Whether you’re an aspiring foodie or just someone who wants to change up family dinners, Chicago Restaurant Week has something for your family. From Jan. 20 to Feb. 5, more than 300 of Chicagoland’s top restaurants will be offering prix fixe menus for brunch, lunch and dinner, all at reasonable prices that allow you to indulge in acclaimed dining experiences while getting the most bang for your buck.
Luckily, partaking in Chicago Restaurant Week doesn’t mean you have to hire a sitter. There are plenty of ways to include the kids — opting for lunch specials instead of fancier dinner menus, choosing a casual eatery with kid-friendly bites or dining at establishments with classy children’s menus.
Here are a few ideas for where to head for your next family night out.
JoJo’s Shake Bar
- Address: 23 W. Hubbard St., Chicago
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Lunch ($25) and dinner ($42)
Elevate burger night with a trip to JoJo’s Shake Bar. The special lunch menu includes your choice of a classic American entree and a signature over-the-top milkshake decked out with cookies, candy, s’mores and even more decadent treats for dessert. The dinner menu also includes an appetizer for the table. For kids who aren’t big eaters, there’s a children’s menu with turkey sandwiches, PB&J, chicken fingers and more.
Summer House Santa Monica
- Address: 1954 N. Halsted St., Chicago
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Brunch and lunch ($25), dinner ($59)
This Lincoln Park eatery is offering three-course brunch and lunch menus, and a four-course dinner service, all with optional drink pairings. The prix fixe brunch menu features many kid-friendly choices — like ham and egg breakfast sandwiches and chocolate chip pancakes — but if you want to bring your kiddos to lunch or dinner service, reach for the kids menu with classic options like buttered noodles and grilled cheese instead.
Eataly
- Address: 43 E. Ohio St., Chicago
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Lunch ($25) and dinner ($42)
Dinner at Eataly during Chicago Restaurant week includes an antipasti and two delicious courses of your choice of spicy steamed mussels, pork and veal filled pasta, creamy polenta and more. The rest of the family doesn’t have to be stuck with chicken fingers and fries, though. Instead of offering a kids menu, Eataly serves smaller portions of its simplest dishes, like spaghetti with tomato sauce and lasagna with basil pesto.
Steingold’s of Chicago
- Address: 3737 N. Southport Ave., Chicago
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Brunch ($25)
Steingold’s has been a family affair since its inception. Opened by husband and wife duo Aaron Steingold and Elizabeth Abowd, the casual atmosphere at this modern Jewish deli makes it an ideal place for a weekend breakfast. The prix fixe menu includes a traditional deli offering like matzoh ball soup or latkes with applesauce and sour cream, and a bagel or pastrami sandwich. While there’s no smaller bites for little ones, the wide selection of bagels and egg & cheese sandwiches is sure to win over any hungry kid.
Edie’s All Day Cafe & Bar
- Address: 354 W. Hubbard St., Chicago
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Brunch and lunch ($25)
When you’re out and about this winter, there’s no better feeling than heading to a cozy cafe to warm up with a specialty coffee and a hearty breakfast. Edie’s sweet and savory brunch menu offers diners a sweet pastry or overnight oats as a starter, and their choice of avocado toast or a variety of egg-focused dishes. The lunch menu offers soup, salad and sandwiches. Kids will love curling up on one of the comfy couches and enjoying a pastry or a sammie while they take in the bright atmosphere.
Beatrix
- Multiple locations
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Brunch and lunch ($25), dinner ($42)
If you’d prefer a cafe setting with a kids menu, head to any of Beatrix’s five Chicagoland locations. While you enjoy Beatrix favorites like the Prime burger or Whitefish Scampi, the kids can dig into a mini Prime burger or grilled cheese, or take their pick from a selection of bite-sized breakfast offerings.
Bar Siena
- Address: 4999 Old Orchard Road, Skokie
- Chicago Restaurant Week menus: Brunch ($25) and dinner ($59)
Make it a family date night when you indulge at Bar Siena. The four-course prix fixe dinner for adults offers delicious Italian meats, seafoods, pastas, salads and vegetables with an optional New York strip steak upgrade. Kids can feast on an elevated kids menu that includes pasta, chicken sandwiches, burgers and more.
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