Dining bites: Chili's to give away 27,000 Molten Chocolate Cakes
Note: Events are subject to change. Check the website or call before you go.
National Chocolate Cake Day
Yes, chocolate lovers, National Chocolate Cake Day is a real thing. To fete the day - Thursday, Jan. 27 - Chili's Grill & Bar is giving away 27,000 Molten Chocolate Cakes. To get one, sign up for My Chili's Rewards between Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 and a free cake will be added to your account to redeem within 30 days. Already a member? Order an entree on Jan. 27 and you'll get a free Molten Chocolate Cake.
Chili's Grill & Bar has locations in Algonquin, Arlington Heights, Aurora, Batavia, Bloomingdale, Bolingbrook, Crystal Lake, Downers Grove, Gurnee, Hoffman Estates, McHenry, Naperville, Plainfield, Romeoville, Rosemont, Round Lake Beach, South Elgin, St. Charles, Streamwood, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Wheaton and more. chilis.com/.
Geneva Restaurant Week
Lucky for diners, there's still time to take advantage of Geneva Restaurant Week, which runs now through Sunday, Jan. 30. This year, the theme of “Dine on the $9's” means that lunch and dinner specials include nine in the price. Participating restaurants include Altiro Latin Fusion, Atwater's in the Herrington, Copper Fox, Cotto a Legna, Craft Urban, Del Barrio Mezcaleria, FoxFire Restaurant, Geneva Ale House, Gia Mia, The Little Traveler Atrium Cafe, Livia Italian Eatery, Nobel House, Preservation, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Rookies All-American Pub & Grill, Stockholm's and The Walrus Room.
For details, see genevachamber.com/geneva-restaurant-week-2022/.
Smashburger opens in Naperville
Smashburger - known for signature burgers (smoked bacon brisket burger, anyone?), grilled and crispy chicken sandwiches, Smashfries, salads, shakes (salted caramel coffee, Oreo, peanut butter, to name a few) and more - is opening its sixth fast-casual Illinois location in Naperville on Friday, Jan. 28. Hours are 3-9 p.m. daily.
Smashburger is at 2736 Showplace Drive #100, Naperville, (630) 864-5119, smashburger.com/.
Cheers to 6 years
Half Day Brewing Company in Lincolnshire is celebrating six years in business with specials every day through Sunday, Jan. 30. Tuesday, it's half-price signature burgers; Wednesday, it's half-price tacos; Thursday, it's half-price apps and $10 growler fill-ups; Friday and Saturday, take advantage of $5 Titos and half-price bottles of wine; and Sunday, it's funday with $5 Bloody Marys and mimosas.
Half Day Brewing Company is at 200 Village Green, Lincolnshire, (847) 821-6933, halfdaybrewing.com/.
Game day ready
Oaken Bistro + Bar is ready for some football. Besides showing the NFL Divisional playoff games on its multiple hi-def TVs on Sunday, Jan. 30, Oaken will be serving up $6 buffalo chicken sliders to go along with $6 craft beers.
Oaken Bistro + Bar is at 200 N. Field Drive, Lake Forest, (847) 582-6410, oakenbistro.com/.
New, new, new
Libertyville's Main Street Social is honoring the new year with new menu items. Options include the apple salad featuring honey crisp apples, blue cheese, pistachios and berry balsamic; the carne flatbread with prosciutto sausage, fireball pepperoni, crispy Brussels sprouts and a balsamic glaze; the bucatini cacio y pepe pasta; the scallops with wild mushroom risotto; and the 18-ounce prime bone-in rib-eye, 16-ounce prime bone-in Kansas City strip or the 9-ounce prime filet, all of which come with mashed potatoes and charred broccolini.
Main Street Social is at 608 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, (847) 549-3490, mainstreetsoc.com/.
White Elephant Dinner at Tokio Pub
It's never too late to have a white elephant gift exchange, right? That's what Tokio Pub in Schaumburg was thinking, which is why the restaurant is hosting a four-course White Elephant Dinner from 6:15-8:15 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. Here's what you need to do: Bring a wrapped gift to be exchanged for a new gift. But keep in mind that the person who picks out a gift after you could steal your gift, which means you'd have to pick a new one. And around and around it goes. For the meal itself, expect dishes such as crunchy garlic tuna and barbecue eel guacamole roll sushi, chicken skewer with lime chipotle aioli sauce, hamburger steak with mushroom and wasabi gravy sauce, and for dessert, cherry cake with walnuts, caramel sauce and whipped cream. Dinner is $64 per person. Reservations are required.
Tokio Pub is at 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181, tokiopub.com/events/.
Happy Chinese New Year!
Big Bowl is honoring the Chinese New Year with special dishes available from Tuesday, Feb. 1, through Thursday, Feb. 10. Choose from General Tso's chicken meatballs, Sichuan shrimp and pork noodles (which symbolizes longevity), crispy ginger cod, Chinese 5-Spice Cake and banana cheesecake (which symbolize bringing a sweet life to the New Year), and Blood Orange Sangria.
Big Bowl is at 215 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 808-8880, and 1950 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-8881, bigbowl.com/.
Harry Potter dinner No. 3
Harry Potter fans are in luck: The Chocolate Sanctuary has added a third Harry Potter Chef's Dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3. Make reservations now for the $50 per person dinner featuring courses of Cornish pastie and pumpkin juice, Brown Windsor soup and butterbeer, roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and Amortentia (love potion), and treacle tart and Felix Felicis (liquid luck).
The Chocolate Sanctuary is at 5101 Washington St., Gurnee, (224) 944-0808, thechocolatesanctuary.com/.
Saying thanks
Tap House Grill, which just celebrated 15 years in St. Charles, is thanking its customers with daily specials Monday, Jan. 31, through Sunday, Feb. 6. Monday is boneless wings and fries for $5.99; Tuesday is half-price burgers; Wednesday is half-price tacos; Thursday is root beer-braised beef and Gouda sandwich for $7.99; Friday is $5 Sunset Martinis, $4 Tito's drinks and $3 Fireballs; Saturday is half-price wine, $4 mules and $4 sangrias; and Sunday is all-you-can-eat bone-in wings for $9.99 and $4 Bloody Marys.
Tap House Grill is at 3341 W. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 443-1664, taphousegrills.com/locations/st-charles/.
Send restaurant openings, closings, news and events to clinden@dailyherald.com.