With options ranging from picturesque skyline views to charming candlelit dinners, Valentine’s Day in Chicago offers endless ways to celebrate love. Grab your date and get ready to explore the most romantic spots the Windy City has to offer.
Navy Pier
Plenty of Options: Chicago’s favorite lakefront destination has plenty of specials in store. Head to Harry Caray’s Tavern, where three packages are available, with two-hour windows at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a bottle of Prosecco in a private heated igloo with a fire pit as you and your loved one indulge in a special menu with DIY S’mores. Lirica has a three-course prix fixe dinner available all weekend, and City Cruises offers six options of dinner cruises. At 9 p.m., see a Valentine’s-themed fireworks show, with the South Dock providing the best view.
Geja’s Cafe
Melty Goodness: Often recognized as the city’s most romantic restaurant, Geja’s Cafe in Lincoln Park has a special version of its fondue dinner. For $120 per person, start with a Gruyere fondue with breads, fruits and vegetables and a house salad. The main course consists of beef tenderloin, lobster tail and shrimp with eight gourmet dipping sauces. For dessert, indulge in a Belgian chocolate fondue with marshmallows and other sweets. A glass of sparkling rosé is included in the meal.
Rosebud
Italian Traditions: Guests at Rosebud’s locations throughout Chicago can enjoy a three-course dinner for Valentine’s Day. The $175-per-couple meal starts with coconut shrimp and salad before moving on to filet with choice of lobster, sea bass or crab cake. Included in the cost is a bottle of red, white or sparkling house wine and red velvet cake for dessert.
Casa Chi by Chef Richard Sandoval
Asian-Latino Fusion: New to the Magnificent Mile, Casa Chi in the Hotel InterContinental combines Peruvian cuisine with Japanese techniques. The three-course Valentine’s Day dinner ($130 per couple) welcomes guests with a cocktail. Appetizers include a smoked swordfish and a salmon and pork belly nigiri, followed by skirt steak, shrimp or provoleta cheese cooked on a hot stone at your table. The meal is completed by a yuzu cheesecake with almond crumble and chocolate sauce. From 6-9 p.m., guitarist Siul Reynoso will perform.
Fora
Innovative Dining: Found in the West Loop’s Emily Hotel, Fora’s Language of Love menu has named each of its five courses named after a different phase in the early days of a relationship (First Sight, Introduction, The Dance, First Kiss and Heading Home). For $75 per person, options include saffron oyster, winter truffle risotto (with steak, salmon or chicken), petit filet with purple Peruvian potato mash and Manchego cheesecake. It’s available from Feb. 13-15, with a Spanish guitar performance on Feb. 14 from 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Italian Village
Modern or Classic?: Sotto, the new concept at the Loop’s Italian Village complex, is offering à la carte specials on Feb. 14-15. Choose from BBQ oysters, scallops risotto or a Wagyu flatiron steak and a fig leaf mousse for dessert. Or you can go to the flagship Village, where a three-course prix fixe dinner is available throughout the weekend. The entrées consist of Italian classics like saltimbocca and wild mushroom risotto, with tiramisu or profiterole with gelato for dessert.
Laurel
All Weekend Long: Near the Magnificent Mile, Laurel at the Talbott Hotel is offering a $60/person prix fixe dinner from Feb. 13-16. Start with a toast of sparkling wine with starters of lamb meatballs or beets and goat cheese. Indulge in a main course of Arctic char or pasta alla Norma, and finish it off with olive oil cake with pistachio mousse. A wine pairing can be added for $35, or try the bourbon-based Smokey Seduction cocktail.
