21 Michelin-starred restaurants in Chicago

Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser (Grace) plunged back into Chicago's dining scene with Ever, a fine-dining beacon that offers a prix-fixe menu with eight to 10 courses focused on proteins from land and sea that are whipped into edible masterpieces. Almost as impressive as the fare is the dimly lit, seriously sexy dining room, designed by James Beard Award-winning architects LSA. Dubbed Duffy's "creative obsession," Ever promises an unparalleled dining experience that's refined, ambitious and intense—with a price tag to match.

After outgrowing its Pilsen digs, Moody Tongue moved west to a sprawling, 28,600-square-foot space, giving the brewery more room to play. Executive chef Jared Wentworth oversees an intimate 28-seat restaurant within the space, offering a 12- to 15-course tasting menu based around seasonal ingredients and paired with the latest culinary-inspired creations from Moody Tongue brewmaster Jared Rouben. For fine-dining fans who also love craft beer, it's a heavenly match.

Chicago is home to oodles of fine dining experiences—from big names like Alinea to newcomers Smyth and Elske. But no foodie's checklist is complete without Oriole, a West Loop restaurant from Noah Sandoval. The $295 14-course menu (with a few additional treats tossed in) is filled with clever, beautiful, indulgent bites that allow guests to be swept up in the experience. If we may offer just one piece of advice, it's this: Don't peek at the menu before visiting; allow each plate to be a surprise, as the kitchen intended.

This intimate Lincoln Square restaurant, led by Executive Chef Christian Hunter, had a groundbreaking year in 2023 by earning its first star and Hunter receiving the Young Chef Award. Atelier, which translated from French means “a workshop or studio, especially one used by an artist or designer,” is undoubtedly the product of its artists’ work. Hunter uniquely transcends traditional American fare by incorporating global zest—locally sourced bases are elevated with house-made garam masala, miso, salsa macha and other flavors from around the world. Among the layered courses, the moo shu duck with shallot aioli and pickled vegetables encapsulates the diverse range of inspiration in which Hunter draws his inspiration.

In its 17 years on Halsted Street, Boka has racked up a trophy case worth of accolades, including one long-standing Michelin star and a handful of Jean Banchet Awards. But we prefer to let chef-partner Lee Wolen’s impeccable techniques—on everything from chilled beef tartare and grilled octopus to ricotta dumplings—do the talking.

The self-proclaimed "most unlikely of Michelin-starred restaurants," EL Ideas is situated in Douglas Park and offers set, group-based seatings Thursday through Sunday. The crew here aims to take the stuffiness out of the fine-dining experience and removes the barrier between diners and chefs through an open floor plan. Think of it like a dinner party at a new friend's home—if that friend served 10-plus course.

Translating to love in Danish, Elske is an appropriate name for a venture from husband-and-wife team David and Anna Posey. Take the guesswork out of the experience and order the semi-affordable tasting menu, priced at $125 per person, then sit back and prepare to be wowed by the unbelievably precious New American fare. Best to save room for Anna’s delightful desserts, like a sunflower seed parfait with sour honey, licorice and bee pollen.

Located in Lincoln Park, Esmé is the first solo restaurant from chef Jenner Tomaska (Next) and his wife/business partner Katrina Bravo. It’s billed as a reimagined take on fine dining and a sort of love letter to the community-building power of art: Local artists are spotlighted for special tasting menus ($265) of bold, inventive dishes that play with themes from their work. Each installment partners with a local artist; for instance, the current artist showcased is Chicago-based sculptor Raspy Rivera. While you're dining, take a look at the art on the walls—most of it is for sale. 

James Beard award-winning chef Zachary Engel (Shaya, Zahav) moved from New Orleans to Chicago to open Galit in 2019, debuting a Middle Eastern menu stacked with everything from cumin-orange glazed carrots and silky short rib-topped hummus to lobster dusted with house-made za'atar flowers. During the pandemic, Galit pivoted to its family-style prix-fixe format, allowing guests to order from a customizable four-course menu (for a very reasonable $88 per person, mind you). Don't miss out on the restaurant's next-level wine list, where you'll find bottles from Palestine, Armenia and beyond. 

Chef Sufjan Sujan Sarkar uses the River North concept to reimagine classic Indian recipes with a contemporary twist and fine dining flair. Each meal is elegantly presented and meticulously crafted to appease the eyes as much as the palate while still embodying the essential flavors of the vast subcontinent. There are currently vegetarian and non-vegetarian tasting menus with a-la-carte options available. 

Former Oriole chefs Tim Flores and Genie Kwon debuted their modern Filipino-American concept Kasama back in 2020 with a roster of casual daytime dishes like lumpia Shanghai, mushroom adobo and charred corn alongside confections like apple hand pies, chocolate chip cookies and ube-huckleberry Basque cake. The pair tapped into their fine dining roots to debut a $255 tasting menu, paying homage to classic Filipino dishes with inventive riffs like maitake and mussel emulsion adobo and a decadent shaved ice dessert course. Can't grab a res for the tasting menu? Don't hesitate to brave the Saturday morning lines for breakfast sandwiches and pastries (it's worth it)! 

Celebrated sushi chef B.K. Park serves an extensive omakase menu at this small West Loop restaurant, which fetches $215 a head for up to 25 courses. The menu, which is sprinkled with pieces of sashimi and nigiri, fluctuates with the seasons and includes indulgent morsels like king crab with uni miso, A5 wagyu butter and potato chip. The sushi counter boasts just 12 seats (there are an additional 10 seats behind it in the dining room), and each seating is limited to two hours. No need to rush: The chefs are trained to keep things moving at a comfortable pace.

Team Alinea opened this experimental West Loop restaurant in 2011 to showcase themed menus that rotate every four months—from tapas to vegan to French. The name reflects Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas's desire to constantly start over and reinvent the menu. Diners can expect all-out theatrics in plating and presentation, making each experience a memorable one.

The omakase menu at this tiny West Loop restaurant changes daily based of of chef Sangtae Park's whims and what's in season and available to him. But if you're willing to put your trust—and $225—in the knowledgeable sushi chef, you can indulge in a 17-course menu that's packed with appetizers, sushi and dessert. Reservations are available at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm, and only 16 guests are served each evening at the omakase counter.

From the folks who brought us Beatnik and Celeste comes this lively West Town boîte that transports diners to the small fishing villages stationed along the coasts of Galicia and Portugal. As such, the menu here is rife with fresh-from-the-water seafood, sourced from family-owned business in both regions. If you can, reserve a seat at the 26-seat chef's island, where you can choose from a five- or 10-course tasting menu that highlights dishes not available on the regular dinner menu, like a mussel conserva with a turbot mousse. 

If you're driving down Ashland Avenue looking for this fine-dining legend, you might just miss it—unless, of course, you know what you're looking for: an inconspicuous storefront that could just as easily be a neighborhood dive bar. The infamously difficult-to-book restaurant started taking reservations via Tock (lucky you), making it easier than ever to experience chef Micahel Carlson's nine-course tasting menu. Psst: It's good form to bring a bottle of booze or a six-pack of beer for the kitchen.

Andrew Zimmerman's warm, elegant West Loop stalwart is a destination for constantly changing dishes like wagyu beef tri tip with Asian pears, foie gras custard and cabbage as well as lemon doughnuts with grapefruit curd and cardamom. The bar program, under Keith Meicher, turns out well-balanced drinks, while Alex Ring's globe-trotting wine list highlights bottles you likely won't find elsewhere. No time for dinner? Try some of Zimmerman's exceptional charcuterie in the bar.

This demure, 20-seat West Town spot is a newer addition to Chicago's collection of Michelin stars after being added in 2019. The 11-course tasting menu runs guests $215 and includes artfully plated dishes like lobster garnished with parsnips and anise. Michelin inspectors called it "the epitome of serenity, sophistication and subtlety."

Topolobampo ("Topolo" for short) is the most sophisticated and upscale of Rick Bayless's restaurants. As with all of Bayless's restaurants, the products used here are local and seasonal. So whether you're eating from the marisquera (sustainable seafood bar) or choosing one of the platillos fuertes (usually a protein—hen, lamb, lobster—dressed in a complex, chili-based sauce), you know you're eating the best the season has to offer. An ever-changing menu means it's hard to predict exactly what will be on offer day to day—but because Bayless is involved, it never really feels like a gamble.