not exactly elegant. Thai Avenue is one of the best Thai places in the city.

Rob

Try Magnolia Cafe on Wilson - delish.

I'd concur with Magnolia, likely the most upscale, stylish place in Uptown. It serves contemporary American.

Magnolia Cafe
773/728-8785
1224 W. Wilson Ave.
Chicago, IL 60640

There are a few good choices around the Montrose/Lincoln intersection. The intersection is not too far from the Riv and has relatively easy parking. Charlie's on Leavitt is a nice, contemporary American restaurant with a sedate, upscale environment and a nice bar. The food is very good (not spectacular) and they have a nice wine list. Across the street on Lincoln is a mediteranean restaurant called Aqualina. Cork is a wine bar, also on Lincoln, which serves small plates. I haven't eaten at either place but they look nice.
Hai Yen is a great Vietnamese restaurant on the 1000 block of Argyle. I wouldn't consider it "upscale" but it's no dive either. They have tableclothes but the service is a little spotty. I really enjoy the banana blossom salad. And their crab dish with carmelized onions...mmmm....

I don't know when it is scheduled to open (or how the food will be), but Agami will be a new sushi place two doors south of Borders--very close to the Riv. I walked by a couple of days ago and the sign was up and paper was off the windows. It looks very close to opening, and appears to be rather swank. Here is the metromix writeup. I'm excited about the addition to the neighborhood--sushi I can walk to (that isn't a mile away)!

4712 N. Broadway
(773) 506-1854

Haven't been there in a while but Frankie J's on Broadway may be worth a try -- funky atmosphere, interesting people (owner/chef Frankie Janisch is a former improv comic, and the place hosts after-dinner comedy shows most evenings either in the dining room or their upstairs theatre), and a quite passable comfort foodish menu of steaks, ribs, pastas, Jack Daniels-glazed salmon, etc. (I think the food is more interesting at Tweet, but it's a long walk from the Riv).

Frankie J's on Broadway
4437 N. Broadway Ave.
Chicago
(773) 769-2959

>>Brent

I've been to Frankie J's several times - the first time it was great, but I think it's gone slowly downhill ever since. I really want to like this place, but the last few times, Frankie was nowhere in sight, and it was evident in the food.

I wonder if all his liquor license problems have caused him to lose some interes in the place.

You might want to try Andersonville. Rioja is a new tapas place in the old Atlantique space on Clark, La Tache is a decent Bistro on Balmoral, and Jin Ju is a more upscale/stylish korean place on Clark just north of Foster.

Thanks for all of your comments! Because I think they want to park around the Riviera before the concert, I think they want to eat within easy walking distance from the theater. Thus it will probably be Magnolia Cafe, Agami or Hai Yen. I'll do a report (through my wife) if anyone wants one.