He Said Yes at Boka. The Food Was Reason Enough on Its Own.

I worked with the staff ahead of time. Snuck them the ring when we walked in. They brought it out with dessert at the end of the meal. Allen said yes. I am telling you this upfront because Boka will always be a seminal place in our relationship, and you should know that going into this review. It means I cannot be fully objective. It also means that everything I say about this restaurant is coming from someone who has sat in that room during the most important dinner of his life, and still thinks it is one of the best restaurants in Chicago on the merits.

The entrance is set back from Halsted, offset from the street, framed by beautiful planters full of flowers. It is inviting without announcing itself. Luxurious without being ostentatious. Inside, the space opens into multiple rooms that each carry their own atmosphere. Dark and sultry in one corner, light and airy in another, organic and eclectic somewhere else. They coexist in a way that shouldn't work as seamlessly as it does. Tasteful is the right word and it is not a small thing to pull off at this scale.