Bunny and Brandy's Easter Brunch Guide 2018

Best Bet Buffets

(Prices listed are per adult, prices vary for children)

White City Ballroom @ Chicago Athletic Association Hotel in The Loop: $100, includes drinks

Howells and Hood in The Loop: $39 

IO @ The Godfrey Hotel in River North: $39 

Maple & Ash in the Gold Coast: $90 ($25 additional for unlimited bubbles)

The Langham Hotel in The Loop: $155 

The Florentine in The Loop: $75 + additional $15 for drinks

Allium in the Four Seasons Hotel in the Gold Coast: $180  (includes tax and gratuity)

Torali at The Ritz Carlton Hotel in Streeterville: $155 

Signature Room on the Mag Mile: $80 (includes a cocktail)

Filini at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the Loop: $55

Superb Suburban Spots

Prairie Grass Café in Northbrook will feature a special buffet + signature benedict for every diner for $51 per person

Libertad in Skokie will feature an a la carte menu with special menu items

Perry’s Steakhouse in Oak Brook: will be serving their dinner menu starting at 11:00 am

Tuscany in Wheeling will host a special buffet for $43 per person

Day Drinking Destinations

Cantina Laredo in River North: a la carte menu options with a complimentary mimosa or Bloody Maria

III Forks in Lakeshore East: $45 for one of three signature Eggs Benedicts and a brunch cocktail 

Lowcountry in Lakeview & The South Loop will both feature an a la carte menu with special items and $15 bottomless mimosa packages

Commonwealth Tavern in Roscoe Village will feature an a la carte menu with $3 mimosa bar and $6 bloody mary bar

Exclusive Easter Eats

Home Bistro in Lakeview will feature  a special Southern inspired a la carte menu

BarRoma in Andersonville will feature an a la carte selection of special menu items

Mercata la Planxa in the South Loop will feature an a la carte menu with special items

DelFrisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in the Gold Coast will feature a special a la carte menu

Eden in West Town will feature an a la carte menu with special treats

Imperial Lamian in River North will feature an a la carte dim sum menu featuring special Easter dumplings

Seven Lions in The Loop will have a 2 course pre fixe for $24 plus their regular a la carte brunch menu

TheLate Bloomer in Old Town will feature an a la carte menu with special items and cocktails

KingCrab Chicago in Lincoln Park is featuring their brand new a la carte brunch menu

Nana in Bridgeport will feature a special a la carte menu

Marchesa in River North will feature a special a la carte menu

Porkchop (All locations) will feature a special a la carte menu

Roanoke in The Loop will feature an a la carte menu with special items

Weber Grill in River North will feature an a la carte menu with special items

Recipe: Vanilla Scented Potato Croquettes

I'm kind of obsessed with Nielsen-Massey's Vanilla Bean Paste. I mean, actually obsessed. Sometimes I take the bottle out of my cabinet just so that I can open it and smell it, like it's cologne left by an ex-boyfriend. If I could pour this stuff into a diffuser and make my whole house smell like vanilla, I would. If I soak my hair in it, I would. It's not the same smell as vanilla extract, which is usually great at the front, but has that sharp alcohol bite on the tail end of the scent. The paste smells like you've just walked into a bakery owned by a beautiful French pastry chef who just happens to be single and just happens to be a former underwear model.

Although the vanilla bean paste is my go to flavoring agent for baked goods and desserts, I've always wanted to try using it in a savory context. Imagine that same French pastry chef decided to open a gastro pub next door to the bakery. Same amazing flavors, whole new environment. That's what I wanted to try.

I'd heard of people mixing vanilla into mashed potatoes before, so that seemed like a good place to start. I whipped up a simple batch, using red potatoes to make the mash extra smooth. I actually really liked using vanilla in this sort of way because it made the potatoes seem even more creamy and decadent, even though I hadn't added any cream (like I normally do when making mashed potatoes). The slightly floral flavor really added a depth and a certain je ne sais quoi to the spuds. While they were good with the vanilla added in, but they weren't going to be stealing any spot lights. So I decided to transform them into croquettes.

Now, the first time I attempted to do this, I used the potatoes chilled. Because they were extra creamy, I had a really hard time getting them coated in breading, and they turned out a bit bigger and flatter than I would have liked, almost like chicken cutlets. However, they tasted fantastic, with a lightly crisp exterior and a super creamy interior. Another downside was that they were rather delicate and could only be eaten with a knife and fork. I wanted finger food. So I made a second batch of the potato mixture and froze it. This resulted in the croquettes of my dreams! Crispy outside, impossibly creamy interior, infinitely snackable.

Version #1

Version # 2

To serve alongside the croquettes, I wanted some dipping sauces that were a little sweet and a little savory, but I also wanted to highlight the vanilla flavor at the heart of these magic nuggets. I tried a simple combo of sour cream, yellow curry sauce, and a bit more vanilla paste for my savory sauce. This was the right way to go, as the curry and vanilla made delicious friends, while the sour cream and potato made for a classic flavor combo. For a touch of sweet, I whipped up some home made applesauce (I used this recipe as a base, but subbed out the cinnamon for...you guessed it... more vanilla). The overall combo of these two sauces could not have been better, and I loved that the potato+applesauce+sour cream medley gave off a kind of potato latke vibe.

Check out my final recipe below and then head on over to the Bunny and Brandy Instagram page to find out how to win some fabulous Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Bean Paste for your own sweet and savory experimenting!



Vanilla Scented Potato Croquettes

1 lb of red potatoes, peeled
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste
2 egg yolks
4 tablespoons of all purpose flour
4-5 eggs
2 cups of unflavored bread crumbs
Frying oil (vegetable, canola, corn, etc.)

Optional serving sauces:
2 table spoons of yellow curry sauce, 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste, 1 cup of sour cream
Homemade or store bought apple sauce with vanilla bean paste added in to taste

Place the potatoes in a pot of water, making sure they are completely covered, and bring up to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through. Drain and cool slightly.

Transfer the potatoes back into the pot. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the potatoes and vanilla bean paste. Use a stick blender to puree the potatoes until completely smooth. Let the potatoes cool to room temperature. Add in the egg yolks and flour, combine well, and then transfer the mixture into a lidded freezer safe bowl. Freeze the potato mixture for 1-2 hours, or until they achieve an ice cream-like consistency.

Heat frying oil on medium high in a deep pan. Set up a breading station with the eggs scrambled in one dish and the bread crumbs in a second dish. Scoop the potato mixture into the 2-3 inch balls (a small trigger action ice cream scoop or melon baller works well for this, but a large spoon can also be used). Drop the balls into the egg mixture, then transfer to the bread crumbs and coat thoroughly. Repeat this process so that the balls have a double layer of coating.

Add no more than 5-6 balls into the oil at a time and watch them carefully. They will brown quickly and only need to cook for a minute or so on each side. Once the croquettes are browned evenly on all sides, transfer them to a paper towel covered plate to drain any excess oil.

Serve immediately.

Recipe: Mini Cottage Cheese Cheescakes with Muuna Cottage Cheese

When I was a kid, cottage cheese was one of those things I'd forget I liked. There was always some in the fridge, but my go-to snacks usually involved carbs and sugar and cartoon animals. Then, I'd spy my mom having a few spoonfuls on a Sunday morning and I'd insist on being given some as well, and then I would usually eat it non stop for weeks on end until I once again forgot I loved the stuff. Sometimes we mixed jam into the cottage cheese or crushed pineapple. Once, I slept over at a friend's house and found out that they mixed apple butter into theirs. It was a revelation and to this day is still one of my favorite things to add into cottage cheese.

These days, I'm kind the same way. I forget that cottage cheese is delicious for long swaths of time, then I rediscover it, eat tons of it, and then repeat the cycle. It's a strange thing that I don't entirely understand, but I think it has something to do with the fact that I have to buy the stuff in such large containers. Eventually, I'll finish one off and I just get out of the habit of buying it.

Recently, I was sent three of Muuna Cottage Cheese's new flavors, all of which come in individual cups, sort of like yogurt. I really liked that the serving size was built into this particular cottage cheese, as it spared me from having to guess at how much I wanted to spoon out for myself from those larger containers. The three new flavors were Black Cherry, Raspberry, and Vanilla, all of which I highly approved of. Again, much like a yogurt, the fruit comes at the bottom, ready to be mixed through the extra creamy cottage cheese. This was another advantage over the larger tubs because if I wanted to take some into the office with me for a little protein boost, I didn't have to worry about bringing a jam jar along as well. Even though these were packed with flavor, their sugar levels were still pretty low (9 grams per cup),

Speaking of sugar...

I'd heard about making cheesecake with cottage cheese before, but I'd never tried it myself. I figured that since these cups were already flavored, they might be ideal to give this kind of healthy(ier) dessert a try. I knew I wanted to make the cheesecakes individually sized, just like the cups, and I knew I wanted to give them a chocolate crust. Originally, I wanted to try making the crusts with crushed cereal, but when Trader Joe's failed me (WTF, Trader Joe's at Diversey and Clark? No chocolate cereal? Why?!?!), I picked up a package of brownie crisps instead, and that ended up working out rather well. The result? A surprisingly smooth, light, and flavorful dessert that tastes exactly like it was made with full fat cream cheese!

Definitely pick up some of Muuna's new flavors if you're a fan of cottage cheese, and let me know if you give this recipe a try!

Mini Cottage Cheese Cheesecakes

2 individual cups of Muuna Cottage Cheese, any flavor
1/3 cup of low fat sour cream
1 large egg
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of all purpose flour
1 package (5 oz) of Brownie Crisps
1/4 a cup of butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, crush the brownie crisps as fine as you can get them (you can either smash them in a plastic bag or grind them in a food processor). Add the melted butter to the crumbs and mix well, then distribute them evenly into the bottoms of a non stick muffin tin and press them flat.

Add the cottage cheese and sour cream into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add in the egg, sugar, and flour, and blend again until the batter is completely mixed.

Pour the cheesecake mixture into the muffin tin cups, filling all the way to the top of each cup. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the filling is no longer jiggly and the cakes are slightly golden around the edges.

Let the cakes cool to room temperature, then refrigerate them over night so that they set completely.

Run a pairing knife dipped in hot water along the sides of the muffin tin to loosen the sides of the cakes, then serve and enjoy.

This recipe should make about a dozen and a half cakes, depending on the size of your muffin pan.


Thank you to Muuna for sending me the cottage cheese free of charge in order to facilitate the writing of this post. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by the brands I partner with.

Bites Asian Kitchen or Street Meats

The Slow and Savory Review

Umm... hey there! I'm Jessica and I have been Bunny and Brandy's "interpreter" since the inception of this blog seven and a half years ago. If you've been reading this blog on the regular since then, thank you so much. It's been a crazy journey that has taken me to a lot of places I never dreamed I would go. That being said, Bunny and Brandy, those darling old lushes we all know and love, are getting on in years now and have decided to hand the reins over to me for a little while. I hope you all won't mind, but if you do start to miss them, feel free to let me know in the comments, and I'll see what I can do about getting them back in the saddle.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to check out Bites Asian Kitchen and their new East meets West brunch menu. Funny thing is, Bites is actually right across the street from my office. I am literally looking at their teal awning as I type. And while I am in the habit of supporting a lot of the restaurants in the immediate area, for some reason, I had never gone to Bites before. I don't really know why that is, but (spoilers) after this meal, I am determined to frequent it a lot more often!

I met up with my friend Kristin, who I've barely seen since she gave birth to beautiful baby girl last spring. And this being one of the first chances she's gotten to step out of the house on her own, she was just as excited as I was to check out the cocktails. She started off with Good Morning Mexico, a sort of mix between a Paloma and a Mimosa, which she really liked because it was refreshing and very original. I went for the Wake Me Up Before You Go Go, which had mango, strawberry, cucumber, lemon, elderflower liquor, and gin. I get kind of iffy with cucumber in my cocktails because it tends to take over the ENTIRE drink. In this case, however, it actually worked quite well with the sweetness of the fruit.

As Bites specializes in smaller, shareable dishes, Kristen and I decided to order a few things to munch on. First up was the Emerald Gyoza. These were pretty traditional gyoza (a type of Japanese dumpling that can either be pan fried or steamed), but they had a really creamy interior filling because of the incorporation of some edamame. The whiskey soy sauce and wasabi mayo on the side also gave them a more interesting flavor and more modern feel. Next, I reached for the Teriyaki Sliders, which were literally dripping with a beautiful soy butter glaze. As sliders can be a little tough sometimes, I was really happy to find these suckers were perfectly pink in the middle and plenty juicy. The western side of my palate was satisfied with the melty mozzarella cheese and the crispy fried shallots, while the eastern side loved the shiitake mushrooms and the slightly sweet flavor. Kristin had requested that we order the Tempura Avocado, which I was a little skeptical about, but they turned out to be really delightful. The outside of the wedges was light and crispy, while the inside was perfectly creamy and not at all greasy. The last of our little snacks were the massive shrimp cakes. These had a nice bouncy texture to them, and while their flavor was a little muted, the addition of some sweet chili dipping sauce and a cucumber salad really helped to bring out their specialness.

For our second round of drinks, Kristin picked the Blueberry Mojito, while I went with the Thai-rish Coffee. Kristin's mojito was very fruity and had just the right amount of mintiness to it. She actually managed to lap me because she could not stop sipping on this thing, and she ended up having to order one more cocktail before we ended the meal (her last drink was the Smokey Blonde, which was a really excellent whiskey cocktail). I have a deep love for Thai coffee and Thai iced tea, so you can imagine how much I LOVED the Thai-rish coffee. It was a little bit too easily drinkable, if you know what I mean.

For the main event, I really wanted to try their Okonomiyaki, a Japanese dish that is sort of like a combination of a pancake and a frittata, and comes slathered in Japanese mayonnaise and a sweet glaze that resembles BBQ sauce (yes, it's different, and yes, it's delicious), and is then topped with seaweed and bonito flakes. I'd only had okonomiyaki once before, but I knew what to expect because of my obsession with food Asian food vloggers, so I warned Kristin that the bonito flakes would be "dancing" on top of the okonomiyaki so that she wouldn't freak out and think it was alive. She was interested to try it, but she was already pretty stuffed, which left the entire dish up to me to finish. I really liked the big hunks of bacon hidden in the batter along with a variety of veggies, which made every bite kind of exciting and different. One of these days, I'm going to try my hand at making one of these suckers.

Finally, we finished off our massive meal with their Coconut Milk French Toast. The French toast itself was pretty good, nothing amazingly special, but had a good texture and just a hint of coconut flavor. The real star on the plate was the pandan syrup. I've never really had pandan anything, but I am officially now on the lookout. It's got a vivid green color, like matcha, but the flavor is like a coconut and vanilla custard, and it turned this French toast into something really spectacular. I would order this again in a heart beat if only so that I could drink that syrup.

If anything sums up my new found love for Bites, it is probably this; while sitting here at my office desk, trying to write up this post between doing actual work, I have just been salivating at the memory of this meal. I literally just went to Grubhub to see if I could order some lunch, only to have my heart broken when I was informed that they don't open until 4:30. Ah well. I'll just have pop over there tomorrow morning.

I was invited to dine at this restaurant free of charge in exchange for an honest review of my experience.

Postcards from Bunny: Macro-Nutrient Meal Delivery from HercuLean Meal Prep

BBQ Salmon

Bunny awoke with a start. The light in her room seemed odd and everything was strangely silent. Throwing open the curtains, she saw that everything outside was covered in a thick blanket of snow. "Now I remember why I don't usually come to Chicago in the middle of the winter!" she said aloud.

Indeed, she had been underground for quite some time (literally underground, that is, as she had been helping her archaeologist husband to explore the catacombs under Paris for several months) and had only intended to stop over in Chicago for a quick hot dog and slice of pizza. But with several inches of the white stuff turning all of Chicago into the North Pole, she knew there would be no escaping her lodgings anytime soon.

Turkey Scramble

The house she was staying in just happened to belong to a dear friend who was world class body builder and who was off competing on the pageant circuit. "The snow's still coming down pretty heavily," she told him over the phone, "Do you mind if I raid your fridge? I'm getting a little peckish and I don't want to make some poor delivery person wade through this mess." "Go ahead! Actually, you may find something you'll really like in the freezer. Help yourself!" said her muscle bound chum.

That was when Bunny discovered his stash of HercuLean meals. Curious, she extracted one of the packages from the freezer and examined it. The meals, it seemed, were specially designed for those wishing to consume mostly low fat, high protein foods. There was an abundance of meaty options, from steak and chicken to salmon and tilapia, and each came with the amount of proteins, fats, and carbs listed quite clearly on the front.

Shredded Steak

HercuLean, it turned out, was founded by a pair of brothers; one a chef and the other a body builder. Together, they combined their knowledge of nutrition and flavor to create a line of freshly prepared and flash frozen meals that would help people who were trying to live healthier lives get a head start. Though the company is based in Indiana, they recently started delivering to Chicago, packing their frozen meals into specially insulated boxes and shipping them overnight to ensure their freshness. Best of all, in addition to a large variety of entree options, they offer a pretty extensive variety of breakfast options.

Not being able to resist a little tasting, Bunny heated up a few of the meals. For the breakfasts, she particularly enjoyed the Turkey Chili served over egg whites, which was hearty and well spiced, and the Chicken Sausage, which had a strong fennel flavor and was nicely complimented by a side of shredded sweet potatoes. Venturing into the dinner options, Bunny favored the Curry Tilapia with sauteed spinach and a side of wild rice, and the Pesto Chicken with green beans. Overall, she was very impressed by how flavorful all of the meals were, and she loved that the packaging was microwave and oven safe, meaning she could heat the meals straight from the freezer without any other prep work or plating.

Curried Tilapia

Chicken Sausage

In fact, Bunny consumed so much protein that day that she was suddenly filled with energy. Not wanting to waste such a surge of vivaciousness, she headed outside and began to shovel the snow, and by day's end, she had actually cleared a path out of the house! "Well, I guess now I could go get that hot dog and pizza," she said, "But I did see HercuLean Cod Burger in freezer... I think I'll stay inside after all."

Pesto Chicken

The writer's of this blog were sent products free of charge in order to facilitate the writing of this post.

Food News: Meet Chef Josh Capon's at Macy's on 1/19!

Note: The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Agency for the information contained in this post, but any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and uninfluenced.

Happy 2018 brunch fans! Brandy has decided to kick off another year of fantastic culinary adventures with a spectacular event at Macy's on State Street and she wanted to make sure all her followers got the details so that they could join her.

On Friday January 19th at 12pm, the Macy's Culinary Council will welcome Chef Josh Capon to the demo kitchen on the 7th floor for an afternoon of fun and food. Chef Capon is the genius behind several highly acclaimed New York and South Florida restaurants, as well as the host of Spike TV's Frankenfood (which filmed right here in Chicago) and a four time winner of Rachel Ray's Burger Bash.

Those who attend the event are promised an earful of Chef Capon's best kept culinary secrets as he walks everyone through some of his award winning recipes. The audience will also get to sample his food in real time and will be provided with recipes for all the dishes so that they can try their hands at cooking like a champ. After the demo, attendees will be invited to meet Chef Capon in person down in the Lower Level kitchenware department. Any purchase of $30 or more will enable guests to not only chat one on one with Chef Capon, but will also get them a $10 Macy's gift card and a special surprise gift!

The best part of all is that the demo (and the three course lunch served at the demo) is completely FREE and only requires an RSVP by calling 1-800-329-8667. Make sure to visit the official event website for more details.

Hope to see you brunch fans there!

Bunny and Brandy's Best Best for New Year's Brunch Guide 2018

Cambria Hotel-Chicago Loop (32 W. Randolph)

The hotel’s brunch will be held on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day from 8am to 2pm at Intermission, their lobby restaurant. Brunch-goers will enjoy bottomless mimosas, or a Bloody Mary bar, a carving station, featuring prime rib and ham, a Chef Omelet station, and a build-your-own waffle station. Guests can also choose from classic brunch selections like Eggs Benedict, a variety of flavored scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes and house made pastries and desserts. The brunch is available for $39.99 per person and is open to the public. Check out www.cambriachicagoloop.com for more information.

20 East (The Talbot Hotel, 20 E. Delaware Pl.)

On New Year’s Day, guests can enjoy an all-you-can-eat family style brunch from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., including the holiday hot chocolate bar. For $45, start out the year right with Fried Chicken with bacon and pepper gravy; Sriracha Butter Waffles with housemade jam; Cavatappi Chili Mac topped with cheddar; Roasted Garlic Potatoes with truffles; and a Country Apple Tart with salted caramel and whipped cream, and a hot chocolate bar (including multiple topping choices for $6: large and small marshmallows, whipped cream, chocolate pieces, graham crackers, chocolate pirouettes, candy canes, and more. Alcoholic hot chocolates are available for $10). Reservations for New Year’s Day Brunch can be made here. Brunch is only available to tables with a minimum of two people.

Cindy’s (The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, 12 S. Michigan Ave., 13th Floor)

DJ Dave Mata’s Uptown Downtown spins an all vinyl set of vibrant soul music from every corner of the globe during daytime brunch on Sunday, December 31. The next day, guests can welcome 2018 with New Year’s Day brunch, feasting on the shareable large format plates and platters such as Buttermilk Pancakes with yuzu & lemon curd, blueberries, and Chantilly or the Shellfish Platter featuring Maine lobster, oysters on the half shell, king crab, and accompaniments. Cindy’s is open for Sunday brunch on New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and New Year’s Day brunch is served at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 1. For more information and to make a reservation, please visit www.cindysrooftop.com or email nlarose@chicagoathletichotel.com.

Headquarters Beercade (213 W. Institute Pl.)

On Monday, January 1, hold down the fort at River North’s favorite nostalgia-tinged beercade as the space transforms into a life-size childhood fantasy—a New Year’s Day Blanket Fort Party. All 14,000-sq. feet are fair game in the creative fort construction, and a designated area will be set aside for feather-filled pillow fights. Blanket fort-appropriate attire is encouraged, which translates to staying in comfortable PJ’s or fully committing to rocking an adult onesie. Beverage Director Zach Rivera serves up special cereal-infused cocktails for the event and throws an epic pizza party to provide fort-building fuel. Headquarters will have materials (blankets) on-site, but guests are welcome to BYO-blankets, which will be donated to charity following the event. Coverage leading into the college football bowl games will be aired on TVs across the bar and DJs will be spinning all afternoon. Together, HQ and inventive Chicagoans everywhere can reach their 2018 goal of using thousands of yards of blanket to craft the largest blanket fort River North (or the world?) has ever seen. Headquarters’ Blanket Bowl runs from 12-4 p.m. Tickets cost $25 per person (includes entry, 4 drinks, and pizza) and can be purchased here. For more information, log on to www.hqbeercade.com. 

Howells & Hood (435 N. Michigan Ave.)

Sweetwater Tavern & Grille (225 N. Michigan Ave.)

Old Town Pour House (Oak Brook & Naperville locations)

Chicago is invited for New Year's Day recovery brunch to start the year off right, with menu items such as the Stuffed French Toast with vanilla bean ice cream battered brioche bread, Bailey's cream cheese, mixed berry compote and powdered sugar, and the Pork Benedict with smoked pork shoulder, poached eggs, and BBQ hollandaise on an English muffin with habanero hash browns and pico de gallo. Reservations encouraged for New Year’s Day Brunch. Menu prices vary by location. Reservations for each respective restaurant can be made at the following links: Howells & Hood, Sweetwater Tavern & Grille, Old Town Pour House Oak Brook, Old Town Pour House Naperville.

Old Town Pour House (1419 N. Wells St.)

 The Boundary (1932 W. Division St.)

Chicago’s craft beer bars ring in the new year with the “Go Out in Style” package at Old Town Pour House and The Boundary. The celebratory New Year’s Eve package, which goes from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., includes guaranteed entry, passed appetizers, and midnight brunch bites including Mini Stuffed French Toast with vanilla ice cream battered brioche bread, Bailey’s cream cheese, and powdered sugar, and Mini Breakfast Sandwiches on a green onion cheddar biscuit with a breakfast sausage patty, aged cheddar, and scrambled eggs. The night also offers a Champagne toast at midnight, Champagne bottles for $20.18, a video DJ showing 2017 hits leading up to midnight, and Snapchat Spectacles awarded to the snappiest dresser. Partygoers are invited to come back the next morning for a New Year’s Day recovery brunch, not included in the price of the package. Tickets available for $40 per person at Old Town Pour House here and $70* per person at The Boundary here (*price includes four-hour premium bar).

Maple & Ash (8 W. Maple St.)

Chicago’s sexiest steakhouse is offering a fun way to ring in 2018. On Sunday, December 31, start the celebrations early with Maple & Ash’s Countdown to the Countdown brunch featuring classic Maple & Ash brunch fare, countdowns every hour, and fun NYE accessories to enjoy with friends and family. Brunch is priced at $55 per person, with the option to add unlimited bubbles for an additional $25. Maple & Ash’s Countdown to the Countdown brunch is from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Space is limited and reservations with a credit card guarantee are required. Reservations can be made by calling 312.944.8888 or online at OpenTable. 

Torali Italian - Steak (160 E. Pearson St.)

Say goodbye to 2017 and hello to 2018 this new year at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago’s recently opened restaurant, Torali Italian – Steak. Celebrate New Year’s Day at Torali’s New Year’s Day Brunch on January 1 featuring an a la carte selection of brunch bites and cocktails. New Year’s Day Brunch takes place from 6 a.m.-3 p.m. on January 1. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling 312.573. 5160 

Filini (The Radisson Blu Hotel, 221 N Columbus Drive)

A little hair of the dog always helps following a fun evening! Filini hosts a New Year’s Day boozy brunch, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. The breakfast buffet features sweet and savory favorites such as biscuits and gravy and French toast, accompanied by beverage options of Bloody Marys, Mimosas, Bellinis or Michelada cocktails, priced at $65 per patron. For those in need of revival after the evening’s festivities, an Oxygen bar by Clowning Around Entertainment will be available on site for an additional cost.

Porkchop (South Loop @ Roosevelt Collection, Hyde Park, and Bolingbrook.)

The restaurant will reward all pajama-wearing patrons with 20% off their brunch tab – which makes indulging in selections like Southern Benedict (two buttermilk biscuits topped with country ham or bacon, and poached eggs, smothered in Andouille gravy and served with roasted potatoes, red onions and green peppers) and The Fat Elvis Brunch (Bacon waffle, bananas, peanut butter, maple syrup, and whipped butter), that much more fun. All diners will be treated to one free Bloody or Mimosa, and kids eat free. 

Homestead on the Roof + West Town Bakery (1924 W. Chicago Ave.)

West Town Bakery is taking over Homestead on the Roof’s spacious rooftop for a delicious pop-up New Year’s Day Brunch. This decadent buffet will be open from 11:00-3:00 p.m., with menu highlights including: House cured and smoked Atlantic Salmon with accouterments, Biscuits and Gravy, and a Slagel Farm Prime Rib Carving Station. The brunch is priced at $39.95 for adults and $19.95 for kids, exclusive of beverages. Reservations will be available through OpenTable and the restaurant will take walk-ins if space is available. Celebrations will also take place at West Town Bakery’s Chicago Avenue location where they are hosting a New Year’s Day "pajama day!” Staff will be dressed in their favorite jammies, and you can feel free to get comfy and wear yours too while indulging in decadent brunch fare from 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Imperial Lamian (6 W Hubbard St.)

Diners can brunch it out on New Year’s Day with River North’s Chinese restaurant’s dim sum offerings. Full of favorites like the Pumpkin Puffs, Combination Xiao Long Bao, and Crispy Wontons, the full brunch menu will be offered from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on New Year’s Day. Featured holiday menu items are available including PEI Mussels and Cumin-Scented Dorade. To make reservations, visit Imperial Lamian’s website

Lowcountry (3343 N. Clark St.)

In celebration of the upcoming New Year, Lowcountry, Wrigleyville’s premier seafood boil-in-a-bag dining spot, opens its doors for a special brunch service featuring delicious Southern-style comfort foods and bottomless select seafood. Available from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 31, guests will strap on their bibs and enjoy hands-on all-you-can-eat snow crab and shrimp, along with mouthwatering brunch dishes including biscuits and gravy, crab cake benedict, waffles, shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese, and more.

Sol Cafe (1615 West Howard St.)

The Rogers Park staple, is celebrating the year’s end with its tropical paradise themed brunch. The menu includes a Caribbean Breakfast Bowl (all-spiced cornbread, crispy bacon, runny egg, stewed greens (kale-llaloo), bacon broth, chili lime peanuts), along with several vegetarian options such as the Jerk Bowl (charred jerk tofu, roasted yams, avocado, kale salad, toasted coconut, lime, cilantro, mint). Patrons are encouraged to bring their own alcohol for mixers like the Sol Punch (blood orange tea, acai berry, lime, orange, pineapple, orange blossom) and the Thailight (cold brew, coconut cream, ginger, coriander, cardamom). Along with the food and beverage specials, patrons will be greeted with tropical decor and an inspired playlist. Hours of operation through the new year will be 7am-3pm with food being served from 9am-3pm.

True Food Kitchen (1 West Erie Street)

Start those 2018 resolutions right away with a healthy New Year's Day brunch. True Food Kitchen will be offering seasonal favorites like Pineapple and Orange Mimosas, Matcha Horchata, Smaashed Avocado Toast, and a Vegan Chorizo Burrito. Brunch starts at 10:00 am on January 1st. Reservations are encouraged.

Public House (400 N State St.)

This River North Favorite will be sending 2017 out with an Anti-Resolution Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm. $25 will get guests bottomless blood orange mimosas and bloody Mary's to accompany decadent dishes like Pumpkin Spice Monkey Bread, Crab Cake Eggs Benedict, and 5 Layer Pancakes in three different flavors. It's also the last weekend for the seasonal Frosty the Cake Shake, a boozy chocolate peppermint milkshake that comes topped with a whole slice of cake and sprinkled with peppermint candies.

The Monkey's Paw (2524 N Southport Ave, Chicago, IL 60614)

On New Year's Day, The Monkey's Paw will be serving up a menu of comfort food favorites. Farm Fresh Omelettes, French Toast with Whipped Ricotta, and Hot Beer Cheese Dip with pretzel bread and just a few of the options available to help you feel like yourself again after a night of partying. Add on the Mimosa Meal Deal for an extra $12 and receive bottomless mimosas with any entree. The Monkey's Paw will be open from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm on New Year's Day.