Chicago Restaurant Week Menu Picks

BEST DATE NEWS

Jan. 23, 2025: Best Date News Volume #110

Welcome to Best Date News, your favorite Chicago weekly newsletter! In this week’s newsletter we do a deep dive into Chicago Restaurant Week. You will read about our seven favorite menu picks followed by some additional restaurant news from a busy week in Chicago.

Jan. 23: National Holidays

• National Pie Day

• National Handwriting Day

• National Clashing Clothes Day

• National Measure Your Feet Day

• International Sticky Toffee Pudding Day

Chicago Restaurant Week 2025

Chicago Restaurant Week (CRW) is a 17-day celebration that highlights the best of Chicago’s dining scene. The 2025 edition returns tomorrow, Jan. 24 and runs through Feb. 9. This is a great opportunity to check out a new Chicago restaurant and possibly save some money in the process!

The four menu options to choose from for CRW are as follows: Brunch ($30), Lunch ($30), Dinner ($45) and Dinner ($60). For those of you keeping track, the brunch and lunch menu prices increased $5 from last year, the lower-priced dinner is up $3 and the other is up $1.

After evaluating 2025 CRW menus, we have chosen our seven favorites. And while these sounded the best to us, we encourage you to go evaluate menus for yourself before making reservations. You can find all the participating restaurants and see the full CRW menus on the Chicago Restaurant Week website.

1 | Miru ($60 Dinner)

While the best time to visit this fancy, new Japanese restaurant is probably during the summer, so you can enjoy the incredible terrace, this deal seems too good to pass up. While the entire menu sounds delicious, the thing that initially drew us in were the two entrées: Miso Black Cod and Flat Iron Steak with Korean Miso Glaze. Each of these items is menu-priced $42, and the steak is normally only available at lunch. If you tally up the entire restaurant week menu, your total value comes out to around $193 for two people, but you only pay $120. While it’s hard to say definitively, on the surface this seems like a fantastic deal and a fantastic spot to go on a nice date. Reservations.

2 | Orso’s ($30 Lunch)

Grab lunch on Wells Street in Old Town at Orso’s! We are pleased to see Orso’s menu includes one of its most popular dishes: the Jalapeño Gnocchi. With this lunch, you’ll get a salad, entrée and dessert, with plenty of options in each category. Plus, if you take a quick look past the coffee, tea and soft drinks listed, you will notice a house wine option is also included on this menu! And that’s not even the best part. This lunch menu is the exact same as the dinner menu, so you are getting the same meal for $15 less just by going at lunchtime! Reservations.

3 | Avec West Loop ($60 Dinner)

A five-course meal, at a great restaurant at a seemingly good value. Sometimes it’s just that simple. If the menu sounds good to you, this would be a great way to try out one of Chicago’s most praised restaurants. It was featured in The Bear after all. As this restaurant is already a spot where you order multiple plates, it makes a lot of sense to come here for Chicago Restaurant Week. Ordering the items a-la-carte off the menu would normally run you over $100, so there are some good potential savings there. Plus the menu includes their famous Medjool Dates. Reservations.

4 | Costera Cocina Tulum ($30 Brunch)

Escape Chicago’s winter for at least a couple hours with brunch at this Tulum-inspired oasis. We recommend this Fulton Market spot for those wanting to have a fun brunch with friends. As a starting point, all the brunch entrées have normal menu prices between $17 and $21. You also have three starter options with menu prices between $14 and $22. Plus, you get three dessert options! Overall, it’s a nice deal at a place on the pricier side. We’re eyeing the Guacamole, Breakfast Burrito and Coconut Flan! Reservations.

5 | Tribecca’s Sandwich Shop ($30 Lunch)

If you are in the mood to grab a couple sandwiches for lunch, consider checking out Tribecca’s Sandwich Shop in Avondale. This restaurant week deal is great because it feeds two people, not just one, for $30. With this deal, you are essentially getting two sides and one dessert for free with the purchase of two sandwiches. While we haven’t been here yet, the sandwiches look delicious. Plus, two of the items that they are best known for, the Cubano Sandwich and Tuber’s Donut, are both included! Website.

6 | Prime & Provisions ($60 Dinner)

Looking to “save” some money at an expensive steakhouse? Prime & Provisions in the Loop is the move if you have your eyes on a good steak. They have a 7oz Petite-Cute Filet Mignon on the menu which normally sells for $58. That means you are essentially getting an appetizer and dessert for free to go with your filet. If you go here on a date, you’d be getting around $60 worth of food for “free” between the two of you. However, you both would have to order the steak as your entrée to make the deal really worth it. Reservations.

7 | Giant ($60 Dinner)

Giant is a great restaurant, and Chicago Restaurant Week is a good reason to check it out. This four-course meal for $60 is actually more like five as they include focaccia and a salad with your third course. And the most important part, the menu options sound delicious! We have our eyes on that caramelized sweet potato and ricotta dish. Make sure you choose the Cookies and Cream Cake for dessert! To make you visit an even better deal, go during the week you can pair your Chicago Restaurant Week menu with their happy hour, which runs from 5-6pm Monday-Thursday and gives you 50% off all wine bottles! Reservations.

Chicago News

• James Beard Awards: The 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists were just announced yesterday, and Chicago showed up well with 22 of them. Awards are given in categories like Outstanding Restaurant, Outstanding Chef, Outstanding Bar, Best New Restaurant and more. See the Chicago semifinalists.

• Hard Rock Cafe: After nearly 40 years on Ontario St. in River North, Hard Rock Cafe will be closing its doors for good on March 29. The unfortunate news was just announced this week. There isn’t any word yet on what will happen with the iconic neon guitar sign out front.

• Jaleo: Sticking with the sad theme of River North restaurant closures, Jaleo by José Andrés also announced that it will be closing this week on Saturday, Jan. 25. The Spanish tapas restaurant opened in 2021 and was the first restaurant that the famous chef and restaurateur opened in Chicago. Pigtail, the downstairs cocktail bar, will also be closing.

• Restaurant Openings: It’s not all sad news though as Chicago is set to have some exciting restaurant openings this year! You likely saw that Prince Street Pizza just opened in West Loop. Another viral New York City spot Milk Bar is expected to join them in Fulton Market possibly as soon as next month. Check out the 11 Most Anticipated Chicago Restaurant Openings of 2025.

• Restaurant Week Deals: In case you want some additional recommendations for Chicago Restaurant Week, Eater Chicago put together a list of what they deem to be The Best Chicago Restaurant Week Deals.

Poll Question of the Week

Last Newsletter's Poll Results

Poll Results: Last newsletter we asked you where you thought January fell in terms of month rankings and you said:

• 69%: One of the worst months

• 20%: Middle of the pack

• 11%: One of the best months

Thank you to everyone who also provided their thoughts on January. Some of your comments noted that while it might be the coldest month of the year, it also brings a new sense of excitement for slowing down and beginning with a fresh start. Plus, the city can be peaceful in the winter as it’s quiet and there aren’t tourists. Lastly, happy birthday to everyone who celebrates in January!

Sunrise & Sunset in Chicago

Here is today’s outlook in Chicago:

• Sunrise: 7:10 a.m. (5 minutes earlier this week)

• Sunset: 4:54 p.m. (8 minutes later this week)

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