Seasonal Offerings
Corporate concierge Jonathan Rettemnier recommends Goosefoot in Lincoln Square. This BYOB spot’s cuisine features a modern take on French technique, using artisan farm products, and presented in an intimate 16-person setting. Their menu changes frequently based on the seasons and availability of products, and their Michelin star means there’s always a wait for their two seatings a night. Insider tip: They just opened an ice cream shop next door so you can get your ice cream scooped by a Michelin-starred chef!
The Chicago Way
Ramon Gomez, chef concierge at The Gwen, suggests Schwa. This Wicker Park gem will undoubtedly surprise and delight you with its inventive, expertly prepared New American tasting menus. Want to impress your friends and be treated like a local? This restaurant is BYOB, but if you bring an extra bottle for the wickedly-talented chefs (whiskey is always a safe bet) you’ll get the royal treatment (and maybe even more than the tasting menu). Experiences here are always memorable, especially having to cut through the kitchen to get to the restroom. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself doing shots with the chefs on you way back to the table either.
Explore Something New
Leave the passport at in the safe and travel to the culinary capital of South America with a visit to Tanta. This Peruvian restaurant comes highly recommended by Timothy Myers, concierge at the Embassy Suites Lakefront. Having dined there multiple times, his favorite dishes include the Anticuchos Pulpo (octopus barbecue), any of their ceviche dishes, and for dessert, the picarones which are similar to a doughnut. “It’s vibrant and fun,” says Myers. “The restaurant is the place to be and the service has always been on point.”
Dine with the Rat Pack
Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse
Throw on your fedora, grab your best gal, and head back to a time where Al Capone was king and Sinatra did it his way. Shannon Boland, chef concierge at LondonHouse Chicago loves sending her guests to Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse. With a classic Chicago feel, tried and true cuisine, and impeccable service it’s sure to leave a lasting impression. The only restaurant group in the country to be awarded their own USDA Prime Certification, Boland is partial to the steak but says that you really can’t go wrong with anything on their menu.
Old School at its Best
Tortoise Supper Club
For a similarly retro vibe, Toque & Bottle concierge Marilyn Eisenberg suggests Tortoise Supper Club. This cozy River North hot spot offers a special sense of nostalgia with its dark wood accented dining room and intimate setting. The owners are locals, so they know their Chicago history. While eating, enjoy caricatures of a few “Scoundrels and Rogues” who left a lasting legacy in Chicago. Prohibition is outlawed here, so feel free to sip on one of their delicious cocktails while enjoying oysters, steaks, or any of their other fabulous dishes. If you’re dining on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday night, you’ll even get a side of live jazz music.