Upscale sports bar? Believe me, it is not a typo. Our next Chef’s Table event (on Monday, February 17) heads over to River North and one of our favorite “off the beaten track” spots – The Grid. It may be marketed as a “sports bar,” but whatever you think you know about “sports bars,” throw it out and let The Grid redefine concept for you at our next Chef’s Table.
At 351 West Hubbard you’ll find the best combination of class and comfort. The venue has ventless fireplaces floating atop massive leather booths and each booth has a view of its own personal HD TV. The communal tables also have their own HD TVs. The Grid’s rustic décor, exposed brick and vintage timber ceilings provide an amazingly unique and intimate setting. The interior is intimate, classy, comfortable, and extremely inviting.
For the upcoming Chef’s Table, they have concoted a wonderful “best of” tasting menu for us including:
- Meatballs with polenta, pecorino, tomato
- Boards and Buns with slow roasted pork shoulder, rolls, pickles, slaw
- Sicilian olive, salumi, tomini pizza
- Brussels sprouts, apple saba
- Cider Doughnuts
In addition to great food, The Grid also has a superb cocktail menu. Most of the drinks are named for Chicago neighborhoods (Rush Street, Little Village, Gold Coast, Magnificent Mile, etc.) and are crafted with custom syrups, specialty sodas, and homemade fruit purées. For the Chef’s Table event, we will be greeted with their STATE STREETER cocktail (Grey Goose, Fresh Lime, Hibiscus, Grapefruit Beer). During dinner, we will have our choice of red or white wine, or Goose Island 312.
If you’re in the mood for additional libation, however, I highly suggest ordering the L.S.D. (Absolute Mandarin, Apple Cider, Salted Caramel Syrup), the GOLD COAST (Mount Gay XO, Cointreau, Cinnamon Syrup, Ginger Beer), the BUCKTOWN (Avion Reposado, Spiced Chai Syrup, Grapefruit Juice), or the RUSH STREET (Makers Mark, Sweet Vermouth, Campari, pictured here). The last time I sampled them, there was not a false note in any of them. Clearly, the mixologists are talented at The Grid.
As eye-catching as the décor might be, the most eye-catching thing about The Grid is the superb menu. Chef Eric Romano brings playful food to this chef-driven sports bar.
The Grid is located at 351 West Hubbard Street, just a few blocks west of the Merchandise Mart stop on the Brown Line El. For more information, call 312.321.1351. Follow them on Twitter, on Facebook, or check out their website.
Don’t miss out on this great event! For Chef’s Tables, the food, drink, tax and gratuity are included in the price of the ticket. Additional gratuity optional. Seats are extremely limited, so RSVP today!
No paper ticket required! Simply register and we’ll have your name on the list. Sorry – no refunds or credits if you can’t make it, but you can give your spot to a friend.
NOTE: All photos (c) The Grid except for the cocktail photo which was taken by my phone. 🙂
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.