Restaurant Experts Sum Up 2011 in One Word

As 2011 comes to a close, Eater surveyed a number of industry types, writers, eaters and more. We asked the group eight questions, everything from Restaurant Standbys and Top Newcomers to Single Best Meal and Headline for 2011. Everything will be revealed—cut, pasted, unedited and unadulterated—by the time we check out on Thursday to ring in the New Year.

Q: Describe the 2011 Chicago restaurant scene in one word?

Carly Fisher, The Feast: Fishy. As in, there were a ton of seafood restaurants for whatever reason.

Nick Kindelsperger, Serious Eats Chicago: Skewered

Emily Fiffer, Daily Candy: Shrimpcocktail. (One word! ha)

Mike Gebert, Grub Street: Ratatatat. Because that's how fast the openings have been coming. Where does all the money come from?

Jeff Ruby, Chicago: Next

Heather Sperling, Tasting Table: Japanese (Roka Akor, Slurping Turtle, Yusho, Kamehachi 3.0, Union Sushi + BBQ Bar, Yuzu Sushi and Robata Grill, Sublime Sushi, Lure)

Kate Bernot, BlackboardEats Chicago: Hyped

Mike Sula, Chicago Reader: Plastics

Lisa Shames, CS: Fun

Natasha Liberman, a la card Chicago: Burger-ific (I tend to over-indulge.)

Julia Kramer, Time Out Chicago: Ego

Chandra Ram, Plate: Hamburgers (PS – there are more than enough burger spots in Chicago. Enough already!)

Penny Pollack, Chicago: NoReservations

David Tamarkin, Time Out Chicago: Fishy

Ellen Malloy, Restaurant Intelligence Agency: CRAZYPANTS! (Chefs behaving badly, taken to a new level)

Joe Campagna, Chicago Food Snob: Egomania

Michael Nagrant, Sun-Times: Robata