Grand Lux Cafe Awards

Grand Lux Cafe Restaurant Review:

About the restaurant & décor: As the name implies, everything is on a grand scale at this bi-level spot (entrance at 111 E. Ontario St.) from the creators of The Cheesecake Factory. Medieval meets Art Nouveau meets Art Deco in the second floor dining areas, which practically explode with Klimt-like curlicues, mosaics, murals, stylized light fixtures, plush booths and banquettes and inlaid-marble floors. The glassed-in rotunda offers spectacular views, and the bar – opposite a retail bakery area that segues into a series of exhibition kitchen stations – is rather charming.

Likes: Family friendly and right on the Mag Mile.
Dislikes: Waits can be long.

Food & Drinks: The grandiosity extends to the portion sizes, which certainly are shareable. Meals start with internationally inspired appetizers like crispy Thai chicken and shrimp spring rolls, chicken quesadillas and Asian nachos and move on to entrée salads, sandwiches and house-made gnocchi in vodka sauce. Plenty of the menu nods to American fare, though, so expect Southern fried chicken, barbecue ribs and tender braised pot roast, too. A few of our favorites: the crispy-crusted barbecue chicken pizza, juicy Angus burgers, crème brûlée duo and red velvet cake. Servers have a hard job and perform it reasonably well – with some lapses.