EL Ideas

“Lovely dinner @elideaschi with friends, the Chef and his staff was amazing and the food will stimulate your palate. I'm looking forward to going back. Cheers #michelinstar #Chicago #food”

“6/7 We recently celebrated our 46th Wedding Anniversary at the acclaimed Michelin Star El Ideas and recently listed 2026 James Beard Semifinalist for Outstanding Restaurant. The food was amazing! From the famously known first course that you lick off the plate to the favorite French Fries & Frosty. Owner and Executive Chef Phillip has put together a star-studded staff of Michelin experienced Chefs to help him elevate your dining experience with each Chef leaving their impressions through the menu tasting course. Shout out to Froy who keeps them running like a well-oiled and caffeinated machine. One young and upcoming Chef Emily recently won the Beyond Hunger Healthy Chef Challenge. All the Chefs lend a helping hand in serving each table…the inspiration and ingredients are explained before you take a bite. There is no front or back house. Very informal and very enjoyable as you are encouraged to leave your seat and check out the workings of the kitchen and witness the artful work of each plating. El Ideas is a must for a nice enjoyable evening with a delicious meal to go along with. Warning…come prepared to have fun!”

“This year my husband and I have dined here twice. Both times were incredible. First time we came out for a dinner date and had a wonderful private experience with just the two of us. We loved the intimate atmosphere of this fine establishment, so much so that we asked Chef Phillip and the crew to host us for a birthday party. This was such a special celebration and they made everyone feel special. We had children in our group (youngest was 8) and every team member must have answered 100s of questions from the children! This dining experience will be forever in our memories and I thank El Ideas for this! Ps, the food is absolutely a work art. So creative and different from anything you’ve tried before.”

“Had a great time at El Ideas! (Dinner started with a lickable dish)! Small, cozy, open kitchen. Fun to watch Chef Foss orchestrate the chefs as they prepared each dish simultaneously for every guest. Quality and quantity of the food was exactly what you would expect for a many year Michelin starred restaurant. Well done! Bonus.....BYOB to create your own wine pairings!”

“We had the most incredible experience at EL ideas. Elevated dining in every sense. The whole meal was memorable, but the desserts completely stole my heart… the French Fries & Ice Cream and the Apples were out of this world. Loved every moment and it was the perfect birthday celebration for my boys.”