The Chicago edit
Extraordinary tables. Unexpected nights.
A city that always has another story.
01 / Dining
Mr. Beef Chicago hands its River North counter to Santiago Lastra of London's Michelin-starred KOL and The Bear's Will Poulter on Sunday, October…
The Lineup Chicago, Elena Besser's chef-driven dinner series, arrives from New York with three one-night dinners at the Ravenswood Event Center: Derek Serrano…
DixiePura Kitchen Chicago, Chloe Gould's American Southern and Southeast Asian restaurant at 325 E. Pershing Rd. in Bronzeville, turns one on October 18,…
Chez Poulet Chicago spins brined, air-dried chickens at 2234 N. Western Ave., with Mindy's Bakery bread, a Comté macaroni gratin and an all-French…
Celebrity Chef Ball Chicago returns Friday, October 23, 2026, at The Geraghty, where more than 50 of the city's top chefs split into…
The Alston Chicago hosts a one-night White Truffle Dinner on Friday, October 23, 2026: five Alba white truffle courses with wine pairing, reception…
02 / Openings
Siete Azul Chicago brings coastal Mexican mariscos to the old Chicago Diner space at 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in late October 2026, with…
Kermess and Sip & Guzzle are open, Halloween falls on a Saturday, and November brings the Soul Train Awards and the 25th Fur…
A runway at Navy Pier, a free afternoon on State Street, 200 open buildings, Gordo x Metro at TAO and fifty chefs at…
The Wayman Chicago is a private indoor golf and social club landing at 1015 W Wayman St in Fulton Market, with simulators and…
The Field Museum Gala on October 17, Elie Tahari at mHUB, Sip & Guzzle and Kermess opening the same Thursday, and the Halloween…
Chicago weekend nightlife for October 9 to 11: Eclipse After Dark at Carbon, CWILLI's runway and sample sale, Masquerade de Spiritismo in Pilsen,…
03 / The latest
All the stories. All the possibilities.
For 14 nights, November 5 to 22, 2026, The Alinea Group and Dylan Trotter bring Charlie Trotter’s cooking back to the original Lincoln Park dining room at 816 W. Armitage Ave.: a nine-course menu drawn from the chef’s own cookbooks, $295 per person in the dining room and $315 at the kitchen table.
Mr. Beef Chicago hands its River North counter to Santiago Lastra of London’s Michelin-starred KOL and The Bear’s Will Poulter on Sunday, October 25, 2026, for a one-day Mexican-inspired Italian beef with beef tongue, caramelized mozzarella and chorizo, plus a Pretty Cool Ice Cream sandwich. Walk-in only from 1 p.m. until it sells out.
The Lineup Chicago, Elena Besser’s chef-driven dinner series, arrives from New York with three one-night dinners at the Ravenswood Event Center: Derek Serrano of Mi Tocaya on November 5, Colin McHugh of Oriole on November 12 and Luis Diaz of Giant on November 19, 2026. Here is every course, and how to get on the waitlist.
The best hotel bars in Chicago are open to everyone: a 46th-floor speakeasy pouring North America’s No. 1 bar, a Moët lounge with Friday jazz, an 18th-floor Southeast Asian cocktail lounge, a fireside cocktail bar on Michigan Avenue, billiards in a landmark club and heated rooftop igloos over the river. Here is where to go for every kind of night.
DixiePura Kitchen Chicago, Chloe Gould’s American Southern and Southeast Asian restaurant at 325 E. Pershing Rd. in Bronzeville, turns one on October 18, 2026. Come for Ernie’s Fingers, green curry smothered fried chicken, a Cajun seafood gumbo laksa and Uncle Nearest cocktails.
Siete Azul Chicago brings coastal Mexican mariscos to the old Chicago Diner space at 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave. in late October 2026, with purple masa shrimp empanadas, butter-lime scallops, michelada oysters and a whole grilled red snapper. Bring a bottle: it opens BYOB.
Kermess and Sip & Guzzle are open, Halloween falls on a Saturday, and November brings the Soul Train Awards and the 25th Fur Ball at The Drake: your Chicago nightlife plan for October 17 to November 1.
A runway at Navy Pier, a free afternoon on State Street, 200 open buildings, Gordo x Metro at TAO and fifty chefs at the Celebrity Chef Ball: Chicago, October 16 to 25, 2026.
Chez Poulet Chicago spins brined, air-dried chickens at 2234 N. Western Ave., with Mindy’s Bakery bread, a Comté macaroni gratin and an all-French wine shelf from Le Bouchon’s Oliver and Nicolas Poilevey. Order at the counter and grab a seat on the patio.
World Fashion Festival Chicago 2026 is on now: two runway nights at Bar Sol on Navy Pier, October 15 and 16, with seven designers from six countries and an after-party until midnight, then a free runway at Loop Arts Fest on Saturday, October 17.
The Wayman Chicago is a private indoor golf and social club landing at 1015 W Wayman St in Fulton Market, with simulators and a putting green on the first floor, a clubhouse lounge upstairs, and a rooftop restaurant on the way.