Alpana Singh announces name and address of new wine bar, while Philip Foss and Shin Thompson will host an anti-restaurant week dinner. more ›

Some of the Chicagoist food staff aren't so fond of restaurant week. Amy Cavanaugh and John DiGilio explain why. more ›

Restaurants across the city are accepting reservations for the fifth annual Chicago Restaurant Week. See what we’re looking forward to this year. more ›

Restaurant week thinks it's so special, with its discounts and its 200 participants. In fact, it's so special, it's been extended. Whatever - you can do better than $22 for lunch. C-House has a lunch deal that beats R-week with one hand tied behind its back, and it happens every day. The 1,2,3 lunch includes 3 courses, chosen from the regular lunch menu, for only $15. We visited earlier this week, and have some suggestions for your order. more ›

We mentioned last week that a few restaurants had extended their restaurant week deals past the initial deadline. All weekend long, we got email after email announcing more, and we simply couldn't keep up. Luckily, the folks at The Stew have more stamina than we do, and have compiled a list of all 60 restaurants that have extended the deal. Though this does call into question the name "Restaurant Week" (maybe we should just call it "that slow time in February and March when we need to get people in the door"), it's a great opportunity for you to grab some more discounts. Extenders include The Bristol, N9ne Steakhouse, Branch 27, one sixtyblue, Sable and (inexplicably) the American Girl Cafe. Check the list, and be sure to call the restaurants to confirm. This promotion is now in the hands of the individual establishments, so do your research. more ›

News has been trickling in that some restaurants are extending discounts beyond the official dates of Chicago Restaurant Week. The promotion, which is always wildly popular, has been filling dining rooms all over Chicago. Chef Sarah Grueneberg, of Spiaggia, told us that Cafe Spiaggia did over 100 lunch covers yesterday, when their average Wednesday runs about 40. Takeaway? If you haven't made your reservations, make them now. But at some restaurants, the discounts don't end at the end of the week. more ›

Restaurant Week is on like Donkey Kong, so you’d better believe your beloved Chicagoist foodies are out there finding out what’s worth your time and what’s not. Up first is Devon Seafood Grill. Despite what you may guess, Devon Seafood Grill is not actually on Devon Avenue - it’s on the corner of Chicago and Wabash in the Gold Coast. Nor is DSG unique to Chicago; the restaurant has additional locations in Milwaukee, Philadelphia, and Hershey. We visited DSG on the first day of restaurant week, and all things considered, it was a good way to kick things off. more ›

Sometimes being a vegetarian just ain't easy. It seems that many folks assume that all we need to be happy is a few leaves of lettuce and a handful of beans on which to graze. We essentially become the culinary version of an afterthought, while all the attention goes towards preparing plates full of flesh and innards for the meat-eating masses. But we vegetarians are a more complex people than that. We want in on the same dining fun that our carnivorous counterparts enjoy. So why do we often have to work harder to get it? It's not like veggie fare is that hard to come by. Take for instance the upcoming Chicago Restaurant Week. more ›

Lovers of rooftop bars, take note. On February 18th, C-View, the bar at the top of the Affinia hotel, will be offering 25% off of all bottled wines. They will be celebrating "National Wine Day," but we'll just be celebrating a good deal. The bar has great views and is a great spot for a date. If you go early in the evening, you may have the bar mostly to yourself, which is perfect for a pre-dinner romantic hour or two. Or, make reservations at C-House for some of Nicole Pederson's fine food and just take the elevator downstairs. Friday the 18th is the first night of Restaurant Week, and C-House has a great looking menu. more ›

The official Chicago Restaurant Week starts February 18th, and with over 200 restaurants participating, it might help to have a few suggestions before you starting making reservations. Restaurants will be offering prix fie menus, costing $22 for lunch and either $33 or $44 for dinner. At those prices, it makes sense to make reservations now. Below, the Chicagoist food staff gives you our recommendations for some great meals and great deals. more ›

If you want some great dining deals right now, for this weekend, check out Chicago Originals, the smaller, local version of the bargain dining week phenomenon. We've been hearing rumors about another "Restaurant Week"- whatever, that's not for another month. Chicago Originals, created by Chef/Owner Didier Durant of Cyrano's Bistro, showcases local restaurants. They are also offering some deals that blow the larger restaurant week out of the water. We caught Durant yesterday to ask him why Chicago needed two different bargain dining weeks. more ›

Rijoa Restaurant Week more ›

Everyone should have a strategy when entering a massive, culinary event like Restaurant Week. For me, try restaurants that I have yet to checked off my 'dining out' list then eye-ing the menu for delicious and unique dishes and finally going back to places that I love but can't regularly fit into the weekly dining budget. more ›

For me, the benefit of Chicago Restaurant Week is the ability to try out new places without risking huge stacks of cash. As such, I tend not to visit the cheaper or simpler options participating - when the cost is fixed at $32, I’m saving more money on the deal when I visit the expensive option. more ›

More fascinated by Kelis' milkshake than Daniel Plainview's? Is the only Oscar you'll watch living in a garbage can? Then this Sunday probably means nothing to you. You're burnt out on the "glitz" and "glamor" of the night, not to mention the drama surrounding that writers strike. more ›

This time of year is usually a slow period for restaurants, what with the cold weather and all. Add to that some scary uncertainty on the job front and people are eating in with more frequency. more ›