Guide: Where to Dine for Passover Seder

Passover is almost upon us but don't worry if you have not started preparing for it. Many restaurants will be offering a special menu full of classics for Seder dinner so you can enjoy the meal without doing any of the work. If you would rather dine in the comforts of your home, several places also have catering options available for you to order ahead. Where should you go to get your matzo filling? Check out the list below.

1) The Goddess and Grocer
Where: 2222 N. Elston; 25 E. Delaware; 1646 N. Damen
What: Don’t be plagued by Seder and have it catered instead. The Goddess and Grocer’s Passover menu features starter items like chicken and matzo ball soup, potato or sweet potato latkes, and a balsamic vegetable platter. Main courses feature braised beef brisket, matzo crusted chicken breast, and matzo lasagna while sides include sweet potato kugel, tzimmes, and honey glazed carrots. For dessert, finish it off with a flourless chocolate decadence cake or coconut macaroons.
Call: 773-292-7100

2) Joe’s Stone Crab
Where: 60 E. Grand
What: A three-course menu with time-honored Passover favorites such as homemade gefilte fish, chopped liver, and matzo ball soup. For entrees choose from broiled lemon-herb chicken breast, braised brisket or wild Alaskan halibut, each served alongside potato pancakes and ginger glazed carrots. Indulge in a slice of chocolate macaroon pie to top it off. The cost is $49.95 per person and will be available April 6 and 7.
Call: 312-379-5637

3) Mon Ami Gabi
Where: 2300 N. Lincoln Park West
What: A multi-course Passover menu of classics including matzo ball soup, chopped liver, braised brisket, potato pancakes with applesauce, and flourless chocolate cake with fruit compote. The cost is $36.95 for adults and $15.95 for children 12 and under. Carry-out platters are also available for order.
Call: 773-348-8886

4) Mity Nice
Where: 835 N. Michigan
What: A family style meal of Passover favorites like homemade matzo crackers, gefilte fish, garlic crusted whitefish, sweet & sour brisket, and toasted coconut macaroons. The cost is $36.95 for adults and $16.95 for children 12 and under and will be available all day on Friday, April 6.
Call: 312-335-4745

5) FOODease
Where: 835 N. Michigan
What: Pick up Passover dinner and enjoy the celebration at home with dishes such as chopped liver, herb roasted chicken, matzo ball soup, and flourless chocolate muffins.
Call: 312-335-3663

6) Feast Restaurant + Bar
Where: 25 E. Delaware
What: Let Feast host your Seder meal this year with its prix-fixe menu of traditional fare. Start with chopped liver, gefilte fish, and chicken matzo ball soup and move onto red wine braised brisket, roasted chicken and sautéed whitefish. Guests can choose from chocolate nemesis cake, lemon tart or chocolate ganache cheesecake for dessert. The price is $45 per person, minimum group of 4. An a la carte menu will also be available, and both menus will be offered from April 6 to 14.
Call: 312-337-4001

7) Steve’s Deli
Where: 354 W. Hubbard
What: Stop into Steve’s Deli for Passover or order ahead and bring it home for a hassle-free dinner. Chow down on charoset, apple or potato kugel, lemon chicken breasts, roasted chicken with apricot glaze or even a whole turkey with matzo stuffing. Finish it off with chocolate banana cake followed by fudge brownies and macaroons.
Call: 312-467-6868

8) e.leaven
Where: 54 E. Ontario
What: Celebrate Passover with delicious catered eats such as pickled herring, a smoked salmon platter, roasted lamb shoulder, herb roasted rib eye, roasted asparagus with lemon and shallots, sweet noodle kugel with raisins, and more.
Call: 312-202-0899

9) Sweet Sensations
Where: 1918 W. Montrose
What: Satisfy that sweet tooth with some Passover desserts like rich fudge brownies, apple cakes, coconut meringues, almond dried cheery mandel bread, and more.
Call: 773-275-0697

10) Manny’s Deli
Where: 1141 S. Jefferson
What: Dine in at Manny’s and try dishes like matzo pizza, the corned beef dinner, roasted brisket, kishke, honey cake and more. If you want to enjoy dinner in the comforts of your home, Manny’s will cater so you can enjoy the three-course Matzo Meal, which serves a minimum of eight people for $23.50 per person. An a la carte menu features gefilte fish, chopped liver, kishke, and macaroons.
Call: 312-939-2855

11) Ina's
Where: 1235 W. Randolph
What: Don't worry about not getting to eat pancakes during Pesach because Ina will fix you up some delicious matzoh brei. Get it sweet ($7.79) served with Tim Burton's pure Indiana maple syrup, or savory ($8.99) made with Hebrew National salami and onions—just like Ina had it growing up in Brooklyn.
Call: 312-226-3304

12) Eleven City Diner
Where: 1112 S. Wabash
What: The restaurant will host is annual "Seder Away From Home" with white tablecloths and candles (and even a copy of the Haggadah) to enhance you a la carte dinner that can include sweet whipped mashed potato, Roz's gefilte fish, brisket dinner, chopped liver and "all the matzo you can nosh." The full regular menu will be available.
Call: 312-212-1112

13) City Provisions Deli
Where: 1818 W. Wilson
What: Stop by and pick up some of Cleetus Friedman's take-away Passover creations from the deli case, including mini salmon cakes with dill cream, matzoh rolls, crumb matzoh, herb-roasted fingerling potatoes, charoseth, brisket with mixed mushrooms (limited), sage and butter-roasted turkey breast and more.
Call: 773-293-2489

14) Freshii
Where: All Chicago locations
What: Get your Freshii wrap or salad served with matzo during Passover.

15) The Bagel
Where: 50 Old Orchard Center, Skokie, IL
What: Sit back and experience a traditional Passover dinner with candlelight and white tablecloth service on April 6 and 7 at The Bagel. A three-course menu includes selections like sour green tomatoes, chopped liver, roasted tender spring chicken, sweet & sour meatballs, carrot-sweet potato and prune tzimmes, sponge cake and assorted macaroons, and more as well as a glass of wine. The cost is $32 per adult and $15 for children under 10.
Call: 847-677-0100

16) L. Woods
Where: 7110 N. Lincoln, Lincolnwood, IL
What: Mark Passover with a special three-course menu featuring selections such as homemade chopped liver, roasted herb chicken, braised brisket, matzo crusted whitefish, and homemade sponge cake. The cost is $39.95 per person.
Call: 847-677-3350

17) Tuscany
Where: 550 S. Milwaukee, Wheeling, IL
What: Drop on by for a family style meal with traditional Jewish culinary favorites on April 6 and 7. Matzo ball soup, roasted half chicken, broiled Lake Superior whitefish, and honey cake are some of the choices on the prix fixe menu. The cost is $29 for adults and $14.50 for children 10 and under.
Call: 847-465-9988

18) Wildfire
Where: 1300 Patriot, Glenview, IL
What: Join Wildfire for its special Passover menu on April 6 and 7. A three-course prix fixe is available for $39.95 and a kid’s menu for $16.95. For large groups of six or more, a family style club supper menu will be offered for $39.95. Passover party platters will also be available for carry out.
Call: 847-657-6363

Eater Chicago intern Jeffy Mai contributed this article.