My boyfriend and I paid for a $126 dinner at Penumbra.
Lara Walsh
I went to Penumbra, which was named Yelp's most romantic restaurant in the US for 2024.
The Latin-inspired steak house in Chicago had an elegant, intimate ambiance.
Our $126 meal, which included wine, scallops, shrimp, and steak, was worth the price.
As a self-professed foodie, I had to visit Penumbra when Yelp deemed the Latin-inspired steak house the US's most romantic restaurant in 2024 ahead of Valentine's Day.
The Chicago-based restaurant is known for its steak, seafood, and wine bar. I went for dinner with my boyfriend, and we spent $126 for our whole meal.
Here's what my experience at Penumbra was like.
From the outside, Penumbra looked underwhelming.The windows were covered with curtains, so I couldn't see inside Penumbra.
Lara Walsh
Penumbra was located on a block of brick apartments, so my boyfriend and I initially drove past the entrance.
From the outside, the storefront looked small and unassuming. Maroon curtains and twinkly lights prevented outsiders from seeing inside the windows.
When we entered, the restaurant's interior had an elegant, intimate feel.I loved the cozy, dimly lit entryway.
Lara Walsh
The vibe inside the restaurant was a complete 180, with dim lighting, sultry Latin jazz music, and sheer blue draping and fairy lights along the ceiling.
The entrance had a charming waiting area with bottles of wine, candles, fresh bouquets of flowers, and couches. Prints with quotes about love hung along the wall.
We arrived right after Penumbra opened, so the hostess immediately seated us in the mostly empty dining room.
Penumbra's dining room had a romantic vibe and plenty of privacy between tables. Gold curtains hanging around the dining area separated the tables.
Lara Walsh
Many of the dining tables were separated by sheer gold curtains, which added a romantic vibe and some privacy. Customers could reserve those completely private tables in advance.
Gold curtains didn't surround our dining area, but I appreciated the bouquet of pink tulips on the table.
Except for one family, the diners at Penumbra were mainly couples who looked like they were celebrating a special occasion or on a datenight.
We started the meal with wine and soup.We drank wine and ate soup while we browsed the menu.
Lara Walsh
My boyfriend and I ordered glasses of red wine for $14 each and browsed the online menu, which we pulled up via a QR code on the table. I usually hate looking at menus on my phone, but this one had helpful pictures and detailed descriptions.
The menu included appetizers like shrimp and bocaditos, main courses like steak, lobster, and salmon, and a few vegetarian options.
As we browsed the menu, our waiter brought us complimentary soup made with roasted poblano peppers and potatoes. It tasted creamy, like corn chowder, but had a hint of spice.
We ordered seared scallops, which was one of my favorite dishes.The scallops and mango salad balanced heat with sweetness.
Lara Walsh
The perfectly seared scallops were topped with a spicy green serrano-avocado sauce and came with a mango salad.
They tasted fresh and paired well with the spicy sauce, mango salad, and acidic lemon. The scallops cost $19.
Next, we tried the bocaditos appetizer.The bocaditos were topped with dollops of avocado crema.
Lara Walsh
I was surprised by how much I liked the bocaditos, a quesadilla-style tomato-basil tortilla stuffed with tangy white cheese, scallions, parsley, and diced peppers.
The avocado crema on top of the bocaditos perfectly complemented the otherwise garlicky dish. This appetizer was $14.
For our entrée, we split a surf-and-turf platter.The platter came with shrimp, steak, salad, and potatoes.
Lara Walsh
Based on our waiter's recommendation, we ordered a 10-ounce medium-rare rib-eye steak and shadow shrimp, which cost $53. However, the steak, shrimp, potatoes, and salad platter weren't plated as nicely as the appetizer was.
The succulent, juicy jumbo shrimp was brushed with garlic butter and seasoned with spices that reminded me of Old Bay. I just wished our dinner had come with more than six pieces of shrimp.
Penumbra is a Latin-inspired steak house, so I had high expectations for our rib eye. It was good, but the meat wasn't as flavorful as I'd hoped, and it needed more chimichurri sauce drizzled on top.
The sliced roasted potatoes were OK, but nothing about them stood out. However, we enjoyed the house salad made with a fruity vinaigrette, apples, clementines, and cheese.
We felt we got a great value, especially in an expensive city like Chicago. I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Penumbra.
Lara Walsh
Throughout dinner, I fell in love with Penumbra's ambiance. The restaurant was unlike any other steak house I'd been to. I liked how the curtains and strategic decor created little pockets of privacy.
Our meal, including tax, cost $126. It felt appropriately priced, especially since we got a big steak, two appetizers, wine, and complimentary soup. I thought the steak could've been better, but it was still tasty.
Overall, this dining experience was a good reminder not to judge a book by its cover. I feel like I stumbled upon a hidden gem, and my boyfriend and I will definitely return for an affordable date night.
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