Nic + Junior's Chicago
While Nic + Junior's is hidden from street view, it's easy to get to. You can even take the water taxi there! The Michigan Water Taxi stop is less than a block away. It's also walkable from the Millennium Metra Station and the CTA. If you get dropped off by a taxi, it will stop by the residential entrance at 405 North Wabash. You will see a little pizzeria and deli called Bongiorno's. Nic + Juniors' is in the same building; keep walking toward the Chicago River, and you will find it.
Before I dive into my dining experience, let's discuss the location. As a resident of Wicker Park, I don't dine in River North often. However, Nic + Junior solves a problem I frequently face: where to eat before going to a concert or theatre performance. Nic + Junior's is a walkable distance to the Chicago Theatre District, making the restaurant perfectly located for a pre-theatre or pre-concert meal. Whether you are heading to a show at the Goodman Theatre, Chicago Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, Joffrey Ballet, or Cadillac Palace, you can get there in about 5 minutes by car or 15 minutes on foot.
Nic + Junior's is the collaboration between Nic Yanes and Junior Borges, a pair of experienced chefs with unique backgrounds and perspectives. Nic started several Austin restaurants, including Juniper, before starting a hospitality management company. Junior Borges earned a James Beard nomination at Meridian in Dallas. Nic's specialty is Italian cuisine, while Junior's culinary style is influenced by his upbringing in Rio.
Nic Yanes and Junior Borges have been crafting this restaurant concept since becoming friends over a decade ago. The result is a sophisticated restaurant celebrating Italian and Brazilian flavors and traditions.
Where Nic + Junior's succeeds is in not being heavy-handed with blending Italian and Brazilian culinary ideas. It's done with discretion and intention. Some dishes are one or the other - nothing feels forced.
Reservations are available via Tock, and diners can choose between two experiences offered in separate spaces: the bar with an à la carte menu and the dining room with a tasting menu.
What is referred to as "the bar" is really a sizable sunlit dining room with a long bar. Banquettes for four are positioned across from the bar, and several standalone tables can be found in the far corner of the space. The warm color palette creates a welcoming space.
The Cocktails
Offering classic and new takes on beloved cocktails is the theme of the cocktail menu at Nic + Junior's. My husband, Charles, is a self-declared Chicago martini expert. Lucky for him, the bar menu has two, and he tried both.
The 50/50 Martini is made with gin, vermouth, bitters, and lemon twist—no surprises, but perfectly executed. N + J's Martini is also gin-based, with a house Vermouth blend plus a "garnish salad" - a skewer with pearl onion, olive, and cornichon. Charles says the N + J's Martini was his favorite.
I started with the Strawberry Negroni, a boozy cocktail that invites strawberries to the party without overwhelming the classic bitterness of a Negroni. Will I request that Nic bring these to our next party? Absolutely.
Next, Nic suggested I try his favorite cocktail, the Sake Southside, Nic + Junior's take on the Southside, a classic gin drink with lime and mint. The Sake Southside is a smooth sipper made with sake, yuzu, shiso, and ume.
The Food
Nic + Junior's bar menu is divided into sections with antipasti, bar bites, pastas, mains, and sweets. The antipasti and bar bites are shareable dishes that can accompany a drink at the bar or kick off a full meal. Refreshingly, the pastas and mains are entree-sized portions, not the shareable small plates that have dominated the Chicago dining scene for far too long. Yes, you could share them, but they are the ideal size for an individual's main course.
Our meal started with the Pao de Queijo, the classic Brazilian cheese bread - crispy on the outside and doughy and cheesy on the inside. It's a must-order introduction to the restaurant.
Nic sent out the Hot Capicola Spiedini, a dish that hadn't caught my eye but certainly stole my heart. It is made with house-cured capicola folded onto skewers, heated over a grill, and served topped with a bright saba and mocha campanha (essentially a Brazilian salsa). The richness of the meat and the contrast of the fresh salsa were a delight.
I wanted to try the restaurant's take on classic bar food, so I ordered the Cheeseburger. It comes on a fresh housemade bun topped with a slightly spicy Xingu beer mustard, caramelized onions, gruyere, and pickles. It is accompanied by extra-crunchy homemade tater tots. They took the idea of a bar burger and created something more refined and incredibly satisfying.
Charles had steak on his mind so we also tried the Wagyu Bavette with grilled maitake mushrooms topped with an herbaceous ramp salsa verde. Steak dishes tend to be heavy - this was not. The flavors were bold but light. The quality of the steak is in line with that of top steakhouses.
The Brigadeiro Tiramisu made with requeijão (a Brazilian cheese comparable to ricotta), hazelnuts, cachaca, and sprinkles is a little bite of heaven.
On my list to try next time I visit: the pastas. I had a taste of the Occhi, a pasta with artichoke, prosciutto di Parma, and sage at the opening party, and it was splendid. The traditional Spaghetti with cured San Marzano tomatoes, toasted breadcrumbs, basil, and fiori Sardo caught my attention. My friend Savannah, Nic's wife, recommends the Chicken Piri Piri Parmigiano, and I haven't stopped thinking about it.
I haven't dined at the fine-dining restaurant yet, but I went to the opening party hosted in that space. Fine-dining restaurants can feel austere and pretentious. Nic + Junior's is inviting and comfortable. The food promises not to be "tweezer food". The tasting menu balances formality and approachability and is updated daily.
This review of Nic + Juniors isn't sponsored, and we paid for our meal. I share what I love. I did attend an opening party.
