The Chicago Restaurants For a Celebration Dinner

Tex-Mex fixture Lonesome Rose is casual and fun — kind of like if a taco truck ditched the truck and opened a brick-and-mortar. Once inside, you’re greeted by a friendly indoor dining space with light wood furniture, exposed brick details, and big arched mirrors framing the bar. Sitting in the heart of Logan Square, this all-day establishment serves build-your-own breakfast tacos, cheesy nachos (with a vegan option), and the very popular Crunchy Beefy Quesarito, a blend of picadillo beef, corn chips, queso, cheddar, onion, fried potatoes, garlic rice, and sour cream, all wrapped in a tortilla and thrown back on the grill for crisping. The rooftop bar and patio are the perfect place to share a margarita pitcher with friends. And for dessert, housemade horchata soft serve topped with cookie crumble is a must.

At Perilla, chef Andrew Lim and partner Thomas Oh showcase Korean culinary traditions in a refined setting. At its core, Korean dining is communal, with many dishes served all at once and intended to be passed around the table. Once seated, gather around the tabletop grill to roast wagyu, short ribs, hanger steaks, filet mignon, pork belly, and more. The menu is particularly accommodating for larger parties, offering tasting plates, small plates, and “Perilla Sets,” which include a meat sampler along with an assortment of banchan and sides. On the drink list, you’ll find Korean spirits, beer, wine, and cocktails like Smoke & Spice, a mezcal-packed number with Japanese chile-lime bitters, and Brovo Orange Curacao.

If a pizza party is more your vibe, Roots Handmade Pizza has you covered. Now with four area locations, Roots raises the bar by using local ingredients, coming up with quirky pies (i.e. tikka masala butter chicken pizza), and perfecting the Quad City-style, known for its malted crust, toppings beneath the cheese, and rectangular cut. The flagship in West Town is great for groups, as it has plenty of booth seating, a patio, and a deep menu. Gut-busters include barbecue pulled pork pizza, crumbled sausage pizza, and the vegan smoked seitan bacon pizza. Non-pizza hits include hulking herbed mozzarella sticks, crispy chicken wings, and a build-your-own salad option.

The aesthetic at Beatnik On The River is eclectic, fusing Moroccan, French, and Italian influences to create a retro Bohemian paradise ideal for both dinner and brunch. Indoor greenery dots the space, as do vibrant colors and patterns splashed across rugs, pillows, and tiling. The outdoor patio sits right on the river’s edge, where you can watch boats pass while you dine. Chef Marcos Campos oversees a menu filled with shareable plates like smoked baba ganoush with black garlic, fig balsamic, pine nuts, tahini, and pita bread for dipping, or Lebanese-style roasted lamb, which comes with hummus, seasoned pickles, and an herb salad littered with pistachio tzatziki and Persian cucumber. The cocktails are just as bold as the food, like the bourbon-infused “Tin Tapper” teeming with Amargo de chile, spiced hibiscus, and lemon.

Bavette’s is a dimly lit, chic-yet-unpretentious steakhouse with a penchant for French cuisine, making it a dreamy destination for a romantic night out with a date or friends. The speakeasy atmosphere comes together with glowing chandeliers and burgundy leather booths along the walls. Opt for a 14-ounce, 42-day dry-aged, bone-in New York Strip drenched in béarnaise and sprinkled with steak salt, or roasted bone marrow served with caramelized red onion jam and parsley salad. The juicy double wagyu cheeseburger is also a solid choice, topped with pickles, onions, Dijon, and a side of pomme frites, naturally. Note that this is best suited for smaller gatherings: they cap their reservations at six and book up quickly, so plan accordingly.

At a brewery, nobody has to commit to just one beer — that’s why God invented flights. And at the sprawling, handsomely appointed Forbidden Root, you can choose from an impressive list of botanical-inspired brews, from tart and fruity sours and herbaceous juniper-spiked wheats to toasted buckwheat Saisons and strawberry and basil Hefeweizens. Order a few starters like a seasonal chef’s cheese plate, miso butter brussels sprouts, and smoked jalapeño chicken wings, and then move on to sizable mains like duck confit and dumplings with ricotta gnocchi or a milk-brined pork schnitzel sandwich topped with caraway slaw and smashed between a sesame seed bun.

Carlucci has been serving classic Italian food in Chicago since 1984, and its new East Lakeshore location is no different. This outpost is steered by executive chef Dana Heffernan, who carries on the restaurant’s legacy while incorporating his own skills, honed in Italy. Stashed across from Millenium Park, Carlucci is a go-to destination after a day spent exploring downtown. Here, the must-have is the housemade bobonato pasta, tossed directly inside a Parmesan wheel before plating, then dressed with basil, prosciutto, and freshly ground pepper. A nice Tuscan red seals the deal.

Chef Doug Psaltis’ new Greek taverna is tailor-made for groups, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and a menu stocked with mezze like griddled Cypriot halloumi, roasted calamari, and tiny Cretan sausages. The space feels welcoming, with earth tones highlighting the walls and furnishings, and a shelf of greenery hanging above the tables. After sampling a few small plates, opt for the spicy pork and lamb or the lemon garlic chicken off the grill. There’s also a “Best Of” menu, offering a prix fixe of the kitchen’s favorite mezze and entrees. The rosemary and thyme olive oil martini, loaded with gin, olive oil, and Dolin Blanc, is a great way to kick things off.

Chef John Manion is the pit master at this near-suburban barbecue joint next door to the lively hodgepodge music venue Fitzgerald’s, which boasts an extensive whiskey list. Pork belly, baby back ribs, brisket, and barbecue spiced cauliflower dominate the grill, while sides like pimento mac ‘n’ cheese, char-grilled oysters, and kale salad with Creole Caesar dressing round out the menu. If you’re not into sharing, you can always order a po’ boy, finished with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and a side of Zapp’s chips.

Round up your pack for a night of upscale Southern cuisine at Virtue, nestled in historic Hyde Park. Helmed by Chicago native Erick Williams, the restaurant feels sophisticated, with warm and familiar touches like pillows on the banquettes and wooden wishbone chairs hugging the tables. Everything here is shareable, though you may be hard-pressed to part with your pimento cheese biscuits. For entrees, consider short ribs doused in a caramelized onion gravy with creamed spinach and potatoes, or a lamb T-bone with black lentils, summer squash, cheese, and harissa. Wash it all down with a Pass the Peas, a mix of gin, verdant English peas, and mint.

Call 773-947-8831 for reservations.

Cindy’s Rooftop is the jewel atop the iconic Chicago Athletic Association hotel, stocked with incredible views of downtown and Lake Michigan. What’s more, Chef Christian Ragano has cultivated a family-style brunch, lunch, and dinner menu suited for that special occasion. For brunch, take advantage of the DIY mimosas, which pair well with the buttermilk pancakes with jam, candied cashew mousse, and bruleed bananas. For dinner, the roasted pork chop with Oaxacan mole is a no-brainer, as is chicken shawarma with cucumber, pickled raisins, cabbage, fresno peppers, and yogurt.

Another hit from chef Stephanie Izard, Duck Duck Goat is a contemporary spin on the standard dim sum house, where traditional recipes collide with fresh ideas. Snag a large round table and make your way through a roster of semi-familiar favorites like sweet and sour crab rangoon, beef short rib and bone marrow potstickers, and shiitake slaw scallion pancakes. For mains, the red braised pork belly with Mandarin pancakes and assorted pickles shouldn’t be missed, nor should the Sichuan spicy tofu. Local brews from Dovetail, Solemn Oath, and Alter grace the drinks list, and for dessert, it’s all about The Chili Crunch — a scoop of vanilla soft serve topped with crunchy chiles, spiced wontons, strawberries, and cilantro.

Opened just last year, Pilsen Yards is a Latin-driven, street food-inspired, music-centric joint serving tacos, ceviches, margaritas, and frozen pina coladas. Local and seasonal ingredients inform the menu, as do the flavors of Mexico City, from where executive chef Juan Carlos Gutierre hails. Order a couple of slow-roasted pork tacos folded inside steamy handmade tortillas, and maybe a few small plates, like pina colada ceviche with tuna, pineapple, coconut, and cilantro, or sweet corn tamales with a poblano mushroom cream sauce. The spirit list is lengthy, with an emphasis on mezcal (choose from a whopping 29 options). Pro tip: Parties up to 10 can fit on the outdoor patio, so invite your friends and friends of friends for a casual open-air night of music, tacos, and Tequila.

Email events@pilsenyards.com for more info.

Opened in 2019, Gaijin is a lively Japanese outpost specializing in okonomiyaki, savory Japanese pancakes. At the helm is chef Paul Virant, a self-described gaijin, (“outsider”) who blends traditional Japanese cooking techniques while experimenting with his own flavors and concepts. The menu boasts two styles of okonomiyaki from different regions: Hiroshima-style comes with yakisoba noodles stacked with mushrooms, bacon, egg, and bonito; Osaka-style involves a mix of griddled ingredients like cabbage, pork, shrimp, and more. A 12-foot chef’s counter offers an open view of the kitchen while tables and booth seating dot the intimate space. Do note that because of its size, Gaijin is better suited to smaller celebrations (an anniversary, a birthday dinner with a few friends) than an extended family reunion.