Navigating Chicago’s underground dining scene

Everyone likes food, and everyone likes secrets; there’s something so delicious about knowing the new “hot” restaurant before it opens, or the best place for Italian beef in the city. Time to take that hunger for knowledge to the next level: spots that might not even be a licensed eatery, where maybe 20 people can dine a night. The Chicago underground dining scene has been percolating for awhile, reaching mass-buzz status lately with Top Chef Chicago winner Stephanie Izard’s Wandering Goat events, pegged to the impending opening of her new restaurant. Others happen all over the city, and include locavore boosters, micro-breweries, and even groups of chef friends engaging in some friendly competition. To learn where to chow, follow The A.V. Club's instructions.

Mailing lists, mailing lists, mailing lists

Many of these events are so limited—50 people at the most, and usually far fewer—that eaters can’t be gunshy on reservations. If the public is hearing about something on a blog, chances are good it’s sold out already. Savvy secret diners sign up for e-mail updates from their favorite chefs. Just named one of the “World’s Best Secret Dining Clubs” by Travel & Leisure magazine, Clandestino relies heavily on e-mail blasts to announce dinners at artists’ studios and avant-garde spaces. Ditto for Ghetto Gourmet and X-Marx.

Geek out on message boards
Local foodies chat it up on the LTH Forum, which can feel a little involved, but a regular perusal of the events calendar yields great dividends. Not only can foodies learn about delicious-sounding church festivals, but also farm and wine dinners.

Check back often and plan ahead
Wellfleet, “The Chicago Based Occasional Restaurant,” hosts events every Friday at 4423 N. Elston Ave. Guests who have reserved spots fork out $100 to enjoy a seafood feast. Make a reservation for Sinha to experience a Brazilian Sunday brunch. And Izard announces her supper clubs on her Twitter. (It might be worth following some of her chef friends, too; scour her page for some ideas.) City Provisions, focusing on sustainable and seasonal food, lists its events on its site, including last month’s incredible-sounding Great Lakes Brewing Company eco-friendly soiree.