Ahh, amore. Don't let your starry-eyed loving keep you from getting serious and booking a table: This is one big night. But lucky you, the unromantic placement of Valentine's Day on a Tuesday means that many restaurants will offer their menu on Saturday the 11th as well. To help you out a bit, we've also included the cost for dinner for two, minus the requisite bottle of wine, tax and gratuity.
Aldente Cafe
Love costs: $60
Aldente's almost unbeatable deal will have your date and wallet loving you this Valentine's Day. Executive chef Larry Pierce will offer a special prix-fixe five-course dinner for $60 per couple, offered Feb. 10-11 and 14.
Andersson's Chocolates/Patisserie
Love costs: $69-$96
Have a romantic dinner at home with the fear of deflating the souffle with a dinner-to-go. Available in vegetable, beef, lamb, fish and poultry, the oven-ready, five-course meals for two are available for $69, $82 or $96. Sample dishes include lobster bisque, artisan bread with a country olive mix, rotisserie duck with mushroom mashed potatoes and champagne truffles. Delivery is available. Call for specifics.
Bella Lounge
Love costs: a la carte
Find a bella date and take her to Bella Lounge, which offers its annual Valentine's Day cocktail and half-priced bottles of wine with dinner. Indulgent dishes include pan-seared foie gras, smoked duck and mango salad, tuna two ways and two-pound Maine Lobster. Though the wine deal is only available on Valentine's Day, the $10 Bella Sweetheart, a blend of Bacardi Raspberry and Bacardi O with a double splash of cranberry and a Red Bull topper, will be offered all month.
Bistro 110
Love costs: $90
Take your pick of ways to celebrate La Sainte-Valentin: with a $45 three-course menu created by Executive Chef Dominique Tougne, champagne flights or a chance to be selected as Bistro 110s "Most Romantic Couple." Dishes include crottin goat cheese on brioche, seafood casserole of shrimp scallop and mussels in a red curry sauce, lobster ragout with smoked salmon and spinach ravioli, wood-oven roasted beef tenderloin and raspberry mousseline with a coconut tuile. Enjoy Dom Perignon by the glass or sample it in the $29.95 Champagne flight. The night's biggest lovebirds will win a three-course meal prepared by Chef Tougne, followed by an idyllic carriage ride through the Gold Coast.
Cafe des Architectes
Love costs: $130
Don't go to bed without dinner at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower; have a romantic French meal first at Cafe des Architectes's celebration of La "Saint Valentin." Executive chef Frederic Castan's four-course prix-fixe menu includes your choice of menu items like lobster gnocchi, asparagus gazpacho, pan-seared beef filet, roasted Mallard and a white chocolate and passion fruit tart. The menu, offered both Saturday on Valentine's Day, costs $65 per person. Seatings available from 5-6:30 p.m., 7-8:30 p.m. and 9-10:30 p.m. A strolling violinist and a complimentary rose will enhance the mood.
Cafe Spiaggia
Love costs: $120
The sister restaurant of one of Chicago's best will feature its a la carte Italian menu, along with a special four-course lovebird menu for couples, priced at $60 per person.
Carnivale
Love costs: a la carte
Latino flavors heat things up at Carnivale. The special Valentine's Day menu will be offered Feb. 11-14. Love-worthy dishes include a half-dozen oysters on the half-shell with haberno pico de gallo ($10) and whole fried red snapper Veracruzana ($32). Toast big with a $35 glass of Dom Perignon.
Dine
Love costs: a la carte
Go stag or love-struck to Dine, where singles can enjoy the Friendly Ex martini, a combo of Fris Vodka, Noli Prat Dry Vermouth, a dash of bitters and an orange twist ($10). Lovers shouldn't strike this new, '40s-style restaurant from their roster: the home-style menu includes the favorite Gracie's Red Velvet Cake, Dine's signature dessert dish for two.
Fulton's on the River
Love costs: a la carte
The perfect destination for the steak- and sushi-loving couple, Fulton's specials include a half-dozen of the chef's daily oysters paired with two glasses of champagne for $18.95; an 8-ounce filet mignon Oscar for $39.95; and warm chocolate cake, baked to order with a liquid center accompanied with chocolate covered strawberries, $8.95. Each table will receive a complimentary rose.
Geja's Cafe
Love costs: $130-$160
It doesn't get much more romantic than Geja's, and the famed eatery will celebrate Valentine's Day with feature champagne, carriage rides around Lincoln Park, live music, long-stemmed roses, and, of course, fondue. The Valentine's Day dinner packages, available Feb. 11-12, 14, run $65-$80 per person, depending on your seating. You'll enjoy Gruyere cheese fondue, a glass of champagne, Geja's salad, and entree fondue of beef tenderloin, lobster tail and jumbo shrimp, finished with flaming chocolate dessert fondue, coffee and a long-stemmed rose.
Harry Caray's (River North)
Love costs: $128
Celebrate Valentine's Day with an aphrodisiac-inspired menu that will be offered on Saturday, Feb. 11 and Valentine's Day itself. In addition to the regular steakhouse menu, the red ballon-, candle- and rose-petal-decorated restaurant will offer a four-course prix-fixe menu that incorporates ingredients with aphrodisiacs qualities like asparagus, champagne, chocolate, honey and oysters. Selected dishes include winter squash bisque with watercress and shaved pecorino pepato, Blue Point Oysters Rockefeller, lobster tail with champagne butter sauce and chocolate creme brulee. Dinner costs $64 per person without wine pairings, $84 with wine pairings.
HB
Love costs: a la carte or prix-fixe
HB, a Hearty Boys spot, delivers your choice of regular menu items (though there ain't nothing regular about delish dishes like French lentils with dried figs) and a prix-fixe menu for two. You'll dive into a seafood feast, a whole herb-stuffed red snapper served with Madagascar shrimp, scallop, clams and mussels for two. A complimentary glass of champagne makes the night all the more bubbly.
Jack's on Halsted
Love costs: a la carte
Jack's on Halsted (3201 N. Halsted, Chicago, 773-244-9191) Kick things off with a Valentini, a cocktail made from Absolut Kurrant, raspberry liquor, champagne and fresh lime juice, garnished with a fresh strawberry. In addition to newly decorated digs and champagne specials, you'll enjoy food courtesy of owner/chef Jack Jones. Special eats include oysters copia, strawberry and endive salad, seared coriander-crusted ahi tuna and chocolate molten cake.
Karyn's Cooked
Love costs: $100
Have a love-filled and meat-free Valentine's Day at Karyn's Cooked. The $50 per person menu includes a champagne flute, tomato basil bisque, a mixed greens salad, spring rolls, stuffed shells and a double-chocolate cake topped with cherry sorbet for dessert. Regular menu available as well.
Karma
Love costs: a la carte
Find love in the suburbs at Mundelein's classy Karma; the a la carte menu will be available Feb. 11-18. Chef Hagop Hagopian's specialty menu of Asian-inspired French fusion includes dishes like butter-poached lobster tail, crisp black sea bass, grilled bison strip loin with seared foie gras and and Chocolate Obsession for Two. After your sweet finish, head to the lounge for an after-dinner nightcap.
Kaze Sushi
Love costs: $120
Make your special night a sushi-filled one with Kaze Sushi's $120 five-course dinner for two. You'll have your choice of a bottle of red or white wine, then move on to a menu filled with a variety of selections, including Scottish salmon sashimi and a nigiri platter with Kaze's signature tuna topped with shiitake mushrooms, salmon topped with enoki mushrooms and yellowtail topped with fried banana peppers. Black cod served with Spanish risotto, spinach tomatoes and a tamarind sauce makes for a fine entree, and dessert features chef Macku's unique strawberry flan served with pea cream.
Kitsch'n River North
Love costs: a la carte
The 8th Annual Live Retro Valentine's Gameshow is back. Couples can compete for fun and prizes in this 1970s-style, Newlywed-esque game, complete host and MC Dick O'Day. You can register to be a contestant when making reservations for the 14th. Dinner specials include pan-seared giant sea scallops, New York strip and chocolate martinis. A Brazilian jazz trio will heat things up even more.
Lawry's The Prime Rib
Love costs: $125
Just steps from Michigan Avenue, Lawry's will offer its special menu for two from Feb. 10-14. Begin with two glasses of Veuve Clicqout champagne, followed by Lawry's Original Spinning Bowl Salad, your choice of roasted prime rib or the chef's special fresh fish selection; finish with a chocolate tulip filled with C.C. Brown Chocolate Mousse. Ladies will receive a single red rose in a vase and a jar of C.C. Browns Hot Fudge Topping. Dinner costs $125 per couple.
Le Lan
Love costs: $160
Chef de Cuisine Andy Motto's romantic French/Vietnamese menu will include five courses. The cost is $80 per guest.
Mas
Love costs: $95
Channel your inner Latin lover and head to Mas for "El Dia De Amor!" Chef John Manion's four-course prix-fixe Valentine's Day menu heats thing up with Latin American spice. The meal, at $50 for one (though we don't recommend flying solo tonight) or $95 for two includes specials like fried Connecticut Blue Point oyster on the half shell, grilled Mississippi quail and sun-dried cherry bread pudding with Venezuelan dark chocolate and foie gras sauce.
McCormick & Schmick's
Love costs: a la carte
You can be sure that oysters will make the Valentine's Day Aphrodisiac Menu at seafood eatery McCormick & Schmick's. Chef Michael Burkauskas incorporates aphrodisiacal foods into dishes such as spring artichokes with baby arugula ($6), oyster "Menage a Trois" ($14) and siver sea scallop with mushroom couscous and almond and berry beurre blancs ($25). Other specials include $3.95 pints of Stella Artois, $6.95 cosmos and a champagne split and chocolate-covered strawberries ($10.95).
mk
Love costs: $160
If you're a romantic movie nut, mk's Valentine's Day dinner, dubbed "An Affair to Remember," is for you. Chef Todd Stein and pastry chef Kate Neumann's five-course degustation and dessert menu costs $80, $89 with additional cheese course. The dinner, offered Feb. 8-14, includes salad, butter-poached Maine lobster, seared scallop with foie gras and roasted loin of lamb. Desserts, named for classic Hollywood love stories, include Gone with the Wind (pecan pie), Sleepless in Seattle (espresso mousse) and more.
Oak Park Abbey
Love costs: $100
Enjoy Valentine's Dinner with a couple's meal that includes vanilla-poached pear salad, lobster risotto with chive pesto, hay-smoked tenderloin or pan-seared chicken breast, a cherry chocolate heart brandy cake for two and your choice of wine flight. The cost is $100 per couple. Note: The meal is offered on Saturday, Feb. 11, only.
Park Grill
Love costs: a la carte
Celebrate Valentine's Day in the heart of Millennium Park with Park Grill's "Cozy Up" menu-for-two. Packed with dishes like oysters sabayon with tapioca and American caviar and Park Grill Chateaubriand with gorgonzola dolce and a red wine jus, the evening is sure to be a special one. Add to the evening with a quartino of wine and chocolate fondue dessert. Expect to pay about $75 per person. Complete the evening with a hand-in-hand skate on the adjacent ice rink.
Ra Sushi
Love costs: a la carte
This upbeat sushi bar commemorates Valentine's Day with an "Aphrodisiac Affair," a combo of appetizer, dessert and champagne that's heavy on the taste and the aphrodisiac qualities. Available Feb. 10-14 for $22, the trio includes the Passion Lobster Roll, a mix of crab, langostino, cucumber and asparagus, a split of Domaine Chandon and fried banana with Kahlua for dessert. Mix with maki, nigiri or an entree like apple teriyaki salmon for a tasty, sexy evening.
Rhapsody
Love costs: $170
Executive chef Doran Payne whips up a global menu that defines indulgence for $85 per person. Entrees include gorgonzola and walnut ravioli and a bouquet of smoked Atlantic salmon. Sweet desserts include Cupid's Chocolate Tulip with February fruit, fresh basil and passion-fruit sorbet.
Salad Spinners
Love costs: $19.95
Why wait until dinner to say that you care? Send lunch to your sweetie with a little help from Salad Spinners. Romantics can order lunch packages for delivery via the salad-riffic spot's website. In addition to your choice of signature salad, sandwiches and/or hot soup, the $19.95 package will include a long-stemmed red rose, a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie and a personalized love note...delivered straight to your sweetie's home or office.
Salud Tequila Lounge
Love costs: $70
The next best thing to spending Valentine's Day on the beaches of Mexico? Salud's $35 per person three-course meal. Dishes include avocado salad, roased baked shrimp with chipotle honey garlic sauce, sauteed red snapper, skirt steak and warm chocolate truffle cake, you'll enjoy a flight of Agavero, a tequila that's said to have aphrodisiac powers, and live serenading by Latino crooner Benny Jr. Seatings at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
Signature Room at the 95th
Love costs: $190
A constant on every "romantic spot" list, the Signature Room at the 95th, will offer a four-course Valentine's Day dinner with live jazz that begins with a champagne toast and includes your choice of appetizer, warm marinated jumbo shrimp or wild mushroom salsify strudel, followed by lobster bisque or a mixed green salad. For your main course, choose between grilled filet of beef, seared diver sea scallops, pan roasted breast of chicken and vegetarian cavatappi pasta. The triple chocolate Napoleon provides a sweet finish, and should you pop the question, you'll leave with a gift-to-go sampler of handmade chocolate truffles. The meal costs $95 per person.
Silver Cloud
Love costs: $72
For "food Mom would make if she was getting paid," Bucktown's Silver Cloud is a solid pick. Its steal-of-a-meal, at $35.95 per person, gives you your choice of appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert, plus a half-bottle of wine. Our recommendation: Bring a few extra dollars for one of Silver Cloud's famed martinis.
Soiree Bar and Restaurant
Love costs: $60
You'll want to raise your complimentary glass of the bubbly in honor of your love and this great deal. The $30 per person menu includes a mixed field greens salad; wild mushroom risotto; your choice of beef tenderloin with truffles, pan-seared duck, red-tea-crusted yellowfin tuna or black pepper gnocchi; and Triple Chocolate Decadence dessert.
Spiaggia
Love costs: $230
For a romantic evening in a room with a view, head to Spiaggia. Chef Tony Mantuano's four-course prix fixe dinner costs $115 per person, but consider it a worthwhile expense. Your choice of dishes includes yellowtail carpaccio, risotto with porcini mushrooms, wood-rosted fillet of turbot and filet mignon, among others. A special black truffle tasting menu will also be available for $165 per person.
SushiSamba Rio
Love costs: $138
Go ahead, get seductive. SushiSamba's five-course, pre-fixe, aphrodisiac-inspired dinner comes packed with dishes intended to stimulate the senses, including chilled oysters, assorted sushi, lamb sweetbreads and Brazilian and Japanese chocolate. Split a bottle of wine or order Keiko's Kiss, a blend of strawberries and the traditional Japanese liquor, Shochu. The menu is offered Feb. 12-14, and costs $69 per person.
Tsuki Japanese Restaurant and Lounge
Love costs: $98
Swoon over sushi with Tsuki's prix-fixe menu, available Feb. 11-14 for $98 per couple. Kick things off with a champagne toast, then enjoy dishes like pan-seared Camembert, bluefin akami tuna and hirame flounder sashimi, grilled Alaskan king crab leg, midori maki and a Valentine's dessert. Oh, and fish phobes will be happy to know there's a steak option.
Venus
Love costs: $76
Spend Valentine's Day with the Greek goddess of love at Greektown's Venus. Chicago's only Cypriot Restaurant will offer its Valentine's Day menu ($38 per person) on Feb. 12-14. Begin with your choice of a glass of wine or champagne, or opt for the special "Love Martini." Menu highlights include shrimp cocktail and Halloumi cheese, sliced leg of lamb, pork tenderloin in Amaretto sauce, tiramisu or chocolatina cake.
Vermilion
Love costs: $130
Take an exotic journey through India and Latin America through the fantastic fusion eats at Vermilion. The four-course, prix-fixe menu ($65 per person, $90 with wine pairings), rich with aphrodisiac ingredients, includes kumumoto oysters, passionfruit white pumpkin soup, flounder or oxtail stew and fondue: a pot of chocolate Chambourd with pomegranate liquer, served with strawberries, nuts and more.
Viand Bar & Kitchen
Love costs: a la carte
Rekindle the passion with Viand's aphrodisiac-heavy menu. On both the 11th and the 14th, the a la carte menu will be heavy with the good stuff: oysters, champagne, chocolate, honey, strawberries, pineapple and bananas. Entrees will range in price from $18 to $30. Love-inspired martinis include Love Potion No. 9, made with Absolut Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur and pineapple and cranberry juices. Big spenders can spring for a $350 bottle of Cristal France.
Volo
Love costs: a la carte
Chef Stephen Dunne's menu of New American Cuisine with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and wine pairing will be available on the big night, in addition to a decadent dessert menu in honor of Valentine's Day whipped up by Volo pastry chef Suzi Beu.
Weber Grill
Love costs: a la carte
This Valentine's Day, be sure to pair your filet mignon, grilled garlic shrimp or hickory-roasted prime rib with Weber's Valentine specialty drink, Passionate Strawberry Daiquiri for Two, available Feb. 10-14. The cocktail includes passion fruit, fresh strawberries, whipped cream and Sweethearts candies.
X/O
Love costs: $130
Tapas-style global cuisine is just the thing for two, and X/O Chicago is offering a $65 four-course prix-fixe meal to prove it. Those who want to elevate the evening (and the check) should try the signature Belvedere Tiffany Martini, a cocktail served in a Tiffany crystal glass that can be purchased for $130.
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