There's no denying that Chicago is a great place to be single, but we could all use a break from the dating-app grind. Enter Dating IRL, an original Time Out Chicago feature that sets up two eligible singles on a blind date at a Chicago hot spot. After a night out, each dater reports back with honest feedback on first impressions, chemistry and awkward moments. This time, we matched Marcus and Nolan and sent them to Quiote in Logan Square for dinner and drinks. Let's see how it went.
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Photograph: Grace DuVal
THE DATERS
NOLAN, 28: Physician, optimist, food enthusiast
MARCUS, 25: Designer, indoor-plant collector, Instagram junkie
Photograph: Grace DuVal
FIRST IMPRESSION
NOLAN
“We walked into the restaurant at the same time, so I met him before we sat down. He seemed comfortable and confident. I could tell we would get along.”
MARCUS
“We started talking right away. I could tell he was nervous, so I went into joke mode to ease the situation. After that, Nolan warmed up, and the night went by great.”
Photograph: Grace DuVal
CHEMISTRY
NOLAN
“The date lasted a while. We covered a lot of ground for a first date: interests, career, family. Our connection felt more platonic, but I enjoyed getting to know him.”
MARCUS
“I got the feeling from the start that it was more of a friendly connection, but we got a bit deeper as the drinks started flowing. He asked for my number afterward.”
AWKWARD MOMENT
NOLAN
“To be honest, I can’t think of any particularly awkward moment, but that could mean I was consistently awkward throughout the entire date.”
MARCUS
"Nolan kept asking our server for recommendations—mostly because we were talking with each other—but we couldn’t remember what those recommendations were.”
Photograph: Courtesy Quiote
THE DATE SPOT: Quiote
NOLAN
“I prioritize portion size and taste equally, and Quiote hit the mark. The steak was amazing, and the cocktail menu was varied but accessible.”
MARCUS
“I love anything involving tacos or tequila, so it was automatically going to be a hit with me. I’d come for drinks with friends or another blind date.”
Photograph: Grace DuVal
THE VERDICT
NOLAN ♥♥♥♥ (out of 5)
“Our interests and experiences are not incredibly similar, and the romantic feeling wasn’t there for me, but I would hang out with Marcus as friends.”
MARCUS ♥♥♥♥ (out of 5)
“Once we got through the initial awkwardness, it was nonstop laughs, jokes and meaningful dialogue. It doesn’t hurt to have a constantly full glass of mezcal.”