Funkenhausen

The name may sound like a lost Parliament-Funkadelic LP, but this design-conscious space, with its brass globe lamps and pristine wood beams, more readily evokes the pages of House Beautiful. Neither the name nor the decor is what you might imagine for one of Chicago’s best German restaurants. But thanks to multiple delightful points of entry — including a cheery brunch featuring cheekily named dishes like Schnitz and Grits and a hopping happy hour with relentless three-ounce Kölsch pours — that’s exactly what Mark Steuer’s creative brasserie has become. Whether spinning out variations on spaetzle and dumplings or dressing up bivalves (the Oysters Hockafeller boasts bits of ham hock, creamed spinach, pickled chiles, and chicharrón), Steuer calibrates flavor combinations as well as any chef in town, and with his steady hand, an aesthetically appealing German restaurant called Funkenhausen makes perfect sense.