Ever Restaurant
Restaurant · West Town ·
Artful tasting menus with complex flavors and stirring textures
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67140437/1227844241.jpg.0.jpg "Ever Restaurant by Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images")
Artful tasting menus with complex flavors and stirring textures
"Front-of-house hospitality is a standout here: Amy Cordell received the Michelin Service Award, an honor recognizing professionals who embody exceptional hospitality and elevate the guest experience." - Jeffy Mai
"Chosen by “The Bear” as a stand-in for the best restaurant in the world and filmed in the actual Two-Star restaurant, precision flashes here in long montage sequences: forks are polished ad nauseum, water is poured around a table with sharp choreography, and even a “smudge” is bemoaned for an overlong period. Chief operating officer Amy Cordell notes, “The intensity, precision and behind-the-scenes pressure are all very real,” and she stage-manages a dining room as exacting in reality as in its prestige-drama portrayal, with every detail—from table measurements to decibel levels to the pace of the menu—meticulously controlled. Guests enter through a hallway that feels like a cave before moving into the Ma Room, inspired by the Japanese concept of negative space; inside, ingredients from the current menu hang from above while a first bite and welcome beverage are served. As guests continue into the dining room, there’s a noticeable shift in acoustics and energy thanks to sound-dampening materials—felt on the ceiling, carpets on the floor—so they can be fully present for a tasting menu of eight to ten elegant courses that progresses purposefully. “Everything we do begins with the question: How would we want to feel if we were the guest? … Our goal is to create an environment that feels both luxurious and familiar, allowing guests to relax, have fun and truly experience the moment.” In this highly sound-conscious room, the team listens closely and anticipates with uncanny precision—witness a table being surprised with a course of deep dish pizza after privately lamenting they’d missed trying it in town—prompting some to joke, “we have microphones under the tables.”" - The MICHELIN Guide
"Curtis Duffy’s two-Michelin-starred destination needs little introduction. Located on the quieter western end of Fulton Market, Ever is one of the city’s fine dining beacons. Meticulous attention to detail defines every aspect of the experience, from the food to the service. The restaurant was even heavily featured in the Bear. Expect to spend a pretty penny for a memorable dinner; head next door afterwards for a nightcap at After. Book a table via Tock." - Jeffy Mai
"This fine-dining spot is like the sea in Old Man And The Sea, or all the appliances in The Brave Little Toaster. It’s a metaphor. It’s not actually Ever, more of an amalgamation of several fine-dining restaurants. Yes, the chef’s jacket and the tickets say Ever, and they serve the signature frozen hamachi (which is delicious). But Ever is in the West Loop and opened in 2020, and as far as we know, Olivia Colman doesn’t work there. Faux Ever represents all of Chicago’s Michelin-starred restaurants. They will be one of the best meals of your life, and you’ll likely want a slice of pizza afterward. Two things can exist at the same time." - adrian kane, nick allen
"Ever is the centerpiece of Episode 7 of Season 2, as Richie stages at a fictional version of the restaurant with three Michelin stars (in reality, Ever holds two stars) and Olivia Colman in the kitchen. Chef Curtis Duffy doesn’t appear in the episode, but viewers can spot his hands plating a few dishes on the restaurant’s 8- to 10-course tasting menu. Many of Ever’s front-of-house staff also appear in the show, so diners might recognize their server. Viewers repeatedly revisit the restaurant through flashbacks in Season 3, culminating with Episode 10, where food luminaries convene for a final service. Don’t worry, the restaurant is still open. Make a reservation through Tock." - Ashok Selvam
