Geja's Cafe

True love never fades. Which might explain why this uber-romantic restaurant remains a requisite for Valentine’s Day and proposals—there’s just something so enchanting about sharing bowls of molten cheese and chocolate with a loved one. Geja’s Cafe has been wooing couples from its wine cellar-esque basement in Lincoln Park since 1965, and in those ensuing decades, it’s seen more engagements than any other restaurant in town—a recent tally clocked it as the site of 141,638 first dates and 16,616 engagements, proving the universal pangs of bubbling crocks of Gruyere fondue, skewers of beef tenderloin, and classical guitarists roving the candlelit basement, like something out of a Disney movie. While fondue has largely fallen by the wayside in America, Geja’s Cafe keeps the flame alive with an undeniable formula for swoon-worthy crock pots in a singularly dreamy space.
How to book: Reserve via OpenTable. Walk-ins are available. Geja’s also offers carryout directly through its website, though you’re on your own with the guitar.