Since everyone was so helpful with the recommendations I thought I would report back with my experiences.
Night one (Thanksgiving): MrsG decided that she had to have traditional Thanksgiving fare, and we didn't want to go too far for dinner. It turned out Harry Caray's was just a couple of blocks from our hotel, and they were serving turkey and the fixings, so we decided to give it a try. She had the turkey dinner, which was good, and I had the prime rib. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much (I'm not a fan of kitschy restaurants), but I was pleasantly surprised. The prime rib was quite good. Good flavor and very tender.
Night two: Dinner at Blackbird. It was nothing short of amazing from start to finish. In terms of meals it was by far the the highlight of the weekend. We each had an appetizer, main course, and dessert, and each was absolutely outstanding. As was noted earlier in the thread, it wasn't the quietest or most spacious restaurant, but it wasn't uncomfortable. I wouldn't go here for a quiet, romantic evening, but I never felt it was too loud/packed. The server was also quite good. He was very informative/helpful and there when we needed him, but he wasn't a pest (which annoys me).
Our orders:
Apps:
Roasted Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Baby Octopus Confit
Main Courses:
Wood-Grilled California Sturgeon
Roasted Wisconsin Veal Chop
Desserts:
Chocolate Dish (I can't remember the name)
Baked Brioche Custard
The chef also sent us a taste of some sturgeon belly and dark chocolate-covered ginger bread.
Day Three: Gino's East for deep dish pizza. This was recommended by a friend, so MrsG insisted that we give it a try. It was quite good. This was my first deep dish experience, so I can't compare, but it was quite tasty.
Night three: Riccardo Trattoria. Very, very good. It's definitely some of the best Italian I've had. We shared an appetizer, each had a main course, and shared dessert. The only complaint I had was the service. I asked our waiter for a wine rec, and he recommended two with my meal. The first was a miss, as it didn't really match my stated preference or pair well. The second was much better. He also wasn't particularly attentive, which is saying something given I prefer servers to only be around when I need them. This, however, was my only complaint, as the food was fantastic. Like Blackbird, it was also smaller and a bit loud, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Though I should note it was louder than Blackbird.
Our Meals:
App.:
Tuscan Style Cold Cut Plate (stated for two, but this was enough for four)
Main Courses:
Veal Ravioli "Massaia"
Pappardelle "Florentine"
Ricotta Cheesecake
So that's our culinary adventure. Everything was wonderful, and, again, I thank all the SFers who gave input. It made tracking down a couple of nice dinners much, much easier.
