Must-Try Tasting Menu in Chicagoland?

[smilyfoodcritic]

what are some of the best tasting menus offered in Chicago and suburbs? How much does it cost per person without wine-pairing?

Thanks!!

[uhockey]

Having just dined there tonight, I can absolutely say Charlie Trotter's is worth every cent of the $165 pricetag......the experience was mindblowing.

[chicgail]

Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I haven't been for a few years and it's gotten some negative posts here lately.

[uhockey]

I'd absolutely say it is better than any Michelin 2 star restaurant I've been to (Spago, Alex) and the staff was unbelievable. We followed it up with the dessert tasting at Tru which was also surreal. I'll have full reviews up within the week.

[nsxtasy]

Well, some of our very top restaurants offer tasting menus, and at a few of them, that's all they offer (no a la carte options). For example, at Alinea - which was named the top restaurant in the country by several respected sources including Gourmet magazine - you have a choice between the 12-course tasting menu for $145, and the 26-course tour menu for $225. Avenues offers a 4-, 8-, or 15-course tasting menu for $75, $115, and $145, respectively. You can also find tasting menus at Everest, TRU, Charlie Trotter's, and Schwa, among others.

If you are looking for a lower-priced tasting menu, Sweets and Savories offers one (6-7 courses or so, IIRC) and I think it's $60 on Mondays (their BYO night), $70 the other days of the week.