Four Things In Chicago Not to Miss This Month
- Give Thanks: Whether you love going all in with family or prefer Turkey Day festivities with friends, there are options all over town, from prepared holiday dinners to full-on buffets, and menus with multiple seatings throughout the day on Nov. 26. DixiePura Kitchen in Bronzeville has a take-home Thanksgiving dinner to feed 4-6, including an applewood-smoked turkey braised in duck fat you’d probably never pull off on your own, and pimento mac and cheese. Or hit up the classic dinner buffet at The Ambassador Room with all the chef-carved meats and seasonal sides you could want; or The Robey, which has roasted cauliflower with caper pesto as a vegetarian main. Longman & Eagle offers three seatings at the bar or table to enjoy all of their signature meaty things, like Slagel Farms turkey, bone marrow stuffing, foie gras gravy, and drink specials from beverage director Jay Cullen.
- Burger Time: Sometimes all you want is a great burger, and we rounded up several great ones (out of many, many options all over town) for all of your blended patty, sesame-studded, and Dijonnaise-slathered needs. Want to go luxe? Neo-French bistro Gavroche in Old Town offers a burger upgrade with raclette and black truffle aïoli. Of course you can’t go wrong with the classic Au Cheval burger (don’t forget the bacon and egg addition), and know that the ever-popular spot now takes reservations, so you can actually sit down to try it. And we chatted with John Shields of three-Michelin-starred Smyth to find out everything you need to know about another burger that has put Chicago on the map—the OG smashburger at his casual subterranean sister restaurant, The Loyalist. Read that, and more Resy spotlights, here.
- It’s a Group Thing: Post-shopping happy hour. Annual office parties. Dinner with out-of-town friends. These occasions ramp up during the holidays, and chances are you’re going to need a place to accommodate a group. If you want a private dining room for parties small and large, check out our list of the top ones around town, from four distinct spaces at Chicago Winery to the second floor of Cafe Yaya , which has a private bar and space for 90. Need a fancy spot for a small party? Head to Feld, Oriole, or Tamu, or check out more splurge-worthy destinations in our newly updated guide. And if it’s just drinks your friends want, it’s drinks they will get, from All Well’s house Old Fashioned with scotch, oolong, coconut, and black cardamom to the THC-infused concoctions at the Dandy Crown, or peruse more of the best cocktails we found around town.
- Get to Know Up-and-Coming Chefs: Introducing The Lineup, where local up-and-coming chefs step out of their kitchens for one night to cook a five-course meal at the Ravenswood Event Center. You have three chances to catch one this month, starting with Mi Tocaya Antojería’s Derek Serrano, who will present Mexican-influenced dishes with Midwestern ingredients on Nov. 5. On Nov. 12, Colin McHugh, of two-Michelin starred Oriole (and Smyth before that) will feature butter-poached lobster and sablefish and more. And on Nov. 19, Giant’s Luis Diaz, who runs the restaurant’s test kitchen, will feature everything from a duck barbacoa burrito with salsa negra to seared cornbread with hoja santa ice cream and salted caramel. Check out our full events calendar here.
New to the Hit List (November 2026)
Pequod’s, Soul & Smoke, Kinzie Chophouse, ROOP.
