Alinea

"Alinea is one of the rare places since the advent of social media where I can be “fully present” and “live in the moment.” I wasn’t going to let what appeared initially as harmless revelry disrupt my meal when there were white truffles on the way. Despite encountering rude behavior from other guests, the staff at Alinea skillfully managed the situation by speeding up the menu progression for the noisy table and offering them a kitchen tour, effectively removing them from the dining area." - Timothy DePeugh

"The Verdict: Yes, if you can avoid social media spoilers—luckily Alinea is too old to be trending on TikTok. Everyone knows Alinea. Since its 2005 opening it’s been on countless worldwide “Best” lists, featured in documentaries, and helped fuel the aughts’ obsession with liquid nitrogen and eating stuff that looked like other stuff. And despite what Hot Take Harry tells you, dinner here is still an incredible time. The almost $500 per person dinner at Alinea is a delicious experience (think fog machines and edible napkins) and there’s nothing quite like it. Accept no substitutions. " - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen

"Verdict: If you have a fancy restaurant bucket list, Alinea is probably on it. Of course, being famous doesn’t necessarily mean a place is worth your time (or, in this case, hundreds of dollars). But dinner at Alinea is a delicious experience (think fog machines), and there’s nothing quite like it. Accept no substitutions." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen

"Chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas’s fine dining institution is one of two Chicago restaurants with a full three-star rating from Michelin. Inside the luxurious Lincoln Park dining room, expect a sensory overload. Achatz uses heavily scented citrus, smoke, and other smells to provide diners with a theatrical experience, and servers present dishes as though they were works of art. With a dinner for two running close to $1,000 with wine pairings, Alinea is the restaurant that appears most frequently on Chicagoans’ bucket lists." - Ashok Selvam

"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