Brunch to impress

Dear LTH Forum

As a regular foodie visitor to Chicago, I've often taken advantage of your wisdom so I hope you don't mind my asking a specific question. I'm trying to find somewhere for an interesting brunch on Sunday, but am taking someone who really won't deal well with waiting in line. It seems that almost everywhere has a no-reservations policy for brunch - but are there exceptions worth visiting? Otherwise I'm thinking Au Cheval or Avec...

We're in the Loop, but happy to travel outwards.


Thanks

Chris

Open Table is a good source for restaurants that take reservations. Cross reference it against a list of great brunch spots from LTH, or Zagat or The Reader or Chicago Magazine or TimeOut Chicago.

A few suggestions: Nightwood, The Publican, Big Jones, Bristol

If you are willing to show up by 9:00, there is unlikely to be a wait at Lula Cafe or my favorite, m. Henry.

Chicago Eater does a round up of interesting brunch places every once in awhile. They just updated their list:

http://chicago.eater.com/maps/updated-where-to-eat-brunch-in-chicago-right-now-4

I just tried Chop Shop for brunch and it was extremely tasty -- but you might check out the Kitchn -- i believe they have a view of the river and i would think that most of these places would have reservations at brunch.

For me personally -- I love going to Tweet up north on Sheridan or my local Bongo Room in Andersonville. But those are far afield of the Loop, etc.

The sun has returned to Chicago -- so any day that the sun is shining and there is no snow is a good one.

We love the atmosphere/views and food @ North Pond for Sunday brunch. Opens at 10:30 and reservations are needed.

There are a lot of interesting brunches, but ones that take reservations and are close to downtown narrows things down. Our very best breakfast-focused restaurants - Jam, M. Henry, Southport Grocery, Bongo Room - do not accept reservations. And they all tend to have lengthy waits to be seated between roughly 9:30 and 1:00. If you can go earlier or later than that, you probably won't have to wait.

Shaw's Crab House is one of my favorites for Sunday brunch, but it's not a typical brunch so it may or may not be what you're looking for. If you enjoy seafood and think of it as a mid-day dinner, it's sheer heaven. They serve an all-you-can-eat buffet, including breakfast items (the best thick-cut caramelized bacon in the world, crabmeat benedicts), lunch/dinner items (Chicago's best crab cakes, hot or cold Alaskan king crab legs yes all you can eat of those too, a carving station), and wonderful desserts (crème brulee, chocolate pot de crème). Not cheap at $55/person but you'll be stuffed for the rest of the day.

I've been to a lot of other Sunday brunches around town that accept reservations, some of them very good, but no one brunch that stands out as head and shoulders above the rest. If I had to name just one, it would probably be Perennial Virant (EDIT - but see below). I've also had a very good brunch at Salpicon. Of those already mentioned, Nightwood is good. Big Jones is also good (love the beignets) but quite a distance from downtown.

My strategy for choosing a Sunday brunch is similar to yours (strong preference for places that accept reservations, to avoid the typical 30-60 minute waits at those that don't) and Frank's (look at listings on Opentable), and check website menus. Sometimes that works out quite nicely. A week ago, I looked on Opentable, then looked at menus, and made a reservation for Max's Wine Dive, a Texas-based chain I had never heard of and which has a location in Wicker Park. We went there and it was excellent - not that unusual, but very well executed. It was not quite full, maybe 75 percent of the tables were taken. Afterwards we walked out and noticed the huge lines of people waiting inside Bongo Room and Xoco nearby, and thought Max's would be a no-brainer rather than have a long wait at those places.

EDIT - As I was typing this, stout posted a recommendation for North Pond, which had slipped my mind. North Pond would be my top recommendation (assuming you're not looking for a rather expensive seafood blowout at Shaw's). I love the exquisite setting in the middle of the park. I've only been there for dinner, but it's been absolutely terrific. And the brunch price is a bargain for the quality of the restaurant, $34 for the three-course prix fixe menu. When making your reservation, make a request to be seated in the front room, with the full-length windows facing the pond (although the rear room with the open kitchen is fun too).

ANOTHER EDIT - If you want to keep it conveniently close in the Loop itself, Atwood, in the Hotel Burnham, recently re-opened after remodeling. Their new chef, Brian Millman, has a breakfast/brunch-focused background (Uncommon Ground). They accept reservations including on Opentable. The brunch menu on their website sounds impressive. I've only been there in its previous iteration, but the Kimpton hotels do a great job of attracting and keeping top culinary talent in their restaurants.

A lot of places take reservations. My two favorites are The Publican and Big Jones. If you search the board I think you'll find a lot of other recommendations.

Fat Rice - they have reservations for this Sunday available on Open Table right now. It's an easy trip on the Blue line and a nice little walk to whet your appetite.

Fat Rice
2957 W. Diversey Ave
Chicago, IL 60647

Thank you all - this is an excellent set of suggestions, enough to make me actually look forward to brunch. Something that hasn't happened since I lived round the corner from the Bongo Room.

I've booked North Pond - having never been there, I'm looking forward to it.

Cheers

Chris

My favorite Sunday brunches that take reservations would include Fat Rice (Asian), Owen & Engine (English Pub), Big Jones (Southern), Little Goat (Creative Diner Fare), Publican (Farm-to-Table) and North Pond (Upscale Contemporary American). All very different vibes and styles of food, but excellent brunches. Perennial Virant looks promising; went there for Bloody Mary's one Sunday and the menu looked great, but had already eaten - I need to get in to try their brunch some time.

A friend of mine raves about brunch at Fork. It's a north side neighborhood place and you can make reservations online here.

Address: 4600 N. Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Cuisine: Contemporary American
Price: $30 and under

nsxtasy wrote:A week ago, I looked on Opentable, then looked at menus, and made a reservation for Max's Wine Dive, a Texas-based chain I had never heard of and which has a location in Wicker Park. We went there and it was excellent - not that unusual, but very well executed. It was not quite full, maybe 75 percent of the tables were taken. Afterwards we walked out and noticed the huge lines of people waiting inside Bongo Room and Xoco nearby, and thought Max's would be a no-brainer rather than have a long wait at those places.

Wow, that was fast:

Max's Wine Dive Shuttering in Wicker Park at April's End