How to Choose a Great Prom Restaurant in Chicago

Going to the prom is an important component of the culmination of our high school years and should be a very thrilling time for you. There is such a build-up of excitement up to the day of the prom that by the time you take pictures, check out each others' prom attire, snack, and MAYBE dance a little, before you know it, prom is over. Sometimes the food isn't all that great, or maybe the school only plans to serve hors d'oeuvres; so you may want to find a nice restaurant to enjoy a before or after prom dinner, possibly hang out with friends, and show off your gowns and tuxedos.

The first thing you will have to consider when choosing a prom restaurant will be budget and then what type of experience you're looking for. There are some great choices for those of you who are lucky enough to have a large budget. Chicago is very well-known for its food, so budget-conscious people have great prom food choices available to them as well. Whether your tastes are posh and elegant, casual and laid back, or maybe somewhere in-between, keep reading to learn about 6 great Chicago prom restaurants which are sure to accommodate your varied tastes and budgets. Most of the restaurants listed here are centrally located and include late hours for the post-prom crowd.

Ditka's Restaurant

Ditka's Restaurant is an upscale restaurant offering a chef-inspired menu of sizeable, juicy steaks and ribs and delectable seafood. If you want to feel grown up and have a big budget, this is the place to go. Owned by ex-Bears coach, Mike Ditka, the food is done "big, bold and beautiful." There are two locations:

Oakbrook Terrace, Two Mid America Plaza, (22^nd and Route 83), 630-572-2200
Monday - Thursday 11am - 12am; Friday - Saturday 11 am - 1am; Sunday 11am - 10pm

Chicago, The Tremont Hotel, 100 East Chestnut, 312-587-8989
Monday - Thursday 11am - 10pm; Friday - Saturday 11am - 11pm; Sunday 10 am - 10 pm

Chicago Chop House

Chicago Chop House is an award-winning, upscale steak/chop restaurant that also offers mouth-watering seafood of your choice. This restaurant also offers a cool, grown-up ambiance and is not for the lightly-budgeted. They are located in an old brownstone:

Downtown, 60 West Ontario, Chicago, Illinois
Dinner: Monday - Thursday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm; Friday 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm;
Saturday 4:00 pm - 11:30 pm; Sunday 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Piano Bar: Monday - Friday 5:00 pm - 11:00 pm; Saturday 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm; Sunday 6:00 pm - 10:30 pm

The Signature Room at the 95^th

The Signature Room has been a favorite upscale post-prom destination for many years. Their menu includes rack of lamb, duck, steak and seafood. It is an elegant restaurant on the 95^th floor of the Hancock Building right off the lake on the Gold Coast of downtown Chicago. You not only get to enjoy excellent prom food, you get to experience an elegant ambiance, while you take in the 360 degree view of Chicago's fabulous skyline.

Downtown Chicago, 875 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611
Sunday: Brunch 10 am - 2 pm; Dinner 5 pm - 10 pm
Monday - Thursday: Lunch 11 am - 2:30 pm; Dinner 5 pm - 10 pm
Friday - Saturday: Lunch 11 am - 2:30 pm; Dinner 5 pm - 11 pm

Ed Debevic's

Ed Debevic's is a restaurant with a twist: the wait staff serves you with mock rudeness and may jump on the counter and start dancing! You have to understand its quirkiness in order to appreciate it, but it's worth experiencing at least once, if you haven't already. It has a teenage-friendly and budget-friendly menu which includes their popular Kitchen Sink Nachos and Chicken Strip Basket. You can let your hair down and relax here. There are two locations:

Downtown Chicago, 640 N. Wells St, Chicago, Il 60620, Restaurant Phone: 312-664-1707,
Fax Line: 312-664-7444, Party Line: 312-266-5421
Monday - Thursday 11 am - 9 pm; Friday - Saturday 11 am - 11 pm; Sunday 11 am - 10 pm

Lombard, IL, 157(c) Yorktown Center, Lombard, IL 60148, 630-495-1700, Fax: 630-495-2262
Sunday - Thursday 11 am - 9 pm; Friday - Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm

Gino's East of Chicago

Gino's East is popular for its Chicago deep dish pizza ranked #1 by People's Magazine. It is an affordable restaurant with a more relaxed, casual ambiance. There are many locations in the Chicago land area, but a few are listed here:

Downtown - Chicago, 633 N. Wells St. (Ontario and Wells), Chicago, IL 60610, 312-943-1124,
Fax: 312-943-9589

Downtown - Chicago, 162 E. Superior St, Chicago, IL 60611, Phone: 312-266 DEEP (3337),
Fax: 312-266-6770

O'Hare Plaza - Chicago, 8725 West Higgins Road, Chicago, IL 60631, 773-444-2244,
Fax: 773-444-0470

Monday - Thursday: 11 am - 10 pm; Friday - Saturday 11 am - 12 am; Sunday 12 pm - 10 pm
Visit the website for more locations.

IHOP

IHOP is always a hit for night-owls. It is so popular because the hours are great, the food is fab and you can have your choice of breakfast all day, lunch or dinner. Of course, they're known for their delicious pancakes. They also offer French Onion Pot roast, burgers, sandwiches and so much more. IHOP locations are literally all over the Chicago land area. This is a popular prom restaurant because they are open so late. Some locations are open 24/7 and others are open 24 hours on the weekend:

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week:

IHOP #1229, 3760 N. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60613-2907, 773-296-0048
IHOP #1230, 2818 W. Diversey Avenue, Chicago, IL 60647-1702, 773-342-8901
IHOP #1209, 4210 N. Cicero Avenue, Chicago, IL 60641-1603, 773-685-0242
IHOP #5304, 7240 W. 79^th Street, Bridgeview, IL 60455-1527, 708-594-5770
IHOP #5310, 31 E. Golf Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005-4001, 847-578-0918
IHOP #5309, 4821 Cal Sag Road, Crestwood, IL 60445-4415, 708-824-1886
IHOP #5444, 2662 Belvidere Road, Waukegan, IL 60085-6006, 847-782-8800
IHOP #5463, 7120 N. Mannheim Road, Rosement, IL 60018-3620, 847-297-7992
IHOP #5411, 1671 W Lake St, Addison, IL 60101-6707, 630-932 1775
IHOP #5409, 125 Smith Road, Saint Charles, IL 60174-5206, 630-377-7448
IHOP #1287, 2250 Barrington Rd, Hoffman Estates, IL 60195-2062, 847-885-9508
HOP #1203, 100 Asbury Avenue, Evanston, IL 60202-3802, 847-328-1450
IHOP #1295, 14860 S. La Grange Road, Orland Park, IL 60462-3229, 708-873-0760
IHOP #1289, 1040 W. North Ave, Winston Plaza, Melrose Park, IL 60160-1527, 708-343-8258
IHOP #1288, 51 McHenry Road, Buffalo Grove, IL 60089-1740, 847-537-8631
IHOP #1294, 4228 W. Elm Street, McHenry, IL 60050-4001, 815-759-0213

The majority of the remaining IHOP restaurants are open 24 hours on the weekend. Visit
IHOP for other hours and locations.

You will have many more great experiences in your future, but it's hard to compare your prom experience with any other in life; just make sure you have a safe prom night and enjoy it to its fullest!