Found

This weekend I went to dinner with my friend at Found in Evanston, which I also went to back when it first opened last January. This restaurant is absolutely amazing, and makes you feel like you're in the city. We went at 9pm and there was still a (short) wait, and when we left around 11pm, people were STILL coming in for dinner. It's that good.

The atmosphere at this place is so amazing. The restaurant is dark & cozy with lots of candles, and not too noisy yet not too quiet...the perfect recipe. Most of the furnishings came from old Ritz lobbies so there's lots of plush dark velvets and oriental rugs. The ceilings are also painted with chalkboard paint with quotes.

The menu is unbelievable. I literally could order everything on this menu and be happy with each item. That makes it so hard to choose. We were not disappointed with anything that we got. That includes the large cookie platter...oops.

And the best news about this place, is that they are now taking reservations. For the longest time they didn't take reservations so you could wait up to two hours even on a week night. Whether you live in the city of the suburbs, this place is a must. I can't wait to go back again, and this will definitely become a regular for me in my new town.

The Southern

Earlier this week I went to The Southern for dinner with my friend Billy and his sister Tory. The Southern is a barbecue restaurant in Bucktown right near the train. I have been here for brunch, but it was years ago and I wanted to try the dinner menu.

Although this place is good for a reasonably priced meal with a good atmosphere in a convenient location, I wouldn't put this on my must go to list. The food was yummy, but I found the menu to be very limited, as they didn't really have any barbecue sandwiches...and I was really hoping for some pulled pork! That being said, if you are a whiskey lover, this place is for you. They have  hundreds of varieties. This place also has a phenomenal outdoor space, so if you're looking for somewhere to go in the summer, put this on your list. The private outdoor raised area is unreal and would be an awesome venue for a fabulous summer party.

The place I am really wanting to try is Lillie's Q just down the street. Sadly they don't take reservations...

Nico Osteria

This past weekend I went to brunch with a girlfriend at Nico Osteria on Rush Street in the Gold Coast. This place has been getting a TON of buzz recently (like a A LOT), and is in my favorite neighborhood, so I obviously had to go. Nico Osteria is an Italian restaurant that has a great vibe and ambiance. The restaurant is filled with the most amazing light fixtures, beautiful detailed tile floors, lots of dark rustic wood, plush velvet and mid-century furniture AKA my dream.

The same restaurant group that owns Blackbird, Avec, The Publican, Big Star, Violet Hour owns this place...so duh, it is going to be good. The food was great, although I found the brunch menu to be very limited. There wasn't much that jumped out to me. So I would highly recommend coming here for dinner. And talk about an amazing neighborhood to go out in afterword! They also have a large bar themselves that would be fun to post up at.

Overall, whether you are a local or having guests in town, you have to come here. Absolutely. I am dying to come back for dinner, and am hoping they'll have some good outdoor seating set up for the summer!

Nightwood

A couple weekends ago, some girlfriends and I made it an outing to go to the Pilsen neighborhood to check out Nightwood restaurant, followed by a trip to the high-end consignment shop Coyle & Herr.

Nightwood gets smashing reviews, and has consistently been on the Chicago Eater 38 Essential Restaurants list (my bible). This place was great and I would definitely recommend coming here for dinner. We had brunch, which was fabulous, but we left feeling absolutely stuffed because everything was very heavy. I ordered the spaghetti carbonara, which seems to be a recurring theme for me, as my friend pointed out the past three times I've gone to a restaurant with her, that's what I've ordered. What can I say? I love me some pasta! They are also careful to source everything locally, which makes the food just that much more enjoyable! Although Nightwood has been getting a lot of buzz for the past year, it took a long time for me to get here because it is off the beaten path (for my usual routine). You definitely would want a car to come here. And there is nowhere to really go out afterward, so this has to be your destination.

The open kitchen is a neat feature, as you can see the chefs cooking. This would be a fun place to come in the summer because they have an amazing side patio. Although I wouldn't necessarily take out of towners here because of it's location, it's a must go to if you live in the area.

Maude's Liquor Bar

I've been terrible, I know. This whole homeownership thing takes up a lot of time.

Anyways, a few weeks ago I went to Maude's Liquor Bar with my girlfriend Michelle. This place is on Restaurant Row and has been on my list forever. I can't believe it took me so long to get here. The ambiance was amazing and I highly recommend coming here. Maude's is great for a girls night out, and even better for a date night.

The lighting is absolutely perfect. So dark that you almost feel like you have to get a flash light out, which I love. And the restaurant is not noisy (in a good way). You can hear the music and there's a good vibe, but for how close the tables are, I never felt like I could hear the people next to us, nor did I have to scream over any loud noise to talk with Michelle.

Also, the food here is amazing! I love places where you can order a ton of small plates and share. They had great french inspired food and we were stuffed at the end of the night without having to break the bank. They have a pretty good craft cocktail list too! Definitely come here.