The Top 100 Places to Eat Near Justice of the Pies
-
-
-
Rank 3. Virtue
Southern
A Bib Gourmand Southern restaurant anchoring Hyde Park, where the university crowd comes to eat properly instead of grabbing something fast. The room has a real bar and a dining room that actually looks like someone tried, and the kitchen turns out Southern cooking that feels both considered and genuinely comforting. The kind of place where you leave full in a way that takes planning. Dress like you have somewhere to be afterward.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Winner · Emerging Chef · Damarr Brown
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Winner · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Erick Williams
- Food & Wine 2025 · The Top 15 US Restaurants
-
-
Rank 5. Calumet Fisheries
Seafood
-
Rank 6. Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern
Cajun & Creole
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Neighborhood Restaurant
- The Infatuation #19 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
-
Rank 7. Sanders BBQ Supply Co.
Barbecue
- The New York Times 2025 · The Restaurant List
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Nick Kleutsch and James Sanders
-
Rank 8. Birrieria Ocotlan
Mexican
-
-
-
-
Rank 12. Vito & Nick's
Tavern-style Pizza
-
-
Rank 14. Moody Tongue
Contemporary
A Michelin-starred tasting menu perched above a working brewery, where the beer pairing isn't an afterthought but the whole point. The kitchen turns out genuinely ambitious contemporary food, and the house-crafted brews keep pace with every course in a way that makes wine pairing feel a little old-fashioned. The room is dark, close, and quietly serious, full of people who did their research and dressed accordingly.
-
-
Rank 16. Smyth
Contemporary
Three Michelin stars in a room that feels more like a chic lounge than a cathedral to fine dining, which is exactly why Smyth works. The open kitchen keeps things human while the kitchen does quietly wild things with seasonal produce, some of it from their own garden. Couples on serious dates and food obsessives in nice sneakers fill the room, all of them pretending to stay calm when the next course arrives.
-
Rank 17. Oriole
French-Japanese New American
Two Michelin stars in a converted warehouse where you ride a freight elevator to reach one of Chicago's most serious tasting menus. The room is quietly dramatic, the service is the kind that anticipates things before you ask, and the cooking blends French and Japanese instincts in ways that feel inevitable rather than showy. Couples dressed like it matters share the room with people who've clearly been saving up for this one.
- AAA Five Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Noah Sandoval
-
Rank 18. Oliver’s
Seafood
Tucked along S Wabash, Oliver's is a cozy neighborhood seafood spot that somehow feels like a Hollywood set decorator raided a 1930s studio lot. The room is small and warm, with paintings on the walls and cushioned chairs that make everyone look slightly more glamorous than they are. The kitchen keeps things unfussy, letting quality ingredients do the talking with just enough global influence to keep things interesting. Save room for dessert.
- Artful Living 2025 · The Top 5 Most Stylish Restaurants in America
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 19. Harold's Chicken Shack
American
-
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Chef of the Year · Kevin Hickey
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurant
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
-
Rank 21. Ever
Creative
Curtis Duffy is one of the few chefs a casual diner might actually Google on the way to the restaurant, and Ever is why. It's a two-Michelin-star tasting menu in Fulton Market, with the kind of room where the lighting is moody, the tables are far apart, and the service knows exactly what it's doing. First-date energy, but make it formal. The cocktail bar next door, After, is the perfect excuse to keep the night going.
- AAA Five Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- World Culinary Awards 2025 · Nominee · North America's Best Fine Dining Experience
-
Rank 22. Alinea
Creative
Grant Achatz's modernist fine dining temple has held two Michelin stars forever, and dinner here is less a meal than a controlled fever dream. Scented vapors drift by, courses arrive in forms you won't predict, and dessert gets splattered directly onto the table like a Jackson Pollock. The crowd is a mix of anniversary couples and people who planned this trip around the reservation. Dress up; this one earns it.
-
Rank 23. Sepia
New American
Sepia is a Michelin-starred fine dining room that manages to feel genuinely grown-up without making you feel like you're in trouble. The space was a print shop in another life, and the exposed brick and dramatic chandeliers give it real bones. The chef pulls from Southeast Asian, Korean, and Mediterranean influences without letting any one of them take over, so the menu reads American but keeps surprising you. First-date energy, with everyone looking quietly pleased with themselves.
-
Rank 24. Milly’s Pizza In The Pan
Pan-style Pizza
- Time Out Chicago Pie · The 18 best pizzas in the world right now
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Pizza
- The Infatuation #23 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
-
Rank 25. Kasama
Filipino
Kasama is a two-Michelin-star tasting menu spot in Ukrainian Village that makes a genuinely compelling case for modern Filipino cooking, which is reason enough to book. The husband-and-wife team behind it brings serious fine-dining chops to dishes that feel personal and inventive without being showy about it. The room is unfussy, the crowd leans curious and dressed-up-but-not-stuffy, and the desserts alone justify staying for every course.
- Michelin Guide 2 Stars
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Winner · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Tim Flores and Genie Kwon
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
-
Rank 26. Birrieria Zaragoza
Mexican
This tiny taco shop on the Southwest Side has a Bib Gourmand and a one-item menu, which is either the most confident move in Chicago or just the most correct one. That item is birria, slow-stewed goat served bone-in or bone-out, plate or bowl. The regulars already know to go bone-in. Everyone else figures it out fast. Cash, no frills, and a room full of people who drove across town on purpose.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Time Out #2 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
- The Infatuation #18 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
-
Rank 27. Elske
Danish-influenced New American
A Michelin-starred fine dining spot on the West Loop strip that somehow skips the stuffiness most places at this level can't resist. You pick tasting menu or à la carte, both leaning into seasonal vegetables and clean, quietly Nordic flavors. The desserts are genuinely worth saving room for. Couples on anniversaries and people who dress well but don't want to feel judged for it fill the room, especially the patio when the weather cooperates.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Pastry Chef of the Year · TC Lumbar
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker · Anna Posey
-
Rank 28. EL Ideas
Contemporary
This Michelin-starred tasting menu operates like the world's best dinner party, because technically it is one. The chef lives upstairs, brings everyone in at once, and lets you wander the kitchen while the food is being cooked. Bring your own wine, as much as you want. The cooking is genuinely playful and weird in the best way. It draws the kind of crowd that's done fine dining and finds this more fun, which is probably correct.
-
Rank 29. Feld
Contemporary
A Michelin-starred tasting menu in Ukrainian Village that's genuinely obsessed with what's growing nearby, and it shows. The kitchen sits in the middle of the room, so you're basically watching the whole performance whether you planned to or not. The crowd tends toward curious food people who actually read the menu. If the weather's good, the backyard fire pit turns dinner into something you'll still be talking about Monday.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Winner · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Jacob Potashnick
- Bon Appétit 2025 · America's Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 30. Indienne
Modern Indian
Michelin-starred modern Indian fine dining on a quiet River North block, where the tasting menu arrives looking like gallery pieces and somehow still manages to taste like home cooking from across the subcontinent. The room pulls off warehouse bones alongside white tablecloths and rose-pink booths without breaking a sweat, which tells you exactly who's in it: people dressed up enough to feel the occasion but too cool to admit they're impressed.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Sujan Sarkar
- Esquire 2022 · #36 · The Best New Restaurants in America
-
Rank 31. Galit
Modern Middle Eastern
Galit is a Michelin-starred prix-fixe on Lincoln Ave doing modern Middle Eastern food that actually earns the hype. The hummus alone would justify the trip, and the warm pita coming off the flame seals the deal. Wines sourced from Armenia, Lebanon, and Palestine give the beverage program a genuinely interesting angle. The room runs warm and lively, full of people who dressed up just enough to feel like the night matters.
-
- Time Out Chicago Pie · The 18 best pizzas in the world right now
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Pizza
-
Rank 33. Topolobampo
Mexican
Rick Bayless is one of those celebrity chefs even non-food people actually know, and Topolobampo is where he does his finest work. It's a proper fine dining room on the more dressed-up end of Chicago's restaurant scene, built around seasonal Mexican cooking that takes tradition seriously without getting stiff about it. The agave spirits pairing is genuinely worth doing. The crowd runs dressed-up date-night to special-occasion regulars who know exactly what they're ordering.
-
Rank 34. Boka
Modern New American
Boka has held a Michelin star for years and somehow never feels like it's trying too hard about it. It's an upscale dinner spot on North Halsted that manages to feel romantic without being stiff, the kind of room where date-night couples and quietly celebratory groups both look like they belong. The modern American menu leans seasonal and precise, and the cocktail program is worth treating as a whole separate agenda.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Chef · Lee Wolen
-
Rank 35. Mariscos San Pedro
Mexican Seafood
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Pastry Chef of the Year · Antonio Incandela
- The Infatuation #8 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
- Time Out #15 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 36. Next
Contemporary
Every few months, Next completely reinvents itself around a new culinary theme, so the menu you heard about is probably already gone. It's a Michelin-starred tasting experience in Fulton Market where the kitchen commits fully to whatever world they've built, whether that's ancient Rome or classic French haute cuisine. The crowd leans into it too, dressed up and ready to be surprised. Dinner here is genuinely theatrical, in the best possible way.
-
Rank 37. Asador Bastian
Basque-inspired Steakhouse
Basque-style grilling doesn't have a lot of outposts in the Midwest, but Asador Bastian makes a serious case for Chicago as a place that gets it. This is a chophouse built around fire, aged beef, and the kind of quiet confidence that doesn't need to announce itself. The crowd tends toward people who've thought about where their steak came from. Ranked among the top steak restaurants in North America, and it shows.
- World's 101 Best #15 · World's Best Steak Restaurants
- Esquire 2025 · Dirty Dirty · The Best Martinis in America
- Esquire 2023 · The Spanglish · The Best Martinis in America
-
Rank 38. Esmé
Contemporary
Esmé holds a Michelin star and earns it by treating dinner as a genuine art event, not just a metaphor for one. It's a fine dining tasting menu in Lincoln Park, set in a bright, gallery-like space where each course arrives on a piece made by a local artist. The crowd leans creative and curious, dressed up but not stuffy. The food is genuinely surprising, in a good way, not a "why is there foam on this" way.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Jenner Tomaska
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 39. Monteverde
Italian
Sarah Grueneberg is a Chicago name people actually recognize, and her Italian spot on the Near West Side lives up to the reputation. It's a warm, lively casual restaurant where the pasta is made in plain sight behind the bar, which doubles as the best seat in the house. The crowd shows up early and fills every stool before dinner even gets going, so book ahead or just commit to the wait.
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Emerging Chef · Bailey Sullivan
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Chef of the Year · Sarah Grueneberg
- Eater 2016 · The Best New Restaurants in America
-
Rank 40. Maxwells Trading
Contemporary
Half the West Loop seems to have the same idea on any given night, which tells you something. Maxwells Trading is a lively, mid-upscale restaurant in a converted warehouse where the cooking plays across Japanese, Chinese, and Thai influences in ways that actually make sense together. The crowd is youngish and social, the bar is genuinely long, and the drinks keep pace with the noise. A rooftop garden quietly supplies the kitchen, which feels very Chicago.
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Rising Chef · Chris Jung
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower
- Wine Enthusiast 2025 · Top 50 New Restaurants
-
Rank 41. Cariño
Mexican
A Michelin-starred taco omakase tucked under the rumbling El in Uptown, Cariño is the kind of place that makes you rethink what Mexican food can be. The chef runs a creative, fast-paced tasting menu where dishes come quick and keep surprising you. Grab a counter seat so you can watch the small team work. The crowd skews adventurous and date-night-ready, which tracks when "chips and salsa" turns out to be something else entirely.
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Best New Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Norman Fenton
-
Rank 42. HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen
Vietnamese
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Thai Dang
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Thai Dang
-
Rank 43. il Carciofo
Roman Italian
Joe Flamm won Top Chef and parlayed it into one of Chicago's most reliably packed Italian spots. Il Carciofo is his love letter to Rome, a spacious, buzzy trattoria in the West Loop where the crowd skews stylish and the pasta is made on-site. The carciofo alla giudia, deep-fried artichokes buried in Pecorino, are reason enough to come. The all-Italian wine list and amaro cocktails are worth staying for.
- Condé Nast Traveler 2024 · The best new restaurants in the world
- The Infatuation 2025 · #10 · Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Frank Callero, Joe Flamm, and Steven Zaleski - Day Off Group
-
Rank 44. Lula Cafe
American
Lula Cafe is the kind of neighborhood restaurant that's been around forever yet somehow never feels tired. It holds down a corner of Logan Square with a rotating seasonal menu that keeps locals coming back obsessively, and the Michelin Bib Gourmand crowd nodding along. The room fills with regulars who already know what they want, plus a few newcomers nervously eyeing the chalkboard. Cozy, unhurried, and genuinely good.
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Winner · Outstanding Hospitality
- James Beard Awards 2022 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Jason Hammel
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
-
Rank 45. Brasero
South American
- Wine Enthusiast 2024 · Forward 50 Restaurants
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Design
-
Rank 46. avec
Mediterranean
Avec has been packing in West Randolph regulars for years, and the whole room is basically one long communal table lined with people who came for a quick bite and stayed for two more rounds of wine. It's a Mediterranean-leaning wine restaurant with bold, seasonal plates and a kitchen that clearly enjoys itself. The wood-clad room is cozy to the point of intimate, so expect to make friends with whoever's sitting next to you.
- Wine Enthusiast 2023 · Forward 50 Restaurants
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Restuarant of the Year
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 47. Apolonia
Contemporary Mediterranean
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Sommelier of the Year · Jelena Prodan
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Chef of the Year · Stephen Gillanders
-
Rank 48. Schwa
Contemporary
Schwa is a Michelin-starred tasting menu spot that has absolutely zero interest in behaving itself. No servers, rap blasting overhead, and a kitchen that seems to treat every convention as a dare. The crowd is adventurous and a little smug about knowing this place exists, and honestly, fair enough. The food is genuinely unhinged in the best way, and the chefs might end your meal by offering you a shot of whiskey.
-
Rank 49. HaiSous
Vietnamese
A Bib Gourmand Vietnamese spot in Pilsen that goes well beyond pho and banh mi, serving dishes most menus never bother with. The room has good bones, an open kitchen, a proper bar, and communal tables that fill up with the kind of regulars who already know to order the duck salad. The chicken wings have a reputation that precedes them, and the coconut rice pudding is a genuinely good reason to skip dessert everywhere else for a while.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Thai Dang
-
Rank 50. Mi Tocaya Antojeria
Mexican
Logan Square's favorite neighborhood antojeria earns its Bib Gourmand by going deeper than the usual Mexican playbook, pulling from Aztec traditions most places don't bother with. The vibe is warm and a little festive, the kind of room where the table next to you is clearly having a better time than they planned. Order the seasonal cocktails, share a bunch of small plates, and let the knowledgeable staff steer you somewhere interesting.
- Eater The All-Time Eater 38
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Diana Dávila
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
-
Rank 51. Shanghai Terrace
Chinese
- Forbes Travel Guide Forbes Four Star
- AAA Four Diamonds
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
-
Rank 52. Mako
Japanese
Tucked behind an unmarked door on a noisy stretch of Lake Street, this Michelin-starred omakase fits just 22 people and books up fast, so plan ahead. Once you're inside, the city noise disappears and the whole room watches the same counter in respectful silence, like a congregation that really loves fish. The chef's style is precise and quietly inventive, and dessert actually earns its spot at the end.
-
Rank 53. Creepies
French
The name is a bit of a fake-out: this is a genuinely charming French bistro on Randolph with checkered floors, art on the stone walls, and a short menu that splits the difference between classic bistro cooking and something a little more Midwestern and personal. The crowd skews neighborhood regulars who know a good thing, plus date-night couples still figuring that out. Simple done well is the whole point, and it mostly nails it.
- Esquire 2025 · Vesper · The Best Martinis in America
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation 2025 · #9 · Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 54. Mirra
Mexican fusion Indian
Mirra is a Bucktown spot mashing up Mexican and Indian cooking in ways that sound like a dare and taste like a great idea. It's a lively, mid-priced dinner-out kind of place, and the crowd is young, loud, and very into it. The open kitchen cranks, the music is up, and the tables are close enough that you'll probably end up talking to strangers. Order a bunch of things and share, because that's clearly the move here. It earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and honestly you'll see why fast.
- Midwest Living 2025 · Best of the Midwest
- The New York Times 2025 · Chaas Aguachile · The Best Restaurant Dishes We Ate Across the U.S.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
-
Rank 55. Obélix
French
A white-tablecloth French bistro in River North that leans into the rich stuff without apology, duck and foie gras appearing on the menu more often than most places dare. Everything is made in-house, the dining room is loud and bright, and the crowd dresses up just enough to match the seafood towers landing on nearby tables. Even brunch skips the egg-white omelet crowd entirely, which tells you everything.
- James Beard Awards 2023 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- The Infatuation #12 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
-
- 50 Best 2025 · One to Watch Award
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Bar Team – U.S. Central
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. Central
-
- The New York Times 22 of the Best Bakeries Across the U.S. Right Now
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Pastry Chef of the Year · Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader & Ben Lustbader
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Ben Lustbader and Sarah Mispagel
-
Rank 58. Atelier
New American
A Michelin-starred tasting menu spot tucked into Lincoln Square like it has nothing to prove, which is exactly the energy. The room is small and quiet, the kind of place where couples lean in and regulars look smug for having figured it out early. The kitchen works in full view, turning out globally influenced dishes that feel comforting and technically serious at the same time. Wear something that says you tried, but not too hard.
-
Rank 59. Daisies
Italian
Daisies is a Bib Gourmand pasta spot in Logan Square where the vegetable-forward, house-made pasta game is genuinely strong, and the room is bright enough that you won't feel like you're eating in a cave. The crowd skews neighborhood creative, the kind of people who know their way around a wine list but aren't showing off about it. Save room for dessert, because there's a full bakery in back turning out pastries and ice cream that make leaving feel like a bad idea.
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Becca Petersen
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
-
-
Rank 61. Rose Mary
Croatian Eastern European
Rose Mary is a lively, airy Croatian restaurant in Fulton Market from a James Beard Award-winning chef, and the room alone, all whitewashed walls and hanging plants, earns its following before the food even arrives. The menu draws from the Adriatic, with pastas, burek, and charcoal-hearth mains that hit somewhere between rustic and refined. The crowd skews date-night and celebratory, dressed just enough to feel like the meal matters.
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Restuarant of the Year
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
- Time Out The best bakeries in America
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Pastry Chef of the Year · Bo Durham
-
Rank 63. Brindille
French
- AAA Four Diamonds
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Hospitality
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
-
Rank 64. Tre Dita
Tuscan Italian
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. Central
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Best Design
-
Rank 65. perilla
Korean
A Korean steakhouse that actually earns the name, perilla serves contemporary takes on familiar Korean dishes in a sleek, windowlit space on a buzzy stretch of Milwaukee. The crowd leans young and well-dressed, the kind of people who know what banchan is but aren't going to lecture you about it. A Michelin Bib Gourmand, and the tea cellar menu at the end is genuinely worth skipping dessert for.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Design
- The Infatuation 2024 · Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 66. Jeong
Korean
Jeong is the rare tasting-menu spot where Korean flavors get the full fine-dining treatment without losing any of their soul. The room is sleek and intimate, and the crowd skews couples on a serious date, dressed like they looked in the mirror twice. The kitchen takes high-quality ingredients and pushes them somewhere inventive and genuinely exciting. It's the kind of meal you'll still be talking about on the drive home.
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Hospitality
- Bon Appétit 2019 · America's Best New Restaurants
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 67. Miru
Japanese
-
- International Baking Industry Expo 2025 · Winner: Arshiya Farheen · World Bread Awards USA · Challah
-
Rank 69. Valhalla
New American Cocktail Bar
A chef's counter tasting menu in Wicker Park where the kitchen pulls from Filipino, Mexican, Chinese, and Indian cooking all in the same meal, and somehow it holds together. The room is dark and intimate, the kind of place where everyone's dressed a little sharp and quietly thrilled with themselves for getting a seat. The cocktail and wine pairings are genuinely worth doing, not just an upsell.
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Sommelier of the Year · Jelena Prodan
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Chef of the Year · Stephen Gillanders
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 70. JM Seafood
Seafood
-
Rank 71. Pleasant House Pub
British
Bib Gourmand-winning British pub on the south side that takes its pies seriously, which sounds modest until one arrives at your table and you realize you're not leaving until the plate is clean. The crust is properly flaky, the fillings are hearty, and the whole operation feels warmer and more modern than the concept suggests. The crowd is neighborhood regulars who know what they're doing, and they're almost always right.
-
Rank 72. Chef's Table at Astor Club
Contemporary New American
Ten seats, one seating, everyone eating together inside a private members club on the Gold Coast. Chef's Table at Astor Club runs a tasting menu that leans into luxury without taking itself too seriously, and the room feels like a dinner party thrown by someone with very good taste and a serious pantry. You don't need a membership, just a reservation, which is harder to get than you'd think.
-
Rank 73. Pizz’amici
Tavern-Style Pizza
- The Infatuation 2025 · #10 · The Top-Rated New Restaurants
- Esquire 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The Infatuation 2025 · #1 · Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 74. Kumiko
Japanese Cocktail Bar
Julia Momosé is a name even casual drinkers know, and her Japanese cocktail bar and tasting menu spot in the West Loop is the kind of place that makes you feel like you've been let in on something. The staff somehow manage to be both impeccably sharp and genuinely warm, which is harder than it sounds. Go for the Japanese spirits, stay for the food, and let them pair drinks with both.
- The Pinnacle Guide 2026 · 3 Pins
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Winner · World's Best Bar
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Winner · Outstanding Bar
-
Rank 75. Akahoshi Ramen
Noodles
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Rising Chef · Mike Satinover
- Bon Appétit 2024 · America's Best New Restaurants
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
-
Rank 76. Momotaro
Modern Japanese
This sleek West Loop Japanese restaurant is the kind of place where a wall-mounted departure board tracks the whisky selection, which tells you everything about the vibe. It's lively and packed most nights, with a crowd that dressed up just enough and is quietly impressed with itself for being here. The kitchen runs multiple stations, so the menu sprawls in the best way, from robata-yaki to solid nigiri. Go thirsty.
-
-
Rank 78. John’s Food and Wine
Modern New American
John's Food and Wine is a laid-back neighborhood spot on Halsted that somehow makes you feel like a regular on your first visit. Counter ordering sounds like a dealbreaker until the food arrives and you immediately forgive everyone involved. The wine list is genuinely thoughtful, the cooking is sharper than the room lets on, and the beef fat fries alone are reason enough to come back. Bring someone you actually like talking to.
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best New Restaurant
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #13 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 79. Anelya
Eastern European
A cozy, unpretentious Eastern European restaurant in Avondale where the whole evening feels like being welcomed into someone's grandmother's house, if grandma also had a really good Balkan wine list. Start at the bar with a shot of horseradish vodka to set the tone, then let the zakusky cart roll up and make your decisions for you. The crowd leans curious and neighborhood-loyal, which is usually a good sign.
- Midwest Living 2024 · Best of the Midwest
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Hospitality
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 80. Giant
New American
Giant is a Bib Gourmand neighborhood spot on Armitage that makes familiar American food feel genuinely exciting without making a big deal about it. Onion rings, ribs, crab salad, pasta, all of it tweaked in ways you didn't see coming but immediately make sense. The room is small and cozy, full of locals who clearly come here a lot, and there's a chef's counter in the back if you want the full kitchen theater experience.
-
Rank 81. J.P. Graziano
Italian
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Best Counter Service
- The Infatuation #10 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
-
Rank 82. Ocean Grill & Bar
Vietnamese
-
Rank 83. Maple & Ash
Steakhouse
This Gold Coast steakhouse doubles as a party, which is either your scene or it isn't, but it probably is. Wood-fired dry-aged steaks are the main event, though the seafood holds its own too. The room runs multilevel with leather couches, clubby music, and a photo booth, so dress accordingly. First-daters, birthday tables, and people who definitely expensed it fill the place out nicely.
- AAA Four Diamonds
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Top 10 U.S. Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central
-
Superkhana International is a Bib Gourmand neighborhood restaurant on Diversey where Indian cooking gets loose in the best way. The kitchen mashes traditional flavors with whatever feels right, and it works. Naan shows up as a vehicle for things that have no business being on naan, yet here you are, ordering another one. The crowd is relaxed, the bar is long and handsome, and nobody here is taking themselves too seriously.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Eater Chicago’s Best Pizza
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 85. S.K.Y.
Contemporary
S.K.Y. is a contemporary dinner spot that bounces around global flavors without committing to any single passport, and it works. The room is airy and dim, the kind of place where you dress up a little without feeling overdressed. Tikka masala butter on lamb meatballs, mushroom bulgogi, banana budino that refuses to leave the menu, and honestly, good for it. The crowd leans date-night, and nobody's complaining.
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Sommelier of the Year · Jelena Prodan
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Chef of the Year · Stephen Gillanders
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
-
Rank 86. La Chaparrita
Mexican
-
Rank 87. Nadu
Regional Indian
Nadu is a lively, share-everything regional Indian spot on Lincoln Ave from the chef behind the Michelin-starred Indienne, so the pedigree is real. The room runs warm and the menu swings between vegetarian and non-vegetarian plates meant for the table, not just you. It's the kind of place where everyone ends up ordering more than planned. No reservation? The bar has you covered.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- Eater 2025 · The Best New Restaurants in America
- The Infatuation 2025 · #2 · Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
-
Rank 88. Queen Mary
British-Inspired Cocktail Bar
- 50 Best 2026 · #80 · North America's 50 Best Bars
- Esquire 2023 · Market Price Martini · The Best Martinis in America
- Esquire 2024 · Martini Service · The Best Martinis in America
-
Rank 89. Bavette's Bar & Boeuf
Steakhouse
Bavette's nails the thing most steakhouses get wrong: it actually feels fun. Think speakeasy, not expense account, with exposed brick, mismatched lighting, and leather sofas packed with people who are clearly having a better night than wherever you almost went instead. The steaks are expertly done, the raw bar holds its own, and the room is loud enough that nobody hears you order the steak frites twice.
-
Rank 90. Taqueria Chingón
Mexican
This Bib Gourmand taqueria in West Loop takes Mexico City street food as a starting point, then wanders off-script in the best possible way. Duck carnitas, blood sausage tacos, fried queso with mole negro, all of it landing on freshly griddled corn tortillas. The crowd is young and casual, hovering under the covered patio waiting for their order like it's the best line they've ever stood in. Follow their Instagram if you want to catch the seasonal specials before they disappear.
- Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand
- James Beard Awards 2024 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Nicolas Poilevey and Oliver Poilevey
-
Rank 91. Frontera Grill
Regional Mexican
Rick Bayless built his reputation here, and the Bib Gourmand backs it up. This is a lively sit-down spot in River North where the margaritas get shaken tableside and the menu chases regional Mexican cooking you won't find at your average taqueria. The molés alone take days to make. The room is loud and warm in all the right ways, packed with people who came for a real meal and stayed for another round.
-
-
Rank 93. The Loyalist
French
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
- Time Out #18 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
-
- The Banchets 2025 · Nominee · Rising Chef · John Dahlstrom
- Time Out #20 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 95. Phil's Pizza
Tavern-Style Pizza
-
Rank 96. Kyōten
Sushi
- The Banchets 2025 · Winner · Chef of the Year · Otto Phan
- Time Out #3 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
-
Rank 97. North Pond
Seasonal New American
North Pond sits in Lincoln Park inside a building that used to warm up ice skaters, which sounds like a fun fact until you see the view across the pond with the Chicago skyline behind it and suddenly nothing is funny anymore, it's just beautiful. The tasting menu leans seasonal and creative, pulling in Latin and Asian influences, and the crowd tends to dress the part without overdoing it. A genuinely lovely night out.
-
-
Rank 99. Ghin Khao
Northern Thai
Ghin Khao means "eat rice," and you'll be doing exactly that, using it to mop up some seriously good Northern Thai food on the cheap. It's a casual BYOB spot in Little Village with murals, hip-hop, and the kind of energy that makes you stay longer than planned. Grab a crew, bring a six-pack, and work through a menu that somehow nails spicy, salty, sweet, and tangy all at once. The Bib Gourmand says it's worth it, and for once that feels like an understatement.
-
Rank 100. Ina Mae
New Orleans Southern
A New Orleans-style tavern in Wicker Park that actually earns the comparison, which isn't as common as you'd think. The bar up front stays three-deep most nights, and the dining room behind it buzzes with the kind of crowd that came hungry and dressed casually on purpose. Gumbo, po'boys, beignets, the whole canon is here and done right. Don't sleep on the Nashville fried chicken either, which tells you the kitchen isn't afraid to color outside the lines.
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Restaurateur · Mark Domitrovich, Brian Jupiter, and Aaron Torricelli - Pioneer Tavern Group