Courtesy blackbird
From March 17 to 22, a slew of restaurants will be participating in Chicago Chef Week—basically, Restaurant Week by another name. Three-course lunches are available for $22, and three-course dinners for $44. It’s a cheaper way to sample haute cuisine from some heavy hitters.
To help you figure out where to go, we've listed 10 places we reviewed at 2 stars or above. Here's a quick excerpt and a link to our full review. Enjoy!
- Acadia: "Food doesn't get much lovelier than this." (3.5 stars)
- Blackbird: "Excellent but not arrogant, cutting-edge but not weird, this modernist restaurant presents culinary art without staginess." (3.5 stars)
- Boka: "Expect the whimsical, the decadent, and just about everything in between." (3 stars)
- Courtright’s: "A world-class wine list and desserts like lemon steamed pudding flambé complement the refined feasting." (2.5 stars)
- Henri: "Classic French dishes and Frenchy inventions deliver style and taste to match the attractive dining room." (2 stars)
- Ing: "Imagine a feast based on Martin Scorsese movies, and you'll get the idea." (2 stars)
- Japonais: "A splashy watering hole for trendies and celebs, complete with a downstairs riverfront lounge, excels with first-rate seafood." (2.5 stars)
- North Pond: "Locally sourced products, seasonal menus, and outstanding in-house charcuterie remain the hallmarks of this romantic hideaway." (3 stars)
- Sepia: "Andrew Zimmerman quietly amazes your palate with his evolving menu." (3.5 stars)
- Vie: "It's as tasty (and tasteful) a celebration of Midwestern flavors as you're likely to find." (3.5 stars)
See the full list of restaurants—and their Chef Week menus—here.