Where to Eat in March: Kindling, Dear Madison Oyster, Club Lucky, and More

New to the Willis Tower is Kindling, a 17,000-square-foot restaurant led by acclaimed chef Jonathon Sawyer. Here, you’ll find an open kitchen with a rotisserie for perfectly juicy chicken and duck, forged copper dies for freshly extruded pasta, and a live fire for smoky options like wood-fired oysters. While the menu will rotate seasonally, expect luxurious dishes like macaroni and cheese topped with wood-grilled lobster, pastrami-spiced short ribs, and a duck rigatoni with pumpkin and sage brown butter cream. And be sure to save room for dessert: the s’mores cart appeals to both the young and the young at heart.

Dear Madison Oyster aims to charm with wine and seafood in the West Loop. There are plenty of oysters, of course, both raw and grilled with chimichurri and smoked bacon. Heartier options include a surf and turf burrito with grilled garlic steak and shrimp, and a steamed mussel dish with roasted tomatoes and garlic sauce. Weeknight happy hour (4-6 p.m.) is a steal, with $5 drafts and sangria, $1 oysters, and $3 tacos, along with a $7 espresso martini with powerful Dark Matter espresso, Licor 43, and vodka, garnished with a whole toasted marshmallow and caramelized walnuts.

With a heavy retro feel, Club Lucky brings circa 1940-supper club vibes to Wicker Park. Expect classic Italian and American-Italian dishes for dinner, from stuffed artichokes and mozzarella fritti to homemade lasagna and bright and crispy veal limone. Or come for a drink, sidling up to a bright red barstool in the cocktail lounge for an excellent martini, or novel-inspired drink, like The Vesper Lynd (from Casino Royale) with Journeyman gin, Stoli vodka, Lillet Blanc, Fee Brothers orange bitters, and a lemon twist.

For a tony meal out with expert drink pairings, look no further than two-Michelin-starred Moody Tongue Brewing. Chef Jared Wentworth offers a hyper-seasonal 15-course tasting menu in an intimate 28-seat setting. While the menu rotates weekly, expect dishes like smoked sturgeon cannoli, European turbot with sunchokes and black truffle, and pork shank with steel cut oat porridge. Brewmaster Jared Rouben is in charge of the beverage pairings, which might include barrel-aged lambics or a pressed Asian pear saison.

Head to Paul Virant’s West Loop temple to okonomiyaki, Japanese savory griddled pancakes, which delivers big on both fun food and a modish atmosphere. Customize your Osaka-style okonomiyaki with togarashi-spiked tofu and tempura-fried vegetables, or 21-day dry-aged slow-cooked beef. With so many options and add-ons, we recommend a flight of three mini okonomiyaki to get a little taste of everything. If you still have room, try Gaijin’s kakigori (shaved ice) with toppings that range from feuilletine crumbles to yuzu syrup.

The latest from Boka Group (Girl & The Goat, Swift & Sons) goes for a classic brasserie feel — red banquettes with gold accents and tables draped with white tablecloths — and French cuisine from Michelin-starred chef Daniel Rose. Think glazed marrow bones; steak au poivre; duck a l’orange; and choucroute Strasbourgeoise with sauerkraut, smoked sausage, veal boudin, braised pork belly, and knockwurst. Desserts are equally as pristine: Don’t miss the profiteroles with warm chocolate sauce and an extra-large eclair with smooth coffee cream.

Call 312-896-4504 for reservations. Find more info here.

The Bronzeville original from father-daughter team Bobby and Brooklyn Morelli has moved to a new home at the Urbanspace food hall in the Loop at 15 W. Washington. Oversized favorites like the Bronzeville Bourbon (a quarter-pound steak hot dog) with bourbon barbecue sauce, cabbage, carrots, sport peppers, and hickory-smoked bacon in a pretzel bun, and the Brooklyn’s Pizza, topped with cheese and pepperoni, are all here. Vegan, turkey, and salmon hot dog substitutes are on offer — just be sure to get extra napkins with any order. 

No reservations. Find more info here.

James Beard Award-winning chef Jimmy Bannos Jr. is at the helm of this Magnificent Mile standout. Pop in for a bar seat or slide into a red leather banquette for lots of pork, from crispy pigs ears with pickled banana peppers to morcilla sausage with fried polenta and apple mostarda. Of course, if pork isn’t your thing, there’s still plenty to enjoy at this Michelin-recommended spot, including a massive turkey leg confit with fried lentils and salt-roasted beets with whipped feta and pistachio butter.

Want a plate of sliders oozing with pepperjack and bacon jam to pair with your game? Head to the newly opened Roundhouse, where the game (whichever it may be) is just as important as the food. There are 20-something TV screens at this upgraded sports bar, along with snacky mashups like cheeseburger egg rolls, Italian beef fried rice, and Mongolian beef nachos. Follow that with one of the plenty of beers on tap, plus a full cocktail list.

Call 773-770-9182 for reservations. Find more info here.

Chef-owner Bridgette Flagg recently opened a second outpost of her popular West Town soul food restaurant in North Lawndale, making it the first restaurant with a bar to open in the area in 50 years (!). Celebrate with comforting fare like crispy fried catfish, buttermilk fried chicken, and creamy mac ‘n’ cheese. A rum pound cake or peach cobbler rounds the night out, as does a drink by the fireplace on these chilly almost-spring nights.

Call 773- 696-9485 for reservations. Find more info here.