A 17-day event showcasing some of the best food of all cuisines across the Chicago area, Chicago Restaurant Week is in full swing heading into its second weekend.
Running through Feb. 4, this year's event is the 17th iteration of Chicago Restaurant Week, featuring more than 380 restaurants. Many of the participating restaurants are located in the suburbs.
Making the event an even greater opportunity for those entrenched in Chicago's culinary scene, as many as 20 participating restaurants are Michelin-rated.
Reservations and menus for the 17-day event went live last month, according to officials.
“Chicago Restaurant Week reflects the passion and vitality of our restaurant community,” President and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association Sam Toia said in the release. “Celebrations like this give diners the perfect reason to explore every single pocket of the city and finally get to that spot they’ve been wanting to try – all while bringing essential business to restaurants during Chicago’s winter season.”
According to Choose Chicago, participating restaurants span 31 Chicago neighborhoods. 46 suburban restaurants are also included, organizers said.
Restaurants that participate in Chicago Restaurant Week offer curated, prix fixe menus with prices set at either $25 for brunch or lunch, and $42 or $59 for dinner. Beverages, tax and gratuity are not included.
Michelin-rated restaurants participating in Chicago Restuarant Week
One two-star Michelin restaurant, Moody Tongue, is on the list of participating restaurants for 2024. However, many "Bib Gourmand" Michelin restaurants, as well as Daises, which received a Green Star in 2023, are on the list.
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Here's the full list of Michelin-rated restaurants participating in Chicago Restaurant Week for 2024:
- Avec (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- Bloom Plant Based Kitchen (Bib Gourmand), Wicker Park
- Cabra (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- Cira (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- Daisies (Green Star), Logan Square
- Moody Tongue (Two Stars), South Loop
- Boka (One Star), Lincoln Park
- Esmé (One Star), Lincoln Park
- Frontera Grill (Bib Gourmand), River North
- Gilt Bar (Bib Gourmand), River North
- Girl & The Goat (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen (Bib Gourmand), Pilsen
- Ina Mae Tavern (Bib Gourmand), Wicker Park
- La Josie (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- Longman & Eagle (Bib Gourmand), Edgewater
- Mango Pickle (Bib Gourmand), Edgewater
- Pompette (Bib Gourmand), Bucktown
- Proxi (Bib Gourmand), West Loop
- Table, Donkey and Stick (Bib Gourmand), Logan Square
- Virtue (Bib Gourmand), Hyde Park
You can find the full list of participating restaurants and menus here.
Finding the best Chicago Restaurant Week Deals
Restaurant Week deals vary between three different price points -- $25, $42 and $59. Between the hundreds of menus in dozens of Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs, picking a place for dinner or lunch may be a bit overwhelming.
That's why a Chicago Reddit user put together a spreadsheet detailing potential savings, costs and more.
The post, which was shared in a Subreddit dedicated to Chicago food, is done annually for Chicago Restaurant Week, mirroring ones seen in previous years, and is often hailed by residents.
"The hero we all need," one user wrote.
In an effort to help categorize the best deals, the spreadsheet breaks down the offerings into a handful of different categories including "Top $59 dinners," "Top $42 dinners," "Top Brunch" and more. It's based on each restaurant's "Restaurant Week" menu "compared to their current menu."
"The best deals are decided based on whether you are definitely going to save money, definitely going to overspend, or whether you could save or spend depending on your choice," the user wrote, noting however that accuracy cannot be guaranteed and diners should check with restaurants to confirm details first.
According to the spreadsheet, the "Top $59 Dinners" -- or rather, the Chicago Restaurant Deals that offer diners the most value -- come from Nia, Tanoshii, Girl, and the Goat and Boka.
