Gingie: Chicago Travel Guide

Why Gingie is worth the trip

You feel the buzz before you even sit down. Gingie is chef Brian Lockwood’s debut solo restaurant, and River North has been talking about it since the doors opened.

It’s not just a chef’s project — it’s backed by Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz, the James Beard Award-winning duo behind some of Chicago’s most talked-about dining rooms. That pedigree means expectations are high, and the neighborhood has noticed.

Where to find it

Gingie sits in River North, the dense grid of restaurants, galleries, and nightlife just north of the Loop. This is Chicago’s dining epicenter — a neighborhood where new openings compete hard for attention, and where a debut backed by heavyweight restaurateurs doesn’t stay quiet for long.

Expect the area around Gingie to feel lively well into the evening. Valet stands, sidewalk waits, and a steady flow of cabs and rideshares are part of the River North rhythm, especially on weekend nights.

What makes it stand out

The story here is Brian Lockwood stepping into his own kitchen for the first time, with Boehm and Katz’s backing giving him room to execute a real vision rather than a stripped-down opening menu. That combination — a chef with something to prove, and investors known for polish — is why Gingie has become a name people drop when asked what’s new in Chicago.

Because this is a recently opened, trending spot, the specifics of the menu, hours, and reservation policy are still settling. Don’t assume anything you read elsewhere is current.

• Confirm current hours directly before heading over
• Book a reservation in advance if you can, especially for dinner
• Call ahead or check their official channels for any walk-in policy

Getting there

River North is easily reached from most of downtown Chicago on foot, by rideshare, or via the CTA. The Red Line’s Grand Avenue stop and the Brown/Purple Line’s Chicago stop both drop you within a short walk of the neighborhood’s restaurant core.

If you’re coming from elsewhere in the city, budget extra time for parking. River North’s street parking is competitive, and many visitors default to a nearby garage or valet rather than circling blocks.

When to go

New, buzzy openings in this part of Chicago tend to draw their heaviest crowds on Friday and Saturday nights. If you want a calmer read on the room — better chance at conversation, less of a wait at the host stand — a weeknight dinner is usually the safer bet.

Because Gingie is still new, exact opening days and seasonal hours haven’t fully stabilized in public listings yet. Treat any hours you see online as a starting point, not a guarantee, and reconfirm the same day if possible.

How to visit like a local

Chicagoans who eat their way through River North regularly know the drill with a hot new opening: book early, or plan to eat late.

• Reserve online as soon as a booking window opens, rather than calling and hoping for a table that night
• If you can’t get a reservation, ask about bar or counter seating — many River North kitchens hold a few spots back for walk-ins
• Dress for the neighborhood: River North skews polished but not formal, so smart-casual works for most tables
• Tip in the standard U.S. range for full-service dining, and expect card or contactless payment to be the norm
• The mistake most visitors make is showing up without a reservation on a Friday or Saturday and assuming they’ll be seated quickly — build in a wait, or come earlier in the week

Because Gingie is a debut project from a chef with backers this well known, it’s likely to stay in demand for a while. Going in with a reservation, realistic timing expectations, and a same-day check on hours is the difference between walking in smoothly and standing on the sidewalk wondering why the door’s locked.