The Chicago Restaurants We Loved in March

Looking for some fresh flavors?

Try Diego in West Town, my most delicious surprise of the month. The carne asada featured impressively deep flavors and a savory char, and the salsa macha atop the tuna tostada was a standout of the whole meal. Diego features rotating seasonal specials and creative collaborations with other local chefs, and while these incentivize many return visits, it’d be worth the trip just to show up and order the staples every time, too.

— Marnie Shure, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

For a fun tasting menu that doesn’t feel too formal…

… Beity is a delicious addition to Fulton Market that’s focused on the food (and not just the scene). You get to make a few choices along the way — I recommend the kibbeh nayeh (lamb tartare) if it’s on the menu that day — but everything is meant to be shared and the opening mezze spread is a colorful opener to whet your appetite.

— Amber Gibson, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

At the west end of trendy Fulton Market…

… you’ll find an unmarked door. Here lies The Loyalist, which feels like entering a secret dinner club with its cozy and dimmed atmosphere. We started with happy hour cocktails, and everything from there to dessert was fantastic. If I had to pick just one favorite dish though, it’d be the mussels à la Bourguignonne with their plump and perfectly seasoned meat, cooked just right.

Pro tip: The place was packed on a Thursday night, so if you can, go early or later at night — you’re more likely get a table then.

— Mieko Furuhashi, Quality Assurance Engineer at Tock

It was an absolute treat…

… dining at Monteverde. We sat at the bar with no reservations on a Wednesday night and were immediately attended to by our bartender, Jordan, who was attentive and conversational. We enjoyed cocktails and a full dinner that was exquisite. We tried some of the handmade pastas — the spaghetti al pomodoro and chitarra alla boscaiola — and they did not disappoint. Cheers!

— Ryne Estwing, Sr. Marketing Web Developer at Tock

I love Chicago’s new trend of multicultural coffee shops…

… and Swadesi Cafe has the most interesting drinks with sweet and savory pastries. Get the refreshing mango matcha and the salted jaggery caramel latte, which is nicely balanced and not too sweet. And don’t sleep on the chicken tikka toastie — it looks like a simple panini but it packs so much flavor — and the butter chicken croissant topped with burrata, which is supremely decadent and perfectly flaky.

— Amber Gibson, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

It doesn’t seem possible to make a wrong choice…

… when you’re dining at Giant, but the Japanese eggplant and drunken beef are essential. From the Totino’s-style stuffed nachos (from the new rotating “test kitchen” menu) to our last bite of the microwave cake (cookies with cookie and cream ice cream), the attention to detail stands out in every dish. Can’t wait to go back and try everything we missed.

— Tony Gallotta, Software Engineer at Tock

The atmosphere was energetic yet cozy…

… at Giant. Each dish was thoughtful and unique — some of our highlights included the Corvina fish with Thai chile, peanut, ginger, and sticky rice; the jalapeño biscuit with maple butter; and the Japanese eggplant with cashews and pancetta. The wine list was extensive and offered many good pairings — we enjoyed a Georgian field blend wine the most. All in all, it was a great experience.

— Brian Powers, Software Engineer at Tock

There’s nothing like…

… the five-course menu at The Aviary, in which five cocktails are each paired with a small bite (it ended up being quite filling!). The team even let me mix my five drinks with two that were non-alcoholic, which I really appreciated. My favorite dish was the Chilean sea bass. It was paired with the Not So Dark and Stormy cocktail, in which little pearls of molasses ice slowly cooled down the drink, bringing out the flavor as you sipped it.

— Kelsey Kauffman, Sr. Financial Analyst at Tock

Hands down the best steak in Chicago…

… is at Bavette’s Bar & Boeuf. I got the bone-in filet mignon, and it was incredible.

— Gary Rooney, Account Executive at Tock

The king crab roll at…

… Eight Bar was as fresh as any sushi I’ve ever had. And their filet mignon was one of the best steaks I’ve eaten in Chicago, which is home to some of the best steakhouses on the planet. Overall, Eight Bar hit on everything you could value in a phenomenal dining experience.

— Brian Raymond, Sales Manager at Tock