The hype is real, my friends. This is the only 3-...

The hype is real, my friends. This is the only 3-star Michelin-rated restaurant in Chicago and one of the best in the world. Okay, let's talk about the elephant in the room. Yes, it's extremely pricey. We brought our three adult kids to Alinea to celebrate all their January birthdays, especially our daughter on her 30th birthday. Let me just say it was the price of a weekend away for the 6 of us, but the memories of this night with our kids experiencing all that Alinea offers was priceless! First, you pay in advance, in full, no refunds. Make sure about your plans! Second, it will be unlike any culinary experience you've ever had. The staff is amazing and well-coordinated with their service and the descriptions of the food they are serving. We had maybe 5-6 people serving our family. They are top-notch. The food looks like one thing and fools your mind as you taste it. The dishes are works of art filled with amazing textures and flavors. They are fun to eat and experience. We even took a trip for one course into the kitchen for a cocktail and a pizza puff. Yeah, it was not a Tortino's by any means. A vanilla bean was actually beef tenderloin jerky, a balloon was actually edible down to the taffy string. Truly amazing. Chef Grant is a master at what he does. I will be back one day...just with my husband ;-)