Opportunity to shine: Suburban restaurants showcase specialties during Chicago Restaurant Week

With restrictions easing and mask mandates lifted after more than two years, diners are looking for opportunities to pick themselves up, dust themselves off and get out to taste a little normalcy.

Supporting a restaurant in your neck of the woods or branching out to explore a new neighborhood in the suburbs and city is a great way to get out again.

To help you in this endeavor, Choose Chicago's dining showcase, Chicago Restaurant Week, returns Friday, March 25, through Sunday, April 10.

Special meals include prix fixe brunch and lunch menus for $25 and dinner menus for $39 and $55 (excluding beverages, tax, gratuity and delivery). Diners can reserve tables and view menus online for multicourse meals at eatitupchicago.com.

As in past years, the event gives diners the chance to try the trendsetters, familiar favorites and some national chains, visit and explore new neighborhoods in the city and suburbs and try eateries' carefully crafted menus. This year also offers the flexibility of enjoying meals for dine-in, delivery or carryout. Last year's adjusted prices are still in place to continue to boost revenue opportunities for restaurants, given the business challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Chicago Restaurant Week offers residents and visitors alike a unique opportunity to experience the unparalleled culinary and cultural richness of our great city and its neighborhoods,” said Glenn Eden, Board Chair of Choose Chicago. “From Bronzeville to Chinatown and Devon Avenue, you can go on an adventurous gastronomical global tour without ever leaving the city. It is no surprise that Chicago Restaurant Week is still going strong after 15 years, and it is now more important than ever to support our local restaurants as they are a critical part of our industry and the city's economic recovery.”

The highly anticipated event will feature more than 329 restaurants representing 37 Chicago neighborhoods, plus 31 suburban restaurants. Sixty-six eateries are women-, minority- or Black-owned. In 2022, 68 restaurants will make their Chicago Restaurant Week debut and include both recently opened and established locales. A complete list of participating restaurants and their curated menus can be found at ChooseChicago.com.

Ben Uvodich, Regional Manager of Roka Akor Steak & Sushi in Oak Brook, says the timing of Chicago Restaurant Week couldn't be better for getting people out of the house.

“We've been through so much in the last few years - this industry - its timing is most opportune,” Uvodich said. “It's a perfect opportunity to showcase what we have to offer. And people are itching to get out.”

At Atwater's Restaurant in The Herrington Inn and Spa in Geneva, they look forward to folks coming out, visiting the restaurant and staying perhaps.

“I feel it's a good way for restaurants to showcase themselves, and it should really get people out there,” says Atwater's manager Josh Maxwell.

Lisa Landers, director of sales and marketing for Atwater's and the Herrington Inn and Spa in Geneva, says the restaurant is ready.

“We are always excited to participate with the hopes that new patrons from Chicago and the suburbs will venture over to beautiful Geneva and stop in,” Landers says. “We have many guests who will come and stay the night and have dinner, incorporating all that the Inn has to offer. If you are staying overnight and enjoying Atwater's, we will pick you up at the Geneva train station - you don't even need your car to enjoy the Inn and downtown Geneva.”

At Seasons 52 in Schaumburg and Oak Brook, Chicago Restaurant Week is a way to kick off spring, and they're also looking at the milder weather to get people out and into the restaurant.

“It's getting nicer outside, and people are excited for winter to end and to start doing fun things again,” says Julie Pohlmann-Croney, director of operations at Seasons 52. “For us at Seasons 52, we look forward to Chicago Restaurant Week because it's an opportunity to introduce new guests to our balanced approach, and we can celebrate spring with them by introducing them to the great things on our new spring menu, like our seasonal soups.

“After the past two years, we are looking forward to getting to know the people who come into the restaurant, which is really the best part of the job.”

Beatrix in Oak Brook will be offering the best of its spring menus for Chicago Restaurant Week.

“We are thrilled to have Beatrix be a part of CRW and the celebration of the many wonderful restaurants in our community,” said Executive Partner and Divisional President Marc Jacobs. “The event highlights the amazing food and drink that lives in Chicago (and its surrounding suburbs), and gives our guests the opportunity to affordably experience and discover new restaurants.”

All in all, Chicago Restaurant Week is an opportunity to celebrate the vitality of the city's and suburb's restaurant community.

“This year, in particular, we acknowledge the perseverance of restaurants large and small that have faced innumerable odds. Chicago Restaurant Week is a chance to help them on their paths to recovery,” said Sam Toia, President and CEO of the Illinois Restaurant Association.

For reservations, visit eatitupchicago.com. For updates, diners are encouraged to follow @choosechicago on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and tag #ChicagoRestaurantWeek.