If Monteverde was the lunch we found through a Netflix episode, Ever was a dinner we organized our week around. Tucked into Fulton Market in the West Loop, Curtis Duffy‘s tasting-menu restaurant has spent the past several years quietly establishing itself as one of the most refined dining experiences not just in Chicago, but in the country — and a single evening there made the case better than any review could.
A Second Act, Built on Its Own Terms
Duffy’s path to Ever is the kind of backstory that adds real weight to the meal once you know it. He trained under Charlie Trotter, helped open Alinea as its original chef de cuisine alongside Grant Achatz, and earned two Michelin stars at Avenues inside The Peninsula Chicago before opening his own restaurant, Grace, in 2012. Grace went on to hold three Michelin stars for four consecutive years before an abrupt closure in 2017 following an ownership dispute — a chapter chronicled in the Netflix documentary For Grace.
Ever, which opened in July 2020 in partnership with longtime collaborator Michael Muser, is Duffy’s answer to that chapter: a restaurant built entirely on his own terms, free of pigeonholing into any single culinary tradition. It earned two Michelin stars in its very first guide and has held them every year since.
The Tasting Menu Experience
Dinner at Ever is structured as an eight-to-ten course tasting menu, and the full experience runs roughly two and a half hours — this is a meal meant to be savored, not rushed through before a show. Each course arrived as its own small piece of artistic composition, precise without ever feeling clinical, and the service matched that tone: attentive, well-paced, and clearly proud of the kitchen it was representing.
In fact, before we were even seated, we were treated to mock-cocktails (evidently to cleanse our palates) at the entrance of the restaurant (above), followed by a tour of the kitchen (below). Few restaurants dare to show off their kitchens to their customers. Ever‘s kitchen was immaculate, as was the small army of chefs preparing the food.
What struck us most was the range across the menu. Duffy doesn’t anchor the experience to one regional cuisine; instead, each course felt like its own fully realized idea, built around the best seasonal ingredients available rather than a fixed style. It made the meal feel less like a tasting menu and more like a guided tour through a chef’s particular way of thinking. As well, you could opt for a wine pairing with each course, to clearly enhance the flavors of the food.
The Room Itself
The dining room is as considered as the food — understated, elegant, and designed so that nothing competes with what’s arriving at the table. It’s the kind of space that makes a multi-hour dinner feel like an event rather than a long sit, which matters when you’re working through nearly a dozen courses.
Our dinner at Ever was made even more meaningful by a generous gift from my partner’s grown children, who gave us a gift certificate to celebrate our travels here.
For anyone wanting a more casual nightcap afterward, After — the stylish bar Duffy opened next door in 2022 — is worth knowing about, even if we didn’t make it there ourselves on this particular trip.
Why It Belongs on the List
Chicago has no shortage of ambitious fine dining and Ever earned its place on our list. It’s a restaurant from a chef who has already proven himself at the highest level, now building something entirely his own — and that sense of purpose comes through in every course. If you’re planning a splurge dinner in Chicago, this is one worth the reservation.
Lisa’s Take
Would I Recommend It? ★★★★★ Without hesitation—for the right occasion.
Best For: Anniversaries, proposals, milestone birthdays, celebrations, or anyone who wants an unforgettable dining experience during a Chicago visit.
Reservations: Essential. Book well in advance.
Allow: About 3 hours from arrival to departure. This is an evening to savor at a leisurely pace.
Worth the Splurge?
Yes.
We don’t seek out restaurants like Ever on every trip. For us, this was a special evening made even more meaningful by a thoughtful gift from family, and it became one of those rare meals that you’ll find yourself talking about long after the trip is over. If you’re looking for a truly memorable dining experience in Chicago, this is one I would suggest.
For the rest of where we stayed, ate, and explored on this trip, look for the complete Chicago guide coming soon to The Insider’s Guide. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next post in my Chicago blog series!
