With sadness, we can finally say the holiday season is officially over—the Daley Plaza is bare, scintillating light shows have vanished, and bars across the city are no longer blasting Mariah Carey. However, even with the January blues weighing heavy on us, one lauded tradition can buoy us into February—Chicago Restaurant Week.
What is Chicago Restaurant Week?
Every year, award-winning culinary Chicago restaurants participate in Chicago Restaurant Week. The 17-day celebration includes over 350 restaurants across the city. From January 19 to February 4, diners can enjoy a special prix-fixe menu for brunch ($25), lunch ($25), and/or dinner ($42 or $59). Here are the best deals for Chicago Restaurant Week.
1. The M Room
Famed for its extensive premium whisky collection and a menu blending international and French flavors, The M Room is River North’s fine-dining concept with one of the best deals for Chicago Restaurant Week. The refined menu features choices such as Chestnut Veloute with Crispy Prosciutto, a Smoked Beet and Red Pepper Tartare for the first course, and options like Roasted Sea Bass or Australian Wagyu Short Rib for the second. The experience is completed with decadent desserts like Valrhona Chocolate Mousse Cake and Banana Diplomat.
Price: $59 per person for dinner with an optional beverage pairing for $35 per person
Address: 450 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654
Reservations: Make a reservation to The M Room here
2. Frontier
Fall into a meat-induced dream with one of the best deals for Chicago Restaurant Week at Frontier. The three-course menu features authentic choices, with the first course featuring Mushroom Fritters and Lamb Empanadas, followed by the second course of either Smoked Wagyu Ribs or Bourbon Chicken, and dessert featuring a Peach Pie Jar.
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 1072 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642
Reservations: Make a reservation to Frontier here
3. Costera Cocina
Costera Cocina, nestled in Chicago’s West Loop, showcases palatable dishes with tantalizing flavors. The brunch menus feature favorites from Guacamole to Short Rib Quesadillas, followed by hearty mains like Burritos and Costera’s Omelette, and ending on a sweet note with Tangerine Flan or Coconut Rice Pudding.
Lunch invites a culinary adventure with appetizers, including Queso Fundido, leading to mains such as tacos and the Costera Burger, and closing with delectable desserts like Tangerine Flan and Mango Sorbet. Dinner elevates the affair with starters like Short Rib Quesadillas and hamachi Tiradito, followed by a selection of salads or tacos, and main courses ranging from Cavatelli to Pollo al Horno, capped off with desserts like Tangerine Flan and Mango Sorbet.
Price: $59 per person for dinner, $25 per person for brunch and lunch
Address: 850 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Reservations: Make a reservation to Costera Cocina here
4. Duck Duck Goat
Duck Duck Goat comes from Top Chefs’ most beloved winner, Stephanie Izard. She was inspired by the Chinese American restaurants and conceptualized one of the touted restaurants in Chicago. Duck Duck Goat offers special 6-course prix fixe dinner menus and a 4-course brunch menu featuring signature dishes and vegetarian all-time favorites.
Price: $59 per person for dinner, $25 per person for brunch and lunch
Address: 857 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
Reservations: Make a reservation to Duck Duck Goat here
5. Alpana
Alpana is known for working with umami-rich ingredients and infusing them with flavorful spices, creating pops of sweetness and refreshing acidity, which is why it’s one of the must-hit spots for Chicago Restaurant Week. The brunch menu features two courses, with options like Cream of Cauliflower Soup, Vanilla Whipped Ricotta & Maples Pecan Granola, Blueberry French Toast, Quiche Forestier, and more. The dinner menu offers three courses, starting with a complimentary house-baked focaccia.
Price: $59 per person for dinner, $25 per person for brunch
Address: 31 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
Reservations: Make a reservation to Aplana here
6. Nisos Prime
Also located in Chicago’s energizing West Loop, Nisos Prime’s dinner menu celebrates luxurious flavors. The menu begins with a choice of the Nisos Wedge, American Wagyu Carpaccio, or Bucatini Cacio e Pepe. The second course presents the finest cuts like the 6 oz Center Cut Filet, the 10 oz Campo Grande Iberico Skirt, or Chicken Valdostano. Dessert offers a decadent Chocolate Cake or a Banana Cream Pie.
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 802 W Randolph St Floor 2, Chicago, IL 60607
Reservations: Make a reservation to Nisos Prime here
7. Barrio
The vibrant Mexican restaurant invites patrons to enjoy brunch and dinner during the 2024 Restaurant Week. The brunch menu presents starters like Blueberry Cornbread Muffins and Avocado Toast, followed by main courses such as Carnitas Fried Rice and Churro French Toast, with an option to elevate the meal with New York Strip Steak & Eggs. Bottomless Mimosas are available for an additional fee.
The dinner menu begins with appetizers, including Chorizo & Potato Taquitos and Tuna Ceviche Tacos, leading to entrees like the Oaxacan Cheese Quesadilla and Chicken Al Pastor Enchiladas.
Price: $42 per person for dinner, $25 per person for brunch
Address: 65 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
Reservations: Make a reservation to Barrio here
8. François Frankie
French connoisseurs get ready. François Frankie will offer an impressive lunch and dinner prix fixe dining experience, with menus that highlight French-inspired cuisine and provide guests with a taste of France. Diners can choose from dishes like French Onion Soup, Crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips, Black Truffle Gnocchi, Steak Frites, and Chocolate Mousse Cake.
Price: $59 per person for dinner, $25 per person for brunch
Address: 222 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60606
Reservations: Make a reservation to François Frankie here
9. Mordecai
Join Mordecai for Chicago Restaurant Week 2024 with an elegant three-course prix fixe dinner menu. Chef Djibril Webb has put together a delicious three-course meal with elevated yet comforting dishes. The first course will feature Smoked Oysters, followed by Oxtail Risotto, and ending with Bruleed Banana Éclairé.
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 3632 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60613
Reservations: Make a reservation to Mordecai here
10. Tanta
If you are craving Peruvian dishes, head to River North’s Tanta for a delectable and refreshing dinner. At Tanta, you’ll enjoy an enticing four-course prix fixe dinner menu. Guests can choose from dishes like cebiche, tiradito, roasted chicken, veggie saltado, and more.
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 118 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
Reservations: Make a reservation to Tanta here
11. Sushi by Bou
Sushi by Bou in the Gold Coast and West Loop will offer a fresh and raw dinner menu for the 2024 Chicago Restaurant Week, featuring a refined selection of sushi. The menu includes a variety of nigiri such as Hamachi (Yellowtail), Akami (Lean Tuna), Maguro (Chopped Tuna), Botan Ebi (Spotted Prawn), and Ikura (Salmon Roe). Additional choices include Bincho (Albacore), Hotate (Scallop), Gindara (Miso Cod), Otoro (Fatty Tuna), Sake (Salmon), Wagyuni (Surf & Turf), and Unagi (BBQ Eel).
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 311 N Morgan St, Chicago, IL 60607 (West Loop), 1244 N Dearborn Pkwy, Chicago, IL 60610 (Gold Coast)
Reservations: Make a reservation to Sushi by Bou here
12. Esmé
Esmé is an ever-evolving fine-dining tasting menu restaurant in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Every 12 weeks, Esmé partners with local artists, creatives, and luminaries to create an entirely new experience that tells a story about the partner’s work through thoughtfully composed dishes, music, and hand-crafted service pieces. However, if the tasting menu is out of your budget, then you’re in luck. Esmé is participating in Chicago Restaurant Week so that you can taste the flavorsome artistic meal without spending an entire paycheck.
Price: $59 per person for dinner
Address: 2200 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Reservations: Make a reservation to Esmé here