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Cariño
Mexican
The CTA rumbles overhead while the chef rattles off ingredients like an auctioneer building to a close. This intimate Uptown tasting menu spins Mexican cuisine through a restless, personal lens, moving from "chips and salsa" rendered as salsa verde jelly and tortilla crumble to a lamb tartare tostada seasoned al pastor-style. Counter seats put you close enough to watch the small team work. It holds a Michelin star and landed on the New York Times Restaurant List for 2025.
Eight honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- Michelin Guide 1 Star
- The Banchets Winner · Best New Restaurant
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Norman Fenton
- The New York Times The Restaurant List
- Time Out #7 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
- The Infatuation #25 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Best New Restaurant
- The Infatuation Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
One number, weighted & current 93
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
- Queso truffle quesadilla Michelin Guide
- Lamb tartare tostada Michelin Guide
Nearby in the record closest first
- Demera Ethiopian Eat · 69
- Birrieria Zaragoza Mexican Eat · 62
- YooYee Eat · 43
- Ragadan Middle Eastern Eat · 74
- First Sip Cafe Vietnamese Coffee Shop Eat · 65
- Munno Pizzeria & Bistro Roman-style Pizza Eat · 74
- Kie Gol Lanee Oaxacan Eat · 81
- The Guesthouse Hotel Stay · 74
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