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Alinea is definitely an experience not to miss. The food is insanely creative, bizarre, unique and yet delicious. The service is incomparable to any restaurant I have ever been to. This is a place you can only visit once a year not only because of the price, but the time commitment as well. TRY THIS PLACE! This is easily the best restaurant in the country!

I woke up the next morning and literally wrote Chef Achatz a thank you note. Without a bit of over exaggeration, he changed the way that I look at food. It was an incredible experience and one of my fondest memories to date. My mom and I went for a girls night and we had the 24 course tour. If you have 5-6 hours, do yourself a favor and have this meal. I don't care if none of the ingredients sounds remotely appealing, I guarantee you that under Achatz's command you will be blown away. Coming from someone who has eaten at a fair number of 5 star places and has worked as a chef, Alinea is in a league of its own. If you can, go STAT.

I could not agree more with the previous review. I just can't understand the reason there haven't been more reviews since his. I have been to Alinea about 6 times and everything about the restaurant is seamless. A diner at Alinea must allow himself to be taken on a voyage. The calm atmosphere and the unusual dining ware are the vessel and instruments of the trip. The ingredients also will have taken a journey with you -- they are transformed into new forms and combined with both irony and cohesion. The meal follows a roller coaster ride-like protocol -- from savory to sweet, back to savory and sweet again. The wines, which are paired with about half the courses, are chosen with care and fully integrated with the ingredients – they are not merely something with which to wash down the food. (On a rare occasion, I have disagreed a selection or two.) The service, too is seamless and effortless, and only improves with each visit. How lucky you are Chicago, that you are in possession of the finest restaurant in America. And this statement comes from a New Yorker.

This is not your meat and potatoes restaurant. This is a culinary adventure, new techniques, bold flavors, a innovative approach to gastronomy. We did the 24 course tour and each bite of food is better than the last. The ambiance and service all pay homage to the brilliance and mastery of each dish. Some are just a bite of food others are more intricate flavor combinations. Everyone works though, and paired with delicious European wines this is a meal to be lucky to have experienced. To have all of this it does come at quite a price, so if you are not preppared to surrender to this Culinary masterpiece go to Superdawg. But if you love modern cuisine, and don't mind paying for excellence, Alinea is the must stop for anyone following great american chefs and their restaurants. This will be the top restaurant in America very soon and I am incredibly happy to have been able to dine there.