Finally I got to try the best chicken dish in Chicago! Roister is the ‘casual’ restaurant of one of the most elite restaurant groups in the world. I can say that confidently, since Roister is part of the same restaurant group as Alinea, which is a 3 Michelin Star restaurant (just watch the first episode of the second season of Chef’s Table).
To make a reservation at Roister, you have to buy tickets well in advance for a prime weekend spot. The price of the ticket does count towards your meal, it’s just so they can lock in your reservation.
Why Eat Here?
If you want to taste one of the best restaurants, without paying Alinea’s outrageous price tag, then this might be the closest you’re going to get! The menu is small, but offers the best in every category. I had to get the chicken dish here since I started salivating the moment I first saw a picture of it. The chicken is prepared three ways and it is fantastic. The chicken breast and the fried chicken were some of the best I’ve ever had! I didn’t care for the third preparation of the chicken (the chicken salad). We started the meal off with a cheese appetizer. It was served with an incredible puffed pita type bread. To accompany the chicken, we ordered a side of potatoes and even tried the octopus!
I would advise against getting the lamb chops though. They were very expensive for a small portion and they were not cooked properly. Although they were really good, I would spend your money on other items!
There was certainly enough for two people and we ended up taking home some as well!
Since you do have to buy the tickets in advance for a good time slot, which requires planning ahead, it’s tough to eat here on a whim. Plan ahead and you won’t be disappointed! We ate at the counter and it was really fun to watch the chef's in action.
Style
We ate at Roister to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday, so I decided it was appropriate to rock a tie with a casual button down and my maroon blazer. The combination turned out really well and the whale tie clip was a last minute finishing touch. I really enjoy the ‘upper-casual’ dress category on the weekends, so I will definitely be rockin similar outfits in the future!
Blazer: Tailor 4 Less
Shirt: O.N.S.
Tie: Bows-N-Ties
Denim: DSTLD
Shoes: Koio Collective