I spent my birthday in Chicago, Illinois aka Chi-town! I think it’s safe to say that I celebrated for both my 27th (thanks, corona) and my 28th. Y’all know I didn’t skimp out on any meals and I got you on my recommendations. Disclaimer, a weekend in Chicago is not enough time to eat your way around the city and just know that I will be back (in the summertime).
Where to Stay:
Sofitel Magnificent Mile. Conveniently located in downtown Chicago, you’ll be able to walk to a plethora of restaurants, bars and activities from here. Due to the pandemic, there is currently no room service or housekeeping at the hotel. But if you need something like towels you can just call the front desk and they’ll bring it up to you. The hotel also has a bar and a restaurant, which allows you to order drinks and take up to your room – that was fun!
Rooms located on floors 27+ offer really nice views of the city, so if you want to spend a little extra $, I recommend being in one of these rooms.
Where to Eat:
Now, the fun part. Where to eat. I’ll include spots that we went to and some that were on our list but didn’t make the cut because of time/failing to make reservations. Especially now due to the pandemic, restaurants are not operating at full capacity so I recommend reservations for every place you want to visit.
Etta
If you want Italian food, this is where you go. They have two locations, we checked out the River North location. Wood-fired food that didn’t disappoint. When you walk in, you can see the open kitchen that gives you a sense of intimacy with the chefs! I feel like I’ve mentioned this before but music is a big thing for me and if a place of business is playing the type of music that I enjoy, they automatically pass the vibe check with me. We heard late 90’s and early 00 r&b hits – it was perfect. But what was more perfect than the music? The food.
If you’re coming to Etta to celebrate ANY special occasion, then I highly recommend the “porron and polaroid.” For $45 you get a huge jug of wine and a polaroid camera to document your dining experience. You can directly pour from the porron to your mouth, but I needed assistance so our wonderful server Jose helped!
We ordered the Cacio e Pepe that was to die for. Creamy, rich and flavorful describe this dish at Etta. We also ordered the Tagliolini which is shrimp scampi, green garlic butter and fried shallot.
The Violet Hour
Post drink cocktails just taste better at The Violet Hour. I wish I was lying when I say that I ordered every tequila cocktail that was on the menu and a couple that were not on the menu. They were all great. The Violet Hour has a more romantic and darker vibe inside so while you can bring your friends, I also think it would be a great place for a date. Our cocktail server was so nice (she was a fellow Aries) and even gave me tiny to-go cocktails!
Friends Ramen
We got to Chicago and it was COOOOLD. So what better way to warm up than with ramen? Friends is a TINY spot in downtown Chicago, we arrived about 5 minutes after they opened and were the first ones there. Within 30 minutes every table that was available due to social distancing was packed and when we left there were 3 groups waiting to be sat so get there early or when you don’t have any commitments afterward.
We ordered the gyoza and the fried chicken wings. Both were the ultimate level of crispy. The wings were covered in this bbq like spicy sauce – just delicious. Surprisingly, these were my favorites of the meal.
For the ramen, I got the Tan Tan ramen which comes with egg noodles, fried garlic, spicy ground pork, pork belly and poached egg. I added chili oil to mine and it was *chef’s kiss.*
Cabra
We did not get to go here but it was on our list and would be the perfect option for brunch! If you’re looking for a rooftop restaurant (beautiful interior) with nice views, check this place out. Cabra is a Peruvian restaurant so ordering their ceviche is a must.
Seoul Taco
I had a lyft driver recommend this place to us and I’m so glad we checked it out! If you’re a fan of fusion foods, this Korean/Mexican fusion is just what you need in your life. We ordered a little bit of everything, queso and chips, steak burrito, chicken quesadilla. Everything was delicious but the true star of the show are the Gogi & Waffles. Sweet potato waffle fries, queso, kimchi, green onion and sauces.
Alinea
You KNOW Alinea had to make the list! If you aren’t familiar with Alinea or Chef Grant Achatz, I recommend watching the Alinea episode of Chef’s Table. It’s an inspiring story and one of the few 3 Michelin starred restaurants in America. Alinea is a tasting menu experience so if you can’t appreciate a good tasting menu, I would not recommend. Eight courses came out and they were all spectacular and delicious.
I loved every dish and each had its own unique ingredients and flavors but my two favorite were:
- The Hawaiian inspired venison dish made with Hawaiian Axis deer.
- The fermented cabbage dish smothered in Challerhocker cheese and Perigold black truffle
The creativity behind both of these dishes blew my mind.
The Victor Bar
I was recommended this place by one of our servers at Alinea so I knew that I had to check it out. The Victor Bar is a bit outside of Downtown and past Alinea in North Chicago. It’s your classic neighborhood bar. I ordered a tequila drink and then on the menu there was an option to order a drink created by the bartender. I wanted him to surprise me and ordered two of these. I told him I loved tequila and a couple of flavors that I prefer. He nailed both of them.
I wish these were actual cocktails on the menu so I could give you names but here’s what I told him I liked: tequila, lemon, pineapple, spice, sour.
I hope this list helps you navigate your food adventures the next time you’re in the Windy City! Already planning my next trip back.
Xoxo,
Wynee
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