Leisurely Dinner Recommendations

This is a bit of a specific ask, but the other day, my wife and I were reminiscing about Cafe Too, which was a restaurant run by Inspiration Corporation in Uptown. Cafe Too was one of our favorite date places because it was:
1) BYOB
2) A multi-course experience (at the time I can remember it was $26 for a five course meal)
3) Not horribly fussy
4) Cool with a meal that was going to take an hour and a half or so

We would go there with a bottle of wine after a long week and just be able to catch up over a fairly leisurely meal. It closed long, long ago and, now, two kids later, we were thinking about how great it would be to find something similar.

Does anyone know of a place that would meet most of those descriptors on the north side? I understand nothing is going to be as ridiculously cheap at Cafe Too (it was a non-profit so that helped keep costs down), but just a place to be able to linger for a while, have a multi-course experience and hang out. Thanks for any recommendations you may have.

Northcenter Joe wrote:This is a bit of a specific ask, but the other day, my wife and I were reminiscing about Cafe Too, which was a restaurant run by Inspiration Corporation in Uptown. Cafe Too was one of our favorite date places because it was:
1) BYOB
2) A multi-course experience (at the time I can remember it was $26 for a five course meal)
3) Not horribly fussy
4) Cool with a meal that was going to take an hour and a half or so

We would go there with a bottle of wine after a long week and just be able to catch up over a fairly leisurely meal. It closed long, long ago and, now, two kids later, we were thinking about how great it would be to find something similar.

Does anyone know of a place that would meet most of those descriptors on the north side? I understand nothing is going to be as ridiculously cheap at Cafe Too (it was a non-profit so that helped keep costs down), but just a place to be able to linger for a while, have a multi-course experience and hang out. Thanks for any recommendations you may have.

Price range is pretty important here—can you give a range (or max)?

Fair point; thinking food around $50-$60 a person or so.

Northcenter Joe wrote:Fair point; thinking food around $50-$60 a person or so.

BYOB Tre Kronor checks the boxes. Vastly underrated for dinner.

Bayan ko and Luellas are a couple spots up this way that I enjoy and are byo. I think bayan ko actually has a prix fixe but believe it's just dishes from the regular menu.

I've never been but herb is (was?) byo.

Not really BYOB, although they do allow it for an $18/bottle corkage fee, but Table, Donkey and Stick is a favorite place of ours for a relaxing evening with a chill atmosphere and a menu perfect for grazing. The outdoor patio is really nice and cozy. Staff is so friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, in our experience.

Anteprima! (Not BYOB, but the decent wine list and extremely fair prices for wine and food make it worth considering.)

I really appreciate these suggestions; they are very much the type of thing I was looking for ! Bayan Ko and Tre Kronor were not on my radar at all but definitely will get into the date rotation soon! We've been to Luella's long ago and enjoyed it and am intrigued by Table, Donkey, Stick. I appreciate the variety of cuisines that are being recommended here as well.

We love Anteprima and even went there for our anniversary (as suggested by this site). While I loved the food, at least at the time, the service was very efficient and it was not a particularly leisurely meal. They even had a note on the table that you couldn't be there for longer than 90 minutes. This was more solidly in the time of Covid, so I think they were trying to turn a limited number of tables quickly, which is understood.

If anyone else has suggestions, keep them coming! We don't get a ton of date nights anymore, but it's awesome to be armed with a list of possible places.

This reminds me (and probably deserves its own separate thread). I'm assuming a large # of folks here keep a list/archive of restaurants. How do yall do it?

I save locations in Google maps in the area and across the world. And keep a spreadsheet of favorite restaurants here that I reference.

Kie-Gol-Lanee is now doing a three-course prix fixe for $39. No longer BYO though.

5004 N Sheridan
Chicago, IL 60640
https://kiegol.com/menu

Herb is BYO.
5424 N Broadway
Chicago, IL 60640
https://www.herbrestaurant.com/