best Holiday decorations + great food

Am looking for the restaurant with the most elegant holiday decorations coupled with great food.....for dinner city not suburbs...music would be a plus but not necessary

I'm not sure elegant is how I would describe them, but the over the top holiday decorations at GNR Winner Marie's Pizza are always interesting. The pizza is great Chicago thin style and, if you go on the right nights, there is a jazz trio. I'm not sure the decorations are up yet. It's best to call ahead.

Marie's Pizza & Liquor
4127 W Lawrence
Chicago, IL
773-725-1812

The Drake has a Dickens' Lunch Buffet during the week before Christmas. The lobby is gorgeous as is the dining room. Santa visits, There are Dickensian Carolers and they parade a faux pig through the dining room.

The food is always outstanding.

I brought an out of town client and her ten year old daughter to lunch yesterday at The Walnut Room in Macys. The place hasnt changed much since I was a kid. My office is a block away but I havent been in years. It served the desired effect of putting a smile on the 10 year olds face after her first unpleasant experience with the legal system.

The tree is already up, but the lines are currently non-existent. In 2 weeks you will wait 2 hours to dine under the tree. This is the quintessential chicago christmas-time dining destination

The food is fine, not great by any means, but if you are interested in full holiday atmosphere before Thanksgiving, they definitely have it going on. With regards to the food. The peach nest, pot pie and field's special are chicago classics that have been on the menu for 50 years. I know you can probably make a better version of the Field's sandwich at home, but at $9.25 it is not a terrible deal. Lobster Bisque was also pretty good.

Even my cold heart was warmed by the tinsel, trim and general pre holiday meriment.

GWiv's photo here of the view from NoMi doesn't show Christmas decorations, but this view should be holiday-tacular around Thanksgiving.

The Berghoff did this as good as it could be done for me, and was an annual tradition for many years. It's hard to assess what the current status is with the expanded menu and reduced hours.

Anyone know if they're decorating this year, and if any of the new menu items during the hours the place is actually open these days are any good? Or if they still have my sauerbraten with spaetzle?

I am a Chicago ex-pat heading home for the Christmas holidays and would like to find some warm & nicely decorated or some retro/kichie or immenseley decorated places for lunch & dinner. I am aware of many of the great dinning spots from top notch to holes in the wall, some thanks to those of you on this site. For this trip I would really like to dine in the spirit of Christmas as often as possible.
Please identify those places that you think really do a great job of holiday decorating,
as long as the food is good !
Thanks & Merry Christmas- Happy holidays

Hi,

On Saturday evening, Rene G and I were in a bar in Hammond talking about restaurants with locals. They mentioned a place south of Hammond, maybe 40 miles south from their description, with great food and outstanding holiday decorations located along a river. Everyone present really liked the place.

Marti's Place-Ramsey's Landing
www.martisplace.com
17519 N 700 W
Hebron, IN 46341
(219) 996-3363

I second the Walnut room. The food was nothing crazy, but definitely fine and hearty. For lunch, I had a decent lobster bisque, which had chunks of lobster in it, and my husband had a pot roast that looked more than passable, which he proclaimed as good. We did have a service snafu, as the waiter made a snarky, out of bounds comment to me when I inquired when we could expect our meals (several diners who ordered after us received their meals and we were still waiting). However, I spoke with the manager about it, who accepted full responsibility and comped our meals, which was absolutely above and beyond. We certainly weren't hoping for anything, but I feel you should judge a place in part, when there's an issue, on how responsive they are to remedying the situation.

The decorations are lovely and the room just put me in good cheer. The holiday frenzy, however, has already kicked in. At 1:00, there is a massive line of holiday shoppers and visitors. However, one of the employees directing the herd into the line cued us in to the wine bar option to dine. Seating is open and there is usually no wait, he said. Same view, same food.

just came from Vivo. 0n W. Randolph...very nice decorations, soul music and good food....I think I have answered my own questions....