New Year's Eve Tasting Menus?

Hello LTH Forum!

I will be visiting Chicago with my girlfriend and another couple for 3 nights over NYE this year and I'm looking for some tasting menu recommendations for a special NYE dinner. We will be staying at the Sofitel in Gold Coast but I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere in the city (although somewhere close would be a + considering that Uber/Lyft will be super pricey that evening).

Thanks in advance for the recommendations/tips!

Welcome to LTH Forum.

If you haven't already, check out these threads on tasting menus more generally:

Tasting Menu Recommendation

Best Place for a Tasting Menu Newcomer?

My suggestion is to find a place (soon - reservations fill up fast) that has a standard tasting menu all of the time, rather than a place that is doing a one-time tasting menu for NYE. Perhaps that's what you had in mind anyways.

Personally, I'd recommend trying Elizabeth, if they still seats available. It's really unique and among the best tables in the city right now. Though it's probably a 30 min drive from your hotel. You'll find a lot of ideas in the threads above for other places, many of which are closer.

afeelin wrote:Hello LTH Forum!

I will be visiting Chicago with my girlfriend and another couple for 3 nights over NYE this year and I'm looking for some tasting menu recommendations for a special NYE dinner. We will be staying at the Sofitel in Gold Coast but I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere in the city (although somewhere close would be a + considering that Uber/Lyft will be super pricey that evening).

Thanks in advance for the recommendations/tips!

Taxicabs will be the same price as on any other evening.

Hey Darren72. Thank you so much for your recommendation. We do have a regularly have a tasting menu but we are more than full for NYE. It is our first year opening for the holiday and we decided on a "best of" menu. It went fast.
I'm not certain if 42grams or elideas are open for the holiday. Both will be like us, out of the way of downtown, and a similar format and pricing however we are definitely all different styles. Also one of my favorites is Sixteen in the trump tower, a little more pricey but always awesome and wonderful service staff. L20, one of my best meals in the city, will be closing the following day. L20 has very special, immaculate cuisine. It would be a culinary badge of honor to have dined there before they close.

Some good recommendations from Chef Regan.

El Ideas is open on NYE and has two seatings. They would be a blast for NYE, but transportation home may be difficult (cabs are scarce - especially later in the evening and Uber can indeed be prohibitively expensive on NYE).
http://elideas.com/

Another great venue would be Senza. Amazing food and such friendly service. They are easily accessible to your hotel via bus, so would be a good fallback option if no cabs are to be found and Uber is on their 8x surge pricing.
http://www.senzachicago.com/

In walking distance of your hotel is Brindille; both a la carte and a seven course tasting menu are typically offered. Have not made it here yet myself, but some friends recently did the tasting menu and loved it.
http://brindille-chicago.com/

Darren72 wrote:Welcome to LTH Forum.

If you haven't already, check out these threads on tasting menus more generally:

Tasting Menu Recommendation

Best Place for a Tasting Menu Newcomer?

My suggestion is to find a place (soon - reservations fill up fast) that has a standard tasting menu all of the time, rather than a place that is doing a one-time tasting menu for NYE. Perhaps that's what you had in mind anyways.

Personally, I'd recommend trying Elizabeth, if they still seats available. It's really unique and among the best tables in the city right now. Though it's probably a 30 min drive from your hotel. You'll find a lot of ideas in the threads above for other places, many of which are closer.

Though for the transit question Elizabeth is 1/2 block from the Ravenswood Western Ave station.

Thanks so much for the recommendations everyone!

PS - I didn't mention taxis because A) I prefer Uber/Lyft and B) they will be very difficult to find on NYE.

EL Ideas uses a regular car service--can't guarantee the rates won't be higher than normal but you can book it in advance. So you could take an über etc there but limo it back. Worth asking about if El is a possibility for you. That would be my first choice.

One option we're considering:

http://www.feastandimbibe.com/#!product ... -all-night

But you'd probably need a car or cab from the Gold Coast.

nr706 wrote:One option we're considering:

http://www.feastandimbibe.com/#!product ... -all-night

But you'd probably need a car or cab from the Gold Coast.

Excellent option (aside from the distance). We have attended several Feast & Imbibe events and always had a blast. Fantastic food and beverages and run by two really great people.

Let's no forget the unpredictable nature of Chicago weather. It could be a mild day or we can have heavy snows like last year. Closer is generally better.

Last year Grace did a pretty sweet blowout. I think I might try and get onto that. And for a higher end place that had just received 2 Michelin stars, it was very reasonable, $275. I hope they do something similar this year.

afeelin wrote:Hello LTH Forum!

I will be visiting Chicago with my girlfriend and another couple for 3 nights over NYE this year and I'm looking for some tasting menu recommendations for a special NYE dinner. We will be staying at the Sofitel in Gold Coast but I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere in the city (although somewhere close would be a + considering that Uber/Lyft will be super pricey that evening).

Thanks in advance for the recommendations/tips!

I'm not sure how much time you've spent in Chicago, but in my experience, many of the better restaurants in town do tasting menus on New Year's Eve. In my experience, it's not an optimal night for fine dining. In most instances, you're getting a menu that's designed for the restaurant's convenience, not the best showcase of their food. Because a lot of restaurants do two seatings, you're also getting wait staff that can be a bit rushed because their entire section has been seated within a 30-60 minute block. Oh, and often the price is inflated by 30% or more because you're getting a glass of cheap bubbly at the end of the night. These are generalizations, to be sure, but there's some truth to them. Like others have suggested, I'd search out either a) a restaurant that does a tasting menu every night of the year or b) a restaurant that's serving its regular menu with no special NYE frills. You're increasing the likelihood that you'll be disappointed if you do a special NYE tasting menu at a place which normally does a la carte dining.

EL Ideas uses a regular car service

Not anymore. I checked today as that is where we are going for NYE.
$165 per plus tax and tip. Roughly $440 for two plus BYOB and a ride.
They suggest booking a cab or car service in advance.

Btw, they have two seatings, 6 & 10.
See ya there at 6.

That's a bummer but not terribly surprised. Once of the nights we were there the car service didn't show and they were scrambling to find an alternative. And I seem to remember some fare shenanigans with the car that came for us another night. With Uber/Lyft/etc., on normal nights, they probably just don't need the hassle anymore. But it is a pain on nights like NYE. Best thing about having stepsons--I have an excuse to stay home, watch football, eat homemade junk food and not have to even think about going anywhere--at least for a few more years