Restaurant

A wave of new Mexican restaurants opening over the past two months has us wondering whether there's something in the water. Tequila, maybe? We enlisted a team of taco-and-guac obsessives to fill up and report back on three new entries and got the lowdown to whet your appetite about four others.  Takito Kitchen 2013 W. Division St. 773-687-9620 Since opening about a month ago in the former Sabor Saveur space in Ukrainian Village,...

Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises runs L2O in the Belden-Stratford and Saranello's inside the Westin in north suburban Wheeling, but it will add another hotel eatery to its lineup when Restaurant Beatrix opens inside the Aloft Chicago City Center on June 20. Restaurant Beatrix will have a dining area, a wine bar serving 25 approachable varieties by the glass and bottle, and a bar with an attached coffee shop and bakery. "It's different than anything we've ever done and different than anything I've seen in other hotels,” said executive partner...

A Ravenswood outpost of a Logan Square BYOB Chilapan opened on March. This new location of the family-owned Mexican restaurant (1522 W. Montrose Ave. 773-319-6421) features more seating - 74 seats inside and 35 outside - while maintaining the same homey, whimsical vibe of the original eatery. There's more room to work in the kitchen, so expect to find all your old favorites on the menu along with a few creative specials. Another new addition for this location is a chef's table, where diners will be served a multi-course meal that will run about $60-65 for...

From this summer's vegan menu at Grant Achatz's restaurant Next to plenty of buzz about plant-based diets, veganism is definitely having a moment. "A few years ago, people said, 'Oh, vegan? What does that mean?" said Don Clements, who opened all-vegan BYOB cafe Kitchen 17 (613 W. Briar Place 773-661-1757) in East Lakeview in early May. While vegetarians eat meat-free, vegans also forgo animal products including dairy, eggs and honey. Clements went vegan for a combination of health, animal rights and environmental reasons.

The bread basket, plunked down on your table as a free prelude to your meal, is adored by some, ignored by others and shunned by calorie counters everywhere. Stephanie Izard's Girl & the Goat surprised diners two years ago when it opened with a menu of breads and spreads that you had to (gasp!) order and (double gasp!) pay for. Now a handful more restaurants have followed suit with their own specialty breads. So in case you were looking for permission, go ahead and fill up on the bread.

Telegraph 2601 N. Milwaukee Ave. 773-292-9463 This sleek, light-filled wine bar is known as much for its bites as it is for its vino. Pair your glass with selection of small plates such as olives or oysters, or go for something more substantial from their “second courses” menu of pastas, seafood and more. Don't leave without trying a dessert from pastry chef Katie Wyer. Longman & Eagle 2657 N. Kedzie Ave. 773-276-7110 Thanks to praise in national mags such as Esquire and GQ, the dinnertime waits at this unassuming looking corner...

Giuliana and Bill Rancic are on a roll when it comes to restaurants. Chicago's much-adored reality TV couple paired with chef Doug Psaltis (who puts the "P" in "RPM") and Hub 51 and Paris Club owners RJ and Jerrod Melman (that's the "M") to open RPM Italian earlier this year in River North. Now, it looks like the partnership will continue with another restaurant, this one steak-focused, to open early next year Giuliana tweeted the news to her followers on Friday afternoon.

Briciola 937 N. Damen Ave. 773-772-0889 Rating: 2.5 (out of four) Take it or leave it The backstory: When I'm dining out, I try to enter each restaurant with an open mind. But when it came to Briciola, a new BYOB Italian trattoria in Ukrainian Village, it was a challenge to tune out all that I'd heard. Just a look at the restaurant's early Yelp reviews - from gushing five-stars to scathing one-stars - made me wonder if everyone had even eaten at the same restaurant.

If you've spent the last few weeks trying to get lucky with Next's day-off ticket giveaways for its current menu inspired by childhood, get ready for another challenge. Prior to opening the restaurant back in April, co-owner Nick Kokonas mentioned the possibility of eventually offering season tickets. It looks like the concept is coming to fruition soon. "At some point, likely this month, we will release season [tickets] for next year," Kokonas told us via e-mail. That will include 50 seats per night for the restaurant's next three quarterly menus, which will be inspired by...

Review: Kabocha Japanese Brasserie 952 W. Lake St. 312-666-6214 Rating:  !!! 1/2 (out of four) Heating up Chef Shin Thompson's former restaurant, Bonsoiree in Logan Square, was a darling of the foodie crowd. It also demanded a commitment, both in time and price, to sit down for a multi-course, multi-hour meal. When he teamed up with Ryan O'Donnell (Gemini Bistro, Rustic House) to open Kabocha in the West Loop, they decided to loosen up a bit. "I wanted to make it more fun for people," Thompson said.

From this summer's vegan menu at Grant Achatz's restaurant Next to the buzz about plant-based diets, veganism is definitely having a moment. “A few years ago, people said, 'Oh, vegan? What does that mean?” said Don Clements, who opened all-vegan BYOB cafe Kitchen 17 (613 W. Briar Place 773-661-1757) in East Lakeview in early May. While vegetarians eat meat-free, vegans also forgo animal products including dairy, eggs and honey. Clements went vegan for a combination of health, animal rights and environmental reasons.

Tim Graham, the former executive chef of Tru and Paris Club, is helming the restaurant at The Langham, Chicago hotel, which is set to open in July. Located at 330 N. Wabash Ave., Travelle will serve Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in a setting that's more upscale than Paris Club but less fine-dining than Tru, a balance Graham describes as "casual elegance. " The space features a backlit wall with a 30-foot digital art display that changes from day to night, four bars arranged in a pinwheel pattern and a mix of custom and vintage seating.

Months ago, rumors started swirling that Shake Shack , a popular fast-food eatery that started as a food cart in New York's Madison Square Park, would be opening a Chicago location.  This month, the company has made it official with an announcement that it is planning its first Illinois location at 66 E. Ohio St., which is part of the Shops at North Bridge complex.   The restaurant is slated to open in late 2014, according to Greg Waters, senior manager of marketing and communications for Shake Shack.  ...

After a fire closed it down earlier this spring, Bucktown barbecue restaurant Lillie's Q is slated to reopen in mid-June. A fire in the restaurant's basement the night of March 14 caused the restaurant and its satellite location at the Chicago French Market to close. A week later, the market location reopened with a very limited menu.  The mid-June opening estimate is pending inspections, according to a May 16 announcement from the restaurant.  Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page ...

Review: Brindille 534 N. Clark St. 312-595-1616 Rating: !!! 1/2 (out of 4) Heating up Chef Carrie Nahabedian already has a nice restaurant. Naha , her Mediterranean-inspired contemporary American spot in River North, has netted her plenty of awards since it opened in 2000. For her next move, I wouldn't have been the least bit surprised if she opened a more casual spot, following the path of other top chefs such as Rick Bayless' street food cafe Xoco or Graham Elliot's sandwich shop Grahamwich.

Review: Kabocha Japanese Brasserie 952 W. Lake St. 312-666-6214 Rating:  !!! 1/2 (out of four) Heating up Chef Shin Thompson's former restaurant, Bonsoiree in Logan Square, was a darling of the foodie crowd. It also demanded a commitment, both in time and price, to sit down for a multi-course, multi-hour meal. When he teamed up with Ryan O'Donnell (Gemini Bistro, Rustic House) to open Kabocha in the West Loop, they decided to loosen up a bit. "I wanted to make it more fun for people," Thompson said.

Chicago Chop Shop, a combination butcher shop, restaurant and event space, is set to open in July in a 100-year-old Wicker Park warehouse.  Located at 2033 W. North Ave., Chicago Chop Shop's counter-service butcher shop will open at 9 a.m. to offer meats along with sandwiches and antipasto salads. “Chicago loves their meats, and everyone I know has a grill and enjoys every moment of nice weather Chicago gets,” co-owner Nick Moretti said.  Co-owner Mario Minelli brings the meat cred from Minelli's Meat & Deli in Niles.

La Cuchara 1521 W. Madison St. 312-291-9344 Rating:  !! (out of four)  Give it some time What's a restaurant's website for if not to stoke your appetite? La Cuchara's definitely features some appealing claims that fueled my anticipation, but upon arrival, the real-life restaurant didn't quite live up. A location "perfectly nestled in Chicago's  West Loop " is apparently PR speak for a strip mall neighboring  Dunkin' Donuts  and Subway. The bi-level space has two bars and a glassy facade with a prime view of ... the parking lot out front.

A wave of new Mexican restaurants opening over the past two months has us wondering whether there's something in the water. Tequila, maybe? We enlisted a team of taco-and-guac obsessives to fill up and report back on three new entries and got the lowdown to whet your appetite about four others.  Takito Kitchen 2013 W. Division St. 773-687-9620 Since opening about a month ago in the former Sabor Saveur space in Ukrainian Village,...