Chicago has more than 6,000 restaurants, nearly all of them angling for a piece of the group market. So what is a poor planner to do? We asked two local experts for their tips on the hottest types of cuisine in town and where groups can indulge their inner foodie.
Amber Holst, Editor,
ConciergePreferred.com
Chefs have obtained a kind of rock star status. Top Chef winners are huge at some of the most popular eateries in town—Stephanie Izard’s Girl and the Goat and Little Goat Diner, Dale Levitski’s Frog ’n’ Snail, Sable from Heather Terhune, Graham Elliot’s eponymous restaurant and his more casual Grahamwich. Places like to do buyouts, especially if they are off the beaten path.
The hot trend? Poutine shops. My personal favorite and one that’s dedicated pretty much solely to poutine is BadHappy, just north of The Loop. BadHappy is a BYOB (bring your own bottle) place, too. It’s very interactive with an open kitchen with window seating. It has a good neighborhood feel and it’s easy for anyone in the restaurant to interact with Chef Tom Kern.
And culinary tours are great. Flight Chicago takes groups into a Chicago neighborhood at off times for a back-of-the-house tour, sample bites and drinks, and a Q&A with the chef. It’s a great way to get a local neighborhood flavor.
Hanson Ansary
President and CEO, AlliedPRA Chicago
Steak remains our staple. We have everything from familiar standbys like Gibson’s and Morton’s to newcomers like Chicago Cut or 437 Rush. It all depends on the atmosphere the client is looking for and the price point they are comfortable with. But there are a lot of nouvelle restaurants opening up that offer a cutting-edge experience.
Fusion is the name of the game right now. One of my favorites is Vermillion, which combines Indian and Brazilian and was created by a former World Bank economist. I would never think of those two together, but in the first bite you know the marriage is a success. And restaurants here are as much about business as they are about food. Buyout is a word every restaurateur and chef loves to hear. As a DMC, it is easy to secure that kind of space for groups.