From cozy and intimate neighborhood bistros to sleek restaurants within downtown skyscrapers, Chicago is filled with romantic date night eateries. There are the requisite Italian restaurants and French bistros, but those are far from the only type of cuisine on this list. From a James Beard Award-winning chef's Southern food and clubby steakhouses specializing in surf and turf to fondue alongside live music and a sleek new omakase spot, there are no shortage of options for a romantic evening on the town.
But what makes a restaurant romantic isn’t just the food—it’s also the setting and ambiance, whether that’s an intimate, candlelit table or soft music playing in the background. Greenery is a popular feature at many Chicago restaurants to soften up an urban space, whether suspended from the ceiling or via potted plants evoking a lush, tropical atmosphere. A stellar wine cellar and a dessert menu that you simply can’t resist are major assets, too—especially when you want to extend the meal to really make a night out of it.
Below, see 12 of Chicago’s most romantic restaurants to consider booking for your next date night.
