<p>We have a party of 8, would like to have a nice dinner to celebrate DD's graduation on Sat. May 14. However, some of the good restaurants we checked have been booked solid already. </p>
<p>Any suggestions?</p>
<p>I presume you mean June 14? There aren’t a lot of options in Hyde Park and I am not surprised that they are booked for a graduation day. But its a huge city and early enough to get a table downtown. How far are you willing to go from Hyde Park? What cost per person are you aiming for? </p>
<p>^^ June 14 it is.
I don’t know the city well but we will have friends drive us around. I guess upto $50 a head will be fine.
We are from the Bay Area in Sf. We have good Asian restaurants all over so will not go to Chicago for that. Any thing else we are game. </p>
<p>artloversplus:</p>
<p>For higher-end dining in Hyde Park, you currently really only have two choices: La Petit Folie and A10. (A couple more options - like Yusho, are set to open later this year - probably after graduation.) </p>
<p>If those are booked, I’d highly recommend looking north to downtown. There are some good options near the Magnificent Mile, only about a 20 minute drive from Hyde Park. </p>
<p>There are lots of options closer into downtown that you can find on OpenTable or Yelp. These suggestions are a little more “local flavor” oriented and should stay well under $50/per.</p>
<p>Taylor Street (Chicago’s Little Italy) is convenient to Hyde Park and there are a variety of Italian places there (Tuscany is just one). Greektown on Halsted street is relatively convenient too (Greek Islands). It’s not as close, but If my lovely daughter should choose UofC, I think I would plan graduation dinner at the Chicago Brauhaus in Lincoln Square. Its German food and beer and live music (polka band) and dancing in the evening. They seat lots of large parties and its a FUN time for families. </p>
<p>FWIW, we’ve dined at the following, all close-ish to campus (though vehicle is required)</p>
<p>Nightwood (lower Halstead)
Maude’s Liquor Bar (west of the Loop)
Mercat a la Plancha (Loop; easy to reach via Metra)
Acadia (south Loop)
Weber Grill (River North)
Bin 36 (River North)</p>
<p>Check websites for menu and prices; all take reservations and would be good for a group. A10 is a terrific addition to the neighborhood; looking forward to Yusho. We have another 2 years visiting our S’16 foodie. Congratulations to you and your graduate!</p>
<p>My D is sending us suggestions for places she likes, we haven’t picked one yet. None are in HP or even close to downtown, which would be our preference as that’s where our hotel is (to take the shuttle to campus) I don’t think it will be a problem to get a reservation at a non-HP restaurant yet.</p>
<p>Beleive me, jackief, I was shut down by 3 already. Nightwood is one… A10 is two…</p>
<p>For $50/head, you have a ton of options. A couple places to check out downtown:</p>
<p>-Table 52 (American)
-Roka Akor (Japanese)
-Farmhouse Chicago (American/brunch)
-Table, Donkey, Stick
-The Gage (gastropub)
-Fogo de Chao (Brazilian)</p>
<p>Hey jackief, nice to see you! And congratulations; time has flown…If you’re in the Loop, and like tapas/Spanish food, I highly recommend Mercat. Interesting Loop options are sort of limited in my experience…</p>
<p>D picked Carnival Chicago on Fulton St. Has anyone been there? Is there any glaring negatives?</p>
<p>Counting days till June 14th …
Thanks for the list @TheBanker and @Mutti2012 </p>
<p>Asked S('12) that lives and works in Chicago for recommendations in the $50/person range and he gave me this list:</p>
<p>Avec
Nightwood
Longman & Eagle
Lula Cafe
Sapori Trattoria</p>
<p>For addresses and reviews you can go to enjoyillinois.com</p>
<p>Nightwood and Lula are owned by the same people. I love Lula, which was a really early proponent of the current farm-to-table trend. (Cute thing: Every Halloween for the past 6 years or so, Lula has “dressed up” as another local restaurant, cooking and serving the other restaurant’s menu.) The Gage is right downtown, near the Art Institute. I’ve had lunch there, and it was quite fine – not super-fancy or unique, more down-the-middle with everything executed really well.</p>
<p>My son really loves The Publican and Fat Rice; he’s always talking about one or the other of them. Fat Rice is nowhere near $50/person, and I’m not sure you can get a reservation (vs. waiting for a table), but it is fun, unique (the only Macanese restaurant I have ever been to, that’s for sure), and super hip right now.</p>
<p>You might also try The Girl and the Goat – that’s one restaurant, not two. It used to be impossible to get reservations there only a few weeks ahead, but it may have cooled off.</p>
<p>I doubt The Girl and The Goat is a possibility, we are there last September and the reservations had to be made months ahead (and early and a weekday at that!!)</p>
<p>We still don’t have anything set, I should stir the family again, we will be only four people and might try a no reservation place. We are won’t have a car and although according to D “none of the good restaurants are in the loop” I really don’t feel like a long trek after the day’s events.</p>
<p>D and I would be very happy with a progressive avant garde restaurant, but H and D2 are more “traditional American” preference eaters. (H did not enjoy The Girl and the Goat)</p>
<p>I really like the Berghoff Restaurant. It’s in the loop, and it’s one of the oldest restaurants in Chicago. It has a nice classic vibe, perfect IMO for capping off four years in Chicago, big open rooms with wooden furniture and neat murals of Chicago. Tasty German food, so mostly meat and schnitzel, but even my vegetarian friend really liked it. They make their own root beer. You should be able to get a reservation easily and likely don’t need one.</p>
<p>S suggested Maggiano’s Little Italy. There will be 9 of us including 2 grandmothers, neither of whom is an adventurous eater, and one gluten-free person. It’s a chain, but at least the Chicago location was the original.</p>