Nicest restaurant that won't take 3 hours to have a meal

I'm sorry for one of these "what's the right place" posts, but I am a bit at a loss. I'm looking for something that meets the following criteria to suggest to a friend:

--dinner for 3-4 people
--need something that will be perceived as upscale (not my choice, just what the parameters are)
--relatively new/trendy (people have been to most of the restaurants that have been around for 5+ years, looking for something new)
--ideally place you can have a leisurely meal and get out in 2 hours or so (L20 would have been high on my list and probably you can get out more quickly but I think you would feel cheated, happy to be corrected on this point)
--no maximum price, no minimum either really other than the upscale perception thing
--can converse in speaking voice without shouting
--within a 15 minute cab ride of river north
--no specific cuisine restrictions

I have in mind something like Blackbird or North Pond, but they've been there many times. Many thanks for any advice and let me know if more details are needed.

How about Lockwood, in The Palmer House? I wouldn't normally call hotel restaurants "trendy", but chef Foss has gotten a lot of press lately for doing some innovative stuff.

We ate at Lockwood two weeks ago. It was chef's week and they had three courses for $30, which was a really terrific deal. We were going to a show at 8 and even though we sat down at 6, we had to leave without having the dessert course at 7:50. So not sure about the timing thing here, service was really slow. Food was wonderful. Had a nice really fast meal at Prairie Fire recently. Also, what about Naha?

Graham Elliot fits that bill pretty well.

Graham Elliot
http://www.grahamelliot.com
217 West Huron Street
Chicago, IL 60654-3900
(312) 624-9975

Had a great meal at mk last Thursday and while it isn't new by any measure, it is cool, it's close to / in River North yet somehow it doesn't get mentioned all that often...

Thanks for the suggestions so far, everyone. I think Graham Elliott and Lockwood are the most like (maybe exactly like) what they are looking for. In terms of timing, they aren't in a rush but just aren't up for an Alinea style meal. And in terms of budget, frankly, some place that feels a little splurgey would be good but not critical.

Hao wrote:Thanks for the suggestions so far, everyone. I think Graham Elliott and Lockwood are the most like (maybe exactly like) what they are looking for. In terms of timing, they aren't in a rush but just aren't up for an Alinea style meal. And in terms of budget, frankly, some place that feels a little splurgey would be good but not critical.

Note re. Graham Elliott, in case this matters to your crew: While the prices and the chef's pedigree probably classify the place as upscale - and the interior space is nice - the servers wear jeans and t-shirts. That's relatively meaningless to me, but some people might be either especially turned off or especially turned on by it.

How about Perennial? That's sa place I have filed away for just such an occasion.

Perennial
1800 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 981-7070

Kennyz wrote:

Hao wrote:Thanks for the suggestions so far, everyone. I think Graham Elliott and Lockwood are the most like (maybe exactly like) what they are looking for. In terms of timing, they aren't in a rush but just aren't up for an Alinea style meal. And in terms of budget, frankly, some place that feels a little splurgey would be good but not critical.

Note re. Graham Elliott, in case this matters to your crew: While the prices and the chef's pedigree probably classify the place as upscale - and the interior space is nice - the servers wear jeans and t-shirts. That's relatively meaningless to me, but some people might be either especially turned off or especially turned on by it.

I love Graham Elliott but it is noisy IMO. It isn't new, but how about Green Zebra, Sweets & Savories, Avec, or Nightwood?

pairs4life wrote:

Kennyz wrote:

Hao wrote:Thanks for the suggestions so far, everyone. I think Graham Elliott and Lockwood are the most like (maybe exactly like) what they are looking for. In terms of timing, they aren't in a rush but just aren't up for an Alinea style meal. And in terms of budget, frankly, some place that feels a little splurgey would be good but not critical.

Note re. Graham Elliott, in case this matters to your crew: While the prices and the chef's pedigree probably classify the place as upscale - and the interior space is nice - the servers wear jeans and t-shirts. That's relatively meaningless to me, but some people might be either especially turned off or especially turned on by it.

I love Graham Elliott but it is noisy IMO. It isn't new, but how about Green Zebra, Sweets & Savories, Avec, or Nightwood?

Green Zebra, Sweets & Savories, and Avec aren't new either (and Avec is just as loud as Graham Elliot when it's full).

I think either Graham Elliot or Sweets & Savories would be good choices. If you go during the week, Graham Elliot isn't really that noisy.

jesteinf wrote:If you go during the week, Graham Elliot isn't really that noisy.

I went I think on a Monday around 7 and it was very quiet. If you go earlier it's very pleasant. I can't wait to go back! I second or third or whatever this recommendation.

Regarding your two-hour time frame, if you're not dawdling over cocktails, you can eat the traditional three-course dinner in under two hours at almost any upscale restaurant in the city, with the exception of those only offering lengthy tasting menus (e.g. Alinea). If you have a specific time constraint (like for a performance), you can let the restaurant know ahead of time and any good place will pace the meal to get you done in time.

For whatever reason, there are certain restaurants that get overlooked, even while serving excellent food, and I suspect most folks haven't been to some of these. The first two can be considered new, while the other two are not well known and perhaps your group hasn't been there.

How about Sixteen, in the Trump Hotel? It meets all of your criteria. It's not overly noisy, but... the tables are spaced fairly far apart, but the acoustics (with the glass wall and high ceiling) are such that, while it's not loud like Paul Kahan's restaurants, it's louder than it should be. But I wouldn't call it excessively loud. The cuisine from Chef Frank Brunacci is interesting (although frankly it didn't blow me away). And it's every bit as upscale as L2O.

Another place worth considering based on your criteria is Cafe des Architectes, in the glass facade of the Sofitel. I've been there several times and the food from Chef Martial Noguier and Pastry Chef Suzanne Imaz has consistently been some of the best I've had anywhere in the city. Although CdA has been there a while, Chef Noguier has only been working his magic for a little over a year (he was in charge at one sixtyblue before that), so it's probably new to them.

Another place not often discussed is Vivere, the ground-floor restaurant in the Italian Village complex. It's upscale and they do a big pre-theater business so they can easily get you done in three hours. The cuisine is Italian although when I ate there a couple of months ago, I chose several dishes that were more along the lines of contemporary American, including a cream of carrot-ginger soup and a roast duck breast that was divine and as tender as the wagyu beef at Alinea (I think they must have cooked it sous vide, given the uniform doneness throughout the meat).

Yet another place quietly serving good food is Aria, in the Fairmont. Their cuisine is pan-Asian although again, they have dishes that are American, such as the smoked prime rib I had there last year. Aria has been there for a while but I bet you no one's been there, either.

All four of these places meet all of your criteria.

I'll second the suggestion of Vivere & not just because of the Jordan Mozer decor - I love eating here & it really doesn't get enough notice locally.

An oldie but goody they might not have tried is Naha.

Even though it is not considered as a "trendy" place, its simple elegance, comfort, very good service and distinguished French cuisine by a young chef with an impeccable background, I think that LM Le Restaurant at 4539 N. Lincoln (tel: 773-942-7585) might be the kind of restaurant you are looking for. At least you will be able to have a conversation there.
Check their website at www.lmrestaurant.com

We have been out of the "fine" dining scene since we've had a kid to tote around, so really appreciate all the thoughtful replies. Graham Elliott might be the winner, although I'll take a close look through the other suggestions as well. My friends don't need a really quiet place, but don't want to have to shout. They're going on the early side on probably a Thursday, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Casually dressed waitstaff are fine too.