John's Food & Wine - Chicago
John's Food & Wine presents a somewhat different model of restaurant service: you walk in, you order at the counter, a host seats you and, according to the website, "From here, service is much like that of a traditional sit-down restaurant experience." If this sounds a little like a cafeteria, wait until you taste the food.
In Chicago Magazine, John Kessler explains a little more about how John's Food & Wine does business: "John’s Food & Wine, nestled in a boutique-heavy stretch of Lincoln Park, has made the odd but smart decision to keep its staffing costs down by employing a small crew and nixing designated servers. In the front of the house, there is an attendant at the till who checks you in and takes your order. This type of service usually goes by 'fast-casual,' but there’s nothing casual about the meticulous lobster salad that comes out of this kitchen."
Kessler loved more than just the lobster; he judged the French fries "the best in Chicago." The menu goes way beyond lobster and fries, of course, though the menu is tightly focused on familiar favorites, done very well and reasonably priced. The starters include favorites like celery and apple salad and hamachi tartare, and the section of the menu designated "Mid" has items like charcoal roasted carrots and Hokkaido scallops -- you've seen selections like this before, but perhaps rarely so well prepared. For the "Mains," there's fried branzino (carrot beurre blanc, radishes, and green chard, duck breast (charred radicchio, dates and shallot jam) and an eight-ounce aged ribeye (Port wine, white cheddar and horseradish jus).
The wine selection is superb, which is exactly what you'd expect at a place that has "wine" in the name. Selections are available by the bottle or by the carafe, and most bottles are priced under $100, though you can certainly get get ones that are more costly. Time Out Chicago notes, "Wines by the glass, carafe and bottle lean fresh and interesting, with cheeky descriptors to match. At the risk of feeling overwhelmed by choice while scrolling the Toast app, ask for a recommendation."