I am determined to work my way through everything on this list.

I think I'm off to a good start considering I've only been here a few months. My favorites:

Lula: I kind of moved to Logan Square to be close to this place. The dinner is a little spendy ($25 entrees) but completely worth it. Brunch is awesome too, if you go early enough to avoid the 1-2 hour wait.

Hot Chocolate: Miss Katie is over there slaving away so you know it's good.

Fox & Obel: They gave me a job. So +2 points for them.

Floriole, Hoosier Mama, and probably some of the others: Grads of my program (along with Mindy of Hot Chocolate and Doug of Hot Doug's), so they need your business to pay off their outrageous student loans.

and then of course there's Alinea, with their $150 tasting menu (and that's the cheap one). I have it on good authority that this place is a "total mindfuck" and maybe I'm a chump but I'M SORRY BUT I JUST HAVE TO GO.