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Soup dumpling tortellini is either a great idea or a cry for help, and at Maxwells Trading it reads as the former. This contemporary restaurant in the West Loop packs a converted warehouse, where the bar stretches nearly the full length of the room and the kitchen folds Japanese, Chinese, and Thai threads into a single, coherent menu. A rooftop herb garden feeds the kitchen. Named a James Beard nominee for Best Chef: Great Lakes two years running.
Thirteen honors, in evidence:
The record strongest first
- The Banchets Winner · Rising Chef · Chris Jung
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Nominee · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Chris Jung and Erling Wu-Bower
- Wine Enthusiast Top 50 New Restaurants
- Eater Best New Restaurant
- Esquire The Best New Restaurants in America
- Michelin Guide Selected Restaurant
- Time Out #17 · The 25 best restaurants in Chicago
- The Infatuation #14 · The 25 Best Restaurants In Chicago
- The New York Times The 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago Right Now
- The Infatuation Chicago’s Best New Restaurants
- Eater The 38 Essential Restaurants in Chicago
- James Beard Awards 2026 · Semifinalist · Best Chef: Great Lakes · Christopher Jung and Erling Wu-Bower
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. Central
One number, weighted & current 89
How we scoreThe dishes from the writeups
- Japanese eggplant with scallion bread Michelin Guide
Nearby in the record closest first
- After Drink · 77
- Ever New American Eat · 95
- Smyth Eat · 98
- The Loyalist French Eat · 79
- Lemon Drink · 77
- Creepies French Eat · 70
- Elske Danish-influenced New American Eat · 93
- Tempesta Market Eat · 2
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