Start with your decision
These six restaurants offer useful contrasts in price and format. The comparison covers dinner for two adults, with published prices and our arithmetic. It is a selected shortlist, not a ranking or the full Chicago directory.
Keeping menu costs near $300?
Compare Elske with Indienne. Elske is $290 for two menus, or $301.60 with its removable surcharge. Indienne's vegan or vegetarian menus reach $324 with mandatory service, before its optional surcharge. Both still need room for tax, drinks and gratuity as applicable.
Choosing a shorter evening?
Elske allocates two hours for two guests; Alinea's Salon estimates about two. Ever allows about 2.5 hours. These are planning estimates, not guaranteed finish times. Alinea's Salon requires stairs.
Choosing drinks together?
At Elske, two juice pairings add $70 to food; two wine pairings add $130. At Kasama, the equivalent published additions are $190 and $390. Apply each restaurant's charges separately before comparing the full bill.
Compare costs for two
All amounts are USD. The budget filter covers food only. Tax, drinks, supplements, gratuity and travel are excluded. Published charges are shown separately; an unverified charge is not zero. Alinea prices below are November listings. Smyth changes its menu offering on November 5.
9 dining options. Menus are ordered by food cost for two.
On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare every column.
| Restaurant & experience | Two menus | Published charges | Pairings per person | Time & practical fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indienne Vegetarian / veganRiver North · Sources & booking | $2702 × $135 $135 per person | 20% service: $324 with food. Optional 4% adds $10.80. | Wine $95 Spirit-free $70 | Duration not verified.Dedicated plant-based menus. |
| Elske Set menuWest Loop · Sources & booking | $2902 × $145 $145 per person | Removable 4%: $301.60 with food. Gratuity extra. | Wine $65 Juice $35 | 2 hours allotted for two.À la carte also available; the whole table chooses one format. |
| Indienne Pescatarian / non-vegetarianRiver North · Sources & booking | $3102 × $155 $155 per person | 20% service: $372 with food. Optional 4% adds $12.40. | Wine $95 Spirit-free $70 | Duration not verified.Reserve the dining room; bar bites are a separate walk-in format. |
| Kasama Dinner tasting menuWest Town · Sources & booking | $6502 × $325 $325 per person | Service charge not verified.$650 is food only, not a final total. | Beverage $195 Non-alcoholic $95 | Duration not verified.Dinner is reservation-only; the daytime bakery is separate. |
| Ever 8 to 10 course tasting menuWest Loop · Sources & booking | $6902 × $345 $345 per person | 20% service: $828 with food. Extra gratuity discretionary. | Pairing prices not verified.Wine by glass or bottle is listed in the FAQ. | About 2.5 hours.The restaurant states that all areas are accessible. |
| Alinea SalonLincoln Park · Sources & bookingNovember listing | $7902 × $395 $395 per person | 20% service: $948 with food. | Standard wine $195 Reserve $285 Alinea $475 | About 2 hours for two.Individual tables. Stairs required. |
| Smyth Smyth MenuWest Loop · Sources & bookingBefore November 5 only | $8402 × $420 $420 per person | Service charge not verified.$840 is food only. | Smyth wine $245 Reserve $475 | 2.5 to 3 hours.Shorter of the two published menus. |
| Alinea GalleryLincoln Park · Sources & bookingNovember listing | $9902 × $495 $495 per person | 20% service: $1,188 with food. | Standard wine $195 Reserve $285 Alinea $475 | About 3.5 hours.Guests follow a shared progression; arrival time matters. |
| Smyth Chef's MenuWest Loop · Sources & bookingOnly format from November 5 | $1,1002 × $550 $550 per person | Service charge not verified.$1,100 is food only. | Smyth wine $245 Reserve $475 | About 3.5 hours.No dietary changes for this menu. Reconfirm terms for November. |
No options match these filters. Raise the menu budget or reset the filters.
Booking commitments
A lower menu price does not mean a more flexible reservation. Read the cancellation terms for your exact date before committing.
Elske
Reserve through OpenTable. The checked FAQ does not state a release schedule or cancellation deadline. Patio seats are weather-dependent, with no guaranteed indoor replacement.
Indienne
Use the official reservation link for the dining room. Release timing and cancellation fees were not verified. The walk-in bar serves a separate menu. Confirm dietary needs before booking.
Kasama
OpenTable releases roll six weeks ahead at noon, described by the restaurant as CST. Check the calendar time zone. Cancellation or fewer guests within 48 hours costs $325 per missing guest: $650 for two. Vegan diets are not accommodated.
Ever
Usually released on the first Tuesday of each month at 9 a.m. Central, two to three months ahead, through OpenTable. Sales are non-refundable; email the restaurant about a transfer. Request supported dietary accommodations at least 72 hours ahead.
Alinea
The homepage directs bookings through October to Tock and November to OpenTable. This table uses November prices. Typical release: the 15th at 11 a.m. Central, two months ahead. Non-refundable; reschedule within the calendar year with at least 72 hours' notice. Kitchen Table is omitted because its listing requires 3 to 6 guests.
November prices and party sizes · Timing, pairings and cancellation · Booking platform by month
Smyth
From November 5, 2026: one extended Chef's Menu and full prepayment. The site lists a rolling 90-day release at noon CST. Confirm date-specific pricing; service charges and cancellation terms were not verified for this comparison.
Sources and calculation notes
We checked the linked restaurant websites and official booking listings on September 24, 2026. These are researched planning comparisons, not firsthand reviews. Each restaurant's sources appear with its booking notes above. No availability is promised.
- Food comparison: two identical menus, with no drinks or supplements. Elske's à la carte meal is not priced here because the order changes the bill.
- Charges: apply the published rate to the food subtotal. For example, Ever is 2 × $345 = $690; $690 × 1.20 = $828 before tax and drinks. Optional surcharges are identified separately.
- Unknowns: we have not verified service charges at Kasama or Smyth, or cancellation terms at Elske, Indienne or Smyth. Their listed menu costs cannot establish an all-in budget.
- Choosing between formats: Alinea's November Gallery food-and-service subtotal is $240 more for two than the Salon's, before tax and drinks, and allows roughly 1.5 hours longer. Choose the format and access that work for your party.
Found a changed price or policy? Send a correction with a source link.