Chicago Culinary Events

Hungry? Need to fill your culinary calendar? Here is where you will find all the restaurant and culinary happenings in Chicago. We feature a calendar of special dinners, tasting menus, prix-fixe meals, food festivals and other culinary events, including regularly occurring food events as well as special one-time-only events featuring top chefs. Keep checking back so you can know all that's going on in the world of restaurant and food events in Chicago.

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Sundays
Carlucci (1801 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove, 630-512-0990) will offer a family night menu on Sundays with three courses, served family-style, which cost $15.95 per person. A magician will perform between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and kids can build their own pizzas for $5. www.carluccirestaurant.com.

Mondays-Fridays
Four Farthings (2060 N. Cleveland Ave., 773-935-2060) serves half-price appetizers Monday-Friday 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Score items like wings, Gorgonzola ravioli and fried calamari for a song.

Mondays-Saturdays
On Monday-Saturday after 7 p.m., ristorante We (172 W. Adams St., 312-917-5608) offers a $45 five-course dinner that costs an additional $24 with wine pairings Go on Saturdays, and the wine is complimentary.

Mondays-Saturdays
Check out Tizi Melloul (531 N. Wells St., 312-670-4338) Monday-Saturday for its $35 five-course menu.

Mondays & Wednesdays
Marché (833 W. Randolph St., 312-226-8388) is wheeling and dealing on Mondays and Wednesdays by offering a three-course, prix-fixe dinner for $29. Diners can choose any appetizer or salad, any entrée and any dessert.

Third Mondays
Bank Lane Bistro is offering small, hands-on cooking classes with executive chef John des Rosiers and sous chef Marco Hernandez on the third Monday of every month. Class size is kept small (there is an eight person limit) to guarantee individual attention. Guests will work alongside the chefs in preparing a multi-course dinner served family style. Participants will actually be able eat what they have created and the intimate setting and hands-on experience is a fun and educational way to spend time with friends and loved ones. The cost is $100 per person and includes a glass of wine, a 5-6 course dinner and an autographed apron and menu. Classes begin at 6:30 p.m. and a credit card reservation is required. Bank Lane Bistro, 670 N. Bank Ln., Lake Forest, 847-234-8802.

Tuesdays
Drake Bros.’ steakhouse is offering diners a second of its Prime steaks on Tuesdays for a penny. Drake Bros’, Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton St., 312-932-4626.

Tuesdays
On Tuesdays, Adobo Grill’s Wicker Park location offers a two-course meal for $20. Diners can choose any two items from the dinner menu’s appetizers, entrées or desserts for the price. Adobo Grill, 2005 W. Division St., Chicago, 773-252-9990.

Tuesdays
Each Tuesday, contemporary Indian restaurant Marigold is serving a three-course culinary tour of India menu for $25 (think paneer tikka salad, smoked Denver lamb ribs tikka and grilled Punjabi fish tikka). Marigold, 4832 N. Broadway, 773-293-4653, www.marigoldrestaurant.com.

Sundays & Tuesdays
Visit Opera (1301 S. Wabash Ave., 312-461-0161) on Sundays and Tuesdays when a three-course, prix-fixe dinner is offered for $29. Diners can choose any appetizer or salad, any entrée and any dessert from the menu.


Wednesdays-Sundays
Wave has launched an out-of-the-ordinary afternoon tea event called “Uni-Tea,” available Wed.-Sun. 2:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. The cost is $30 per person ($10 per person extra for things like tea-infused martinis and $8 extra for champagne-topped tea). The Teatotaler menu includes a selection of five savory small bites (guests choose either the “Gals” or “Guys” menu—think blue cheese and red grape cannoli and beef tartare toasts with white truffle drizzle, respectively); sweets accompanied by Devonshire cream, lemon curd and jam; an individual pot of hot tea (13 varieties are offered, including green oolong and herbal blends) or an iced tea of the day. Wave, W Chicago–Lakeshore, 644 N. Lake Shore Dr., 312-255-4460.

Thursdays
Devon Seafood Grill (39 E. Chicago Ave., 312-440-8660) will dish up lobsters for about $10 each when you purchase a cocktail. www.devonseafood.com.

Ongoing
Le Bouchon is offering a daily Lyonnaise menu that features a choice of French onion soup or Lyonnaise salad, steak frites or roasted garlic chicken and an apple tart or chocolate marquise for $20. Le Bouchon, 1958 N. Damen Ave., Chicago, 773-862-6600.

Ongoing
For a mere $13, Hershey’s Chicago (822 N. Michigan Ave., 312-337-7711) offers four-course chocolate tastings after 1 p.m.

Ongoing
Kinzie Chophouse (400 N. Wells St., 312-822-0191) dishes up a $3 bar menu daily between 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Look for bites to include French onion soup, tacos and burgers with fries.

Ongoing
On Friday and Saturday from 10 p.m.-midnight and nightly from 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! (2024 N. Halsted St., 773-935-5000) attracts a crowd with $3 tapas–think chicken empanadas and spicy potatoes with tomato aïoli–and $2 Bud and Bud Light bottles. Offered in the bar only.

Ongoing
Daily between 5:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m., NoMI (800 N. Michigan Ave., 312-239-4030) attracts theater-goers by allowing them to choose any appetizer, entrée and dessert from an array of à la carte dishes for $45.

Ongoing
The Signature Room at the 95th (875 N. Michigan Ave., 312-787-9596) has a pre-theater menu for $40 with seatings at 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Expect to choose between lobster bisque and a baby romaine salad as well as from one of four entrée selections, including grilled petit filet of beef, and cavatappi and sautéed shrimp. Dessert is included, too.

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