Restaurant deals abound in city, suburbs for Chicago Restaurant Week 2018
For more than a decade, Chicago Restaurant Week has been providing city and suburban foodies a reason to brave the winter weather: a hard-to-resist combo of dining deals and enticing entrees.
“You need to find some reasons to get people off their couch and to enjoy some of the great culinary opportunities that exist,” said Jordan Engerman, director of partnership for Choose Chicago, the major sponsor of Chicago Restaurant Week. “It's also a more slow time for the restaurant community as well, so we wanted to incentivize and encourage consumers to get out and take advantage of it.”
Now in its 11th year, Chicago Restaurant Week features 370 participating eateries - 115 of which are new for 2018.
Despite its title, Chicago Restaurant Week actually runs longer - from Friday, Jan. 26, through Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018. And it includes a number of suburban eateries.
Multicourse menu options start at $22 for brunch or lunch. Three- or four-course dinner options are available for $33 or $44.
Kicking things off is the First Bites Bash event Thursday, Jan. 25, at Chicago's Navy Pier. More than 60 restaurants and chefs serve up sweet and savory hors d'oeuvres, which can be paired with beer, wine or mixed drinks.
Those who can't make it to the First Bites Bash can plan ahead for their own dining excursion by visiting the Chicago Restaurant Week website at eatitupchicago.com. Diners can scan through places by cuisine, dining hours, neighborhoods and menus. Some restaurants even indicate if they have vegetarian or gluten-free menus.
“A big part of Restaurant Week is for restaurants to appeal and try to drive awareness and drive traffic from new customers,” Engerman said. “And then of course there are people who just love to go to restaurants that they enjoy throughout the year.”
“(Chicago Restaurant Week) helps our chefs stay creative and sharp,” said Richard Ciota, managing partner of Gene & Georgetti steakhouse locations in Rosemont and Chicago. “Just seeing the sheer volume of people coming through the doors does that for them.”
One of the new features for Chicago Restaurant Week in 2018 is a charity partnership with the Greater Chicago Food Depository. A portion of the proceeds from the First Bites Bash will benefit the depository, and Chicago Restaurant Week locations will provide information on how patrons can donate.
“Chicago has really become a culinary capital in the world for outstanding cuisine and chefs and new restaurants and techniques,” Engerman said. “We want to get people out, have an experience, spend some money and enjoy themselves during what is typically a slower and colder time of year.”
This is a sampling of suburban locations participating in Chicago Restaurant Week:
Atwater's, Geneva
Barbakoa Tacos & Tequila, Downers Grove
Basils Greek Dining, Aurora
The Capital Grille, Lombard and Rosemont
Carlucci Restaurant, Downers Grove
Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe, Burbank and Darien
Farmhouse Tavern, Evanston
Fogo de Chao, Chicago and Rosemont
Fox & Turtle, Itasca
Gene & Georgetti, Chicago and Rosemont
Hearth Restaurant, Evanston
The Heritage Restaurant, Forest Park
Hofbrauhaus, Rosemont
L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge, Lincolnwood
La Voute Bistro & Bar, Homewood
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks, Oak Brook and Rosemont
Mon Ami Gabi, Chicago and Oak Brook
Morton's The Steakhouse, Naperville, Northbrook, Rosemont and Schaumburg
Oceanique Restaurant, Evanston
Perry's Steakhouse and Grille, Oak Brook
Prairie River Restaurant at Eaglewood Resort and Spa, Itasca
Ruth's Chris Steak House, Chicago, Northbrook and South Barrington
Sam and Harry's Steakhouse, Schaumburg
Seasons 52, Oak Brook and Schaumburg
Shaw's Crab House, Chicago and Schaumburg
Tokio Pub, Schaumburg
Vie, Western Springs
Vistro Restaurant, Hinsdale
Wildfire, Chicago, Glenview, Lincolnshire, Oak Brook and Schaumburg
Other restaurant week and month promotions in the suburbs:
Geneva Restaurant Week, Jan. 22-28, genevachamber.com
Naperville Restaurant Week, Jan. 26 to Feb. 8, dinenaperville.com
In Good Taste Restaurant Week in Wheaton, Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, downtownwheaton.com/event/good-taste-restaurant-week
North Shore Restaurant Month, Feb. 1-28 except for Valentine's Day, northshore diningdeals.com
Chicago Northwest Restaurant Week, Feb. 23 to March 4, chicagonorthwest.com/ restaurant-week
St. Charles Restaurant Week, Feb. 26 to March 2, stcharlesil.gov/restaurant-week
Lake County Restaurant Week, March 2-11, visitlake county.org/restaurantweek
Batavia Restaurant Week 2018, March 25-29, facebook.com/events/1504425002966934/
Northern Fox River Valley Restaurant Week, March 27 to April 4, northernfoxrivervalley.com/visit/restaurant-week
Des Plaines Restaurant Week falls in October. Visit desplaines.org/government/mayor/week.htm for future details.
First Bites Bash 2018
Where: Navy Pier Aon Grand Ballroom, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago,
When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25
Tickets: $125 general admission (includes savory and sweet food tastings with liquor from 60 restaurants; must be 21 or older to attend)