Best Open Kitchen Restaurants in Downtown / Loop

We dined with family and friends for Thanksgiving dinner at Roanoke. We could not have been happier. The set menu still allowed diners to individually select drinks, appetizers, sides, the main dish (turkey and trimmings, salmon, steak), and dessert. Everything was delicious and well-seasoned. The wait staff was attentive. It was a packed house (because who cooks anymore?). We even ordered an extra plate to go (because leftovers are a must!). If Roanoke offers Thanksgiving dinner again, we will book it again!

Due to a glut of options, there are few places in Chicago that spark the “when are we coming back?” conversation before the main course is finished. This is one of those places. The dishes were comfortable yet complex, making you realize, there’s a talent-level in the kitchen that makes them impossible to replicate. Each bite from first course through dessert was exceptional, which is a feat considering we were last seating on a Tuesday night. What made the experience was the service. Lauren S. was welcoming and informative without being pushy. She deftly answered all of our questions that felt like she was guiding us through the menu based on her expertise not her opinion. This included steering us away from certain dishes when she understood our flavor profiles, and explaining things without ruining the surprise. Her attention to little things without feeling crowded made us realize what front of house talent does to heighten the experience. The only knock was the nitty-picky things on the space. The bathroom was a bit disheveled, there was a crud on the handle of a fork (nothing on the tongs, I checked before using it). Extremely minor unless you’re judging for Micheline stars. Simply put, where it matters everything is well thought out from concept to execution. If you can get in, it’s an absolute no-brainer.

The Girl and the Goat always exceeds expectations, even when my expectations are sky high! Thank you! We had the Pig Face, String Beans, Goat Belly, and Steak. The dishes all exploded with flavors. The balance of seasonings, use of citrus, vinegar and other elements of the dishes played well and makes the culinary experience here amazing. The cocktails were yummy as well. The Peach-Te-quilla was light and refreshing. The Spicy Fat Boy had a ton of flavor. To finish the night, we had the Toffee Pumpkin cake and a neat pour of the Pappy Family Reserve. The Pappy was a treat and made a great night even more special! Thanks to Stephanie and all the team at the Goat. You are all AMAZING!

That was the best and most tender Octopus I've ever eaten in my life and I've been to 5 different countries and around 15 states so I've eaten it a few times. It was the best and a fraction of the cost of even back home in Oklahoma. In Tulsa, that meal would have ran $150 but my check was was a fraction of that. You should try it.

Excellent innovative food. Quality of the wines for the pairing option is very low but, amazingly enough, they taste quite well with the meal. Still, they should offer good wines to match their outstanding cuisine. Our waitress was amazing, knowledgeable while not overdoing it, and attentive to provide good service to us and surrounding tables Great job !