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I visited the most romantic restaurant in the US. We spent $126 on a delicious dinner for an amazing value.

Lara WalshMar 11, 2024, 22:12 IST

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.

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

When we entered, the restaurant's interior had an elegant, intimate feel.

I loved the cozy, dimly lit entryway.Lara Walsh

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

We started the meal with wine and soup.

We drank wine and ate soup while we browsed the menu.Lara Walsh

We ordered seared scallops, which was one of my favorite dishes.

The scallops and mango salad balanced heat with sweetness. Lara Walsh

Next, we tried the bocaditos appetizer.

The bocaditos were topped with dollops of avocado crema.Lara Walsh

For our entrée, we split a surf-and-turf platter.

The platter came with shrimp, steak, salad, and potatoes.Lara Walsh

We felt we got a great value, especially in an expensive city like Chicago.

I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Penumbra. Lara Walsh

I ranked the buttermilk pancakes at 3 popular breakfast spots. The best came from the least widespread chain.