Henri

Henri
18 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 578-0763

Henri is a really elegant, upscale restaurant located in the Loop of downtown Chicago serving classical French. I only went to Henri twice during my time in Chicago, once by myself after work for a quick dinner and once with some co-workers for a project team dinner. Both times the food was great.

Henri is owned by the same management team who operates The Gage, which is actually only a few doors down from Henri. The Gage is definitely less formal and attracts a younger crowd. The bar at The Gage is always packed after work. The first time I dined at Henri was because The Gage had too long of a wait and I left in search of other options.

Henri is located right on Michigan Ave so you get a great view of the park. The dining room is nice, albeit a bit too formal and quiet for my liking. During the summer, the patio is open and diners are allowed to sit outside. I would definitely recommend the patio, although it depends on the occassion and purpose of the dinner. Both spaces have their virtues. The second time I visted Henri with co-workers, we dined inside and actually happened to sit at a table right next to the CEO of the client company we were working at.

The pictures below are from my solo dining experience. I ordered this chicken dish, which was stuffed with spinach, and served with some baby carrots and a red wine sauce.

For dessert, I ordered this chocolate tart. It was a tart shell filled with a layer of salted caramel on the bottom and then another layer of chocolate ganache. I love desserts with salty caramel and chocolate - the combination of salty and sweet is so delicious.

The food at Henri is quite good, and although the atmosphere and feel is definitely that of "fine dining", the service is attentive and friendly, not at all pretentious or stuffy. Overall, a good place for a romantic dinner with a spouse or even a formal business dinner.