Birthday Dinner

I am looking for a romantic dinner spot for a birthday celebration. High end or whatever...what are your most favorite spots?

You need to tell more - what is your idea of romantic, preferred cuisine, location, and how high end is high end. Some people on this board find Little Three Happiness to be the height of romance. Others swoon at Honey 1.

Of the high end restaurants around, Everest nicely combines view and cuisine (but the real view may be sitting across from you!). I find Carlos quite romantic.

Thanks for the tips...so romantic to me is dark, dimly lit and luscious food. Soft music...good wine....
The type of food could be Italian, Spanish, American or other. Nothing pretentious. We have been to Tru and I still laugh at the velvet stool they brought over for my purse...and my laughter is all you could hear in the restaurant. So relaxed is the other description.
Thanks for your help everyone!

Maybe it's a cliché, but when I think romantic, I think of Geja's. Dark, flamenco guitar, excellent wine list, and sharing the cooking ...

Geja's Cafe
340 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago

We ate at Geja's for my birthday once. And yes, nothing says "romance" like a vast pool of cheese.

Last birthday we went to Myron and Phil's for steak. To me, that is the ideal birthday treat, something I have but once a year. Though the atmosphere, in the main dining room at least, is not exactly romantical.

Based on advice from this board, we went to Opera for my last birthday. It was absolutely perfect. The vault tables- which you can request along with your reservation, but they're not guaranteed, are very cool, the service was flawless, and the food was delicious.

Cafe Spiaggia has some great tables set into the windows with outstanding views. One Sixty Blue also has a few tables off by themselves. We did our last anniversary at OSB, told them in advance, and had a great experience.

Vinci has some booths in the back that are pretty cozy and set apart from the rest of the place. They do have good food and wine, the music is usually Italian - mostly opera I think.

Vinci
1732 N. Halsted St.
312-266-1199

1. Kevin-ask for the booth in the back corner of the restaurant
2. Cafe Spaiggia-window seat
3. NoMI-window seat
4. Vivo-Crow's nest table
5. Topolobampo
6. Trotter's-one last time before it closes
7. Aigre Doux-get a booth or don't go. chairs are unbearably painful
8. Japonais-drinks at the fireplace and dinner in the west room.
9. Dorado
10. Tru-see if they bring out the velvet stand for your purse again.

No one mentioned North Pond. It's my favorite for romance. Meets your criteria too. Enjoy.
Cindy

Thoughts on Cafe Lula? And how difficult is it to get into SChWA?

Barbarella wrote:Thoughts on Cafe Lula? And how difficult is it to get into SChWA?

Lula is a very good neighborhood place, I like it very much ... and I can't recommend it for your birthday meal. You seek romantic; Lula is not romantic. It's also not "special" in the way of North Pond or many of the other suggestions floated above. Save Lula for another night.

Cuv opined:

6. Trotter's-one last time before it closes

Wherever did you get the notion that Trotter's is closing?? Please advise.

Since TRotter is saying he'll open up a new place downtown, speculation is he'll close the Lincoln Park place. Pure speculation, as far as I know.

I should say so! Geez, when Mario Batali opens another joint in NYC he sure doesn't close an old one! Plus CT has already said that the new place is going to be markedly different than the original.

I'll believe it when I see it.

So yesterday was the day...and because of the snow...choices were limited. We went down the street to the May Street Cafe...brought a bottle of Meyer Winery Pinot Noir 2004 from our trip to Napa last year and had a lovely romantic meal.
Butternut Squash Soup with cranberries and a hint of cinnomen
Seared Scallops with Lemon Butter and roasted veggies
Spicy shrimp and pasta...


If you have not been, I recomend it.
Thanks for all of your suggestions!

I have only heard rumors and innuendo from my friends in the restaurant biz that CT's could be in it's final year of operation. I hope it stays open forever but if you haven't been in awhile you might want to revisit it...just in case.

If I did not worry about price, I would vote for North Pond. Make sure to ask for a table near the fire place.

Last 2 birthdays I have gone to Sola. It is not the best or most expensive joint in the city but it is "our place". It is excellent food to boot.

sola restaurant

3868 N. Lincoln Ave. @ Byron
Chicago. IL 60613

Trotters is not closing.

Now, Ambria is. And that restaurant is very romantic...perfect match since Ambria is still excellent.