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Best restaurants in Chicago open on Mondays

Fat Guy

By Fat Guy
in The Heartland: Dining

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Fat Guy

Fat Guy

Posted
Posted

Most of Chicago's top restaurants seem to be closed on Mondays. Sometimes, however, one needs to plan a good dinner out on a Monday -- perhaps for business, or an important occasion that falls on Monday. So, what to do?

I've heard that schwa is open on Mondays now (the website doesn't reflect it, but santo_grace reported a shift to a Monday-Friday schedule on the schwa topic).

I know Charlie Trotter's opens a few Mondays a year, when certain conventions are in town or whatever.

What else? I'm talking about ambitious cuisine, not steakhouses and other places that are likely on seven-day schedules anyway.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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jesteinf

jesteinf

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Posted (edited)

Alinea, Moto, Avenues and Schwa are probably the most ambitious but are all closed on Monday (as I'm sure you already figured out). Beyond those, I'm not sure what else would fit your definition. What about Blackbird or Avec?

Two very good restaurants that are open on Monday are Naha (which is always good but continues to fly under the radar) and Custom House (which is steakhouse-like, but not really a steakhouse). Again, they're not as ambitious as others, but still awfully good.

Edited by jesteinf (log)

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

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Fat Guy

Fat Guy

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Alinea, Moto, Avenues and Schwa are probably the most ambitious but are all closed. 

As I mentioned in the opening post, santo_grace reported on the schwa topic that the restaurant is now open on Mondays:

FYI - I made a reservation today at Schwa for January. I was told starting at the beginning of the year, they are going to only be open Monday - Friday nights. No Saturdays or Sundays.

The reason was to spend more time with family.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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molto e

molto e

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Posted (edited)

AVEC is a fine Monday choice....whoops, just noticed you wanted ambitious cuisine. I ate at Schwa on a Monday so that would be tops on that front.

Edited by molto e (log)

Eliot Wexler aka "Molto E"

MoltoE@restaurantnoca.com

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Joe Gerard

Joe Gerard

Posted
Posted
Most of Chicago's top restaurants seem to be closed on Mondays. Sometimes, however, one needs to plan a good dinner out on a Monday -- perhaps for business, or an important occasion that falls on Monday. So, what to do?

I've heard that schwa is open on Mondays now (the website doesn't reflect it, but santo_grace reported a shift to a Monday-Friday schedule on the schwa topic).

I know Charlie Trotter's opens a few Mondays a year, when certain conventions are in town or whatever.

What else? I'm talking about ambitious cuisine, not steakhouses and other places that are likely on seven-day schedules anyway.

I had a nice dinner at Tru on a Monday last fall.

http://www.agourmandslife.com
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jesteinf

jesteinf

Posted
Posted
Alinea, Moto, Avenues and Schwa are probably the most ambitious but are all closed. 

As I mentioned in the opening post, santo_grace reported on the schwa topic that the restaurant is now open on Mondays:

FYI - I made a reservation today at Schwa for January. I was told starting at the beginning of the year, they are going to only be open Monday - Friday nights. No Saturdays or Sundays.

The reason was to spend more time with family.

My bad, I thought things had changed again. With Schwa, you never really know.

-Josh

Now blogging at http://jesteinf.wordpress.com/

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Fat Guy

Fat Guy

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Okay, so far:

-Tru

-Avec

-Naha

-Custom House

and

-We're not exactly certain about schwa -- how can we find out for sure?

-Trotter's is open the occasional Monday

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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tammylc

tammylc

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I would say that Blackbird belongs on the list. I had an excellent meal there on a recent Monday, that included such "ambitious" elements as smoked grapes and octopus confit. It's not the "top echelon" but it's well worth a visit.

Tammy's Tastings

Creating unique food and drink experiences

eGullet Foodblogs #1 and #2
Dinner for 40

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santo_grace

santo_grace

Posted
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Alinea, Moto, Avenues and Schwa are probably the most ambitious but are all closed. 

As I mentioned in the opening post, santo_grace reported on the schwa topic that the restaurant is now open on Mondays:

FYI - I made a reservation today at Schwa for January. I was told starting at the beginning of the year, they are going to only be open Monday - Friday nights. No Saturdays or Sundays.

The reason was to spend more time with family.

My bad, I thought things had changed again. With Schwa, you never really know.

I later found out that the Monday-Friday schedule was only for a few months and should be over by now. They may or may not be open on Mondays now. I'm not sure and judging by the people that can't get through to make a reservation, I'm not sure how to find out. We do hope to get back there soon...no matter what day it is.

I like cows, too. I hold buns against them. -- Bucky Cat.

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Fat Guy

Fat Guy

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The message on schwa's voicemail says the restaurant is closed 1-15 April and will be reopening on 16 April. For what it's worth, 16 April is a Monday.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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tmcook

tmcook

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Posted (edited)

lula cafe has "monday night farm dinner," which change every monday at $24 for three courses. it's seasonal, rustic, and a chef hangout. (plus, you can wear jeans and a t shirt)

here's the menu from last week and instead was 4 courses and costed 40 dollars because the proceeds went to slow foods:

sunchoke and spring vegetable soup

salad of braised spring lamb and city farm greens

-crispy buckwheat crepe, mustard vinaigrette

spring lamb, in variations

-green garlic ricotta tart

sweet cornmeal and rhubarb cake

vanilla mascarpone ice cream

otherwise, alinea, shwa, blackbird, or avec would be great choices. i suppose it depends what kind of dining you feel like.

Edited by tmcook (log)
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nsxtasy

nsxtasy

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Outstanding restaurants open on Mondays also include:

Formal Fine Dining

Tru

NoMi

Seasons

Ambria (till June)

Casual Fine Dining

One Sixty Blue

Aigre Doux

mk

Sola

Sweets and Savories

Steakhouses

Most steakhouses are open Mondays.

Fusion

Le Lan

Le Colonial

Cuatro

Vermilion

Bistro

Bistro 110

Kiki's Bistro

Mon Ami Gabi

Italian

Coco Pazzo

Mexican

Adobo Grill

Salpicon

Seafood

Fulton's on the River

Hugo's Frog House

Shaw's Crab House

Suburban

Parker's Ocean Grill (Downers Grove)

Oceanique (Evanston)

The Stained Glass (Evanston)

Jacky's Bistro (Evanston)

Va Pensiero (Evanston)

Campagnola (Evanston)

Tin Fish (Tinley Park)

Vie (Western Springs)

Le Francais (Wheeling)

Osteria di Tramonto (Wheeling)

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Fat Guy

Fat Guy

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I spoke to an actual person at schwa today, and was told they are open Mondays at present.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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ronnie_suburban

ronnie_suburban

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I spoke to an actual person at schwa today, and was told they are open Mondays at present.

I had a glorious meal at Schwa last night and confirmed this as well. They are open on Mondays, at least for now.

=R=

"Hey, hey, careful man! There's a beverage here!" --The Dude, The Big Lebowski

LTHForum.com -- The definitive Chicago-based culinary chat site

ronnie_suburban 'at' yahoo.com

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