The Chicago Restaurants We Loved in April

Nothing like a lovely Sunday dinner…

… at our favorite Chicago restaurant, Lula Café. While we love the classics on their cafe menu, we always look forward to the inventive, ever-changing seasonal dishes. A standout this time was the pan-roasted sturgeon in a glorious amount of butter that paired so well with the celery root done two ways and some delicate, earthy mushrooms — it really hit all of the late winter notes. And do not skip out on dessert: I don’t have much of a sweet tooth but their pastry chef, Kim Janusz, is stellar and brings just as much care and innovation to their sweet courses. Get the pecorino cake and try at least two gelatos, one classic scoop and one unexpected one. You won’t be disappointed.

— Andrew Schwegler, Director of Brand Design at Tock

I was excited to learn that…

… Leña Brava is now serving lunch, giving West Loop locals and passersby one more reason to swing into the popular corner spot. The menu was focused with lots of nourishing, flavor-packed options: protein-topped salad bowls, guacamole with salsa macha and roasted tomatillo, and French onion tortilla soup, a smart take on the classic. And then, there were the sandwiches.

A far departure from your cafeteria days, these are coal-fired and made with fluffy, handmade pan de campo, a Baja staple and the perfect vessel for pork carnitas or the mushroom with goat cheese and a chimichurri combo. While you’re here, spring for a taste of any of the beers from sister spot Cruz Blanca, and enjoy the midday pause — you could just make it a flight, with summer Fridays in sight.

— Nicole Schnitzler, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

On a warm and sunshine-y Saturday…

… my husband and I stopped into Hawksmoor for martinis at the bar. The British steakhouse batches their martinis, vacuum seals them, runs them through an ultrasonic machine normally used for jewelry cleaning, and then chills them to 11 degrees Fahrenheit. The result is a frigid cocktail with a mouthwatering viscosity unlike any I’ve tasted previously. I got the dirty version, and my husband went with the lemon oil-topped gin option. You simply cannot go wrong.

— Ally Marotti, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

With my mother in town for…

… my final dress fitting before my wedding, we decided a treat was in order. Cue Boeufhaus, where we started with the obligatory short rib beignets —think perfectly fluffy and pillowy beignets with short rib in the center, dusted with garlic salt on top and paired with next-level jus — which we had with the hamachi crudo and a salad for some crispness. Next up was a 28-ounce 55-day dry-aged Kansas City strip served with a trio of bordelaise, béarnaise, and au poivre sauce, for a choose-your-own adventure of flavor — we had this alongside the Hudson Canyon scallops with leeks and chestnut mushrooms and a bottle of COS Cerasuolo Di Vittoria (we are getting married in Sicily after all). We capped off the evening with a round of fast cars (half fernet, half Campari) and an affogato — it was the most perfect industry night out.

— Bailey Warren, Tock Account Manager

I’m still thinking about my brunch…

… at Gavroche in Old Town, days after. My mind is still wandering back to the textures, flavors, and presentation of the exquisite meal, like it’s a riddle I haven’t yet solved.

The crispy DLT (duck lettuce tomato) is a marvel of croissant engineering — somehow, the pastry stays structurally sound despite generous portions of crispy duck confit, butterhead lettuce, caviar aioli, and heirloom tomatoes. The foie French toast, meanwhile, packs unexpected flavor into every square inch, with a foie gras crème pâtissière woven into the brioche and dehydrated satsumas garnishing a dollop of whipped cream on top. Most impressively: these dishes, though they are showstoppers, never come across as showboating, which is a real testament to the kitchen’s level of care.

— Marnie Shure, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

Everything about this place is comforting…

DeNucci’s food is at once classic and creative, featuring the usual staples of a red-sauce joint but classed-up a bit and executed perfectly. And instead of an extensive, multi-page menu, DeNucci’s boasts a tight, pared-down list of dishes, where you truly can’t go wrong. Don’t sleep on the kale salad, which comes with some unexpected delights, like shredded hardboiled egg and yellow raisins. Or the hearty, warm, and delightful tagliatelle Bolognese, another can’t-miss. And the icing on the cake was the staff; everyone was so friendly and attentive.

— Gabby Losch, Software Engineer

Aptly named for the Japanese word for “back alley”…

… Yokocho is an omakase that’s tucked away in Fulton Market. The chefs here love tradition but aren’t afraid to break it, treating diners to a variety of techniques. Fish is cured using traditional methods and you’ll also find aburi nigiri, where the skin of the fish is scorched to bring out new flavors. The highlight for me was the lean tuna nigiri, topped with a paper-thin sliver of parmesan — it may not be traditional, but the salty, umami-rich cheese worked beautifully.

— Corey McMahon, Sr. Staff Software Engineer

Even though they were slammed…

… the staff at Happy Camper in Old Town were awesome hosts as they greeted us during the height of a March Madness. We kicked things off with a Chicago handshake, quickly followed by their pepperoni pizza with hot honey and burrata — burrata on pizza is a personal favorite and they absolutely nailed it.

— Trevor Davies, Sr. Brand Designer at Tock

This restaurant has such a lovely vibe…

Dining at Gemini feels like being in someone’s slightly upscale home: the atmosphere was warm and comforting and the staff was delightful. The short rib goulash was delicious, and I could’ve eaten a whole plate of the tempura mushrooms in one sitting. The espresso martini was rich and made for a lovely after-dinner drink. This is the kind of place where you gather with friends, laugh, and share memories over classic dishes with a fun twist.

— Dana Lasswell, Sr. Account Manager at Tock

This place always transports me back to the Philippines…

At Boonie’s, my dad and I went for their inihaw plate, which is a perfect highlight of some favorites: there’s liempo (pork belly), inasal (grilled chicken), and steak adobo. Definitely save room for dessert and try their banana turon, made with their very own brown sugar Kasama rum ice cream.

— Joselle Reyes, Implementation Specialist at Tock

We had an incredible dinner at…

…. Armitage Alehouse, where we were celebrating my fiancé’s birthday. We started off with some delightful sourdough and cheese, before ordering everything that was recommended to us. Rafi’s royale ribeye was packed with flavor thanks to a unique marinade, and the chicken tikka masala was fantastic. The side dishes were perfect additions to the meal, and service was fantastic all around. It’s pretty hard to get a reservation here, but Resy really came through with their Notify feature!

— Valerie Dellorto, Talent Acquisition Partner at Tock

It’s a Midwest love letter to seafood…

With a super cozy and intimate space, Giant is definitely the kind of place where you’ll be making friends (or foes) with your neighbors — the tables are quite close to one another. As an aspiring sober diner, I loved the variety of non-alcoholic beverages, and the orange whip with egg white was so creative and tasty. The standout dish was definitely the scallops, though: I’ve never had scallops with queso fresco before. I was a little hesitant at first, but they perfectly complemented each other — I cleaned the plate.

— Wendy West, Operations Analyst

The Middle Eastern-inspired tasting menu …

… at Galit really packs a punch. The meal starts off with hummus to share along with salatim — a collection of small, cold dishes typically served at the beginning of a meal — and perfectly warm and fluffy fresh pita. For the mezze course, we picked the falafel and mushrooms (which came with a super flavorful latke at the bottom of the dish), and had the lamb kebab and pastrami for our mains — both were incredibly flavorful. We finished with a delicious caramel chocolate torte to share.

Overall, the $105 four-course menu is truly a bang for your buck considering how much food you get! And I’m already looking forward to my next visit to try some of the other menu items.

— Emily Holbrook, Director of Operations and Insights

Oriole’s tasting menu was an incredible tour of flavors…

… all rich and exciting but with nothing feeling too heavy or overindulgent. Some highlights were the fermented rhubarb tartlet with uni and caviar, the crab with cucumber broth (a very welcome taste of spring while it’s still so cold in Chicago), and the crab croquette, which reminded me of a crab rangoon in the best way possible. The service was perfect — staff were unintrusive yet were always ready to anticipate our needs. This was a birthday treat for myself this year and last, and I imagine it’ll stay that way for a while to come.

— Mishka Mishkin, Sr. Software Engineer at Tock

We had such a lovely experience…

… at Maxwells Trading. First off, it’s located on the edge of the West Loop (and not in Fulton Market, thankfully), making parking and access a breeze. The vibes are immaculate: lively but not too loud, with very beautiful interiors. The service was top-notch and everyone we encountered was so nice. The cocktails were great — the lychee martini was a winner and they had lots of NA options, which is much appreciated. I don’t think you can go wrong with any dish on the menu: We loved the leek-stuffed pappardelle (creamy, rich, but not heavy), the clay pot rice (rustic and playful), and the soy sauce, made by the owner’s mother (a very sweet detail). Finally, we ended with the butter Basque cake and coffee, a perfect cap to the meal.

— Mary Allen, Sr. Implementation Specialist

It’s one of those rare places that feels like…

… it’s had its home in Chicago for far longer than it has. But Sepia also simultaneously puts forth some of the city’s most of-the-moment cuisine. The hiramasa crudo, with kumquat and blood orange ponzu, was a colorful start to the restaurant’s four-course menu, as was the fennel-topped lobster chawanmushi. These segued to mains: succulent beef short rib or Rohan duck breast, richly balanced by flavors of huckleberry and sunchoke. Don’t miss desserts from chef Erin Kobler — the white sesame Mont Blanc was an earthy introduction to the classic French pastry, while a Jivara milk chocolate “frosty” (complete with malted milk and a caramelized potato chip) quickly conjured childhood road trips.

— Nicole Schnitzler, Chicago Writer, Resy Editorial

As a big fan of Ballyhoo Hospitality…

… I had high hopes for the newly opened Sophia Steak in River North, and they were well exceeded. The creamed spinach was the best I have ever had and the steak was perfectly cooked.

— Rachel Kanter, Business Development Representative

What a truly exceptional dining experience…

Kasama was absolutely unforgettable. The staff were incredibly welcoming and attentive, making us feel right at home. And of course, the food was nothing short of spectacular. Our standout was the truffle croissant, which was pure indulgence. To top it off, they generously sent us home with pastries to savor the next day.

— Jenny Rinkel, Director of Account Management at Tock

It’s rare that I have the opportunity to have Southern food…

… so I knew I couldn’t pass up on visiting Big Jones in Andersonville. The skillet cornbread and eggs Bayou Lafourche had to be my favorites among all the dishes we got — the cornbread is served warm and simply melts in your mouth. I definitely want to come back and try their famous fried chicken and beignets next time. Come hungry!

— Joselle Reyes, Implementation Specialist at Tock

More Chicago staff picks, right this way.