What is the finest restaurant in Chicago for dinner (food, service and overall experience), assuming budget is not a factor? I have parents visiting in a few months time.

We just had dinner at Tetsuya's in Sydney and are looking for restaurants of similar caliber.

The Chicago Forum is a very active forum full of dining & restaurant recommendations.

http://flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=511

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In no particular order- Tru, Ambria, Charlie Trotter's, and Everest Room.

Many people have raved about Alinea; I went to Trio when Grant Achatz was there, and it was terrific, but it is a tremendous committment in terms of time and money. When we ate at Trio, it was more than twenty courses and over four and one half hours. I think Alinea is probably even more of the same, and of course the courses are often whimsical or even odd. Nonetheless, it would be what I would pick if picking one meal. Ambria is a much more traditional restaurant in a terrific location (right across from Lincoln Park) with very polished food and service. I was disappointed last time I was at charlie trotter's, and would not recommend it, and have heard that from others.

Since there is a Chicago forum, and for the sake of future searching, I am moving there.

cblaisd
Senior Moderator

For those who care about such things, Rick Tramonto (Tru) is a foie gras aficionado, while Charlie Trotter refuses to serve it. They feud and do so publicly from time to time. Either restaurant is an experience not to be forgotten.

I agree with the above, that Everest and Ambria are in the same class and I look forward to experiencing Alinea, as well, which is currently very hot. If your parents are rather conservative, Alinea might be a bit much for them (test tubes, foam, unusual essences, things served on hot rocks or hanging from a metal stand, etc.). According to Chicago Magazine, dinners can last up to 5 hours (but the chairs are comfortable)!

My pick is Tru or Alinea. I went to Trotters a long time ago (I was in high school)...so don't quite remember the total experience other than sitting in the kitchen.

Interesting responses. I've ate at Tru and Trotter's each several times. I used to think Tru was the most creative of the two, but I was there a few months ago and while, everything was good, it lost it's luster in my eyes. The food was more mundane and less flavorful than I'd experienced there in the past. I'm a big Trotter fan and have found his offerings more consistent. There is usually one course I find that is too experimental and the flavors don't work for me - beet sorbet was one - but I tend to find everything else to be wonderful.

Tru is definitely the more artsy of the two (style over substance, IMO) - some things are served in bowl within another bowl with a beta swimming around. Then there's the caviar staircase and the Versace cups for things like pumpkin lattes. (Tru has cost me a lot of money in dishes as the first time I saw some of these pieces, I had to have them.) It's brightly lighted downstairs (upstairs is more subdued and more intimate) and there's a rather eclectic modern art collection. (The interactive piece nearest the bathrooms is very amusing.)

Trotter's is traditional in style.

I'm very eager to get to Alinea.

I realize that my suggestion isn’t something you are looking for but it might be something to consider as a late night dining option. This place is open 24 hours, relatively dirty, seats about 5 comfortably in the restaurant (drive through is recommended), and is a truck stop. It’s located by Montrose and Pulaski and has the absolute best greasy food in Chicago. The chili cheese fries in a taco bowl topped with Gyros or Polish hotdogs is to die for – literally. If for some reason your parents are up at 4am and are craving some greasy food or milkshakes(!), check this place out – you will NOT be disappointed. FYI…even at 4am in the morning, there will probably be a line.

haven't been (yet?) but moto (http://www.motorestaurant.com/flash/index.html) is raved about by chicago foodie's

IMHO the two best spots to eat in Chicago are:

Charlie Trotter's : Charlie Trotter's Website (http://www.charlietrotters.com/restaurant/)


Moto Restaurant: My personal favorite. Chef Homaru Cantu takes molecular gastronomy to a new level. Probably my two most memorable meals in my life were at El Bulli in Spain and here. You will never soon forget this experience.
Moto Restaurant Website (http://www.motorestaurant.com/flash/index.html)


Just my 2 cents. :)

What is the finest restaurant in Chicago for dinner (food, service and overall experience), assuming budget is not a factor? I have parents visiting in a few months time.

We just had dinner at Tetsuya's in Sydney and are looking for restaurants of similar caliber.

Since you have several months, you might peruse or get subscriptions to CHICAGO and TIMEOUT magazines, which will have all the hot restaurants listed and reviewed over time.

With TIMEOUT (at least), once you are a subscriber, you can search their archives free online. $20 a year, weekly issues. Good stuff in every issue, even if they try WAY too hard to be hip and edgy and "with it." I'd get my parents and several out-of-town friends subscriptions, if it weren't for the totally superfluous sex column in the back. The editors must be ex-frat boys.

One problem is that for some reason, it arrives late all the time. They say it's the post office, but I get about 15 other magazines, and they are never late.