Best Restaurants for Special Occasions in Gary, IN

Amazing dining experience- where staff are career professionals and food and service show their dedication to craft and hospitality

Our meal at Girl & the Goat was wonderful! The service was friendly and helpful. He knew the menu and ensured our experience delicious. We began our dinner with the naan. The dips served alongside were excellent. Next we enjoyed the chickpea fritters that we crisp with creamy inside, accented by pomegranate. We definitely wanted to try the goat empanadas, and were glad that we did. Our next course that we enjoyed were the wood-fired mussels. The broth was delicious. We ended with the roasted pig face. Our server enticed us with dessert. We finished our meal with the apple hand pie. Overall, we loved this place.

I took my mom for a Valentine's Day lunch. We went around 3 PM, and even though my reservation was at 3:30 PM the staff were nice enough to let me in. Granted it was a low volume of people eating at the time. We were sat near the windows which added to the ambience of our visit. The music made it feel like we were in an old fancy jazz club. I had the French onion soup and the chicken sandwich while my mom had the Walnut turkey club sandwich. Both sandwiches came with well seasoned fries. The food was delicious and our waitress, Annette, was very attentive and sweet. Overall we had a great experience and would definitely go again. I would highly recommend the Walnut Room.

What a treat to rediscover RL after moving from Chicago a few years ago! On a bitter cold and snowy day, we decided on a last minute late lunch and had a marvelous meal. Our server, Amanda was outstanding, personable and enthusiastically answered my husband's questions about the walleye, which he throughly enjoyed. It was light and flavorful and deemed as good as (though he meant better) than the shore lunches he had while fishing in Canada. I enjoyed the off the menu special crab cake that was sumptuous and delicious to the last bite....better than the ordinary restaurant fare. Though we usually like to read the dessert menu and then pass so we can smugly congratulate ourselves on our willpower, we gave in this day when Amanda told us about the peanut butter cheesecake-like texture presented as a small cake shape and drizzled with chocolate. Boy if there was ever a time to deviate from our cautious approach to desserts, this was it! This was how do they describe it, "smack your mama good?" That was it. So good we talked about it on our way back home to Michigan...the entire visit this time renewed our love for Chicago and the little moments like this that mean so much. A great way to spend some time during a classic urban winter snow storm. Thank you Amanda and the talented RL chef!

Each dish was crafted to perfection and the glass pour wine options were world-class. Service was personable and professional. It was all paced perfectly. I hesitate to say it, but I think it was the best duck I have ever eaten. The restaurant manages to give both "neighborhood" AND "Michelin" vibes.