Heaven on Seven

Yeah, it takes somewhat of a theme-park approach, but this homegrown minichain of Creole food is still the closest you’ll get to New Orleans in Chicago. Bottles of hot sauce take up as much room on these tables as the food does. Unless, of course, you order one of the po’ boys (the shrimp is a good bet), which are piled so high they necessitate a knife and fork. Soups like the hearty gumbo stick to the theme, but if you’re still skeptical about the authenticity of it all, order one of the hurricanes served in a tall, curvy glass—about halfway through you should start feeling just like you did on Bourbon Street.