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In a space that used to be a bar called Shambles, this big new destination on Division Street doles out Southern food of a comforting and not too typical kind (for the Windy City, at least).
Website: bourbonondivision.com
Address: 2050 West Division St.
Phone number: 773-796-5879
Number of seats: 104, plus 30 on the patio
Entrée price range: $11-$30
Popular dishes: Flash-fried crawdads with pea purée, herb aïoli and cured egg yolk; pimento grilled cheese with pickled asparagus and smoked tomatoes on toasted sour ciabatta; braised brisket, black pepper grits, smoked carrot slaw, horseradish, garlic oil and au jus.
What others say: “Originally from North Carolina, [chef James] Bateman said he has not yet found a restaurant that does Southern cooking the casual way he prefers, so this feels like home.” — Alisa Hauser, DNAinfo
The bar
Interior
In West Town, this homey yet stylish eatery by chef Zoe Schor hearkens back to old Midwestern classics and comfort-food staples given a firm-enough twist to soothe the souls of the discerning foodie set.
Website: splitrailchicago.com
Address: 2500 W. Chicago Ave.
Phone number: 773-697-4413
Number of seats: 75
Entrée price range: $9-$32
Popular dishes: Housemade chicken nuggets with vegetable honey; loaded baked potato gnocchi with house bacon, sour cream, Hook's 5-Year Cheddar and crispy potato skins; lamb tartare with harissa aïoli, black garlic and rye.
What others say: “Take, for instance, Schor’s homage to the stuffed baked potato, which she renders as a pasta dish: gnocchi mixed with crème fraîche, aged cheddar, scallions, bacon, onions, garlic, and — to anchor it in the American vernacular — a sprinkling of crumbled deep-fried potato skins.” — Penny Pollack, Chicago magazine
Interior
Loaded baked potato gnocchi
This new eatery in the West Loop provides a showcase for chef Andrew Zimmerman’s playful, creative takes on New American cuisine with a hearty influx of flavors from around world.
Website: proxichicago.com
Address: 565 W Randolph St.
Phone number: 312-466-1950
Number of seats: 150
Entrée price range: $8-$30
Popular dishes: Tempura elotes; fried fish collars with thai garlic-chile sauce; shaved zucchini with sheep’s milk feta, pine nuts and mint; bbq lamb ribs with mango pickle and cashews.
What others say: “Be forewarned: A trip to Proxi will undoubtedly leave you wanting more. It’s not that the menu is lacking; on the contrary, it’s rife with so many tough decisions that you’ll have to book a second visit to try it all. Tempura elotes or roasted baby potato carbonara? Baby octopus or raw tuna? BBQ lamb ribs or Wagyu sirloin? It’s not for the indecisive, but Proxi has officially landed on my short list of restaurants I’d gladly frequent every weekend if I could.” — Morgan Olsen, Time Out Chicago
Shaved zucchini
Interior
Inside the big and teeming Merchandise Mart with lots of office space and shopping around the edges, this new offering from DMK Restaurants makes an all-day play for stylish dining for inhabitants and visitors alike.
Website: marshallslanding.com
Address: 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #470
Phone number: 312-610-8050
Number of seats: 250
Entrée price range: $5-$18
Popular dishes: ML Burger with grass-fed beef, Shropshire blue or Hook’s cheddar, smoked bacon, charred balsamic red onions and chipotle ketchup on a brioche bun; popcorn with truffle butter and parmesan; mac ’n’ cheese with smoked bacon crust; avocado toast with fresh herbs, fleur de sel, sunflower seeds and a farm egg.
What others say: “There is probably some larger point to be made about why people insist on spending too much time at work, and how there's something ridiculous and sad about the way contemporary office design seems to insist upon conflating work and play space, and how Marshall's Landing is a prime example of this. But I will admit: since I'm stuck working near the Mart, I'm glad to know about that couch and salad.” — Aimee Levitt, Chicago Reader
Avocado toast
ML Burger
This stately new destination in the recently renovated Ritz-Carlton hotel is a steakhouse with Italianate inclinations conceived by the Denver-based Sage Restaurant Group.
Website: toralichicago.com
Address: 160 East Pearson St., 12th floor
Phone number: 312-573-5160
Number of seats: 70, plus 51 in private dining
Entrée price range: $30-$50
Popular dishes: Prime bone-in ribeye finished with house salt and extra virgin olive oil, choice of lardo pesto, torali steak sauce or black truffle-garlic butter; three-cheese tortellini with cherry tomatoes, fennel pollen and tomato water; slow-roasted Ora King salmon with rapini pesto and almond gremolata.
What others say: “[Chef Greg] Elliott developed the menu for Torali, the hotel's new signature restaurant. On the dinner menu: pastas made in-house, seafood and steak, including a $120 porterhouse for two.” — Lori Rackl, The Chicago Tribune
Seafood tower
Porterhouse for two
