The Wine Bar at The Boarding House | First Floor The first floor of The Boarding House serves as the restaurant’s main bar. Enjoy a selection of 20 wines by the glass, 450 wines by the bottle, custom cocktails, specialty spirits and craft beers to pair with Chef Gosselin’s menu of traditional wine bar provisions, including cheeses, charcuterie, shellfish platters, and artisan pizzas. The First Floor Wine Bar menu is distinctly different from the The Dining Room menu. Seating in The Wine Bar is available without reservations. The Dining Room at The Boarding House The main dining room at the Boarding House is located on the third floor, featuring exposed beams, inlaid hardwood floors and tables, large bay windows, plush banquettes and an impressive ceiling installation made from more than nearly 4000 wine bottles. The menu features a mix of small, medium, large, and shared plates. Enjoy Chef Gosselin’s wine inspired cuisine, including braised short ribs, chicken three ways, and citrus poached salmon with a 450 bottle wine selection. The Cellar at The Boarding House | Lower Level Ideal for sophisticated, late-night revelry, The Cellar at The Boarding House includes an intimate cocktail bar and comfortable lounge seating. Cap the night off with wine or cocktails after your dinner. Experience 450 wines by the bottle, exclusive, high-end wines by the glass, classic cocktails, and luxury spirits, all available with the same menu as featured in The Bar. For more information, click over to boardinghouse.com .

The low-lighting in Maude’s Liquor Bar may make this French-inspired restaurant feel a bit cozy, but the smashes--cocktail drinks--are what will warm you up. The smokey violet is a top-seller and for good reason; the bizarre combination of flowery and liquor flavors are stronger than they taste. All the plates are designed for sharing, and catch that lobster if you can. While its a simple dish, it tastes even better than it looks, especially with those sauces. Even so, don’t pass up the more traditional dishes like the hearty cassoulet that’s sure to fill you up, even when you share.

Dig if you will, a picture: hot valet drivers busy themselves parking Ferraris and Jags; inside chic, heavy doors open to a beautiful hostess who awaits your arrival with a smile; a full 360 degrees around you (and below on the lower level in its bar and terrace) are gorgeous people, smiling, mingling and gushing over delectable sushi rolls and fusion plates. This is Japonais, Conde Nast's pick for one of the "Top 66 Restaurants in the World." Having opened its doors in 2003, this place still lives in the past - only meaning that one would have assumed it opened just last month as the wait, long reservation list, and packed crowds every day of the week would elude to it being a hot new number. In 2005, Chicago Magazine named it "Best Restaurant" and soon after New York and Las Vegas claimed their own versions of the restaurant. Today, it still rocks to those beats. From exotic cocktails (and a whole lot of sake and wine choices), signature sushi rolls and the to-die-for steaks, the menu reads part French and part Japanese, which in the culinary world, is a match made in heaven.

Ask a Frenchie in Chicago where he or she loves to go for la cuisine francaise authentique and you're most likely to hear "Les Nomades." Pourquoi? It's simple, with amazing array of plats premiers like herb roasted Maine lobster, Chantenay carrot purée, sugar snap peas, Madras curry natural jus; main courses like Duo of Squab Breast and Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with mustard greens, quinoa, sauce d’épice;  fromage plates and desserts like chesnut bon bon mousse coffee ganache and Guanaja chocolate cremeux. After all this, you'll wish the five hour, five course meal would never end. Inside a chic brownstone just steps off of Michigan Avenue, Les Nomades is zee perfect place to rest your shopper's feet while sipping back wine from the award winning list. From Forbes, AAA Four Diamond, Zagat to Wine Spectator, this place has won all the awards that count. The service alone speaks for its status. Insider's Tip: Pay the $130/person for the five course meal, you won't regret it.

Ooh la la!  At the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Lake Street, you're sure to hear plenty of French speaking voices coming from the France tourism office. Perhaps it's no coincidence then that the best cheese in the city is found in a petite shop across the intersection at Pastoral. What may be the norm in France certainly isn't here in the U.S., but that doesn't mean we can't have our cheese and eat it too. Pastoral focuses on small amounts of high quality cheeses from across the globe and if you want a taste, by all means ask! The fromagers are always happy to dig up bites of heaven for visitors to try. Those who become obsessed with their selection can go on to join the Cheese of the Month Club. Aside from the cheese, Pastoral has freshly baked breads, plenty of charcuterie, and an antipasti bar. At this point the only thing one needs for a party is the vino- and they've got plenty of it. There's a reason Pastoral keeps swiping all the awards in Chi-town so stop by and taste why.