Chicago's most romantic restaurants

Here is my list of Chicago's most romantic restaurants. Each of these restaurants has their own intrinsic charm in additional to wonderful food. When you combine these 2 elements, you end up with a little bit of paradise that I recommend sharing with others…

Webster's Wine Bar - 1480 West Webster Avenue (across from Webster place cinema)

An absolutely terrific spot to share some small, tapas like dishes and sip on some excellent wine. You can sit in the front or nestle in the back under the dim lights and warm, inviting atmosphere that just begs you to order another glass of wine. There are wines from all over the world here and tastings are offered throughout the month. In some cases, there is an assumed arrogance that is associated with wine bars but that is far from the truth when it comes to Webster’s and that is one of the things I love best about this spot. There is a diverse customer base here and it is a casual place where you are as welcome in shorts on a nice summer day as you are in a suit on a wintry one. The staff is friendly and very unpretentious as they offer suggestions based on your palate and knowledge of wine instead of offering opinions that may make you feel foolish. The variety of cheeses offered is impressive and I was impressed with their gourmet pizzas, lamb shank and Antipasto plate. http://www.websterwinebar.com

Le Bouchon - 1958 North Damen Avenue

Le Bouchon is as French as it gets for Chicago. This small, intimate dining venue is located on the corner of Armitage and Damen and its 15 tables are almost always filled. It reminds me very much of France from the décor and atmosphere to the wine and the food. The tables are set close together and the servers need to maneuver between them as they bring the delicacies from the kitchen into the infectious atmosphere of the restaurant. The Paris street mural above the bar is just another indication of how authentic the food and atmosphere are as the owner, Jean Claude Poilevey, is a native of Burgundy and would have it no other way. They have an excellent wine list and fantastic, reasonably priced food. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have never left unsatisfied. My favorite appetizers include the generous portion of mussels, the French Onion Soup (you should share this as it is very rich), the Lynonnaise salad and the Codfish Brandade with Garlic croutons. The brandade is a combination of butter, cream, garlic and codfish that is served steaming hot in a crock. I always seem to need to supplement the wonderful garlic croutons with many pieces of bread to make sure the crock is empty when it is taken away from my table. For entrees, the Ragout of Duck, Rabbit and Lamb Shank are my favorites but the fish specials are always excellent as are the steaks and free-range chicken. For desserts, pick whatever you want otherwise I will list the whole menu. However, I do really like the fresh berries with vanilla sauce as it is a somewhat lighter way to finish off a filling meal.
http://lebouchonofchicago.com


Red Rooster Café and Wine Bar - 2100 North Halsted Street

The Red Rooster is so basic but so charming. You need to actually look for the restaurant since the entrance is actually on Dickens Avenue despite the Halsted address. After ascending up a few stairs to get to the entrance, you may feel like you are heading into a boutique hotel somewhere in France, not knowing what to expect. Upon entering, you will be pleasantly surprised as you find before your eyes an atmosphere that just radiates the comfort that is part of the food, wine and environment at the Red Rooster Café and Wine Bar. The décor is heavy on dark wood and doesn’t try and awe you with anything eye-catching but is content with looking relaxed and inviting. It is the kind of place you could sit and eat, talk, and drink wine for hours. And of course, they do have an excellent wine list. I haven’t even got into the food, but you will not be disappointed. The Red Rooster features traditional French provincial cuisine. Some of my favorite starters include the Baked Brie en Croute and the Apple Bleu Cheese salad. Featured entrees include the Braised Lamb Shank, Pork Loin au Poivre and Grilled Salmon with a Cabernet sauce. This is also one of the better bargains in Chicago with entrees ranging from $11 to $17 dollars. http://www.cafebernard.com/Redrooster/

Margie’s Candies - 1960 North Western Avenue

Can you say old school? Classic? Original? We are talking 1921 old school when we talk about Margie’s Candies as it has been around for that long. This landmark has the best sundaes and ice cream creations in Chicago. Everything is home made here as Margie’s makes there own hand-dipped candies in addition to their own hand-packed ice cream. You will always find Margie’s full of couples sharing a sundae or parents treating there excited children to a tasty treat. Margie’s also has sandwiches and salads and other greasy spoon type fare but that is not the reason you come to Margie’s. You come to this old-school parlor environment for English toffee, truffles, shakes, sundaes and banana splits. For any of you who had parents that used to take you to a favorite ice cream spot growing up, a visit to Margie’s brings back good memories of how things used to be. For me, that was Creamy Delight in downtown Joliet for one for their turtle sundaes. http://margiescandies.com/catalog/

Rose Angelis - 1314 West Wrightwood Avenue

Nestled in the middle of a neighborhood offering wonderful food at great prices, this crowded but cozy atmosphere will make you feel like you just sat down for dinner in the home of an Italian friend or relative.

This comfy restaurant makes all its patrons feel at ease. That's partly due to the fact that Rose Angelis, with its intimate walled rooms adorned with murals, looks and feels like a house. It's also because of its many homemade pastas including duck-filled tortellini, salmon-filled ravioli or the manicotti of the day. Don’t miss the bruschetta starter or the Italian bread pudding with caramel sauce for dessert that is enough for 3 people and is among the best desserts in Chicago. The small glasses that wine is served in add a nice touch as does the awning outside the entrance to the restaurant. http://www.roseangelis.com

Blue Fin – 1952 West North Avenue

Ok, this is my “local” sushi spot but it is also my favorite. Other than the awkward entrance that doesn’t make for a good area to wait for a table in, this Wicker Park sushi bar and restaurant aims to and succeeds in being a prime date location. There is provocative artwork, dimmed down lights and 2 person tables that are perfect for staring into the eyes of the person across from you. In addition, there is funky background music that is easy to relax to. Blue Fin has fresh and tasty sushi in addition to a variety of hot Asian entrees at prices that are far from cheap but are fair.

Nine Muses – 315 South Halsted Street

I feel like I am going out on a bit of a limb here by mentioning Nine Muses as one of the most romantic restaurants in Chicago but why not. This is in fact, my list. For some reason, I just feel comfortable in this restaurant. It is dimly lit and you can usually find some pillars of the young and old Greek community fraternizing amongst themselves at the bar. Since almost everyone is Greek that patrons the restaurant, you can be almost sure to be an outsider, unless of course you are Greek. But the “Greek community” does make you feel at home. When your waitress decides to come out of the conversation she is involved in, you can order a coffee, a drink or some food. The food is typical Greek fare that is solid but won’t overwhelm you. However, the Old World charm of this spot may. There are French doors that open onto the sidewalk, exposed brink and mahogany wood and Greek music playing in the background. In addition, they have a great outdoor seating area in the summer that provides a good area for people watching.

Japonais – 600 West Chicago Avenue

Japonais is more than just a restaurant. It is a dining experience. This definitely is a scene and place to be seen as you will realize as soon as you walk in. The food is a combination of Asian and French cuisines and it is as delicious as it is innovative and creative. There are rare circumstances when the food that is being served matches it’s presentation and the environment it is served in but this is definitely the case at Japonais.

There are two dining rooms, a sushi bar, and a downstairs lounge and patio. The lounge and patio open out into an enclosed area that is outside the restaurant. There are comfortable chairs to relax on or kiss on if you are feeling more risqué. Only a partial menu is served in this area of the restaurant which reminds me very much of the type of atmosphere you would see in Miami at a place like the Shore Club or the Delano.

The menu features a variety of hot and cold appetizers, entrees and sushi. With the many delectable small plates available, I have never actually delved into the entrees despite dining at the restaurant on 3 different occasions. My favorites include the Tokyo Drums (spicy chicken drumettes with a roasted scallion dipping sauce), Manchu pork and scallion steamed buns and Kobe carpaccio. Among my favorite sushi rolls on the menu, the Tuna Tuna Salmon (salmon tartare topped with sliced tuna, avocado sauce and wasabi tobiko sauce), Spicy Mono (spicy octopus roll topped with spicy tuna tartare and sweet unagi sauce) and the Special Salmon (tempura shrimp roll topped with sashimi marinated salmon and wasabi tobiko sauce) come to mind. http://www.japonaischicago.com


Tango Sur - 3763 N. Southport Ave.

This storefront favorite has it’s own charm amongst an array of activity in this always busy restaurant. When I arrived, we had to wait 15-20 minutes for a table. My date, who was from Argentina and who frequents the restaurant often, led me to a tiny waiting area near the rear room of the restaurant. Trust me, you would never expect a restaurant to have a waiting room in this area. This room is fantastic though. It has 1 small wooden table with 2 or 3 chairs around it in the middle of a room surrounded by wall seating much like what you would find in a sauna. The room is dimly lit and is very romantic, unless of course you have 12 people sitting around the table against the wall staring at you.

The atmosphere isn’t quite so intimate in the restaurant itself but the tables are close together and allow for intimate conversation. As for the food, this is a BYOB so bring your favorite bottle of Argentinean Malbec or other favorite red wine to go along with the cut of meat you decide on. My first introduction to Tango Sur’s garlicky chimichurri sauce (a sauce made from parsley, garlic, olive oil and mild peppers) was a dangerous one as I was on a date but still managed to knock down 3 pieces of bread loaded with the stuff. By the way, she was eating the sauce also. I had a wonderful empanada stuffed with beef and some solid chorizo sausage for appetizers. I could have eaten 3 of those empanadas. We also had the short ribs, which were very tasty and the vacio. The vacio is a mountainous piece of steak, filled and covered in herbs, served on a sizzling grill with sweet potatoes and chimichurri that is intended to be shared by 2 people. My date ordered it herself and kindly gave me more than half of it to take home.

The vacio was one of the tastiest steaks I have had in a long time and it was only $14. In addition to being romantic, Tango Sur offers great value and huge portions.

Jane's - 1655 West Cortland Street

Anytime you can dine in what used to be a home that has been converted to a restaurant that is pretty cool if you ask me. It seems to be that Jane’s has just the right amount of light, both natural and man-made (e.g. electricity) to make for a comfy atmosphere to enjoy a delicious, reasonable priced meal that will satisfy the gourmet as well as the more down-to-earth palate.

Some of the dinner options include New Orleans style Black Grouper with a sake-ginger sauce & Asian vegetables or Jane’s goat cheese, vegetable and tofu burrito served with pico de gallo and avocado mousse. Jane’s offers some innovative vegetarian entrees and has an excellent sirloin burger that is topped with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, and grilled onions. They have recently started serving breakfast and lunch. http://www.janesrestaurant.com/