Grant Achatz is a name that usually conjures images of floating pillows of nutmeg air or edible translucent balloons. It’s high-concept. It’s expensive. But back in 2011, when he and Nick Kokonas opened Next Restaurant & Bar in Chicago’s Fulton Market, they weren’t just opening another spot to eat. They were basically blowing up the entire business model of how a restaurant functions. Most people think of Next as "the place with the changing themes," which is true, but it’s actually way weirder and more successful than that.
It changes everything. Every four months.
Imagine the sheer logistical nightmare of firing your entire menu, your decor, your wine list, and even your staff’s uniforms three times a year. You’ve got a team that masters French Bourgeois cooking in the spring, only to have to pivot to Veganism or Ancient Rome by the summer. It’s chaotic. It’s brilliant. Most restaurants spend decades trying to find a "signature dish" they can ride until retirement. Next does the opposite. They kill their darlings every 120 days.
The Ticket System That Changed Your Reservation Habits
If you’ve ever used Tock to book a table, you have Next Restaurant & Bar to thank for it. Before they opened, the idea of "pre-paying" for dinner like a concert ticket was unheard of. People hated it at first. Critics called it elitist or annoying. But Kokonas realized that "no-shows" were killing the industry.
By selling tickets, they eliminated the risk.
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Think about it. If you book a table at a standard high-end spot and don't show up, the restaurant loses hundreds of dollars in food waste and labor. Next solved this by treating dinner like a Broadway show. You buy your seat. You show up. You eat what they give you. This financial stability is exactly what allows them to take massive creative risks that would bankrupt a traditional bistro.
Honestly, the bar side of the operation—The Aviary—is just as insane. They treat ice like a primary ingredient rather than a cooling agent. You might get a drink inside a hollow egg of ice that you have to crack open with a literal slingshot. It’s theater. But underneath the smoke and mirrors, the flavor profiles are actually grounded in rigorous culinary science.
Why the Themes Actually Matter
You might think the rotating themes are just a gimmick. They aren't. They’re a masterclass in culinary anthropology. When they did the "Paris 1906" menu, it wasn't just "French food." It was a painstaking recreation of Auguste Escoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire. They were using techniques that hadn't been seen in a commercial kitchen in a century.
Then they’ll flip the script.
Suddenly, you’re eating "Childhood," where the food looks like a forest floor or a school lunchbox. This constant evolution prevents "chef burnout." Most cooks at the Michelin level get bored making the same tasting menu for two years. At Next, the staff is constantly in "opening mode." That energy is palpable when you sit down. It’s a mix of terrified adrenaline and pure nerdery.
The bar program follows suit. It isn't just about booze. It’s about texture. You’ve got drinks that change flavor as the ice melts, or cocktails served in "Porthole" vessels filled with seasonal botanicals. It’s one of the few places where the "Bar" part of "Restaurant & Bar" isn't a secondary thought. It’s the co-star.
The Reality of Getting a Table
Let’s be real: it’s hard to get in. Because each menu is a limited run, the FOMO (fear of missing out) is baked into the brand. If you missed the "Kyoto" menu, you missed it forever. They don't do "best of" hits.
- Sign up for the mailing list. It sounds basic, but that’s where the ticket drops happen.
- Check the "secondary market." Tock allows for official ticket transfers, so you can sometimes snag a last-minute cancellation.
- Be flexible. Tuesdays at 9:30 PM are much easier to get than Saturday at 7:00 PM.
The "Next" Impact on Global Dining
We see the DNA of Next Restaurant & Bar everywhere now. That little "deposit" you have to pay on OpenTable? That’s Next. The trend of hyper-niche, temporary pop-ups? Next proved it could be a permanent business model.
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They even tackled the 2020 lockdowns better than most. While other fine-dining spots were trying to figure out how to put a 12-course meal in a cardboard box, Next pivoted to "Next: 5-in-1." They sold high-quality, approachable meals that still felt like an event. They stayed nimble. That’s the keyword: nimbleness.
Some critics argue that the soul of a restaurant is its consistency. They say a restaurant should be a "home." But Next argues that a restaurant can be a gallery. It’s art that you consume and then it’s gone. It’s ephemeral.
How to Approach Your First Visit
If you’re going, don’t look at the menu beforehand. Seriously. Half the fun is the surprise. The service is incredibly polished, but they aren't stuffy. They know the food is weird. They want to explain it to you.
Don't skip the pairings. Whether it's the wine pairing or the non-alcoholic one (which is world-class), the kitchen designs the food to work in tandem with the glass. If you just order a Diet Coke, you’re missing half the story.
Actionable Insights for the Future:
- Monitor the Tock Season: Tickets usually go on sale weeks in advance. Set an alert for the "Season Subscription" if you’re a local; it’s the only way to guarantee a seat at every theme.
- Budget for the "Whole" Experience: The ticket price usually doesn't include the service charge or beverages unless specified. Factor in an extra 30-40% on top of the base price to avoid sticker shock.
- Dress the Part (But Be Comfortable): While there isn't a strict "suit and tie" code, the room is sophisticated. Think "smart casual" with an emphasis on the "smart."
- Engage the Staff: Ask about the research. For the "Ancient Rome" menu, the team literally consulted historians. They love sharing those details, and it makes the meal feel way more grounded.
Next Restaurant & Bar remains a titan because it refuses to sit still. In an industry that usually rewards doing one thing perfectly forever, Achatz and his team found a way to do everything perfectly for a few months at a time. It’s a grueling, expensive, and beautiful way to run a business. And so far, nobody else has been able to copy it quite like they do.