I don’t know about you, but our house often feels like a zoo. My husband and I are the parents of two boys, so there is a lot of activity, a lot of NOISE and a lot of of schedule-juggling. We can’t be the only ones, right? So to keep our sanity (well, we try at least!), we need date nights. We’re intentional about trying to go on a date once a month, and we’re always looking for new ideas. This summer we had a few fun date nights in Glen Ellyn and Wheaton; here’s our favorite one to share with you!
To start, head over to Fire + Wine in downtown Glen Ellyn. This restaurant is the No. 1 rated restaurant in Glen Ellyn for the past four years on Trip Advisor and is pretty much the perfect date night spot. The ambiance is great and the staff don’t ever make you feel rushed, so you can truly enjoy your time. The food and drinks are de-lish! When we recently visited, I tried the Pan Roasted Salmon. Yummy! I enjoyed the salmon, but truly, the veggies were quite possibly the best part. How often can you say that?! My husband ordered the beef medallions — again, so yummy (and I may have nabbed a bite or two … ). And as a bonus, the service at Fire + Wine is just amazing — every person, from bartender to server to owner, will do whatever they can to help.
A few tips before you go:
Call ahead. Fire + Wine doesn’t take reservations, but you can call ahead to put your name in. This restaurant is so popular that on a weekend you should expect up to a two-hour wait. If you call ahead, your wait time can be greatly decreased. They allow people to call ahead up to a week before, so you don’t have to wait until the last minute.
Be sure to check out the Signature Drink of the night, which is posted on the chalkboard signage in the bar area. We found out that the bartenders create a new drink to serve every night. Every. Single. Night. That’s more than 300 days! I enjoyed a Rosè cocktail — it was so yummy, and topped off with a beautiful flower, it was the prettiest drink I have ever had.
Fire + Wine is closed on Mondays, so you’ll have to choose another night for your date.
After dinner, head a few miles west to enjoy some laughs at Westside Improv in downtown Wheaton. This is a little hole-in-the-wall theater with several improv teams who perform for the audience. It’s tiny, with just a few rows of seats that gives everyone a good view of the stage. Some of the improv groups are more experienced and some are just graduating from the Westside Improv classes, but no matter who is performing, you’re guaranteed to laugh!
A few tips before you go:
Arrive at the theater between 7:45-8 p.m. They ask you don’t arrive after 8 out of respect for the performers, but if you arrive before 7:45 p.m. you may be interrupting practice. (Oops!) Arriving closer to 7:45 p.m. will allow you a better choice of seats.
The theater does not serve alcohol, but it is a BYOB if you’d like to bring your own.
Westside Improv only has shows on Friday and Saturdays nights.
