"In a neighborhood filled with loud clubstaurants, boozy taco places, and buzzy restaurants with hours-long waits, Beity stands out. Not just because it's the only fine-dining Lebanese restaurant in Chicago, but for the type of mellow experience it brings to Fulton Market and the West Loop. photo credit: Veda Kilaru The main floor of the restaurant is busy but not crowded, making it a warm, inviting space that doesn’t feel overwhelming—a Friday night neighborhood miracle. It’s full of couples murmuring over tahini-washed bourbon at the small bar, and chatty groups enjoying wine pairings while their voices mingle with the Middle Eastern soundtrack bouncing off the brick vaulted arches. Just know that the a la carte menu is relatively small (a few bar snacks), and the main event is Chicago’s first Lebanese tasting menu. photo credit: Veda Kilaru photo credit: Veda Kilaru photo credit: Veda Kilaru $165 will get you 13 classic dishes like shish barak, molokhia, and qatayef that were sent through the fine dining transmogrifier. Each impeccably plated course is delivered with a short anecdote sharing the chef’s personal connection to the food. And much like the verbal and visual presentations, seasoning is incredibly restrained. All the food here tastes a little flat, like it could use a strategic sprinkling of acid, spice, and/or salt. photo credit: Nick Podraza photo credit: Nick Podraza photo credit: Nick Podraza photo credit: Nick Podraza Most things in the mezze spread, which, to be fair, we had no problem polishing off, end up tasting vaguely like parsley, olive oil, and not much else. Later courses have well-cooked proteins but trip up at the finish line because of their muted flavors. But the menu changes regularly, so we’re willing to bet this perfectly pleasant meal with no true misses has the potential to turn into a great one. Food Rundown Cocktails As a Fulton Market restaurant, half the crowd inside Beity at any given time is there for work drinks, pre-dinner drinks, or post-date drinks. Thankfully, those drinks are good. They’re light and refreshing, with fun twists like that tahini-washed bourbon and a take on a gin martini involving tomato and parsley oil. Tasting Menu Tasting menu offerings change regularly. In fact, Beity recently introduced a $95, eight-course option and a $175, 15-course option in place of the 13-course menu we tried. It can take anywhere from two to three hours depending on how talkative your date is, but on the plus side, you don’t leave feeling hungry or gorged. Below is an example of what you can expect. photo credit: Nick Podraza Mezze Spread The first five courses are served together as a mezze spread with plates of hummus and lamb confit, tangy spice-crusted labneh, falafel in an herb tahini, and a fantastic einkorn-sourdough pita that magically stays inflated even after you rip into it. photo credit: Veda Kilaru Sayadieh A small piece of crispy-skinned branzino with an incredible sweet onion mousse and tahini is the standout in a procession of slightly more robust proteins, including the previously mentioned shish barak and molokhia. Try to resist licking your plate. photo credit: Veda Kilaru Dessert Expect two excellent dishes—like a honey-soaked qatayef stuffed with walnuts and raisins, topped with a thin plum slice, and accompanied by a burnt honey ice cream that never feels cloying or overly sweet. The meal ends with a parting bite of pâte de fruit." - Veda Kilaru
