Ideas for a Nice Romantic Dinner

Hi all! New Member from Dallas here, but I am frequently in the Windy City on Business. We hare having our holiday party next weekend and I will be attending that with my girlfriend, so I'm looking for some suggestions...

My lady and I will be at the Drake from next Friday through Monday..I've been looking at a great "can't forget Chicago" type Dinner.

I was thinking about an Oddesy Cruise, but I wonder if sailing out on 12/14 for dinner will be too cold...which led be to looking at someplace nice like the Everest.

What are you guy's favorite high-end Chicago restraunts and why?

I love those "can't forget Chicago" type dinners, when out-of-town visitors come and I can show them a unique experience they won't get at home. There are several places I like to go.

Everest, which you mentioned, is indeed one of them. The view from the dining room on the 40th Floor of the Midwest Stock Exchange Building looking out at the city is magnificent. Jean Joho's French cuisine is still creative and new, and delicious. The service is the best I have experienced anywhere. It's at the south end of the Loop, about a mile and a half from the Drake. It's dressy (jackets required for gentlemen) and somewhat expensive, although less than many of the other "top tables" in town (figure $150-200/pp including alcohol/tax/tip).

North Pond is another great restaurant for showing off Chicago. North Pond is unique for its location in the middle of Lincoln Park - the park itself, not just the adjacent neighborhood of the same name - two miles north of the Drake. It faces its namesake pond, with the city skyline towering over the opposite shore. The renovated building was formerly the warming shelter for ice skaters on the pond. One of the two dining rooms has full-length windows for the view, but it's special even in the inside room with the open kitchen along one side. The cuisine is contemporary American from James Beard-nominated Chef Bruce Sherman. The attire is business casual and mid-priced (figure $100-125/pp).

The above places have a truly unique location that gives them a "Chicago experience" vibe to them. I also consider them the two most romantic restaurants in the city.

Here are a few more suggestions that are unique but more so for their food rather than their location, and, with the exception of Spiaggia, not quite up with the previous pair on the "romantic" scale.

Alinea is our top high-end restaurant, and was recently named one of the ten best restaurants in the world. The food is the thing here, with the choice of a 12- or 23-course tasting menu, for which dinner will take 3 or 4-5 hours. Each course is something served in a way you've probably never seen before. You can read up about it - my favorite is this cartoon overview - but what you also need to know is that the food is delicious and the experience is fun. It's in Lincoln Park, just over a mile from the Drake. Dressy (jackets) and expensive ($250-400/pp).

Spiaggia is worth considering, too, and not just because it's right across the street from the Drake. It's one of our high-end restaurants, and the only one that is Italian, with cuisine from Tony Mantuano, the President's favorite chef. Even if you don't do Spiaggia for your "show off Chicago" dinner, you might want to consider its sister restaurant next door, Cafe Spiaggia, for lunch (or dinner) during your visit; it's perhaps Chicago's best moderately-priced Italian restaurant. Spiaggia is dressy (jackets) and expensive ($175-250/pp); Cafe Spiaggia is more casual (business casual) and less expensive ($50-100/pp dinner, less for lunch).

Another place I really like is Cafe des Architectes, which is located as part of the curving glass facade on the front of the Sofitel. The cuisine from Chef Martial Noguier is contemporary American with a French accent, and is IMHO the very best casual fine dining restaurant in the city. It's just a few blocks from the Drake. Attire is business casual and it's moderately priced ($75-100/pp).

Finally, there's Topolobampo. Rick Bayless founded it, and its sister restaurant Frontera Grill next door, in the 1980s and put provincial Mexican cuisine on the map in the United States. They are still excellent. Topolobampo is business casual and mid-priced ($100-125/pp) and accepts reservations. Frontera Grill is more casual, and although they accept a few reservations, most of the dining room is held for walk-ins, and waiting times to be seated can be extensive; moderately-priced ($50-100/pp). A bit under a mile from the Drake.

I've heard good things about Sixteen, the restaurant in the new Trump hotel, but I haven't been there. I'm going tomorrow night, so I'll be able to report back here on Thursday if I think it qualifies for your needs.

All of these except Alinea and Frontera Grill (but including Topolobampo) accept reservations on Opentable.com You can search LTH for discussions on them; here are links to the restaurants' own websites:

Everest
North Pond
Alinea
Spiaggia and Cafe Spiaggia (click on "CAFE" for the latter)
Cafe des Architectes
Topolobampo and Frontera Grill
Sixteen (menu here)

Just to add some color to the above:

Don't do the cruise... there's just much better.

Cafe des Architectes is cool, but the front of the house is very spotty. Not what you're looking for, imo.

Everest is absolutely lovely food. But it's expense-account prices and there's nothing in the neighborhood.

North Pond is pure win. Great food, awesome setting, in the middle of the park. That's my vote.

As much as I love Alinea (it's definitely the best restaurant in the city), I'm not sure that I would describe it as romantic. Although I do keep celebrating anniversaries there, so hey, whatever works for you.

North Pond is a good choice, as is Sixteen (my main problem with Sixteen is that you're basically paying for the room and the view...the food is good, but it ain't that good).

FYI - Cafe Spiaggia let me in with jeans and a tshirt, and it was a fantastic meal. The wood grilled trout was the best fish dish I'd eaten in years,and I generally avoid trout.

Don't do the cruise. 1) too cold in January to enjoy the aspect of it being a boat by going out on the deck and 2) the food is not "chicago-worthy". It's not horrifying but it's certainly not North Pond.

I would add NoMi to this list. Great view and a beautiful dining room and excellent food. It's in the Park Hyatt off Chicago Avenue at Michigan. North Pond is the charmer of the group though. It's like a little wonderland off the Pond.

One more comment. If you're here from Friday through Monday, you'll have the opportunity to try more than one of these places, possibly including brunch/lunch as well as dinner.

Of course, all of the places mentioned above are open for dinner on Fridays and Saturdays. These are open for Sunday dinner: North Pond, Alinea, Spiaggia, Cafe Spiaggia, Cafe des Architectes, Sixteen, NoMI. The others are closed for Sunday dinner: Everest, Topolobampo, Frontera Grill. If you're interested in Sunday brunch, North Pond and Cafe des Architectes do an a la carte brunch menu, NoMI does a high-end buffet brunch, Sixteen does brunch but I don't know whether it's buffet or a la carte, and Cafe Spiaggia does their normal lunch menu. Frontera Grill and NoMI do an a la carte brunch on Saturdays, while Cafe Spiaggia, Cafe des Architectes, and Sixteen do their regular lunch.

If the weather is clear, you also might want to stop by the Signature Lounge on the 96th floor of the John Hancock Building for a drink at some point. It's a few blocks south of the Drake.

DO NOT DO THE CRUISE!!!
If the weather is even a little choppy you will not enjoy or want to eat even a bite of the mediocre food.
A cruise after dinner might be nice in the summer.
The lake can be as bad as the ocean in the winter
JUST.DON'T.DO.IT
(Been there in March for someone else's Mitzvah---BAD BAD idea....)

Definitively: the cruise is a waste of money and time. Everest would be great for the view and as much as I like Jean Joho, it's a corporate operation. I'd trade for before or after drinks at The Signature Room (actually The Velvet Hour after would be great) and go to North Pond or maybe Blackbird for a more honest experience.

bean wrote:The Velvet Hour after

I think you mean The Violet Hour

jesteinf wrote:

bean wrote:The Velvet Hour after

I think you mean The Violet Hour

The Velvet Hour does sound like a pretty fly joint.

As for suggestions i like the North Pond idea, to me, a request for romantic screams atmosphere.

Rock-N-Roll McDonald's
600 N Clark St
(between Ohio St & Ontario St)
Chicago, IL 60610
(312) 867-0455

Five Star and you chick will dig it!
LOL ok ok I am kidding...I do greatly dis like Mc Nasty!


Scoozi is a cool little Italian joint worth a look.

Scoozi
410 W Huron St
Chicago, IL 60654-3402
(312) 943-5900
http://www.leye.com/restaurants/directory/scoozi

I was thinking NoMi, too.

North Pond is a good suggestion, but for an out-of-towner, I think it could be a little hard to find. It's not visible from any street. You have to walk a bit into the park to find it. It's a short walk into the park, and a total piece of cake for someone who lives here, but I can imagine that finding it could be a little confusing for someone who doesn't, especially in the dark. That may not put you off, depending on how "intrepid" you are. Mind you, I'm not talking about danger here, just mild disorientation. It probably would bother me, if I were a stranger here.

NoMi, besides being a beautiful choice on its merits, happens to be a pleasant short stroll down Michigan Avenue from your hotel.

FWIW, I've never sent an out-of-towner to North Pond that's gotten lost in the wilds of Lincoln Park. Just tell the cab Deming and Lakeview. The rest is a matter of reading the sign that's sitting there.

jesteinf wrote:

bean wrote:The Velvet Hour after

I think you mean The Violet Hour

Yup. Sounds like you're confusing Chicago's The Violet Hour with Cleveland's The Velvet Tango Room. Both are unique local drinking establishments.

jesteinf wrote:FWIW, I've never sent an out-of-towner to North Pond that's gotten lost in the wilds of Lincoln Park. Just tell the cab Deming and Lakeview. The rest is a matter of reading the sign that's sitting there.

Yes, getting there by cab is no big deal (and cabs cruise past the valet stand for the return trip). If you like, you can print out the directions on North Pond's website but most cab drivers will know if you tell them Josh's "Deming and Lakeview" or "2600 North Lakeview".

Remember, part of what makes it unique is the fact that it's not just a restaurant in one of the hotels off Michigan Avenue, and this is part of its charm.

I have to disagree on NoMi. My last two trips (since Gamba left) have really been disappointing. To me it's just turned into an expensive hotel restaurant (but boy would I love to be convinced otherwise... we just moved across the street).

Two trips ago we were seated next to a table in sneakers/jeans/Iowa sweatshirts. I know it's a hotel, but if I'm dropping $500 on dinner, c'mon.

A couple years ago we went for brunch. Flat champagne, dirty silverware, and we were totally ignored by our server.

YMMV, of course. And the view is to die for. Make sure to ask for a window table in advance.

basis wrote:I have to disagree on NoMi. My last two trips (since Gamba left) have really been disappointing. To me it's just turned into an expensive hotel restaurant (but boy would I love to be convinced otherwise... we just moved across the street).

Two trips ago we were seated next to a table in sneakers/jeans/Iowa sweatshirts. I know it's a hotel, but if I'm dropping $500 on dinner, c'mon.

A couple years ago we went for brunch. Flat champagne, dirty silverware, and we were totally ignored by our server.

I'm sorry to hear about this. It's been three or four years since our visit, when NoMi was spectacular (in our view). Oh well.

I agree with you about wanting a dress code to be better enforced than that, too. There's a place for sneakers/jeans/sweatshirts, and NoMi isn't it. (At least, the old NoMi wasn't.) Sitting next to people dressed like that at NoMi would seriously perturb me. Some people say dress is merely superficial, and you should do what feels good. I say that if you show up at temple on the High Holidays dressed in tank top and cutoffs, you're committing an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. An analogy applies to temples of food.

nsxtasy wrote:

jesteinf wrote:

bean wrote:The Velvet Hour after

I think you mean The Violet Hour

Yup. Sounds like you're confusing Chicago's The Violet Hour with Cleveland's The Velvet Tango Room. Both are unique local drinking establishments.

Or perhaps confusing it with this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciw_LwWv7mw

Hi.

I read your post at the top and instantly thought "North Pond." Others have beaten me to it, and with good reason -- beautiful setting, gorgeous building, terrific food, not too intimidatingly expensive or swanky. it's a pretty special and unique place, and our "go-to" for special meals, especially with out of towners.

A boat ride is pleasant during the summer (tho skip the "dinner cruises" - there is far too much great food to be eaten here to waste a meal on such mediocrity). But in December? Nope.

What have I added to this thread? Nothing -- other than to echo the posters above. In four words:

North. Pond. No. Boat.

Best-
-jim

I'd 87th the recommendation for North Pond. Besides the location, another thing that makes it "Chicago-esque" is that the menu focuses on seasonal and regional ingredients. (There are plenty of things on the menu that aren't regional (i.e. scallops).)

Also, if you head to the Violet Hour for drinks, either go early in the evening (they open at 6pm, I believe) or avoid Friday and Saturday nights completely. The line to get in can be incredibly long. Not romantic at all.

riddlemay wrote: I say that if you show up at temple on the High Holidays dressed in tank top and cutoffs, you're committing an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. An analogy applies to temples of food.

only in the most comic of senses.

Kennyz wrote:

riddlemay wrote: I say that if you show up at temple on the High Holidays dressed in tank top and cutoffs, you're committing an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. An analogy applies to temples of food.

only in the most comic of senses.

I don't get it--but your sense of humor is probably more highly developed than mine.

Please let us know where you went and how it was.

And, certainly, go to The Violent Hoiur for after dinner drinks.

Thanks G.

bean wrote:Please let us know where you went and how it was.

And, certainly, go to The Violent Hoiur for after dinner drinks.

Thanks G.

Violent Hour is located in Cabrini Green, Violet Hour is on Damen.

North Pond like everyone else said. It is great.

I went to lunch last week with my sweetie to Tompolabampo. Maybe not the most romantic (but not unromantic) but the food was amazing. I was expecting plenty of nits to pick but the food and service was top notch.

Drinks? The bar at Perennial (a resturant at Lincoln, Clark and Wells) is good. Actually I liked my food there too.

nsxtasy wrote:I've heard good things about Sixteen, the restaurant in the new Trump hotel, but I haven't been there. I'm going tomorrow night, so I'll be able to report back here on Thursday if I think it qualifies for your needs.

I wouldn't recommend Sixteen for your needs. The room and the view are beautiful, but the acoustics make the noise level very high, even though the tables are arranged quite spaciously, and to me this makes it un-romantic. And the food's just as good at any of the other places mentioned here.

AngrySarah wrote:North Pond like everyone else said. It is great.

I went to lunch last week with my sweetie to Tompolabampo. Maybe not the most romantic (but not unromantic) but the food was amazing. I was expecting plenty of nits to pick but the food and service was top notch.

Drinks? The bar at Perennial (a resturant at Lincoln, Clark and Wells) is good. Actually I liked my food there too.

Why were you expecting plenty of nits to pick?

Darren72 wrote:

AngrySarah wrote:North Pond like everyone else said. It is great.

I went to lunch last week with my sweetie to Tompolabampo. Maybe not the most romantic (but not unromantic) but the food was amazing. I was expecting plenty of nits to pick but the food and service was top notch.

Drinks? The bar at Perennial (a resturant at Lincoln, Clark and Wells) is good. Actually I liked my food there too.

Why were you expecting plenty of nits to pick?

Celebrity chef, I'm a jerk, blah blah, blah...

jetter2 wrote:My lady and I will be at the Drake from next Friday through Monday..I've been looking at a great "can't forget Chicago" type Dinner.

What can be better than some of the best pizza Chicago has to offer.
Ok ok I know not to romatic but its for SURE a cant forget chicago pie!! Good times....GOOD TIMES!! When/if you go ask about the seating up stairs and make sure you get the deep dish.
http://www.loumalnatis.com/Locations/Details.aspx?ID=7
Chicago - River North Location
Est. 1986
439 North Wells Street

Chicago, IL 60610