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SEE ALSO: Best New Restaurants 2012 »
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1 / 10
BAVETTE’S BAR & BOEUF
Sexy booths and fancy chandeliers to go with the fab fried chicken. Nobody does it better than Brendan. 218 W. Kinzie St., 312-624-8154
RELATED: Read about the The soul-warming old fashioned at Bavette’s and check out photos of Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf’s hanger steak, crab cake, and other goodies on our photo blog, What Penny Eats -
2 / 10
BELLYQ
Bill Kim’s third Belly—this one a take on Asian barbecue—has turned us into a city of navel-gazers. 1400 W. Randolph St., 312-563-1010
RELATED: Read more on BellyQ and browse photos of their banana leaf-wrapped salmon and grilled edamame on What Penny Eats
Photograph: Yasmina Cadiz/Courtesy of BellyQ -
3 / 10
THE J. PARKER
A place, besides the tourist-jammed Willis Tower and the Hancock Observatory, where you can see Lincoln Park, the lake, and the skyline—with a cocktail in hand. Hotel Lincoln, 1816 N. Clark St., 312-254-4747
RELATED: Browse photos of the weekend crowd at the J. Parker on Seen on the Scene »
Photograph: Eric Kleinberg -
4 / 10
RM CHAMPAGNE SALON
Jason Wagner, RM’s sommelier, looks for wines that speak to him, but how can he hear the poor bottles over the din? 116 N. Green St., 312-243-1199
RELATED:Browse photos of the Friday night crowd at RM on Seen on the Scene »
Photograph: Derek Richmond -
5 / 10
TRENCHERMEN
Fine dining in casually rustic digs is officially the new black. 2039 W. North Ave., 773-661-1540
RELATED: Read our review and check out photos of Trenchermen's weekend crowd at Trenchermen on Seen on the Scene
Photograph: Anthony Tahlier -
6 / 10
CITY TAVERN
If the fare here is inspired by 18th-century pubs, our forefathers were very lucky indeed. 1416 S. Michigan Ave., 312-663-1278
RELATED: Read our review »
Photograph: Courtesy of Wagstaff Worldwide -
7 / 10
HOMESTEAD
Talk about seasonal. This we-grow-our-own-herbs-right-next-to-where-you-are-eating-on-the-rooftop restaurant will harvest its last meal at the end of October. 1924 W. Chicago Ave., 773-645-4949
Photograph: Courtesy of Homestead -
8 / 10
KAI ZAN
We almost didn’t tell you about this Humboldt Park newbie for sushi—it has only 22 seats. 2557½ W. Chicago Ave., 773-278-5776
Photograph: Joseph Rynkiewicz -
9 / 10
HASH HOUSE A GO GO
A complaint never before heard on the Gold Coast: The portions are too big. 1212 N. State Pkwy., 312-202-0994
Photograph: Courtesy of Hash House A Go Go -
10 / 10
WOOD
Open barely three months, the new “in” spot for flatbreads, late-night fries, and classic cocktails in Boystown worked out the kinks in record time. 3335 N. Halsted St., 773-935-9663
Photograph: Courtesy of Wood