Inside Barton G., the Multi-Sensory Restaurant Chicagoans Don’t Know They Need

The over-the-top food presentations arrive Friday in River North

by Ashok Selvam@Shokdiesel Feb 14, 2019, 4:03pm CST

Golden gorillas and more await customers at Barton G.

Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Out-of-town themed restaurants (Rainforest Cafe, Sugar Factory) have found safe Chicago homes in River North for years, but Barton G. The Restaurant hopes to distinguish itself from the pack when the Florida import unveils its playful food that look like dioramas on Friday. The kitchen is more like Santa’s workshop as a team of artists crank out items with sometimes ridiculous names.

The food’s supposed to make customers smile. But that doesn’t mean the restaurant doesn’t take its craft seriously. There’s a lot of effort into the presentation. And the dining room’s light will allow customers to snap photos and post to social media. The menu is described as American classic food that’s “dramatic and delicious.”

It’ll be open for dinner, weekday lunch, and brunch. Reservations are available via OpenTable. Tour the space and check out a few of the menu items below. Barton G. opens Friday in Chicago giving the city the “multi-sensory experience” it may or may not need.