Alinea

Chef Grant Achatz turned dinner into performance art when he opened Alinea in Lincoln Park in 2005, and it still sets the pace for American modernist cooking. Scented vapors, tableside flourishes, an edible helium balloon, a dessert painted straight onto the table in front of you — you're part of the show as much as the staff are. Two Michelin stars and a long run on the World's 50 Best back up what the room already makes clear. Go for the spectacle; stay for the fact that it's also, quietly, extraordinary food.