Chicago Restaurant Week | TOC critics' picks

Overwhelmed by the incredible array of culinary choices this Restaurant Week, I asked TOC food editor David Tamarkin and associate editor Julia Kramer for their recommendations, then called each restaurant to see whether I could get in. Read on, then book your table—quickly.

David’s Top Five Picks
25 Degrees
The prix-fixe menus highlight this spot's specialty burgers with interesting combinations like yellow fin tuna and spicy aioli or tomato, burrata and crispy prosciutto. The $22 lunch special features a choice of side and dessert, while the $33 dinner menu also adds a soup or salad. With no reservations, this restaurant is completely first come, first served so get there early.

Bistro Bordeaux
Featuring their usual array of classically French dishes, Bistro Bordeaux’s three-course dinner ($33) includes escargot, French-style gnocchi and profiteroles with chocolate, giving Restaurant Week patrons an authentic experience. The restaurant still has prime-time reservations available for every day of Restaurant Week, acting as a nice alternative to that 4:30pm or 10:30pm dinner you were contemplating.

De Cero
The $33 prix-fixe four-course menu includes a non-alcoholic drink (hibiscus iced tea, horchata, lemonade or coca-cola), salsa with housemade chips, a pork tamale or mushroom quesadilla and a three tacos entrée. For dessert, there is the choice of flourless chocolate cake or toasted coconut gelato with caramel drizzle. Reservations are still available for the whole week, with the best chance of finding a reservation between 5pm and 7pm and after 8:45pm.

Mercadito
Two types of guacamole, two types of ceviche, three types of tacos and a personal dessert are included in the $22 lunch. Beverages are an additional $6. Three types of guacamole, two types of ceviche, four types of tacos, one side and a personal dessert all come with the $33 dinner. With beverages, dinner is rounds out to an even $40. Although the typically busy times (Friday and Saturday from 7:15–9pm) are booked, this restaurant is wide open for lunch, with many dinner openings as well. Mercadito’s tequila lounge, Double A, will be serving the restaurant week menu between Wednesday and Saturday.

Nightwood
Nightwood is offering a four-course dinner for $44 per person, with highlights like the Michigan char roe inspired by the Arzak egg and Nate’s family chicken, a sweet and sour chicken concoction. Friday and Saturday are solidly committed (there is still a waitlist) but the restaurant has left the bar and kitchen counters open for walk-ins to enjoy the meal every night of the week.

Julia’s Top 5 Picks
Blackbird
Blackbird is offering a $22 prix-fixe menu for lunch and a $65 prix fixe for dinner as well as the regular $110 tasting menu. The menus change daily with availability of ingredients, so there is no special menu for Restaurant Week. The restaurant is currently waiting-list only, but there are some last-minute cancellations, so not all hope is lost. Dining either early or late on Wednesday night might be your best bet.

BOKA
Three courses for $33 with get you beef-cheek ravioli with crayfish and lobster jus, herb-crusted whitefish with brussels sprouts and prawn slaw, and chocolate praline terrine with hazelnut ice cream, coffee foam and candied hazelnuts. Add foie gras to the menu and the price jumps to $44 per person. Boka is currently overbooked each night but is taking names for the wait list. There is a pretty good chance of getting seated after 9pm.

Café Spiaggia
A later lunch might be your best chance at experiencing the culinary creations of chefs Tony Mantuano and Sarah Gruenberg. The dining room closes at 2:30pm so the restaurant waitstaff recommends booking after 1pm or later. They are almost solidly committed for dinner and do not have a wait list; however, calling a few days ahead of time might secure you some dropped reservations—usually around 10pm.

Frontera Grill
For those unable to get reservations at sister restaurant Topolobampo, Frontera Grill poses a nice alternative with a lunch menu ($22) including mushroom empanadas with watercress salad, chicken or pork loin mole and a coconut tres leches cake with pineapple, all concocted with Rick Bayless' signature flair. There is limited space for lunch patrons Tuesday to Friday (Feb 21–24).

Naha
The $22 three-course lunch includes interesting choices like calamari with apples and fennel, North African chicken with spiced chickpeas and coconut and grapefruit parfait with spiced rum. The $33 three-course dinner menu adds a few more choices, including pork belly with organic carnaroli risotto and Moulard duck breast with foie gras ($44). Friday lunch is filled, but every other day has openings. There is no wait list, as the restaurant accepts almost 300 patrons a night, but reservations are filling up fast.