"In a perhaps not-very-interesting turn of events, Chicago’s most famous restaurant is one of our highest-rated. If you have a fancy restaurant bucket list, Alinea is probably on it. Of course, fame and 50-minute features on Chef’s Table don’t necessarily mean a place is worth your time (or in this case, several hundred dollars)—but Alinea definitely is. Regardless of which tasting menu you choose (there are three ranging from $315-$495 with between 10-15 courses), the mish-mash of flavors is devastatingly good with Thai, Mexican, and French inspirations all at play. And a meal here is also guaranteed to be an experience—with theatrics (like fog machines), molecular gastronomy (egg “yolks” that transform into bread), and great servers (who are genuinely funny) that you won’t easily forget." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
