Team Alinea opened this experimental West Loop restaurant in 2011 to showcase themed menus that rotate every four months—from tapas to vegan to French. The name reflects Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas's desire to constantly start over and reinvent the menu. Diners can expect all-out theatrics in plating and presentation, making each experience a memorable one.

With Esmé, husband-and-wife team Jenner Tomaska and Katrina Bravo have created a modern space where Tomaska, the former executive chef at Grant Achatz’s Next, seeks inspiration from art in his cooking. The restaurant’s current menu is a collaboration with photographer Paul Octavious, where each course uses one of the artist’s pieces as a jumping off point. And as you eat, you can find the artwork on the wall and read about it in an online guide you’re able to follow throughout the meal.

Founded by chef Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas, Next has won an unrivaled nineteen 4-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune along with the James Beard Award as Best New Restaurant in America. With accolades such as this, you’ll not be surprised to learn it doesn’t come cheap (expect to pay around $175 per person), but with its seasonal menu comprising of some of the most innovative and delectable delicacies you’ll likely experience in a long time, it’s worth every cent.

To dine at Grant Achatzs followup to Alinea is a rareand rarefiedopportunity to submit yourself to a very specific vision of what great dining might look like, That vision changes every three months, from French fare to Italian staples to modern plates that dont even look like food. We know how it compares to Alinea, you can expect a more lighthearted dining experience that does not skimp on flavor.

Next seems to be unique in the same way all molecular-gastronomy restaurants are unique: the restaurant creates dishes with obscure ingredients, strange presentation, innovative cooking methods, and crazy flavor combinations. But Next pushes boundaries of experimental cuisine by rotating themes. For example, they’ve run a service they called “The Hunt,” which served game-centered dishes on logs.

Next is one of several Chicago restaurants belonging to the famed Alinea group and, as the name suggests, is constantly developing a new and exciting concept. Its mission from the outset has been to explore the world of cuisine whether that be ancient Rome or classic French cooking. Every four months, Next throws out its prix fixe menu and introduces something completely new.

The most forward-thinking restaurant in the country, in my opinion, Next is another ticketed experience from the team behind bucket-list worthy Alinea. Every quarter they completely reconceptualize the space and food from Paris 1906 to Thailand 2020 and even had a whimsical Childhood menu with edible finger paints. The buzz definitely justifies the hype.

Next features contemporary dining described by Michelin as “pure dinner theater.” Popular offerings include lamb and crispy sweetbreads and a bombe Ceylan, which has ice cream, rum, coffee and chocolate. The current tasting menu is a tribute to Chicago chef Charlie Trotter, and standard seatings range from $175 to $235 per person.

Get ready to experience a changing menu several times a year at Next, reflecting a new culinary region, theme or moment in time. This Michelin-star restaurant in Chicago has received 32 four-star reviews from the Chicago Tribune, a James Beard Award as Best New Restaurant in America and a Michelin star for four years in a row.

The culinary offerings of Chicago are so diverse that there is even a 2 star Michelin restaurant offering themed menus. Not only that, the chefs change their menu every four months. It might offer you tapas at the start of the year, whereas the restaurant might offer French cuisine a few months down the line.

Next restaurant’s playful prixe fix menu has earned twenty-one four-star reviews. Chefs Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas craft fun themed meals which earned Next a Michelin star. The kind and knowledgeable staff provide insight into each dish as you eat in the minimalist, modern dining room.

It's more than just a place to eat—it's a journey of flavors. The cool, modern look of the place showcases an open kitchen where magic happens. Here, the menu always changes, bringing tastes from all over the world to your table.

Next is part of the Alinea Restaurant Group, most famously known for Alinea (discussed above). It’s located in Fulton Market. Next features an elevated, innovative, dining experience.

Next: This Michelin-starred spot is known for its always-rotating menu. This February, it will pay homage to its sister restaurant Alinea.