Geja's Cafe

"A popular date night destination since 1965, Geja’s Cafe hosts couples in curtained nooks around the candlelit dining room. Listen to live flamenco music while sharing a fondue dinner, dipping vegetables and bread in cheese, along with sizzling steak and shrimp, and then finishing with marshmallows and strawberries smothered in chocolate. Vegetarian options available too. Add on wine pairings or share a bottle of bubbly." - Lisa Shames, Samantha Nelson

"The candlelit interior and curtained-off tables and live music make Geja’s Cafe a favorite for intimate date nights, while the covered recessed outdoor space offers a cozy spot for small groups to share fondue around a fire pit. Have a glass of bubbly or a Manhattan while dipping apple wedges, vegetables, and bread in bubbly gruyere or indulging with churros and marshmallows dunked in Belgian chocolate. Make a reservation through OpenTable." - Samantha Nelson

"Any restaurant where the servers carry around flashlights is dark. And that’s what happens at this circa-1965 fondue spot in Lincoln Park. Besides the flashlights and the little blue flames from the fondue pots, the main sources of light at Geja’s are the glowing red bulbs scattered throughout. If you’ve ever wanted to combine eating with being too scared to have your phone light up and ruin the campy romantic mood, Chicago’s darkest restaurant is the place to do it." - veda kilaru, john ringor, adrian kane

"Is Geja’s kind of cheesy? You bet your ass it is. And not just because it’s literally cheesy (it’s a fondue spot). This Lincoln Park staple has been around since 1965, and hasn’t changed its red-light-district style interior. Booths are separated by little curtains, and the only sources of light in the restaurant are the little blue flames from the fondue pots, flashlights the servers carry around to see, and glowing red bulbs scattered throughout the space. It’s a little lurid and a bit much, but it’s also romantically campy to feed your partner chocolate-covered strawberries in a place that feels like a 1970s darkroom." - adrian kane, veda kilaru

"Geja’s is definitely Chicago’s darkest restaurant. After all, you know any restaurant where the servers need to carry around flashlights to help you with the menu is dark. And that’s what happens at this fondue spot that’s been around in Lincoln Park since 1965. Besides the flashlights and the little blue flames from the fondue pots, the main sources of light here are the glowing red bulbs scattered throughout the space. So if you’ve ever wanted to combine eating with developing photos in a 1970s darkroom, this is the place to do it." - adrian kane