Copyright NBC 5 Chicago
When it comes to fine dining, Chicago has the No. 5 best restaurant in the country, according to a report from Tripadvisor. The report, part of the review site's "Best of the Best" Travelers' Choice Awards, celebrates the "highest level of excellence in travel" in a number of restaurant categories in the U.S. and across the world, including "Fine Dining," Hidden Gems and "Date Night." According to editors, restaurants in each category were chosen based on their high volume of "above and-beyond reviews" and opinions from TripAdvisor users over a 12-month period. "Out of our 8 million listings, fewer than 1% achieve this milestone," Tripadvisor said. In the fine dining category, 25 restaurants were ranked, with New York, North Carolina, Nevada, Tennessee and New Jersey all having at least two restaurants landing on the list. "When you’re looking for the crème-de-la-crème, these are the places worth getting on the waitlist for," editors wrote. "Think: white tablecloths, best-in-class chefs, and unforgettable bites." The only restaurant from Illinois to make the cut was French steakhouse La Grande Boucherie, at 431 N. Dearborn St. in Chicago. "Stained-glass windows, marble mosaics, and views of Chicago’s busy streets—it's all part of the Art Nouveau scene at La Grande Boucherie," the restaurant's entry reads. "The racetrack bar is a fun place to kick things off with a cocktail before heading outside for dinner. You can't go wrong with the classics here, like steak frites and French onion soup." On Tripadvisor, the French steakhouse has an average rating of 4.8 out of 5, based on 370 reviews, with the majority of reviews ranking service, food and atmosphere the highest. The restaurant also has locations in New York, Washington D.C., and Miami. The restaurant did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment.
