The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago - Chicago - The Infatuation

"One-year anniversary? Your boss's boss is visiting from corporate? Just want a perfectly cooked bone-in ribeye and a piece of chocolate cream pie that’s so good you’ll order a second for the car ride home? Go to Bavette’s. This dark steakhouse (filled with plush leather booths and 1920s jazz music) is like hanging out in the windowless parlor of some rich old lady’s mansion. Everything about the space seems designed to keep you there forever, including a basement that has its own separate vibe (that vibe is “sexy Blair Witch house party with no visible exits”). It’s also the best steakhouse in a city full of them. And that said, some of the best dishes here (like the fried chicken, short rib stroganoff, and complimentary bread—yes, it’s that good) aren’t even steak at all. Reservations are released online 21 days in advance at 9am. They have bar seating and a couple of tables in the bar area available for walk-ins, and if you get here early (they now open at 4pm Monday-Thursday and 3pm on Friday-Sunday) you’re likely to get one." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru