HIDE+SEEK

"With sparkling glass chandeliers, pyrotechnic desserts, and a hanging art piece that looks like a giant ball made of feather dusters, Hide & Seek is playing all the FYP hits. But the food isn’t great. The menu is full of unmemorable dishes, like the eggplant caponata topped with tomato confit that is both too tart and too sweet. Or a plate of lamb chops served with a bland red wine reduction. The drinks, however, are pretty decent, so if you’re in the market for a nightcap in a glitzy space, Hide and Seek is a good choice." - adrian kane

"With sparkling glass chandeliers, collages of celebrities with Disney princess eyes, and a hanging art piece that looks like a giant ball made of feather dusters, there are plenty of things to keep you distracted at this upscale West Loop restaurant. But none of the above is enough to distract you from the fact that the food at Hide and Seek is medicore. The menu is full of unmemorable dishes. Like the eggplant caponata, which is topped with tomato confit that is both too tart and too sweet. Or a plate of lamb chops served with a bland red wine reduction. The drinks, however, are pretty decent, so if you’re in the market for a nightcap in a glitzy space, Hide and Seek is a good choice. But with equally aesthetically pleasing places (like Trivoli Tavern, Cabra, or Aba) nearby, head to one of those spots for food." - John Ringor

"Hide + Seek has brought quirky modern art and a new American menu with Mediterranean leanings to the former home of quarter-century-old Vivo. The team feels pressure in delivering a special experience at the two-floor restaurant at 838 W. Randolph Street, next door to Bar Siena and near heavyweights such as Girl & the Goat and Rose Mary. Partner Danny Vargas says they strive to evoke “comfortable elegance” in the form of low-lit bar spaces with plush booths and bar stools, upholstered chairs in bold monochromatic patterns, and feather chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, all selected by prolific local firm Siren Betty Design. There’s seating for 100 between the expansive dining rooms, and more spots along an Italian marble bar. The menu includes options like spinach-and-ricotta gnudi with nduja butter and campanelle with garlic cream, guanciale, and corn. Unexpectedly, escargot en croute with garlic herb butter has also been popular. The menu also includes Spanish octopus with romesco, marble potatoes, and caper berries, as well as braised short rib with a potato “cloud” and pickled watermelon. At the bar, patrons will find a menu of drinks such as the tequila-based Pyro’s Negroni and the citrusy City of Lights. The restaurant’s leadership is adamant that Hide + Seek is not a club and there’s no dancing, but nightlife components remain: the kitchen is open until midnight, and bar service runs until 2 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends. Hide + Seek is now open." - Naomi Waxman

"From October 29-31st, HideSeek, a nostalgic immersive pop-up, is hosting a trick-or-treat event for adults. The space consists of 15 multi-dimensional rooms where you can collect retro candy, take photos, and get prizes for the best costumes. General admission tickets are $35, and you can get them here." - adrian kane

"A playful new two-level restaurant is coming this summer to Randolph Restaurant Row, Chicago’s well-known dining drag in the West Loop. Hide + Seek, a Mediterranean-influenced new American spot with a management team that includes Prysm nightclub co-owner Nick Karounos, is scheduled to open this summer at 838 W. Randolph Street. The space, tucked between Bar Sienna and a forthcoming outpost of the cult East Coast bakery Levain, was most recently occupied by pop-up Nosh & Booze, and previously housed Vivo for a quarter century." - Naomi Waxman