Chicago Recommendations

Avec, Blackbird*, Sushi Wabi, Aria*, Tru (very expensive), Topolobampo*, Spiaggia*, Aigre Doux*, Bongo Room (breakfast), Manny's Deli, Lou Mitchell's (breakfast), Osteria via Stato, Red Light*, Tizi Melloul*

These are all in the greater downtown area. Look them up on Metromix. Most places probably require advanced reservations. You can book many of them on open table. The ones I have an asterisk by are pricier establishments. Tru will likely set you back $600-$700 for two, depending on the wines you select.

Bongo Room has GREAT breakfast...I'll also second Sepia and Nacional 27...ate at both this weekend and they were wonderful! Also- If you're interested in a solid meal that's also really affordable, I would recommend Emilio's Tapas on Ohio about 2 blocks east of Michigan Ave....2 can eat there with a bottle of wine, 2 courses and dessert easily for around a hundred bucks...the food isn't going to blow your mind in some Moto-esque culinary oddity kind of way, but it's really tasty, affordable and easy.

We go about every 2 months, mainly for the dining. I can give many more if you need them, but here are a few:



VTK - Vong's Thai Kitchen

Shaw's - (Seafood)

Topolobampo

ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE WITHIN A BLOCK OF EACH OTHER, CLOSE TO GRANT PARK

Kitsch'n - 2 locations (Great breakfast) - 1 in Roscoe Village - and 1 close to Greek Town

Tango Sur - (Argentine) - Wrigleyvile

Cafe Ba Ba Reeba - (Tapas) - Halsted

Piano Piano - (Italian) - Close to the Airport

We go to Chicago fairly often as well. My responsibility is to pick places to take clients. Terrible job, eh? We went to Cafe Spiaggia last time and were really disappointed. I had a similar dish at Cafe lou Lou's the week before for a fraction of the price and much better. The service was uneven. Bummer. We had a really good meal at Riva's on the Navy Pier. I thought it would just be fun; a festive atmosphere with an awesome view of the city. However, the meal was very good and the service was excellent. We tried to get reservations at Frontera/Tolo...but waited too late. However, we meandered over there when they first opened for brunch ( 11) and got in immediately. WOW! LOVED it and nothing like a couple margaritas at that hour! We also enjoed Bistro 110 for jazz brunch- great French Onion soup. We've been to Aria twice and loved it.

A great place to go for lunch if you're shopping on the Mile or if you have kids in tow if foodlife at the Water Tower.
http://www.foodlifechicago.com/foodlifechicago.htm

Call it an upscale food court, there are all sorts of choices and it's a great value. I love the freshly prepared pad thai. My kids would eat there evry day; so many good choices. Another excellent value is the early night bar buffet at Trattoria #10. With a $6 drink minimum, you can eat for $12...they have shrimp, appetizers, salads, pizza, pasta. I think it starts at 5:30...quite a deal! I think the food at the buffet is actually better than the dining room dinners.
http://www.trattoriaten.com/

Does anyone know of any fine dining Indian cuisine that you would recommend there?

Does anyone know of any fine dining Indian cuisine that you would recommend there?

There is a popular Indian place directly across the street from Shaw's crab house, but I do not know the name.

Upscale Indian restaurant?? The best I can offer is India House at 59 W. Grand Ave. We have dined at several Indian restaurants in Chicago and none fit my definition of upscale. India House has excellent food and the atmosphere is OK. As for the topic of the thread, I second Aria.

There are scads of Indian places on Devon Ave. on the north side around Western Ave. Tiffin is an upscale one.

GG.

I was going to recommend Kevin Restaurant, near the Mag Mile area, but just went to the website to post their address here, and discovered it closed on March 1.

VERY sad. I was only there once, but it happened to be where my wife and I got engaged a few years ago. The food was phenomenal. Very very disappointing and I'm shocked it's gone - one of the toughest places in Chicago to get reservations.

http://www.kevinrestaurant.com/

Looks like Kevin has opened another place - Shikago.

http://www.shikagorestaurant.com/

The original Volare is behind the Hotel Intercontinental on Michigan http://www.volarerestaurant.com/. If you like Louisville's, you need to check out the inspiration!

Best hamburger (voted) and $10 mac & cheese in Chicago is at Kuma's Corner on W. Belmont, http://www.kumas-corner.com/

Backyard grillin' can be found at Weber Grill, 539 N. State Street

The Rosebud, Italian, 1500 W. Taylor Street