I will be in Chicago next weekend, and would like to take my brother and his girlfriend out to dinner. A couple of requirements:

1. MUST have a decent wine list;
2. My brother is a bit of a meat-and-potatoes guy, so relatively standard fare;
3. Nothing too expensive. Would like to keep the total at or under $250 for the four of us (but I could probably be talked into stretching the budget if need be).
4. Location. We'll be downtown and we'd rather not travel too far (although I'd be willing to make an exception for a spectacular meal).

Anyone have any thoughts?

The "businessman's" favorite lunch spot (and good for dinner without reservations on week nights is Italian Village with a very good wine list. (I shocked some Dutch collegues with the quality of a very good but expensive Cab from Napa)

Best steak house downtown is Smith and Wolensky just across the river north of the Loop. (Wine list?)

You have to go farther north to get quality for a better price.. Cabs are plentiful.

"Nine" downtown is also very good, very modernist.

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Originally posted by navin:
I will be in Chicago next weekend, and would like to take my brother and his girlfriend out to dinner. A couple of requirements:

1. MUST have a decent wine list;
2. My brother is a bit of a meat-and-potatoes guy, so relatively standard fare;
3. Nothing too expensive. Would like to keep the total at or under $250 for the four of us (but I could probably be talked into stretching the budget if need be).
4. Location. We'll be downtown and we'd rather not travel too far (although I'd be willing to make an exception for a spectacular meal).

Anyone have any thoughts?

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If you insist on staying downtown (Gold Coast) area, price might be an issue. Pane Caldo is pretty good with a GREAT wine list. Bin 36 in the House of Blues Hotel has a nice by the glass or half glass list, food is not as good as it used to be. Most "downtown" restaurants are geared for the casual tourist and both food and wine lists are questionable.

Navin- Try Crofton on Wells. It's a smaller place (seats about 40). The menu is selective and quite good, they'll have the "meat and potatoes thing" as well as other well selected entress. Try the crab cakes, they're the best ever. The wine list is very good and very reasonable.

Intimate, good food, good service, good wine list (not oeverwhelming though). $250 for 4 is about right on.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

I agree with Amboise- Italian Village should be on your list. They have a VERY extensive wine list and the prices are incredibly reasonable. You have to ask for the big wine list. Italian Village is in the Loop, and it is actually 3 restaurants that share one wine cellar. Check out Italian Village- you can view their menus.

Enjoy your stay in our great city!

amboise:

ah the great discussion of chicago steak houses. i've been to the smith and wollensky in NYC, but never here. i always go to the chicago chop house, my personal favourite. personally, you can't go wrong with chicago steakhouses for the most part. all serve a generous portion, gene and georgettis on the extreme side, none are what you would call a destination for romantic evening, but the chop house gets my vote for most conversational. the clientele is a bit quieter, making for a more enjoyable dining experience.

Navin- Check out metromix.com. Very good restaurant reviews. If you haven't made a reservation yet you better get on it. The best places fill up.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

I would highly recommend Spiaggia Cafe as they have something to offer for everyone and it will fit into your budget. Italian fare with meats, seafood and wonderful pasta. Plus, they have a great cheese cave!

Also, check into Keefers as they do very good steaks and the French style menu that compliments the meats will leave you very satisfied. No hats in Keefers at all but they have a great dining room and John Hogan is a fantastic chef.

Both places have excellent wine lists...

Go here as well as MetroMix:

Chowhounds...

Agree with Frankie on the Chicago Chop House, but my first choice would be Kiki's Bistro at 900 North Franklin. Excellent French food (loved the confit) and modestly priced wine list, with somne surprisingly low Burgundies.

If you feel like splurging, the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton is magnificent.

Just one more sip.

Navin,

My wife and I just went to Kiki's Bistro in January with Pinot Envy and her husband when they were in town. It is certainly a nice restaurant and within your price range (I am assuming $250 does not include wine). However, it is not within walking distance which you wanted although the cab ride will be short. They also allow corkage for $12-15 per bottle. If you go, look around for a 375ml bottle of Inniskillin Sparkling Icewine that we mistakenly left there in January (the manager said they could not find it when I called).

More suggestions can be found in this thread.

VM

rent a car or take a long cab ride to Trio in Evanston for a complete dining experience.

I don't think you can do Trio for $250 for 4 tho - more like $400-500 + if I recall correctly. That place is expensive.

as a former chicago resident, all I can say is avoid Spiagga unless you want to leave hungry. Excellent food, just overpriced and hardly any food.

I have been to Spiaggia, and I agree (somewhat) with Auto. I was completely underwhelmed by it, despite it's great reputation. I think the 80s decor threw me. The overpriced wine list also didn't impress me. There are many other restaurants to try in this great dining city so that I have no need to go back.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

Hey folks-
Check the date...

If you like french, I would say Ambria, if it's still as good as it was in the 90's.

I have eaten in Spiaggia Cafe 5 times and have never left feeling hungry. I was there 3 weeks ago as part of a party of 4 and we were treated like royalty. The house sent us our own app and then they sent out 3 more apps to share. When that was devoured, the ladies received salads while the gents received pasta courses. All shared. By that time I was almost full and then came a wonderful entree for each of us. All of us were more than satisfied. Ahhh but they were not done with us. They sent us out 4 desserts. We could not finish them. It was enough food to feed 6 people. Plus, they have house made flat breads and Italian breads with butter. Breads and water were coming at every chance. The service was excellent and the food was perfect. The house picked up our 1st apps and all the desserts. Not bad for a place that leaves one hungry. I only have one question for you Spiaggia bashers- where are your Chicago restaurant ideas?

Thanks for all the responses. We plan to make it up to Chicago three or four times a year, so I'll definitely print a copy of this thread for future reference.

Naturally, after getting a bunch of great suggestions we ignored them all. We'll, not really. My brother had his own ideas, so I let him lead the way. We went to Wildfire on Friday night, and West Town Tavern on Saturday. Neither were quite what I had in mind (not quite the "whole dining experience" I was hoping for), but both were really good for what they are.

There were only three of us at Wildfire on Friday. All of the entrées were excellent, if a bit unimaginative. The wine list was nothing special, and I was a bit disappointed at that. The by-the-glass selection was not good at all. I don't even recall what I drank. We had a bottle of Estancia Meritage with dinner. It was listed as the 2000, but the bottle was a 1999. Like the restaurant, I like this wine for what it is. Nothing special, but an enjoyable casual drinker.

The West Town Tavern was really enjoyable. Very casual. Service was great. Again, all of the entrées were very well done. The wine list was very interesting. Heavy on qpr with no heavy-hitters. Again, I had planned to do something a little more exciting, but we enjoyed the evening so I can't ask for much more. I would certainly recommend West Town Tavern for a nice casual dinner.

After dinner on Friday we hit the Tasting Room. Unfortunately, my wife and I were getting pretty tired, so we didn't stay as long as I would have liked and only ordered by the glass. The by the glass selection was impressive (I had a 2001 Lytton Springs and my wife had a glass of 2003 Cloudy Bay). Next time we make it up to Chicago, the Tasting Room will be one of my first stops. I was dying to try some of the bottles on the menu (Turley zins come to mind).

Again, thanks for all the suggestions. I plan to hit a couple of those spots in the near future.

Spiagga basher hardly, just relaying the facts as I intrepted them, as did everyone in the party. When I lived in Chicago, Spruce, Ambria, Everest, Red Rooster, Brassiere Jo, Tratorria #10, Arun, Rosebud on Taylor, Chicago Chop House, Vinci, Frontera Grill, mia francesca, need I go on?

Thanks for the f/u Navin. I like West Town Tavern too. Like you said, casual, but solid. Interesting by the glass list, but nothing to blow you away.

I too am not a Spiaggia basher, I don't actively dislike it, I just see no reason to go back. For the price there are many other restaurants I would try, many of which are on Auto's list. Add MK to that list too.

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Yes, but I came here for an argument.

Oh! Oh! I'm sorry, this is abuse.

Grossie. Hmmm, sounds a little like Gibby's

are you up for a little adventure? I have heard that Fogo De Chao is very good, it is a Brazilian steak house. Fixed price $46.50 per person. 15 different types of meat carved tableside. Not sure on the wines though.

Coco Pazzo - Italian, good wine list, $20 corkage fee.

Biggs Steakhouse recently reopened, but not sure if it will meet your $250 range.....

enjoy.

When I lived in Chicago, Spruce, Ambria, Everest, Red Rooster, Brassiere Jo, Tratorria #10, Arun, Rosebud on Taylor, Chicago Chop House, Vinci, Frontera Grill, mia francesca, need I go on?[/QUOTE]

Very nice but most of these places would not fit into the requirements of the original post. And yes do go on as I like your taste but I am a bit surprised by your disdain for Spiaggia. Tell me, were you in the dining room or the cafe?

Navin,

Sounds like a decent outing. The West Town Tavern is a fun place. These people used to run Zinfindel and they always had a first rate set of apps and wonderful entrees.

The Tasting Room is a place that can be fun and they have some nice wine selections there as well as some stellar scotch (Macallan) pleasures. The food there is decent. One Sixty Blue across the street offers a wonderful menu as well. Hope you come back again...

I have eaten at both the cafe and dining room, was not overly impressed with either. I just stated my favorite places. You can receive some "meat and potatoes" at Vinci, Brassirie Jo,even rosebud, and Chop house You just might have to watch it on that budget.